Ojai - Ventura Sister Trip and Dad's Memorial Trip

 

    Yesterday, May 21 2022, Lisa and I took a trip in memory of our dad who passed away on July 30, 2013.

    We took this same route in September of 2013 in order for the two of us to do something special to say goodbye to our daddy, that post is here.

    My mom and dad were really big on road trips, just taking off with all of us kids bundled up in the back seat and seeing where the road would take us. I don't believe there was ever a plan, but maybe mom and dad did plan things and just didn't tell us, we just went with the flow because we had utter and complete trust in them and their ability to always make sure we were safe. 

    I want to remember this trip and to post it to my blog in case (God forbid) that I end up with Alzheimer's which does run in our family. Having it here means my kids and my sister will have access to it and maybe they will read me these words and show me these pictures and for a brief moment I will be me again...Alicia, the documenter of her life!

    Unlike my mom and dad, Lisa and I had a plan. We took Highway CA-33 which is a winding road through the Los Padres National Forest that reaches an elevation of  7,510'. When we took the trip shortly after dad passed away, the whole trip was so beautiful because everything was lush and green and flowering. We went again a few years later and everything was dry and brown and it made us sad. I was hoping that this trip would be better and it was! Just take a look at these gorgeous photos.

Los Padres National Forest Highway CA-33

Clouds coming over the mountains

View of the cloud cover and the mountains

My beautiful sister, my partner in crime - Lisa

Obligatory Selfie! As you can tell, it was very windy!

Happy to see flowering plants!

Downtown Ojai - We just came up and over that mountain!

    Once over the mountain we had to make a pit stop as one normally does on a long road trip, we stopped in at a local Vons Grocery Store, did our business and then ogled the aisles of wine they had, quite an expensive selection. Needless to say we did not buy any there, but the day was young!

    There was a cute little liquor store in the same shopping center and Lisa snapped a picture of the name of the store, we thought it was pretty unique! Attitude Adjustment Shoppe. We didn't stop in but plan to do so next time. 

Attitude Adjustment Shoppe 

    Just by luck we happened to find a craft store in the same shopping center. It was just the cutest store and they had so many great things for crafting and art journaling plus they had ready made items you could give or purchase for yourself. I really wanted this beautiful hand  that was carved out of wood and painted red with several Zentangle patterns on it, but it was a bit above my price range for what I wanted to spend for the day. Now I regret not buying it.

    We met a very nice art journaling instructor by the name of Carolynne who was there that day for a 3-series Art Journaling Class held on Saturday. When we told her that unfortunately we were from out of town she offered to do a special class for my sister and I on another Saturday if we wanted to drive back to Ojai. While we were there it sounded doable, however on the drive back we realized that is was a long, long way away to make the trip just to take a 3-hour Art Journaling class, but we would try to find a place in Bakersfield that offers the same thing. Sorry Carolynne, I would have loved to take the class with you, you were so sweet and gracious.

     I did buy quite a few things at this shop, they were very reasonably priced and had some items that I've not been able to find at our craft stores in Bakersfield. I will do a separate post with those items.

    From there we headed to downtown Ojai to do some sightseeing and shopping. Here's some pictures from this location, it was beautiful, cool and overcast with a slight breeze and everyone was so happy and friendly, we had a great time!

Loved this hand-painted tile on the side of a building and had to take a picture with it.

There was just beauty everywhere, Lisa in front of a fountain.

Cute little shop. I want to make a string of beads list this one.

We had to do some Wine Tasting of course. Lisa had the 2021 Syrah Rose and I tried the 2020 Roussanne, both we good, but not good enough to buy a bottle.

It was a lovely place to just sit and unwind and catch up with each other.

My pretty sister and her wine. I know she will hate her hair in the picture, but it was windy!

After our little wine tasting while we were still relaxed we did some walking around and headed into the little shops on the street. 

    Lisa and I pitched in to buy our mom this beautiful hand-crafted necklace. We know she's going to love it just because it's red!

Detail on the hand crocheted flowers with seed beads in the center.

    I'm going to do a separate post also for our time that we spent in Ventura for lunch there, so stay tuned for part two. 

Cabbage Soup

 I've been on a soup kick lately and I think I'm getting the hang of making them. Tonight it is a chilly 55 degrees Fahrenheit in sunny California. I know,  many of you may laugh because 55 is not chilly at all, but we Californians are a different breed of animal, we don't handle the cold well at all, especially Californians born and raised in Arizona as I was!

Earlier today I came across a recipe for Cabbage Food, courtesy of the Food Network Kitchen, here's the link to their soup. I of course modified it a bit and it was a hit with my family so I want to save it for posterity on my blog!

