Return to the scenes of great times! 2nd bike ride of 2025 -the micks #mondo
for this other favorite bike ride, we start in los gatos at the very beautiful lake vasona
we enjoy the first half of our picnic near the bridge..
we ride for i don't know how many miles.. but through both heavily tree shaded, and very sunshiny and open bike paths; part paved; part gravely... and we rest just shy of having to walk/push our bikes up two very steep grades -with the goal and the reward of the view at lexington reservoir
and we enjoy the 2nd half of our picnic, and then ride back to vasona
we reward ourselves for the all day bike ride, with dinner at luna mexican kitchen in campbell. this is OUR VERY FAVORITE restaurant at the pruneyard: 5 star meals, 5 star drinks, 5 star service. on this occasion our server was chris -exceptional! already can't wait to get back.. and bring family/friends.
along this bike ride we get to see so many delightful, beautiful, inspiring things:
wonderful wildflowers.. precious wildlife.. healthy water levels for lake and creek
#mondo
this is our "Thank You!" prayer..
hallelujah & amen
i find myself fascinating... i really do (me!) sandra, topps, writeousmom
like, if i have an itch.. that is a very specific, experiential sensation -i can directly identify -where- and, if within reach, i can immediately scratch it; -sometimes, if i can't reach it myself, i grab a back scratcher.. i love those things!
k, i have to use 'itches/scratches' to make my next point..
there were two recent occasions when, -I felt NOTHING- i had zero specific, zero experiential sensation of any kind whatsoever
but, out of nowhere... my hand reaches for my face, my index finger goes directly to a chin hair. ouch.
a tiny, singular pointy, pokey, ugly chin hair..
and honey, i will practically run to the bathroom, grab my tweezers and the magnifying mirror and remove that black beast fast as i can! they are like tiny metal wire; a needle practically
anyway.. itches i know about and feel.. but in the case of these random, occasional ugly black chin hairs.. i never feel them growing out of my skin..
so, i'm like, "thanks" -to, my hand/brain? for letting me know...
****
and same, with a ... what does this look like to you? i asked my sexy husband..
because, again.. I FELT NOTHING (no sensation like an itch.. nothing), but my hand, and my index finger, independently, (if you will) went write to a -small bump- of some sort on my lower back..
does this look like a mole, or a pimple..? what is this?
and, again, i was like, "thanks" -hand/brain.. for letting me know this is there..
****
and, lastly for my i find myself fascinating post, is this..
my eye drops were falling off my nightstand..
i so quickly dove toward.. caught the container just before it hit the ground.. felt impressive! and the bottle is small, plastic, no harm should it even hit the ground; no big deal at all..
but without one day of practice; without any prior notice; without the consequence of glass breaking..
this instinct.. this under one second instinct that lead me to respond instantly to the eye drops falling..
****
so, as we enter the world of AI, of humanoids.. as it has always been for me personally
it all ups my appreciation and fascination with being human; the masterpiece each human being is..
i'm going soon, my husband and i, to order a cocktail from a humanoid; it will be our first time having that experience..
but i'm always tossing it all around.. that robot.. will never have an itch; will never have a mole, a pimple, a chin hair.. will never have to use the restroom.. will never be embarrassed.. will never enjoy food, drink, dessert, warmth of the sun, beauty of color... falling in love...
always tossing around... man makes robots; but man did not make man; or earth; or sky; or water; or land or fire... or trees or flowers.. or gravity... on and on...
instinctively i compare/contrast... contrast/compare... sentient beings...
one thing i've noticed about myself..
a similar experience: movies/robots
-sometimes, and scary movies provide the best example.. scary or sad..
but, i'll be watching a movie.. and the actors/story is so good; i'm so engaged.. i will find myself saying to myself (and sometimes out loud) this is only a movie... this is only a movie
-it calms any fears the movie makers aim for the audience to experience -or in the case of a sad film, this is just a movie, can prevent me from crying; this understanding that it is -not real- just a movie..
and with robots, humanoids.. a similar thing happens.. they are so -human-like- in mannerisms, speech, etc. i have had to remind myself... this is only a robot... only a robot..
it requires.. they require; both movies and robots.. they require me to remind myself what they are..
and what they are not.
