It's all about me...

and my trip to Rockford! I had such great time and it was wonderful seeing family and friends. I miss everyone so much. Saturday my sister and I went shopping for Mom's party. We always having a good time when we are together, especially when it comes to making purchases. We always encourage each other to do the right thing and Buy, BUy, BUY!
Saturday night I met "the usual suspects" at Linos for dinner. Tim and Maggie, Nancy and Jeff, and Keith. Marie was busy and Chris had just had hip replacement surgery and couldn't make it. I love Linos pizza and Tod and I miss it terribly. We have not found a good pizza place in Pleasanton. I ordered a whole pizza and then wrapped the left overs up with ice packs and brought them home to Tod. After dinner we went to Tim and Maggies for dessert. We sat in their back yard and talked and laughed. It was great. I felt bad that Tod had to miss it. I know, it sounds like an international coffee moment or miller time. But when you're in a new town and too busy to make new friends, you realize how important time with friends really is.
Sunday was party day for mom and can read all about that in one of the previous posts.
Monday was a great day, too. I had breakfast at Stockholm Inn (swedish pancakes...yum) with Julie Anderson and Bev Cicolello, Dylan and Ethan's preschool teachers. It was so good to see them and catch up on each other's lives a bit. I really miss having such caring and knowledgeable teachers for the boys. I can't say enough about what they have done for our boys and our whole family. California may have some great programs and wonderful opportunities, but so far I've not met one teacher with the capacity for teaching and caring like Julie and Bev.
Next was a hair cut with my hairdresser, Kim. Since I've been in Pleasanton, I have had two trips to the hairdresser and spent $400 for hair I hate. I could have flown Kim to SF, had her cut my hair, and then taken her out for dinner for that price. It was nice to catch up with Kim, too. And, as it turned out, her next client was the daughter of the OT the boys had when they were 2 years old. Dianne had to quit working with the boys because she was pregnant with the little girl that was getting her hair cut!
After the new and reasonably priced do, Nancy picked me up and we went shopping. My favorite kind of shopping. Goodwill, Salvation Army, Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Store. It was shopping heaven. Nancy also took me to eat at Mexican Chipotle which I love and am still trying to pronounce. It was fun to catch up on Nancy's projects, ideas and plans for the future. She always has a new idea or three or four and is looking ahead for a good non-retirement retirement job. She brought my mother and I each a really neat "book thong" with silk ribbon and beads and charms. She's made 50 of them so if you want one let me know. I used mine in my Harry Potter book that I read on the plane.
Tuesday I spent the day with Mom since that was her actual birthday. We shopped at the mall and Mom found a new outfit for herself and a shirt for Lou. Later Tim came by the house to say good-bye and that maybe he and Maggie might be able to visit after the first of the year. Lou came home and took Mom and I to Linos for mom's birthday dinner. Twice in a weekend at Linos was a nice treat. I got to have lasagna this time - Yum!
Then it was time to pack and get ready for the bus to the airport in the morning. It was such a wonderful trip. Tod and I are talking about trying to come back at Christmas with the boys. Last Christmas was so depressing, if we don't get home to Rockford I told Tod he had to take us to Tahoe or someplace were there would be snow to play in. Anyway, we might be home for the holidays!

til later.....