Thursday, February 23, 2012

Two weeks worth

I missed posting my Friday Fave Fives last week. 

1.  We were here. Sort of.
San Diego Bay.  The fleeting view from Coronado Bridge.


Downtown San Diego and San Diego Bay


2.  Taking an adventure trip to Coronado Island with Mama Mia and two little ones was an added enjoyment to a long weekend.  The main purpose of our visit was to attend the adoption party(ies) for a very special little girl who was officially adopted by our family friends.  We are so very thankful and excited that EHL has found her forever parents and her forever home

3.  I was visiting with a friend a couple of weeks ago, and she completely amazed me with her generosity by offering to give me one of her looms.  I am so excited to own a working weaving loom!  I will be even more excited when I buy a shuttle and actually begin weaving on it.




4.  Not being much of a morning person, I seldom never wake up early enough to watch the sunrise.  I'm more of a sunset person.  Sunsets like this one.  Do you see the contrail shooting from the upper right corner of the cloud?
Photo taken from my front porch.


5.  Because my birthday is St. Patrick's Day, I obviously have an affinity for all things Irish.  I'm also a little bit Irish, probably having enough Irish blood flowing in my veins to fill my big toe.  That still makes me Irish, right?  There's a new Irish pub in town, and last year on my birthday we endeavored to celebrate there only to be turned away because the waiting line was hours long to get in to drink green beer.  Even for an Irish lass whose birthday is March 17th.  So when the university faculty held a faculty union happy hour at Brendan's, we decided it would be a fine time to visit.  It was particularly fun for The Professor to socialize with other faculty, and I enjoyed it too, chatting with faculty and spouses.

6.  Since I missed last week, I can't stop with five.  The Professor and I enjoy reading mystery stories.  We have embarked on a mission to read all the Dick Francis novels in chronological order of publication.  Yeah, we're weird like that.  Borrowing the books from the library, we are now reading #17 and #18.  For those who don't know, here is a little background information on Dick Francis:  he was a British jockey, at one time the Queen Mother's official jockey.  After his retirement, he began writing a racing column for newspapers and eventually became a famous murder mystery novelist.  Almost all his books' plot somehow involve British horse racing.  Reading his books, we are learning a fair amount about steeple chasing and flat racing as well as English geography, besides guessing 'who done it' before the last page.

7.  One more, OK?  This is truly the best and most important.  My beloved daughter-in-law was not well last week and ended up in the hospital.  To add insult to injury, it was her birthday.  That's the not-fave part.  The fave part is that she is home and is going to be fine.  We are thankful!

I appreciated the emails I received checking in with me to make sure eveything was OK here at Willow's Cottage since I didn't post anything last week on FFF.  It's comforting to me to know that people noticed.  Thanks!  The weekend was just so very busy and filled with family time.  However, it is good to 'be back' and in a routine which means I can link up to Friday Fave Five at Susanne's blog.

22 comments:

nikkipolani said...

I love that view from Coronado Bridge. Everything looking so pristine. I hope you'll share which Dick Francis you like - they each have a different feel to them. How big is a loom?

ellen b. said...

Ha! Katie has to read all book series in order! I'm going to look into those books. Congrats on that great gift of a loom! That sunset photo is amazing!! My birthday is kind of trumped this year because of all the wedding hoopla. How did Dear and I miss an Irish pub in Camarillo?? Have a great week.

Susan@FruitfulWords said...

So happy to hear that your d-i-l is doing okay now. Having her in the hospital must have been scary for you all. I hope she gets to have an extra special late birthday celebration!

I haven't heard of Dick Francis, but I do like mysteries and reading books in chronological order too. I will have to check him out the next time I am at the library.

So glad you got to go to the Irish pub, even though it is almost a year late. I've never had green beer, but i have been in Ireland on St Patty's day. :)

Your adventure trip to Coronado Island sounds lovely esp because of the adoption party. It is awesome when family finds each other.

Have a great week.

Gattina said...

Nice days you had ! you know I never see the difference between a sunset or a sunrise they look so very much alike, lol !

LivingforGod said...

I enjoyed reading your list. That's a gorgeous sunset picture!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hope said...

Oh, I've read some of Dick Francis. He is good. That loom looks totally overwhelming to me! But I hope you have fun with it. That's a really cool hobby. The sunset is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

John and I will definitely be looking up that mystery author!
Mary P

roxie said...

A "fleeting" view. Love the pun!

Dick Francis Rocks. But since his wife died, the last few stories have lacked a certain something. I think he did the main plotting, and she brought in the human element. I love that you learn something about so many professions as you read his books. I think my favorite is about the painter in Scotland.

Hugs to Mama Mia and the darlings. And all best wishes to the d-i-l for a speedy recovery.

Jerralea said...

Glad your daughter in law is on the mend.

I've read a couple of Dick Francis novels over the years. I didn't realize there were 18. I like to read in chronological order, too.

Gorgeous sunset photo!

Carrie said...

I like your weird reading quirks. ;)

Yay for adoption and forever families! (Being that my middle was adopted, I thought that mention very special.)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Brenda said...

I've read a lot of Dick Francis novels and they are a lot of fun, I'll have to try and find some more in the library.

That view from the bridge is pretty spectacular.

Susanne said...

So glad your daughter in law is doing well. That must have been very scary.

Your pictures are gorgeous. What a lovely place.

I think it would be fun to work one's way through a series with one's hubby. Alas mine is not into reading novels.

Catherine said...

I'm glad to see your post this week, and to read that your DIL is okay.

That loom... Wow! What a wonderful gift! I can't wait to see what you create with it. I have long looms, round looms, and even an infinity loom, but to have a real stand up loom.. that's so cool! Hooray for you! I hope you love it!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful sunset, and the view from the bridge. I'm not a morning person, either. If I see the sun rising, it's because I was up much too late!

I hope you enjoy your nystery novels. What a fun idea!

-Catherine

Faith said...

WOW....nice pictures...how exciting that your friends were able to adopt!! I love reading book series in order too! (I do the James patterson ones and the mitford series ones). happy early birthday and that sunset photo is stunning!!

Melanie - Author/Editor/Publisher said...

Oh that view is awesome!!

That loom is neat; I don't know how good I'd be at weaving : )

Love your faves. Glad you posted more than five!

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I have always wanted to weave. What a wonderful gift!! And that sky is so pretty. I'm glad to hear that your daughter in law is OK

Dorothy said...

I love that sunset picture, Willow! And I'm so glad your daughter-in-law is well!

Barbara said...

Glad your daughter-in-law is OK.

I'm with you on the sunsets I am not a morning person either though in te winter when the sun rises late I do love it when there is a pink sky.

In interesting to see you working on a loom. Wonder what it feels like when you knit so much by hand.

Hope you have a good week.

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

What a great day to celebrate a Birthday!!! I love all things Irish too and indulge in a Guinness beer on the weekends :) I've not heard of that mystery writer but I love a good mystery so I'll watch for his books. Glad to hear your DIL is back home from the hospital. That must have been quite a scare for everyone.

Bluerose said...

I'm more of a sunset person, too! ;)

I'm so glad your daughter in law is feeling better!

Bethany said...

I think that Friday was the one when we were out of town! I'm sorry to hear about your daughter-in-law but so glad everything is okay now! I also didn't realize when your birthday was and so now that's going on my calendar!! You and my son are only 3 days apart! I told him he's part leprechaun and I think you are too-- you are so lucky! ;) I am SO jealous that you have a loom! I didn't know you could weave! Have fun!!

Bethany said...

p.s. I am SO intrigued by those books too!!!