My 50th Birthday Party

Gourmet snacks, wines, champagne, Anderson killer margaritas, yummy catered food AND double chocolate cake! But best of all were all my friends gathered together, laughing, singing and being silly. Thank you ALL for making this my best birthday EVER!

There's Don and Helen, Paul and Elaine, ME and Joyce goofing off on the couch. And there's Don, Joyce and ME pumping up our biceps.

Joyce

My spiritual support. My chanting partner. My "let's find a new activity to do" partner. My hug and smile giver. My home owner commiseration buddy. She's smart, ambitious, very fun, successful, and she's getting married!

Sister CinThea

My surrogate mother, my friend, my teacher. Without her I would never have learned how to love, how to give, how to reach out, how to be a friend. I have become a better person for having found the time to spend with her and learn. I vow to keep her close to me always.

My art mentor. The most innovative man the world has ever known. Graduated from Art Center in Pasadena where he now also teaches (after teaching at Art Center in Switzerland for 2 years).  Eye-glass designer, facade designer, interior designer, vehicle designer, set designer - he's done it all.  And he has excelled with each new endeavor. Kudos and congratulations! Sorry girls, he's married with child.

My good friend and confidant.  Halloween was our fun escape. Always there when I need her ear, always there when I need a hug, always there when I need an objective opinion, always there with an over abundance of positive praise for myself and my creative and professional endeavors, always there to comfort me. I hope to always be a good friend to her also. Of course she's taken!!! And I did the matchmaking! :-)

My energy maker. My creativity catalyst. My thrift store junky. My lady pal who always brings with her  a dose of laughter and gummy worms. My friend with a most sensitive and giving heart. My traveling companion. I wish you and Paul the best that life has to offer. I love you!

My friend from eternity. Manicuring buddy from long ago. My friend through tears and laughter. My spiritual guide. My role model. The woman who was to be the god mother of the children I was never blessed with. I admire your achievements in motherhood and reaching your career goals! And what a cool art teacher she is! Happily married . . . and I did the matchmaking!

Mensa marketeer car guy . . . and he used to be mine! Lover of cats and all that is not ordinary. A friend to my children. My stand-in date when he is without partner. My shoulder to lean on. Has learned to ask, "How do you feel about that". Thanks for standing by me after all we've been through.

My actress/teacher/traveler friend and salsa compadre. My coffee clutch buddy and art gallery partner. Entertains me playing the music from South Pacific on MY baby grand! :-) I have the option to sing . . . EEKK! Went from Taiwan to UAE to teach English. She's educated, adventurous, centered, fun, single AND finally home!

The best boss in the world! A man who I still refer to as a walking encyclopedia -- always has the answer to the most arcane questions! What an incredible brain! And he has a heart too! And you should taste his baking. . .   Especially the magic bars! Thanks for providing me with the perfect job experience. And thanks for being such a good sport with all the pranks we pulled at work!

A night of jazz at The Baked Potato. Friends for 34 years and still enjoying each others company! Unbelieveable! And I still remember that yellow Falcon, drinking Sweet Cataba wine from a jar, spontaneous road trips and you. AH . . . to be that young and carefree again! Thank you for standing by me all these years.

Ellen, Joyce, ME, Grace

Joyce and I rented a silver Malibu, packed an eclectic grouping of CDs and drove up to Nevada City to regroup before beginning the new year. An hour before reaching the Expanding Light retreat at Ananda Village we stopped for our last omnivourous dinner -- KFC! Arriving after dark we discovered the people to be friendly and helpful. There was a good vibe in the air. Our extremely small room was warm and nicely equipped including the loft space which Joyce took residence in (it gave me vertigo!). After hours of reading, stuffing our faces at every meal, attending classes, exploring the hills and, yes, even shopping at their gift shop, we emerged with a new sense of ourselves and with new gal pals, Ellen and Grace.

"Yeah, it was great getting up before sunrise, brushing my teeth, pulling on sweats and going off to do Energizing Exercises, Yoga, Chanting and Meditating -- all this BEFORE breakfast! The vegetarian cuisine was EXCELLENT, making missing meat not such a big event. And hiking in the rain with umbrellas was something new and different . . . but who knew it would snow our last night there?"

My Niece Nicki at Her First Gamelon Performance

Nicki (far right with long hair) whimically took a gamelon class her first year in college and was suddenly performing! I'm jealous -- I want to learn too!