BEEN AWHILE....

It has been a while since I've written.  First of all the weather has been so hot and muggy it is not conducive to doing anything.  Life has been really busy and yet not.  The usual dinners out with girlfriends, Elks and a few interesting phone calls and emails

Bruno sent me a picture of his newest biological grandson.  He was almost 10 pounds, 22" and he has a ton of black hair. His oldest son and his wife, who live in Houston, are the proud parents.  It is their third child.

I had lunch yesterday at Nieuport 17 with Vet man.  We had a great talk.  He said his girlfriend is moving in with him this weekend.  Big step for him.  Probably bigger one for her.  It is nice to communicate with a man that isn't trying to get in your panties. Vet man isn't immune, he just knows there is no way.

I decided to go out for Monday night football last night.  There were a lot of lawyers at the restaurant and since several of them were from Ohio, my home State, we had a great talk about football and Canton.  The NFL started there. There was an older Japanese man there that had taken his daughter to interview with Kenyon college for the swim team when she was going to college.  She had been accepted at Yale and chose Kenyon.  What was she thinking? He played at USC and new my husband and his cronies. Way to small of a world.

It is always nice to go to a place where you feel safe and non threatened by the idiots out there. On the way back home I decided to stop and get a bite to eat, again at Nieuport 17....just their bar food.  I know most of the staff there and we too had a great conversation about a little bit of everything.The place isn't far from my house so it always calls to me.

The Canadian man that has been contacting me won his big contract in Dubai.  He owns the company and has been doing structural engineering for thirty three years.  He said this contract was the biggest he has ever had and since he is thinking about retiring and only staying on as a consultant in his own company, it is a huge going out with a bang.S ince Bruno says I need a supplemental, I"m looking.  I swear I think I found Bruno's long lost brother.  Canadian man travels as much if not more then Bruno.  I guess when you own the company like they both do you have to keep things in the air to be successful. We are talking about men that make millions.  Now if I could only get one of them to share.  LOL

Tonight is a women's dinner at the Elks for the State Presidents wife.  I wasn't going to go but a friend of mine talked me into it and then called and wants me to check people in. I wish they'd get others involved.

I also went to Mexican night with a good friend of mine who is going through a divorce.  So, that is about it from this end right now.  I'll try to be better about posting

SATURDAY....

I had a unsolicited email from some man that had been on Match.  I no longer am on any dating site, hence the boredom of my Posts.  This man said he had read my profile, that took him a while to digest, and thought we had the same interests.  Of course, no picture, don't know where he is located, how old or how tall.  I'm not really looking for anyone but it was a little surprised that he contacted me after all this time off the site.

Bruno is always accusing me of having another boyfriend, but I think he is covering his ass because he sees someone else.  Although I swear with his schedule I don't know how he could.  I just figure it is what it is.

I had a wake up call yesterday morning at 7:30 a.m. from my ex-sister in law.  My first thought was something was wrong but no, she called to thank me for a sympathy card I had sent her when I found out her Mother, who was almost one hundred, had died,.  I sent my Nephew one too.  Both cards went to his address because I have no idea what her address is where she lives.

She talked to me for almost two hours. It was basically general and nothing about my brother, except to say he had sent a nice card, which to me was a decent thing to do. She is taking care of her special needs grandchild, my brother's grand child too, but that is another story.  The poor little guy has to have another operation on his hips.

Things are going along fine with my eyes and I've been in contact with my doctor about a little problem I had with an ointment.  I see him on Monday to get the stitches out and should be good to go with a little makeup.

My friend called today and wanted me to go with her to a birthday party but of course that isn't possible. I'm cleaning house today and just staying in to recoup.

POST OP....

Yesterday went a whole lot better then I thought.  He did everything under a local which made it so much easier not to mention cheaper.  This doctor is in Irvine and not the same one I went to in Newport Beach. Nothing he did hurt or was uncomfortable...yea !  Except for some swelling from the laser he used under my eyes, everything looks great and absolutely no pain. The laser was less then a five minute procedure. He was recommended by a female doctor I know that said he was an artist.  His name is Dr. Altman.

I have to go back today so he can check me and I still need a driver, but that is because of the medication.  I actually didn't take much due to the fact I didn't need it. I've resumed all normal activities...of course can't go out anywhere without sunglasses and wouldn't anyway until the swelling and redness goes away under my eyes. Truthfully it doesn't look all that bad.  Stitches out on my upper eyelids on Monday.

So I'm waiting for my ex neighbor from the old neighborhood to pick me up.  I have such great people in my life and they are there to help should I need them.  Since I'm out here alone, no family, I thank heavens for my friends.

Everyone has said that having children makes it easier for one to get help, but I have found that is not the case.  I know a lot of people who are estranged from their children and they could drop dead and the kids wouldn't care. There are no guarantees in this world. These kids are their own flesh and blood too.  You know they say you can pick your friends but not your family, how true. I have never found it a detriment not having children and maybe I make that statement because I don't. If  you never had something you don't miss it.  I do enjoy my peripheral grand kids but we make no demands on each other and when we see each other there are no issues and it is because we want to.

So, off to get looked at and then back home.

TOUCH UP...

I decided after looking in the mirror and realizing I had probably not had anything done to my eyes since 1997and  it was time for a pick me up since I thought I looked droopy and tired.  Ah the laws of gravity and age.

The procedure  is going to be minimal, but still entails someone driving you to the Doctor's office.  It will only take and hour and a half with a return tomorrow for him to check his work.  I have been through this before with no problems and I'm hoping this will be the same.

Since I live in the State of plastic surgery everyone, just about, that I know has had procedures done.  Most are very satisfactory.  Getting older is not fun but it sure beats the alternative.  I think if it makes you feel better and happy with the way you look,  you should do what you can to maintain your appearance. Not that I don't get enough attention the way I look now, but this one is for me.

You can go over the top with things, but the doctors I go to are very conservative and that is what  you want.  God forbid you get the "wind tunnel" look.  This has nothing to do with my face so I'm not worried about that.

So in about a week or so I'll be good to go. I'll post more to tell everyone how things went.

BUSY...

Actually things worked out on Sunday.  Bruno drove up from La Quinta in the late morning on Sunday.  He looked so handsome in his yellow shorts and red top.  He had a beard trim and hair cut and was very spiffy. We went out to lunch...he had breakfast at 6:00 am. The place was my choice and since there aren't to many places that serve breakfast we went to Quinn's.  Seems to always be a restaurant of choice.  The food is great and we both enjoyed it.  We had a really nice time together and when he left he emailed me to say he really enjoyed being with me.  Dido!

When Bruno left and I got ready to drive to pick up my friend and go to Laguna Beach for a BBQ at a condo on the beach.  My NYC friend's nephew, his girlfriend, parents, and girlfriend's parents along with a couple others were there.  We had such a great time.

My friend had set everything up in the BBQ area of the condo that looks over the ocean.  I'm so very lucky to have wealthy friends that want to include me in there lives and family.  The mother of the graduate, who I had met in Connecticut years ago and had seen approximately five years ago for dinner when she came out for a Getty Museum Conference, she is an art restorer for the Smithsonian and others, she is  kick and we had a great conversation.  It was the first time I met her husband and he was very nice, not to mention helpful.

My other good friend should be home today from Hawaii.  She took her grand kids there for a week and we said we would get together when she returned.  Although she and her husband are headed to the San Juans to their yacht before the weather gets bad.

Monday I had lunch with Vet man...only an hour.  It was a catch up conversation.  His daughter is coming from the East and his girlfriend, who is a nurse, will finally meet her

Today is Tuesday and I'm home getting some things done.

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ALWAYS A SURPRISE...

I stayed home all day Friday and played catch up.  About five o'clock my younger friend, that lives in Orange, called and asked me to come to her Orange Elks with she and another girlfriend for a Prime Rib dinner.  I was going to stay home, but I thought why?

I picked them up and we spent about two hours having dinner.  I always feel a disconnect at some of these affairs.  Everyone is very friendly and they do go out of there way to talk to me but I feel like a fish out of water most of the time.  It was nice, but I decided to leave and return home. I was in bed by nine.

My lone wolf Bruno has been in the desert wheeling and dealing.  He was suppose to call me when the new baby that his oldest son and his wife are having, but I hadn't heard anything from him,  He can have a touch of Alzheimer's, so I just chocked it up to that.  He can be bad about saying he'll call and then not.

He did call today and there is no baby. Seems the doctor's in Texas changed their mind about inducing labor and wanted to wait. Baby is messing up everyone's schedule.

Bruno was going to try and come see me today, Saturday, but he has a dinner meeting with a couple men that he is in negotiations with regarding property.  The baby is putting a chink into his schedule and everyone else's. He called to see if I was going to be home tomorrow and said he would drive to see me I will be until five fifteen.  We'll see if he makes it. I've learned not to be to upset when things get screwed up.

I ran errands today, birthday cards etc. So, that is the extent of what is going on.

FUN NIGHT...

Last night, Thursday, I went to Houston's to meet my good friend and her ex husband for dinner. Yes, ex husband.  He had come in from New York City to attend his nephews graduation from film school.

