Delray Beach

Harry and I visited Matt, Megan, Jack and Ruby in Delray Beach this past Friday. The kids were there with Megan's family to attend her brother Ryan's wedding to Julie Wise. We scooted up for a pre-festivity visit. It was, of course, great to see M&M and kids but also, to see Megan's siblings, parents and grandma since we like them all so much.

Delray was so great. I love the name. Makes me think of the 50's - perhaps because of the alliterations - like, "let's go see Dick Dale and the Deltones down in Delray." And, it looked like Florida of the 50's. No condo high rises lining the lovely beach. They stayed in Wright's on the Beach (love the name) and it was perfect. My kinda place - just like Harry and my favorite funky little motel in Sanibel - the Shalimar. Right on the beach, pool, rooms with little kitchen areas, sand tracked in everywhere. That is vacation. Screw Holiday Inn Express. You can stay there and be anywhere in the world and you would wake up and not have a clue where you are since they all look the same.

Delray Beach had a lot more going for it though. Lots of little restaurants with outdoor seating, shops and a small downtown area that was walking friendly. I was impressed and will head back. The American Orchid Society headquarters in nearby, which will be a destination. Add some good golf and that is a weekend!

Fantasy Fest Follies

Key West hosts an event yearly called Fantasy Fest. This bacchanal was created to increase tourism to the Keys during our slow season and it has grown to a huge international draw with many events, parades, parties, nude body painting and incredibly creative costumes. I have not gone. I hear so many stories from motel guests, that I think my little waspy personality would go into shock when I saw some of the things described to me. Maybe next year I will go to the parades only and avoid the later night revelries. I don't know how interested I am in seeing 80+ year olds in wheelchairs nude and body painted...

Working the motel is always fun. I love to see the costumes that guests wear and I love the guest's stories (my favorite is the repeat guest who brings two cameras - one set of photos to show his wife and family and one to show his friends). Getting people out on Sunday morning is always difficult. Everyone has fun. And, one guest from Scandinavia said "I thought Americans were prudish. I saw things there I have never seen." So, next year, plan to come down and join me and we will go over to the dark side.

Jungle Humor

I was sent this photo from a new friend, Rita, whom I met on the trip. It was taken during our hike in the Amazon rain forest but since I was at the top of the hill, I could not retreat back down to take a look at what all the commotion was about. All along the hike, our guide was pointing out this herbal remedy and that healing plant and all the myriad of natural remedies derived from nature along the way. All I could hear behind me regarding this particular jungle growth were twittering and comments about men coming to steal it, natural Viagra, etc. I had no idea what they were talking about until Rita showed us the photo during dinner a couple nights later and of course, after a glass of wine or two, the jokes got really silly. Like - weren't we viewing the photo upside down, etc. The best was when her husband, Helmut, who is as laid back and quiet as they get, commented, when we were discussing how the "root" was used to obtain the medicinal properties popped out with - "you have to squeeze it." I have some great ideas about using this in a birthday card for a friend who is soon to achieve a milestone birthday.

Ecuador Adventure

Harry and I standing on the north and south continents Hot springs in Papallate Cotopaxi volcano Taungurahua at sunset - the caldera was emitting steam the next morning Pato (guide) and myself Market place Pelileo (some indigenous people believe if you photograph them it steals their soul so had to do when she was not looking at us)

Typical scenery (sigh...)

Start of the Amazon rain forest Rain forest floor Plaintains being washed for transport Ready to hike the rain forestCasa Suiza in Amazon
Visited musicians home
Guinea pigs roasting for dinner

We just returned from a trip to Ecuador that far exceeded my expectations. We went on a tour, and I have hesitated in the past to do a group type trip on a tour bus. It was wonderful! We stayed in interesting locations and traveled with a group of fun and enthusiastic people. Our guide, Patricio Pugo, was knowledgeable about Ecuador, the history of South America and imparted his beautiful attitude and love of Pachamama (Mother Earth or nature in the Ecuadorian indigenous language) to us. He had such strong beliefs that the world is one people, that there should be no divisions among them, and that we can make our own happiness. He could bring tears to my eyes when he spoke.

