jimsjoint

Coyote Hills Christmas

Out for a ride on the day after Christmas. Great day!  Downing, Vandenbusch and I, out the Creek Trail, then  around Coyote Hills and up Heart Attack Hill.  On this day we took it up a notch by continuing our ride up to Skunk Hill, the top of the hill on the other side of the old Nike Missile base. A place where no man goes. On this day however we found a Christmas present!  Nicely wrapped in strapping tape and ribbon. After Downing stepped up and determined the present wasn't an IED, Vandenbusch produced a knife and proceeded to open our present.  Turned out to be a bible, a Cliff bar and a few pieces of Christmast candy! YAY! We ate some candy then placed the bible back into to box with a couple of "good vibes" wristbands. Paying it forward on Christmas.

Wie grün sind deine Blätter!

 Flaherty Christmas tree 2008 - Putting a virtual tree out there in honor of recruit Kate. Even though Kate will be spending Christmas on Parris Island,  she helped decorate this tree before she left.  I took this picture, printed it, and mailed it to Kate today, hoping to send her a little Christmas cheer.   Every ornament on our tree is special in one way or another, and no two are alike.  This year we added a Half Dome ornament!   Next year it will be the Eagle and Globe of the United States Marine Corp. 

Let your heart be light!

Winter Solstice Ride

When I woke up yesterday morning and got a look at the temperature, I knew there wasn't going to be the normal "Saturday, 8am, at the courthouse" ride.  Although the skies were clear, the temp was a frigid 36 degrees in Fremont! Thats cold!  Even got a text from the Kahuna up in El Dorado Hills saying it was way to cold (29 degrees) for a river ride. I agree. I ended up starting a fire and chilling with Barb and the pups.  I figured once things warmed up a bit I'd be able to squeeze a ride in.

Around 1:30 Vandenbusch stepped up.  Text messages back and forth and settled for meeting at 2:30. Young John Downing, the golden boy, and myself, off for a nice winter's ride. Although not officially the winter solstice yesterday, the  governing body  determined that any ride done withing 24 hours of the solstice would we and should be considered a "Solstice Ride". 

The sky was blue but the air was cold.  The Thankfully there wasn't too much wind. We were all in shorts, and until I got a little warmed up, my legs were freezing!  After we got going it was great. Hardly anybody on the trail, and we had mile marker 11 and the end of the trail picnic tables all to ourselves. It was beautiful out there. Low tide, quiet, peaceful, and warm!  After riding for 35 minutes in a cold wind, just to stop made it feel warm! Took a nice break then headed back to Coyote Hills. Around the back side and up heart attack hill. Slow and steady, that hill NEVER gets easy, so its an accomplishment each and every time to make it to the top.  At the very tippy top of Heart Attach hill is the old National Guard Nike Missile base.  For some reason the gates were open and nobody was around, so we took a short cruise up the road and onto an historic piece of land that protected the SF bay during WWII.  Now, just a handful of abandoned buildings,  old missiles laying around, and towers for cell phone companies.   Also a great backdrop for a couple of pictures.

let your heart be light....

I've been playing some of my favorite Christmas music lately, and really getting into the Christmas spirit. We have a good collection of Christmas music. From the Vienna Boys Choir to Jimmy Buffett, and everything in between.  A few years ago we got a promotional Diana Krall Christmas CD, with just three songs on it.  Slow jazz versions of "Jingle Bells",  "Christmas Time is here", and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas".  I love it!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas has become my Christmas favorite!  I play it a lot.   The second line of the song is "let your heart be light".  I like that.  I've been thinking about it.  Let your heart be light.  What does that mean exactly?  I think it means that if everything is good in your life, your heart is light.   If you have worry, fear, anger, or negative things going on, then your heart gets heavy.  So  "let your heart be light"  is a good wish for people,  that their "heart be light."  I liked it so much that I thought I'd write a jimsjoint posting about it!  I was feeling the Christmas spirit and wanted to share it!

Ok, but before I start the posting,  let me go check on Barb and the pups.  Quietly I go into the house,  Barb is sleeping soundly, pups under the covers.  Not wanting to wake her up, I go use the hall bathroom, then back to my office to begin my "let your heart be light"  post.

I sit down, bring the screen up on the computer. Humming the Christmas tune while waiting for the screen to load. I type the post heading:  "Let your heart be light."  As I begin the rest of the posting, something catches my eye on the floor.  What is that on the carpet?  Mud?  Closer look.  Smeared dog poop!   YUCK!   I check my shoe -  CRAP!!!!!  BOTH SHOES!!!  DAMMIT!!!