I arrived early due to the fact that the parking is almost non existent if you arrive a little later in the evening.  Since I had about forty five minutes to wait I sat at the bar and ordered a club soda. I thought I'd wait to have a drink at the table.

While I was sitting there this man walked in and asked if he could sit at the seat next to me.  Be my guest, I don't own the stools.  He was a salesman from Chicago and after chatting with him for a while I found out he was in the restaurant supply business for Corporate offices and was in California for the restaurant show being held in L.A.

The other interesting thing was he had a son that had just graduated from Purdue and had completed an Internship at Timken Roller Bearing in Canton, Ohio, my home town in marketing. He said his son actually liked Canton and that there still was a Timken on the board of the company. I went to Timken High School .....small world.

I told him I was waiting for friends but he said if my friends didn't come he would like me to join him for dinner.  If they did come and my friends and I had dinner would I come back to the bar and join him for a drink.  Another lonely salesman...not going to happen. I did have dinner with my friends and I did NOT join him for a drink, although he was still sitting there after two hours.

My NY friend came in and we waited a little while for his wife to find parking.  It was great seeing him. He was kidding me about not leaving me alone for a minute because there was always some guy around hitting on me.

 I've stayed with him and my girlfriend in his condo in NY.  The condo is on the upper Westside close to Central Park and located on the Hudson.  The building was originally a Trump building but had been sold to someone else. I can't imagine what the rent is as I know that a small two bedroom is $10,000. a month in NYC  His place is big, two bedrooms, two baths, prior to that he was in a Brownstone that I visited previously. He is quite the man about town in NYC and is well known all over the city.

Anyway, it was a fun reunion and they issued an invitation to me and another friend to come to the beach house in Laguna on Sunday for a BBQ to celebrate the graduation.

My life certainly has its ups and downs.  One never knows what a week will bring.

IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY....

Sunday night the girls came for dinner at 5:00. I made Annabelle's to drink, which were shades of the seventies. They are frozen pink lemonade, half and half cream, and vodka put in a blender, equal amounts. Very pretty and of course low caloric. Since several of the gals are vegetarians I made mac and cheese with a salad. Everyone brought an appetizer and one brought this wonderful dessert we use to make in the seventies called "sex in a pan. Whipped cream, chocolate mousse, angel food cake on a baked almond crust. Good heavens we will all have to diet for the next month if not longer. We caught up with everyone's goings on. These women have been in my life since the early seventies when we all lived in the same neighborhood. It is always nice to keep long time friends and know they will always be there for you. Now on to Bruno....I bet everyone is sick to death of hearing about him. He returned from China on Saturday, emailed me Monday and came over to see me after an appointment in Dana Point that did't go well. He said he felt the China trip was a waste of time and would remain to be seen if things moved forward. I don't know why there is such a connection but since we have been dating going on four years it certainly hasn't waned. He made the statement that it was more then like and it hadn't been casual since we met. Of course his actions speak louder then his words and I'm taking it all with a huge grain of salt. He is having a birthday soon and since he has been looking for another car to add to his collection he purchased, before he left for China, an Aston Martin.. he didn't want to tell me what it was but finally admitted what type, convertible of course. I told him he was going through his mid-life crisis and he said that had happened when he was twenty eight and bought a Carrera...boys and their toys. I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out what to get him for his birthday and he said he wanted a car cover. Monday night my ex neighbor and I went to dinner at Quinn's. That place is so much fun and has good food. Since it seems to have changed ownership I'm hoping that it remains good. Older crowd and everyone knows everyone. Like a Cheers bar. My friend and I caught up. She and her husband had just gotten back from a river cruise in France and enjoyed it Yesterday I went to the Aston Martin dealership in Newport Beachto see about the car cover As with everything, nothing is easy. I don't know if I can get one, they have to be made and this Aston is older and of course the cover may no longer be available. We'll see. I met the salesman and the parts manager and one of them is suppose to call me today to let me know about the cover. After I left the dealership it was lunch time. Before that I had gone to the doctors for a consultation and thought since I was in the area I'd have lunch at The Ritz at the bar. I had a great Ceasar with steak medallions. Of course the place always has these various men that can't mind their own business. This one man sat down close to me and was waiting for his date He rather resembled a pig and never in a million years would I be interested. He said he was some big real estate development firm in Arizona and had his brochures and card to prove it was his company. He had a girlfriend but was meeting someone he picked up at the Ferragamo store. All men are really dogs aren't they? His actual girlfriend was shopping. This man thought he should introduce me to some of his friends because I needed to have someone spoil me....not that isn't a bad idea but since I didn't want to give this guy my phone number it wasn't going to happen anytime soon, if ever. It seems I'm always fending off advances. One would think at my age the boys would leave me alone. After I returned home I changed clothes and headed for the Elks to pack boxes for Afghanistan and vote for a new ER. So that is this week so far. This morning I had an email from Vet man asking me to lunch next week on Monday. I haven't answered him yet...I'm not sure what his deal is. He has a girlfriend, although the last time I saw him his comment was, "one can't always have what they really want." True. Keeping my fingers crossed that things stay normal the rest of the week.

GETTING READY...*t

Yesterday was a fairly busy day.  I had a lot of errands to do, lunch with Vet Man to catch up. It was the first time he had asked me to join him for a very long time.  Don't know what made him do so. We chatted about mundane things, including Bruno and Vet mans girlfriend.  I left the yacht club and headed for Orange to get Bruno a birthday card.

The only place that had a card I wanted for him was Watson's drugs and since I had a lot of time between lunch and meeting the girls for the movie at Fashion Island',s Island movie house was at least four hours.

The Island movies is one of those where you have assigned seats, if you choose to have a glass of wine or something to eat they deliver it to you.  The seats are super comfortable and it is more of an experience, of course you pay for that experience.

When I met the girls the movie time had changed from 4:00 to 5:00 so we went to the Yard House for a drink and a snack until the movie, The Millers, started.  The movie by the way was funny although like every movie now a days the "f" word was rampant. I think the writers  todayare verbally challenged.

After the movie let out we took the escalator down and Muttopolis, a dog apparel store, was having a doggie fashion show.  The pups were so cute.  Some were dressed up in cowboy hats, Chihuahuas and some others in dresses and boy clothes, mostly little dogs.  They looked like they were having a good time except for one that was not very happy about the whole thing.  God, only in California.

After the above I headed home as did the gals and spent the night trying to get my act organized for the Kona girls coming on Sunday evening.

Today is getting my bathrom and the back patio ready for Sunday night.


T

CELL PHONE...

I can't believe it, but I have either misplaced or lost my cell phone.  It  really is a problem since I use it for everything.  All appointments, grocery lists, contacts, etc.  I stopped service on it after calling the three places I went today.  I swear I had it next to me on the sofa, but the gremlins have appeared out of no where and hidden it somewhere.  The ringer is off since I was at a doctor's office and I muted it.  That's what I get for being considerate.

I have looked in the trash, cupboards, car and every available area  I thought the thing may be hiding but to no avail.  I'm giving myself a couple of days before I purchase a new one.  There goes another couple hundred dollars.

To go to other things. I have pretty much been home. Bruno is still in China and I have heard from him several times, he is suppose to return this coming Saturday.   I was a little concerned about the  terrorist alert, mostly in the middle East I guess, but with Embassies closing and all the crazies out there one can't be to careful..

I did get invited by Vet man to go to lunch tomorrow at the yacht club.  I haven't seen or been near him for over a year so I don't know where that invite came from totally out of the blue.  I'm suppose to be on the Marine Corp Ball Committee but I quit...I think he wants to talk me into coming back.

Actually Vet man stopped texting and calling me after he met Bruno at a function.  No chance for him once he saw who I was with. He does have a girlfriend so we will see.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm meeting two girlfriends to go to the movies to see The Millers...should be fun.

Back to looking for the phone.

REINCARNATED CHAR WOMEN...

I swear I am a reincarnated Char women.  This house of mine because backs up to the hills and avocado groves gets so dusty.  So much for double paned windows. The building of nineteen hundred homes a mile or so away doesn't help either.

I spent my day cleaning, washing clothes, ironing, polishing, cleaning floors and I'm still not done.  Some little things need done that no one in the world would even know I had done, but with my up bringing and coming from two neat freaks it is inbred.

Other then that and communicating with a girlfriend who was on a cleaning binge too that it about it for today.

My life!

BUSY THIS WEEKEND....

It was a good weekend.  Saturday I did go to the Crab Fest with my girlfriend.  I stopped at her house to pick her up and we sat on her porch and had a drink with her four little dogs. We had a phone text from a friend that said the Orange Elks was filling up fast.  We left shortly after and the place was hopping.

It was a great feast.  All the crab legs with butter all you could eat, chili,baked chicken breasts, rolls, butter, cole slaw and cake for desert  There were never ending crab legs. The event was all volunteer and the guys said they had bought 140 pounds of crab legs. They were very good as was the whole meal. The best part was it was only $25.00.

