Coffee Date - Greek Style

::Good morning! Happy Tuesday! Are you enjoying fall? I sure am::

Coffee time. Lately I have been dreaming of traveling all over the world. Escaping for awhile to foreign countries, eating the best food I could find, and taking pictures to my heart's content. Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world right now? I think I would choose Greece. The beautiful sea, the picturesque blue and white buildings, the food, and just the thought of it evokes feelings of calm, relaxation, and beauty. The Greek word for coffee is Kafes. So why not? Let's imagine we are on vacation together in Greece, find a local Cafe, sit outside and enjoy some Kafes and Baklava, soak in the sun, people watch, and of course, chat. If we were having coffee together I would tell you...

So yesterday I was making a smoothie. Frozen peaches leftover from summer, raspberries, banana, milk, ice, and protein powder. Sounds good! Pulled out raspberries one by one inspecting for any sign of mold before tossing into the blender. Pulled one out that had black inside and I assumed it was mold. However, upon further inspection, I realized it was a Pincher Bug. YES. Pincher Bug, Earwig, Forficula Auricularia...I don't care what you call it, it was inside my raspberry. At first, I was just a little grossed out by the idea that I could have ingested it, and the photographer in me had to get a picture of this sight. Held it up next to the window and in between clicks of the shutter, I could see through the lens that the bug started to move. I thought it was maybe just slipping out, but no...all the sudden that little thing starting crawling out, and fast! I yelped, threw it on the counter, and finally had to kill it - I should have ushered it outside but I panicked. PHEW! That was a weird 5 minutes. But my smoothie was tasty and I can say with confidence it was definitely Earwig-free. P.S. if you are wondering why the one on the right is blurry...when I saw it moving and threw it down, I had to get a photo but I was so flustered of course it didn't come out!

Saturday I took my computer to the doctor (a.k.a. the Apple store) because the trackpad kept freezing. Brent said I am lucky I have a cute face because a repair that is normally $350 was given to me for free. That would have been such a bummer! And it is working fine now.

Sunday San Clemente was hosting the SeaFest at the pier. It had all sorts of activities like surf contests, face painting, arts & crafts etc. but we went for the chowder. 16 restaurants and individuals cooked up their best clam chowder recipe, and the public could purchase $6 tickets to sample 5 chowders of their choosing. It was fun, they were all pretty different, one was even dyed pink for breast cancer awareness month. We headed to farmer's market, admiring the produce, the dogs, and the newly added pumpkins. We picked out 3 mini pumpkins, and afterward we bought more at Trader Joe's...6 more to be exact. We came home with TEN pumpkins. On 10/10/10! Ha. 4 large pumpkins-2 for carving and seed roasting, 2 of those big flat weird looking ones, plus 6 minis-a mixture of pumpkins and gourds. Neither Brent or I have ever bought that many pumpkins, but we were having a blast and his house is filled! Have you bought any pumpkins or other decorations yet?

Tonight we are going back to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine to see Jack Johnson. I am hoping it won't be as brutal as the Tom Petty concert, I think Jack Johnson fans are much more mellow than Tom Petty fans. So maybe less pushing, fighting, getting stepped on, and this time maybe bring a chair. And an ice pack for my back. I will let you know tomorrow how it was.

Did you see Dexter on Sunday? It was a really good one...it is definitely getting back into things, and the previews for what is coming just makes me so nervous! But it's going to be a great season...Dex never disappoints.

How about this weather huh? Here in Crete, Greece it is a pleasant 86 degrees. Your turn, tell me about you.

After our chat it is back to reality, it is nice here in San Clemente too...typical Fall weather. ♥

I hope you have a great Tuesday!

Ten on Ten (on Ten)

Ten on Ten: Take a photo every hour for 10 consecutive hours on the tenth of the month. This month is particularly special because it is 10 photos over 10 hours on the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year of the century. Happy 10-10-10!

Coffee Date

If we were meeting for coffee this morning for a little chat and catch-up, I would tell you to just head on over here. I tried a new recipe for banana-nut graham muffins and they are still warm, and very yummy, plus the house smells so good from them. Here is the recipe if you want to try them out.

First, I would ask you if you saw Dexter on Sunday. I think this season is particularly dark...even more so than past seasons which I didn't know was possible. We started Modern Family and have seen the first two episodes so far. Do you watch it? So hilarious. This was one of my favorite moments...the Lion King intro, we were cracking up! There are so many good fall shows on, I am in TV heaven!!

Yesterday was the first day it actually REALLY felt like fall to me. I woke up to the sound and smell of rain from my window. I LOVE rain. LOVE IT. I was the only one awake in the house for hours and it was such a wonderful morning. It was just what I needed... some quiet time to just think and decompress from the weekend. I moved the big armchair over to the sliding door in the kitchen, opened the door so I could smell and watch the rain, let in enough chill for a blanket and sweatshirt, enjoyed a cup of vanilla tea, made a bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh figs from the tree in the backyard, and read Nancy Drew!! It was a perfect way to start the day...and the week.

