We're off to Avalon, Santa Catalina Island!

Avalon, Santa Catalina Island
Originally uploaded by superpond.

We woke at six am in order to arrive at the 8:45 boat departure. I'm just wondering how romantic this trip might be?! I'm not going to curse myself but I'm going to hope for the best! If you're reading this and wondering what I'm talking about, then fine-I'm going to have to sound like I'm talking nonsense.

I'm so excited to stay at our hotel because the little boutique hotel just went through a 3 million dollar renovation. Each room has a private courtyard, flat screen, and frette sheets!

A Beautiful Day!

Lunch at Pat & Oscars ended with Mr. Cop, my mom & nephew (age 5), and I stopping into my mother's jeweler where we happen to look at engagement rings! I found the one I want on the first try! That never happens, right? It was the first ring I picked up & after we looked through everything he had, I realized I knew from the start the one I wanted! Now...We'll see what happens because Mr. Cop plays it cool. So cool in fact, that when we were looking at rings for him, he found a $15,000 Versace diamond & platinum ring. Some one is high maintenance! LOL! What a dreamy day!!!!!!!!!!



The afternoon went even smoother! The whole group went to the park and played tag under the vivid Californian skies! We played tag with my nephew and kicked it on the swings.

Afterward, Mr. Cop rode a silver bullet scooter as I ran 6 miles in prep for the Mississauga Half-Marathon. That was great! He really helped to motivate me but the fun ended soon. It was night and it was almost impossible to see. I convinced Mr. Cop to ride his scooter down a dirt esplanade path. He hit a huge pot hole and went flying over the handle bars. I only realized that he had fell when he all of a sudden he slammed on the ground in front of me!

Once we returned, we hit the jacuzzi and called it a day.

Oh my gosh we looked at rings!!

Mr. Cop makes CNN!

My hero! Mr. Cop helps to arrest the bad guy in this segment! Look for him when the Swat team arrives (in Canada it's called ETF)---He's wearing a beanie! (Toque in Canadian lingo). The Canadians, eh!

Life in the OC

It's wonderful! Weather is perfect and despite feeling exhausted today is the official start of my half-marathon training. Wish me luck. Since I'm traveling, I thought to leave a video of my travels in Italy 2005. It almost feels like it were only yesterday that I was there. Isn't that the sign of getting old?

Mr. Cop and Miss Brunette hit the road to Cali!

The Lifeguard Tower of Laguna Beach
Originally uploaded by smj1970.

I mean six whole months in a foreign country! I can't believe it's been six long months spent in (oh) Canada.

Mr. Cop, the lovely hunk that he is, bought us tickets to my hometown. 18 sweet days! We're going to Vegas (revisit where we met-how super romantic!), visit the San Diego zoo, pan for gold at Knott's Berry Farm, visit the new Getty musuem in Malibu, hit LACMA & the Rene Magritte show, hike around Lake Arrowhead & Big Bear area, live it up in Palm Springs, and generally do nothing in the OC baby!

What I am most looking forward to is returning to see my family, my friends, and my church. Did I mention an all important trip to BAGEL ME! My favortie bagel shop in the Villa Park area! Talk about perfecting the bagel-try the whole wheat glazer bagel and you'll know what I mean.

And, how wonderful it is to travel with my love. He needs a vacation probably more than I do. He's had to endure my unhappiness in living in Canada. I can only describe Canada as being a place where all I want to do is return home. What can I say? I'm genetically built for Cali. I'm a Cali girl! That landscape is in my blood.

I will kiss the ground when I hit the ground at LAX!

I will slap Mr. Cop's bum just because it feels good! HA HA!

Going home has never felt better!

Horoscopes & Chinese New Year..The future? What about my Love Life? This just in...Mr. Cop & Miss Brunette are Perfect Match!

YEAR OF THE PIG
Originally uploaded by mtxtremist.

So the love month continues! Valentine's isn't just one day. It should be everyday. Yahoo horoscopes is a brilliant place to get started! I can't complain about the love we've got after reading this:


Romantic Compatibility

Provided by: Astrology.com

Libra & Sagittarius

The merging of Libra and Sagittarius can be paradise found for both Signs; this combination is a harmonious one, to say the least. Signs that are two positions apart in the Zodiac tend to have a very deep, special connection and understanding of one another. Sagittarius, the journeyer, is constantly in search of wisdom. Libra has a mind keen for art, beauty and aesthetics; Libra makes a stimulating companion for Sagittarius on their travels and adds much to Sagittarius's experience. The relationship always feels new because these two keep it exciting -- and yet their natural understanding of one another makes them feel like intimates from the beginning. Together they will reach new horizons in love and in life.

Libra and Sagittarius make great friends as well as lovers. They share a certain fresh-faced optimism in the world; they're both enthusiastic about finding truth and beauty in their experiences. Problems rarely occur. Occasionally Sagittarius may hurt sensitive Libra's feelings by speaking without thinking; conversely, Libra can sometimes be a bit too emotionally controlling for Sagittarius. Since Libra is a born diplomat who abhors conflict, they'll be able to smooth over any ruffled feathers. These two have the gift of forgiving and forgetting quickly.

