Ma Ma Jacquie's Blah Blah Blog

Here's a pretty picture that I took with our new camera. I soooo love this camera. I can just drop it in my purse and take it with me everywhere. That way, when I see something neet-0, I just snap - blog - scrapbook. Cooooool!

While all of the adults were suffering through the weekend on the big boat, us kids were having a blast celebrating Kristi's graduation right here in Ventura County. The fun included the beach, the zoo, the park, making crafts, planting vegetables, the pool, movies, and junk food. The rain didn't stop us, 'cause Emma prayed on the way to the zoo for good weather and it didn't start pouring until we were back in the car on the way home.

We had a wonderful time and are looking forward to doing it again. Click on the picture to see the whole weekend of fun.

Funny thing happened to me the other day on the way to the bathroom. We were at Chuy's because we heard there was going to be this awesome band playing, LIVE! And there was. I knew it was Tony Cicero's group. I had never met Tony, but that's OK. It sounded fun. Then when we got there we saw Joe Baugh and found out that it was his group too. Cool. They were great. I think Joe is amazing on the electric guitar.

So. Have you ever been to those establishments where they make the door signs funny just to mess you up? Well it's not that funny. I stood there and deliberately pointed to the letters W-O-M-A-N written in those wierd fat yellow letters with pink borders, before I went in. They were like the letters all the girls in high school write with to be cute. (You know, Jacquie Loves Randy on your peechee folder.) As I opened the door, my first sense to come alive was my sense of smell. Yuk. Smells like pee in here! Then my eye was drawn to a funny little toilet with no lid. Ummm. Something's not right, but it's too late to turn back without drawing attention to myself. Final clue: a guy walked in behind me. As I turned back around laughing nervously (kind of glad there was no on in the bathroom before me) the guy said, "Wrong room." As I walked back to my table, I looked back at the door which said plainly, M-E-N. I don't know. I think they changed it while I was in there.

So, we were down at the beach tonight. We took some cheese and salami and crackers. We were talking (like we often do) about how blessed we are. We were talking (like we often do) about how thankful we are that we didn't throw everything away a few years ago when we though we had had enough of each other. We had been talking earlier about how amazing it was that even though I didn't want to move back to California in 1985, we did anyway so that Randy could go back to the job he enjoyed. And how because of that decision, and many others that worked into the equation, we now have Jared, Kristen, Kristi, Jen, Christian, Emma, Riley, Levi and Conrad to love, not to mention all of the others who's lives have become part of ours since then. We cried together (like we often do) that God has been so gracious and forgiving towards us and we have so, so, so much to be thankful for, it almost makes us feel guilty. We wondered (like we often do) how 30 years could have gone by so quickly.

I told Randy I was going to take a walk. I took about 4 steps and sat down on a big rock where I could see the little waves coming up on the rocks below. Randy came over and sat by me. As we enjoyed the setting sun, the waves, the breeze, the pelicans and sand pipers, a man driving by on the highway, pulled over and rolled down his window.

He yelled out the window, "Hey! You guys get a 10 on the romance scale!"

OK. I'll take that! God is so good!

Sunday afternoon Randy and I took a drive to Ojai, with dual purpose in mind. We had a CD we wanted to listen to and we wanted to take a hike.
The CD was a 90 minute abridged reading of the book "Revolution" by George Barna, and the hike was the Cozy Dell trail. Both were great! I heartily recommend "Revolution", either the book if you have time or the CD if you don't. I like the way he discusses passionate issues in such a reasonable way.
And the Cozy Dell trail? Awesome! It's about 1/2 mile up Hwy 33 past the Deer Lodge, but on the other side of the road. I'm sure we hit it at the best time of year. Every color of wild flower, lots of unusual plants including poison oak, water trickling down the creek bed, plus we drove out of Ventura gloom into beautiful sunshine. We only went about 1/2 hour each way on the trail, but it goes on alot further than that. Maybe across the whole ridge to the other side of Ojai, I'll have to check a map.
Both experiences, the CD and the trail made for a great afternoon. Give 'em a try, if you get the chance!