Julie Hibbard

Glee like a race horse

2012-01-29T20:15:00.000-08:00

Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have--for sure--is what is right here, right now. Don't miss it.

-- Leo Buscaglia

Oh how I really LOVE....

2012-01-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Traveling to new places...I love a good adventure! I love to get lost in a foreign country...or a foreign county...or finding my way around a new city. I love being reminded of how big and GRAND the world is.
EATING! I love food and flavors and I SO love breakfasts and desserts and the JOY of deliciousness! And oh how I love SHARING the sheer pleasures of EATING!
Cleaning and organizing. I LOVE having a lovely, sparkling clean, neat and organized home, including my garage. I love having my closets and cabinets and drawers in order. I think order brings an undeniable calm to your life.
Dancing! Whether it's at a wedding with my family and friends or in my kitchen with Michael Buble and John Mayer, I love to get my groove on!
Shopping at Trader Joe's. Honestly, I could walk around there for hours. Their specialty items, their flowers, the greeting cards, the extensive wine selection, unique candies and cookies, the Island music and friendly service...oh and the chance to win $25 when you bring your own bags...oh, heck yeah, I love TJ's!
Taking a nap. I have to tell ya, to me, it's one of life's most basic and simple pleasures. Even just 15 minutes of laying down is so relaxing and so soothing...and so peaceful. It refreshes and recharges me!
Checking everything off my 'to do' list. Every day, while I'm at work, I make a list of things to do when I get off. OH how I love to check things off one by one: go get gas (check!), drive through the car wash (check!), get cash at the bank (check!) pick up my dry cleaning (check!!) I love feeling productive, especially after a full day's work!
Take a load to the Goodwill. I know, I know...what could I possibly have left? Those of you who have been to my house recently know that there's STILL a whole lot of stuff in a very little amount of space. I just love knowing what I need and what I don't need! I took another (albeit small) box today...how I loved driving up to the truck and having the guy say, "Hi Julie!"
Having fresh flowers in my home! Whether it's roses or tulips or poinsettias or more roses! They make my home a brighter, happier place and make me SMILE constantly! (And I love to take pictures of them too!)
Having 10,000 steps on my pedometer each day. Feels SO good to keep moving, to be active and to stay in shape. I love being able to get a workout while I'm at work!
Getting a sweet text and/or an email or a voice mail from someone. I read/listen to them over and over and over again!
Listening to music. The iPod is on quite often around here and, more often than not, I'm singing along. I love to sing...and I'm not half bad! I swear, it makes my heart happy to belt out a show tune or sing along with Elton and Sting. And, no matter what else I forget in life, somehow, I ALWAYS remember lyrics to songs. Priorities.
Watching TV on DVD. No cable bill, no commercials and being able to watch when I have time. I SO love getting a season of a great TV show on Netflix (or borrowing it from my TV-loving daughter) and, can't imagine watching any other way anymore!
Kissing...holding hands...being affectionate.
The internet. I can't imagine what I did before there was Google, Amazon, espn.com, Facebook, Yahoo, or eBay. I can sit for hours (and yes, I do) and 'surf the net' (is that even a term anymore?!)
Being disciplined about my money and my spending. Speaking of the internet, I LOVE checking my bank account balance and my credit card account activity and so enjoy being able to pay bills and watch the stock market online.
The horses! NOTHING better than a beautiful morning at Santa Anita with great friends, at a beautiful location, enjoying an incredible breakfast and time with our SWEET horses! I love to talk with them and kiss them and tell them how much I love them! Oh, and of course, take photos with them!
Keeping my life in order. Besides order in my home, I have order in my day to day life...which means I have my calendar with me at all times. With an always-inconsistent work schedule, I have to be diligent about making plans, keeping track of birthdays, and working appointments and events into my life. I think it's what keeps me calm and what keeps me from ever feeling busy or overwhelmed.
Being with my friends. Real, true, genuine friends who know the REAL ME! NOTHING better than being with someone who knows everything about you and still thinks you're awesome! The VAST majority of my friends went to high school with me and we keep in constant contact and do our best to get together as often as possible.
Reading. Is there anything better than reading and finishing a good book? Well, maybe starting a new one! And sharing the joy you found in one! And letting someone borrow it from you. And hearing how much they loved it too. And then, of course, there's the joy of re-reading it.
Learning something new! As someone who literally attended college for 17 years straight, I think I may have become addicted to learning and experiencing new things. I love having someone share their passion or a hobby with me--or even their PERSPECTIVE on a subject and realizing over and over again HOW MUCH THERE IS THAT I DON'T KNOW! I am constantly fascinated by all there is to learn in this world!
Writing. I love to write. I have ideas flowing in my mind constantly and would LOVE to sit and write all day long. With all the reading and TV on DVD watching and dancing and hanging out with friends and cleaning and organizing I do lately...well, I haven't had much chance to sit down and write. But most recently, I've been inspired and encouraged to really sit down and write. I think it's time.
LAUGHING!! I LOVE to laugh and OH how I love to make others laugh! (And I'm funny!) I have laughed so much over this last year...so many good times, great friendships, exciting adventures...laughing all the way! Often I laugh til tears run down my face or until my beverage shoots out of my mouth!)
Looking at old photos/pictures/videos and TAKING lots of pictures! SO many happy, fun times to relive and remember! SO happy to have dozens and dozens of photo albums FILLED with a lifetime of memories! LOVE to chronicle this amazing LIFE!
Sleeping soundly. I have a fabulously comfortable, new bed and I SO enjoy snuggling in there, wrapping up in blankets (pillow between my legs) and getting a really good night's sleep. Lately, I sleep very soundly...I'm not sure if it's a good bed or a good life. Or the combination.
**Bonus**I also REALLY love green olives, dark chocolate molasses chips, getting a surprise in the mail, relaxing in bed all afternoon, blogging, holding someone close, Vin Scully, drooling over Porsches, making someone feel good, a nice long bath, kind people, anything baseball related, watching a movie with a friend, getting dressed up fancy, champagne, Broadway musicals, donuts and long, deep, meaningful conversations....

And oh man...so OH so much more.
Life really is good and SO full of things that I love.

Just finished...for (at least) the 10th time

2012-01-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

I first read Frederick Douglass' amazing book in a Literature class at Saddleback College in about 1988--and fell in love with it. I read it again when I was in an English class at Cal State Fullerton in the mid 90s and it meant even more to me then! I do believe that I've read it through practically every other year of my life since then. It is more powerful and more meaningful to me every single time I read it.

It is such inspirational story...a story of persistence and resilience and perseverance. It's a lesson in never giving up, in moving forward and in being determined to get what you want--and deserve--out of life.

Though we lived completely different circumstances, I do believe Mr. Douglass and I had quite a bit in common, and every time I re-read the book, I am absolutely in awe of him and his unbelievable journey. I am also ALWAYS completely inspired. Inspired to be diligent and hardworking and conscientious and unrelenting!
And to thoroughly enjoy the fruits of my efforts.

"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer...until I prayed with my legs."

~Frederick Douglass

"You are not judged by the height you have risen, but from the depth you have climbed."

