Medusa wants her hair back.

I look forward to my school's Purim carnival every year. Everyone dresses up and it's fun to see how original the kids get. I love the carnival because I get to see my old friend, Scott Feld. We taught together when I was pregnant with Will, so it's been a really long time. He is the brain and brawn behind X-Treme Fun and a real party guy - music, dancers, and the kids have a great time. He's dressed as himself, I twisted a few plastic snakes in my hair, draped some white flowy fabric around my shoulders, and tied it up with a gold cord. A big plastic snake finished off the costume and I was pleased many of the kids knew my character! Good times...

We're safe

This was put up a few years ago after the tsunami in India. Cardiff is officially a tsunami zone since it's flat and much of it is built right on the shore. No worries for us - we live on a bluff about a mile from the beach. Still, it's sometimes a little unnerving to drive by the signs every day.

Perfect disguise

It's the month of Adar, that means Purim. And if it's Purim, that means things are all mixed up! Flowers in bags? Well, of course...it's Purim! Ingenious costume - going as a bag. Wonder what disguise I can have for Purim?

Spreckels Theater

Built about a hundred years ago, Spreckels Theater in downtown San Diego has been many things. The sign in the lobby said it started as a vaudeville house. Afterwards, it became a movie theater and now hosts live concerts and plays. For years, it had fallen into disregard - a victim of a seedy downtown that needed an economic and social revamp. Currently, downtown San Diego is gorgeous and alive and Spreckels is a sign of the good times. Remodeled to it's original Baroque splendor, this elegant old lady is destined to remain one of San Diego's premier architectural jewels.
We took the second graders to Spreckels Tuesday to see "Nate the Great". The mouth drop look in their eyes when they first walked into the expansive lobby was priceless-gaping in awe at the cherubs, balconies, angels, Neptune, crown moulding, sparkly lights, loge doors. Not to mention the begging "Can we sit in the balcony?" "What's a loge?" "Forget the balcony, can we sit in the loge?" Good times.

Swami's

Swami's isn't just the name of a pretty beach or a yummy cafe - this Swami's is actually a meditation garden called Self Realization Fellowship. Founded by Paramahansa Yogananda sometime in the 20's, it's a place anyone to meditate, pray and chant for world peace and harmony. A number of years ago, I ventured inside gleaming white walls to the main meditation room and was surprised at the photos on the walls. I was expecting Krishna or Vishnu but found instead Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Jesus, and others who serve as inspiration for the power of peace and harmony. Swami's is a treat for the soul as well as the eyes.

Don't actually use a whip.

Take a band of third grade boys with pent up after school energy and put them in a room equipped with a tire swing and what do you get? A social skills group up and running with my expert sister in command. Firmly in charge and learning volumes along the way, she will whip those kids into shape and they'll never know what hit them.

Yawning Optional

Usually the word curl makes me smile - I have curly hair, I love curling ribbon, I like doing bicep curls. Curling as a sport? Not sure I get it, but I did try to pay attention when Lee attempted to explain the scoring details. I like the idea of men sweeping and the costumes certainly don't distract, but it's a total yawn-fest. Sorry, guys. It's more fun in the kitchen with the ladies and the lemon drops.