Kick the shoes off  and go  back into the house to see where I stepped on it. Sure enough, one of the little monsters had pooped on the rug  in the hallway.  I stepped in it then proceeded to drag it down to the bathroom, then back down the hall, and out to my office. FRIGGIN DOGS!!!! Bottle of 409 and roll of paper towels, I begin to clean. First the two spots in the bathroom *gag* , pick up the other "dog log"  out in the hallway *ble* , then scrub the smear in my office *gag* *ble* ,  hose the crap off my slippers and throw my office throw rug outside.  Oh yeah, I also had to light incense in my office because  the smell was terrible! *gag* *ble*.  To make matters worse, I had put the poop filled bottom of my shoe on the legs and rollers of my office chair, so, poop there too!!!!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!  Here it is, 7:30 in the morning and I'm scrubbing dog shit while everyone else is snuggled warm in their bed!  My bed!  INCLUDING THE LITTLE SHITTER!!!!!  Something is not right here!!!

As I'm on my knees, gagging and cursing and wiping the last piece of dog shit off my chair, I look up at my computer and see what I had just typed.......... let your heart be light.....

*sigh*

I took a deep breath, and smiled. Is God testing me??  Just 15 minutes ago I was full of the Christmas spirit and all things good. My heart was light!  Then, suddenly,  it wasn't.  BUT NOW IT IS AGAIN!!!  I saw those words on the computer screen and, remembered.  I can't let the negativity of the moment ruin the beginning of a wonderful day and wonderful feeling!!!   I can change the way I feel. I can let my  own  heart be light!!    Into the house I went with a renewed outlook. Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, my heart grew 5 times bigger!   I  made Barb her morning cup of coffee and then kicked  the dogs.  Hey, it made my heart feel light!  (jk)

Christmas (and life in general) can become overwhelming, or stressful, or negative.  Not what Christmas is about.  This holiday season I hope we can all focus on what is good, what is healthful in our lives.  Physically, mentally and spiritually, and not necessarily in that order.

 Let your heart be light!

 

Parris Island on my mind

Winter has arrived in California. Temps in the 40s and the first hint of rain. BRRRRRRRRR.

Busy Saturday for us.   The plan - take Bruno and Mali to Staci's house in Stockton, then head to Roseville's  Bucca di Bepo for a graduation lunch for our God Daughter Meagan, who has graduated from UC Davis. Then back to Staci's mom and dads for holiday dinner and games.

Slept in a bit then hit the road. Kelly, Barb, the pups and me. Bruno cried like a baby the first fifteen minutes of our ride then settled down.  When we got to Staci's, the pups were not only greeted by Jackson (Staci's dog) but also Milo, a gentle giant. Half Great Dane, Half pit bull,  gentle and friendly as can be. Milo was visiting Jackson for the weekend. We know Milo, Kelly spent a winter weekend in Tahoe when Milo was a pup, and we were at Staci's parents for a summer party where Milo spent allllllllllll day jumping into the pool to retrieve a ball.  Milo's head is bigger than Mali and Bruno put together.  Mali and Bruno did their normal annoying small dog barking routine. Milo wasn't sure what to make of these yapping beasts.  What a great dog. After5-10 minutes of barking everyone settled down and after a short visit we were off to Roseville for the grad lunch.

Pulled into the Galleria de la Roseville right on time and joined the O'Deegan's for lunch at Bucca di Bepo.  Meagan had actually graduated earlier in the day at UC Davis.  I think there were 12 of us for lunch. Barb and I are God parents to more than a few, but Meagan was our first!  We are proud of her.  She received a degree in Anthropology. We had a nice time visiting with everyone AND had a great Italian meal. Spinach salad, broccoli, chicken marsala, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and chocolate cake.   We had our meal in the "Pope room", big round table with bust of pope JP-II, as well as pictures of various other popes on the wall. Very cool!!  Meagan has grown into a beautiful young lady. Her parents are very proud and so are we! Meagan will take some time off before  pursuing her graduate degree. You go girl!!  It was great to spend time with some of our OLDEST, dearest, friends.

Back into the car and back to Stockton, picked up the pups and headed over to Lynn and Mike's (Staci's folks) for dinner and game night. I should mention that by the time we got back to Staci's, all the dogs were getting along, so all four of them came to Staci's parents house for dinner.  We always have fun at Lynn and Mik'es, and this night was no different.  Jerk chicken, mushroom rice, Mexican spaghetti (its good!), salad, peach cobbler and lemon cake for dessert.   They had recently finished a kitchen/family room remodel, and the place has been transformed!! A totally new house!  Game night was fun. A boys against girls game of Taboo,  that I think ended in a tie, or forfeit by the ladies.  ; )  Way to play guys!! 