Of course the usual drinks and people at the bar.  The trouble with the Elks is that drinks are cheap and there is no end to the men that want to buy you a drink.  I had promised myself that I would have no more then three for the whole evening and pretty much stayed to that promise. 

As we were standing at the bar for our first drink a little Mexican man wanted to buy us a drink.  As he was doing that this six foot four, black curly haired man with a black beard came up and to say hello.  He too wanted to buy a drink, but that had been taken care of so we declined.  He kept looking my way and finally came over and said he couldn't believe he had met someone at the Elks. Ditto!

Black Beard said he had to leave with his buddies to pick up someone that was at Huntington Beach but he wanted to come back and meet me somewhere other then the Elks.  The crowd was starting to thin out so my girlfriend and another friend decided that Citrus City Grille would be close so we could walk there.  

We were sitting talking to a group of people and Black Beard walked in.  Now, you would think that would be a good thing but it ended up not being so.  I swear to God that the men are either idiots, self absorbed, or you name it. I found out he had been homeless due to the downturn in real estate and a bad leg accident.  He was climbing out, but living in one room on Workman's Comp, Vet benefits etc.  Then I found out he was only fifty four.  He was suing for a big settlement that he thought he had in the bag, but I know how that goes...good luck to him.  Good Lord I'm old enough to be his mother. He thought I was in my early sixties and I didn't tell him any different.  That put an end to that.  Bruno may be a lot of things but at least he isn't on the dole and whatever it is between us it takes precedent over others, at least for me.

I drove my girlfriend back to her house and we sat on her porch and talked for a bit and I went home.

Sunday I met my other long time girlfriend in Newport Beach at Fashion Island to see a movie, The Way Back, and we had dinner after the movie at a French restaurant.

Monday was the Balboa Bay Club for lunch on my other good girlfriend and a little shopping.  For me it was just looking.  I'm trying not to spend money and it is hard.  I saw several things I would have bought in the past.  I don't need it, but...its hard to gear down, but I have to.

So the weekend was interesting and good.  More adventures to come.

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MUSEUMS AND FRIENDS...

The visit to the local Bowers Museum to see the Medici Jewels and to have lunch with two of my girlfriends was a very nice day.  The information regarding the cameos and intaglios that were so beautiful made one wonder about the talent that created them. It is amazing that the workmanship could be so concise when the tools were so primitive.

The Medici's fortune spurred the patronage of the arts and although collectively these people where one homely group they certainly knew about art. It is something that so many of these items survived in total. from the early 1400's.

Lunch was great and as always Tangata was filled with people visiting the museum.  We were there about three hours with lunch and the museum tour.  Bowers is such a gem in the middle of Santa Ana.

I stayed home afterward and got up this morning, Friday, to meet my grandson for breakfast.  He is such a delightful young man.  He just graduated from high school and is working and planning on going to school. It is very refreshing to see young people that are nice.

I had given him, as a gift, a portrait of my husband, his grandfather.  He was so very close to his grandfather and I couldn't think of anyone that would appreciate it more then he.  He said when he opened it he cried.  Behind the portrait was a 30 year pin from Elks.  I also gave him a card with money.  I think he was pleased with the picture and I'm so glad.

Bruno left for China last night.  I don't envy that flight over there.  I did it in the nineties and if I recall it was seventeen hours leaving from San Francisco.  He left from LAX and I believe it is between fifteen to nineteen hours depending on if China Air is non stop.  He was in such a state the day before he left.  I received a few emails from him and they were short and sweet.  He said he would call me.

I was leaving the house on Wednesday  so I thought I'd leave a voice mail telling him to call me on my Cell.  I got a text back that said he was in the middle of a meeting for big dollars and don't bother him.  Alrighty then!!  I didn't think a voice mail was a bother.

Bruno called before he left and did apologize for his text but he said that the last several days had been brutal.  I know he is dealing with millions of dollars and things aren't easy, so I understood and didn't make an issue of it, although I could have. Dealings here are tough for that much money and I can't imagine how hard China will be,especially Mainland China.

I met my girlfriend Wednesday night for dinner at the Elks in Orange and I'm meeting her again on Saturday for a Crab Fest dinner at the same place. Sunday is a movie in Newport Beach and Monday is lunch at the Balboa Bay Club.  Do you see a theme here.  Eat, eat, eat.

I also had a phone call from a man that I hadn't heard from for over a year or so.  He just called to say hello. I've never been out with him, but have had conversations with him at various times the last several years.  It is funny how they come out of the woodwork.

It isn't a problem meeting men, it is a problem meeting someone that you like and the right one. If Bruno would stop traveling he would be the right one....or not!

QUIET.....

I haven't posted anything due to the fact things are fairly quiet.  Bruno finally got his dates to travel to China.  From six days to seventeen, which is way better for the body. His traveling sojourn the next two or three months are set.

I went to the Jam Session on Sunday at the Elks.  I was home all weekend and was going to stay home Sunday, however, I had a text from a friend that I work with on the Veterans committee and I finally capitulated and drove up. The music is always good.

Tomorrow is the Bowers Museum for lunch and to see the Medici Jewels. Saturday the Crab Fest with my girlfriend.

Have just been tired and staying home mostly.  If there is anything interesting to report I'll do so. In the meantime its quiet around here.

ANOTHER DAY...

Last night I went out for a little while.  I thought I'd go to the Elks, which I did,  I was greeted like a long lost relative.  I hadn't been there for about three weeks and you would have thought I had been gone for months. Nice to be missed.

I sat at the bar with a gal that is a lawyer and another one that booked bands. The lawyer is in my book club and had just gotten back from her vacation.  The band booker was someone new and we had a lot of things in common. It is always good to meet new people.She and I exchanged phone numbers and will try to get together in the future.

I left the Elks after a couple of hours and went to Quinn's to get something to eat.  It was early and the baseball game had every one's attention.  There was a group of men and women sitting behind me and they invited me to join them which I did.  Quinn's is like Cheers, everyone is friendly and you don't feel threatened.  It was fun.  I had a great chicken tacos and greater conversation.  Left there and went home. It was only 8:30 so it was good to get home at a decent hour.

Bruno went to  his appointment and stopped to see me.  His China trip is still up in the air as the man that is the client is still climbing on Mt. McKinley. Bruno looked like the walking wounded.  He had so many scrapes and scratches from his fall last week.  He was covered in band aids.  We both like each other so much it is silly.  Not ideal for sure for either of us

Tonight is my book club meeting, and dinner with the girls. Tomorrow I'm headed out to see my friends condo she is moving into... then a doctor's appointment in South County.  Depending on what Bruno hears regarding his China trip we may or may not go out this weekend.  Nothing ever for sure.  Makes me crazy.

FRIENDS...

Yesterday was Sunday and a movie day with friends.  Everyone seems to be in the middle of change.  Two pending divorces, one traveling, me bored.  We decided we need to keep doing things of interest that will at least keep some normality in our lives.

The movie, "The Heat" was fun and at least made everyone laugh.  We saw it at the Irvine Spectrum which was teeming with people Sunday.  There were five of us, including the brother of a good friend.  He is such a nice guy and was at lose ends like the rest of us.

After the movie three of we five went to Enotica a restaurant across from the theater. The food is good, mostly Italian, but light and upscale.  Afterward I drove my friend to her husband's plumbing company office to drop off work for their employee who was returning from her vacation today.

Bruno called this morning and is still in a state of flux regarding his trips.  There is unrest in China and he thinks that is why things are on hold right now.  He does have his South African trip scheduled in August. He said he will be down to see me Wednesday as he has an appointment that he has to be in Lake Forest which is a close by city.

I haven't been sleeping as of late.  I look at the clock and it is three a.m.or later.  This is about the norm so I'm use to it, but still don't like it.

Today is a house cleaning day.  It is so humid and hot outside it is a good day to stay in with the air running.

Not much else new.

BROAD APPEAL...

Broad Appeal was the name of the book that was talked about at last nights dinner and program.  The woman who wrote it had interviewed seventy two women regarding their lives after sixty.  There really weren't to many things new, but it was nice to have verification that most women have found that after a certain age, other then physical changes, it was a great time.  We no longer are our mothers or grandmothers. The chance to have a great life and do things with more knowledge then you had in your youth was something that the women she had interviewed all had in common.  You just have to find that thing.

The dinner was held at the Center Club at the Preforming Arts Center and is a lovely place, not to mention the food was extremely good.  For $30.00 it included vichyssoise, chicken corden bleu with roasted rosemary potatoes and steamed veggies.  Dessert was apple crisp with ice cream. I've had meals that cost a lot more and weren't half as good.

My friends that joined me last night had a nice time and found that there are things to do in Orange County other then going out to eat and drink.  This organization also does a lot to empower middle class women who have fallen on hard times due to the economy, death, divorce or other circumstances beyond their control.

The premise is that the poor are taken care of, the rich have money to do what is needed and the middle class women fall in between the cracks. Women helping women get their lives together with jobs, clothes and education.

I have a free day today and am going to try to do a few things around this house. Planning on a movie on Sunday and then Bowers museum next week to see the Medici jewels. 