Libra is ruled by Venus (Love) and Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter (Luck and Philosophy). Venus's femininity and Jupiter's masculinity make these Signs compatible and balanced. Sagittarius is constantly on a quest for knowledge of the big things -- the truth, the meaning of life and death -- and whenever Libra comes up with a new idea (as they are wont to do) Sagittarius is eager to go along with their partner and become familiar with this new concept.

Libra is an Air Sign and Sagittarius is a Fire Sign. This partnership is full of kinetic energy. As air spreads fire and makes it grow exponentially, this relationship is heated and ardorous. Sagittarius thinks they're steering the rudder, but Libra controls the flow of events with a quieter hand. These two are energetic in the extreme and can run together far and wide. The relationship runs most smoothly when Sagittarius can feel they have plenty of freedom and independence within the relationship.

Libra is a Cardinal Sign and Sagittarius is a Mutable Sign. Libra is an initiator; they think up new ideas and new places to go -- but can change their minds at a moment's notice. Sagittarius is flexible and adaptable, amenable to any changes Libra wants to make in plans.

What's the best aspect of an Libra-Sagittarius relationship? Their mutual interest in cultivating knowledge and utilizing intellect. They are well-matched and will go far together, both emotionally and geographically!

Try your own hand at yahoo.com!

There was a look about him that I couldn't resist...

03
Originally uploaded by azopper.lin.

It was his eyes. They haunted me...Alright, I can't keep going but can a camera capture anything else as lovely? This is a wonderful picture that gets at the core of a dog's mind.."Like what exactly are you doing?"

Kelly Wearstler Design at KWID

art and colors to die 4
Originally uploaded by decor8.

I still can't believe that Kelly Wearstler was a playboy playmate in 1994! Her designs are still beautiful!

A Common Theme

I leave my internet explorations to a collection of these images. In my opinion, they connect in meaning. It's time that I rest my eyes and my mind. Images are places to travel toward in dreams and memory. In my tired state, only images are speaking.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm so shamed to say that I haven't posted a drop on my dear blog. I am still hounding away at my book that I hoped to have complete by next Monday. It will take lots of black ice tea and sleepless hours to get there! Wish me luck dolls!

But, enough about me. Isn't it Valentine's Day? Do fools rush in? What happens when they do? I'm that fool and as anyone can tell you last year on this exact day I was decidedly not in love. I did have a great celebration though. Valentine's is my dog's birthday. So I spent it last year whooping up it up with him.

Back to the foolish part, I met the love of my life in Vegas and I moved to Canada to be with him. A fool like me really does rush in! I've been in Toronto since August and I have still to be in love with this place. I actually absolutely dislike Toronto and much of everything that I've seen out here. It's just too different and I've left so many things behind that everyday I'm painfully missing home. I left my family, my few friends, my church, my country, and the place I have loved dearly since I was a child, California. My vain hope is that I sell my book so that my love & I can return back to Orange County where we'll spend the rest of our lives in traffic, noisy beaches, and strip malls. Damn, I miss home! I know I have much more to write about on this very topic but, alas, I have missed the mark on my Valentine's Day and the reason for this post. Can a blogger play catch-up with time? It's hard. Really Hard. So let me return to today.

5:45 AM
Mr. Cop worked till five forty five am. A tough shift known as midnights. He not only had to sit at a crime scene with a dead body for several hours, he also had to proactively police. Let's not forget that those weather reports playing on CNN actually mean something. We got the most snow that I've seen since I lived in Chicago. It quietly sprinkled itself down on us till our cars were covered in snow and our front walk-up were hard to be found.

5:46 AM
I woke up to the house phone ringing. Mr. Cop asked me to unlock the front door for him as I always do during his midnight shifts. I unlocked the door and ran back to bed. Mr. Cop called out to me and told me to meet him at the front door. I stumbled out of bed with just one eye poking out from under my eyemask. His skin was still frost bitten and pink. His smile was large and broad. His arms were holding a huge fresh cut of mixed flowers wrapped in red paper, a freshly potted minature rose shrub, and a box of exqusitie chocolates! It was hands down the most romantic Valentine's day that I've had in maybe my entire adult life. And simply when he loves me, prods me, encourages me, takes me, holds me, tickles me, whispers to me, I know why I've left it all behind. A rare man like my Mr. Cop comes shooting across the sky once every blue moon and then it's gone. To all the single people of the world, I pray that you know when to reach for the stars and chase dreams of happiness. Never let go unless you find yourself rising towards the heaven and creeping too close to God. I have to keep my advice legit with mythology, yo! Don't be tryin to be all like Bellerophon kicking your Pegasus in the gut to get to the stairway to heaven. Live life well and in love this Valentine's Day. If didn't happen this year, be positive. There is a destiny for you.