Diva's Road Trip ~ Part Deux

Diva · 07-11-2011, 03:35 AM

After our Traditional English breakfast, I left for El Cerrito....and lunch! lol (Yes, I very well may explode on this trip! lol)

There was an accident on the road and we were stopped cold on the highway for a good 20-30 minutes.....responders were quick to arrive, but the driver was still in the car when I passed....there was a guerney next to the car........I hope she is alright.

So I was late. But the neat thing? I thought there were only going to be 15 or so and there were about 25-30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And when I wallked in, nobody yelled at me, or seemed upset that I was late for my own party! lol They were just glad to see me! But I have a secret: THEY weren't as glad as *I* was to see THEM!

I couldn't stop flitting about.....I ordered my meal and may have eaten 1/3 of it because I had to VISIT! lol

I'm not going to try to name everyone who was there....I KNOW I'll leave someone out and then I'll catch hell!

But rest assured that my heart was touched by each and every one of You who took Your Sunday ~ probably Your days off ~ to come visit/dine with Your Diva! It will go down ~ I'm convinced ~ as being the best day of my "Tour"! Hands down!

And we left the restaurant, but then hung around a little bit longer in the parking lot.....to keep visiting! Isn't that how it always is? I just love that!

I got home in time to watch some Harry Potter with the family, then have some Chinese food, then we left to pick up my daughter at the airport! Yes!!! My daughter has arrived here from Texas!! I'm so happy!

We got back and Bob gave me more wine! AND not only that, he has started leaving bottles in my room for me to take home! 7 so far! Let me tell You, HE is amazing! I love this family!

So it's late......again! lol I need sleep so badly, I'm a walking nap!

More tomorrow, as we are going to visit some vineyards and tasting rooms! You KNOW there'll be stories THERE!

Take care, everybody!

Diva · 07-12-2011, 12:40 AM

The BFP Micro~Reunion in El Cerrito's Fat Apples was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was late due to a car accident (not mine, thankfully), but it was glorious seeing everyone there, and I thank You for Your patience!

There must have been 25-30 there and I couldn't stop flitting about......come back to 'home base' and take a bite of bacon....flit, flit, flit.....come back, eat some eggs.....flitinsky......take a taste of toast......skipping about to give/receive more hugs and take pictures.

I was in HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then just standing in the parking lot......unable to leave! It was just grand!

Then Mike led me to a gas station as I had arrived on FUMES! lol All was well.

I went back to Windsor a different way....saw the wetlands.......another lovely portion of CA I had never seen!

When I got back........we relaxed a little bit, had more food and wine........

And then we all loaded up the car around 10:30 to pick up my daughter at the airport in Oakland (back and forth....back and forth!)!!!!!

It was so good to see her! We were up until at least 2.

This morning, we were to arise in time for breakfast at 9. My alarm didn't wake me ~ great ~ and my daughter became my alarm clock. I got downstairs to find everyone had overslept, so it was all good!

We had breakfast rather late and then off we went to visit the wineries!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first one was about 5 minutes from their home, "J"!!!! My personal favorite, if You must know!

Our sommalier was Izzy and he was from Peru. He bacame my new best friend! lol And Erin and I joined their Wine Club after our tasting. He also took us on a tour of the 'back stage' area!!! THAT was fascinating! We saw them bottle it, filling up vats, the lable-less bottles, huge oak casks as well as aluminum ones. The gardens are amazing, too....one can get lost in the beauty of it all!

From "J", we went next door to the Rodney Strong Wineries. Had another tasting and Dr. Bob bought a case of wine for me to take back!!!!!!

We then went to Ferraro-?? (I can't remember) and didn't do the tastings...but walked around their gardens, which are stunning! Their gardens also had bronze sculpture all over the place. It was very Asian in design....

Then we travelled to the historic area of Healdsburg....LOVELY! There were some amazing art galleries there and I was inspired by so much or what I saw.... just wonderful!!! Very dog friendly place and I met several along our 'tour'.....Hunter, Magz, Scooby and Frankie.....PRECIOUS!

