Thanksgiving

"We are all of us from birth to death
guests at a table which we did not spread.
The sun, the earth, love, friends,
our very breath are parts of this banquet..."
Rebecca Harding Davis

Thanksgiving was truly a banquet! We had 40 guests and 3 large tables full with food, family, and friends. It was divine. Everyone feasted and then everyone got up to say what they were grateful for from the past year. I could have gone on for hours and hours, but I limited myself to a few key points -- my fiance, my step-children-to-be, my siblings and parents, my expanding family, my friends, my new business... The long and short of it is that 2006 has been a phenomenal year.

I'm off to see the Kings tonight. Since I left the law firm I hadn't had any boondoggle sporting tickets -- lo and behold my darling P also has access to his own corporate tix. We're taking his employer's tickets and making a night of it at the Staples Center. I can't wait. :)

Keeping Level-Headed

"We think, sometimes, there's not a dragon left. Not one brave knight, not a single princess gliding through secret forests... What a pleasure to be wrong. Princesses, knights, enchantments and dragons, mystery and adventure... not only are they here-and-now, they're all that ever lived on earth!"

Richard Bach, American Author
From 'A Bridge Across Forever'

Last night, my mom threw a little family engagement dinner for me and P. All my siblings were there and P's sister. It was fun, but... I saw it. I saw the pre-wedding stress. At times I was on edge, my mom was on edge, P was on edge and it related to the wedding. Yikes! This is supposed to be fun, right? My brother Marc let out evil little giggles throughout the night and kept saying "now it's your turn." No, I don't like that. There has to be a different way. I'm setting an intention for this process -- I want the whole engagement to be fun and chill and harmonious for all. If or when it stops being fun and chill and harmonious, I'm going to grab P and take the next flight to Vegas. Anyway, I've always wanted to be married by an Elvis priest.

Big news!!!

Yesterday, the darling P asked my parents for permission to marry me (which they happily granted). Earlier he'd asked his children (they also happily agreed). They not only agreed, they were a big part of the proposal. His kids came up with the plan to ask me over for a candle light dinner. They helped him prepare dinner, lit candles all over the place, coached him on how to ask, got dressed up, and filmed and photographed as he got down on one knee, took my hand in his, and asked me to be his wife. I of course said YES!!!

I'm Baaaack!

I got back from Jamaica late Thursday night. The week just rocked my world. Negril was beyond beautiful. The Rockhouse, where we stayed, was gorgeous and divine. The wedding was perfect. My parent's recommitment ceremony was perfect. Everyone got along. Life is good.



Marc and Efua -- the beautiful couple after their wedding


Mom, Dad, and I -- after the recomitment ceremony I presided over to commemorate their 40 year wedding anniversary


Peter and I enjoying the sunset


Peter appreciating the sunset


The Rockhouse pool overlooking the ocean

Poem from P and Other News

The World’s Most Beautiful

I’d give anything to see the sun set on the horizon,
I’d do anything to gaze at a full moon in the night sky;
Even a rainbow would make me smile,
And I’d love to swim in crystal clear waters
Of an untouched sea;
Sometimes I’ll see a shooting star,
And try to gaze from afar,
All the diamonds in the night sky;
The mist on the mountains is breathtaking,
As is walking in rainforest;
To see cascading waterfalls I’d do anything for,
As to stand on the highest peak in the world,
And look at the sights below;
I’d love to soar on wings above the clouds,
Across the bluest skies;
I’d do anything to see
All the beautiful things in the world,
Like a red rose blooming in the Sahara,
Like a river twisting through a dusty land,
All the beautiful things in the world;

But I also know I am looking at
The world’s most beautiful creation,
Every time you smile,
And every time I look into your eyes.

- Muhammad Edwan Shaharir -

P sent me this beautiful poem this morning. I decided to share it. It's not Poetry Thursday, but I won't be around on Thursday, so I'm posting this today.

So why won't I be around on Thursday? I'm going to Jamaica for my brother's wedding. Hurray!!! I leave Wednesday evening and will be there through the 16th. I'm not sure if I'll be able to post, but if I can I'll put up some pics and let you know all about beautiful Negril. Ahhhh.