~Frederick Douglass

My next tattoo...

2012-01-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

I NEVER say never, but I promise you this...I will NEVER get another tattoo...NEVER.

But, if I do, it will definitely be this...

Or this...

No, honestly, as much as I LOVE bacon, I would never get a bacon tattoo...

But donuts!!!
...now you're talking!!

(Still) my favorite quote...

2012-01-25T21:07:00.001-08:00

..to new beginnings!

2012-01-24T19:37:00.000-08:00

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round.
Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."

~Franklin P. Jones

2012-01-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

'It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.'

~Lucille Ball

2012-01-22T20:40:00.000-08:00

2012-01-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

C'est Magnifique...non?

January 20, 2000

2012-01-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

Happy 12th Birthday
to my sweet niece, Sunny!

2012-01-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

...though not for much longer.

2012-01-17T19:17:00.000-08:00

"It is astonishing how short a time it can take
for very wonderful things to happen.”

~Frances Hodgson Burnett

Got MLK?

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Oh Happy Day

2012-01-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

You picked a fine time to feed me Lucille...

2012-01-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

GREAT dinner with my sweet (and oh so happy) cousin, Robin...

Friday the 13th...

2012-01-13T04:58:00.001-08:00

2012-01-12T20:14:00.001-08:00

"All horses deserve,
at least once in their lives,
to be loved by a little girl."

So beautiful...

2012-01-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

(Despite being in painful need of a question mark, I love this...)

Seven WONDERFUL years!

2012-01-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

This Thursday, January 12th, will mark seven years of living on my own.
Lucky Seven! The Magnificent Seven!
Seriously, the best seven years I've ever had.

Here are seven things that I have learned in the last seven years.

I am really smart. I have learned how to balance a checkbook, manage my IRAs, buy insurance, take care of taxes and I've learned how to purchase and sell a home. I take care of my bills--including registering my car (ask me about that one...), maintain my home and my car and know how to fix just about anything. Yep, I'm pretty sure I have always been very smart.
Living simply is SO enjoyable. I have come to the realization that life is very easy when you have less to take care of, less to pay for, less to store, less to worry about. And nothing to hinder your joy. Not only do I have fewer possessions now, I have fewer obligations, fewer duties, and fewer restraints on my time and money. And much much MUCH more peace.
I love meat. Oh yeah, I f*cking love meat! I love bacon! And a big juicy steak! How about a hamburger with cheese and bacon?! And, lamb chops and pork chops! And Breakfast Jacks and sausage and RIBS--oh yeah--pork ribs and beef ribs--Yep, I love meat! And, thanks to Dr. Atkins (God rest his meat-loving soul) I've been able to stay at 130 pounds while enjoying every bite!
I love alcoholic beverages. Having spent the previous nearly 18 years DRY, 'on the wagon'...not drinking!--I am happy to say that I have been able to make up for lost time. Not only that, I've enjoyed a Stella Artois in Belgium, delighted in a glass of champagne on the Eiffel Tower and quite literally (and quite joyfully!) drank my way through France and Italy on a wine tasting tour! I've learned to LOVE Tequila, know how to order a martini, and can't believe how much better a baseball game is with an ice cold one in your hand.
I really enjoy living alone. I never lived one minute on my own until I was nearly 42 years old--actually, I never even had my own room until seven years ago! And, honestly, I have not had one minute of lonely and have never been bored. I fill every single minute of my time with a job that I love so much, my beautiful home that I get to fix up, my blog that could actually use a little attention, reading, watching movies...and, of course, spending time with my amazing, incredible, life-loving friends! (Though, I have to add, at this point, I am very much looking forward to happily NOT living alone one of these days...)
It was time to find a hobby. Being the tremendous animal fan that I am (not!), I have surprised everyone (including myself) with the incredible joy I have found in (partially) owning race horses. I have been able to make weekly trips to see Golden Mary and Sweet Juju for MONTHS now...sometimes two or three visits in a week! (If only Santa Anita was closer!) I have spent much of my time talking horses, learning about and become familiar with horses and horse racing and becoming part of the great big world of excitement that comes with it! More than anything else, I have fallen in love with those fabulous horses who now know my voice, cover me with kisses and make me feel so good. Who knew?
LIFE IS GOOD! And fun! And rewarding! And fulfilling! And joy-FILLED! And it keeps getting better! I LOOK good and FEEL good! And, YES, the grass IS greener. And fuller and softer--and I LOVE rolling around in it! There's a great big, giant whole AMAZING world out there to enjoy and I'm LOVING and LEARNING and LAUGHING and SMILING and EATING and DRINKING--ENJOYING and REVELING--my way through it--every single day!

Yep, it's my SEVEN YEAR anniversary...

I think I'll get myself a plate.

2012-01-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

Have a nice weekend...

2012-01-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

...oh, yeah...I did.

Enjoy the journey

2012-01-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

To life!

2012-01-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

"It's your life! Live it with people who are alive! It tends to be contagious."

~Peter McWilliams

HAPPY New Year!

2012-01-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

My New Year's Resolutions for 2012

Smile more
Cuss less
Be patient
Say hello to everyone--using their name whenever possible
Be a better listener
Be positive (and honest) about my weight, age and cart-wheeling ability
Trust my instincts
Buy less
Read more
Dance (a lot) more
Have more adventures, try new things, go places I've never been!
Floss every day
Take more risks!
Say only good things about people
Take a Spanish class (and learn to say good things in Spanish!)
Eat more donuts, bacon, cinnamon rolls and banana splits
Have only nice friends (and SWEET horses!)
Steer clear of negativity!
Relax more
Treat myself to a pedicure more often
Stand in the winner's circle!
Be debt free
Turn up the music and SING more
Laugh more!
Remember that life is short and OH so unpredictable...and ENJOY every single day!

From the Mater Dei Website...

2012-01-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Can you see me?

Nothing like being front and center.
(click on the picture to have a better look)

Where your treasure is

2012-01-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

I've had WAY too much time off these last few weeks, and if you know me at all, you know that means EVERYTHING has been cleaned and organized--drawers, cabinets, boxes, files...yep, everything. LOTS went in the trash and I took yet another trip to the Goodwill. (Nearly) everything else has a place, is put away and/or where it should be. (Thank God I get to go back to work Thursday!)
I also spent some time cleaning up my computer. I have a desktop file called, "blog" which is really just a place for me to store future blog ideas, interesting photos, special pictures, things that stand out to me, meaningful quotes, etc, etc. Today, I realized I had 456 items in that file!
Having the extra time, I went through every single item, trashed a few things, filed away several others for future blogging...and decided to share several of them with you today.

What I loved most about going through each and every item was realizing--actually being able to SEE--where my heart and mind most often are. Most all of the items in the blog file were about keeping positive, moving forward, about being happy and about living a calm and simple life.

And, of course, there were lots and lots about being in love...!

Since I am being honest here, I must admit that practically half of the items--especially the photos--were of food.
Mostly donuts.
And bacon.

And there you have it. In case you ever wondered.
You now know where my heart is.

2011...it was a very good year...

