 |
| Outside "my" house/apartment in Pasadena -Thanksgiving 2013 |
Merry Christmas from 91103! Hello again and my apologies for the delay. Has it really been FIVE months since my last update? Sigh. Thank goodness for Facebook. I do much better at posting short bursts of info on the spur-of-the-moment than I do writing a regular blog I'm afraid.
So what's new since the last time we chatted? Well, the good news is that I feel like I've found a "routine" again and life is slowly falling back into that singsongy pattern that we all need here and there in our lives to keep the insanity at bay. Since this blog post will have to serve as my Christmas card this year, let me walk you through some of the highlights of the last few months via pictures.
September:
The start of school. Unlike past experiences, my school started the year with a smattering of SEVEN Jewish holidays (i.e. seven days off spread throughout the month). Thus creating a very stuttering start to a school year. The weather was also very hot. So hot that I escaped (with Sheba in tow) to Bev & Lee's house in Mesa, AZ for the first week of September. Home cooked meals, a pool and central air conditioning got us through one of the two worst "weather" weeks I've had since moving.
 |
| I already have my teachers fooled (that's supposed to be me) |
 |
| Obligatory Sunset/Ocean picture. Trying to see at least one new beach every month. |
October:
October found the TRUE "start" of school and also found Miss Erica chaperoning the Middle School Field Trip. 100 6-8th graders and five adults for 4 days and 4 nights. San Bernardino Mountains was the destination; a Jewish Day Camp near Big Bear Lake @ 8,000 feet above sea level. I survived and even managed to bond with a handful of the kids. But that's about all I'm going to say about that. Four days of no sleep does not a happy Erica make. Besides NOT sleeping, we DID hike, canoe, shot arrows, climb ropes and participate in various team building games. Not very "Erica-like" activities!
 |
| View from the top |
 |
| That boat had a slow leak. I was already sitting in three inches of water by the time we left the shore. |
In NON-school related October-activities, I had my first "famous person" sighting. Chrissy from Growing Pains! I was at the Emergency Room with my neighbor who was experiencing crazy back pain when her hubby was at work. While I was waiting for Emilee to get checked out I looked to my left and thought I recognized this girl but couldn't remember from where? Thank goodness for Facebook friends who immediately identified her. I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm forever two miles from Jennifer Anniston buying a Christmas tree or that I just missed Adam Sandler and his daughter at a park or even that I drive by the Chinese Theatre every morning for work. So strange.
 |
| Chrissy from Growing Pains. All grown up. |
 |
| My friend Emily (from Augsburg) at her "70's" B-day theme party in Altadena. |
 |
| The final "big" activity of October was Disneyland with several Ramos family members who drove down from Modesto! |
My friend Carla hosted a fantastic Halloween party at her condo on the West Side. We had spent an entire WEEKEND decorating the place so wearing a costume was a MUST. And not just "any" costume. A GREAT costume. Thus, I found myself renting a costume for the first time in my life at a little shop in Pasadena. I thought it was pretty stellar (although VERY warm)!
 |
| A COURAGEOUS choice? |
I also decided to join a couple of meet-up.com groups this fall to hopefully meet more people and get to know other areas of the city. So, once a month I meet a group of 16-20 women for a meet up book club where we discuss Chick Lit over drinks and a good meal. And once a month I also try to "meet up" with a Theatre group to see live theatre around L.A. Thus far we've seen an original musical about 9-11 and "Evita". I skipped out on "Lion King" this month to see Michael Buble' in concert with my mom instead ;) Oh, and I'll FINALLY be seeing "Book of Mormon" in February with my friends Kim & TJ! Waiting YEARS for that one.
 |
| "Evita" @ The Pantages in Hollywood |
 |
| Outside the Stapels Center before Michael Buble'. Love him. The Staples Center not so much. |
 |
| Long over-due gathering of USC friends |
 |
| My first Hanukkah! Pressman's Interim Head of School lights the 7th candle. |
So that about brings you up to date. Life continues to fly by. I find myself wondering how those of you with children do it. My days are already 12-15 hours long. How on earth do people get home from work, pick up kids, get dinner made and get to activities? I'm lucky if I can get home and get 7 hours of sleep! Alas, I guess those are choices I make and it seems to suit me (most of the time) so I won't complain.
I'll be heading out to Arizona tomorrow to spend Christmas "week" with Bev & Lee. Anna and Marcus will stay in the mid-west and drive up to join Ryan's family for Christmas in Detroit. It will be very strange not to have my six or seven various friend and family Christmas parties lined up this year. I will miss those traditions very much. But I have to say, the #1 reason I left Minnesota was because of the weather.... and THAT seems to be working out exactly as planned. ;)
My love to you this year as always. Please stay in touch... and come visit. I think of you all often.
xo
Erica Leigh
P.s. I will be back in Minnesota for a few days from July 8-11th if you want to write it on your calendars ;) Would love to see as many of you as I can.
 |
| Sheba says "Meow" for 2014 |
No comments:
Post a Comment