Mom and Dad arrived from Spain last night (in time for the wedding). I threw a little birthday party for my father (his b-day was on November 2). The kids (biological and otherwise) and significant others were there, and we celebrated with cake and champagne. As per usual when my family gets together, the house was filled with lots of laughter. The night started out a bit tense for me -- the folks got to meet P for the first time. This Meet the Fockers moment went extremely well though and everyone got along like gangbusters. Yeah!

In other news, I voted this morning. I have to admit that I didn't vote in the last election. I was ashamed, but I felt renewed as I did my civic duty this morning. I'm proudly sporting my "I Voted" sticker now. :)

All Hallow's Eve

“If we are not happy and joyous at this season,
for what other season shall we wait and
for what other time shall we look?”
Abdul-Baha

Halloween was a good night. Sean decided to have a little Halloween handing-out candy-drinking-wine-and-eating-tamales party. Melissa, Jason, and Cerissa came over. After the major festivities Peter also came over. I couldn't partake in the tamales and wine (I was on my cleansing juice fast again), but I enjoyed the company. Also, it was fun to hand out candy to our neighborhood kids. We had a very steady stream all night -- we went through 12 bags of candy!!! It's nice to see that kids still trick-or-treat. I thought that had gone out the window with fears of razor blades and poisoned snicker bars. For several years when I lived in Santa Monica, I never had one trick-or-treater. In my hood I see that the institution is still alive and thriving.

Today is Friday and I find myself with a free day all to my glorious self. I thought I had a mediation conference today so I told my job (I'm doing some contract attorney work), that I would be gone today. Turns out that the conference starts this evening and the crux happens tomorrow. Today turned out to be a gift. Yeah!!! I'm going to go and enjoy it now.


Marley and Peter, the 70's swinging dude


Marley, the angel, on Halloween.

Last Weekend in NYC

"Don't expect to find life worth living; make it that way."
Author Unknown

Last weekend I went to my friend Jen's wedding. She married the adorable Neil at the Newark Club in Newark, NJ. I flew into JFK on Friday afternoon and had a long and very expensive cab ride through rush hour traffic to make it just in the nick of time. 2 hours 45 minutes and $120 later, I arrived at the hotel with ten minutes to change and make it to the wedding. Luckily the wedding was across the street.

They had a beautiful interfaith service with a rabbi and Neil's sister as the minister. Afterwards we proceeded to eat inordinate amounts of food punctuated by occasional dancing. After eating and drinking way to much, I stumbled back to my hotel room and promptly fell fast asleep until the next morning when I awoke and ate more at the wedding brunch. Good times. I loved seeing Jen so happy and it was great to catch up with my college friend George and his adorable boyfriend.

After brunch I packed up and took the train into the city to meet up with Kelli and Greg. As I left the hotel, the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds. I thought "this is going to be a beautiful day." Alas, as I stepped out from the subway, the skies opened up and a torrential downpour started. I grabbed my little umbrella (the wind laughed at me as it flipped it upside down from time to time) and walked briskly through the typhoon for 6 blocks. By the time I arrived at Kelli & Greg's I looked like a drowned rat. As I arrived the rain subsided. By the time we left the house an hour later, the sun was out and the day was beautiful again. Oh well. Once I stopped fighting the rain, I actually enjoyed getting absolutely soaked through. It was not too cold and the novelty of it all after living in LA was refreshing.

Kelli, Greg, and their friend Jen decided that what they wanted to do for the day was to start drinking at 3:00 p.m. and end sometime at 3:00 a.m. We didn't quite do that. We stopped drinking at 2:30 a.m. We also took a nap between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Crazy times, but we did make it to my favorite bar -- Rudy's. I LOVE that place. I can't quite put my finger on what makes it so wonderful, but it's always a good time.

To my NYC friends who are reading this, I'm sorry I didn't get in touch when I was in the city. My trip was incredibly short and I just needed to make sure that the union I helped create was motoring on as beautifully as before. :)


The happy bride and groom.


Kelli and I at the first of our drinking establishments.