2012-01-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

Whispering in the New Year...

2012-01-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

There is no secret so close as that between a man and his horse.

~Robert Smith Surtees

There will come a time when you think everything is finished...

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-08:00

that will be the beginning.
Happy New Year

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

"I will not live a life of regret!
This is about life being ahead of you...and you run at it!"

~Penny Chenery

Equine Therapy

2011-12-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.

~Winston Churchill

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

If I know what love is, it's because of you.

~Hesse

2011-12-28T08:12:00.001-08:00

Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

~Rumi

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

And though it's been said, many times, many ways...

2011-12-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas...to you.

(Since I didn't win lottery last night)
I'm headed out to spend Christmas Day at a beautiful seaside resort...

Happy 49th Birthday Robin Lynn!

2011-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Above, with my cousin, Robin, December 2001

Below, the two of us--TEN YEARS LATER--in 2011Isn't it amazing how HAPPINESS can actually make you LOOK better?
Happy Birthday SWEET cousin!

Oh Happy Day

2011-12-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

Actually, there have been a lot of happy ones lately...

New York City Christmas

2011-12-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

Today I am missing New York City.
When I bought my home a few months ago, I knew that the only trips I would be taking this year would be to Home Depot. Of course, I LOVE my home and am so grateful to be here, but oh how I miss walking in a Winter Wonderland! I miss hearing Sleigh bells ring (are you listening?) I miss seeing and SMELLING chestnuts ACTUALLY roasting on an open fire! Heck, I even miss Jack Frost nipping at my nose--and MAN how he nips in those sub-freezing temperatures! Yep, this year, I'm definitely only dreaming of a white Christmas.

Allison and I have been SO fortunate-and so grateful-to have experienced New York City during this beautiful and OH SO spectacular season--several times now! I'm not kidding when I tell you how the entire city celebrates Christmas! ALL the halls will be decked with boughs of holly, bells will be ringing, the Herald (Square) Angels will sing, there will be miracles on 34th street, oh tannenbaums (how lovely are thy branches) will lay for sale on the side of the street, and, if you're really lucky, you'll be rockin' around the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center! There'll be holly and the ivy and a whole lot of jingle bells...while they let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Believe me, you'll have yourself a merry little Christmas.
If it's December and you're lucky enough to be in New York City--
it's definitely the most wonderful time of the year.

Allison and I had actually (briefly) talked about going back this upcoming week, since we are both off of work between Christmas and New Year's Eve...but...we just couldn't quite swing it.
She'll be moving that week anyway now and I think I'll be carefully watching my spending-even at Home Depot--for a little bit longer.
Let me just say, and I know I speak for Allison too...
There is NOTHING like being in New York City...
especially at Christmas time.
Maybe next year!
Until then, I'll be home for Christmas.

(Christmas) Party in the USA

2011-12-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

Claus and Affect

2011-12-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Breakfast with Santa is my favorite event to work all year...and today was the day!
Montage holds the event each year exclusively for its associates and their children--
There are pictures with Santa, crafts, cookie decorating, magic shows, and, of course BACON!
It was my FIFTH time being Mrs. Santa Claus...and I love every second of it!

Tis the season...

2011-12-18T06:01:00.000-08:00

You see, Julie Hibbard, you really have a wonderful life...

Filly Fanatics

2011-12-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

A little pick me up...

2011-12-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

With Brian Mathews, on our religion class "Wedding Day" in 1981

...and 30 years later at our high school reunion, October 2011
We haven't changed a bit!

Horse of nature

2011-12-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

Spent a little time at Santa Anita today...

Above photos are of me and Sweet Juju--
a true testament to what love and affection can do...
And I swear, she knows me.

Spent the whole day with Sweet LuLu too...

This is our FABULOUS Golden Mary! She just keeps getting bigger and stronger and faster...
(We call her "Sweet Golden Mary")

If Santa Anita was ANY closer, I swear, I'd go there several times a week.
Maybe even every day! It's SO calming and so relaxing yet so exciting and thrilling to be there!
And those horse...well, I swear, they know me.
And they know how much I love them.

2011-12-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

"There are three salvations from the miseries of life:
good food, great laughter...
and love."

2011-12-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

Love is but the discovery of ourselves in another,
and the delight in the recognition.

~Alexander Smith

Happy Birthday Grandpa John

2011-12-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

My Grandpa John was born 97 years ago today in Campobasso, Italy. How lucky am I that I had my Grandparents--living just a few miles away until I was 43 years old. I was able to know him well into his 93rd year. I am sure he's still saying, "Hey! I tell the jokes!" up in heaven today.

Merry Christal...

2011-12-11T04:52:00.000-08:00

With my sweet friend, Christal, at her Holiday party last night...

2011-12-09T19:27:00.000-08:00

In a world full of people, only some want to fly.

Isn't that crazy?

~Seal

2011-12-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

Infield of Dreams

2011-12-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

For the last seven years, a large, (signed) photo of these four (amazing) baseball players has hung in my home. It was the VERY first item I bought once I was living on my own, and it's been the FIRST thing I have hung in all FOUR homes that I have lived in since. These are my guys--THE Dodgers! From left, above, Cey, Russell, Lopes and Garvey. Those four names come out of everyone's mouth in one word! They just go together...and those four (awesome) players hold the record for the longest running infield in baseball--ever.
When showing this photo in my home, I have always told people that these four (incredible) men made up the the Dodger infield for a record EIGHT years.
I have ALWAYS said this. Eight years.

Tonight, out of the (Dodger) blue, a friend asked me if I knew how long this fabulous infield had played together.
I quickly answered, "8 years..."
He said, "Close."
What?! I was stunned. I'd been saying 8 years for (nearly 8) YEARS!
I asked, "Um...seven?"
He said, "Nope, nine."
I have to be honest, I didn't think that was correct, and I kindly told him that I would have to look that up when I got home.

Here's the deal, I should know with this friend, who is practically a genius and has the most phenomenal memory of anyone I've ever known...that he would be right.
And sure enough...he's right.
I looked it up (the second I got home...) and I've been wrong all these years.
They played together for nine seasons...
Mea Culpa

The most important part of this story is that these four baseball players were absolutely amazing together--a team within a team--and to this day, they hold what just might be the most durable of all baseball records ever.
Heck, maybe some other four guys might beat EIGHT years
...but never nine.

2011-12-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

ready or not...

2011-12-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream."

~Paulo Coelho

Enjoying the present

2011-12-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago--I do believe it was 2008, the year that had most of us short on money, short on work and short on desire to celebrate much--my family (sisters, parents, kids, et al) sat down on Thanksgiving night and agreed on a few things:

1. No one in the family NEEDED one more thing.
2. No one in the family could AFFORD to go out and buy gifts for every single person. (Without getting further into debt!)
3. ALL of our homes were FULL of toys, games, clothes, knick knacks--we all had WAY too much stuff!

And we agreed to not purchase Christmas gifts that year.
Of course, being DiLallos, we would still give gifts to one another, but we decided they had to be:

1. Recycled (something from your home/garage/storage unit)
2. Hand made or home made (a drawing/letter/craft/baked item)
3. A donation to a charity

I'm not exaggerating at all when I tell you it was, by far, the best Christmas we ever had.