*****
hallelujah & amen
Easter, Eggs, Algebra & Gratitude by (me!) sandra, topps, writeousmom
EASTER: there is nothing i can write or share that hasnt already been written about and shared. we celebrate Easter with awe and reverence and gratitude -for Jesus sacrifice, victory & eternal love. in all we do, we aim to glorify God's name, and that is our daily form of gratitude.
EGGS: hard boiled eggs to be specific; Easter is the perfect season to share.. that i credit this one, singular food, the hard boiled egg, with having the most significant impact on my energy levels; my ability to maintain/manage my weight; contributing to better nights of sleep..
as i have learned about myself, -i cannot sleep well (at all, really) on an empty stomach. too embarrassed to share what foods i used to inhale late at night in an effort to sleep well; counterproductive efforts to be sure
but, if and when, in the evening, i have ONE hard boiled egg (for me, nothing on it.. for my husband, a touch of salt); this tiny little food fills me up; i seem to digest it well... and it contributes to me having a better nights sleep.. and healthy energy the following day
on the occasions -between larger meals- i find myself hungry for a snack..
i still snack on sweet treats..
but, sometimes i will just grab a hard boiled egg; and feel the better for it. -and if we are going to have an extra special meal/drinks/dessert with family or friends on a given evening.. i know in advance i want to enjoy that experience fully.. so i will substitute a larger lunch, with just a hard boiled egg.. and have a great dinner experience.
my husband and i keep hard boiled eggs -already peeled and ready to snack on- in our refrigerator on a regular basis. -creatures of convenience..
he makes a dozen at a time. brings 12 eggs to a boil, lid on.. once boiling, shuts off burner and lets cook for 12 minutes. rinses with cold water and lets sit in cold water for 20 minutes.. ready to peel and store.
we store in a zip lock bag, and place a couple pieces of paper towel inside with them to absorb the excess water. -these paper towels need to be replaced almost daily.. hard boiled eggs release a lot of moisture..
but! i am not exaggerating to say that this one food deserves the lions share of credit for my overall health, balance, energy, well being
my husband also loves to make egg salad.. chop up the hard boiled eggs, add a little mayo, mustard, relish -eat with a spoon and/or make a sandwich..
we love them; hard boiled eggs
so, -naturally, we are grateful to see the prices returned to fair and normal; and the supply return to safe and abundant.
i cannot close this segment of my post today without re-sharing one of my dad's classics..
"what came first, the chicken or the egg?"
"the chicken! -God doesnt lay eggs."
/still makes me giggle..
hallelujah & Amen..
ALGEBRA: if you take an algebra class, your teacher/instructor/professor.. whatever.. but the person teaching algebra never treats it like " I DISCOVERED THIS!"
When you sign up to take an ALGEBRA CLASS... it is not to learn something novel to humanity at large; you are educating yourself on an already known.. but new to you.
and, of course, algebra is my analogy of choice here; but i could use many different things to make the same point..
my point being repeated here is this: how irritating it is, year after year after year after decade, after century
writers write about 'gratitude' as if... as if, they themselves discovered, for the first time in history, all the benefits of being grateful.
gratitude, and the benefits thereof [spiritual, physical, mental, emotional] were discovered long, long, long ago..
why it is not taught as a class in schools/colleges is a mystery to me..
unlike algebra, but much like every day life skills; -you are on your own... its an independent study type of course
let me add my voice to the multi-generation ancestral choir -of all people, of all faiths, all across the globe, for all time [again]
gratitude is as powerful and necessary for your overall well being
as water is for life.
and like LOVE, gratitude is a spiritual law; it applies to all of humanity; for all of time.
"Thank YOU!" for reading this post... I am most grateful! i love you!
