Soup Lady, "Cooking from the Heart"

Good Bye Miriam Party

Tonight was Miriam's last night with us so we threw her a Good Bye Party.

I made a quick boxed cake.  It did the weirdest thing.  The two centers bubbled up like a volcano.  Then, I frosted it too soon.  This is the worst cake I ever made...

 
The Papa's...

 

The handscome guys...
 

Putting the guests to work...

 
The snacks..

 
I started a hook rug.  Thank goodness for Miriam.  I was doing it wrong.  So she fixed my mistakes and got me organized.  Here is her handy work...

 
 
I gave the girls some of my shoes.  I can't believe they fit them!!!!

 

The girls...

 
 

The "kids" taking a little rest...

 

 

Long Beach Site Visit

 
 
The City of Long Beach has some of the most innovative conservation programs in Southern California.  Yesterday, I went on a site visit to see some of their programs in action:

Recycled Water for street sweeping.  The City is doing an innovative approach to street sweeping.  Instead of using potable water they use recycled water.  Recyled water is water from the home (toilet) that is processed to high quality standards.  Whenever you see "purple pipe" this means recycled water is being used.

 
 Lawn to Garden Program.  Long Beach offers customers $2.50 a square foot to remove turf and put in drought tolerant plants.  Here are some of the beautiful samples:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

As we were touring the garden I noticed a "peaker" watching us...

 
After my meeting I head towards Union Station to catch my train.  This is what I saw.  Baby sparrows huddled in a path bathing themselves in the softness of the dirt...

 
Sparrows are such a delight!

 

Cousin Miriam

Jamie's cousin Miriam is staying with us a few days.  Tonight, we took her and the kids to dinner at Romanos and a quick 31 Flavors Ice Cream snack afterwards...

 
 
Presents, home made with love...

 
 
 
 
 

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

Jamie and I got our new Iphones today.  While we were walking to the store we spotted this crazy car in the lot.  Jamie went and asked the guy if he could take a snap.  He said sure. Jamie asked him if he was an anthropologist.  He said no, he was a postal worker.  Jamie said it sure was a crazy car.  He replied something about going postal.  Very appropriate.

 
 
 

New Car

Last week, Patty called.  She was asking me about my hybrid car.  Her and Ron were at the Riverside Honda dealer and they were looking at cars.  She got me so excited about the .09% offer I just had to go. 

 
 

Well, I came away with my new Civic Hybrid.  I love it so much.  The color.  The ride.  The gas mileage.  It suits me to a tee.  We had the best salesman, his name is Ed and he is from Latvia.  The nicest, kindest, warmest sales person you will ever meet.  If you are in the market for a car...go see Ed!!!

 
Here is Ed putting in my new floor mats.  Customer service all the way!!!

 
 
These are the service guys where you pick up your parts..

 
I can honestly say I have never had a better car buying experience than at the Riverside Honda dealership. 

Star Party

Tonight, we are going to Tauna and Tim's with Summer and the kids for a Star Party.  Timbo has a giant telescope and after dinner and swimming we are going to take a peak at the stars.  I am bringing a macaroni salad and Tres Leche Cake.  Yummy!!!

 Here is BAD Jamie taking a sneak bite of the salad. 

 
Caught ya!!!

 
The cake takes shape...

 

Here are some snaps from the partay...

Pappa Jamie getting splashed...

 
Snacks...

 
Doug...

 
Tim getting tackled...

 
Let the games begin...

 
The safe zone...

 
The boys...

 
The girls...

 

We call Maggie (the dog) growlie.  Whenver you pick her up she growls.  Except today.  She let everyone carry her around like a baby.  She was in Heaven...

 
 
 

 
Summer and Dad...

 
Floaters...

 
 
I love his smile...

 
It's BBQ time...

 

Dwain West....Happy Birthday Brother!

 

Two of my favorite people are the West brothers, Dwain and Mike.  I've know them since my days back in high school.  Mike had recently sent me an email invitation to join him along with Dwain on July 1st for a lunch together to celebrate Dwain's 65th birthday.  Wow.! I can't believe he is that old.  I'm right behind him too and catching up fast.  Anyway, I met them both today for lunch and we  had a great time talking, joking and eating together.  You may remember that last year about this time I had the honor of presiding over Dwain's wedding.  Since then Dwain had one of his hips replaced and he even lost several pounds in the process.  He' looks like how I remember him from high school now.  We talked about going surfing again soon now that his hip is in way better shape.  See ya at Doheny!

 

Bye, Bye, Birdie

Today was an emotional day for me.  It started out with going with Patty to wait for Ron's colonoscopy test.  Please, please, pray for Ron's good health!!!

After I left Patty I decided to go and get my nails done.  I went to Hot Nails over by the Plaza.  I went in asked for an appointment for a mani-pedi then went to the bathroom.  I was looking at the prices and it was going to be close to $40 for the service.  I slowly slunk out of there...too expensive!!!

As I was walking to my car I saw this little, baby sparrow.  He was hoppping and trying to fly.  Not too successfully though.  I chased him down an alleyway and and picked him up.  Too cute.  I figured I would release him in my yard where at least - I thought - he would have half a chance to survive.  I would give him some seed and water and off he would go, right? Wrong?

Jamie and I tried to release him in our yard and I realized this was not going to work.  I could tell he was not ready to survive on his own.  Doen't it look like he is calling out to his mommy??? So sad...

 

So I picked him up and took him back to the house...

 
And made him/her a temporary home...

 
 
 

Then, I did some research I realized I did a BAD thing.  The research suggests you should find the nest and put it back.  Or, if you decided to rehab it you needed to feed him/her every 4o minutes.  OMG!!! What to do??? I got on the phone trying to find someone to help me.

 
The person's name who kept coming up in my phone search was Cyndi who runs Hope Wildlife Rescue. 

 
As soon as I walked in with Birdie I knew we were in the right place.  Her home had cages and boxes filled with animals and birds who needed to be rescued.  She took Birdie and inspected his wings.  Then, dusted him with mite powder.  Then, gave him food from an eye-dropper thinga-ma-giggie.  Then, she put him in a cage with 5 or 6 other sparrow babies.   Of course, my baby was the biggest one.

She will hand feed Birdie for a couple of weeks.  Then, he will move to an aviary with his buddies and learn to eat seeds and drink water.  When they are ready she will release them together so they are not so alone out in the wild.

I have truly found a cause I can support!!!  When I left she handed me her newsletter, where she quotes Psalm 24:1 - The earth in the Lord's and everything in it.  Thank you God for sending me to Cyndi.  I am blessed to have met her, and of course, so is Birdie - at least now he stands a fighting chance.  Cyndi said Birdie could live up to 8 years.