Everyone had to get creative and they really got into it. And, as a bonus, everyone received truly personal, individual, special-to-them gifts. It was amazing, really.
My mother went through her MANY quilts and hand selected one for each of us. These quilts had been hand made by HER Grandmothers and were OH so appreciated! Not only were they an heirloom, they are actually functional--I have one on my bed right now! They were far more appreciated than anything she could have picked up for us at Target, AND...it cleared out a little space in her home as well.
Zachary made each of us a CD, personalized for our individual tastes. The one for my mother was songs from the 50s. For my dad, songs by Ray Charles and Dr. John. For me--a remastered version of a 1980s Police Concert. EACH and every CD was hand made for its recipient...which was so much more meaningful than anything Zac could have purchased for any of us. And it was SO great to see how well Zac KNEW each of us!
Debra made little cross stitched pillows for everyone--mine was of the Eiffel Tower. It hangs on my bedroom door to this day.
My dad went through their storage and found something that had belonged to EACH of us from when we were growing up. I was STOKED to receive my old Mammoth ski hat--with all the pins still attached--all wrapped up special for me. He did the same thing for all the sisters! Again, it helped get a few things out of their storage as well.
My nephew Logan gave each of us a framed photo of himself in funny poses.
My niece Sunny, a budding artist whose room is FULL of pens and paints and sketch books, drew pictures for all of us. Mine was a beautiful drawing of a giraffe. I had it on my refrigerator until I moved earlier this year!
Gina made aprons and tee shirts for each one of us!
And me? I just walked around my house and thought of anytime someone had mentioned they liked something...and wrapped it up for them. Books, movies, souvenirs from my trips--even items from my kitchen. It was so fun to hear people say, "OH, I always loved THIS!"
Most of us made a donation to charity for Allison's gift--which, of course, is exactly what she wanted.
Yep, it was a very special Christmas.

2009 we went back to choosing names and buying a $50 gift, which, in my opinion, is a bit dull, routine and quite obligatory. Sure, you get a $50 gift. But that's it. It's usually a gift card, which is usually impersonal and always anti climactic. (We like long, drawn out, emotionally-driven gift giving and receiving at DiLalloland!) The $50 gift is also quite an added expense for most of the family.

2010 we were to each bring a $25 exchange gift...
which doesn't really work when you have a such an age spread like we do. And, though personally, I never mind taking home the Hickory Farms gift basket, some people don't care for cheese loaves and salami sticks...

So, at Thanksgiving dinner this year, we sat down and, once again, agreed on several things:
No one needs ANYTHING...we all have too much.
No one needs to spend any money.
Let's go back to the way we did Christmas in 2008!

As I explained to my 11 year old niece, the best part about this is that it absolutely puts the JOY back in the giving. You get to be creative! Clever! Resourceful! And everything is SO much more special for the receiver!
You absolutely don't have to spend a dime...and you can get a head start on your New Year's Resolution to clear out your home.

I shared this with a friend the other day and he told me that, for years, he's asked his family to not buy him anything but, to instead, write him a letter. He went on to say that year after year they continued to buy him gifts--until last year, when his oldest son actually wrote him a letter. My friend said that tears ran down his face as he read his son's words...it was a priceless treasure! And more than he could have ever wanted for Christmas.

I've made it very clear that I've given away most of my possessions this year. There really isn't anything that I need or really even want at this point in my life. And, OH how I've enjoyed walking around and grabbing things off the shelves in my home again and wrapping things up for my family.
I know it's going to be a very special Christmas once again.

If you're wondering what you could give me for Christmas, please know that, honestly, all I want for Christmas is you. Come over and join me on my sweet comfy couch or out on my peaceful little balcony. I'll make a pot of coffee and we can share a donut or two.
Or I can open a bottle of wine and we can tear open that Hickory Farms gift basket...
I promise, I'll thoroughly be enjoying the present.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

2011-12-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Gift of the Magi...kind of

2011-12-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

When I was about 7 years old, my dad took me shopping to buy my Christmas presents. I remember picking out gifts for everyone in my family and buying a very special gift for my sister, Gina--a gift that I knew she would really like--but really, I wanted it for myself.
When we got home, my dad helped me wrap the gifts in the garage, so none of the sisters would see them. The next night, he took Gina to do the same shopping. And, again, when they got home, they wrapped the gifts in the garage and put them all under the tree with the others.
Immediately I saw that Gina's gift for me was much bigger than the gift I had bought for her. It was a GIANT box and I truly had no idea what it could be. I thought maybe she would like her own LARGE gift better than the very small gift I bought her...and that maybe she'd let me keep my own gift!
Come Christmas morning, we began opening our presents (a very long process for DiLallos who open only ONE gift at a time--that's another story!) When Gina unwrapped my gift she was so excited! She loved it so much and I was so glad that she did! She quickly handed me my gift from her--the large box--and I began to unwrap it.
Imagine my surprise when it was the exact same gift that I had given her...
A tiny little Kiddle in a coke bottle!

Only recently have I realized how sweet my dad was for wrapping the gift that way. Neither Gina nor myself knew until Christmas morning that we had given each other the same gift...
And the one that we both really wanted.

My 2011 Christmas Card

2011-12-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Being Mrs. Santa Claus

2011-11-30T20:11:00.000-08:00

I've been asked, once again, to be Mrs. Claus at the Montage Family Breakfast with Santa!
I have to admit, being asked is a pretty big honor for me...and, this will be my FIFTH straight year.
I can't wait.
I love the excitement. I love the music. I love the decorations...
I love the bacon. I love the chocolate fountain!
I love Santa (he must always be bilingual, and this will be Santa #3 for me!)
And, OH, I love the kids...more than anything!
Today, one of the banquet servers said, "Are you going to be Mrs. Santa this year? Cause my kids remember you! They hope you're going to be there!"
Seriously, that is the reason I LOVE to do it. That's what makes it all worthwhile!

Well, that...and the bacon.
And the chocolate fountain.

Christmas 1968

2011-11-29T20:08:00.001-08:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love looking through my old photo albums? Tonight, I found an absolute classic--Christmas at DiLalloland circa 1968. I am in the pink...second row, second from the right...yeah, the one with with the bangs. That's our Grandma Mel and HER mother, our Great-grandma, Mamma. Two of these children are my sisters and the rest are my cousins.
We are the children of my mother, her two sisters and their brother.
All eleven of us pictured were born within FIVE years of each other!
Yeah, and, there were SIX more born before they were finished.
Good Catholics. Good Times!
We had so much fun.
Actually, we still do.

2011-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Get up, take a shower and go to work.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-27T19:18:00.001-08:00

O Tannenbaum...

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas...

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Here comes Santa Claus...

(what's left from what was at one time over 500 Santas...)

I'll have a blue Christmas

It's November 27th!

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my INCREDIBLE friend, Lorraine!
Life is OH SO good!

Lucky Aunt Juju (or "what a difference six years makes!")

