And..what else? More photos!

It's the day before Halloween and I have posted no pictures of cute or disgusting pumpkins or costumes. I am still consumed by the friendships rekindled and I am enjoying all the photos being sent back and forth on Facebook. Wow!




Look at all these wonderful people!

The weekend bliss continues on...!

More weekend shots!

More from the weekend....at my house and at the concert!

What a weekend!!

It's Tuesday and I am still basking in a glow. This past weekend was the reunion of the 1983 Wayne State University Chamber Singers European Tour. Of the original 29 members we had 22 who made it, traveling from all over the country. One of our members is now deceased. The memory of Don Mulligan was a factor in making this reunion happen. We almost let all that love and friendship slip away under the guise of working, doing and being, moving forward, being a grown up. He reminded us that life is fragile and of an undetermined length. It made us all remember that relationships need to be nurtured and savoured.

Because of his spirit and in honor of it, I threw a party Friday night. What a joy it was to welcome into my home so many friends from the past. The whooping and screaming could be heard from the street, I'm sure.

Saturday was our rehearsal and banquet. Sunday was a concert that we shared with the Langsford Male Chorus. It was mind blowing.

I am still processing this one!

These are two of the lovely ladies from the group. Kim and Robyn, you look great!!! Twenty five years is a long time and you would think that that would create space between a bunch of people who have scattered all over the country. We have all become adults, had children, lived, loved and lost, lived out dreams and nightmares and yet..... Maybe it was the music. The tie that bound us all and brought us all so easily together. It connected our hearts with invisible chords and we all got them yanked this weekend!

Such an eclectic group of people and what a love fest. Across the board, we all laughed, sang, hugged and cried together. As I write this I am still tearing up over the memory.

We made music together and, through that shared experience, touched our youth.

Magical.

Thanks guys! I love you all.

Old friends

Those of you who know this guy will say that he looks just the same, eh?

Imagine this. You have an old lover who has always occupied a small place in your heart and you wonder..."what ever happened to...?" And then, out of the blue, you reconnect! Poof! Kismet makes it possible for you to get one day together to hang out in Paradise. The cool thing is that it feels as if you are picking up a thread of conversation started 25 years ago.

Twenty five years is a long time and yet, given the relationship, it can be a heartbeat.

Just goes to show that my childish thoughts of a "circle of friends" who follow you through lifetimes may have some real validity.

Thanks for a wonderful day, Daryl.

More about Point 16

This is a video - short video - of the wedding site of Point 16.

It's a rainy evening and I love being back in Michigan...but......sigh.

Nepenthe!!

Here is a shot from one of my favorite restaurants ON EARTH! This is Nepenthe in Big Sur, California.

It is a lovely, lovely place perched over the Pacific. There is inside seating and a lovely bar but WHY?? I guess if the weather was rainy or whatever but it is sooo great outside.

I was last here almost 20 years ago and I'm not sure there has been much change.... and I love that!

Here are two more photos of the set up at Point 16. The dining area and the wedding area.. Lovely, eh?

The greatest outdoor bathroom....ever!

These are views from the bathroom at Point 16. We camped there for this wedding I participated in and this was the potty.


The most amazing place. No porta-john here but a real sink/toilet/shower deal. No electricity. None needed as the light is always amazing. You can imagine what it looks like in candlelight or the dawn's early....



Michele is seen here sitting on the potty - not using it - and looking out at the view.

Sigh.

Northern California is too cool.

Bliss!

So much to tell about my recent trip to Northern California.... Sigh. Seeing old friends, old favorite places and finding so many new ones! Here I am at a wedding at a site called Point 16 near the town of Lucia about a half hour south of Big Sur. I am getting all my photos downloaded so I think I'll meander through my memories, as time permits.

I arrived on Thursday and had a pretty easy time of it. Michele met me and we went back to her apartment for a glass - or two - of champagne. Lovely Gloria Ferrer sparkling!
http://www.gloriaferrer.com/

We ended up going there later but I'm getting ahead of the story. We headed out to the beach - a 10 minute walk! Wow! It was a breathtakingly beautiful day and I was to have that kind of weather the whole time I was there. We stopped at a little Taquería
(sometimes anglicized to taquiria, is a Spanish word meaning taco shop. In some localities, however, it is used to refer to restaurants specializing in burritos, although tacos and other dishes are often served as well. Taquerías were originally street vendors.)

and had a great lunch/dinner. We talked and talked and talked about ...nothing! Because we could!

I had decided Mexican and Japanese would be the ideals for the duration. Friday we headed out to Sonoma and Glen Ellen, CA. Wine tasting!

My day in San Francisco

Today my day started in the Castro at Cafe Flore...then off to the Golden Gate Bridge and a wonderful walk! Then walked up to a view of the city from Shrader off the upper Haight... Such an amazing view of the city. Also, Marin.... Details and many,many photos to come. Muir Beach was amazing...Mill Valley Pearl's Fat Burgers, Wasteland....

Home tomorrow.

Blast from my past

This photo was taken some 25 years ago on the steps of my favorite house on Haight Street in San Francisco. I cannot believe I will have the chance to see it again at the end of the week. As you can see, I was overcome by its' beauty. The dumb thing is that, at the time, they were renovating it and I could have very easily poked my head in and spoken to whomever was there. I could maybe have seen the inside of this graceful, charming house but I was too young and meek to ask. Today, I would ask. That's the difference of twenty five years.

This other shot was another wish come true. The chance to see the "real" Rice a Roni sign - the San Francisco treat - on one of the trolleys. Cute, eh? Remember the commercial and the jingle?

Should be an interesting contrast to the city now and what I look like. Not to mention my friend, Michele. That's a picture of her. I've known her for...umm....31 years. Wow.

And my friend, Daryl. I will see him after about 25 years too. This will be a wild trip back in time. Can't wait!