7th inning stretch!

7th Inning Stretch from Jamie Welsh and Vimeo.

Giants game - outing with the office.

Thanks, Mom!

Last night I went to Mom's house to have dinner with her and my brother. She made pulled pork burritos with fresh guacamole. (YUM!)

Jay was working late so she packaged up some food for me to take home to him. She also defrosted an apple pie and sent me home with some of that, plus some peaches and an entire pineapple she got at the market.

I mentioned I was going to stop at the store for some 1/2 and 1/2 for coffee the next morning. She said, "Oh I'll give you some of mine in a jar!" When I said Thanks MOM, she said with love in her voice, "You're welcome honey ~ my job is to make life easier for you".

I'm a damn lucky daughter.

Breaking blues news...

My brother Bob just called to tell me he was going to be on the radio from 9am - 12pm today.

KZSU 90.1 - Stanford. Click here to listen.

Sunday Afternoon in Santa Cruz

Jay just out of the water, at Pleasure Point

My favorite place to get coffee on 41st

This pole says "Santa Cruz" all over it

Saturday afternoon - Surf contest

View from Pedro Point ~ looking over the south end of Linda Mar Beach, Pacifica

Volunteering with Surfrider to set up the surf party was lots of fun. I helped set up the room and unwrapped all the surf award plaques, then went to the beach to clean up the Surfrider tent. Jay picked me up when I was done and he brought 2 cold Tecate beers. We sat outside of the Pedro Point Firehouse and listen to the surf band, The Wander-ins, and toasted to our one-month anniversary of being married.

Friday evening - Poorhouse Bistro

Rayleen, listening to Uncle Bob's music for the 1st time

Uncle Bob

Mark Hummel, waiting for the band to finish their instrumental

Thursday evening - San Carlos Farmer's Market

Jaden A. Nichols with his black balloon sword

Fog rolling in tonight

Something I'm stoked about

I volunteered to help Surfrider this Saturday at the 8th annual Kahuna Kapuna contest. I had no idea what I'd be doing, though I assumed I'd be working at the Surfrider table on the beach while the contest was going on. This excited me greatly as I'd be up close to seeing the surf action!

Instead, I was asked to work at the party afterwards to help set up and get things ready. It will be held at the Pedro Point Firehouse in Pacifica. I didn't get really excited about that until I got this e-mail today from the volunteer coordinator:

OK, see you at 3:30pm at the Firehouse. Just call my cell if you need directions. Two hours that's awesome, thanks.

I'd suggest wearing jeans and something where you don't mind if it gets a little dirty but you feel good in it at a surf party.

Something I'd "feel good in at a surf party"! I've never been to a surf party! Man I can't wait. Plus, I can go to the beach earlier and watch the Kapunas do their thing.

Gay whales?

My dear friend Susie came out to visit me this past weekend from Ft. Collins, Colorado. We met in 1986 at College of Notre Dame in Belmont, CA. Once in awhile on a sunny day, we'd skip class and head to Half Moon Bay in my old, chartreuse, convertible beetle - most likely rocking out to Steve Miller's greatest hits.

So Sunday found us heading over the hill to hang out at the beach. After walking, talking and taking pictures of our toes, we left to get some calamari at the brewery. I noticed someone had written something very odd on the back of a parking sign:

NUKE A GAY WHALE FOR JESUS

me: Uh, what do you think that means?

Susie: It means, smoke another joint.

My cousin, The Horse

l to r: cousin Drew (The Horse), my brother Bob, our Grandma, cousin Meredith & me

at Poplar Beach on Sunday

My cousin Drew Gloger, is my Dad's twin sister's son. I used to babysit him and his younger sister Meredith when we were all much younger. Drew and his wife and baby girl live in southern California and Meredith works in Bogota, Colombia. I don't get to see my cousins often enough.

One thing that Drew and I do (besides tell each other funny things that our Grandma says) is that we write something to each other about horses. There can be hidden messages in the writings or a poem, or something abstract. And in Drew's case, he signs off as The Horse. I will send him an e-mail today and let him know that The Horse is greatly missed.

Convo at work

I walked to Mexquite for a nachos craving, and brought them back to my desk at work. I opened the container...

Me: Woah there's a lot of nachos - Party at my desk, Andy!

Andy: Wow, those nachos are smothered.

Me: Is that a good thing?

Andy: Well yes, nobody likes a dry nacho.

Morning walk

Create a Free Slideshow

Something I picked up at the grocery store

At the grocery store yesterday, the check-out woman scanned the marshmallow cream and cheerfully asked, "Oh, what do you do with this"?

"You don't want to know" was my reply.

Saturday morning

Saturday morning I went to Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay to do a beach clean-up hosted by Surfrider. It was such a peaceful thing to do. I saw a dolphin and that seal, and some folks riding horses.

Standing before the ocean, there is nothing else you can be - except exactly who you are.

