75th BIRTHDAY BLAST...part 1

It's been three weeks since I last blogged...But I have a most excellent reason! 75th Birthday Blast!! Just ask Charlie Pelican

 That all started Sunday, February 21 with a prime rib/tri-tip dinner sponsored, cooked and cleaned up by ME!            Exhausting but FUN!!       Dinner was for our four February birthdays.

Three generations of February Schmidt Birthday ladies. Gram G, Debbie, Micaela

My 7 kiddos gifted me with a 42 inch smart TV!  Now I am really smart as I pass time without commercials.

   Tuesday, February 23rd, Angie sent me off on a mystery trip to...                                                                                                    

Inside the airport I was allowed to SIT in a restaurant...first time in a year

One breathes OUT and One breathes IN

Flew over the Grand Canyon, landed in Phoenix, flew over desert 

And landed in San Diego on my last day of 74 years.

Woke up the next morning a year older, greeted with a lemon poppy seed muffin and fresh sweet raspberries!

THEN quickly whisked away to a REAL mystery trip...???

Driven east out of San Diego...where are you taking me????

A bit south close to the America/Mexico boarder fence...WHERE are you taking me?

Buddha  cat wants to know why the boarder patrol is passing us.

And why we be stopped by boarder patrol agents

"Are you all American citizens?", the large masked man peering in the window wants to know.

Welcome to the desert!!

And to Aqua Caliente County Park...

I know that means "hot water".  Is that what we are in??

Little one room cabin in the desert

(well, with a tiny room also)

My friendly abductors...

Son Bill, wife Amanda and granddaughter Berklee

High tea in the high desert!

A late afternoon walk!

A rattle snake visit to the campsite

A campfire and full moon

Evening pasta dinner

B-day cake with 7 gnomes and 5 colorful candles...a manageable 75 for Gram G

A game of Labyrinth and Old Maid (Cat Lady) 

A  Thursday morning swim in the mineral warm water

A drive to the green hills of Julian for lunch and store browsing.

Time to go back home to Ocean Beach!

REFLECTIONS    

     I am thankful and honored to turn 75!  Though my inner hobbit doesn't feel like 75, my body does nudge me occasionally.  I am aware that life will progressively get more challenging to maintain.  I look forward to this 4th quarter of existence, trusting that God has lots of social interaction, creative endeavors and fun adventures planned for me!

This has been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"I [Jesus] have come that they may have life and have it to the full."  (John 10:10)