This is my first post to this blog and I am still learning so bear with me. I live in Poway, California which is north of San Diego and east of Rancho Bernardo. Rancho Bernardo made the news as one of the areas hit hardest by the recent wildfires. The fire was about a mile and a half down the road from us so we received a reverse 911 call at 6:00am Monday morning following the outbreak. Our house was okay and we were permitted to return home Wednesday afternoon.

We love living in San Diego. We can be to the beach or the mountains in about 1/2 an hour. The desert takes a little longer but there is nothing more beautiful than the desert in bloom during the spring. Right now we have huge waves off the coast as there is an approaching storm. Waves have been 15 feet to 19 feet at their highest. Today it was in the mid-70's although at night it gets down as cold as 37 degrees. We actually had ice on the windows of our car! I know you folks who live in areas where there is snow will laugh at our having "cold" weather but it is all a matter of perspective and it is cold to us.

I am married and have a son who attends Rancho Bernardo High School. He is a member of The Royal Regiment marching band who won the Grand Championship at Arcadia for the 8th year in a row on November 17, 2007. He plays the bass clarinet. Right now he is preparing to graduate from high school so he has finally decided on his course of study in college (Oceanography). He hopes to attend UC Davis for the undergrad part of his studies and then attend UC San Diego for an advanced degree in Oceanography (he wants to go to Scripps Institute).

I am working on beefing up my art portfolio as I wish to apply to a Masters of Fine Arts program. They only take 11 students a year so they told me that my portfolio has to be very strong.

I have been a docent at the Maritime Museum and the San Diego Museum of Art. I had to stop being a docent as I went back to school and my son decided to do Independent Study at home. I have ridden on several tall ships including the Lynx (1812 Privateer), the Lady Washington (the Interceptor from Pirates of the Carribean), the Californian, and the Medea. I was in a tall ship race, aboard the Lynx, from Long Beach to San Diego. It was so much fun! We had to stand watch and my shift was from 8:00pm to 12:00am. We all had to help with raising the sails and coiling the ropes on board the ship. I even got to stir the boat which was difficult as we were just recovering from a really bad storm and the ocean was choppy.

I love dressing up in period costume and took up English Country Dancing (remember the line dancing in Pride and Prejudice?). I had to stop the English Country Dancing because I had knee surgery but I am thinking of starting up again. I love period costumes and took a History of Costuming/Fashion course over the summer. In some movies, unfortunately, I now recognize the costumes for the period as being incorrect.