****
Prelude to Arbor Day, Friday April 25th, 2025
Return to the scene of great times! 1st bike ride of 2025 -the micks #mondo
.. from lake anderson/coyote creek visitor center 15 miles to hellyer county park; and back. a 30 mile bike ride that is as pretty as it is peaceful. this ride kick starts our bike riding season.. blessed to see a colorful variety of wildflowers along the way.. squirrels, quail, variety of birds.. horses.. gorgeous trees we know by face but not by name.. water levels high.. God's gorgeous landscape in every direction your eyes land along the way.. this is our "Thank You!" prayer.. selah! hallelujah! and amen..!
#themicks #favoritebikerides
Berryessa Blue Zone Driveway Happy Hour April 2025 #vellumdays
"Thank You Again!" Awesome Neighbor Friends..
You look gorgeous in blue -All of you do!
and another spectacular and delicious variety of food and drink & desserts!
a toast... "to living long, and living happy.. the berryessa blue zone... cheers!"
love, the micks
P.S.
for fancy nancy fans..
#fancynancy
picture of her fishing-in-monterey-with-her-husband fashions...
amazing! write... i could go on and on about this outfit! i love every piece! every layer! every accessory! every fabric! every texture! every color!.. extra love the high neck collar!
and then, they brought the fish they caught to share at our berryessa blue zone happy hour
pretty awesome..
"Thank You!" so much..
#vellumdays giant "THANK YOU!'s" -that was awesome.. amen!
WHAT'S BLOOD, got to do, got to do with it... by (me!) sandra, topps, writeousmom
that's the song playing in my mind, tina turner's, what's love got to do with it, but i need to change and play with the words to make my point
my promise
my promise is this: when it comes to true love: TIME -quality time together; getting to know each other is far drastically more important a factor; than blood; biological connections themselves, do not result in love.
we live in a time when great emphasis is placed on -blood; dna.. our ancestry
i repeat here, when it comes to my day to day life, my decision-making, my behaviors, my relationships.. on and on. -being a CHRISTIAN is far, far, far more important and relevant than any 'dna' report results sharing about ancestors i never have and never will meet; living in times severely different from today in places i'll never visit.
but i bring this up for a different reason. my motivation is a conversation i had some time ago with our daughter in law; mother of our 3rd grandson..
we are a blended family -they are family through marriage not blood
and i was holding, loving on our youngest grandson.. staring into his eyes.. falling deeper in love..
when our daughter in law commented.. [something like, not verbatim]; bet you'll love it even more when your daughter and son have babies..
did she say 'even more?' maybe yes, maybe no, but my immediate (and admittedly potentially incorrect interpretation) was that she was making a distinction between loving a biological grandbaby vs a through marriage grandbaby
my immediate internal reaction was.. defensive..
another promise i can make write here and now: i could not love and adore all 3 of our grandchildren more than i do.. i am crazy in love with each one!
do i love this precious grandchild from God i'm holding in my arms.. less than i will one day love my future biological grandchildren from God
this is a very clear and very easy no.
but not without an important distinction; not without a caveat..
i have known my son, via marriage, only 8 years.. but we have spent a lot of time together.. living together for a bit.. traveling together; long road trip together... deep conversations and many of them..
i have known my daughter in law, his wife, only 6 years (?).. and we have spent -some- wonderful time together.. weeks at time,
i love them both! and now i love all three of them! son, daughter, grandson.. no blood relations needed or required
the reason IT WILL BE DIFFERENT when my own, biological adult children, gift us with grandchildren is because..
i have know them -deeply known them- and crazy loved them from inside my womb! the relationships are long and deep.. from skinned knees & first days of school (pre-school, elementary, middle, high, college..) -every dentist appointment, birthday party, Christmas, broken heart, best friend, -favorite shows, what makes them laugh, cry, scare, brave.. the list is too long, but you get the idea.. years and years worth of time together...
this TIME TOGETHER usurps any and all other factors, like dna, when it comes to true love.
so, while my LOVE, will not be greater with biological grandchildren.. i have no doubt, it will be different; enormously rewarding: getting to see my babies, have babies.. when my parents graduate to great grandparents..
what i share here has been proven out time and time and time again.. just sharing this common knowledge in my own words, based on my own life; adding to the choir of love songs
LOVE DOES NOT REQUIRE, is not at all dependent on a biological/blood connection.
it is most definitely not: the more blood you share, the more love you feel..
it is most definitely:
a great pleasure, rewarding honor getting to know and fall in love with each other; which is directly and inextricably dependent on time.
wait.
in no time at all! i fell in love with our grandsons..
