Okay, these posts have gotten out of order because, face it, I don't know what I'm doing.

You've probably seen all the Big Sur pictures you want to see...

but just a couple more things.

Mr. Plastic took my picture and I thought how cool it would be to wrap this scarf around my neck to look like a movie star. hahahah
I look like I have on a bib or something.

We've had these reservations and airline tickets since October. One would think the LATER you booked the worse seat you would get. NOT.

This is the view out our window.

This was our front view. You may be thinking...that's the bulkhead--not a bad seat.

Nope.

We were on the very last row...apart from the rest of the plane. Kinda like we were in time out.

The Room at Big Sur

The room was something out of a magazine. So much glass!
Automatic shades for sun control and privacy although you were already totally private.

The entry.

This corner of the room was totally glass with a cool sculpture thing.

Yep, that's a window with a little garden on the outside.

How would you like to wake up to that view?

This shot is looking into the bathroom.

Isn't this the coolest sink?

Another bedroom view.

Tucked in the corner by the glass wall was a fireplace. We turned the air on low and fired this baby up.

Sunset over the Pacific...

MORE OF THE BIG SUR EXPERIENCE

...back again. Too many pictures to show in just one post.

We walked down a little driveway to our "room".

What, you say? That looks like a rusty wall. IT IS.

This was just the outer door. Open it to...

A totally private courtyard area. Beautiful.

Now I'll show you some views from the room.

The deck from the side.

Out the door to the deck. Spectacular.

A side view of the deck. Not too exciting.

This marvelous little invention sat on the side of the deck area. It's not a hot tub as I know a hot tub, but it IS a hot water tub. Confused?
It was fabulous, marvelous and spectcular because it was cold.

Was not expecting the cold. I only took shorts and no jacket. OOPS!

This is the view from the bathtub/shower. Awesome.

This is the view if you are sitting on the pot. Sorry. It was too pretty not to share. My bad.

I'll leave you with that thought and show more later...

A Slice of Heaven---Big Sur

One of the trips Mr. Plastic and I have taken was to Big Sur.

Maybe one should say THE Big Sur, or the Big Sur area.

Whatever.

The beauty.

We stayed at the gorgeous Post Ranch Inn. Normally, I probably wouldn't tell you where we stayed, but this place is exceptional.

You park down here

...and after check-in walk up these steps...

...to get to the top of the mountain.

At the top is a restaurant. The front looks like a mound of dirt...

Just take a look at the back.

To be honest, we did not enjoy our meal there despite the view. We are just not in to "fine dining". I don't know enough about it to appreciate all the creative things the chef has done. If you like that sort of thing, this would be exceptional I'm sure.

This is the view facing away from the ocean.

There were even turkeys!

oops. Here are the turks.

to be continued...

Traveling FAQS

When a person travels to another country, all kinds in interesting situations present themselves.

Oh, HI, PEEPS!

I've missed you bunches.

Tap tap...is this on? I'm back to file a few reports of the travels of the Plastic Family.

By the way, Mr. Wonderful has been Mr. Wonderful from the start.

His business name is Mr. Plastic, and therefore, many people think his last name is...Plastic. We get Christmas cards and other objects in the mail addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Plastic. I think it is cute.

So, from now going forward I will refer to Mr. Wonderful as Mr. Plastic and we will be known as the Plastic Family.

Makes perfect sense to me!!!

Plus it is easier to type.

And, he is no less wonderful than before.

Tomorrow we will begin showing some shots of the travels since January. I hope there are a few of you around to read.

Love ya, Peeps. Don't float away.

Back In The Saddle

Back but not totally functioning. Pictures may or may not be coming soon.

FYI we were in Tahiti and New Zealand.

New Zealand may be my favorite new place.

We've also been to Canada. LOVED IT.

Mr. Wonderful took me to Canada for Valentine's Weekend. So sweet.

More later, Peeps.

The First Few Days

The first few days of South Africa were HOT. So many people. Everywhere. People coming up and wanting to sell you things and bumping into you, going through immigration, whew. That was a shocker for a little country girl.

The airport was beautiful (preparing for the World Cup that was coming in June) and everything was very clean.

We stayed with friends for a night at their home in Pretoria.

Their yard is so beautiful.



This was the room where we slept. Very comfortable.




This is part of the family that lives in the house. Most Afrikaners spend as much time as possible outside. The temperature is really nice (in the shade) so they eat, visit, braai (grill outside) ALL the time. Twelve months a year. This room is called the Stoop. Jackye is feeding her precious grandson a little snack.



Just another view of the stoop. Notice the burgler bars? That is a fact of life for everyone. They have gates going into the yard, on all the windows and doors, and even the back stoop. I wouldn't call it scary but just "aware of your surroundings" kind of lifestyle.



Last house picture. Notice the bars on the bedroom door? They have all learned to live with the precautions. I slept with my pointy tweezers. Believe me, they can do alot of damage.

