Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Anniversary and Drinkies 7.5 (May)

May 7 was the six-month anniversary of our travels. We can hardly believe it. India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bali, and that's only the first half of this amazing year. Even more, we get to meet up and travel with friends old and new. We aren't sure what we did to deserve this, but we know we are truly blessed and are grateful.

With Holly K, Rob and Holly T, and our new friend Jacob along, how could we not call Drinkies 7.5?!

Drinkies 7.5 ~ Tropis Club, Kalibukbuk, Bali


Clockwise starting lower left: Holly T and Rob, Jacob, me, Holly K, and Eric

Todd says he thinks we are lying about the names of places we've been. He thinks we're actually calling from a pay phone across the street from our house in Mt. View: "Hi, how's it going, we're in er, um, Kalibukbuk . . . ."

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Sad News and Requests

While I was visiting home in April, my dear old friend Gary Gaines received a diagnosis of cancer located in various places in his body. Gary is the brother of my (still beloved) former husband Randy (hi Ran!). While we were in high school, Gary would drive us to dances (and dance like a madman). He drove us over the hill to Santa Cruz, many times, in his amazing sky blue convertible Thunderbird. Gary was also the husband of my best friend of 13 years, Kathy. We raised our kids together with a lot of life, love, and joy. (Kathy died of cancer in 1989, when our youngest kids were eight years old.) Gary is such a vibrant life force that it seems against nature for him to be so ill.

Gary is getting care in Fresno, CA. His grown children and other family members are caring for him too.

Please take a moment to send Gary and his family your prayers, affirmations, and healing energy for health, strength, and peace.

If you too are an old friend of Gary's and would like to track his progress, send me email and I'll forward you the blog his daughter is keeping.

My heart is heavy. I think of Gary and family every day, and send them prayers and healing.

Additionally, I recently heard from Todd telling me he had to make the heartrending decision and have our cat Spike put to sleep. Spike passed away in Todd's arms. Please raise a glass to Spike (milk being his favorite bev), help us give him a great send-off to his next life, and send Todd your prayers of love and support.

Spike and My Dad


It seems almost odd for me to be in paradise (Bali at the moment) while all of this is happening. Past experience also tells me, though, that living our best lives, in love, awareness, and vibrancy, is the best we can do.