Maunaleo

Have you ever heard the song, Maunaleo? It is truly one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It was written in Hawaiian language, by Keali`i Reichel. The first time I heard it was on July 25th, when I was about to enter Keawala'i Church and walk down the aisle with my Dad. It took every bit of me not to cry, but it helped when my Dad whispered something funny in my ear.

Please, enjoy this beautiful song. Jamie Lawrence was the musician in the church that day and whose version is here (click on the play button).


He aloha nö `o Maunaleo
I lohia e ke kilihuna
Kohu `ahu`ao no ka uka
He kamalani kamaehu kau i ka hanoë
He kamalei, kamahiwa pä i ka lani ë
Po`ohina i ka `ohu kolo

Kahiko no ka poli `olu
Apo `ia e nä kualono
He hi`ina, hi`alo, alohaë
Hi`ipoli, hi`ilei, hi`ilanië

Eia ku`u lei aloha
No Maunleo i ka nani
`Ohu`ohu i ka Mälie
He kamalani kamaehu kau i ka hanoë
He kamalei, hamahiwa pä i ka lani e

No Maunaleo ke aloha kü i ka la`i e
Aloha ë, aloha ë


Beloved indeed in Maunaleo
Sparkling in the light, wind-blown rain
A finely woven cloak for the highlands
A cherished one, respected for power and strength
Esteemed, treasured, touched by heaven

Capped by the silver of the rolling mists
An adornment for that gentle heart
Embraced by the surrounding ridges
One to hold close, to hold near, to love
One dear to the heart, precious, exalted

This is my garland of affection
For Maunaleo in its beauty
Glorified by the Mälie breeze
A cherished one, respected for power and strength
Esteemed, treasured, touched by heaven

For Mauanleo is the serenity of deep love
Beloved are you, beloved indeed

Overheard in New York

My co-worker Lisa (who lives in New York and has an awesome accent), just told me about a site called Overheard in New York. As the title may suggest, it's snippets of conversations and one-liners heard in New York.

Sample:

Yankee fan #1: What do you like better -- hot dogs or hamburgers?
Yankee fan #2: I like 'em both, man.
Yankee fan #1: You can't like 'em both! Hot dogs and hamburgers are mortal enemies, asshole. Everyone knows that!

--Yankee Stadium

A Watson tradition

photo by Adam A. Palmer

43 Things

Jess inspired me to make this list of 43 goals, followed by Clare. My chiropractor told me he does a list of 100 each year. I always wanted to do it, and figured it's easier to start out with 43. At first, you wonder what to write. Then you get over a hump and you could go on and on! I stuck with 43 for this posting, but may keep going at home, because you know what? Goals are awesome! They make life so much more fun.

I remember going for years without goals. I really felt like I was missing something. I invite anyone to try this and keep your list in a special place...at the end of this year you will find that you have scratched things off. Some can roll over 'til next year, and you will add new ones that you never would have thought of today. Isn't that fun?

43 things

1. Have my own business – a t-shirt & lifestyle company
2. Figure out what the lifestyle part means
3. Figure out how to open my own business
4. Find out where Johnson Motors Inc. gets their t-shirts, because they're the best quality
5. Find a designer to work with on the t-shirts
6. Study up on how to have a business
7. Get back in the studio and make lots of delicious prints
8. Get outside and get fresh air and sunshine, each and every day
9. Run like the wind and swim like a fish!
10. Always take great care of my teeth, insides, skin, brain & emotions
11. Read several hours of a book each week
12. Make good dinners every week
13. Do a great job at work
14. Make sure I get all the rest I need and not schedule too many things
15. Make regular time for my studio
16. Buy land on one of the Hawaiian islands
17. Take vacations in Hawaii to figure out which island to buy land on
18. Buy a house in California. Maybe Half Moon Bay area.
19. Have a healthy baby next year! Twins would be interesting!
20. Keep the honeymoon alive
21. Show my happiness to Jay, Devo, family, friends and strangers
22. Let myself feel like I can do anything!
23. Keep up my blog, it’s so much fun!
24. Go to Alaska with Jay
25. Take my Mom on a special trip
26. Make lots of money and save lots of money
27. Visit Europe with Jay
28. Learn Spanish and travel through Central and South America
29. Start collecting vintage surf movie posters
30. Frame my prints and hang them in the house
31. Frame Jay’s prints and hang them in the house
32. Help Jay with his business
33. Get a big studio with Jay
34. Get out of my safety zone in life and expand!
35. Look like Michelle Pfeiffer when I’m 49
36. Decorate the backyard really cute for our wedding reception
37. Play the guitar, and have 10 songs I can play at any time
38. Make my clothes a little more edgy
39. Have a fantastic jewelry collection, some of which I have designed
40. Visit my Grandma in San Diego this Fall, with Jay
41. Get my prints in galleries
42. Grow a very amazing and fertile garden
43. Learn to bake pies!

My new name

photo by Adam A. Palmer

An OG gift from my sister-in-law, Melissa Watson