The trip started in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and made a loop through the country which is the size of Colorado. The first adjustment upon arrival was getting used to the high altitudes in the Andes Mts. Some in the group got nauseated but most just had a minor headache and the obvious shortness of breath upon exertions. But after time, we adjusted. After a tour of some highlights in Quito, including the most breathtaking Jesuit church decorated with some of the 900 kilos of gold that resides in Ecuadorian churches, our first day took us to the "0" latitude between North and South America, to an indigenous craft market and an overnight on a lake near Otavalo.

Everyday we had views of volcanoes lining the "Avenue of Volcanoes" in Ecuador and the weather was unusually clear for viewing. The landscape was breathtaking - from high Mountain tops to low valleys lush with farming, waterfalls, rivers and everywhere - the most amazing vistas. Some roads were terrifying. No guard rails, and twists and turns with sheer drops. In fact, I saw a painting in one church with a scene of the Virgin Mary looking down to bless the cars falling off the side of a mountain road. Really reassuring when the afternoon after I viewed that, we climbed a road that turned into a dirt road with drop-offs that had my hands sweating like mad! But, the lodge at the end of the road overlooking the active volcano Tunguraua was so worth the scare.

We traveled through cloud forests, and down to the Amazon rain forest. The Amazon had to be my favorite experience. We traveled by canoe down the Napo river to our lodge. Our room had a balcony overlooking the rain forest. It was hot and very humid and a bit like camping with screens on the windows to hear the sounds of the jungle. We had a frog in our bathroom upon arrival, and many tiny insects that squeezed through our screens climbing up and down the walls to get used to. I chose to not look closely. We visited indigenous people, saw how they lived, how they made chicha (an alcoholic drink made with manioc, sweet potato and a bit of spit - they assured us there was no spit in the bowl we passed to drink other than our own), had cacao bean spitting contests, and tried to hit a wooden monkey with blow darts. Maybe a bit staged for the tourists, but still, fun. I got to hike the rain forest in a preserve. Magical. So humid that you are drenched with sweat and there is no relief. Even with my intense fear of heights, I traversed small gorges on suspension bridges and even sat in a basket chair to zipline across a deeper valley. Everywhere we were surrounded with a constant drone of insects. The guide pointed out a tarantula, and healing plants. Large exotic colored butterflies drifted about but never settled for us to photograph them. The lush foliage and magical opportunistic plants climbing everywhere were heaven to me. After hiking, we canoed to a river bank where we were supposed to create our own balsa wood rafts, but because one of our group experienced some heat exhaustion, we were delayed and they were already put together. Logs lashed together with one stick in front and one in back and some of us (me included) rafted back to camp. What a total hoot!!

We also stayed in a lodge next to natural hot springs where we soaked while the rain pelted down on us. In the morning, the volcano Antisana was clearly visible above us. And, our last day we spent visiting the largest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi, who's altitude is 19,347 feet. We drank Cacao leave tea to help us with the altitude adjustment. Above the treeline, it was eerily like a tundra you would imagine on a dead planet in outer space. And, looming above, the ice covered volcano that reminded me of why people have worshipped and feared the obvious presence in their world that controls their destiny.

I could go on and on with details of the people who were descendants of the Incas and then their Spanish conquerors, and their habits and costumes that we observed. Or of the dramatically prehistoric looking landscapes of their world. Or the rich and fertile lands that produces the most amazing variety of fruits and vegetables. But my very most favorite minute, was when we joined hands in a circle before entering the rain forest hike, and were told to close our eyes and listen to the sounds of Pachamamma, Mother Earth, and to thank her for our blessings. Amen to that.

