Little old lady on a "little hike!"



  

 

I've never seen a sign like this before

 

On Saturday the temperature was hovering around 72 degrees and I decided I needed to get out and move. So, I thought, why not go to Quicksilver Park in Almaden? It's only about a 15 minute drive from my house and I found it with no problem.

And so my nature trek began.

First of all, I should mention that I did think to bring a water
bottle and have my daughter put sunscreen on my back and
exposed front.  I didn't think too much about wearing jeans and
a loose top.  I'm used to walking 3-4 miles on residential
streets, and I guess I thought the park trails wouldn't be much
different. I couldn't have been so wrong!


Senador Mine Plaque



 

Old Mine remnants





View of the Mountains

 When I got to the park, I asked how to do a 3-4 mile loop.  Armed with my park brochure, I started off. No problem.  When I got to a fork in the road, I was going to go on the Guadalupe 0.6 mile route, but decided I wasn't tired so I took the 1.8 mile route. I was then supposed to connect with Mine Hill Trail which would bring me back to my starting point. This would have resulted in me walking just over 4 miles.



I can see the valley below!

 But, I somehow found the wrong way on Mine Hill Trail and would soon find out that I was nowhere near my entrance.  I was getting tired and at 4:25p.m. I texted my husband, "Am I there yet?" He replied back, " Funny, where are you?"  It was after that exchange that I found a man on a bike with his two sons, one in a front seat and one in a back seat attachment.  I asked him where I was. To my dismay he told me I was near the highest point in the park and more than halfway through the park.

Now, that I've had time to properly read the map, I see that if you start on Mine Hill Trail you will cover the  width of the park and walk 6.5 miles.  That would be a nice hike!  But, I didn't start out on Mine Hill trail so I actually ended up walking closer to 8 miles by the time I got out of the park!

A Korean Software Engineer on a mountain bike actually helped me determine which park entrance I should hike toward. Both he and the first man on the bike told me I shouldn't go to the Hicks/Wood Road entrance, although it looked closer to me. 

So, I went for the Hacienda exit on Almaden Road.  The cell service sucks in this park. I was finally able to call my husband and arrange for him to pick me up there so that he could drive me back to my original starting point.

Guadelupe Reservoir



Had I done my original hike, It would have been perfect! The four miles is hard in places, but thankfully during the hike I found a bench and rested for about five minutes. I didn't know then that I would get completely off track. Perhaps, I should have stayed a bit longer and prayed!






The Blessed Bench!



View from the bench

  


Tired feet!















Another view of the reservoir



Even after my adventure, I have to say, I enjoyed most of the day. It's a beautiful park and very peaceful. I had brought my iPhone earplugs to listen to music, but I never once did. I instead listened to nature: the cracking of leaves beneath my feet, the wind blowing, and the water babbling.




Serpentine Rock

Besides enjoying the nature, I also learned a thing or two! I learned what Cinnabar is. It's a mercury sulfide mineral and the most important ore of mercury once used in the mining process. I also learned that the beautiful greenish rock is called Serpentine rock and it is the California state rock.

At about 5:35p.m. I exited the park exhausted, but thankful for the kindness of strangers. The Korean biker had actually started me in the right direction, but then came back later and escorted me out the last 2 or so miles. I have never walked 3 miles so fast. Before he came back to get me I was actually running!
Then I had to walk very briskly as he was riding his brakes the entire way to stay with me.


After my exit from the park, I needed to wait a few minutes for my husband to show up. I had told him the 3 miles would take me about an hour. But, I think I did it in 45 minutes!


I spotted a bench across the street from the park entrance and sat and waited. It was here that I saw a memorial for Pat Tillman.  That was very moving. So was the sunset as I got into Mitch's car.



This is how it looked as I exited the park

 I was so lucky to have been rescued before it got too dark in the park. I can't tell you the thoughts that were going through my head as I walked in a panic knowing that I was off course and the nearest exit was 3 miles away.  It's a scare I don't care to repeat.

I will go back to this park, but probably not alone!

I came home and rewarded myself with a margarita.  I was going to make it a double, after all, I had extended my initial hike of just over 4 miles to just around 8 miles, but decided against it. ! I got into bed a little after nine, and didn't even have the energy to read the newspaper.  My daughter brought me a bottled water and 3 ibuprofen.

