this week's quote

"The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human. " ~ Thomas Berry

Synchronicity

A few days ago, I was in the shower thinking about my eating habits and how I'm slipping back into bad ones, and I thought to myself "I am going to try to make better food choices."  Then I remembered some advice I was given a year or so ago that really helped me.  A quote actually, from that wise person, Yoda.  Today, we had lunch at the Chinese restaurant.  And what do you think my fortune advice cookie said?  Yep.

From Misc pics

How weird is that??

* * *

Last year St. Joseph's Indian School sent me a dreamcatcher key ring and assorted other paper goods while asking for donations. I kept that key ring hung up in my bathroom, until I bought a bigger one in Virginia. A couple of weeks ago I started using the key ring as an actual key ring.  Last week (Friday I think) I lost it!  It just disappeared.  I had a nice surprise when I got home tonight. In the mail was a packet from the school, and in it a new keyring!! Awesomeness.

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Anybody need a kitten??

Stubbette's latest crop of kittens has finally arrived, or at least made their way down here. They cannot stay! But they are cute. One is a miniature Eb (her older kitten)

From Cats

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I probably shouldn't have left all those Kroger bags by the front door

Stubby didn't do this (he was in bed with me and was surprised to see them when we got up). Most likely it was Roscoe.  But Stubby did think they made a nice bed.

From Cats

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Reiki Principles/Ideals

"The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth

Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder , Usui Mikao"

http://www.reiki.org/FAQ/WhatIsReiki.html

There are several versions of the reiki ideals I find online.  It drives me crazy that I can't find any consensus as to what is the correct translation. I know it doesn't really matter, it's just my perfectionism or wanting everything to be black and white LOL. The above seems to be one of the more complete translations. Others are more simple, like this (as I was taught):

"Just for today do not anger
Just for today do not worry
Honor your teachers and elders
Earn your living honestly
Show gratitude to every living thing."

I also like this version from the book we got:

"Just for today I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today, I will not be angry.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing."

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A few cat pictures

Stubby - and underneath, his evil twin Stubbette. Well they're not twins, but don't they look alike?? They are probably half siblings. Stubbette actually has a tail though.




Roscoe the Big Orange Cat


Snoop


Hoppy the Three-Legged Cat


Rascal and his Momma, Miss Bobbi


Miss Bobbi having a drink


Why does she put her paw in the water and lick beside it???


Rascal

Crows make monkeys out of chimps in mental test

"Crows seem to be able to use causal reasoning to solve a problem, a feat previously undocumented in any other non-human animal, including chimps.

Alex Taylor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and his team presented six New Caledonian crows with a series of "trap-tube" tests.

A choice morsel of food was placed in a horizontal Perspex tube, which also featured two round holes in the underside, with Perspex traps below.

For most of the tests, one of the holes was sealed, so the food could be dragged across it with a stick and out of the tube to be eaten. The other hole was left open, trapping the food if the crows moved it the wrong way.

Three of the crows solved the task consistently, even after the team modified the appearance of the equipment. This suggested that these crows weren't using arbitrary features – such as the colour of the rim of a hole – to guide their behaviour. Instead they seemed to understand that if they dragged food across a hole, they would lose it.

Not-so great apes

To investigate further, the team presented the crows with a wooden table, divided into two compartments. A treat was at the end of each compartment, but in one, it was positioned behind a rectangular trap hole. To get the snack, the crow had to consistently choose to retrieve food from the compartment without the hole.

A recent study of great apes found they could not transfer success at the trap-tube to success at the trap-table. The three crows could, however.

"They seem to have some kind of concept of a hole that isn't tied to purely visual features, and they can use this concept to figure out the novel problem," Taylor says. "This is the most conclusive evidence to date for causal reasoning in an animal."

Three of the crows did fail at both tasks, however. The team plans further work to investigate why."

