Finally!

My son is coming to visit tomorrow and will be here through Monday - I can hardly wait to pick him up at the airport. I have missed him terribly. Most of the time I don't allow myself to say it because I don't want to dwell on it and I don't want him to feel guilty for the choice that he made.

I haven't talked much about K, but he's the best kid - I've been blessed. He's entering teenhood though, and sometimes I think I cramp his style. Not this weekend though - this weekend will be full of going to San Francisco, visiting Santa Cruz, riding go-carts (which he loves to do because he can beat me at it), and maybe even a visit to the Jelly Belly factory.

I know that by Monday, I won't be ready to see him leave, but that's a natural part of being a parent. It doesn't matter when a person goes through the "empty nest" syndrome - it's never an easy thing to let go....

Time for a new path?

I love signs like this because they silently challenge me to tiptoe off the beaten trail and find my own way. On our trip to the garden yesterday, I came across this sign and it got me thinking about my life. Even though I'm a "good girl", I have never lived my life in a way that others prescribe, especially when I was in my twenties. Now that I'm older, I ask people's input when I am facing important decisions, but ultimately I will still do what "feels" right to me. I am coming to some realizations about the path I've chosen for myself professionally - it's going to eat me alive unless I find another trail. I'm not sure where that will lead me yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Hakone Gardens

Today we took a small trip to Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, which was started in 1915 by Oliver and Isabel Stine. It was inspired by Mrs. Stine's visit to Japan, specifically the Fuji-Hakone National Park. Today, it is owned by the city of Saratoga and will be preserved for at least another 50 or so years. There was not much in bloom, but still plenty of interesting wildlife:

Duck with Attitude: This guy was too cool for this picture and I suspected he might fake a yawn at any moment.


Sunbathing Beauties: These two turtles had it all figured out - how to relax amid the hustle and bustle of the goldfish swimming below.

A Wild Hair

Because the mood struck me, I decided to start over with my blog. Enjoy!