More later. Our first road trip!!

Grocery Store Rumor: Beachy Mimi Returning to Blog

Yes, my Peeps. Beachy Mimi will be returning to blogworld at the beginning of August.

Actually, it's probably NOT a grocery store rumor because Beachy Mimi has to be d-r-a-g-g-e-d to the grocery store...unless there are no Coke's in the house. I buy by the truckload so that sad state of life will not happen to me.

But, it did. I had to go. I was sad.

I also had to buy air filters for the house and they were $8.88 EACH. That has to be a scam. I think they just turn black after being exposed to the air for a short time.

Men planned this house. It is all one level and fixed in a way for a down-sizing Mimi to operate fairly easily. Except...the 10 foot ceilings have 5 10 foot high
filter things which means a very LARGE Ladder must be climbed to change them every few weeks. You almost need a bucket truck basket to get up there with all your stuff. It's total trauma.

I've had an interesting summer and I will be so happy to share all the boring details with you in future posts.

As we last spoke...J was in the picture...NOT. Now, if his number comes up on my phone (I accidently found this little deal on the phone and he announces your caller orally before it starts ringing) it says "NO!" for his cellphone and "HELL NO" for his homephone. That way I have warning NOT TO PICK UP THE PHONE. I have decided this is the way I will code all male callers in the future. Another former ex is "NOT HIM".

The one after J, which did not end well at all was even worse. Twenty years older than me, married 5 times, 4 children he knows of from different women who weren't his wives.

Not the person I want to take home to Queen B. Can you imagine the wrath?

Going, Going....Gone

Hi Peeps!

Some of you have asked where Beachy Mimi has disappeared, escaped, eloped or whatever.

I'm on VACATION with the Peeps. That is, PeepOne and PeepTwo and the Beachy Mimi are taking a two week trip to the islands.

I hope to have lots of stories and pictures when I return.

Until then, please continue to pray for the adoption process of La Princesa. Check out Queen B for some cute photos.

See you in two weeks!!

J. update** nothing much to tell. Still dating.

Summer Trip 2009

I guess you know by now that Beachy Mimi loves to travel.

By travel, I mean even short little weekend pops as well as week-long trips.

Now that PU has the Love Shack, most of my traveling has been to Florida and has been wonderful.

But, Beachy Mimi and PeepOne and PeepTwo are headed to the islands!! This is sort of a last minute trip...even though it won't happen for about six more weeks. We are having a ball planning our excursions.

We are going somewhere in the Carib. with only a carry-on bag for eleven days.

Can you say...BATHING SUIT!!!

They have been before, but this will be my first time. Everything is ON SALE right now, so that is our haste to make reservations for this summer.

Insert Happy Dance here.

I am so fortunate to not only have a mom that loves to travel, but travel buddy friends, too.

Now, if I can find a single, traveling bald man....

Be Back Monday

Hi Peeps! On my way home from the beach so I'll be chatting with you on Monday! Have a great weekend.

More Answers and Other Nonsense

Peeps, I will attempt to answer somemore of your probing questions.

Next BIG ADVENTURE? Beachy Mimi has no plans at the present time. Must save some coin. Between taxes due, Christmas coming and the Palooza Birthday for the Princess I must plan and save. I would love to go back to Alaska, Hawaii, NYC, ANYWHERE. I want to see everything. Which answers another question, "Where in the world would you like to go?"

Starting with the USA, I would love to travel and see all. My greatest desire would be to do it in a REALLY NICE SOUPED UP RV, taking my time and stopping whenever. After the USA, maybe Canada, London, Italy, Australia, or anything with a beautiful beach.

I do not own a home or condo at the beach. All my adult life I have been told, "No, you don't like the beach. Really. You don't. Remember?" Well, Mimi found out that she LOVED the beach and the beachy, relaxed environment. LOVED IT. So, Mimi became Beachy Mimi, and Beachy Mimi is at the beach in her mind ALL THE TIME.

"What do I do for myself everyday?" Oh, Peeps. Beachy Mimi is a selfish creature. VERY.

My time with God is the best thing I do for myself. Next to that it would have to be pampering.

Pampering the skin, to include hair, nails, toes, feet, and all over skin. Someday I hope to add lots of exercise to the list...

"Favorite beauty product?" That's tough. I love Obaji skincare, but basically cleansing, exfoliating, moisturinzing and treatment (wrinkles, Peeps). Must do all that everyday to keep the Birthday Fairy kind to you, so you won't look like she beat the crap out of you with her wand.

It is an ongoing battle.

"Most embarassing moment?" Do you mean today? There are so many...I try to keep them blocked from my mind or I would spend all my time sucking my thumb under the bed.

"Regrets in life?" I think it would be the people I have hurt throughout my life. I have learned so much from all my goofups and I don't think I would trade those lessons for a redo. They have just all been the pattern of my life that the Lord has set before me, and the lessons HE has taught me (some much harder than others). Regrets are really pointless to me because I can't, do them over, but I can do better next time.