Journal reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B (DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1107)

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14745-crows-make-monkeys-out-of-chimps-in-mental-test.html?DCMP=ILC-arttsrhcol&nsref=specrt10_bar

Using Reiki in Everyday Life

"One of the things that sets Reiki apart from other healing methods is that it can be used for a number of other purposes. Reiki can be utilized in all aspects of daily life! ... [Y]ou may be amazed to learn that Reiki can also be used on inanimate objects as well! Try it the next time you have a problem with your computer! Everything in the universe is created from energy; in giving Reiki, you are directing energy where there is a lack or an imbalance.

Reiki for Animals: You will find that animals seem to like receiving Reiki and can sense that something very special is being given to them by human hands, and they tend to become quiet and relaxed. Animals will usually let you know where to apply the energy by the way they position their bodies. Most dogs and cats will remain lying down until they have had enough Reiki, and then stand up or scurry off. ... Animals are more instinctive than humans, and therefore are able to judge better how much Reiki they need. When giving Reiki to animals, follow the same basic guidelines as when treating people, and pay attention to any areas that seem to draw more energy.

Reiki for Plants: Universal Life Force Energy is manifested in plants the same as in humans and animals, and respond very positively to Reiki. When treating household plants begin at the roots, by placing your hands around the pot. When you feel that the roots have drawn enough energy, move up and direct Reiki to the main body of the plant by holding your hands about 1 inch from the leaves. You can also give Reiki to seeds before planting them in your garden, by cupping them in your hands, and Reiki to trees by placing your hands on the trunk of the tree. If you have attained Second Degree Reiki, you can administer Reiki to plants and trees using the absentee, or long distance method.

Reiki for Food & Drink: Reiki energy can also be used to enrich you food and drink, and increase it's nutritional value. While food is cooking you can hold your hands above the pan. Once food is on the plate you can either hold your hands above the plate, or at either side of the plate with your palms facing in. As you can see, the second method would work very well when eating in a restaurant. Use the same principle for liquids. Hold the glass, bottle, cup, or container in your hands for a few minutes, giving it Reiki. Try it with a glass of water and see if you notice a difference! You can also do this with hot liquids.

Other Uses: There are so many uses for Reiki on a daily basis:

Before giving a present, spend a few minutes treating it with Reiki. You've just given a double gift!

Cleanse and charge rooms in your house, or even hotel rooms by using the first symbol in the corners of the room, or by holding your hands on the walls for a few minutes.

Visualize the first symbol in front of you to "protect" yourself from negative energies when in crowded locations.

Use Reiki for malfunctioning appliances, jammed locks, computers, car batteries jewelry, and for treating crystals and stones!"

http://hallsofreiki.com/reikinlife.html

Watch Your Thoughts

"Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

— Lao-Tze

Reiki

I finally took a reiki class and I'm now officially a First Degree Reiki Practitioner! The class was AWESOME and so was the teacher (Kathleen Hall). I am planning on taking Reiki II from her as well. The class was held at Wildflowers, which is a great shop.

We received a handout and a book, The Reiki Handbook. We spent part of the day learning about reiki (history, principles, etc.), hand positions, chakras, the 21 day clearing process, etc. We also had an attunement. We had hands on experience working on each other (there was only one other student in the class, very nice). We also learned how to do self treatment, which I have been doing daily. Now I just need to find some people to practice on!

I've been wanting to post about it since Saturday. I have other things to post too. I need to sleep less or something.

Mantras

"The word mantra has two components to it: Man, which is the root sound of the word mind, and tra, which is the root sound of the word instrument, So, the word mantra literally means an instrument of the mind. The ancient wisdom tradition of Vedanta examined the various sounds produced in nature, the fundamental vibrations of the world around us. According to Vedanta, these sounds are an expression of the infinite or cosmic mind, and provide the basis for every human language. ...