Then, we'd all just about had all we could take and we came home and chilled. I went to the back yard area, overlooking the pool, chose a chaise and crashed and burned. I didn't sleep, but just was quiet. I looked above me at one point to see an eagle flying overhead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may have cried a little over the beauty of THAT! The grace as he rode those air currents was poetic.

After we all rested a bit, we went out for sushi and came home for flan, which Dr. Bob made. (He's amazing, did I tell You?)

This is sort of an early night for us!!! They're all in bed and Dr. and Mrs. Bob will go to work tomorrow......my daughter, M and I will go to the sea tomorrow....and visit the redwoods, then I will be off to Albany, CA, to spend the evening with Greyson and JulieisaFemme!!!!!!!!!!!

This vacation has been the best gift I could have given myself! I have enjoyed every minute of it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daywalker · 07-12-2011, 04:36 PM

I should like to haz Speshel Mention for the Koolaid I brought you.

Moreso, for being ON TIME for the first time in years.

That was just for you Diva

PS ~ If U try to skip out on driving back thru the Sac Pack, then you'll
always wonder what it was Day painted for you. Juss sayin'.

You Miss Diva ~ You are a Matriarch of Our Community.
Of COURSE there were 25 to 30 people!

You truly are a walking ray of hella naughty sunshine!
Or how was it I put it the other day?

Oh, yes...like a Caricature right out of a Comic Strip.

You stepped right out of the Comic Book and Gifted us all by breathing
Life, Love and Zeal into this world. Yer a Star in many of our eyes.

Thanks for that.

That is all.

justkim · 07-16-2011, 03:04 PM

I just met Diva for some sinfully scrumptious coconut mocha frappacino (sp) and some whoopie...

She is now headed south to her next destination... Thank you Diva for stopping in my little town...

Diva · 07-17-2011, 09:29 PM

Thank You Mr. Day, for the Koolaid in the SUB container! Big points for that!

And here's the Cliff Notes Version for the rest of the trip......

*Wonderful trips to the Wine Country.....drank wine. Bought wine. Drank more wine. Bought too much so that it had to be shipped.

*Amazing jaunt to Healdsburg and the neat shops there! I could live there, too.

*Oh my! The Redwoods!!!!!!!!!! GLORIOUS!

*The trip to the beach; discovering a very cool Indian restaurant which overlooked the Russian River!

*The beach......my daughter's very first experience with the Pacific Ocean! I was so happy to witness her awe! It was so beautiful!

*Bob's Flan. Holy Mother.

*Putting my feet up by the pool and enjoying the perfect weather, the perfect breeze, the perfect chaise.....though I could not take the perfect nap.

*Sushi. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

*An evening of hilarity with JulieIsAFemme and her 2 sisters, 2 entertaining children and Grey. I ate my first artichoke. THAT was neat!

*Mini Julie gave me her Princess Bed......I was so honored!

*The morning I got in the car to leave Julie's and Grey's ~ they were already gone ~ my engine light came on.

*Went to Sac, CA and fell asleep in Pam & Sabra's garden with a 100-lb Pit Bull (Lenny) on top of me. I was that tired!

*Drove through Donner's Pass on my way to Reno and was strangely hungry.

*Reno.

*Driving across Nevada, I felt as though I should have been in a Conestoga wagon. Salt flats. Road construction.

*Beautiful moonrise.

*Had to tinkle by the side of the road........as I was in the middle of it all, a grasshopper decided to attach himself to the back of my leg. I'm sorry. THat was just wrong. But what was wronger was as I was pulling myself together (that's what we'll call it), on the old what-I-thought-was-a-deserted-ranch-road came an old truch with an older couple and they got a really great view of my white Irish ass. The wife probably said, "Keep your eyes on the road, Harold." It was a moment, to be sure.

*The moon over the Great Salt Lake was stunning!

*I had a wonderful time with my cousin in Park City, UT. I hadn't seen her in 10 years or so, and we spent about 40 hours catching up, laughing, drinking, eating, talking......You know....all that stuff. It was perfect!

*I drove through the back way in Utah and it took my breath away! Literally. I was at 9,114 ft at one point and the breathing was tricky!

*Got to meet JustKim in Grand Junction, CO!

