Tuesday July 15th

Gail’s birthday dinner was excellent indeed. We had 2 entirely succulent oyster samplers, and a decedent crab dip with our entrées. I love the easy conversation and the joy of Gail and Michelle’s laughter. What a pleasure to travel, room and continue to get to know these 2 amazing women with each passing year. We all had the added pleasure of having a connecting room, I roomed with the most excellent Susan Nestor and it was fun to have the rooms connected. I would have coffee each morning with Gail and Meesh and then go off to work while Susan slept like a little angel all tucked into her down comforter.

I made a huge mistake Sunday night of not taking my usual Tylenol PM’s to sleep when I travel and was up at 3:45am. Try as I might, I could not really get back to sleep, so I quietly packed up my clothes and electronics so I could get an early-ish departure. I had not planned on leaving so early, but I sort of thought that it might be a good idea to not drive so terribly late into the night. I got underway by 8am after tracking down a bank to deposit all of my checks and then I made the essential pit stop at the Starbucks for on the go JAVA.

The day was beautiful, all of the different greens of the different trees, the grasses and exploding colors of the flowering plants was a great way to start the day. Mt. Rainier looked as magnificent as always in all of its grandeur. On I drove and as I have so come to enjoy, everyone takes turns keeping me company for a short while, all of them telling me adamantly that I DRIVE SAFE!

I made it home by 10:15am. I drove 1000 miles from Tacoma WA to Lebec CA (the top of the mountain range that separates the central valley and the LA basin.) I left Tacoma at 8am and got to Lebec at 11pm and man was I tired! There is a really nice rest stop there where I slept really hard for 3 hours and then woke to someone trying to figure out how to get their keys out of their locked car. It is easy to forget those keys when you are driving at 2am. Well, at that I started to drive again and was pleased with the how quickly the night gave way to morning.














I got to watch the sun rise over the mountains in AZ and as the miles ebbed away, I felt the warmth start to creep back into my bones and I wanted to drive faster. I had to curb that desire and just accept my fate and know that my drive would end soon.

I am tired beyond belief and am rather sore.
I am just looking forward to the All Star game this evening.

I have a small little break to go see some great theatre the beginning of next week in Utah. I am really looking forward to that. Then I get to start it all over for the Philly Bead Fest in August.

Well, I am taking the rest of the day off, watch a ball game, ponder all of the happenings from the week in Washington and just try to breath in the good desert air.

I am not a TV watcher that follows series, except one! I am a huge Saving Grace fan and I have a huge crush on Holly Hunter. I missed the season opener last night. I have a standing date with a friend and man was she pissed that I was not home. I’ll get to watch it on Thursday and I heard from her that it was awesome!!!!!
Everlast sings the theme song!