These sounds also contain the same vibrations that animals make. And if you listen carefully, you'll notice that these sounds are everywhere in nature. These are the sounds of the wind, of fire crackling, of thunder, of the river rushing by, of ocean waves crashing on the shore. Nature is vibration. The infinite being vibrates, and that vibration is rhythmic, musical, and primordial. Vibration is the means through which infinite potential expresses itself as the manifest universe.
...
We know that the manifest universe–which appears to be made up of solid objects–is actually made up of vibrations, with different objects vibrating at different frequencies.
...
Mantra is just a word that describes this quality of the universe. The ancient seers are said to have heard these vibrations of the universe when they were in deep meditation. We can all hear these same vibrations any time. It is very simple. If you quiet your mind and sit silently, you will hear vibrations. You can try it any time you want. Even when you cover your ears, you'll hear them. Your body is also constantly vibrating, but the sounds are so subtle that you usually don't hear them. But if you sit quietly when there is no noise around you, you'll hear a background hum in the air. And if you start paying attention to that background hum, with practice you'll actually end up hearing all the mantras that have been recorded in the Vedic literature.
...
The Vedas also maintain that if you recite a mantra out loud, its special pattern of vibrations creates its own effects, and can create events in our current physical realm. Reciting the mantra mentally creates a mental vibration, which then becomes more abstract. Ultimately it takes you into the field of pure consciousness or spirit from where the vibration arose. So a mantra is a very good way to transcend and go back to the source of thought, which is pure consciousness. This is why specific mantras are
recommended because of the specific vibrations they induce.

The mantra I use, and that I recommend for achieving synchrodestiny, is the simple mantra "so-hum." This is the mantra of the breath; if you observe your breathing you'll hear "so-hum" as air moves in and out of your lungs. As you inhale, the sound of that vibration is "so." And as you exhale the sound becomes "hum."
...
One of the techniques of meditation is, in fact, simply focusing on where your breath comes from. With your eyes closed, inhale and think the word; on the exhale, think the word "hum." Gradually both the breath and the sound will become quieter and quieter and quieter, and the breath becomes so quiet that it almost seems to stop. By quieting your breath, you quiet your mind. When you transcend, the mantra "so-hum" entirely disappears, and your breath pauses momentarily. Time itself comes to a top and you're in the field of pure consciousness, the non-local domain, spirit, the ground of being.

The mantra, then, is a way to experience non-local consciousness. Aborigines, Indians, Native Americans, and many other traditional cultures have used it for thousands of years. In every tradition mantras involve chanting to create special vibrations, sounds of the universe that create something from nothingness, that move energy from the unmanifest into the manifest.

Adapted from The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra, Three River Press, 2003."

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sound-expression-of-the-infinite-or-cosmic-mind.html

"Smiling Buddha" mudra

"In the yogic tradition, mudras are hand postures that direct the subtle flow of energy or prana throughout the body. Joining the hands and fingers in various configurations creates a circuit that allows energy to flow to different parts of the body and brain. Each mudra has a specific purpose, such as healing, deepening awareness, or rejuvenation.

To form Kapitthaka Mudra or "Smiling Buddha" mudra, sit comfortably in a chair or with crossed legs. Tuck your ring and pinky fingers inside your palms. Rest your thumbs over the tucked fingers. Keep the index and middle fingers next to each other and extended. Hold your elbows in toward your body, keeping about a 30 degree angle between upper arms and forearms. Breathe deeply and relax.

Kapitthaka mudra is said to open the flow of energy to the heart, release emotional toxicity, and promote emotional well-being."

http://chopra.com/namaste/freedom

"When you get to the end of all the light that you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly."

 

- Edward Teller

Quantum Wellness: Kathy Freston's 8 Pillars of Wellness

1. Meditation: "It's really just getting quiet, going inside and connecting to that inner light. For some people, it's religious and spiritual, connecting to that higher power. For other people, it's just a matter of becoming present."


2. Conscious Eating: "The mother of all pillars is conscious eating. It doesn't only make a difference to our own personal health and well-being, but conscious eating means you stay aware of where your food comes from, how the animals are treated and how the environment is affected by the foods that you eat. You take in the energy of whatever went into creating that food."


3. Exercise: 3-6 times a week for 30 minutes a day. "It's good for your body, mind and spirit, especially when you're outside."


4. Visualization. "It's like creating a blueprint for the way I want to become and setting down the intention. I journal in my notebook, and I think about where I want to go, who I want to be. Then, I just need to close my eyes and see the breakthrough happening."