I'm stiff and sore today, but thank God I have been working out a bit or I could feel worse!

I'm putting my Skecher's SHAPE -UPS away for awhile and resting this old body!

I see another Margarita on the horizon for today!

Sylvia



 



The little things do matter!

This week I've have been reminded that the little things really can make a big impact.

My daughter started a new job, and on her first day there was a goodie basket filled with a notepad, pens, and most importantly, chocolate!  A memo was also sent to all her coworkers introducing Jackie and telling a little about her background.  I'm sure neither of those things took too much time, but they sure did say "Welcome" in a very nice way.

My husband teaches from time to time, and while he hasn't gotten any apples, today he did receive via snail mail an actual "thank you" card.  It's so nice to see that people still take the time to find a card, write a nice note, and put it in the mailbox.

Little gestures go a long way in making you feel important. 

As a Mary Kay Consultant, I know I'm a little biased, but Mary Kay Ash had a great quote:

"Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, 'Make me feel important.' Never forget this message when working with people."

So let us all remember that although technology has evolved, and we are living in the 21st century, it is still the time honored traditions that hold most value: a smile, a pat on the back for a job well done, a warm welcome, a sincere "thank you" and genuine appreciation.


Sylvia
 

I'm not water, I'm air! I'm not a Scorpio, I'm a Libra

As if it wasn't hard enough for me to get used to being a fifty-year old woman, now my identity has changed again!

My Zodiac connection is no longer!

According to an AOL article, The Minnesota Planetarium Society says the astrological signs we follow today are not what the Babylonians intended.

The ancient Babylonians based zodiac signs on the constellation where the sun was present on a person’s birthday.  However, since the original signs were created,  the moon's gravitational pull has changed the Earth’s position. This created about a month-long bump in the star’ alignment and our current signs may be off by several days.

So we may or may not be the same Zodiac sign and element.

I have become a Libra from a Scorpio, and my element has changed from Water to Air!

One study of personality traits said that a person with the Earth element reflects common sense. A Fire person is action orientated. An Air person has thinking and communication skills, and a Water person has the ability to feel and intuitively know things.

So, I no longer can think intuitively, but I can think and communicate!

Looking at my immediate family a lot has changed. My son remains a Virgo, but my daughter moves from Libra into Virgo, and my husband moves from Scorpio also into Virgo. I move from Scorpio into Libra.

And, I was proud of the fact that my husband and I, two Scorpios, were so compatible! 

Not only do I have to recalibrate my thinking, but all the daily horoscopes need to change to reflect these new dates.

And the tattoo shops will be busy!  How many people do you think now have the incorrect Zodiac sign on their bodies?

Astrology buffs should be using these dates, reflecting where the stars currently are aligned:
•    Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16
•    Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11
•    Pisces: March 11-April 18
•    Aries: April 18-May 13
•    Taurus: May 13-June 21
•    Gemini: June 21-July 20
•    Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10
•    Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16
•    Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30
•    Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23
•    Scorpio: Nov. 23-29
•    Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17 *Discarded by the Babylonians because they wanted 12 signs per year
•    Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

So, I'm losing the Scorpion tail and gaining Scales!  A trade up?   Who knows.

 The New Sylvia

Ducks Suck, not! Sharks Bite, not!

So now that I'm basically awake from my 24-hour marathon attending the Great Sharks Infestation trip, let me tell you a little about the trip. First off, I have to thank Doug and the other coordinators for creating an event that my entire family could enjoy. It's so difficult to find an activity that my husband, son, daughter, and myself can all really enjoy. The love of the San Jose SHARKS is our common denominator!

It's hard to find something that my golf-worshipping, warm weather lovers known as my husband and son can have in common with my daughter and I who don't like the heat and don't have the skills for golf!
So, it's inside the SHARKS tank, and now the DUCK Pond, that we get to bond in perfect harmony. O.K. not so perfect- the Sharks lost!

But, take away the wins and losses, and we still have great family time.

My husband and son are used to getting up in the wee hours to get that great tee time. Jackie and I, not so much. Nonetheless, we all managed to make the 5:00 a.m. departure time for the ride to the Tank. With plenty of time to spare, we joined the freezing masses as we awaited our entry onto the buses.



