2/10 A near-perfect day

Yesterday was wonderful. It started with a relaxed morning playing with my dogs. Then I took them to the kennel to stay overnight. I wanted to spend the day doing things with my friends and I knew I wouldn't be home until late. It was cool, and my guilt was relieved, when we got there. Two of Q and C's playmates were there and were spending the night too. Maya is a beautiful Weimereiner, and I forgot the other one's name but she's a combination of a yellow lab and a pit bull. She's quite lovely and very friendly. So the four "girls" were going to have a slumber party.

So that freed me up to have a day out with friends. Caroline and I went to the driving range and it was great. It had been a while since I had my golf clubs out. It felt good to be doing it, and I look forward to playing golf with her.

Then she and I met up with Lorena and Rosemary at the Vietnamese Seven Martyrs Catholic Church for a Vietnamese festival, celebrating their new year. Oh my, we ate so much food. I had a vegetarian soup with noodles and vegetables. These huge piles of vegetables came on the side and I added them bit by bit and savored every morsel. The others were able to share their dishes and seemed to enjoy everything. Rosemary then ordered three desserts that we all sampled. Interesting and very different. Fried bananas (yum), a sesame seed encrusted bean paste (very good), and a pudding-like substance with four different kind of potatoes in it (I didn't like this one).

Also there--a sight to behold. A Vietnamese priest sang. He got up with a microphone and really got into. Found out afterward that he was selling his CDs there as well. Wonder if he was a performer prior to entering the priesthood, or if he still did this. The pictures on the CDs didn't show him in his Roman collar.

It was such a beautiful day that we didn't want to go home yet, so we went to the Hard Rock Cafe to sit outside and have coffee. Oh my, it was absolutely lovely.

Okay, have to get ready for church, so I'll finish this post when I return.

4/6 A HUGE warning

Never try to find a motel near Augusta, Georgia during Masters' week. I left work early and planned to drive 7 hours. Ended up having to drive 9 because I drove through Augusta. Ever been laughed at by a motel clerk? No, not for any nefarious or sexual reason--simply because you dared to ask for a room when it was Masters' week. I had to drive past Columbia, SC to find a place.

I plan to leave early tomorrow morning and drive the whole way home because I have Quincy now. Will post pictures of the little sweetie in a minute.