5. Spiritual Practice "I have [a statue of Kuan Yin, a Chinese diety for compassion] in my bedroom because I always want to be reminded that it's not just about me. So as much as I can, [I try] to be aware of the suffering that's all around and to be compassionate. I think that's the best spiritual practice anyone can have."


6. Self Work: "What I do is I read all the time, whether it's on nutrition or spirituality or emotional well-being."


7. Service: "When I was feeling depressed and like life wasn't going my way, I started volunteering and doing service, and things had a way of just turning around. I felt like I didn't get fixated on my own self-centered fear, and I felt like there was an abundance in the universe that I was participating in. And that made me feel really good."


8. Fun Activities: "Doing something fun just kind of loosens up your energy, makes you feel grateful for everything, and you have levity in your life, which is important. Once a day, I do something fun, whether just rocking out to music or painting."

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20080520_tows_kathyfreston

Gemstone beads for sale

I'm liquidating some of my bead inventory to help pay for a class I'm taking. I have several types of gemstone beads and also some wooden beads and goldstone (which is not really a stone at all). Types of beads include moonstone, several types of jasper, peridot, citrine, sodalite, garnet, magnetic hematite and more.

The prices are in the photo captions. Add $3 flat fee shipping to the total. is preferred, but if I know you, I'll accept a personal check.

First come, first served. Email me at jamieannharman @ gmail.com or comment if interested.

Here are a few photo teasers. The rest are in the album link at the end.



ALBUM LINK: http://picasaweb.google.com/jamieannharman/GemstoneBeadsForSale#

NOTE TO LOCAL READERS: If you have a jewelry business, I also have some display items available such as earring holders and black velvet trays. I also have a little portable luggage type thing on wheels made particularly for jewelry. Email me for more info - must be local because I won't ship these things.

"It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you going."

- Brian Tracy

How to Give a Fantastic Foot Rub

"You can use any type of moisturizing cream or lotion. A favorite is relaxing lavender scent or a refreshing peppermint scented creams which are easy to find at most stores.

Let’s get started and make your friend comfortable.

• Have your friend tell you if anything causes pain or they simply want to end the foot rub
  
• Being gentle is the safest way to rub especially if you are rubbing elders, children and if someone may be under the weather
  
• Your recipients body language is a good way to judge your rubbing technique
  
• If your rubbing techniques are reciprocated with pleasurable sounds, keep rubbing the way you are rubbing- it’s working

Some basic foot rubbing techniques...ready, let’s go!

1. Begin with the right foot.


2. The starting stroke in foot rub is a gliding stroke called effleurage. Effleurage is a technique which increases the flow of blood and gently stretches the soft tissue.
   


3. Grasp the foot with one hand and stroke the top of the foot. Apply moderate pressure on the bottom of the foot, this area can be ticklish, we don’t want your recipient to be pushed into a fit of laughter.
   


4. Rub and stroke your receivers’ entire foot. 15 -20 times on the top and bottom should feel extra nice.
   


5. Rotation of the Foot- This move is not a stretching movement just simple circles to relax the foot and ankle.
   


6. Support the foot with one hand. With the other hand, gently move the foot through its natural range of motion. Do not push the foot into the chosen direction. Simply and slowly glide the foot in an oval-type motion. As you slowly rotate the foot, you may find the range of motion increases slightly. Rotate the foot 3-5 times in each direction.
   


7. Ankle/Foot Stroke- with both hands, simultaneously stroke the foot to the ankle several times. This is a whole body relaxing technique.
   


8. Start with your fingertips where the toes join the foot. Use both hands to press down between the sides of the foot.
   


9. Slide your finger up the foot toward the ankle, when your fingers reach the ankle area, wrap your fingers around the entire ankle (as far as your fingers will reach) and gently massage the front of the ankle joint with your thumbs.
   