Yom Kippur 2011

This coming Saturday is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement in the Jewish faith. I have been reminded recently of how poorly people can treat one another because I joined a new womens' golf league. I have described my first three rounds of golf with this group as flashing back in time and entering an adult women version of the movie "Mean Girls." The first week, my cart partner talked negatively about a woman in the other cart in our foursome throughout the whole 18 holes. The second week, the woman who was "talked about" the previous week was again in my foursome, and during the round she hit my ball twice on one hole, which is a two stroke penalty each time. When reporting her score for the hole, she omitted the extra four strokes and when questioned by the scorer, who was my cart partner, the scorer was told to put "whatever the f**k score she wanted" down. I sat there dumbfounded and shocked! The women who made the comment approached me in the parking lot to confide to me that me the scorer, who was my cart partner and I thought a very pleasant woman, was so difficult and hard to play with and that no one liked her. Hey, I don't know any of these people and am just trying to be pleasant and play nice! The third week, I played in a threesome with two women who were just generally grumpy. I felt like I was walking around on egg shells and it was a lot of work to be so polite as well as be in top golf etiquette form!

These incidents have made me think about women, cliques and being mean. I cannot speak for men, but I do know that women can be awful. I can recount many, many incidents of feeling outside of the group, or intimidated, by women. When I worked at the Welfare Dept. in Cincinnati, I was promoted to supervisor rather quickly after joining the "elite" Children's Services Intake Department. After receiving the promotion, I got the icy shoulder by several of the women who had been in the Dept. longer than me, and who had applied for the job. So icy, that one woman would actually not talk to me unless there was a work related issue. I was terrified of her controlling demeaner and dreaded any contact I had with her!

When my kids were in the Orange school district, there was a group of very "in" mothers who ran the PTA and were always the class mothers - the coveted job of assisting the teacher in planning parties. These women were so intimidating to me and I could never quite figure out why. I always skirted those women and hung out on the periphery of the group and did my little volunteer activities with the other dorky moms like me. Those dorky moms were my sons' friend's moms, and some of the truly coolest women, ever! And what about the sports events? Holy cow - there were always parents of athletic kids making comments about the children who were not at their children's level of athletic achievement. No baseball or soccer game was ever a pleasant, fun event. I actually dreaded when my kid was up at bat. No matter how big the hit, it wasn't recognized by the dreaded soccer mom types. One of the biggest reliefs in having children who are adults, is not having to deal with other parents in that incredibly competitive world of academia where everyone else seems to want to project that they have the most perfect child ever born.

In the spirit of Yom Kippur, I must also ask for atonement for mistreating my fellow humans. Although, specifically, the events needing atonement should have occured in the past year, I want to go back a bit. I have deep regret that I was mean in the 7th grade to another girl named Carol. Why my little social group decided to exclude her is beyond my ability to recollect, but I do know that we called her a "Communist" in a note we passed around to each other and she saw it. At that time int he Cold War, that must have been a truly nasty thing to say, because she was so upset that her mother called the principal and we were made to sit down with him to discuss our bad behaviour. I am not sure I did feel so bad at the time, but I do now. Sorry, Carol! Please accept my apology. I was a "mean girl."

Of course, I have many, many other regrets for past behaviors toward my fellow humans. I think that I will not confess them in my blog. Nor, will I go to confession. Or therapy. I will keep them between myself and my maker. And, if any of you readers feel I have mistreated you - please leave a comment and I will address each and every one. In the mean time, I am preparing for round four in the new golf league and I am truly hoping my partner is the 84 year old Bromeliad grower I met the first week, who had nothing bad to say about anyone, was pleasant and smiles and says hello everytime I see her. Wish me luck.