*I'm in Westcliffe, CO now (since yesterday) with my friend, S, and have had a nice and relaxing visit in preparation for my long trip home tomorrow.

*I'll be having coffee in Amarillo with Phyll and then onward to Austin! I hope Lucy, Ricky, Fred & Ethel still remember me!!!!

I hope You've enjoyed this brief little travel journal! It has been an amazing, peaceful, calming, exciting, colorful and rewarding trip. I needed the distraction and it was FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If You can, go see as much of the states as You can! We have some pretty amazing things out there.....if *I* can do it, ANYone can!

CARPE DIEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diva · 07-17-2011, 10:22 PM

I've posted pictures, by the way, through Bakersfield, CA. Will be leaving for Austin in the morning, so in the next couple of days, will post the rest!

Diva · 07-19-2011, 12:09 PM

I had absolutely NO problem going to sleep last night! The kittehs finally forgave me, I guess, because when I woke up this morning, each one was hugging one of my hands (that's what they do). It was a nice way to wake up!

I forgot to mention this....it was kinda neat.....

I saw ALL kinds of animals on this trip.........

~Crows (it was the Daywalkers, I believe, flying to protect me)
~Chipmunks (including a little family crossing the road)
~An elk, standing in the middle of Mormon Lake in AZ
~A bald eagle in CA
~A roadrunner (not the one made of trash in NM!)
~Swallows in UT
~Llamas guarding an old, shut down garage station in UT
~A fox
~A coyote
~A buffalo in CO
~Deer a-plenty!
~Horses & cows, kittehs & dogs (of course)

And as I left CO, I came up behind an Amish horse~drawn buggy.....it was a lovely thing.....

I slept until after noon.......I rejoice for the safety of this trip, for seeing old friends and meeting new ones and dear relatives along the way, the loveliness of our amazing country, meeting potential in~laws ( ! ) and the peace, calm and happiness this journey gave to my soul.

It was an amazing prescription of healing that I needed.

Thanks for reading, everyone! I'm home!

07-12-2011, 04:36 PM	#3
Daywalker Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Hippy Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: * Posts: 3,750 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,499 Thanked 11,916 Times in 2,700 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	I should like to haz Speshel Mention for the Koolaid I brought you. Moreso, for being ON TIME for the first time in years. That was just for you Diva PS ~ If U try to skip out on driving back thru the Sac Pack, then you'll always wonder what it was Day painted for you. Juss sayin'. You Miss Diva ~ You are a Matriarch of Our Community. Of COURSE there were 25 to 30 people! You truly are a walking ray of hella naughty sunshine! Or how was it I put it the other day? Oh, yes...like a Caricature right out of a Comic Strip. You stepped right out of the Comic Book and Gifted us all by breathing Life, Love and Zeal into this world. Yer a Star in many of our eyes. Thanks for that. That is all. __________________ www.SirDaywalker.com

07-16-2011, 03:04 PM	#4
justkim Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Me... Preferred Pronoun?: ... Relationship Status: <3 myself Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ... Posts: 2,023 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,062 Thanked 6,799 Times in 1,553 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	I just met Diva for some sinfully scrumptious coconut mocha frappacino (sp) and some whoopie... She is now headed south to her next destination... Thank you Diva for stopping in my little town... __________________ Kim "A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success." - Unknown -