10. In general, rub only the muscle tissue when giving a rub. Areas with bone tend to be sensitive.

Make sure both feet are given the attention and same amount of rubbing; they work equally has hard."

http://www.wellness.com/blog.asp?blogid=957

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First Annual Girls Retreat

Last weekend I went on a girls weekend or what I now think of as our first annual retreat! The original reason for going was our dear friend Ann's 50th birthday. But I think in the future it's just going to be "just because". We are already planning to go back to the same place, although in the fall instead of August.

I typed notes up on my PDA at night, so I'm going to use them to create my post and add comments and pics along the way. I had a smudge on my lens and didn't realize it, so some of the pictures look a little weird.

Friday, August 22, 2008

It's 1:00 am and I'm sitting in a king sized four poster canopy bed that is one of the most beautiful beds I have ever seen!

My bedroom is huge. There are carved side tables, the one by my bed has faces carved in the legs I just noticed - I'll have to photograph those tomorrow. There is a huge dresser, two other occasional tables and a round glass dinette table with a carved bottom and two chairs. Huge room. The bathroom is almost as big! The tub is large and deep and I was very disappointed to find the stopper doesn't actually work and the water wouldn't stay in it for a bath. So I had a shower instead. [Interestingly, though the house is gorgeous there are little things like missing vents, unpainted doors, missing trim, that are a little haphazard.]

As large as this house is, the walls are somewhat thin, as I can hear people below and beside me talking.

It is our girls weekend! Lynn found this amazing house for rent. It's a 4 bedroom 5 bathroom 2 story house with a full basement/rec room. Oh and it has a great deck with wicker patio furniture and a dinette set looking out into the woods out back.

The inside of the house:


Outside around the house (first two photos are views from front porch and back deck)



The flowers planted along the front walk draw tons of birds, butterflies and bees - I'm planting zinnias like this next year!

It is out in the country and took us longer than we thought to get out here. Only maybe 15 miles from the interstate to the turn onto the 250 acre property, but then it was several more miles to the house. There are a bed & breakfast and two other large houses out here. Amazingly, we have cell phone service. We passed fields filled with cows and deer. We saw so many fawns! There is a good crop of food this summer, so I think the deer had lots of babies this year. We saw one doe with three fawns all of which still had their spots.

We came in two carloads. I rode with Ann and Lynn. We stopped in Beckley for dinner at Pizza Hut. I'm not sure what time we actually got to the house - between 8:30 and 9:00 I think because it was getting dark. We unloaded everything then hung out on the back porch until the others arrived.

After the second carload got here and we got them unloaded and showed them around, we sat out on the back deck for a bit then came in and had a snack.

While some people ate, I went back to a bedroom with Lynn and she showed me gifts she had picked up for us at Sally's [Mountain Mama's]. She got us each a card, a medicine bag and a little buddha! She is so sweet. She and I and Shay sat on her bed for awhile talking about them and about spirituality for a little while, while Lynn put everything together. Then we joined the others and Lynn gave us the beautiful medicine bags and we all wore them the rest of the evening (I think I wore mine the rest of the weekend).

We went out front to get a better view of the stars. AMAZING. We're in the mountains so we have a great view. Ann, Shay and I laid out in the front yard on the grass for a long time just gazing up at the stars. I have not done that since I was a child. I always say I'm going to and never do. It was just the best. The sky is amazing out here where there are no lights from any city to be seen. And it was clear and perfect for star gazing. I saw two shooting stars!!

After awhile we came back in and sat in the living room and talked. Then some of us split off to our bedrooms. I am tired but don't want to sleep. I can still hear others talking, not sure where they all are. I thought everyone had gone to their bedrooms but I think several are gathered in one now. LOL. None of us want to sleep! I wanted to have this quiet time for myself. I had a nice shower and I'm going to turn this off and lay down and enjoy a good night's sleep, before waking up to spend the day with my girlies!

I am so blessed to have such friends. Truly blessed.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

I woke up at 6:30 but was so sleepy that although I saw Shay was out on the back deck I went back to sleep for an hour. A few others were starting to move around so I got up and got dressed and went downstairs. We spent time on the back deck.

Then I decided to walk around a little by myself. There were lots of crows being loud nearby, and a cow too - all day this cow complained! I walked around and took pictures, collected feathers, and meditated on a rock in the sun.  I took a deer path over to the woods and back. Then walked around the back before going inside.