FRUSTRATED...

I swear that Bruno and I need an interpreter for some of our conversations.  He swore I said one thing when I know I said another.  It was a difference of one word that changed the meaning.  I ended up texting him that he could walk away without looking back and I know what I said. He came back saying NO....I want to see you but things are really up in the air with the trips and travel. This isn't the first time we've had a mis-communication. I think he needs hearing aids.

The billionaire that is hiring his company in China is on Mt. McKinley and can't get off because of a blizzard. Bruno's plane trip has three reservations due to that plus Visa's are forthcoming for his trip from China to South Africa.  I don't know all the details, and don't want to, but when things get finaled Bruno said I'd be the third to know. I have just trying to keep busy and get on with my life.  One of the things I told him was, "Loree needs to get a life," which started the whole thing.

He is in San Diego today until Thursday having meetings with the County. Ifl the guy gets off the mountain in time he will be back in California by Friday.  I know one thing, the only thing about Bruno, the only thing for sure is nothing is for sure. He told me when he talked to me that he had tripped over a handicapped curb at the car wash and just about did himself in..He was off to buy a new pair of pants since the ones he was wearing got ripped .My Humpty Dumpty.

My girlfriend and I did go to the movies yesterday and saw "Mud."  It was a fair movie about a young boy coming of age.  Well written and well acted.

Off tonight for dinner and the lecture at the Center Club.  It sounds like it is going to be interesting and I hope it is.

More later.

ALWAYS CHANGES...

Things changed around with Bruno, as always.  The meeting was called late Wednesday afternoon to final his China and South Africa trip but didn't get finaled.  From two weeks in South Africa first, to two weeks in China after coming home, to six days in China first and then back and then South Africa.  I swear to God this man doesn't know if he is coming or going half the time. After all these meetings screwing up any time we might have together, I'm waiting for him to let me know after they conference call to China today, Sunday.  There is a fifteen hour difference and it is Monday, today. So my "special friend" as he calls us, which when I Googled it pissed me off, it is what it is.  If I want him in my life, which I do, I will just roll with it. No choice.  Our connection is really strong for whatever reason.  I swear we were together in a past life. We have been dating for three years this Bastille Day.

Thank heaven for my girlfriends. I met one of my good friends yesterday at the Home Consignment store.  I have been looking for a black leather chair, small, with an ottoman.  My white sofa is getting all the abuse and I got rid of my husbands ugly lift chair a long time ago. I actually found a Lane that was brand new for a good price. The chair is being delivered tomorrow.

I have a movie date scheduled after the chair delivery tomorrow with my girlfriend.  We will see Mud.  Tuesday night there is a speaker from Women's Sage at the Center Club at Segerstrom Center which includes dinner. It is about women after the age of sixty and seventy empowering themselves and how that is the best time of life since you have come into your own. Everyone gets a little side tracked and God knows I sure lost myself for a long time.

Although things haven't been easy in a lot of ways since my husband died. Both financially and trying to find my footing.  We didn't end up like we should have after almost forty years, but you can't predict what happens.  You can only go forward, as you can't change the past  My one girlfriend says there is nothing worse then a bitter women and the could have, would have, should have, does one no good. I agree.

My husband and I  did have some really nice times together.  He was a nice man, although weak, but then I probably wouldn't have put up with a strong man.  He had a way of getting even,  Mr. Passive Aggressive. He said so many times that he loved me more then he had loved anyone or thing in his life and he said it over and over. For me, actions speak louder then words so all the verbage in the world means nothing.  Enough of that.  Just was thinking this morning about things.

I'm doing good and again the best revenge is living well and I do that without a problem.  I have so many good friends and relatives all over the country that keep in touch and love me.  I'm very blessed.

Have a good week will post again when I have something of interest.

ROCK BAND....

After Bruno left on Sunday I received a call from a friend that asked me to go to a rock concert, of all places, at the nearby cemetery. I've never attended a concert and wouldn't pay a dime to do so, but she said this one was free.  I did go and finally found her.  I texted Bruno and his answer was "freaky," and I guess they won't have to worry about playing too loud.

Actually the band was great.  They played everything from Lady GaGa, Jim Morrison, Frank Sinatra and a few new and old songs thrown in the mix.  It was a very pretty setting with all the trees and grass even though it was a cemetery. People were dancing and had brought their chairs and food.  Kids were running around having a good time.  I stayed for about two and a half hours and headed home. It was kind of fun and beat sitting home. I did not visit any graves...

Monday was an errand day with a ton of things to do including shopping for Shred for the center pieces I want to do.  I also ran over to the Elks went into the attic and brought down sand that I wanted to use to anchor the bases.  We had used the sand for the Casino night in buckets. Also ironed, washed the floors etc. when I returned home.

Bruno was coming back on Tuesday around noon to see me and of course after he made arrangements it changed.  He will be in the I.E. (Inland Empire) and headed another direction.  He is coming down on Wednesday, tomorrow. I'm actually glad it worked out a day later.  I wanted to get my mani/pedi and finish cleaning the house .  I got all of that accompolished and then some.

Tonight I guess I will go to the Elks meeting.  I'm not as irritated as I was and I really do need to go to pick up a few other things. I truly want to ween myself away from the place.  There has to be more to do then that.  I'm looking.

It has been beastly hot and humid.  No global warming right?

ANOTHER WEEKEND...

I can't believe the week flew by so fast and another weekend is here and gone.

We had the MCB meeting on Monday and I presented the band's CD and his price.  As expected it was deemed to high priced.  I said I would go back to him to see if I couldn't get him to come down in price. I did and he did. After being told to book him, the powers that be, decided that they wanted a band that everyone was familiar with.  I was more then a little irritated.   After wasting my time and this guys time, they decided to go with another band.  This band is geared to about thirty older people that ballroom dance. I personally don't care who the use, but stop getting me involved in everything.

 This is suppose to be a MCB not a dance for the older people. If the decision was going to be made by others then why tell me to find  someone.  So, with all that being said, I resigned from the Committee.  I know it might sound like sour grapes, but I didn't want to do this again this year.  I promised to do the center pieces and will do that, but that is the end of it.  I already have everything I need to finish them and after that it is over and out.  Everyone calls me for answers to everything because they know I will get things done.  When I tried to foist the center pieces off on someone the answer was no.  Alrighty then!

Friday we celebrated a friend of mine's eighty eighth birthday at The Ritz.  There were the three of us and it was so much fun.  The place was packed with TGIF people and as always the food was great. The Ritz has an egg that is in the shell filled with a soft scrambled egg, salmon, chives and topped with caviar served with a shot of Russian Vodka.  Great appetizer.  After that it was a steak sandwich without the bread.  All in all a great day.

Saturday Bruno was back.  He arrived about three o'clock.  He has been working on deals in the Republic of China and South Africa and has several trips planned with his partners to see what's what. He has so much going on I don't know how he does it. It was a lot of fun being together Saturday night.  My special friend.  Large place with good food and entertainment all night.  Belly dancers, that were really good, and a great band and international singer.  Guess I'll have to learn Farsi. It was a super evening. They serve almost 500 people a night, which is amazing.  The owner came over to our table and brought Persian ice cream.  Mine had Rose water in it and Bruno's had Pomegranate with chocolate.\ bits.  It was very nice of the owner and we were trying to figure out why he did it.  We had no interaction with him at all

This morning I made baked French Toast, Bruno went down to Starbucks to get his NY Times and coffee, came back and we had breakfast together.  Sunday mornings are always nice together. He headed home and back to work.  He does work seven days a week and with International business Sunday is Monday.

So another week starts.....who knows what it will bring.

THE WEEKEND...

I sat home on Friday, Saturday and half a day Sunday.  By 2:30 in the afternoon after doing a little housework and ironing I decided to pull myself together and get dressed to go to Newport Beach to  the Elks. Everyone remembers me which sometimes is not such a good thing. Staying low key is not something I do well even if I do mind my own business most of the time.

I stayed and listened to the music for a while and decided that since everyone was one hundred and two I would go somewhere that I had not been for almost thirty years.  On Balboa Island there is a long time restaurant and bar called the Village Inn.

After actually finding a place to park, which is almost impossible during the summer months, I walked a block and entered the restaurant.  The place had a few people and there was a young couple at the bar that were just super friendly and great to talk to.  They worked at the Yacht Club by the Balboa Bridge and his family had owned different restaurants in Orange County.

They had ordered Calamari and wanted to share it with me.  I like Calamari, but it is fried and in keeping with trying not to eat fried foods I tried to decline to no avail.

While I was talking to them another gal came in and sat next to us.  She had just retired from Neiman Marcus and lived on the Island as did the young girl that was part of the couple.  Everyone is so friendly and we exchanged names, phone numbers and promised to keep in touch.

Sara, the young girls name lived with her Grandmother on the Island and wanted me to come down and hang out with them.  Since I normally do very little on the weekend it sounded like a plan.  I love the fact that I can make friends no matter where I go and they want to include me in their lives.  We'll see what happens.

