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)

Fickle February

February is a tricky month....

The month of love, fickle weather, indoor days, daylight getting longer, the desire for spring, 6 family Birthdays!

On February 2

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting another 6 weeks of winter

However, I went for a walk on February 7 and captured these photos!                                      Even got a  rare glimpse of the photo phantom!

Meanwhile in mid-Wisconsin, they were a bit frigid...

Some Wisconsin family are 

hanging out in Florida for 

the month!  The upside of 

virtual work and school!

Back in the Pacific Northwest, Feb 12...and we thought 2020 was over

Aye, Sven, I think it is a b-lizzard!!

It IS artistic!

Sammy snowperson says, you-all come visit the PNW

Sven, can we go inside now?

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I got my laptop screen light bright again...with a trip to Best Buy and being informed that I needed to contact Microsoft.  Later that day at home I did contact Microsoft.  After an hour chat and they taking over my control the kind gentleman got the light working again.  I'm not sure but I do think it was a technical glitch on their part. I felt secure that the call was to a location north of me here in Washington. All is laptop well!

REFLECTIONS...

     These past 2 weeks have been a little, or a whole lot, boring.  There is plenty of indoor work and projects to do, but my interest level barely exists!

      Having "free time" is a great way and maybe the only way to discover who one really is.  I am a senior "age appropriate"  adrenalin junkee, being most content when out traveling and visiting family or exploring (as long as someone else is driving).

     At home here, it is a challenge to have many things to do but none of them really have to be done right now.  I want to downsize and simplify so I don't feel overwhelmed by so many things left undone.  That goes for material things and intellectual matters.  Too many choices means too much left unfinished.  

     SO...2021 challenge!  Downsize, simplify!

Just do it!!  I'll let you know how that all works out.

______________________________

But adventure is on the horizon once again!!  

Check back in a couple weeks and find out! Oh ya!

This has been a good 2 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  

(John 3:16)