07-11-2011, 03:35 AM	#1
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,175 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	After our Traditional English breakfast, I left for El Cerrito....and lunch! lol (Yes, I very well may explode on this trip! lol) There was an accident on the road and we were stopped cold on the highway for a good 20-30 minutes.....responders were quick to arrive, but the driver was still in the car when I passed....there was a guerney next to the car........I hope she is alright. So I was late. But the neat thing? I thought there were only going to be 15 or so and there were about 25-30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And when I wallked in, nobody yelled at me, or seemed upset that I was late for my own party! lol They were just glad to see me! But I have a secret: THEY weren't as glad as I was to see THEM! I couldn't stop flitting about.....I ordered my meal and may have eaten 1/3 of it because I had to VISIT! lol I'm not going to try to name everyone who was there....I KNOW I'll leave someone out and then I'll catch hell! But rest assured that my heart was touched by each and every one of You who took Your Sunday ~ probably Your days off ~ to come visit/dine with Your Diva! It will go down ~ I'm convinced ~ as being the best day of my "Tour"! Hands down! And we left the restaurant, but then hung around a little bit longer in the parking lot.....to keep visiting! Isn't that how it always is? I just love that! I got home in time to watch some Harry Potter with the family, then have some Chinese food, then we left to pick up my daughter at the airport! Yes!!! My daughter has arrived here from Texas!! I'm so happy! We got back and Bob gave me more wine! AND not only that, he has started leaving bottles in my room for me to take home! 7 so far! Let me tell You, HE is amazing! I love this family! So it's late......again! lol I need sleep so badly, I'm a walking nap! More tomorrow, as we are going to visit some vineyards and tasting rooms! You KNOW there'll be stories THERE! Take care, everybody!

07-12-2011, 12:40 AM	#2
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,175 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	The BFP Micro~Reunion in El Cerrito's Fat Apples was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was late due to a car accident (not mine, thankfully), but it was glorious seeing everyone there, and I thank You for Your patience! There must have been 25-30 there and I couldn't stop flitting about......come back to 'home base' and take a bite of bacon....flit, flit, flit.....come back, eat some eggs.....flitinsky......take a taste of toast......skipping about to give/receive more hugs and take pictures. I was in HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then just standing in the parking lot......unable to leave! It was just grand! Then Mike led me to a gas station as I had arrived on FUMES! lol All was well. I went back to Windsor a different way....saw the wetlands.......another lovely portion of CA I had never seen! When I got back........we relaxed a little bit, had more food and wine........ And then we all loaded up the car around 10:30 to pick up my daughter at the airport in Oakland (back and forth....back and forth!)!!!!! It was so good to see her! We were up until at least 2. This morning, we were to arise in time for breakfast at 9. My alarm didn't wake me ~ great ~ and my daughter became my alarm clock. I got downstairs to find everyone had overslept, so it was all good! We had breakfast rather late and then off we went to visit the wineries!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first one was about 5 minutes from their home, "J"!!!! My personal favorite, if You must know! Our sommalier was Izzy and he was from Peru. He bacame my new best friend! lol And Erin and I joined their Wine Club after our tasting. He also took us on a tour of the 'back stage' area!!! THAT was fascinating! We saw them bottle it, filling up vats, the lable-less bottles, huge oak casks as well as aluminum ones. The gardens are amazing, too....one can get lost in the beauty of it all! From "J", we went next door to the Rodney Strong Wineries. Had another tasting and Dr. Bob bought a case of wine for me to take back!!!!!! We then went to Ferraro-?? (I can't remember) and didn't do the tastings...but walked around their gardens, which are stunning! Their gardens also had bronze sculpture all over the place. It was very Asian in design.... Then we travelled to the historic area of Healdsburg....LOVELY! There were some amazing art galleries there and I was inspired by so much or what I saw.... just wonderful!!! Very dog friendly place and I met several along our 'tour'.....Hunter, Magz, Scooby and Frankie.....PRECIOUS! Then, we'd all just about had all we could take and we came home and chilled. I went to the back yard area, overlooking the pool, chose a chaise and crashed and burned. I didn't sleep, but just was quiet. I looked above me at one point to see an eagle flying overhead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may have cried a little over the beauty of THAT! The grace as he rode those air currents was poetic. After we all rested a bit, we went out for sushi and came home for flan, which Dr. Bob made. (He's amazing, did I tell You?) This is sort of an early night for us!!! They're all in bed and Dr. and Mrs. Bob will go to work tomorrow......my daughter, M and I will go to the sea tomorrow....and visit the redwoods, then I will be off to Albany, CA, to spend the evening with Greyson and JulieisaFemme!!!!!!!!!!! This vacation has been the best gift I could have given myself! I have enjoyed every minute of it!!!!!!!!!!!!

