Aloha!

Our 25th anniversary is getting a late start in the celebration department. Normally, it is Veteran's Day Novermber 11th. However, we decided to combine our trip out west then hop off to the home of Aloha

and Mahalo, Hawaii. We actually planned this for our 20th, however a little minor thing called Covid 19, wreaked havoc in the world, so we saved our pennies for our 25th, and are flying first class. This will be the first time we have ever gone there. We are most definitely veterans. Of the cattle class.

I am looking forward to a 6 hour journey all tucked in and drinking Champagne, or whatever people do in 1st class. I am grateful that we can do that. We are visiting Oahu and also Kawaii. I plan to swim with the fishies, turtles and dolphins, and wear a lei and enjoy a very non kosher luau with hubby in tow. He is so reserved, but always enjoys having adventures with me. I dunno, we are like old shoes with each other. We feel so at home and comfortable even though we are totally different. We have a great marriage. I am the cream cheese to his bagel. Or something like that.

We have been hanging out in Palm Desert, in the Greater Palm Springs area for a month now. I have adapted to the West Coast pretty well. Dogs in tutus sometime with their owners in tutus, the amazing Mexican fare that we enjoy, the gorgeous scenery, the crazy surreal desert flora and fauna, it is just heavenly. I managed to do some gem mining (Pala Mines), went to the Desert art scenes at East Jesus and also Slab City (see Netflix), and the Vintage Shows in Palm Springs. We tootled around Joshua Tree National Park, Pioneertown (a Wild West Film Set), at careened up and down Route 74 to get out to Temecula. We even took in a Spa (Azure) in downtown Desert Hot Springs, where the waters do their wonders. We also managed to get to the Palm Springs Art Museum and dined at the famous Le Valauris., which is an experience, albeit super $$$, for our twins' 21st brithdays while they were briefly in town. Sonnyboy had just come in from Shanghai (JYA) and Mizz Thang was here to heal and study for the MCATS.

I would live here full time, as I do not miss the ice-capades my friends and family are dealing with back East. I do miss them, but perhaps while I am looking at the hummingbirds dash around as I wallow in a hot tub, I say, ya know what? I earned this, big time. And now that I have retired from wholesale, I am finally enjoying the fruits of my labor, in all of the sandy glory that awaits us. Aloha!

Empty nesting part deux

My dear sweet expensive daughter. It was not her fault to be the recipient of faulty genes. After being diagnosed for a rare condition, she is managing and finally made it back to Oberlin College in Ohio, where, ironically, she is Pre Med. My son is busy, apparently riding camels in the deserts of Mongolia, and eating a lot of real Chinese food, in Shanghai. We are glad he is thriving there, babbling away happily in Mandarin, and enjoying being away from everything familiar and boring, like us. We have a quiet house, and much lower grocery bills. I miss my babies, who are about to turn 21.

So we are officially empty nesters, and are looking at

each other trying to figure out if we want to travel (me), sit and pay bills and yell at Fox News (him), and pray we do not get dreadful phone calls from either hospitals, sick family members, or quasi hysterical children due to car mishaps and passport issues (yes, and yes). In the meantime, I am cleaning out the studio, selling off my creations at local shows, and have retired from wholesale shows. The world has changed and I am lucky to have had a great ride with some amazing stores, buyers, catalogs, and travel experiences. Oh the stories I could tell. I promise, I will. Stay tuned, and happy quasi retirement to me.

La Vida Loca, my first book, will be out soon!

Holy Mudda Of Gawd,

She is done. Fini. I have written my little tootsie off for 15 years, and now it is finally ready to go to print. I just have to decide about cover art, and whether or not to dedicate it to my goldfish. They are literally the life giving force around here, and are awfully cute and friendly. I think it would be best to give credit to them since I forget to feed them every now and then. When I do remember, they are not happy and splash me with their tails in protest. Maybe even nibble my fingers in anger. Once fed, I apologize, water the plants and sing to them in my off key warble. Life goes on and we all just keep swimming.

I met with my editor/cow prodder in chief today for the final time to join my work in the annals of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens and other books busy collecting dust mites at your local libraries. Hopefully, this one you will pick up, chortle, hit spiders with it, and pass on as good bathroom reading to your nosy neighbor. Perhaps you will come to a book signing with placards and camp out on my front lawn to protest the indignities you have suffered after reading. If you like it, just leave me a gift of some fresh eggs, mint, like my editor did, to celebrate the end of this tome. I promise it will not go to waste, and be very appreciated! I will post announcements and links to purchase soon. And please don't shoot the author.