Girls Rule and Boys Drool

Jack and great nephew Dominic Niece Trisha, Ruby and great niece Gianna
Sister Mary Beth and brother-in-law Tom
Matt and RubyMe and the goofballs

Matt brought the kids over from Toledo to stay overnight during my recent visit to Cleveland and while he cheered our Brownies on to victory, I took the kids down to my niece, Erin and her husband Dave's home in Vienna, Oh. Missing in photos, is brother Tom, who visited also. We went to the original Quaker Steak and Lube in Sharon, Oh (don't even bother with the franchises - you have to go to the original and see the motorcycles lined up) for wings. Then on to Erin and Dave's beautiful house that Dave built, to visit. The kids entertained, as usual. Dominic, who is turning 5, is a Steeler's fan much to his parents dismay. Asked why and his answer - "because they win and go to the Super Bowl." Logical? Gianna, who is the ultimate fashionista at the age of six, changed outfits twice and settled on a denim skirt and tank top, and of course, Miss Ruby, who is three, made me dig out hers to wear to match. Thank you Erin for fixing Ruby's hair! Trying to dress the kids Sunday morning was a challenge, since Daddy packed the overnight bag and seemed to have forgotten most everything. Especially since he took them the day before on an adventure in the Metroparks which included lots of water and mud. Erin did a load of wash for me, and of course found the requisite rubber crayfish in the laundry that fell out of Jack's pocket. Almost gave her an MI. Boys and treasures in their pockets! The group left for Dom's first flag football game, and Jack, Ruby and I headed to downtown Cleveland to meet up with their dad who was on a high from the Brown's win (I think that was what he was on a high from). The kids were too silly to get a good photo. Walking to dinner, I told Jack the expression "girls rule and boys drool." He said in a serious voice, "Grammy Care, that isn't nice to say." I looked over at him to apologize and he had spit drooling out of his mouth and down his chin. We cracked up. Soon it was time to say goodbye, and Jack's happy face turned to tears. He is such a tender heart - he always gets sad when I leave and that really brings me down. Ruby is another story. A sweet tender kiss and she is ready to roll. At least this time she didn't lick me goodbye!

Golf

Yes, I do golf. And, if you view the top photo, I almost look like I know what I am doing. But, despite the fact that I have been playing more regularly the past 10 years or so, I am still very average. Regardless, golf is the most wonderful game. You are outside. You are in fresh air. You are generally with like minded people (at least they also like golf). And, you actually have the chance, because of some confluence of a huge number of factors, to create a shot that makes you so happy that you keep trying, over and over, to recreate it.

I played in Cleveland this past weekend in the EWGA Cleveland Chapter's year end outing. I also belong to the Miami Chapter. EWGA is a terrific organization. It stands for Executive Women's Golf Association and is some 20,000+ members strong in the US, Canada and Europe. Besides the local Chapters, and many other events across the country each year, the National organization sponsors a yearly Championship and I was lucky enough one year to make it through the local tournament, the Sectionals and on to the National tournament in Nashville with a scramble team. It was the highlight of my golfing experiences so far - they made us feel like the LPGA!

This past Saturday in Medina, Ohio was beautiful day with just a hint of fall in the air. I played with three friends; Fern, Peggy and Elsa. I have known Fern for over 30 years, since we attended graduate school together at Case Western Reserve. She was one of the first people I met after moving to Cleveland. All the angst over that move was dissipated when I realized what a great place Cleveland is - especially the people. Peggy and Elsa are friends made through EWGA. In fact, we have golfed in Florida and Arizona - and hopefully will play in many more new locations. Ireland is on the horizon.

None of us won any prizes this year, but we had fun. In fact, we probably didn't win any prizes because we had too much fun and not too much focus. Like when Fern's white pedometer fell out of her pants pocket as she teed off and Elsa thought it was her teeth. No, Fern does not have dentures. That started the giggles. And, while waiting around on EVERY HOLE for the very slow group in front of us, I was able to catch up with friends and find out what is happening in their lives. Maybe GOLF stands for great old lady friends. (Old friends who are ladies, not old ladies who are friends)!