The urge to title this “What I did on my summer vacation” is tempting since the time flew by. A few memories of the five decades do linger in my mind.

     I graduated from Wesleyan College in May of 1966 and, in July of same year, married Meade Bernard, a Navy pilot. His tours of duty took us to Corpus Christi, Pensacola, and our favorite place of all time, Coronado, CA. In 1969, Meade was hired by Sea Land; marking the beginning of a career in the steamship industry. Our most “exotic” residence was in Republic of Panama.

      Moving back to southern California (Mission Viejo) in 1975, presented a real change of pace. I started working part time for a group of attorneys in Newport Beach.  That was an education. (example: one young client tried to pay his legal fees with a baggie of pot and …I didn’t know what it was!) I also did bookkeeping for the local swim & racquet club.

     We moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1981. Meade worked for a Swedish steamship company, enabling us to travel to interesting places. In 1984, I went to work for Saint Mary’s College of California (Go Gaels!) in public relations. For the last eight years I have been on the academic side, helping “absent minded professors”. Yes, they exist! If asked when I am going to retire; I remind folks that Meade is mostly retired now, so I may work for a good bit longer. Ha

     Enough about the past. Suffice it to say, I have been blessed.

     Present day finds us being ruled by Gibson, a rescued black and white cocker spaniel. Dogs have always been a part of our lives and we are big believers in the rescue effort.

     My hobbies include cooking, reading, working out, birding, watercolor painting, crafts and lots of DIY  pojects. We now have the cruise bug and just returned from the Panama Canal. 

     Gardening is ever present in my routine.  I try to be ecologically correct and maintain a compost bed, to the delight of many worms and roly polies

Some of my favorite things:

    Reading: historical fiction

    Music: Michael Bouble, Lady Antebellum, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, everything oldies

    Pro Athletes:  Roger Federer, Rafael  Nadal (hate it when they play against each other!)

    Artist: Ford Riley (and of course, Mike Hoyt and Bill Schmidt!)

    Favorite quotes: “Every day is a holiday; every meal a banquet” (Ray Miller), “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” (Albert Camus)

   Guilty Pleasures: power tools, kitchen gadgets, estate sales, dog toys, flowers, wine, and anything l’occitane.

I need to always be moving, thinking and planning my next project. Life gets better all the time.