07-17-2011, 09:29 PM	#5
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,175 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	Thank You Mr. Day, for the Koolaid in the SUB container! Big points for that! And here's the Cliff Notes Version for the rest of the trip...... Wonderful trips to the Wine Country.....drank wine. Bought wine. Drank more wine. Bought too much so that it had to be shipped. Amazing jaunt to Healdsburg and the neat shops there! I could live there, too. Oh my! The Redwoods!!!!!!!!!! GLORIOUS! The trip to the beach; discovering a very cool Indian restaurant which overlooked the Russian River! The beach......my daughter's very first experience with the Pacific Ocean! I was so happy to witness her awe! It was so beautiful! Bob's Flan. Holy Mother. Putting my feet up by the pool and enjoying the perfect weather, the perfect breeze, the perfect chaise.....though I could not take the perfect nap. Sushi. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... An evening of hilarity with JulieIsAFemme and her 2 sisters, 2 entertaining children and Grey. I ate my first artichoke. THAT was neat! Mini Julie gave me her Princess Bed......I was so honored! The morning I got in the car to leave Julie's and Grey's ~ they were already gone ~ my engine light came on. Went to Sac, CA and fell asleep in Pam & Sabra's garden with a 100-lb Pit Bull (Lenny) on top of me. I was that tired! Drove through Donner's Pass on my way to Reno and was strangely hungry. Reno. Driving across Nevada, I felt as though I should have been in a Conestoga wagon. Salt flats. Road construction. Beautiful moonrise. Had to tinkle by the side of the road........as I was in the middle of it all, a grasshopper decided to attach himself to the back of my leg. I'm sorry. THat was just wrong. But what was wronger was as I was pulling myself together (that's what we'll call it), on the old what-I-thought-was-a-deserted-ranch-road came an old truch with an older couple and they got a really great view of my white Irish ass. The wife probably said, "Keep your eyes on the road, Harold." It was a moment, to be sure. The moon over the Great Salt Lake was stunning! I had a wonderful time with my cousin in Park City, UT. I hadn't seen her in 10 years or so, and we spent about 40 hours catching up, laughing, drinking, eating, talking......You know....all that stuff. It was perfect! I drove through the back way in Utah and it took my breath away! Literally. I was at 9,114 ft at one point and the breathing was tricky! Got to meet JustKim in Grand Junction, CO! I'm in Westcliffe, CO now (since yesterday) with my friend, S, and have had a nice and relaxing visit in preparation for my long trip home tomorrow. I'll be having coffee in Amarillo with Phyll and then onward to Austin! I hope Lucy, Ricky, Fred & Ethel still remember me!!!! I hope You've enjoyed this brief little travel journal! It has been an amazing, peaceful, calming, exciting, colorful and rewarding trip. I needed the distraction and it was FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If You can, go see as much of the states as You can! We have some pretty amazing things out there.....if I* can do it, ANYone can! CARPE DIEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

07-17-2011, 10:22 PM	#6
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,175 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	*I've posted pictures, by the way, through Bakersfield, CA. Will be leaving for Austin in the morning, so in the next couple of days, will post the rest!*

07-19-2011, 12:09 PM	#7
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,175 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	I had absolutely NO problem going to sleep last night! The kittehs finally forgave me, I guess, because when I woke up this morning, each one was hugging one of my hands (that's what they do). It was a nice way to wake up! I forgot to mention this....it was kinda neat..... I saw ALL kinds of animals on this trip......... ~Crows (it was the Daywalkers, I believe, flying to protect me) ~Chipmunks (including a little family crossing the road) ~An elk, standing in the middle of Mormon Lake in AZ ~A bald eagle in CA ~A roadrunner (not the one made of trash in NM!) ~Swallows in UT ~Llamas guarding an old, shut down garage station in UT ~A fox ~A coyote ~A buffalo in CO ~Deer a-plenty! ~Horses & cows, kittehs & dogs (of course) And as I left CO, I came up behind an Amish horse~drawn buggy.....it was a lovely thing..... I slept until after noon.......I rejoice for the safety of this trip, for seeing old friends and meeting new ones and dear relatives along the way, the loveliness of our amazing country, meeting potential in~laws ( ! ) and the peace, calm and happiness this journey gave to my soul. It was an amazing prescription of healing that I needed. Thanks for reading, everyone! I'm home!