2011-11-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

With Sunny, Thea, Thatcher and Logan on Thanksgiving 2005

With Sunny, Thea, Thatcher, Logan, Sidney and Elijah today!

HAPPY Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

So grateful to be heading to a beautiful seaside resort to spend Thanksgiving Day with the people that I truly love--the Banquets team, the Stewarding team, the Catering team and, of course, about 600 people who will be treated to a Thanksgiving experience that is sure to delight them in every single way!

And just so you know, the Artists' Cafe (the Montage Cafeteria) serves Turkey and Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving Day for all our associates. I am already planning to create the 'perfect bite' of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce--it will-no doubt-bring tears to my eyes! Yeah, probably four or five of those bites--at least!

(This one is for Gina--the non-pumpkin lover--Hostess Cupcakes for YOU!)

(Gotta LOVE this one!)

Thanksgiving with my family--all 16 of them--will be 'progressive style' tomorrow, beginning with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house. Dinner will be followed by a short drive to my (beautiful) new home for home-made apple pie and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (thank you Allison!), pumpkin pie, Hostess cupcakes (who doesn't love those?!) and coffee and after dinner drinks...I am so grateful to have a home where I am able to have EVERYONE over!

Happy Thanksgiving
I'm so grateful to have YOU in my life.

Oh what a beautiful morning...

2011-11-23T15:21:00.001-08:00

My dad and I spent a little time at Santa Anita this morning with the girls...

This blood's for you...

2011-11-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

Pops and me B (ing) positive at the blood drive today...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

While Christmas music played and pumpkin bread baked,
I wrapped my Christmas gifts and hung my Christmas lights.

It is, indeed, a wonderful life...

May the horse be with you...

2011-11-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

Another fabulous day with friends and fillies...

Me and my Sweet JuJu!

Lorraine, (Sweet) Golden Mary, and Dave

It's November 19

2011-11-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

I like to celebrate.
Sue me

It's a Wonderful Life...

2011-11-18T04:20:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, November 19th, is my half birthday....
Yep, that makes me 48 ½, but more importantly, it begins the official countdown to a HUGE milestone. Though it seems impossible (and, yes, I look remarkable) a year and a half from tomorrow, I will be 50 years old.

A couple of years ago, I had written a long 'wish list' of 50 things to do before I turned 50. Interestingly I was thinking at this point, 18 months from the big day, instead of making a(nother) list of all the things I WISH I could do, I’d take a little time to write down all the INCREDIBLY amazing things I have already done! As I began to think of all the fabulous things I've accomplished, the many incredible places I've been and the phenomenal amount of spectacular memories I've already experienced, really...how could I wish for anything more? I am so grateful that my 48 years (especially the last SEVEN!) have been PACKED with so much adventure and excitement and absolutely FILLED with unfathomable HAPPINESS!
Believe me, I know...I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
Here's just a SAMPLING of the magnificent joys I've experienced on this journey:

1. I’ve had two healthy, beautiful babies--two great children and have seen both of them graduate college, travel the world and become amazing, independent, happy, productive adults!

2. I’ve been to Kenya, Africa. I spent two weeks on a missions trip with my daughter…and even LEFT her there to continue blessing others through her work.

3. I’ve been on a gondola through the canals of Venice, Italy. I sang, “O sole mio” as I cried tears of joy as I soaked up the city and drank in the beauty!

4. I’ve seen the top of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland…from a helicopter! I toured the Swiss Alps on the Gornergrat…talk about beauty!

5. I’ve been to the top of the Eiffel tower…three times. I actually had dinner one night at the restaurant on the second level…sheer joy!

6. I toured through Rome…twice. I have been to the Vatican, I’ve seen the Pope! I experienced the city! I met the people and they are LOVELY! I ate gelato, canolis, pasta, BREAD and drank heavenly wines! (When in Rome…)

7. I’ve been to the top of the World Trade Center. And I’ve stood at Ground Zero.

8. I’ve been to Yankee Stadium. Oh, BOTH Yankee Stadiums!

9. I’ve been to the Macy’s Day Parade on the ONE time in 50 years that it SNOWED on the parade. It was cold…and absolutely PHENOMENAL!

10. I’ve spend DAYS in Central Park, wandering the streets of NYC, been to dozens of plays on Broadway. I’ve eaten at the Carnegie Deli and Dallas Bar b que…and had brunch at The Plaza Hotel.

11. I've been able to actually BE in all of my own photographs now! I have no problem asking a friend--or even stopping a stranger--to take my picture so that I can be IN it! The last seven years have been very well chronicled, photographically, and it is well documented that I have had a really good time!

12. I have become a pretty good writer...and I love doing it! I have created/put together/written over 3,000 blog posts in my five years of blogging now. It's something I look forward to every single day!

13. I’ve landed the dream job of a lifetime and am able to use my gifts and talents and make a living doing it at a gorgeous beach side resort!

14. I’ve bought and owned my own home.

15. I’ve attended a Mozart concert…in Vienna.

16. I wrote my blog from Prague.

17. I toured the Royal Palace in Budapest

18. I’ve been on an African Safari

19. I’ve seen Mount Rushmore

20. I’ve been to the Crown of the Statue of Liberty

21. I’ve been inside the White House

22. I’ve been to Westminster Abbey

23. I’ve had lunch (and shopped a little) at Harrod’s of London

24. I’ve been on the ‘chunnel’ between London and Paris

25. I’ve been to the Palace of Versailles

26. I’ve been on the Amstel River in Amsterdam

27. I’ve seen the Red Light District in Amsterdam

28. I’ve been in a working windmill in the Netherlands

29. I’ve had a Belgian Waffle in Belgium

30. I’ve been to Camelback Ranch—the Dodgers’ Spring Training Facility in Phoenix—every single year since it opened. And I’m going again!

31. I’ve seen Michelangelo’s David. Twice.

32. I’ve been inside the Duomo in Florence, Italy. Twice.

33. I’ve been at a ritual goat slaying in Kenya. Don't knock it, it was awesome.

34. I was at the game when the Dodgers sweep the Cubs to get to the NLCS.

35. I’ve sat behind home plate for a Dodgers game…at four different stadiums. (Dodgers, Angels, Padres and Rockies!) I've met many baseball players and they make my heart beat every time!

36. I’ve flown FIRST CLASS to Paris! (One of the greatest JOYS ever, right Lu?)

37. I was in Germany for the last night of the World Cup!

38. I have been on a Rhine River cruise

39. I’ve had Gruyere cheese in Gruyere, Switzerland

40. I’ve been to the Cologne Cathedral (and the Starbucks behind it!)

41. I’ve been to the Flagship Starbucks…and the Flagship Nordstrom…

42. I’ve been to tea at the Empress Hotel (and visited Miniature World) in Victoria, British Columbia

43. I was Room Mother in my kids' classrooms almost every year! I was Secretary of the Booster's for Allison's Show Choir, Team Mom year after year for Zac's little league team and, if I may say so, I was the best mom ever. (Well, close!)

44. I am Aunt JuJu to six nieces and and six nephews and I LOVE to spend time and have fun with every single one of them!