The place had a band too and I left after a couple of the sets,  I hadn't seen anything on the menu that I wanted so I headed back towards Irvine and thought I'd stop at the Wild Fish for a drink and some bar food.

I sat next to a man that was eating a Thai shrimp dish and he offered me one. I declined  but did order the same thing.  We were talking and he was telling me he was retired from Best Buy as one of the original corporate people in Minneapolis.He was one year older then I.

He said he had a home on Spy Glass Hill, and a five bedroom home in Scottsdalte, AZ.  He was divorced and had lived in California for twelve years.  He also had started out living at the Balboa Bay Club.  He was a nice man and he did take a liking to me.  He ended up, when I went to the Ladies Room, paying for my food and drinks.  When I came back I tried to pay the bartender and he said it has been taken care of.  All I could think of was there was going to be a price to pay.  That turned out not to be true, kind of..

As with most men he would have liked more, but I declined his offer to go home with him to "cuddle"  Yeah "cuddle" right! He said, " wouldn't I like someone that could offer me more," as I told him about Bruno.  Food for thought for sure.

The other man who was on the other side of me picking up take out thought we had known each other forever.  I'm not shy and can be chatty when I have to be.  The really bad thing about meeting the Best Buy man was I have forgotten his name...typical.  I have the memory of a gnat.

I hadn't been in Wild Fish for almost two years and Best Buy man said it was the first time he had ventured there too. I probably will never see or hear from him again, but at least it was company and beat sitting at home with the cats.

Tonight, Monday, I'm headed out to pick up the Manager of the Elks Club.  She has several things on the list for the menu we need to approve at the meeting tonight for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball.  I have the CD of the new band but I think they will be too expensive. The first Ball we made approximately $2000. so we have a little money to work off of.  The Challenge Coins, as gifts, run over a thousand so a big hunk is taken out of last years profits for them.

Off to get ready to get out of the house.

TRYING TO STAY UNWRINKLED...

I'm lucky genetically but there can still be facial creases otherwise know as wrinkles on ones face.  I'm more critical of myself then other people and everyone keeps saying I look just fine.  I probably should get r id of the magnifying glass, but then I wouldn't be able to put on my eye makeup without it.

So, since I have a wrinkle obsession, I booked a visit with my dermatologist to have an Ulthera treatment.  It is ultra sound, which by the way hurts like hell when applied, even with the pain pills.  It is about an hour and a half procedure with no down time afterward. You walk out with zero redness or affects.  The whole idea is to produce collagen in about three months to fill in your facial areas and it lasts for a long time. There is a slight difference right after the procedure.

I figure I could probably save a lot of money if I just got fat again and the wrinkles would fade away with the fat deposits. As the French say,  "save your face or save your body."  I'd like to do both.  So far I haven't been successful. Old age is old age.

It is a good thing I don't have a lot of money or the plastic surgeons and dermatologists would have it all.

On to other things.  I met my girlfriend to listen to a band that we were considering for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in November. It was was a little futile since the band was booked that month and day.While we were sitting there with another friend this man came over to the table and sat next to me.

This man has been circling around for about a month.  He is elderly, but in pretty good shape. I was more then a little shocked when he told me his age. His wife had just passed away approximately a month ago and he said he was rattling around in his four bedroom house and needed to move on with his life.  Men don't wait for the body to get cold before they are looking for someone else.

Someone told me that he was worth a lot of money which he told me he was when he was pleading his case. He had been spending ten thousand a month to take care of his wife. I heard he had his own airplane parts company and had just sold his personal.airplane.  About time to my way of thinking since his age was ninety three.  He was a pilot in the war at the Chosin Reservoir.

 He wants to take me out, however, he also said he was like a fifty year old in bed......good Lord, I sure know how to attract them. Why is it that every man has only one thing in their mind.  Geez!

I'm almost tempted to go out to dinner with him.  I could be the second Anna Nicole Simpson and go for the gold. Of course one has to wake up in the morning and look at the fellow next to you.  I am not changing diapers again for anyone .I think I'll stay with Bruno, absent or not he does make me happy, at least most of the time.

So off to get ready for the rest of the week.















  

LAST WEEK GOT AWAY..........

I can't believe that the week flew by and for some reason I didn't have a lot of time to do anything on this Blog.

The usual things going on during the week.  My neighbor took me out for a long delayed birthday lunch.  She is going to be moving away and renting her home out.  I'll really miss her.  We don't see each other that often as she travels for business a lot.  She has her own Company and it keeps her really busy.  We had a great chat and actually spent three hours together.

I heard from one of my cousins from Ohio and another from New York.  It is nice to talk to them and find out what is going on in their life. The cousins, of which there are at least five or six that grew up together have always been close. Two of the group have passed away and aren't included in the five or six.

We had a Marine Corps Birthday Ball meeting last week.  We are really late on getting this together.  Finding a band is proving to be a challenge.  Everyone seems to be booked.

Bruno came down on Saturday.  He had a meeting in the North that didn't go well.  They were from the mid west and wanted to follow that States law. Since they were signing contracts in California they needed to follow California law.  Bruno said they hashed thing over forever and he finally had enough and walked away from the deal. He puts so much on his plate he is either exhausted or sick half the time.

We attended a Four Tops Review Saturday night and Bruno didn't feel well.  We left at Intermission.  I was okay with it since the event wasn't all that great.  It was a joint effort between the NAACP and the Elks and on the whole it went okay.  As with most things it can be hit or miss and we both felt it was a miss.

We came home and Bruno went to bed I watched a little t.v.  Sunday morning  we made "Toad in the Hole." and it really was good  Onions, leeks, bacon, sauteed spinach on toasted Brioche with  a fruit side.. We had breakfast on the back patio. It was a beautiful morning and my neighbor had great music on in the backyard which we really enjoyed. We sat under the table umbrella and relaxed  most of the morning.  He left around noon and will be back on the 20th from the South. My busy man.  At least he wants to come back to me which isn't easy when one lives in L.A. County and has to fight the traffic.

That's it for last week.  Meetings lunches, book club, and various other things going on this week

Until the next time.

BOOK.....

I slept in late this morning, still tired from the weekend.  I decided to stay home and work on getting my book ,that I wrote almost three years ago, ready to put into manuscript form. I have been putting this off and for some reason I got the bug to try and get it out to the Publishers,

I have a copyright in the works, the book has been edited by an editor in South Florida and now I just have to get on the stick to finish a cover letter and send it off.  I probably will get rejections, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

To tell you the truth, after belonging to this book club I joined there is some real junk that has been published and even though mine isn't literature I feel it as good as some of the written words out there.

I had an email from Bruno and I sent one back asking him a couple questions.  He zipped one back as to what he was doing and did I have anymore questions.  Of course I took that as him being "snarky" and I emailed back saying to my "snarky Bruno."  He had no clue what I was talking about.  Guess I interpreted it wrong, as only I can do.  He really didn't mean anything and I read something else into it. He always tell me he waits to read my emails usually in the morning as he says I can send some "flamers."  Only when I'm pissed at him.

This coming week is going to be a really busy one and today I've been sitting in front of the computer trying to get this book thing organized.  A lot of work and probably why I didn't get into it more, sooner.

The weather has been hot and muggy and the air conditioning has been going on all day, which is fine with me.

Nothing else to report.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY

I was so tired last night after spending from eleven in the morning until eight at night working and putting up decorations.  If I must say so myself things look pretty good.  The casino tables were delivered, lights were put around the popcorn and pretzel cart, money and posters of cards put around and generally a Las Vegas look.

This morning it is back again to fill the centerpiece beach pails with sand and finish decorating the tables.  The theme is on the Boardwalk and so far we have a little over two hundred people showing up.

This event is a big fund raiser for charity and so far we have raised enough money selling tickets so the rest of the funds coming in will be pure profit for charity.

I don't think anyone realizes how much work goes into one of these parties.  The building is under an acre of ground and you walk a million steps to get from point A to point B. I've been doing events for over thirty years there and I do think it is about time for others to get involved and do a few things.

Four of us spent days of wrapping gift baskets, putting bows on paintings and generally getting everything ready.  There were some nice trips.  One to Hawaii for two, a trip for two to Las Vegas, money prizes etc.  It should be a good Event.

Sunday:  well it is the day after and other then being in a pile because I'm so tired the Event was a huge success.  Everyone had a great time and you have thought people were winning money instead of Script.  The Script was turned in for tickets to place in buckets in front of the prizes offered.  The core group didn't get out of there until after 11:00 p.m. and believe me it was a full day and evening.

Today AT&T showed up and hopefully resolved the monumental problems with my t.v. and computer.  The new Tech changed everything out for me so we will see if that does it. What a pain.  It seems when you change things everything goes awry.

Heard from Bruno yesterday and today.  He is coming back on Tuesday.

I'm going back to bed to relax.

BEACH, TACOS AND BRUNO.......

Yesterday was a beautiful beach day in Laguna.  My girlfriend and I had lunch at the Laguna Hotel on their patio. The food is always good there and the proximity to the Beach, although above it is really nice. I always forget about going to Laguna.  It is only fifteen minutes from my house and for some reason it isn't on my radar.

