On Thursday morning I went for a walk to one of my favorite places, Tennessee Valley Beach. I know I’ve talked about it before in my blog, it is a place where I always find serenity. The walk out to and back from the beach is good for letting my thoughts swirl and then relax and let go, which is probably why I often feel a sense of peace when I get back to the start of the trailhead. This time I got the beach to myself for about five minutes, I enjoyed watching a sand plover poke around for food. It did not seem concerned at all that I was only a few feet away.
Later in the day I stopped at the Ecology Center in Berkeley to see what kind of resources they had, and bought myself a shampoo bar, something I’ve been wanting to try for a while. I’m hoping that I like it so that I can have another way of cutting down on the amount of useless plastic that I purchase. Down the street from the Ecology Center, is Ohmega Salvage, where I had a good poke around. They had a whole rack full of clawfoot bathtub feet! There were also three gigantic sculptures of women with their arms raised, very whimsical looking, unfortunately, they were not for sale, not that I would have anywhere to keep such a 10 foot tall, colorful statue!
That evening I went to the CCCBA Lunar New Year celebration at Sichuan House, what a wonderful evening! I think this was the sixth annual event, and the restaurant was packed. I got to spend time with a lot of friends I haven’t seen since I left the Bar Association, which was a real treat. And as always, the food was absolutely delicious. It’s amazing how much things have changed for some folks in the short time I’ve been gone-I heard about promotions, firm changes, health issues, parents passing away (way too much of the last two items, both of these were part of the reason that I took this gap year from work). I was nervous at first about going, since my future direction is still unknown, but I’m really glad I went.
On Friday, I headed down to Half Moon Bay to meet a friend, another former Bar Association Executive Director, who is now living a much more relaxed life working 20 hours a week at a job that she enjoys and is walking distance from her home. Now that is the way to do things when you are close to retirement age! On my way there I stopped in Pacifica to use the restroom at the Taco Bell that’s right on the beach. It was the fanciest Taco Bell I had ever been in with an indoor-outdoor fireplace, a deck looking out over the ocean and it even served alcohol!
In HMB, my friend and I caught up over coffee, then headed out on a long walk along the coastal trail on the bluff overlooking Half Moon Bay beach. The day was still very cold, but the earlier storm had passed over and the sky was a brilliant blue, perfect for walking by the ocean. She lives near Twin Lakes State Beach in Santa Cruz, and told me that there was snow at the beach that morning! We have had some really amazing weather here, I’m very grateful for the much needed, consistent rain that we’ve been getting this winter.
On my way home. I stopped to pick up my sister’s dog, Javi, who I’m going to be looking after this weekend. He is such an easy-going, sweet dog, I’m hoping the weather will be conducive to getting out for some long walks.