Tag Archives: Santa Barbara

Hello from beautiful Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara county.

Posted in Blood test, California, camping, swimming, travel, Walking by

This is the view from the best camp spot ever. Boy, did we ever luck out with this spot. It is amazing. Right on the beach edge with only those views in front of us. I kind of wished we booked for as long as it allows but 6 nights will be fine.

We had a good drive down and Chevy and the Rubi did great. We stayed in Salinas KOA and it was fine for one night. We didn’t even unhook. The spots were awfully close but we managed. From there the ride was also great and we landed here @ 1:15 and were able to get our spot. Everyone walking by says” Best place in the campground ” and boy are they right. When I made the reservation I had no idea that this spot was so great. So we’re hoping to make this an annual trip in November. The weather has been great too.

We went into Santa Barbara and the first stop was Renaud’s for their famous almond croissants. Truly amazing. We love their breakfasts but we had already had our breakfast in camp so we had the croissants and then bought some for the next day. State Street is now a promenade and no cars so we walked as far as we wanted and it was beautiful. Almost NO tourists at all. Santa Barbara really is so beautiful. Next, we went to Stearn’s wharf and Moby Dicks which was our go to place for happy hour. I had a bowl of clam chowder and B had fries. It was only fair and I think we both realized that being in the camp spot and having a glass of wine was better. But it’s only fair to say when we used to do Moby’s, we were in the Holiday Inn right off State Street , so different circumstances. –

We’ve walked the beach every day and it’s lovely. Today is a stay-in camp day and tomorrow we leave for Paso Robles. It’s more of an RV resort so we’re not sure how we will like it but it’s there for now. From there we were going to go to New Brighton and had reservations but it’s a bit of a detour( about 2 hours) and then we realized we’d be driving the day before Thanksgiving, so we cancelled that and will drive home on Monday. I suspect it will be busier than when we drove down but that’s the way it is.

We’re learning quite a bit more having stayed in this spot for 6 days. The solar panel is working great and the battery has stayed charged. We’re running the Honda generator about 2 hours in the afternoon to charge my mac and our phones. Overall, it is perfect for us and we really feel grateful for this chance in our lives.

Back to reality next week, I have my labs so that’ll be interesting to see if I go out of normal range. Plus, apparently CVS 2 years ago gave me the wrong pneumonia shot. I had had the 13 and was supposed to get the 23 but they gave me the 13 again, so now I need to go get the 23. What a PITA. And I’ve been having some hearing issues with my left ear that started about a month ago after swimming. The doctor checked and said there was any inflammation or water but behind the eardrum was some fluid so he recommended Flonaise. It hasn’t done much but I’ll let him know and he was going to send a referral to an audiologist. Ahhh, the joys of getting older. I am excited about getting back to swimming though. I miss the water.

Simple Sunday on Monday

Posted in camping, cooking, Flylady, Uncategorized by

The days of the week are a blur with Christmas last Wednesday and now NY on Wednesday this week. I am definitely off track.

Yesterday was a nice day though with going to the gym and then doing the LR zone. If you do Flylady there are 2 zones this week LR and then on Wednesday Entryway. That should add to all the confusion.

I made a broccoli cheddar soup for dinner last night and tweaked a Moosewood Cookbook recipe. I added some cream cheese to the soup as I didn’t have heavy cream. It came out really good although it was as thick as Panera’s it still had excellent flavor.

Today I’m going to brave driving down to Galleria area to Old Navy to pick up a partial order. I’m going to try their leggings and I also got two dressy blouses to wear on our dinner date in Chico. Well, I’m only going to wear one, of course. I had hit up Goodwill and Cancer thrift to find something and there just wasn’t a thing. Our Goodwill has gotten so bad. it’s mostly junk and things are picked over daily. I’m not sure what is happening in that store. There isn’t another Goodwill nearby so maybe that’s it. Plus our Salvation army store closed this year as well. I was actually trying to find something by JJill which is one of my favorite but no luck. I like Old Navy and the price, with sales, is pretty good. Anyway, I think I will try them on before I leave and if they don’t fit right I can return right then and there without a second trip.

Then that will be my big excursion. Tomorrow I am getting groceries for NYE ( we always do sub type sandwiches) and for the Chruscikis. They are Polish or Russian or basically European cookie that is a very rich dough that is fried.  They are not sweet but powdered sugar is sprinkled on top. My brother loves these and it’s one of the good memories he has of his childhood. So I’m the only one in our family who makes them.

I’m determined that we will do some traveling this year as we are both ( hopefully ) well enough. I’m going to plan our annual Santa Barbara trip that we missed last year. Of course this year B’s company won’t be paying the hotel for work. But that’s okay we will figure it out. Santa Barbara is about 7-8 hours drive but it’s doable. We have the things we like to do there and the beach trail is the best.