Last night I met my other girlfriend and her parents for Taco Night. I decided I better give back a little something to them as they have been so generous to me and have treated me like part of their family. We always have a good time.

Today I spent the day having lunch again with several committee members and then we adjourned to one of their homes to make up gift baskets for the Saturday night Leading Knights Casino night.  T

There are some really great prizes with the top prize being seven hundred and ninety four dollars.  That odd number is because that is the number of the Elks Lodge in Santa Ana. There is also a lot of dinners trips to museums and various attractions.  It is all for charity and each person will be given $500. in scrip money to play the gaming tables.  The gaming tables are being set up by a man that does this for a living by going from charity place to charity event to raise money.

Next week the NAACP is joining the Elks to put on a Four Tops Review along with a comedian.  I thought the Four Tops were long dead and gone, but I guess not.  At least one or two of them are the original guys.

Now for the surprise or at least my surprise.  Bruno called and said he had rearranged his schedule so he could take me to the Four Tops next week.  He is still in Arizona baking himself and I mean baking.  It is one hundred and three over there.  I told him I was going to start calling him my Bedouin.  He rather liked that and  I swear he gets so dark so fast one would never think he was German. Doesn't he know that white is the new tan.  He said we would look great together.  Like an Oreo cookie. Silly man!  He was getting ready to go out to dinner with his son.

My sojourn of going to AT&T has turned into a nightmare.  No t.v., Yahoo is a mess, and my phone doesn't work half the time. I think I'm going back to Cox. The whole change has been a mess. The only thing I like about U-Verse is you get more channels with a lot more movies etc.

The man that took out my husbands ex wife and knew her in high school, sent me an email saying that he thought we owed it to ourselves to go out to lunch.  I'm not so sure about that.  He wants to take me somewhere in Huntington Beach,which is way to far for me to drive.  Not that it is that far, but why?  There are a million good restaurants closer. I haven't decided if I want to meet him or not. Rather odd that he is dating ex-wives.

The next two days are busy setting up for the Event Saturday night and I need to get something things done around here tonight.

Sweet dreams all.



  

TUESDAY....

i spent the day changing the bed, cleaning and ironing.  What fun.  I decided to get ready and go to the meeting but when I got there I had a club soda and decided to go home.

When I returned home I had a message from my one girlfriend in Newport Beach and she told me about another really good friend that had a cancer scare.  All of this was brought on by the sun.

Then my other friend from Orange left a message telling me she was looking forward to seeing me tomorrow night and she loved me a lot.  She and I although years apart have connected.  She was so sweet, she bought me a Mother's Day gift.  Very thoughtful.

Bruno called late yesterday afternoon, but didn't have time to talk. He is now in Scottsdale and will be home tomorrow to go to his dental appointments.  He has so many irons in the fire.  HE called back again today to let me know what was going on. We will try to see each other next week, Thursday and Friday.  He really is an Alpha males and perfect for me. Nobody will tell him what to do or how to do it.  Refreshing after years of being with a "nice guy." who couldn't be decisive.  As my brother says, "everyone is different."  You think??

 I sometimes wonder where all the time went.  We had a lot of good years but someone that is passive aggressive can really get to you after a while. I'm sure I drove him crazy too. We had so many outside peripheral forces from the get go and I'm not one to take things lying down or be quiet about things.  How we managed to stay married thirty seven years is beyond me.  They say opposites attract.  Maybe that was the catalyst. Oh well, it is water under the bridge now and you can't change the past.  I've learned that the best revenge is living well, and for me it isn't about revenge.

So, that's it from the peanut gallery for the night.

NEW WEEK..........

The Memorial service was very nice.  The women that passed on was very sweet and talented and she had some very nice tributes said about she and her husband who passed away several years ago. They lived in a retirement community of about eighteen thousand people and the different Clubs that are there gets people involved. They belonged to the New York Club and it was well represented.

The Memorial was over early and I didn't feel like going home to an empty house.  I was still wondering what happened to Bruno.  I went to the Ritz in Newport Beach and was talking to  a man who grew up in Orange County.  He knew about my husband from football and he had gone to high school with my husband's ex wife.  He announced that she was crazy back then.  Totally reaffirmed my thinking that the women is bonkers.  She has been in therapy for forty years that I know of and guess what?  It hasn't helped.

On Saturday I talked to a girlfriend from South County and she said that she had gotten an email she sent back as undeliverable. She tried while I was talking to her and it came through.

I had a text from Bruno telling me what was going on in Las Vegas and he was coming home this week either Wednesday or Thursday.  He had tried to email me too and it had come back.  I was having issues with the new AT&T lines.  All my bad thoughts about him were canceled.  He actually was in touch. or tried to be. He is suppose to call me this afternoon to discuss a couple of upcoming events going on that he may or may not be able to go to.  I find out today.

Yesterday, Sunday, I did go to my friends BBQ in Orange.  It was low key and relaxing.  She too had been to a Memorial service for a Vet that passed away unexpectedly the day before.

Today I'm staying home and cleaning house.  Tomorrow is a meeting at the Elks and Wednesday I have lunch with my girlfriend in Laguna Beach then that night it is Taco Night and I invited a couple and their daughter to that event.

Trying to keep busy and seem to be doing a good job of it.

LAST NIGHT AND TODAY

I went to Orange County Mining Company at 5:30 for cocktails to celebrate with a gal that was leaving her escrow company for a new one.  I didn't know the group, but was invited by my friend that worked with her and wanted me to come.

There was only a small group of five, which was fine.  I gathered from the conversation that the company they all work for wasn't the easiest and everyone was hanging on by a thread.

Real Estate is picking up out here and the houses are slowly climbing back to their prices in 2007.  This makes for a lot of escrow work and the ones that are good at doing the paperwork,  are in demand. The one that was leaving had no trouble finding a job for more money, six figures is not unusual.

I had one drink only.  Driving down the winding hill to the base is a little tricky and I have always been surprised that someone hasn't gone off the edge.

After leaving the gal that invited me to join her at the Orange Elks.  We met up there had a snack and a drink and I headed home.

Today is a Memorial Service for the Mother of my friend.  Passages are always happening for all of us.

The AT&T man was here for hours trying to fix my computer which would not allow me to print anything out from my computer. It took hours, but he fixed it.  I swear these computers have a mind of their own.

No word from Bruno who I assume is in LV. I really do need a new boyfriend.

DINNER........

The dinner with my Grand Daughter was great.  She is such a nice, smart young lady.  She got her Vet Tech degree and is working with a premier Veterinarian in the North County area.  We try to meet at least once a month.She loves it and says there is room for advancement. I'm glad I have a good relationship with her.

She regaled me with the relative scenario that transpired at the shower she put on for her Mother's wedding and at the wedding.  As expected her Aunt and her Grandmother caused scenes and were out of control.  These people haven't changed for forty years that I know of and I don't think that will ever change.  It only reaffirms my position of staying away from them.  My Grand Daughter has drawn a line in the sand that they are not to cross.  We can't pick our relatives that is for sure.  I have a couple doozies on my side. God knows what they think of me.

I've been having trouble with my phone today  Finally got things straightened around after a day and a half of being phoneless.  Even the cell was acting up.  AT&T is fixing things in the area and everything was messed up.

Bruno called again yesterday and gave me an update on the tooth. He was allergic to the adhesive and his new dentist can't do anything until Monday.  Monday is the day he is suppose to close escrow in Lake Las Vega and that won't work.  He upped his travel to today and is hoping to close things out tomorrow, Friday. He needs to do a walk through and be sure that everything is there. The Penthouse came furnished with art and very nice things.  The people that own if are in Colorado so I don't think they will be entering the property and taking anything away. I haven't seen him for three weeks, although we have talked and emailed a lot. Weird relationship to say the least.

My friend that I went to the Polo Lounge with asked me to meet her tonight for a drink at the Orange County Mining Company.  I'm debating whether to go or not.  I have a memorial service tomorrow afternoon  and a BBQ Sunday.  I'll wait to see how I feel about it in an hour.

I haven't done one thing today and I need to get cracking.  Time goes so fast and the days fly by.

MEN ARE WHIMPS.......

You won't believe Bruno is still having tooth issues.  He acquired an infection in the tooth site and of course it was worse over the holiday weekend.  He ended up in the emergency room at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning for five hours. He said his face on one side had swollen and he was in pain.  Several antibiotic shots and pills later he was back home and back in bed.  Of course that negated our Sunday date.  What else is new. This tooth thing as been going on almost two weeks.

Since I had the day to myself I decided to go to breakfast at the Elks.  The Renovators were having a yard sale and I also needed to zip tie the vines and lights that we put up several months ago in the entry. The Santa Ana winds do a number on anything that is trying to stay attached.

I spent several hours there and then decided to go to Newport Beach. I do get more then a little tired of being by myself all the time. I shouldn't complain since I got exactly what I wanted.  I always wished to be by myself again and I got my wish.  Most of the time it is great, but others, not so much. So, from the Newport Elks on the Bay to the Balboa Bay Club to Maestro's Ocean Club and home.  I talked to a lot of couples and a couple of odd men, but was ready to go home.  Talk about boring.