3 seconds tops! love at first sight!
i crazy loved you from the very start!
if it's not reliant on time? nor dependent on blood..
could it be... love's a natural spring from our hearts?
what's blood, got to do, got to do with it.. what's blood but a flesh consideration..
In i-spend-a-lot-of-time-with-Jesus, name.. God IS love.
hallelujah & amen.
the point being... #vellumdays
vellum days are not exclusively attached to vacation days; those are included. vellum days are finding a thoughtful surprise welcome home gift; family dinners; romantic dinner for two; crazy good left over lasagna & italian sausage for breakfast; a little league game, delighting in the flowers and trees in bloom; "we made it to spring!" - 'the heart seen' in the ricotta; listening to great music while spring cleaning the house, snuggling on the couch and watching a great movie/series... some vellum days present themselves quite naturally, but we create them too; with intention and purpose..
p.s.'s
* taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza.. "thank you!" here to my bmf, carla for the recommendation; big hit with the grandkids! and "thank you!" here also to youtube.. watched as a family, how to play, before getting started..
* speaking of "thank you's" and youtube..
i listened to this album; both sides, while doing some pretty thorough, detailed spring cleaning around the house. OUTSTANDING ALBUM! earth, wind & fire, gratitude. -remember i used to teach dancing to children.. movers & shakers; well, maybe not this week, or even this year.. but i am inspired to come up with some choreography to the song gratitude on this album.. have the kids perform at church.. hallelujah & amen
* also, snuggled on the couch, and binge-watched this:
and book shelves and visual platforms are all pretty saturated, in my experience and opinion, with apocalyptic theme stories, but.. WOW from both my husband and i on this hulu original. so engaging! well cast, well told, well paced.. look forward to season II "thank you!" here to solomon, AKA, FIL [Father In Law] for the recommendation.
this is the day the Lord has made..
we have re-joyced! and are glad in it...
hallelujah & amen.
potty talk table of 4 (robert! sandra! jack! n taryn!) #magicofmacys
if you had to guess... what might this family of four be talking about over such a lovely, delicious, dinner?
at an elegant restaurant.. sipping from a shared bottle of the recommended tempranillo..
politics? the days activities? recent memories? plans for tomorrow? hopes and dreams? food allergies and allergy season? prayer and our spiritual life?
we covered many topics, but the stand out for me personally.. potty talk. like, at some point we got on the subject of how our bodies do [and do not] digest certain food and beverages..
each one of us unique in our bodies reactions to this or that... my husband jokes, instead of dr pepper and mt dew, i call them "dr pooper & mt. don't"
but then that lead to an entertaining circle of personal stories about our common experience of emergency trips to the nearest restroom.. and just funny bathroom experiences in general..
what i wouldn't give to be able to hold court at a table.. tell my stories verbally, -extemporaneously, as well as i can write them..
but! hey, -once again, this is how blogging is such a gift to me..
i write it better than i could ever tell it. and in re-reading it myself, years later.. laugh pretty hard at my own embarrassing moments.. #magicofmacys
-and it's been too long for my son to remember what his most embarrassing story was all those years ago.. and too long for me remember too. but! i'm pretty confident, somewhere in my paper archives, i hand wrote down a synopsis version of what he shared with me; wanting to honor and respect his privacy at the time.. one thing to share with your mom.. another to have it published.
Thank God for
plumbing and public restrooms.. hallelujah & amen
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