Sunday was a lazy day. Rainy day. Church,  fire in the fireplace, and football on the TV.

I should mention that through out all of our days and all of our activities, recruit Kate is always on our mind.  In our thoughts and in our prayers. Yesterday we received our first piece of mail from her.  A form letter with her address and a short "PS- LOVE YOU" at the end. She let us know that she is in a unit with 53 other girls (women...ladies....recruits.... WHATEVER!!) from various parts of the United States. They will live and train together for the next three months.  She left last Monday, and after a week of "in processing", she took and passed her initial strength test and was sent to her new unit. She  met her drill Sergeant over the weekend and started her first day of official training today. 

Update on Kate

Kate is safely in the bosom of the USMC.  After calling  yesterday while on lay over in Dallas enroute to Savannah Georgia,  she called last night in what must've been the first few moments of recruit training pandemonium. Around 9:30 our time ( 12:30am Parris Island time) the phone rings. I put the phone in between mine and Barb's ears...Hello? 

"THIS IS RECRUIT FLAHERTY!!   I HAVE ARRIVED SAFELY AT PARRIS ISLAND!!!  PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY FOOD OR BULKY ITEMS TO ME IN THE MAIL!!!!! I WILL CONTACT YOU IN 3 TO 5 DAYS BY POSTCARD WITH MY NEW ADDRESS!!  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!  GOODBYE FOR NOW!!!!!"  

*click*

Recruit Kate

What a great great Sunday. Kate's last day as a civilian before  departing  for South Carolina and Marine Corp recruit training.   Up early and off to church, as a family.  The four Flahertys in pew #3 for the 9:30 mass at Holy Spirit.  Nice.  After mass Kate got a special blessing from Father Aiden, our favorite Irish priest.  Nice!   Then we headed to Cabrillo Park Cafe for breakfast.  Many Sunday breakfasts with the girls over the years but none may have been more special than yesterday's. Just to look across the table and see our two beautiful, smart, happy and well adjusted daughters, made me happy and proud.  Barb too.    After breakfast it was home to get ready for Kate's going away and take our traditional family Christmas picture.  We always have fun taking the Christmas picture. Using a tripod and timer on the camera, we take a dozen or so pictures in various poses.  We usually get one or two good ones out of the bunch. The next several hours were a blur as friends and family filled the house to wish Kate well.  Those that couldn't come, called in to wish their best.  Laughter and conversation filled the air.  Kelly bought  a little note book so everyone could put down their address (so Kate could write) and also write a short note. Nice touch.  As afternoon turned to evening, people started to trickle out,  and pretty soon it was just the four of us again.  As normal as things could be, we enjoyed a few more precious hours together. We are blessed.

Somewhere around 9pm, the recruiter showed up to take Kate and a few other soon to be recruits to a San Jose hotel, where they would spend the night.    Last night the recruiter said that we could even go to the San Jose in-processing center to watch Kate take her oath to become a United States Marine. When Barb called this morning to find out what time it was, they told her that Kate had already been sworn in and was waiting for the bus to airport, and the wild blue yonder.  So Kate is now officially a Marine recruit. For the next thirteen weeks she will have all sorts of supervised fun.  Hiking, camping, camaraderie,  plenty of exercise and all sorts of other fun activities. No cell phone or laptop allowed in recruit training so we won't have any contact with recruit Flaherty until she mails us that first letter.  When we hear from her, you will here from us. 

Please keep young Kate in your thoughts and prayers.

Thankful

We have a lot to be thankful for.  As I was getting ready for a bike ride on Thanksgiving morning,  I went to kiss Barb goodbye and wish her a happy day.  She was already happy!  "Both my girls are home" she said with a sleepy smile on her face.

Yes, a rarity these days. Kelly, who had been "moved out" for the last two years,  has moved back in.  Kate is only with us for another 5 days then she is off to Marine Corp recruit training.  So, for a few precious weeks,  all the Flahertys are together again.  As I sat there on the bed  Thanksgiving morning, we both realized that this may be the last time that we are all together in this way,  everyone waking up in their own beds. Who knows where the next three years will lead Kate. The world is her oyster.  Kelly, who has already had a taste of "adult life" will surely try to get back out of the house ( and into the world)  as quickly as possible.   But for these few days, we are a family, just like the old days.