Lynn had brought french toast casserole for breakfast. She made it in advance and we just heated it up. We ate it outside and it was sooooo good!!! Here's the recipe: Lynn's Night Before French Toast Casserole.

This little bird would chase butterflies and/or bees into the air and eat them! It's either a phoebe or a peewee. I think we decided peewee.


The goldfinches loved the flowers too

We decided to spend all day at the house instead of going out for dinner as we had originally planned. We talked, read and some watched tv. We had sandwiches for lunch at the big dining room table and lots of snacks, fruits and desserts. Ann brought the most marvelous muffins, from a Hungry Girl recipe (which may actually be a Weight Watcher's recipe?). They are healthy and really delicious. Here's the recipe: Yum Yum Brownie Muffins. Lee brought her famous homemade chocolate chip cookies. I don't know if she likes to share her recipe - they are very special cookies. They are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. Shay brought an olive dip with Kashi crackers. Well there was plenty more food, everyone brought stuff.

Later, four of us went for a walk down the road and by the other rental houses and the bed and breakfast. It was a little hot in the sun and we got a little sweaty. But it was nice to see everything in the daylight.

This is the Mulberry House, which was next door to ours. It has 8 bedrooms.


This is the Foxwood Bed & Breakfast

We hung out, talked, read, watched tv, snacked. Some people napped. Eventually we ate some more, out on the back deck. We also spent time writing down things we wanted to release for our releasing ceremony.

After we ate, Ann opened bday gifts out on the deck.

Then we went outside for our release ceremony.

We started talking about doing something like this ceremony last year. Our original intent was to release things we held against ourselves, to forgive ourselves and let them go. Lee actually has participated in something like this before, at a Methodist church retreat. I have heard it called "burning bowl" and sometimes it's done on New Year's Eve. I did mine in 3 parts. First, things I wanted to forgive myself for. Then things I wanted to release (like impatience, anger, excess weight, etc.). I can't remember the third part. But then I also wrote on a separate paper (that I didn't burn) affirmations, like "I am patient", "I am healthy", etc.

After preparing, we went downstairs and out back. It was already dark. We dragged the charcoal grill out from under the deck and to a spot where we could see the stars. Some of us took our shoes off. We each held a candle. I led the ceremony. I lit my candle and then lit Jean's, and she passed the flame on until it went around the circle. We had a prayer. I took my paper and said I had things to release. I thanked them for their lessons but released them and said I was free of them now. Once it had burned completely, I turned to Jean and led her through it then continued around the circle. After we'd all burned our paper, we passed out rose quartz stones as "talismans" to remind us of our ceremony (which we put in our medicine bags). Then we had a closing prayer.

We went back in the house for sangria slushes, courtesy of Jean, and foot massages courtesy of Shay ("footcials", she called them). By the time that was over I was exhausted and sleepy.

I've showered and now it's a little after midnight and I have to go to sleep!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I awoke to find a button buck eating flowers beneath my second floor bathroom window. I tried to get a picture of him through the window but was getting too much of a glare. So I decided to open it. I opened it just a little then stopped as he looked around. When he resumed eating I raised it a little more then stopped. Finally all the way up, and he ran off, into the yard. I got a picture but you can't really see his baby horns.

We had more french toast casserole for breakfast and sat outside talking. Mostly we just hung out, then started getting ready and packing up. We took some group photos before we left.

We left the house and went to Beckley, where we had dinner at Pasquale's.

Waiting for our table - look how coordinated Lynn was with the colors!

It was soooooo good!!! Some of the best Italian food I have ever had. Everyone said their particular dish was the best they'd had.

My chicken fettucine alfredo was superb.

I only had one bite of Shay's cake but it really was heavenly, just as the waitress promised.

Shay had sauteed calamari - you could see the little tentacles!!

Eventually we made our way home. It was a wonderful weekend and I feel very blessed to have the friends that I do. I think we all benefited from this time together and definitely look forward to next year.

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