Lots of texts and phone calls from Bruno keeping me apprised of his situation.  I wasn't in a great mood yesterday as I had a message when I awoke that a mother of a friend of mine had passed away. She had been in the hospital where I visited her.  She died at home and my friend was spending the night with her.  She found her on the bathroom floor in the wee hours of the morning. I was glad I got a chance to see her.  She was the sweetest women.

So, when I sent a text to Bruno and he replied and asked how I was, my answer was not great but okay.  He called to see what was wrong. He had his appointment set up for yesterday late afternoon.  He has to go to Las Vegas Sunday to walk a penthouse he purchased in Lake Las Vegas on Sunday and no I don't want to go.  Not that he would include me anyway.  There a multitude of reasons I put up with him and I'm not complaining.  We have a very odd relationship that has been going on for three years. He is suppose to call me today to see if he is up to driving to Orange County tomorrow.

Last night I did go to another meeting at the Elks.  Since I'm on several committees I need to show up.  I had dinner with several friends and attended another Tuesday night meeting. It is time to work on center pieces again. It's like Groundhog Day......each year it is same thing different year.

Tonight my grand daughter and I are meeting for dinner.  I haven't seen her for a while so it will be nice to play catch up.

More next time.

THE WEEK.............

I don't know what is going on, but I seem either to be running around like a crazy person or sitting looking at the walls.  I stayed home Friday and spent Saturday playing Char women.  Sunday I sat in a pile trying to recover from all the work I did Saturday.

Monday was a dermatologist appointment to get a growth zapped under my eye for the third time.  This time he cauterized the the thing and I hope that is that.  From there it was a few errands

I decided to get rid of my cable company as they were charging me a ton of money for little service.  I did go to the AT& T store to buy an I Phone 5.  They had a special on it  for a hundred dollars. While I was there they offered me U-Verse and a bundle for my computer and phone that I couldn't refuse.  It was half of what Cox charges.

The Tech from AT & T came out and for a while I thought he was moving in, it was hours.  The service for the t.v.is totally different but I'll learn the channel numbers eventually.  There must be over two hundred channels with all the Premiums included.

While the Tech was at the house Bruno called on my cell phone.  He always uses my land line, he announced, "did I know that my phone had been busy for the last hour."  I explained that things were getting changed over.  You would think he is the only person I talk to on my phone.

Tuesday night I decided I better go to a meeting, for a change, at the Elks.  They are so boring.  They don't start until eight o'clock and although you have dinner, drinks and socialize it is just plain awful. Returned home around 9:30.

Wednesday was an errand day.  The Veterinarian for special cat food, the Dentist for a cleaning that only lasted ten minutes, Bed Bath and Beyond for coffee, Lowes for flowers, Target for more cat food and litter, home and then back out again to return the equipment to Cox.  In between all of that I had low lights put in my hair and a haircut.

I knew that Bruno had another Dentist appointment at eight a.m. and I didn't hear from him all day or night, although I had sent him a text asking if everything went okay.  He answered this morning via text.  Then on his way to get his pills he called and then called back.  He is still having issues with an implant site.  I think the Dentist is a quack and I told him so. He said he had called a San Diego Dentist and in a week or so he was going there to have a second opinion.  If he would listen to me he would of had it over by now.  But NO!

Thursday night, tonight, there is a Leading Knights Gala, which is going to be a Casino night, meeting.  I'm on that committee too  We are meeting about decorations.  Then after that meeting is another one for the second Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I'm waiting to hear; from my grand daughter to see if she still wants to go to dinner tomorrow night.  Since Bruno is tying up loose ends and I'm probably seeing him on Sunday.  With him you never know, although he did say something that I told him he needed to do a long time ago and that is get more sleep.  Four hours a night isn't enough.

So far the above is the week.  I do have a Saturday BBQ to do to, but I haven't decided if I want to do that since it is in Orange and I don't want to drink and drive with the holiday weekend being a big police presence.

Happy Memorial Day all!

THE WEEK GOT AWAY.......

It's been a week since I have written any thing.  I'll start with Mothers Day.  It was very lovely and very elegant.  My friend had a porch party as we five waited for the Limo to arrive. Mumm's champagne and snacks.  The driver showed up and we all got into the Limo with the left over snacks and of course the champagne.

When we arrived we were led back to the main dining room behind the Polo Lounge.  We had another glass of champagne and since this group are real estate people and mortgage gals the partying began.

The brunch was off the menu and everyone had something wonderful, we had wine, as you can only drink so much champagne.  The Mater De and the staff came over and paid a lot of attention to our table.

I did find a matching hat to go along with the dress I wore and I had a lot of compliments on my outfit from everyone. Staff and customers alike.

After brunch we decided since we had a Limo we would go to the bar and have another drink or two.  We did and I talked to some men from New Zealand that had a stud farm.  When I asked how many horses, they said, "five hundred."  That is a lot of horse flesh.  They had been to the Kentucky Derby then NYC, then to Las Vegas and were winding up in Beverly HIlls.  Heavy accents, heavy bodies, but interesting.

We piled into the Limo after we finished our rounds and headed back "behind the Orange Curtain," For me it was like going back home again being a the Polo Lounge.  I used to go there a lot when I worked in Beverly Hills and the host knew the man that use to seat people for forty years, that I knew.  I do miss not being in L.A. County. It is so different the OC.

Monday was a doctor's appointment, then Bruno surprised me by coming back from Texas a day early.  He came straight from the airport to see me.  Tuesday was packing boxes for the troops in Afghanistan, Wednesday, a book club meeting, Thursday and Friday I worked as a hostess at the Marriott in Anaheim.  The Elks State Convention was being held there for several thousand people and the Hospitality Suite for CHEA was my designated place to be. Chea stands for California Hawaii Elks Association.

Thursday Bruno and I were suppose to go out but he broke a tooth and cap and had a dental appointment to get it fixed that ended up being much more and painful.  So Thursday was cancelled.  He was leaving for Arizona for the weekend to go to a gun show with his son and will be back next this coming Monday morning.

The weekend I was home cleaning and playing catch up.

Life is the same but different, if that makes sense.

BACK TO THE SAME OLD..........

The Mother's Day brunch has gotten even better.  Not only are we going to the Beverly Hills Hotel, but now the husband doesn't want to go and another gal has been invited.  Since we won't have a designated driver, my friend has hired a limo to take us so we can indulge without worrying about being stopped by law enforcement. What to wear, what to wear??

Bruno is doing his same old.  We were suppose to go to a movie tomorrow night, but he has a late appointment, he said he tried to change it but hadn't heard from his client. He is leaving town on Friday and won't be back until the following Tuesday.  I swear when you like a workaholic you do put up with a lot of  crap.  I can't fault him, he has so many irons in the fire I don't know how he keeps up with it all.

He just purchased over three million dollars worth of property last week, in two days, and a month or so ago bought a company.  When you are flying that high and fast you have to keep up or it can all come crashing down. I sound like I'm making excuses, and maybe I am, but when we are together it is so worth it. He said we would be together next week, so I will be free until then.

I told Bruno a long time ago that anyone that wanted to be with him had to have her own life and boy was I right. I really have no clue as to how much he is worth but with the tidbits dropped in conversation and from his up bringing I think he is very well to do.  It doesn't matter, as I liked him before I knew anything about him. We can both drive each other crazy but we have decided to try and stay on an even keel.  I told him I would, unless he pissed me off.....Ha!

I went to a meeting last night at the Elks.  There is a man, that I think I mentioned before, that is my age that would really like to go out with me.  He is rather a ne'er do well and I have no interest.  Thank heaven my friend, that I work on the veterans committee with, was there and I sat with him and his brother in law for dinner.  I don't want to give the other guy any idea that I might be interested. He tried to buy me a drink but I had my money out and declined.

I stayed for the meeting at the Elks and then came straight home.  I must have been tired since I slept from 9:30 p.m. until 8:30 a.m..Today was a down day and I worked on files in the garage.  I may never get through all the paperwork around this house.

Tomorrow is another day.

THE HABOOB IS OVER..........

Bruno and I went out to dinner.  He came down around one p.m. and we watched the Kentucky Derby  Our reservations, at the restaurant, were for eight o'clock, we made them that late due to the fact the DJ, or so we thought, started at ten.  We sat  at the table for a while and drank two drinks and chatted with the couple next to us.  Bruno especially loves to orate if given a chance, he and the man had lots to talk about regarding business and Bruno's travels.

We finally ordered dinner.  I had not been in the restaurant for at least fifteen years and my memory of it was it was pretty good.  Well, fifteen years later it was terrible.  Not only was it very expensive, they wanted fifty six dollars for a lobster tail, which isn't bad if the place serves decent food, but the food was very sad.  The twice baked potato was dry and no flavor, the steak was salted to death, the cheese bread was oily, and the asparagus that Bruno ordered was slathered in some type of oil and garlic that tasted like diesel fuel.  He ended up sending it back for plain grilled asparagus.  I guess it goes along with the old adage you can't go home again. Not to mention his first drink came out wrong. Bruno usually pays cash for things and two hundred barely covered it. We could have gone to Ruth's Chris for less.