I have not read those books since I was a kid, and they are so much fun. I love how outdated some of the phrases are, I love the drawings, and I still get lost in the mystery. I love to think how my mom read the series when she was a girl and so did I. I am fascinated by things that transcend generational boundaries. Gilligans Island and I love Lucy were shows I loved as a kid, Nancy Drew and Little House on the Prairie...and all those classics they make you read in school.

Then I would warn you that I need to vent for minute, and apologize for being a Debbie Downer. Then I would tell you that things have been a little rough lately. There was about a 3 week period where my back felt slightly better with no explaination, then about 2 weeks ago it is again at its worst. Sleeping a few hours a night and unable to do much of anything due to the pain, but I guess that's normal. The weekend was tough. Friday I had to drive to a doctor's appointment all the way in Santa Ana, about 45 minutes north. The appointment took TWO hours, and by the time I got home I could barely move. Saturday we had tickets to see Tom Petty in concert. I had been looking forward to that concert for months, and I have wanted to see him in concert ever since I was probably 14. But I felt awful. We had lawn seats, and we were sitting on a very slanted hill - not helping the pain. I was trying so hard to just focus on the music, and I did enjoy seeing Tom Petty, even ZZ Top, who opened, was great. But unfortunately the pain just really put a damper on the whole thing.

Sunday, we went to San Onofre State Beach. Brent and Jordan surfed, I took pictures, and Brent built some rock stacks. Unfortunately, my expensive tri-pod got left behind on the beach. Bummer.

On to happier things...my friend Georgia is hosting a blog swap. Unfamiliar with this? The basic idea is you get matched up with another blogger, you get to know each other a bit, then you send a small package with a few gifts. The theme of this one is Autumn, so the gifts could be a favorite recipe, a type of goodie you can only buy during this season, etc. I have participated in one before and it was SO much fun! If you want more info or want to participate, go here.

Thanks for joining me for coffee...hope you have a great Tuesday!! Find something today that makes you happy and enjoy. For me, it's the rain ♥

Banana-Nut Graham Muffins

These were in a little "Oreo Sweet Treats" cookbook, I had all the ingredients and they looked easy, so I gave them a go. They were quick and easy, and resulted in a very moist and flavorful muffin. You can taste the graham crackers a lot.

16 Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 2 2/3 cups)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 egg

1 cup fat-free milk

2 Tbsp. hone

2 fully ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

{1} Heat oven to 400 degrees.

{2} Combine graham crumbs, sugar and baking powder until well blended. Mix all remaining ingredients except nuts in large bowl. Add graham mixture; stir until moistened.

{3}Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, top with nuts.

{4}Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes & remove to wire rack.

♥ Happy Baking!! ♥

Fickle Fall

Dear 2010,

You seem to be a confused year. You brought a summer absent of heat and sun, filled instead with gloomy weather and June bugs who stayed through July.

And now, Fall seems to be suffering from an identity crises. Just days after the first of Fall, we were hit with a heat wave. A heat wave that brought very un-fall-like weather. On Monday I had swim, and it was 106 in Irvine. Once at home, I was welcomed by 110 degrees! No that is not a typo...you can see in the photo I took as proof.

The rest of the week cooled down a bit but was still very very warm. Today brought dark greyish-purple sky, still in the 80s, and very muggy. But looking around, there are signs of Autumn, especially in the trees. Leaves are changing color, and trees looking more bare.

Last night ended in a beautiful sunset...

But I am missing that cool, crisp weather I associate with the season. I know it is barely even Fall and I am probably just impatient. But what's it going to be? Maybe we need a Punxsutawney Phil for the transition from Summer into Fall to let is know if it is for real!

Friday Five

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."

-Marianne Williamson

For this week's Friday Five, I thought I would share five of my favorite memories. Five days I can remember feeling nothing but joy.

{1. Meeting Pete the penguin}

During my treatment post transplant, I had to stay in the hospital for 100 days before I could go home. After I went home I was back in and out of the hospital for various complications. During one of these return stays, I was battling incessant vomiting and was forced to have a feeding tube. I was there during Christmas, a difficult fact to accept for a 13-year old. Everyone did the best they could to make my stay enjoyable, filling my room and walls with Christmas decorations galore, donations of presents from generous strangers, visits from multiple Santa Clauses, and my favorite of all - a visit by Pete the penguin. This was not planned, but one day when my grandma was spending the day with me, someone from Sea World came to my room asking if I would like to meet Pete. We of course said yes, and my grandma was just as excited as me, she has always been a huge penguin lover, and their house is filled with penguins in all forms. They brought him in and let him waddle around while we pet and played with him. One of the most surprising parts was how soft his feathers were! I expected him to feel rubbery... more skin less feathers. It was such a special experience between my grandma and I, and not many people can say they had a one-on-one visit with a penguin! It cheered me right up and temporarily made me forget I was a sick kid spending Christmas in the hospital.