CABBAGE SOUP

Ingredients:

2 T. Olive Oil

4 Stalks Celery diced super tiny

2 1/2 cups shredded carrots- any brand

1 Green bell pepper also diced super tiny

2 Cloves fresh garlic -grated

1 - 14 ounce bag Classic Cole Slaw Mix

2 T low sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 15 ounce can White Beans also called Navy Beans (optional)

4 cups low-sodium chicken sauce

2 cups water

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat, then add celery, carrots, peppers and minced garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to brown and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in Soy Sauce, garlic and onion powder, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. 

2. Add the cabbage to the pot and stir until it begins to wilt, won't take long since it's shredded cabbage and carrots, about 2 minutes. Add the can of tomato sauce, chicken broth and water, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the cabbage is tender, 30 minutes or to suit your taste. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as needed.

My daughter didn't think beans would be a good addition to the soup, but I love beans in soup so I open the can and drained them well with hot water, added about 1/4 to a 1/2 cup in the bottom of my bowl and added the soup on top. The beans helped to cool the soup a bit. I also added a splash of La Victoria. Yum! 

It was just that easy to make a hearty, healthy, satisfying soup for a cold winter day. I know this one is a keeper and I will be making it often!

Mom is 85!

 On December 19, 2021 our mother turned 85 and we had to celebrate her. 

In 2016 she turned 80 and we tricked her! Instead of celebrating her birthday on December 19th, we changed it up and had a huge bash for her on October 22nd, you can read about it and see pictures HERE. 

Here's a photo of her at her party for her 80th Birthday.

This year we wanted to do something big for her again, not everyone makes it to 85! Unfortunately COVID has changed so many things and gathering family from far and near was just out of the question. 

So we decided to do a smaller gathering, just her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Not everyone in the family has received their vaccines and I'm really serious about keeping mom safe and away from people that may possibly be sick. The idea of mom dying alone in a hospital without her family is just unthinkable!

Anyway, because December is cold, we planned a lunch for her and we weren't able to surprise her because it was planned for the backyard of my house and she lives with me. Regardless we had a wonderful time and "Our Queen" was so happy. 

I want to share some photos of the event.

Here's a photo of mom alone with her cake. Honestly I think she is getting younger!

As always, she's draped in red, her favorite color for as long as I can remember. She always dressed us in red as children.

From left - my brother Fred, me in pink, mom in red, my sister Lisa and my brother Jaime. I'm the oldest, Jaime is the baby.

Not everyone was able to attend at the same time as some had to work, I tried to get photos as I could of her with everyone.

Here's mom with me and my son James, my daughter April was missing.

The next in line as far as age in our family is my sister Lisa. Here she is with her husband Sean or as he is known to us Guero. Lisa's son Sean Jr was unable to attend as his wife was pregnant and due to have that baby any second, turns out the baby had his own schedule and I'm proud to say that little Baby Sean was born on December 22 at 5am, healthy at 9 pounds, 21 inches long.

My sister Lisa and her husband Sean aka Guero and mom

 We did take mom to visit her newest great grandson on December 31st, New Years Eve, I'll go ahead and post a picture of her with the baby here, even though the baby did not attend her party! Isn't he precious! Mom was so happy to meet him.

Next in line is my brother Fred aka Federico, named after my dad. His family was all working, they did show up later in the afternoon, but I didn't get a chance to get any pictures! But I did get one of mom with Fred.

Next was my baby brother Jaime and his family. I didn't manage to get a family photos all together, but I did catch them all separately.

Mom and Jaime

Mom and Jaime's wife Connie

Mom with brother Jaime's children, Gabriel, Clarissa and Sarena

And last but not least, I have to share this photo of my mom with our dog Chorizo. Mom and Chorizo are the best of friends and Chorizo seemed to know it was a special day and stayed close to mom's side.

It was a beautiful day and I am so grateful to have this woman in my life, she's been a great teacher and friend. Love you mom and we'll write another blog about you when you turn 90!

Books Read in 2021

Happy New Year to each 

and every one of you!

Here's hoping and praying that this new year with be just a bit better than last year, that the pandemic will become simply a memory and that we can all learn to be better humans!

As I do each year, I share the books that I've read in the year that just ended.  I began my blog in 2008 and started keeping track of books read on my blog since 2009.  

In 2012 I signed up with Goodreads and I've been keep track of my books online and it's been so much easier! I love setting goals and meeting them and looking back at the history of the books I've enjoyed through the years. 

Here's a screenshot of the books I've read before signing up on Goodreads: 

What I love about Goodreads is that it keeps track of the goals I've set and the books that I've actually read. Here's my list from 2012 to 2020: 

So without further ado....

BOOKS READ IN 2021 

(drumroll please!)