"Something I'm proud of?" Motherhood is numero uno but I am also thankful that I finished college. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Elementary Education, and won an award from another state for teaching. Who cares? I know. But someone asked.

"Funny parenting moment?" Well, I have always shopped with an alias, that is, instead of Beachy Mimi I might be DESERT DONNA or MOUNTAIN MYRTLE. That's just in case I do or say something so stupid I would never want it attributed to me, Beachy Mimi. The Parental Unit and I have done this as a private joke for YEARS. We don't talk about it, we just do it between ourselves as a little humor.

When my Queen B was 2, we were in the mall. Beachy Mimi had her all "pinked-out" with a little bonnet, dress, sandals, painted nails (I kid)and she looked like a beautiful doll with black hair and dark brown eyes. People were always coming up to look and speak to her and on one of the occasions someone said, "What is your name, little girl?" Remember, she is 2. She looks the questioner right in the eye and says "AMY".

Her name is Queen B, not Queen A , as in Amy. The Parental Unit and I fell out laughing because she apparently decided to have an alias herself. So, on that particular day, she was "Amy" the whole day.

While I'm on the topic of Queen B, she has been choosing her wardrobe since she could point,
SERIOUSLY. She proudly wore some pretty strange get-ups. Most all the breakages, mess-ups and naughty behavior was perpetrated by "Kelly", the invisible girl that lived across the street??? That Kelly. She really got around and caused lots of mischief for the Queen.

When the Princess came up with the invisible friend, "Pootie", I laughed my head off at the Queen's consternation. Payback is SO GREAT.

Hey, that may be the best part of parenting. Seeing your own children get payback from their children....I'll mull on that and get back to you later, Peeps!



Answers to the teaching question will be a post for another day.

THE GUILT

One of the pitfalls of wearing flip flops is the pedicure issue. I can't go with naked toes. I just can't. Therefore, I must paint my toes on a somewhat regular basis. One of the things I have started treating myself to is salon pedicure. It could be that as I get older it gets harder to bend down to the toes. Probably not, though.

When I travel, a favorite thing for me is getting my haircut somewhere. I know. Crazy isn't it.
In Dallas, there is an invisible string that just pulls me into Toni and Guy.

I will insert that I don't have a complicated haircut. Short and spiky. It's pretty hard to mess up.

I have been known to do crazy things to my hair on a trip. I came home 10 years ago from Nashville........a blonde. Platinum. Because when I do something I am obsessive. (and maybe a little compulsive). Ramon colored my hair and bleached the tarbabies out of it. It was awful but I loved the change.

Over the years I have mellowed the color to a "natural" (heh heh) sun-streaked look and it is much better.

BE PATIENT I am getting to my point.

This desire to do an OOT (out of town) cut has been a source of distress for me, also. It's the whole hairdresser thing. For years I went to unknowns because when I went OOT I wouldn't have a relationship with the hairdresser and therefore hurt their feelings.

The only problem.....after awhile you DO develop a relationship.

It has caused me to change salons on several occasions because of THE GUILT.
But not guilty enough to stop doing it.

For the last year, I have tried to change my strategy and go to someone I knew, someone just starting out that could get me in pretty much whenever I wanted. She's a doll. I love her.
I'd die before I hurt her feelings.

I told her I have this OOT quirk and she assured me she would not get her feelings hurt should I ever choose to get a cut while traveling.

THE GUILT. It kills me.

SO,.....today the Parental Unit and I were out looking at stuff and we decided to check out some bling in a store. We had fun trying on stuff but my nails were a mess and I was so embarassed.
This might be a good time to tell you that my hair is too long, flat, limp and saltwater-weary. I am in total vacation mode with no make-up, either. I look like a SERIOUS candidate for an emergency makeover.

The store man heard me discussing mani/pedi and hair issues with Parental Unit and butted in
to suggest a salon. You know it is bad when a complete stranger suggests a salon to you. I'm just saying.....

The creeping up of OOT desire started building. I have been fighting it all day. I have an appointment as soon as I get home to see my precious hairdresser so I can't use that as an excuse. I just don't want to hurt her feelings. The longer I sit here, the flatter and limper (?) my hair gets.

That invisible string is tugging.

But, THE GUILT, it is killing me.

On the mani/pedi I don't feel that way. I go to the same woman all the time and she hugs me and worries about the fact that I have no boyfriend (seriously). When I told her I was going on vacation for a month, she said, "You go with boyfriend?" I told her no, I was going with Parental Unit. She clucked her tongue, shook her head and patted my hand (like in sympathy).

But, I don't have THE GUILT factor with her. There is basically no relationship other than nailperson/client.

I can get my fingers and toes done with no remorse.

The hair? Not so much.

I'm just going to have to tough it out. It's THE GUILT.

Am I the only one with hairdresser issues. Probably. It figures.....