Hello Nebraska.

One foot in Nebraska, the other in Iowa

Yes I am back in Nebraska working on another hotel project. There are four positive things about the adventure this time around.

1. The hotel is 6 years old.

2. The maintenance man knows what he is doing.

3. T is with me.

4. I get to drive this again.

Happy Nubian.

If love came with a warning label.

Speak to your heart before proceeding.

Love may cause dizziness and euphoria.

Do not take love with alcohol as it may impair your judgement.

If taken in the right dosage daily, love will work.

Do not mix love with any other emotion such as jealousy, envy or anger.

Love must be reciprocated daily.

Do not crush.

Love must be taken with equal amounts of caring, compassion and trust.

Use caution when opening your heart to love.

Love may cause your head to hurt.

Excessive use of love may harm you.

Do not suddenly quit love without talking to your head and your heart.

Not all love will work. 

Time to refill.

When in Maine...

I guess one cannot visit Maine without visiting L.L. Bean. I had no idea as to how large the store was. There are many different stores all connected to the main store and it is open 24 hrs, 365 days.

The L.L. Bean boot with the lovely Ms. Erica
posing for me. 

The L.L. Bean boot car. (Only in America right?)

One of the stores. 

I love the door handles.

An indoor trout pond.

And I so wanted to make a wish. 

The stuffed animal section. Kinda creepy.

Poor stuffed bears. 

Somehow this one doesn't look as intimidating as the ones I have seen
in the wild. 

Long, long wall with all the catalog covers. 

One cannot go into the tent section and not play.

Main Street in Freeport, Maine

It was a great day and Erica and I decided that if we had an unlimited budget, our packages would have been numerous.

Except for the mom khakis. We would totally skip those.

Birthday Blessings.

Today is my birthday and my day could not have started any better when I received this video.

My cousin's adorable little children just melt my heart every time I am with them. Prima means cousin in Portuguese although Daniela pronounces it as Bama.

My email inbox started filling up with the most amazing letters from family and friends. These were not just your ordinary birthday wishes, but letters telling me what a difference I have made in their lives and what I mean to them.  Every single one had me in tears. A dear friend even wrote an entire blog post just to me with wine being the common bond and theme. Another friend wrote a list of things of what him and his wife love about me and this one had me laughing out loud. "Hilarious, with a wit so sharp and dry it will cut you and make your face pucker." 

I also received cards and gifts each one with a mini thesis attached. I have to say that the most incredible email I did receive today was from T. You all know how I hate the term, 'I am blessed', but in this case I have to say it. As a parent you know you have done something right when your child writes you more than a one paragraph letter.

There were three letters/emails that really touched me as these were from people I have known for a long time, but have never met in real life. To know what my friendship means to them, just makes me feel incredibly humble.

My cousin aka as Gorgeous had planned on us all going out for dinner, but the dreaded blizzard has hit New England and we have decided to wait until this all clears. So in true Princess fashion I get to celebrate my birthday longer.

To everyone one of you that reached out today with letters, emails, phone calls and Skype calls, thank you for making my 48th birthday one to remember.

I really am blessed.

My beautiful flowers from my cousin BoozaBell

My visit to Brunswick, Maine.

Maine Moose

This weekend I visited with our friends Jon and Erica who live in Maine. It was a much needed break and mini vacation. Jon was T's Biology teacher in high school and you can read about him in this blog post I did a while ago. Brunswick, Maine is home to Bowdoin College and a very quaint college town. It reminds me a lot of Corvallis, Oregon.

Jon and Erica have just purchased a home and have started doing renovations and I couldn't think of a better way to take out my frustration on peeling off wallpaper and taping up shit. My OCD was in over drive. My weekend adventure is documented in photographs, a type of graphic novel for those that don't like to read lengthy blogs.

Erica putting the finishing touches on the
crown molding.

Jon making sure that the caulking is perfect. 

Me on the phone to RyRy and peeling wallpaper.

Marley, my godchild, supervising from the bedroom.

All the ducks in the neighborhood.

Ducks hanging out at the neighbors. 

Brunswick Saturday Flea Market. 

Nightmares in the making. 

For my friend Berta

Amazing collection of salt and pepper pots.

The wonderful Hannah from Gracie's Garden

Lacto-Fermented vegetables. They are awesome. I bought the beets to
bring back home to Oregon. 

Wonderful cheese from Balfour Farm. 

After the farmer's market we had to have Gelato.

So much to choose from. The winner was the Vegan Chocolate Gelato.
UNBELIEVABLE.

What I woke up to this morning.