 

Happy Valentines Day

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We’re back from our little trip/work trip. Yesterday didn’t go as planned but was still okay.

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This was the view on our morning walk. That’s looking back at the Santa Barbara Wharf. Stearns Wharf.

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This was the night before at Moby Dicks which is on the pier. Fun place to watch sailboats and birds.

So back to what didn’t work. We left to head up to SLO so B could go to the co-op. that was fine. Then we found a great lunch place, Firestone Grill. Had a good lunch but by then it was still 2 hours plus to Monterey.  Then we got to Monterey, the hotel actually wasn’t in Monterey, so that was the first oops.  It was really too far to back to Cannery Row or the Wharf. The room wasn’t up to par for me. Kinda smelled funny like cleaning stuff and it was just laid out wrong. But we managed and just decided to call it a day and went to the store for salads and cheese.

But we walked this morning and then left early so as to just get home.

So here we are and I just took a nap. Yay for home.

 

Santa Barbara

Posted in travel, Uncategorized by

I do love Santa Barbara.IMG_0209

The beach walk is lovely and you can literally walk for miles right by the ocean. It was a little breezy this morning and my eyes were watering a lot.  This is a residual effect of when I was on Velcade, my eyes just watered all the time. It doesn’t happen too much now except for the cooler air and wind.

We had a lovely coffee at Renauds and in a while, we’re going to the Thrift store for a quick look and then maybe downtown.

B has to work at the co-op later so I shall read and then we can figure out dinner.

Last night we went to our standby Ollio’s pizzeria. Oh my, their pizza is the best and their chopped salad is excellent. It was crazy busy but we still had a good time.

We came back to the room and watched some  Olympic figure skating. That was a treat as we don’t have TV at home.

Five Frugal Things Friday

Posted in Myeloma, travel, Uncategorized by

So, I had my eye doctor appt yesterday and the good news is I won’t have to have cataract surgery. The bad news is I actually need eye surgery at some point for a retina issue where the retina has sort of a wrinkle in it and that’s what not letting me see as clear thru that eye. It was caused by my extended steroid use over the period of 12 years.  Of course, I needed the Dex to work with the chemo drugs but this is a side effect. The good news is he said it’s not critical right now and we can take another scan in 4 months. Geez, I didn’t see that one coming.( Pun on words)….

let’s see, not a frugal week.  Went to Costco and that was $118 plus the special medication for Bonnie the rescue dog. It’s anti-seizure medication. So another $50.

All the first of the month bills are paid or on auto payment so that used up a paycheck.

B is having his 60,000-mile service at Hyundai so I expect that to be $$$.

Had the propane filled to the tune of $230.

Gee, this sounding like a very expense week.

Oh, and tomorrow my son and I have to fill out the housing for him at SFSU. That will be $270 to reserve the spot.  He will need to find grants or get a Student loan for the actual housing. We can help with these smaller things but that’s it.

So, I’m home today making brownies, and tonight is pizza night. I was going to order out Round Table gourmet veggie but decided I didn’t want to spend $25 on a large pizza. So, I made the dough my favorite from’Date nite in’.  I’m going to do a spinach and goat cheese one with pine nuts and the other just cheese and pepperoni.

Here’s a picture from dinner in Santa Barbara, notice me clutching my glass of wine. It was some sort of Italian chardonnay.  It was a pretty great chopped salad too.

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Beautiful Santa Barbara

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This has been the weirdest week. On Monday we had terrible rain, sleet, hail, and the wind. Most of the day was breezy but not bad. But Around 7 pm the wind started in like a freight train. It was very scary. Then @ 8 pm, we saw a huge flash and bang and one of our neighbor’s trees snapped in half and took out major power lines. I was really freaked since the wind kept going for at least another 2 hours. i finally took an Ativan and went to bed since my nerves were shot. So power was out for @ 26 hours. Tuesday was also very stormy and we weren’t sure whether we were going to leave.  But we got to SB and had a lovely drive down. B worked the next day at the co-op. I relaxed and we had a lovely time. We walked the beach trail both mornings and the one day I hit over 10,000 steps. i usually get to 8,000 or so but not quite 10,000 so I was pleased.

So we went to favorite french bakery Renaud’s. The best authentic french croissants this side of Paris.

Today we drove to San Luis Obispo so he can work that co-op. Then were going to check into the hotel and go check out Goodwill.