45. I have GREAT, amazing, LONG-TIME friendships with people who know (and love!) the real me!

46. I have GREAT, amazing, incredible friendships, that are NEW and exciting with people who REALLY know (and really love!) the real me!

47. I'm part owner of two beautiful Race Horses and finally have an exciting new hobby to LIVE and LOVE!

48. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Communications which took me 17 years to earn. (Worth every minute!)

49. I have a love for life, a passion for living, a true JOY in being happy and helping others STAY happy! (I no longer try to MAKE anyone happy...I finally realized...it's impossible!)

50. I have an almost indescribable peace of mind at this point of my life. Everything is just perfect. I'm absolutely content and completely satisfied with where I've been and what I've accomplished. I also have a curious excitement for the future! I feel great emotionally and, physically, I am healthier than I've ever been--ever. I am happy. I feel pretty and smart!

And I know that I am loved.

You know that I could go on...life is beautiful and I am so grateful...the last 48 1/2 years have been good to me. The next year and a half should be exciting and eventful. After that...look out world!

Julie Hibbard is just getting started.

Mark your calendars!

2011-11-17T04:25:00.000-08:00

The FOURTH annual trek to Spring Training has been set: March 16-18, 2012!

Among others, we'll attend the Saturday, March 17th Dodgers game vs. the Giants
for one very important reason:
GREEN HATS!

Let it go!

2011-11-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

I made another trip to Goodwill today...and it probably won't be my last.
I started purging, selling, giving away and began the overall simplification of my home (and life) in January of this year.
At this point, I have to say, it feels so good to have so little.
An unexpected aspect of this cleansing process has been the amount of people who ask me why I did it, how I did it and, ultimately, how they can do it too! Seriously, every single day someone asks me about simplifying their life and getting rid of excess STUFF--how to start, where to begin and they want to know what in the world I did with all of MY stuff. I certainly don't have all the answers--and I still have a lot of things to go through--but I really did get rid of at least 3/4 of my belongings.
My purging, of course, was initially born of necessity. I was moving from a 1,500 square foot home with a two car garage into an 800 square foot apartment with no garage whatsoever. I had NO idea how long I was going to live there (turned out to be just under six months) but, having a major aversion to pay-by-the-month storage units, I knew a whole lot of stuff would have to go. And it started to feel so good...

To start with, I asked myself a few questions:

What do I really NEED? I started to go through EVERYTHING--clothes, shoes, pots, pans, games, decorations...everything! I literally realized that more than half my clothes could go. (I wear the same 10 things all the time.) How many coffee cups, frying pans, blankets and Christmas decorations does one person need? I cut all these things back to a minimal.
WHY am I keeping this? Books, movies, knick knacks, (too many) things that had been my Grandparent's. The books and movies had begun to multiply and I VERY carefully went through them all, keeping only those I knew I would read through again and/or had not read yet. With Netflix all but a handful of movies were easy to give away. Really, how many Eiffel Towers did I need in my house? At one point, I had 94. Exactly. And, did I need a hundred of my grandparent's knick knacks to remember them by? I'm extremely sentimental, but my memories, along with my photographs, are enough to remember people by. If there was no real reason to keep something, it was time for it to go.
Could I borrow (or rent) what I am storing? Now I'm talking about the big stuff. Folding tables and chairs, coffee urns, pitchers, jugs, serving trays, ice chests. Think about it--I work at a hotel for crying out loud! Could I borrow any of these things for the one time a year that I might use them? Yes. Then why oh why would I store it? I kept four folding chairs and a card table. Everything else had to go.
Can I replace this if I HAVE to have it again someday? You can buy back that Brady Bunch lunch pail on ebay tomorrow, if you really need to. You can go to Target and buy just about ANYTHING you need, truly, for minimal cost. I started to look up things that I thought might be valuable, only to find that they were worth 5 or 10 bucks. To me, that started to mean that IF I REALLY NEEDED TO, I could buy it back for that much too. (I have not needed to buy back anything at this point. Nothing.)

I realized, quickly, that there was very little that I was going to keep.
So, I did three things:

I called up friends and family members and let them know what I was doing. I told them to come on over if there was anything they wanted out of my house. Within a week or so, Annie bought the couch in my den, Lorraine bought my living room set, Joe basically bought everything out of my garage. Sarah took the Ruby's table. Jaime came and took just about every picture off my walls. I love to visit these things in THEIR homes now! (Everyone left with at least one Eiffel Tower too...)
I started selling the rest. Craig's List is THE greatest thing ever invented. People come and HAUL away your crap AND GIVE YOU MONEY TO DO SO! I sold all my Bobbleheads, my lunch box collection (I kept Bobby Sherman, of course), the Princess House glassware, all three televisions, the rest of the furniture, dishes, collectibles, and more! For a while there, I was making my schedule around people coming to buy something from me. I made nearly $3,000 in about six weeks. I will confess, it became an addiction. I LOVED it! As soon as someone would come to the door and hand me cash, I'd come back in the house, look around and say, "What else can I sell?!" And then I sold that too.
I made many MANY trips to Goodwill. I am not exaggerating when I tell you I made dozens of trips to Goodwill. Carloads full two and three times a week. I cannot tell you how INCREDIBLE it felt---every single time--to empty out the car and be FREE of all that STUFF.

And then here's the key from this point on...

STOP BUYING THINGS

Honestly, truly, what else could you possibly need/want/have to have?

And, if I do say so myself, my new home is lovely. There are empty cabinets. There is open space. There is a place for everything and everything is in its place.
I park my car in my one car garage.
There is no clutter. It is simple and satisfying. It is orderly and organized. It is clean and calm.
It is absolutely amazingly peaceful.
And I promise you, I have everything I could ever need.

2011-11-16T04:24:00.000-08:00

The world is not black and white

2011-11-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

....sometimes it's a beautiful shade of gray.

You have to ask yourself...do I feel lucky?!

2011-11-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

2011-11-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Soledad!!

2011-11-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

Soledad is one of my FAVORITE and most hard working people at Montage.

And today she celebrated her 73rd Birthday!
Soledad works in housekeeping and spends her entire day cleaning and dusting and helping to keep the resort sparkling clean! She also ALWAYS takes time to say, "Hello Miss Julie" and nine times out of ten, she stops me for a hug!
And she NEVER stops smiling!
I honestly want to be JUST like Soledad when I am 73!
This is Jane Fonda. Jane will be 74 next month!
I would not mind being much like Jane when I'm 73 either...

It's really so simple

2011-11-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

I have spent most of 2011 simplifying my world, and oh what JOY it has brought me. And before you say it, YES, I live alone...and YES, it's a bit easier for me at this point. But I assure you, I lived in a very similar style when I was married with young kids. It was the reason I was able to work, go to school, have a family, and still have my Christmas shopping done long before December.
Being organized and planning ahead work for everyone.
You can do it too.
Simpler just means less stress and more success. Less hurry and more happiness. Less disorder and a whole LOT more delight.
I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed 2011.

Ten Ways to live a simpler life...