I'm not awake and it's freezing!



Brodie, It's 5:30 a.m. how do you feel?

Our bus was pretty comfortable and our friend, Jerry, was named bus captain. He had the important job of making sure the bathroom had T.P., sanitizer, and freshener. He also coordinated the garbage bag, and asked all the missing people to speak up at each rest stop so we knew we were "good to go." It was a tough job and he sparkled!



It's comfy in here!



Mommy are we there yet?



Captain Jerry takes his job seriously!


After a few quiet hours, we put in the hockey movie "Slap Shot." It was entertaining, and my son decided we need to get the "Hanson Brothers" for our beloved Sharks. They need something right now. My car analogy is that they are like "spark plugs that are misfiring and the car's not functioning on all cylinders."

My daughter also learned to knit on the road trip! She now has about one inch of a Teal Scarf started!

Jackie being taught knitting by Teresa

But, we still love our Sharks, and as my husband reminded me, we still think the Ducks Suck. We have T-shirts to prove it! Last night they had a very hot goalie! Ours wasn't too bad but something is just not clicking with the Sharks right now.

We arrived at the Honda (Ponda) Center at 1:00 p.m. so that left us with a few hours to kill. Hockey players take shots, we downed ours!  After fun at Acapulco, we headed over to the arena for a group shot and then took over sections 408 and 409. I thought that was fitting since our area code in San Jose is 408. The boys of the group also left little duckies wading in the bathrooms around the POND!



Little duckies don't know yet where they will end up!



Jackie and the Mighty Duck



Duck Suck!

So True!

We made a lot of noise and got a shout out on Comcast. We had over 350 people on 5 buses and next year they hope to grow that number. Let's hope for a win, because, let's face it, it's always more fun to celebrate a win, then take a six hour bus ride home after a loss!

What made this trip even more fun, was that my husband's sister and her family bought tickets to the game. They live down south, but are novices when it comes to hockey games. They sat in section 417 but we were able to have "family time" between periods. I think they might have left the Honda Center with little smirks on their faces! Oh well, you still have to love your family! 

After the game a bunch of us went to dinner (and probably some drinking) at JT Schmid's. And then before we knew it, it was 10:00 p.m. and time to start our journey back home.

Thanks to our great bus driver, we made it back to the Tank by 4:00 and were in our comfy beds by 4:30 a.m.

So, while I may not do the wee morning thing for awhile, I will always celebrate my Sharks! "Let's go SHAR-----ARKS! I will wear my Teal proud. Though I probably won't be walking the streets of San Jose wrapped in a blanket with my Sharks Jersey and scarf anytime soon.

I have to mention one last bit of irony. As we drove home, a bit deluded from lack of sleep and a great loss, I spotted the yellow rubber ducky on top of the Children's Discovery Museum. O.K. we get it,
Ducks ruled the night. But, they won't invade the tank!

With a hoarse voice, I bid you goodbye.

Sylvia

Oh no! You didn't fall for that scam?

There are lots of times in life when you want to impart some wisdom to your kids. And, there are times when you feel compelled to help them out. Not so thankfully, because of the later, I now have imparted wisdom upon my daughter, Jackie.

Jackie wanted what lots of people want these days. She was tired of her knockoff UGGS and wanted to pay the price for good and trusted quality. So, what did I do. I checked on the Internet to see if I could find any sales. I would never dream of spending $180 on a pair of boots, so I'm sure the cheap part of me (it's a pretty big part of my DNA) decided I could help her save some money. I was so excited when I found the particular UGGS she wanted for only $109.99. The website that came up was macysboots.com and looked real. I never in my wildest thoughts believed it would lead me down that slippery slope called "Internet scams."

Jackie went ahead and ordered a pair in black and chestnut and seemed happy. That was until I checked the website yesterday only to find it no longer came up as a valid site. I then typed in a google search on the company and found a fraud notice that someone had posted. In this day and age, it's so easy to find things online, including warnings about fraud and how to fix computer problems. I'm glad people take the time to post helpful tips on these subjects. It's just too bad I didn't check out the company before I told my daughter about the great deal I found.

