Ojai Valley Inn

Back in August, we spent a weeked at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai.  My weekend getaways have usually entailed getting on a plane, but this time, I wanted to explore a local gem.  We absolutely loved this resort and all of its amenities especially the adult pool and the spa!  But best of all, this resort is pet friendly so we were able to bring Echo with us!  Echo had a welcoming treat of his own (bone cookies) and a bed for comfort.  This was the first time we had let him run around without one of us holding on to his leash and boy, did he have a great time!  I had forgotten we had taken all these pictures and just came across them last night so I wanted to share a few of my favorites!  Needless to say, we hope to make it a tradition to visit the Ojai Valley Inn each year!



Go fetch!



I got it! Here I come!

 

Wait, where are you going? I guess he hasn't mastered the art of bringing it back yet!

All this running around is making me tired!



High five for a good time!



Ahh, this is the life!  Let's do this again soon!

Homeland

I just got Showtime and am hooked on Homeland.  Claire Danes' character annoys the heck out of me, but it is so funny because if your mind is alert and and your heart is receptive, you will find that there is a lesson to be learned in almost every situation.

The other night I was watching an episode of Homeland.  For the most part, I have stayed mum, quietly cursing Claire Danes' wrecklessness and disobedience in my mind careful to not disturb J as he enjoys watching his shows in silence whereas I like to add my colorful commentary because what I have to say is that important.  But this particular episode pushed me over the edge.  "She is so annoying!  I hate her right now!" and "She's going to ruin everything!" and "Why are you not sharing the same level of frustration with me?!" were the words that kept pouring out of my mouth.  I couldn't take it anymore.  Her character was so impulsive that it was driving me bananas.  And then it all came together...

Though her actions were not premeditated, there was an outcome born from her choices.  Meaning, at the time, her choices didn't make any sense, but the result that came after gave meaning and purpose to those choices.  An outcome was born, though not conclusive, did contribute to the overall direction her team wanted to move toward.  More simply put, everything happens for a reason.

I reflected on this and wondered how many times I got frustrated and annoyed in the moment because I didn't understand why something was happening or why something had to be the way it was only to find out that oh, there was a reason for this.  That everything always works out in the end.  Maybe to my benefit, or maybe to my detriment, but someone else's benefit, but bottomline, there is a purpose.  A purpose that comes to fruition immediately, or perhaps a purpose that I will never come to realize because my world is only so big.  The lesson learned is to try to be still and trust that God is always in control. 

This is a theme that has been recurring in my life lately, a thought that has been marinating in my mind.  I don't think it was a coincidence that I came across a plaque recently that I immediately purchased that reads...

"Your journey is unfolding exactly as it should be."

Pins and Needles

Echo gave me quite a scare on Friday.  Two sewing needles that were left in the middle of the coffee table were suddenly missing.  All that was left was half of a needle on the rug.  After frantically looking everywhere, the needles were nowhere to be found, so my only conclusion was that Echo had swallowed the needles, but the only way to confirm was to take him to the vet for an x-ray.

Here he is on my lap while I was working from home.  Is he trying to tell me that his tummy doesn't feel good?

After two x-rays, it was confirmed that he indeed swallowed the needles.  You can see one of the needles at the bottom right.  Luckily, the needles criss-crossed so they didn't move into the small intestines

 

The doctor referred us to a specialist who would perform an endoscopy to retrieve the needles.  Echo is reluctantly anticipating the procedure.  Little guy had to be knocked out for about half an hour.



Success!  This is everything that was retrieved. 

My Buddy & Me

I am hideous in this picture but I thought it was too hilarious not to share.  Don't judge, you know you sleep with your mouth open too.  ;) 

My Mother's Daughter

My Mom is a superwoman.  Not only did/does she work 6 days a week (7 during the holidays), she never failed to put dinner on the table every night and manage our homework while we were growing up.  On Sundays, she would be a chore machine, cleaning the house from top to bottom, grocery shop, then cook and clean in the evening.  My Dad on the otherhand would turn on the TV once he got home where he would remain the rest of the evening and on Sundays, aside from dim sum, would be consuming every sports game broadcasted.  I never understood how my Mom had the energy to work nonstop, I mean, even when all I did was lounge around on a Saturday, I was still "too tired" to help her with chores on Sundays.

Now that I have been living on my own for a while and have a puppy to look after, I find myself falling into the same pattern as my Mom's.  My commute home can be anywhere between 1-1.5 hours, and while I could be falling asleep on my drive, I will muster up the energy to prepare a meal right after I get home.  After dinner, I will either do laundry or clean.  On the weekends, I am spending quality time with Echo, cleaning, running errands, and grocery shopping.  It is like I am on autopilot, probably what my Mom has been on for many years now.

I admire my Mom for all that she has generously given without resentment or bitterness.  Perhaps tradition has a lot to do with it, but today, I don't think women are as accommodating.  With women becoming more and more independent, how do you stop certain thoughts from creeping into your mind? 

"Your job is not more important than mine, I make sacricifices to get home early to put dinner on the table at a decent hour."

"Just because I am running around all day doing chores and running errands doesn't meant that I enjoy doing it and wouldn't rather spend the day on the couch."

I think my Mom would have liked help from my Dad or from one of us, but she never really asked.  I think she was willing to sacrifice her time and energy so that we could kick back and enjoy ourselves more.  Also, what would be the point of asking if it took one of our lazy butts x hours to finally get around to something when she could take care of it right away?  It is so easy to take advantage of kindness.  I can say that I want her to relax more, but without action on my part, those words are meaningless. 

I see myself heading down the same path as my Mom, the primary caretaker of the household while holding down a full time job with a crappy commute.  I am my mother's daughter, so it's ingrained in me to go on autopilot and get stuff done and to take care of those around me.  I am not really a procrastinator.  So everytime I feel like complaining or feel envious of my friends who hardly have to lift a finger in their household, I will think of my Mom and remember that however much I am giving up, she gave up 10x more and let that be my motivation to carry on.