Purge your stuff. It is amazing how LOVELY it feels to not have ANY clutter in your home. Figure out what you need, what you love and what you really want--in your closets, cabinets, garage--in your LIFE--and, seriously consider getting rid of the rest. You'll begin to breathe so much easier.
Stop buying more stuff. Honestly--just stop already! I play a game with myself called, 'let's see how long you can go without buying ANYTHING!' If I have a good stash of coffee and Atkins bars, I can avoid the grocery store for WEEKS! I find if I don't go to Target, I amazingly don't need anything there! Look around your house...don't you really have just about EVERYTHING you could ever need for the rest of your life?
Clean as you go, put things away, keep a clean house. When you take off your clothes, hang them up. When you make dinner, clean the pots and pans as you use them. Wipe down the sink. Throw away junk mail immediately. Before you go to bed at night, walk through the house and make sure it's in order. Life is SO much simpler when you can find what you are looking for because it's right where it's supposed to be. The key is getting organized. 'A place for everything and everything in its place' is still a very wise adage. 'Messy bed, messy head' is also one of my favorites...
Learn to live frugally. I also challenge myself to get my bills down as LOW as possible. My goal for my electric bill is always to be under $20. I turn lights off constantly. I recently reduced my $168/month Cox bill down to $43/month by turning off the cable--my $12/month Netflix gets me just about everything I could ever need to watch. Not spending money is the easiest way to simplify your life. Use what you have, and get out (and stay out) of debt. Easy.
Stop being in a hurry. Plan ahead! Don't over schedule yourself. If you can't get everything done, consider the fact that you might be over-committed. Honestly, we all have the same amount of time and a little planning goes a long way! Leave sooner! Get up earlier! What? You need me to give you a wake up call? Will do. And, Christmas is 45 days away--please don't tell me it snuck up on you again. Start preparing now! There is RARELY a need to stress and be in a hurry. VERY rarely.
Spend time in silence. Even if, at first, it's just your drive time in the car. Think! Write! Read! Relax! Refresh! It's beautiful! You will oh so gradually learn to love the feeling of CALM that comes with silence. Dare I say turn off the TV once in a while? I promise you this, less clutter in your brain almost instantly makes life simpler.
Wherever you are, be there. Enjoy the moment. FEEL the season you're in. Life is just simpler when you're not waiting for something else to happen or wishing to be somewhere else. This is your life...again, so much simpler to NOT be worried about the future or fretting about the past. Breathe and enjoy now.
Eat right, exercise, take care of yourself. Being healthy and feeling good makes EVERYTHING simpler! Less trips to the doctors, pharmacy, therapy, surgery--more energy to stay active and enjoy life! Let's be honest, being unhealthy and not feeling good just complicates things.
Learn to say no. Life is SO much simpler when you realize you don't HAVE to attend to anything you don't want to! You don't HAVE to spend time with anyone you don't want to be with! Seriously, unless it is a subpoena, you really don't have to go!
Spend time with the people you love! Evaluate your priorities and commitments see what might be able to be eliminated! There is NOTHING more enjoyable than having time to be with the people you WANT to be with--the people who love and encourage you and support you and build you up!

Honestly, at this point in my life, time with these people is the only thing I need.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci

How many things are there which I do not want. ~Socrates

The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go. ~Steve Maraboli

2011-11-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

'When you come to a roadblock,
take a detour...'

The real prize at Los Alamitos

2011-11-06T06:13:00.001-08:00

Despite the fact that we all went to high school together,

I did not know either of these people until the last couple of years.
They are now, oh so gratefully, two of my best friends.

Each friend represents a world in us, a world  
possibly not born until they arrive.
- Anais Nin

Two may talk together under the same roof for many years,
yet never really meet;
and two others at first speech are old friends.
-Mary Catherwood

Just a few thing I really love...

2011-11-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

I love writing.
I love other people's writing.
I love being touched by other people's writing.
I love a good story.
I love a good cry.
I love FEELING.
I love HOPING.
I love bacon.
I love hash browns
I love biscuits and gravy.

There's lots of other stuff too, but that's a good start.

Happy Birthday Ty!

2011-11-04T04:16:00.000-07:00

It's so great to be out with you!

Happy Birthday, dear friend...

2011-11-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Attraversiamo...

Pitchers and Catchers report in 109 days...

2011-11-01T20:11:00.001-07:00

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.
I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.

~Rogers Hornsby

Amazing to hear me say this...I LOVE the fillies!

2011-10-31T16:30:00.000-07:00

Sweet JuJu

Golden Mary

I can't begin to tell you what JOY these horses bring to my heart! It has been SO fun to be able to go visit with them and watch them run and see them grow! Sweet JuJu had her first official workout and received rave reviews...I'm so proud of her and couldn't wait to let her know!
Sweet JuJu and Golden Mary (whom the groomers all call "Maria") are the only fillies--the only GIRLS--in a barn full of colts--boys!
I am doing my best to find out all I can about horses, training, racing...there's SO MUCH to learn! Just the terminology is tough to keep track of...

Here's what I learned today...

A horse--boy or girl--before it is taken from its mother is a foal.
A filly is a girl under 4 years of age. A colt is a boy under 4 years of age.
When the foal has been taken from its mother it is a weanling.
Once it reaches 1 year of age it is a yearling.
Once it reaches 2 years and until it turns 4 is is referred to as a filly or a colt.
Once it is 4 years old, for the rest of its life it is referred to as a mare if it is a girl or a stallion if it is a male and not fixed or a gelding if it is a male and is fixed. You can refer to young boys under the age of 4 if they are fixed as geldings.

Got that?! Yeah...like I said, I'm doing my best to learn it all.
And I'm loving every single minute of it.

Things to do...

2011-10-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

My friend and I were talking this morning about how much we love making a daily list of things to do--and about how VERY much we enjoy crossing each thing off the list as we accomplish them--and then being able to throw the list away! I have ALWAYS done this--truly since I was a kid!--I LOVE to SHOW and SEE my productivity!
I also make it a rule that I can't sit down and blog and/or get on Facebook til the list is finished.
Today has been a MOST productive day!
What did I accomplish?
I am so glad you asked!