As you can see, I exceeded my goal! I attribute this to less TV time. Instead of sitting mindlessly at the TV and playing on my phone I watch just the shows I enjoy and Football and if there is nothing I have scheduled to watch, I turn the TV off and read instead. As you can see, I was wasting a lot of time watching TV.

Here's all the books that I read:

I have to say that my favorite books that I read this year were the ones by the author Kristin Hannah. Wow can that lady write! I hope to read several more of her books in 2022!

In The Time I Have Left

      I read a very interesting blog post today during my lunch hour while I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a cup of sugar-free hot chocolate...none of which I am allowed, but it's cold outside and I wanted something comforting, so I'm feeling ok about my lunch because I used sugar-free jam and sugar-free hot chocolate mix, and the peanut butter has protein, so let's not worry about that bread, right? 

     So...let me drop the link to this blog post right here so you can go visit him. I've been following Urspo for a while now and find his posts to be entertaining, enlightening and very often thought provoking, such as the one I've linked today.

     As I mentioned in my comment to him, my dad died at age 82, my mom will be 85 next month and I am currently 63, so I figure I have 20 years or so years of life left and that inspired this post and the title, "In the Time I Have Left."

     Let me begin by posting my comment to Urspo, "That's a good tip. I'm a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to paying bills, so I've set up almost everything on auto pay so I don't have to worry about it. As I get older though, I find that I make excuses based on the length of time I have left in life. I'm 63 and my dad lived to be 82 and my mom who is still with me will be 85 next month...so I figure I have another 20 or so years to live. Given that I have such a small amount of time left, do I really want to spend that time cleaning my house or paying bills or doing yardwork? Or do I want to read amazing books and work on my art or write blog posts and watch as much football as the NFL can throw at me? (Ok, I changed up my comment from what I posted on his blog, let's call it creative license, or maybe it's the glass of wine I just finished...no matter, let's move on, shall we?)

     So...where was I going with this? Oh yes, the time I have left. Some might think that I should retire already, but I plan to work until I'm 72. I enjoy my job. Not every day...but most days. With the pandemic in play, I have been able to work from home since March of 2020. I've avoided that dreaded commute I had every morning and evening, so I've gained an hour and a half in my day, so why not earn that paycheck as long as possible right?

     Once I retire I figure I will have 10 to 12 more years of life and  hopefully I will have good health and the mental awareness to do the things I love to do. 

     When my dad retired, I remember like it was yesterday, he sat at the kitchen table dejected and sad, not knowing what to do with the rest of his day, the rest of his life. All he knew how to do was work and he loved what he did. My mom on the other hand loves to do beadwork and sew and read and shop, she's always been a very crafty, creative person. I like to think I got the best parts of  each of them, so I will work as long as I can, as my dad should have done and when I can't work anymore, I will paint and read and cook amazing soups, when and if I want to.

     So that is the plan for the rest of the time I have left...what is your plan? 

Halloween 2021 - Baby J and Baby Rose and their Nana

 A quick post just as a remembrance of Halloween this year. 

Last Halloween was sad because of Covid. We hard-core sheltered in, we have to because mom is 85 and her lungs are compromised. So no one was allowed in the house. They could visit, but outside, everyone with a mask and they had to sit 10 feet away from mom.

This year we've both had 2 vaccines and a booster and we feel like we can be a little bit more daring...not crazy daring, we're not hitting the clubs or anything, just opening up our home to family again. Maybe we will even host Christmas again this year...we will see, baby steps Alicia, baby steps.

So we got to see our beautiful, sweet, smart Baby J! I posted this photo on my blog on September 2014. She was about 5 months shy of becoming two years old. She's the first great grandchild my mom has been blessed with and she continues to be a blessing to us all. She's the daughter of my sister Lisa's firstborn son who is shown in the picture at his swearing in ceremony for law enforcement. He's still a peace officer today.

Well Baby J is mostly all grown up now. I believe she's going to be 9 in Feb of 2022 and she has a sidekick now, her little sister Baby Rose! Here's a picture of them this Halloween as their daddy brought them to visit their Nana. And even thought Baby Rose has not been as lucky as Baby J to visit Nana every week, there is still a strong bond. My dad used to say "la Sangre llama" which translated means "blood calls" and there is a strong call to my mom with all her grand and great grandchildren. 

Baby J is the big girl with the Mickey Mouse ears. She closed her eyes in this one, but I loved the expression on Baby Rose's face so I had to share it. Doesn't my mom look so happy!

Baby Rose was so cute, she would shout "Trick or Treat" and then reach into her bucket and give US candy! You can see my mom is enchanted with Baby Rose in this one. I should have taken a video so I could know what they were chatting about.

The face of my mom says it all! And guess what??? Next year for Halloween, there will be a new member to this family! A little man! Can't wait to meet him. Thank you Sean for always sharing your beautiful family with us! We love you all!