Oh well, so as of now, she doesn't have UGG boots, but she has a $230 charge from a grocery store in China! And a international transaction fee to boot (no pun intended!). I told her to cancel her credit card and she's working on reporting the fraud. The sad thing is that her bank asked her if the transaction was valid a couple of days ago and she said yes. After all, the online sales transaction they were inquiring about she thought was for her boots. She had no way of knowing she was authorizing someone to eat well in China!

So now her mom has learned a valuable lesson. Stop being so cheap! Buy the real and trusted product.

The old adage, "if it seems to good to be true...." is true!

Lesson learned.
Sylvia

i-need this holiday season........

Today I went to lunch with my friend, Corinne, but it wasn't just a lunch date. It was a lesson on how to taste sample your way through Valley Fair. And, for good measure, we threw in a free massage.

Let me fill you in on how to spend a nice afternoon at Valley Fair and feel relaxed and content. Warning,  there is chocolate involved!

After getting great French Onion Soup at the Nordstrom Cafe, we went on search of some tasty samples. Corinne is experienced and took me to Williams-Sonoma where I drank mulled spiced Apple Cider and ate some peppermint bark followed by peppermint patties. Next it was on to Harry n David where they gave you samples of Moose Munch and free coffee and tea.

After our free dessert, we browsed through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. If only I had a lot of spendable money!

Those just whetted our appetite for the finer things. What really set it into high gear was our visit to Tiffany & Co.We sampled taffy in Tiffany. So I didn't leave empty-handed.  I did a little market research and found that the cheapest thing is a $30 deck of cards! Corinne tried on a gold bracelet that cost over $600. But, it was the ring we looked at that cost more than $121,000 for a little over 2.25 carats that glossed our eyes over.

O.K. some people really do indulge!  We left and continued on our trek for free stuff.  We ended up in See's  Candies where we got a sample of California Brittle. It's so yummy.

With our stomachs full we didn't end the day before getting a free chair massage at Brookstone. It was so great that I bought the i-need lumbar massager. The packaging reads, " i-need to feel good. In a world of push and shove, stop and go, up and down, you need some real relief. Little soothing hands that knead away stress, make you feel better and help you relax. For life's little aches, you need i-need."

I do indeed!

In addition to my massager, I bought a cute little hat for $9.99. 

I also got to see The Beatles!  Of course, it was in front of the Apple Store.

All in all, I say I had a pretty inexpensive day of eating and shopping. I mean in comparison to a $121,000 ring, I spent a pittance!

I can't wait to go out again with Corinne. I wonder what other little secrets she has up her sleeve?

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!
Sylvia

Does food heal?



Turkey and Vegetable Soup



Some say food has healing powers. I don't know about that. All I know is that the first week of December isn't over, and already I have consumed my entire list of Holiday yumminess! It starts with the Thanksgiving dinner, and most importantly, the leftovers. I even made homemade Turkey and Vegetable soup this year so my tidings of goodness will last longer.  Then I usually get a break from overeating, but not this year! This year Hanukkah was less than a week after Thanksgiving. So my stomach enjoyed Brisket and Potato Pancakes even before I had a chance to get off the Thanksgiving pounds.

Now that's a plate!

I also like to indulge in a few Tamales this time of year. I love the Mexican tradition of Tamales at Christmas. I don't have any friends giving me homemade tamales, but I have enjoyed several from El Pollo Loco. They aren't bad.

In the past, we have had lox and bagels on Christmas morning. My daughter and I have already consumed those too!  And for good measure, I've made and ate my Matzo Toffee Brittle!

Hanukkah Dinner

What's a girl to do now? Turkey-check. Brisket-check. Lox and Bagels-check. Tamales-Check. Matzo Toffee Brittle-Check.  There's nothing left on my must-have list. As far as I'm concerned, the Holidays have come and gone. Now, it's back to watching what I eat - I mean eating less, and more exercise!

Oh, I must not forget the libations. Wine-check. Hot chocolate-check. Cosmos-check. Egg Nog- never. I hate the stuff!

So, whatever your traditions are around food, I hope you enjoy. May your plates runeth over. And do save room after the appetizers for the main course!

Basil and Roasted Bell Pepper Spread

Orange and Avocado Salsa

Happy Holidays,

Sylvia