When the entertainment came in it wasn't a DJ but some alternative guitarist that played the same chords over and over and sang his own compositions.  The room itself is small and the speakers were at least six feet high. Deafening!  The other thing was the crowd changed from a forties to sixties crowd to an onslaught of very young groupies dressed in grunge that had been kept waiting outside behind a velvet rope.

We stayed for about ten minutes after the music, if you can call it that, started and decided to leave.  So did the couple next to us.  We decided to meet up with them at Pierce Street Annex, which has a DJ and a dance floor.  That place too had a lot of younger people but at least you could dance to the music. The other couple joined us and the evening wasn't a total loss.We got home by twelve thirty and even though the places were not good, we did have a good time, as always.

The next day I made a breakfast of smoked salmon, caviar, lox's, bagels, cream cheese, onions, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries,  juice, and  coffee. After breakfast, around eleven, Bruno left to go on a quest for ammo for his sons birthday, his sons gift request, birthday cards and then he was headed home.  I went back to bed and slept most of the day.

Monday, today, I headed for South County to the zapper doctor and then home.  It is raining and not nice out.  One day it is ninety and the next sixty. The rain is a good thing for the firemen in the Valley where those horrible fires are raging.

Bruno is coming back on Thursday and we are going to a movie, probably A Big Wedding, then out to dinner.  He has an appointment at six thirty a.m. the next morning so it will be an early night and he will head back to Los Angeles after dinner.Our Haboob has settled down and we are starting off again a fresh....at least I hope. We will see.

Signing off.

SPOKE TO SOON....

What did I say about Mikee, my cat, being a good boy.  He was fine until I put him on the carpet in the bedroom.  For some reason Camille and he got into a huge fight and I mean huge.  There was hissing and growling and fur flying.  Mikee ran into the office with Camille in chase.  Mikee hid under my desk and Camille was hissing her head off and he was growling.  I have no idea what happened as they have never done this before.  I picked Mikee up and held him and he was in a ball on my lab.  He didn't want down.

I finally took him to my bedroom and put him on his blanket on the bed.  He didn't move a muscle. He stayed there and later that day I decided that things were resolved and I could comb him.  No, that wasn't to be.  He allowed it for about two minutes and then went into full attack mode.  Biting and scratching my left arm.  I look like I've been through a rose bush. Today he is still not back to normal.  I'm hoping his mind set goes away.

Last night I did meet my younger girl friend and her mother.  We had a couple of drinks and something to eat.  In the conversation her Mother invited me to go with them on Mother's Day to the Beverly Hills Hotel for brunch.  I was a little hesitant as it was her Mother's Day and I didn't want to horn in.  She and my friend insisted that I come with them, so I guess I will be spending my un- Mother's Day in Beverly Hills.  As it is my old stomping ground I'm looking forward to going there.  Might have to re visit the Polo Lounge. The last time I was there I went to a Remy Martin tasting.

Bruno called his morning to tell me he would be here tomorrow, late morning.  Maybe I can make him slow down.  The Kentucky Derby is running, so getting him to sit still for a moment might be in the cards. I can't, personally, run all day and night too.

My long time friend, who is at her house in England right now, had the chance to go to a Wolf Sanctuary.  She sent me pictures of giving a wolf a kiss and rubbing its belly.  What a wonderful experience. She is asking me to come over to England so she can take me there. I emailed her I'd love to if I wasn't so poor right now.  Way to many expenses to save for a trip.

So the weekend is here and at least I'll be busy Saturday and part of Sunday.


  

THIS AND THAT....

This is in line with never knowing when or what Bruno is going to do.  He sent me a text yesterday morning asking if I was going to be home.  He had an appointment at Foothill Ranch and would be in the area.  He said he would stop by to fix the plug in the hall afterwards if that was okay.  Of course it was okay.!Getting things done around here that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is great.

He showed up around ten a.m. and changed out the plug for a new one.  He had to be in Los Angeles for a meeting at 2:00 p.m.but he stayed with me until 12:30.  He does have a really cute personality, if a little profane sometimes,  and he was telling me a joke about a man having a pull ring in his head, that when a wife yanked on it, it would say, "my fault."  Of course this was referring to the "dust up" we had several weeks ago. He isn't one to let things go.

After our little to do, he rearranged his schedule to go back to Alabama and was in a proper foul mood.  His poor crew paid for our argument.  He was a week early seeing them, they weren't ready, was short and snapped at them and everyone was staying clear of him, including the waitress at the little diner he usually goes to for breakfast.

Saturday he is coming down early afternoon, although our reservations at La Cave are for 8:00 p.m.
I am hoping things go smoothly and on my end I'll try to be on my best behavior, although that goes  a little against my grain.  As long as he doesn't dump another bombshell on me, we will be fine. I swear he is my nemesis.  We have the strangest relationship, if you could call it that. He definitely  is unique.

Last night I picked up my ex-neighbor and we went to dinner.  I wasn't ten minutes away from the house when my next door neighbors, girl Friday, called me and wanted to know if I was home.  My neighbor who has been gone for over a month had returned and forgotten her keys.  We have keys to each other houses.  It would have save the girl Friday a trip but it didn't work that way.

My ex neighbor and I had a great conversation at dinner, as always, I saw her years ago, through her divorce and trying to land the man she finally married for the last thirty years.  There were lots of tears and wine and we have a good understanding of each other.  I'm very lucky to have a lot of incredibly, strong women in my life.

Tonight I'm meeting my forty eight year old girl friend and her Mother, who is my age, for drinks and hor d houvres.  She has been a fun friend and her Mother had me to she and her husband's house for dinner one evening. People seem to want to gather me up into their world.....fine with me. I have a ton of long time friends of thirty to forty years and adding new ones along the way is great.

Vet man has been texting me and he loves hearing about Bruno and my relationship.  I think he likes living vicariously.  He can be pretty funny too.

Other then running up to CVS and doing a few chores, my big thing was giving my cat a bath and cutting his nails.  He really is a good boy and allows me to do what I need to do.  White cats just get dirty.

Off to get ready for this evening.

YESTERDAY.............

I'm good to go for another three to five years.  The actual colonoscopy was a snap to get through, the prep is another story.  Ugh!  I awoke at five in the morning the day of the procedure and was suppose to drink more of that wretched liquid.  That didn't work at the hour in the morning.  Blah!  I just figured they'd have to deal and do whatever they could.  They found a few minor things, but all is fine.

My good friend drove up from South County, above and beyond the all of duty, to pick me up and schlep me to my appointment.  She came back to pick me up and we went to lunch.  I'm always glad to see her and we have a great connection.  It is nice to be able to talk to someone about anything without having them be judgemental. Some of it is our ages that are close, and the other is our personalities that mesh.  I'm forever greatfull to my husband who introduced me to she and her husband years ago, when he sold them a house. We have maintained a friendship ever since.

After lunch she dropped me off and I decided I better rest since Vet man was picking me up up to go to dinner that evening.  I couldn't sleep but did stay prone on the sofa.  Vet man showed up right on time, usually he is early, and we had a drink before we left the house.  He is so involved in the Elks and is working the Convention for six thousand people in the hospitality suite.  The suite isn't open to all, just about fifty or so people.  He asked me if I could help and I told him I would.  I'm not thrilled with wearing an Elk golf type shirt.  they are so ugly, at least on me.  I've never been a t-shirt person.

It is nice to go out with someone and have a decent conversation about a lot of things without worrying about being pawed to death afterwards.  He had turned into a good friend. At least on my end of it.  He just got back from the Caymans with his daughter and her friend and they had a great time.  He needed that break from some personal things and his job with the veterans at the hospital.

During the day I sent Bruno an email telling him I was finished with my icky procedure and he responded asking if we could do Saturday night instead of Friday.  Saturday is actually better as Friday is a nightmare on the freeways for him and he can get her earlier on Saturday.  He is changing out a wall plug for me and will get here a little earlier in the day.  I shot myself in the foot after our "dust up." The garbage disposal he was going to change for me ended up by me hiring a plumber that cost me a friggin fortune to have installed.

It is going to be Cinco d Mayo, at least I imagine they will celebrate it on Saturday not Friday, I told him that we should make reservations wherever it is we will be going.  He said I thought I would like La Cave better then the Elks, how right he was, and that is where we will be headed Saturday night.

La Cave has a DJ spinning top 40's, 80's and 90's music.  La Cave also has the best food.  The restaurant has been there since the sixties and it is in the basement of a building.  You take an elevator down to the place.  I'm hoping things go alright.  Bruno and I have had our moments as of late, although he did come down and take me to lunch last week.

Tonight I'm headed for the Elks for a meeting and tomorrow I have dinner plans with an ex-neighbor of mine.  She and I have remained friends for over thirty five years. So today I'm headed out to do errands and see someone that is in the hospital before I go to my meeting.

The week is pretty much planned.