I went out to see the horses at Santa Anita! This is now one of my very FAVORITE ways to start the day! I was able to kiss my Sweet JuJu (she LOVES me!) and put a new, beautiful and personalized halter on Golden Mary (more photos and stories to come!)
On my way home from the race track, I stopped at Ralph's and did a week's worth of grocery shopping...with my Ralph's Club card and my re-usable bags, of course.
I came home and threw in a load of laundry while I unpacked the groceries. Silly me, I always have to clean out the fridge (and freezer) when I do a full grocery shopping. I love to see it sparkle!
I watered and trimmed all my plants, swept both porches (and the steps up to my house) and threw the washed load into the dryer.
Put load #2 in the wash. (In the mean time, music plays throughout the house and I sing away...)
I collected all the trash throughout the house and made a LOVELY trip to the dumpster. I cannot emphasize how much I prefer having the dumpster to the rolling trashcans in my garage. I love NOT keeping my trash for a week!
I vacuumed every inch of my home, including the stairs going down to the garage (yes, finally!)
Laundry load #1 was folded and PUT AWAY. (Seriously, laundry is not DONE until it's put away!) Load #2 was put in the dryer.
Put all my pin collection on a poster board and hung it in my staircase hall. I do believe a dedicated post may follow...these pins have been collected over the last 40 years of my life. As I put them on the poster, I recalled where each and every one came from...and a sweet smile was in my heart as I put it together. (Most of my Coco's award pins are on there too--including my 5, 10 and 15 YEAR pins.)
After getting the poster board AND the box of pins out of the garage, I spent time rearranging the rhino racks and tubs in the garage, finally having a place for everything...and having everything in its place!
Laundry load #2 was folded and put away.
My sister, Gina, had given me a bottle of 'sealer' for my kitchen tile/grout. I scrubbed the counter with bleach and then 'sealed' the grout. It's SPARKLING, just like the fridge!
Finally sitting down, and realizing that I had not eaten since about 9am, I grabbed a yogurt and all my November bills. Gratefully, I have now paid off the Discover card and am all caught up on everything else!
Bills paid, laundry done and house clean, I felt like I could finally treat myself to a chance to download my photos from the day, check Facebook and blog.
The music is still playing..."Harvest Moon" is wafting through my beautiful, clean and organized home...

'Relax for a bit' is the last thing on the list...check!
And so, the 'Sunday' list has been finished, and, now, thrown away.
And it's only 5pm!
With no baseball on, I may watch a movie or two. Of course, I'll be sorting through boxes and bins, writing emails and blog posts and catching up on Facebook while I'm sitting here.
Honestly, there are very few things I like more than a really productive day.
And today I can SHOW it...SEE it...and I am SO enjoying it.

2011-10-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

I already have a plan.

2011-10-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

Baseball is SO much like life....

2011-10-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

NEVER NEVER NEVER give up!
It ain't over til it's over!

Contentment

2011-10-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.
~Lao Tzu

Nursing my self confidence

2011-10-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

"Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot."

~Truman Capote Never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.
~Katharine Hepburn

Impatience or Ingenuity?

2011-10-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

So, there was this one space in my house that I was not sure what I was going to do with. I believe it was supposed to be a linen closet of some sort, but there was so much 'space' in the middle that it didn't really seem to make sense. Plus, I don't have any linen to speak of! I have four towels, a few hand towels and I don't even have a second set of sheets! No need for all this 'linen' storage.
On the other side of the story, I have a few photo albums. OK, many! They are TRULY my pride and joy. If you don't know the story of these amazing albums' return to me, I'd love to tell you some day! Suffice it to say that it is 30+ years of pictures, mementos and memories and I love every single book. Sad thing is, they've been in boxes down in the garage since I moved two months ago...and I was losing sleep at night knowing they were out there!
I had planned to have this cabinet taken out and have some shelves built in...but, it started to become quite a hassle--and would have definitely become a financial burden--trying to find someone who would rip out the cabinet, re-paint the walls, re-tile the floor underneath and build the custom cabinet and bookcase for me.
And, since I wanted it done today, I took a trip to Target this morning instead.
I bought a $20 rectangular storage cube, took the doors off the cabinet and...

Voila!

Sure, it's not exactly what I envisioned, but let me tell you, all photo albums, scrapbooks, along with all their precious memories...are all safe in my home again.
And within reach for your viewing pleasure.
Most importantly, they are out of the garage!
Cleaned, organized and, yes, in chronological order.
And I will sleep much better tonight.

Hold your horses! Yep, PLURAL!

2011-10-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Most of you will be very happy to know that I have finally found a hobby.
Except for the one time I did a needlepoint project in 1978 (your birthday gift, Sonja) I have never really had a hobby of any sort at all. I do love to write and to study and to learn and I love to blog and, of course, I always have a camera in my hand. So now, with the horses and horse racing, I have something to study and SO much to learn about--and that gives me something to blog about and so much to write about! And, of course, I LOVE taking pictures of the horses.
I think they like it too.

Once again, only a portion of this FABULOUS (gigantic!) horse belongs to me, but I always say, "Tap tap, I get the front part!" How gorgeous is she?! Her name is Golden Mary and, as with most horses, she loves me! In the photo above, I was telling her to look at the camera--and she did! I am preparing her to be in the winner's circle someday!
(Can you believe how big and beautiful she is?!)
Golden Mary will be joining Sweet JuJu (above and below) at Santa Anita this week, where they will continue their workouts and get ready to race! I'll let you know when you can grab your (big, beautiful) hat and come join us!I think I'm enjoying every aspect of the horses and horse racing because it reminds me so much of baseball! I love to go to Spring Training and see the new players as they train and workout and constantly practice in attempts to be in the big leagues someday. There's the statistics to learn and keep track of, and so much of it is timing, anticipation, and fear of injury and errors. And there's always SO MUCH hope and celebration of success! It's OH SO similar with the horses--watching them grow and train and practice and workout. The statistics and timing are a big part of it--and there's the lineage factor as well. (Look it up!) I SO love that I can go see them and TOUCH them and talk to them and get to know them! And then, of course, there's the JOY of being able to BE THERE when they are racing! And the HOPE and anticipation of success!
It's all SO very exciting...
Not to be outdone by Golden Mary, Sweet JuJu looked right into the camera when I told her to as well. She's ready for the winner's circle too! (How pretty is she?!)

It's been SO much fun to go out to the stables and out to the racetracks--I even have a 'virtual stable' to keep track of their workouts. Last week, at Santa Anita, the trainer told us that Sweet JuJu had a nice ass and great mind. Hello? Sound familiar? And have you been to a race track lately? Race trackers are a wonderful mix of colorful and devoted people! It's not just a hobby--it's a sport--it's entertainment--and it has already brought me so much enjoyment.

Owning (the front portions) of the horses is actually a highly gratifying investment as well. It is definitely already paying off in far more pleasurable and satisfying ways than the stock market ever did for me. It's SO much more fun to keep track of! And take pictures of! And celebrate with!
And, hey, it totally beats the hell out of needlepoint.

Sweet JuJu at Santa Anita
Saturday, October 22, 2011

It's October 24th!

2011-10-24T04:24:00.000-07:00

Per tradition, here are 29 GREAT pictures in celebration of Allison's 29th birthday!!

Love you SO much! Have fun at Harry Potter World!

The pictures are hung in the hallway with care...

2011-10-23T19:13:00.001-07:00

Every single picture I own is hung in my home now...and, except for a few rugs and the soon to be arriving living room furniture, my house is just about finished!
And, OH do I love it. It's practically heaven!

Interestingly, the completion of my 'things to do around here' list seems to be coinciding with the end of baseball season...
Gulp.

What in the world am I going to do now?

(Still) Celebrating Allison!

2011-10-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

Allison and me

Allison and Aunt Gina

Celebrating Allison!

2011-10-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

December 1983

December 2010

Getting ready to celebrate...

2011-10-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

29 WONDERFUL, JOY-FILLED years of Allison!

2011-10-19T04:42:00.000-07:00

Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.
A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything.

~Robert Heinlein