We went hiking

Yep, that's what we did on our non-vacation! We went on a hike one day and went to the cleveland contemporary art museum the next, we had a good time. Definitely not the ocean but we didnt spend as much as we would have. I kept thinking about what we would have done if we were in OBX.

So now we are back to busy at work and I mean ive been doing 12 and 14 hr days! whew!Ive got two days off and Im enjoying them while I can. We were just told that in a few weeks we will all go back to 6 day work weeks. Not looking forward to that at all. All during the down season we were working 4 days one week and 6 the next, it made things and life outside of work a little more balanced. Well I have an agenda today,have to get some housework done and a little running around for errands.

I will post some pics from our hike....

Thanks for listening,

Dulce

Im Back...

Anyway, to continue my story....It couldnt have been but the very next day and I looked inside the pot and the nest had been put back completely! (fast little guys)And the eggs had been laid!Ok so I leave the nest in of course and I water around them!!! It didnt take long for the birds to hatch and then I had a cute little bird family. Aww. I looked in on them each day, I had to water around them (didnt want to loose my plant). Well soon enough they were standing and flapping their wings, Im sure, prepping for the big day of flight. One day my youngest and I happened to be standing in the living room and I noticed that the papa bird was on the edge of the planter, peep, peep, peeping. Then suddenly one of the babies jumped up onto the edge of the planter and within a few peeps and flaps they both flew away! This continued each half hour (there were five of them).Then came time for the last bird to be beckoned out by papa bird. Papa landed on the edge of the planter, peep, peep, flap, flap and the last of the babies jumped up on the edge of the planter. Papa bird peeped and flapped and the baby bird did the same. Papa bird jumped off the planter to fly away with the last of the babies and the last baby jumped back in the planter! Guess he/she wasnt ready. We had to do the chicken dance to get him to fly away once the father bird came back, we only hoped that it helped :)They both happily flew away and of course I lost my plant, couldnt get enough water around them. But I had a happy little bird family singing to me each day until they flew away.

Letting go is hard but its essential to the balance and adventure of life.

I love my girls with all my heart. I have two of my own and a new step daughter.

I hope each will listen to head and heart equally and find that balance in their life.

Never give up the adventure, the spirit that life brings. Embrace it.

Thanks for listening,

Dulce

No Vacation

im really bummed....no vacation this month or any other month in the near future for that matter! Its called bills & taxes. Im not happy, to say the least, but everything is for a reason I always say. I was really looking forward to seeing the ocean. It somehow makes everything alright again. It makes the next six months bareable. Its not that things are so bad here its just that I grew up in California and I really miss seeing the ocean!For me it has a grounding effect that makes everything ok again..Im so sad.

My husband says that we are going to Salt Fork...........yea, thats where I want to be. In the forest with Deer, cant wait. He says "you can take pictures of the deer" I will have to post them...whoo, hoo.

Im buying a large bottle of wine to take with me. Maybe if I shake it enough it will remind me of the waves? Not so much..hmm?

Maybe I will paint a bit more often. I dont know.

Im making bugers tonight for my youngest and her new boyfriend. I bought some steak burgers, some bleu cheese burgers and some gyro burgers! Ive tasted them before, they are great. Just going to put them on my grill and tada! I will have gourmet :) burgers. Maybe it will relieve my mind of the constant reminder that Im not going on vacation.

My youngest daughter has recently told me of her adoration for a young man that she wants to move to Arizona with. Her adoration is a year long, but, and Ive not met him yet because she has lived in Denver until a few weeks ago,but, what is she doing? You have to let them grow up dont you? You teach them to be independent, right? You hope they make the right decisions. I feel like a mother bird that just lets her babies fly away.

I watched the process of birds and their young once. I kept trying to keep the finches, in the area, from nesting in my hanging flower baskets. I kept taking the nests that they were making out (I know all you bird lovers are going to tie me to the stake)so that I wouldnt have to water around them. I have had this problem before. But the finches wouldnt hear of it. i will be back

The Lemur got canned!

Yes, its true...! the Lemur is now offically fired! I think the last straw, as though there were only one, was the labor board coming in! Yep, he had been pulling some shysty moves with the time clock. Amazing how great it feels to go to work and not have to deal with someone, who's supposed to be your superior, who's drunk and trying to make decisions!!!!! All is well with my world. I've been busy as usual with work and my schedule at same. The great thing is that I have a life outstide of my job now. I've been given a few more responsibilities but with the difference in the schedule now, I can get them done. Yay me! Ive got some more pictures for you, imagine that...I love my camera! Oh and Im going to the local Italian market (great food) to get something for dinner. We shall see what I come up with, can't wait. Talk to you soon, Dulce

Ive been away for so long

Hi, its me..... :) I've been working 14 hr days or more! I have the day off, wow! I've been cleaning all morning and I'm taking a break. I need to go to the market in a few so as per the latest usual I only have a few moments to post. I will post some more pics and hopefully be back from the market to write a little more at length. Be Back Soon! Dulce

My last day off before the 1st day of work...

I've been catching up on the everyday things before I go back to work, I'm anxious to see the changes that have occured while I was gone. And there will have been changes, believe me. My job is very dog eat dog to say the least.

I've mentioned the "Lemur" before, well he tells me that he will be taking a leave per his doctor?! Surprise, surprise....He says that it's because he was diagnosed with severe high blood pressure? Hmmm. Oh but of course. What's that song by Amy Winehouse?

I'm ok with him not being there, it's the other mini me's that concern me. And truthfully it's really not a true concern, it's just something to watch and laugh about and juggle.

I do look forward to seeing some of my servers though. You just come to know and love SOME of them. They are, for the most part, younger than me and seem like my adopted children sometimes. I have two ladies that are near or my age that I love dearly that I truly look forward to seeing again and can't wait to talk to. Have to catch up on the day to days.

I miss the Chefs too, even the cranky ones!

I'm planing on making some chicken tonight. I won't be able to cook the rest of the week because of work so I'm making the meals while I can. We had seafood the entire time we were at the Cape, and I'm having withdrawals. OH well, deal with it, right?

The chicken is a no brainer, just some leg thigh combos and some bone in breasts.

2 of each (chicken) wash and pat dry

garlic salt and pepper to taste

drizzle of olive oil in the frying pan (medium heat)

brown lightly (both sides)

seperate pan, 1 onion/ course chop, mushrooms/ sliced.

saute, medium heat in olive oil and butter until lightly brown. Add 1/2 cup of your favorite red wine, let reduce for 15 min.

When chicken and mushroom/onion mixture is lightly brown combine and cover. Put into oven at 325 for 30mins.

Take chicken out of oven pour over rice or potatoes and enjoy. I'm making baked potatoes tonight. Hope you love it!

Thanks for listening, Dulce

Back From the Honeymoon!

Hello........I just got back last night! We had a great time, I can't say enough about the OBX as they call it. We took a million pictures it seems and didn't want to come back. What great weather we had! The first day and a half was a bit rainy but still the temp was better than at home. The rest of the stay was fabulous, sunny and 70 plus.

We hung out at the beach a lot and relaxed, just our speed. I did a lot of recouping there, couldn't have been a better place to do it.

I have a lot of catching up to do so I'll post a few pictures and be back tomorrow. I will return to work this week. Hope I'm up to it.

Thanks for listening, Dulce