{2. My high school graduation}

Somehow after missing a portion of middle school, doing a semester of high school through independent study due to a knee surgery, and all my other health complications, I managed to graduate high school on time. I remember standing in the gym lined up with the 600+ students in my class, in my gold honors cap and gown, my purple and gold lei, and an enormous grin. High school was a less than pleasant experience for me, teased my first year for being in a wheelchair, betrayed by girls I thought were my friends, and a lack of belonging. So knowing I would never have to return to high school, and just the feeling of accomplishment and pride were overwhelming. This will forever remain one of the happiest days of my life.

{3. The first time Brent told me he loved me}

About 5 months after our first date, Brent and were enjoying a normal relaxing Saturday night. He suggested we get a bottle of champagne and some strawberries to enjoy. It was then while we enjoyed two of my favorite things on this earth- that he told me for the first time he was in love with me. So very special and something you never ever forget!

{4. My ten-year post-transplant anniversary party}

To celebrate 10 years following the cord blood transplant that saved my life, my family threw a party for me. With the people most special to me, we enjoyed the pool, amazing food, wonderful company, and reflected on all I have overcome during those 10 years. It was a special reminder of all that I am thankful for, how lucky I am to still be here and cancer-free, and what an amazing support team I have among my family and friends. If you want to read details about that day, you can here and here.

{5. Participating in my first photo contest}

Always a lover of photography, I took a photo class in college, but after my last surgery it fell by the wayside. Earlier this year I got back into it, and saw an ad in the local paper for a photo contest to capture "My San Clemente" shots that represented personal views of the town. I entered 5 photos, and went with aunt Lori to the awards show and exhibit at a local art gallery. Seeing my photos was such a special experience, I was out of my comfort zone and it was wonderful. I was surprised to learn that 4 out of the 5 I submitted received honorable mentions! It really motivated me and gave me a boost of courage. You can see the photos I submitted here.

What are 5 of your favorite moments?

Embodiment of Joy

{Looking so innocent and sweet}

Last week I was at my mom's house and saved a hummingbird from the household hunter, Boone the cat. You can see the post here. Brent's mom is an animal lover, and I have heard countless stories of how she has saved and nursed back to health creatures of all kinds. One time she almost brought home a group of ducklings when she saw them without their mom; they fostered an entire litter of puppies; and one time rescued a dove from their cat, and Brent and I had the pleasure of watching it during a weekend they were out of town (it unfortunately did not make it).

That being said, I immediately thought of Colleen when I was rescuing this tiny bird. I texted her and her response was wonderful:

Me:

I'm in Fallbrook still and one of the cats caught a hummingbird. I made sure it was okay, took it down the street and he flew away. Saved it! I thought of you when I was doing it, thought...Colleen would be proud!

Colleen:

That feels good, doesn't it. Native Americans saw the hummingbirds as the embodiment of joy. In their worldview, your experience would represent a special meaningful encounter. I hope for you that in some way it represents the release of more joy in your life, Chelsea, as youcontinue to feel more strong and healthy in upcoming days and weeks.

I met Brent's parents after we had only been dating a few weeks, because he had just graduated from PT school and was temporarily living with them until he found his own place. But I am so lucky that I get along with them so well, and they have always made me feel so welcome into the family.

::Happy Birthday::

Happy Birthday to my Grandma! She is 85 years old today! She is healthy, happy, and has been married to my grandpa for 63 years.

Yes that is me when I played soccer...sometime around age 5 or 6?

I ♥ Cats

A neighbor of Brent's has a cat. The guy lives in one of the 2nd story condos, and the cat is always hanging out on the middle part of the stairs. She is so friendly, and lets me pet her, rolling around and purring. She is soo soo cute, she is enormous, fluffy, very soft, and she just sits there all day while he leaves his door open. I don't know the neighbor, but I was petting her today and he came outside and said "she likes you!" I asked more about her...she is a Maine Coon, and her name is, get ready...Tubby Longstockings!!! She had a previous owner who decided she no longer wanted her because she eats too much!! I want her!!

I ♥ Fall

First day of Autumn! Summer will be missed, yes, but I will admit, I look forward to the months of September/October/November the most of all the year.

::What I love about Fall::

♥ Pumpkin-flavored anything

♥ Crisp, cool air, just enough to call for a sweatshirt

♥ Halloween decorations

♥ The smell of candles burning inside a pumpkin

♥ Seeing little kids' costumes on Halloween

♥ The different sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins, squash, & gourds

♥ Time with family and my mom's stuffing at Thanksgiving

♥ My mom & my birthdays are only 4 days apart

♥ The changing of nature's colors

♥ Hot apple cider

♥ Pumpkin carving & roasting pumpkin seeds

♥ The smells of cinnamon and pies

♥ Front stoops dotted with Jack-O-Lanterns

♥ Return of my favorite TV shows

♥ Stews & soups