Remembering and still building

I started this blog because I wanted to have a way to stay connected to my daughters.  We went on vacation together and made entries as part of that trip.  When we came home I let this blog sit and now it might be time to use it again.  I am still trying to build bridges, but it gets harder. 

I remember being a teenager and the point at which I started pushing my own mother away.  I somehow lost respect for who she was.  As I look back I think I never really knew who she was, what her dreams were, or what she felt or thought.  What mattered most to her was her family.  I know that for sure.  She spent her entire adult life taking care of those she loved.  She was very practical. 

Now I am entering that space that she took up.  I am the mother that my daughters are pushing away.  I wish I could tell her how hard I know that must have been to be the parent when I was doing that.  And I wish I could ask her for advice on how to make it through this stage.  She did it so well.  This week was the anniversary of her passing.  I am remembering her as my mom and wondering who she was as a person when she was not my mom.  And I am determined to let my daughters know who I am.

Haven't written on this blog for months. Our trip last summer ended beautifully. We spent one night with an old friend and his wife, David and Susan. They shared a beautiful spot that overlooked the ocean, the night lights of far away cities, and the milky way. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. We flew home from LA which was easy.

Since we have been home we are still trying to stay connected. Building bridges.

An Amazing Drive

We spent a day driving from Carmel to Cambria using Highway 1. It was beautiful.

Aquarium Time!! :)

When we left Cathy, we headed for Carmel and the coast. We spent one day at the Monterey Aquarium which was amazing. We also explored tide pools and parks along the coast as we headed south. This video is a video that Lily took of the Million Gallon Tank. (No zoom was used, we could literally get up close and personal to the glass.) It was incredible!!

Adding this after our return home. Tahoe was wonderful. We kayaked on the lake, ate a picnic lunch on the water, and enjoyed a Shakespeare festival which included all the works of the bard. And we were also introduced to the Gilmore Girls. Fun.

The Hollisters

It was great to see Cathy, George, and Clint. Cathy took us to Tahoe. We arrived at the lake, went to a great restaurant to watch the sun set, and then headed to the grocery store. When we got to the cabin, the key would not turn in the lock. The house belonged to a friend of Cathy's who had very graciously shared it with us. We spent an hour trying to solve the problem there before we headed to a motel. Luckily it had a refrigerator in the room. The next day we were able to get into the cabin. After Laurie left, we learned that the refrigerator there was broken. We all got a good lesson in calm problem solving.

Mountains

We spent a day driving up and down and up and down. The landscape was much more arid, but still in bloom.