Steep Ravine

At the end of last week, Jim and I took some time to de-compress from the stress of life and stayed a couple nights at Steep Ravine Cabins, which is just south of Stinson Beach.  There are 8 rustic cabins and 8 camping sites.  We were in cabin #7 which is the closest one to the private beach.

Not only was it a very cool location but we got unbelievable weather - it was mid-70's at the beginning of November.

We hiked all around the park and the beach and checked out the birds, the deer and the bunnies.  And one night when we came back from a trip to the bathroom we found a raccoon IN our cabin!

Our cabin

Our dinner was cheese, cracker and fruit eaten by lantern light!

On our second day, we hiked into Stinson Beach and had a delicious lunch at Siren Cantina while enjoying the sun.  The problem was the hike back up hill after eating a giant lunch!  Our legs felt like they weighed 400 pounds each!

True to vacation tradition and outdoorsy afternoon tradition, we had tea time complete with pastries.

BAM!

As you have heard a number of times, I am incredibly proud of my ability to do the crow position in my yoga practice.  I had tried and tried and figured it was just one of those things I would never be able to do but would try anyway since just trying is good for your muscles.  THEN - one time - it worked - BAM!

HTCG

I don't talk much about work here but I think this was worthy of a mention.  Over 4 years ago I started an industry group for compliance professionals in the high tech field.  I saw a need and started setting up quarterly meetings for the over 100 people who have joined the group.  Last quarter, Sophia (my partner in crime from EA) and I handed over the leadership to two new folks.  Today was the first meeting that we were not in charge of and the host got this cake to celebrate the "out with the old in with the new"!  It was so thoughtful.

Pumpkin Patch

Drew and Amanda went to the pumpkin patch this weekend and took some super cute pics.  This one is my fav.

Googly Eyes

Just sitting at work and this beauty comes over my phone!  It may be the most favorite pic I have ever received!

G is in Kentucky visiting Jess and Fam and they appear to be having a wonderful time!

Ultimate Frisbee

Grace joined an ultimate frisbee team at school and had the first tournament last weekend.  They played four games and won them all which meant they won the tournament!

The grand prize was a cooler of beer - perfect for college students!

Pilot Peak

After our hike to Crane Flat, we ventured out to Pilot Peak, a place we have tried to find for years and years and have never made it to.  We have always run into closed roads or just didn't know which dirt road to drive down.

This time we made it!  But only after first finding a closed road due to a collapsed road.  This was good to know because this is a road we like to travel down in the winter to snow shoe.

It was a beautiful spot at about 6000 foot elevation.  It felt like we were on the top of the world.  We could see a bunch of the damage from the Ferguson Fire - which is sad to see.

Crane Flat Lookout

Last weekend Jim and I took a last minute trip to the cabin with no real plans.  On Saturday morning I saw that a friend of mine, Ann, was in Yosemite with her service dogs.  I told her we had a favorite hike that we could take dogs on so she agreed to meet us there.

We took the hike to the Crane Flat Lookout which we never do in the summer so it was cool to see it actually in working order.   We talked to a rescue worker who told us all about the work he has been doing all summer - including 5 rescues a week in the helicopter.

Here are our hiking partners:  Lieutenant, a working service dog, Nicole, a breeder dog and our two dopes!

While waiting for Ann, I took these pics of Oak and Hops.  They are so pretty!

CCI Hook-up

Yesterday in Nashville, Grace hooked up with a puppy raiser that is raising Paulie, a puppy from Nicole's litter here in SJ.  We had met Paulie when he was a tiny puppy.  In fact, Hops and Nicole were pregnant at the same time and actually took a ride together in my Mini after we had dinner together.  Paulie is bring raised by a college student in Dallas but she was home visiting her family in Nashville.  Paulie gets turned in for professional training in November so it was cool that they could squeeze in a visit.

Adulting

From August to December, when we were supposed to have an empty nest, I was going to re-do Drew's room.   But then he flew back to the nest early and we re-did it together.  He has tripled his storage with new bedside tables, a dresser, drawers under the bed and cabinets over the bed.  Finally he will not be living out of a pile of clothes on the floor!

Up next is a new comforter and a cool wall hook made from a whiskey barrel from Jack Daniel's Distillery.

Family Weekend Fall 2018

The whole family ventured to Nashville for Family weekend.  We surprised G by showing up with Drew.  Although she figured he would be there because he has a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out!).

We pretty much ate our way through the weekend with stops at the Pancake Factory, McDougal's Chicken, Burger Up and the Frothy Monkey.

We also managed to squeeze in a walk down 12th Avenue (highlight being a visit to the sewing/craft store), a tour of the Belmont Mansion, watching a show of a bunch of the Belmont singing groups (including the women's choir which G's room mate belongs to), a game of corn hole in the HOT sun, a visit to the Johnny Cash Museum and a trip to the Jack Dance;'s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee!

12 Ave Pumpkin Patch

Cornhole on campus

Campus at night

As we were leaving campus one night, we walked by the gazebo where students jam on weekend nights.  There was about 10 musicians and a singer that were putting on a performance for all those wandering by and wanting to take a look!

Jack

We also took the hour and a half drive out to Lynchburg to visit the Jack Daniel's Distillery.  That was a cool tour with a lot of history....and a lot of stinky whiskey!  The whole town centers around the distillery - generations of families work here.  This is the only place in the world where Jack Daniel's is made.   Also a highlight of the trip was seeing snapping turtles in the creek next to the distillery!

This is the wood that they burn to make charcoal to drip the whiskey through.  

This is the cave where they get the water to make the whiskey.

G, Jack and me!

Barrels full of whiskey

Jim picking out his whiskey

While Jim was looking at whiskey, I was looking at flowers!

Yoga Shennanigans

This is during shavasana, the relaxing lay on the floor part, at the end of yoga

I have been doing yoga at home in the mornings if I can't get to the gym during the day.   It is usually total chaos and far from relaxing.

These two insist on wrestling, licking themselves loudly or aggressively chewing on bones within 2 feet of me.  They also like to walk underneath me and do their own downward dogs on my mat.

This is called the boat pose.  It works on your core.  When I do it, Ahi jumps in my lap!  That makes it "boat pose with a refuge"!

I figure I get a little extra work out with them running into me all the time!

Egg Slicer!

Remember when I found the green Tupperware colander at a thrift store and I was so excited?  Well this purchase almost reached that level of excitement.   I got an egg slicer!!  I have always wanted one.  And how excited was I when my sis in law suggested I could also use it for mushrooms, kiwis and strawberries!

Home made yogurt

This weekend I made home made yogurt in my instant pot.  A few things of note:

1.  I used 3 cookbooks, a website open on my computer, a recipe on my iPad and a text from a friend!  It really wasn't that hard once you understood what was happening but I needed to do all the research.

2.  It is beautiful to look at - it is white, white, white!

3.  It is delicious!  So smooth and fresh tasting.  Way better than the high end store bought yogurt.

I will definitely make it again but need some help eating it as Drew is not a yogurt eater and Jim is a sissy and doesn't like the tart taste!

Old Friends

I had a tremendous surprise last nite.  I was at the grocery store getting stuff for dinner when I got a text from my college friend, Jill, saying she was in town for a conference.  Within an hour I had picked her up and we were at our house having dinner!

There is something about old friends that is so heartwarming.  It is hard to even put into words how good it feels - it just filled my soul with a joyful feeling.

Jim had not seen her in over 30 years and Drew had never met her so they were both super happy with the surprise visit too!