 

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Simple Sunday

Posted in budgets, cooking, Uncategorized by

We went to Costco yesterday and got a ton of stuff. A fire extinguisher we needed, some organic sheets ( yeah.. they were 29.95), lots of food stuff, coffee. I also went to the customer service desk and got a refund on the stuff that my husband bought 3 days before the coupon book came out. I didn’t know they did that. I was pretty impressed. I won’t need to go to Costco for a month at least. Unless I decide to go get veggies and fruit there.

It also wasn’t raining and that was a big plus.  After putting the load away, I made us a brunch of scrambled eggs( our own) and avocado, tomatoes and cheese. Pretty tasty.

This has been a gloomy week with lots of rain and it looks like more is heading in today. Although right now its okay out, no rain. On Wednesday we head to Santa Barbara. B is working the co-ops and I’m going along since work pays for it all. We will pay for my portions of food but hotel and gas are covered. I’m looking forward to it.  I love SB, even though I wouldn’t want to live there. It’s  somewhat locked in by mountains and of course ridiculously expensive. But it’s great to visit and I love the beach trail. Since we’ve been there before we know a couple of great places to eat, plus there’s Trader Joes and Whole foods just to get some snacks and lunch stuff.

Our budget plans are going very well. Paying off the last bit on a CC is going very well. Actually, I way ahead of my schedule. But that may change or slow down since in the next month we need to get wood for the new garden beds and a truck- load of soil. So that will be an extra expense. But the garden gives us food and freezer stuff to so it’s a win.

I did a bunch of paperwork stuff this week. I needed to reapply for my LLS grant which covers my health insurance and copays to the doctor. Nothing diagnostic but it does help. Then I had to update my son’s FAFSA because he plans to go to San Francisco State university in the fall as a senior. I would like to see him get a grant for housing and tuition but we’ll see. They now do the year before ( 2015) and that was the year B sold stock so we had a larger gross amount. So that may impact it. I’m not sure if I could have done 2016 as that was substantially less. But it said taxes from 2015.

Today is a gym day and then I’m going to roast a chicken with a new recipe from William Sonoma that calls for oranges and red onion. Sounds good.

Santa Barbara cont’d

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ImageIt is so beautiful in Santa Barbara. Very Mediterranian. 

The next day we went to the mission, and the Santa Barbara museum of art, and walked bunches everywhere. Overall, I did great. I’m taking a new mushroom formula, and I think it’s helping with energy. plus I was off dex so I wasn’t up and then down.

we stopped in trader joes and old navy and a bunch of other stores. We had a great lunch at a farm to table restaurant . Excellant.

the drive home was long, but we were home by 5 so not too bad.

it was all worth it and it’s one of my mini goals completed. 

Santa Barbara mini vacation

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imageimageWe left Sunday,it was nice since I didn’t take my dex on Saturday night. I felt pretty good. It’s a long drive but I did ok.

We checked into the holiday express and it was quite nice and only a few steps away from State street, which is where everything is. Plus, th beach was a few blocks away, but we drove and parked. Then we walked out Stearns wharf. It was just getting to be sunset. We found a nice little restaurant, Moby Dick, and settled in with a glass of wine and relax. I’ll try and add the pictures as the upload.

then we headed out to a nice Mexican restaurant. Pretty good. I’m pretty fussy about spending money on food. So, this was good.

Then the next day we were out walking at 6:30 am along the beach trail. Glorious! Then we went to the Sambos on the beach side. I wanted to go here for breakfast since in Tucson we used to go there when we were in college. this sambos was  the first and last so it’s kinda cool. I’ll fill in more later on the museums, and other restaurants.

Paper whites

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imageSome nice paper whites my daughter started in her new Christmas greenhouse! And our stupid goat who roams free and eats everything. Sunday morning dex!

Cleaned what wasn’t done yesterday by B. most everything was done. I dusted, swiffered, and wiped the bathroom.

Then I made stuffed bell peppers for tomorrow. 3 meat and brown rice ,2 vegie.

Then I made chicken Parmesan for dinner, and they’ll be cheese ravioli for the vegies.

So, now I’m heading on the 2 -3 hour downhill slide with dex. I dont really sleep, (nap), but no energy after the burst and need to rest.

Next week, we’ll be on our way for our mini trip to Santa Barbara. I’m not planning on taking dex, although I will let him( my doctor know). I just need to be semi normal , even though I’ll still be on revlimid. I was trying to figure out how to work it in during the week, but there just isn’t a way. So…. I should get my lab results this week, if they can find them, since my doctor has moved to mercy cancer center in Sacramento . I pretty sure nothing has changed, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another increasE. Revlimid seems to have worked its last magic, and I’m figuring, Velcade in the next few months. Thats what we had discussed so…..

its a beautiful day in Northern California .