Thursday, August 04, 2011

The Dog Days of August

Can it really be a week since I posted?  I think I've been having a lazy week.  At least I'm checking in on Fridays to write my favorite weekly post, Friday Fave Five which is hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

1.  At the end of all of Ellen's travels and activities in Southern California, she and her daugther needed to drive back to LAX and drop off their rental car.  Their departure happened to coincide with my arrival in the LAX area to spend a week dog sitting for my friend.  So, of course, we met up for lunch.


2.  The dog sitting has involved walking a ninety pound pit bull, feeding him, playing with him, getting licked by him.  Mostly Lord Surrey spends his daytime hours doing this:


3.  The Professor and I have been doing a bit of that, too, while staring at blue skies, green palm trees and brilliant pink bouggainvillea blossoms


and ambling along the same familiar haunts in the LA Beach Cities.  I mentioned to him that I have probably taken dozens of photos of this beach over the past four years.  But I never tire of gazing out at the pier and the surf.


4.  Because the local yarn shop which I used to frequent when I lived in LA is closing, I've been able to purchase some knitting needles in sizes/styles I didn't own for a discounted price. (Yeah, I know. It seems impossible that someone who knits as much as I do would not have every knitting needle in every size  But, I don't.).  I also scored the Cascade 220 wool yarn in cream that I needed to finish a crochet project and four skeins of blue baby type yarn to knit up a sweater for my great nephew to match one that his twin sister already has.  Everything in the store is 50% off!

5.  It seems that I am not the only person who loves, savors, and saves quotes.    Here are two more I've gleaned recently in my reading and listening.

An African Proverb: Wherever man goes to dwell, his character goes with him. 
Willow's paraphrase:  Wherever you go, there you are.

"Generosity is the outward expression of a contented heart."  Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist

Oh, here's a free BONUS fave!  I think almost everyone in the world knows that Border's book stores is going out of business.  Since we were still holding a couple of gift cards, we searched the shelves this week for volumes we've been wishing for.  I scored a copy of the most recent 2011 Newbery Award book Moon Over Manifest by Clara Venderpool at the discounted price.

So this has been Willow's Week.  What's been happening in your neighborhood?

20 comments:

snoopydogknits said...

Sounds like a great week Willow. Love your doggy friend! Love the beachy shots. Beside the sea has to be my favourite kind of place. My week has been spent relaxing and knitting in the sunshineifilled garden It's the second week of the six week summer break here in the UK and I'm making the most of it!!! Ros

Faith said...

You have some great faves here....all those sales, beach walks, meeting up with friends....have a happy weekend!! (great quotes!!)

Tracy said...

VERY fun to see the photo of you & Ellen, Willow! And wonderful sale-though sorry your knitting shop is closing. We're sorry that Borders is closing. We loved going there on trips home to the USA--great selection of magazine, we have nothing like it here--so we'll miss them! Happy Weekend ((HUGS))

roxie said...

What a lovely week. It's really being August, isn't it?

Brenda said...

I never get tired of your beach pictures, so keep posting them. It reminds me that I need to get down there when I can!

Love your paraphrase of the quote. . . . and I could not agree more, we just need to be 100% where we are.

Susanne said...

How fun to meet up with Ellen. That makes it a special week for sure.

Love the picture of the sleeping Lord Surrey. He looks like the quiet the gentle guy.

ellen b. said...

That is one gentle looking pit bull. It was so good to spend time with you last Saturday. Wow was that just a week ago...
Glad you scored some goodies at discount prices. I love discounts!!

meg said...

Sounds like a great week, and I would be taking and retaking that photo of the pier, too. I can still remember every detail the pier that belonged to our apartment in Florida when I was a child.

(Heads up: your post needs a title, so it can be searched for or reached from an RSS feed.)

Bethany said...

You've had a lucky week of good deals! And your area is just so beautiful... it's like looking at living art every day. My sister from Orlando was just here visiting with my two nieces this week and it was heaven!!!

Jerralea said...

It seems like you had a glorious and relaxing week! I never tire of seeing your beach photos, so keep them coming!

I adore quotes, too. In fact, I used one in my FFF this week. I keep a file of quotes on my portable hard drive at all times!

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Sweet (big) doggie! I love your quotes, especially the generosity one.

How neat to see the photo of you and Ellen together! Beautiful beach pic, too. And we watn to see a picture of that great nephew's sweater when you finish! Have a great week ahead.

Knitting Linguist said...

I love seeing your pier pictures - ever-changing, always the same. And your dog friend looks very happy there in the grass! That's Tilly's favorite place these days, too :)

Karen said...

So fun reading about you and Ellen meeting up. I've had the fun of meeting a couple of blogging friends, too, and it's such a treat.

Loved hearing about your beach walk and seeing the photo. This time of year makes me wish we lived near a beach, but alas we are landlocked in Colorado:(

Barbara H. said...

So glad you got to meet up with Ellen again!

Those bouggainvillea blossoms sure are pretty.

I don't think I'd ever tire of that pier and surf, either.

I'll have to check and see if we have a Borders here.

I like both those quotes. I have a meme called The Week In Words where we share quotes if you'd like to join us some time. :-)

Marg said...

It's so nice that you could catch up with Ellen again...You have made some major changes in your nutrition...Wow! I think it's time I get my butt in gear and do some serious work.
I need to join FFF. I've had way too much company and been travelling too much. But August is here and I hope to have some summer days at home now.

Gattina said...

Sounded so dangerous to me walking a Pit Bull and then I see a sleeping angel on the grass, lol ! BTW I don't think that Oxford will ever change, it's real amazing I thought here the time really stood still.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Oh my I would never tire of that beach either. Besides I think that beaches have personality's that change in season or even at time of day. You can never have to many pictures of a beach. Love the generosity quote. didn't know Borders is going under. We don't have one very close by. Great score on the knitting things..I hate to see yarn stores closing though.

Catherine said...

I'm sorry your favorite yarn shop is going out of business, but I;m glad you were able to find such fantastic things for yourself! (and at Borders, too!)

The dog certainly looks happy, too. :)

I will always love a walk on the beach, too.
-Catherine

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

It's nice to see you and Ellen! It's so sad that Borders Book stores are closing ...I enjoyed browsing their aisles and discovering a good book :(

Barbara said...

Fun meeting bloggers as we know!!!