Wills and Cate got Married

Which naturally meant the Wine and Whine gals got together to celebrate… each one wearing her loveliest royal hat. 

I decided to go one further.  Diana pearls, HRM Elizabeth outfit, Camilla stockings and British teeth.  I think the overall look was stunning!  Who knew shopping vintage could be so much fun?

Katie and MollyMere, Katie, Mindy, MinaLove these gals!Fabulous

She may Look Sweet and Gentle…

Oh, the pain when pulled!

Casey Jayne has completed the hair portion of her training and moved on to the Aesthetics part of the program.  My sweet, gentle niece spent her birthday doing one of her favorite things … de-foresting the faces of all the women-folk in the family.  Brows, ‘staches and whoda thunk it … nostrils!  Seriously one of the strangest, funniest, creepiest and painful event ever … kindof feels like your sinuses have been yanked … but oh, the glorious result! 

She looks so sweet and innocent

She may be suffocating

Abi gets her nostrils waxed

Casey waxes Carlee

 

 

 

 

You really should read all about my experience in Hawaii’s Chinatown. Let me know if you have been there and what your experience was like.

http://sandraspantry.wordpress.com

Reminder

Hey peeps just a reminder to toodle on over to “Such a Nice Surprise” Spring Boutique where I am selling my deliciously delightful Gourmet Goodies.

• Apricot Orange Chutney – great accompaniment for Lamb, Beef, Chicken
• Cabernet Wine Jelly – serve with cheese, crackers, over cream cheese etc.
• Gourmet Chili Sauce – makes everything a gazillion times tastier
• Chocolate Raspberry Sauce – try it on a banana filled crepe – HEAVEN
• Caramel Apple Pie – ice cream, pancakes, or straight from the jar
• Pecan Praline – in a tart or as a topping, you can’t go wrong

With so many upcoming events (Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, graduation etc.) you are certain to find something wonderful.

Runs April 13 – 16 from 11am until 8 pm

for more information visit:  http://charlaandlauripresent.blogspot.com

What the hey?  It’s April and we are still getting dumped on with snow?  I would give anything to be back here:

Rainbow Tower, Hilton Hawaiian Village

A room with a view:

From our window on the 31st floor

I love looking at all of the sailboats in the harbor.  Can you believe I never ventured over to the other window to take a few snaps of our beach? 

Venturing out on the lava rocks

While Mr. Farish was busy working I was busy visiting all of my favorite places:

Sunning … Eating … Shopping… Eating … Visiting … Eating … Remembering … Eating … Snorkeling … Eating … Relaxing … Eating … Hiking … Eating … Meeting … Eating … Chinatown … Eating … International Market Place … Eating… North Shore Waves … Lobster… Cemetaries… Roadside Shrimp Stands … Lobster … but best of all …  Time with my man … Heaven!

The Friendly Skies

Back from Hawaii with lots to tell … But before I do, let me share a bit about our flights …

> Our outbound flight attendants from SLC to LA were the classic kind that looked down their noses at each passenger and seemed incredibly bored to be amongst the lower classes.  Resign yourself to self-suffiecieny because they are just waaaaaaaaay to busy to deal with minions.
 
> LA to Hawaii – Some of the perkiest fellas ever!  Swishy doesn’t begin to describe it … it was more of a sashay-glide thing.  SOOOO super swell to watch… beverage service was the BEST.  I asked for water, no pretzels etc.  Picture this:  The right eyebrow raises, the hands fly up to the chest as he exclaims, “oh, honey are you shorrrre about that?”  … instant bonding that earned me little winks of understanding the rest of the flight.  (in hindsight, he was probably directing those winks to Mr. Farish … who slept almost the entire flight)
 
> HI back to SLC – definitely the “senior attendants”  I swear not a one was under 60 years old!  Swear to it!  Old, gray and utterly worn out after the first foray down the aisle with the beverage cart.  Poor ol’ gays and gals!  Lane and I were laughing like giddy punch-drunk college kids as we watched the ubber red lipstick of one glide ever so slowly down her mouth lines and onto her chin … you’ve all seen your Aunt Marge after tea … the cheek powder is caking, the lipstick smearing and oh my, are people really still painting on their eyebrows?  (I wonder if one gets tired of always looking so surpised?)  I have never in my life seen such a filthy airplane at the conclusion of a flight.  The senior citizens, clearly up way past their usual 7 pm bedtime had definitely given in to exhaustion!  trash everywhere and believe it or not, some of the seniors were actually sitting down instead of thanking us for flying … I think the utterance of a simple “Buh-bye” might very well have exhausted their very last breath… therefore, conserve.  
 
Sometimes the in-flight antics are better than the in-flight movies … of which I saw many.

in-flight food service?  go here:  http://sandraspantry.wordpress.com

Aloha

In a few short hours Mr. Farish and I will be boarding a plane for Hawaii.  A spur of the moment vacation for me and a working vacation for Mr. F.  I can’t begin to tell you how timely this is.   See you in seven days … Aloha!

The Cab Ride

Stacy sent this to me today… it made me cry.

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.after waiting a few minutes I walked to the door and knocked.. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylonsuitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. ‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said.I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her.. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.’ ‘Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said.When we got in the cab, she gaveme an address and then asked, ‘Could you drive through downtown?’ ‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I answered quickly.. ‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry.I’m on my way to a hospice. I looked in the rear-view mirror.Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have any family left,’ she continued in a soft voice.. ‘The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. ‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city.She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slowin front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m tired. Let’s go now. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out tothe cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. ‘How much do I owe you?’ She asked,reaching into her purse. ‘Nothing,’ I said ‘You have to make a living,’ she answered. ‘There are other passengers,’ I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. ‘You gave an old woman some time, memories and joy,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’ I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.. I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLYWHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOWYOU MADE THEM FEEL.

3.14

Holey Moley!  Talk about a loaded day!  Are you aware that today is Pi day (the mathematical relationship between a circles diameter and circumference)?  It is also National Potato Chip Day (a delightful snack that was actually created as a joke for one very picky potato connoisseur by the name of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt).  Albert Einsteins birthday (which basically ties into Pi day), and of course good ol’ Eli Whitney patented the Cotton Gin on this very day back in 1794. 

So in honor of all these fantabulous events in history I have a spectacular pie dinner planned to include Chicken pot pie, Pi-shaped rolls (that really just look like an upside down letter ‘U’ with a fancy curl, a bowl of potato chips (potato chips?  I know, doesn’t quite fit but hey, it’s potato chip day)and of course, pie for dessert (apple for Abi, cherry for Mr. F, Skylar and Cydney).  This lovely little spread will be placed upon my cotton-clothed table for all to enjoy. 

I hope you will join me (and the rest of the world) and enjoy a piece of pie today, preferable while reciting the entire pi equation … I can only get as far as: Pi=.14159 26535 … (these come next) 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510 58209 74944 59230 78164 06286 20899 86280… and on it goes …

P.S. I HATE math!

Fickle March

When I left for work it looked like this:

4200 at 5:45 a.m.

Over a foot of heavy snow fell overnight.

This is what it looked like when I got home:

4200 at 4:30 p.m. - Almost all Melted