Waiting For Birds to Come

Spring is here.  Although, there’s not really four seasons in San Diego. There’s basically short-sleeve season and long-sleeve season.  It is supposed to get into the mid-80’s on Tuesday this upcoming week!  I love the above photo of Noodle on his window perch, looking expectantly out the window at the bird feeder, waiting for birds to come.

My company offered some employees the opportunity to take a retirement package.  It would be a slightly early retirement for some, but given the payout they were offered, some decided to take it. So on Tuesday 4/1, I went to a retirement lunch at Bucca Di Beppo for two of my friends from the finance department that I used to work in.

Walter told us how he’s looking forward to playing golf and going to the racetracks.

And Josie is looking forward to sleeping in!

We will miss them for sure!  There were many who took the package.  Going to work tomorrow will be weird without all those people I’m used to seeing at work!  I’m sad I was 17 years too young to be offered the package, ha!

Also on Tuesday, my friend Monika was on the Katie Couric Show in NYC!  Katie Couric contacted her after the SELF Magazine debacle and Monika agreed to share her story on the show. 

If you didn’t see it or DVR it, you can watch the segment here on Katie’s website.  Monika was so poised, gracious, and well-spoken!  Proud to call her my friend.

I got some gas for my car on Wednesday and was dismayed at how much a gallon of gas costs around here!  $4.27/gallon!  Yucky!  I don’t get gas very often because I have a short commute, maybe every three weeks.  So this was a shock.

I have all my photos printed for March Project Life, so I’ve been slowly working on it here and there.  Once the photos are printed, the fun part begins!

On Thursday night 4/3, Todd went to a sneak preview of the move “Draft Day” with AJ.  AJ got tickets because he’s a Chargers season ticket holder.  Meera & I joked that this was AJ & Todd’s “man-date”, hee hee.  The movie stars Kevin Costner and it’s about the Cleveland Browns NFL draft.  Todd is a big Browns fan because he’s from NE Ohio, so this movie was awesome for him. 

On Friday evening 4/4, we brought ingredients and drove up to AJ & Meera’s house to cook dinner for them, have dinner together, and watch a movie.  It’s our 2nd installment of “Dinner + A Movie”, but this time we did it at AJ & Meera’s house and not ours.

We made Pesto Alla Trapanese with added chicken.

Salad with blackberries, walnut, cucumbers, tomatoes, and mushroom.

And Meera baked some wonderful muffin-like chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

Mmm!

As usual, it was a blast to hang out with our good friends!

After dinner we watched the Disney Nature movie “Chimpanzee”.  AJ picked something family-friendly so the kids could watch it too.  It was fun!

Today I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friend Pearl for brunch at Pacifica Breeze Café!  It had been a while since we’ve met up… I think back in early December maybe?  I met Pearl at a crop at a local scrapbook store back in 2011.  It was a crop organized for a bunch of us locally who subscribe to the Studio Calico monthly scrapbook kits.  We’ve been meeting up socially and scrapbook together sometimes.  I’m so thankful I met Pearl.  She’s become a good friend! 

I had the asparagus brie omelet with potatoes and it was soo so good! 

The plaza in Del Mar where Pacifica Breeze Café is located is so pretty.  It has an ocean view and it was a gorgeous day today.

On my drive home on the PCH, I came upon the ocean view that always takes my breath away.  I have to admit that it’s days like these I feel like the high cost of living in San Diego is worth it!

It’s time to get myself together for another work week, and work on some Project Life.  Oh wait, I have a few more cute Noodle photos from this week!

Curled up on Todd’s lap while we watched TV.

Hamming it up for the camera on his perch.

Have a great start to your week!  :)