Simplifying My Life

I have made some lame attempts at blogging in the past but have discovered a passion for it now.  This comes from wanting to "share my discoveries", a part of my new life mission.  

While updating old blogs today and discovering how best to express the information that I need to share, I have decided to combine this blog with my new ALDA Jewelry and Gifts blog.  

I believe that this will be a more interesting experience for all of us to explore.

ALDA Jewelry and Gifts

On my ALDA Jewelry and Gifts blog I posted about this year's Valentine's Day experience.  It was a special day with a special man at a special place. A memorable first Valentine's Day together.

Scott and I enjoy hiking but we also really enjoy good food.  Our weekends are extravagant excursions of exploring our gateway to the Olympics.  

How will I balance healthy eating, weight control and being a foodie?  The answer is just out of reach right now but I KNOW I will find a way. 

Peninsula Favorites - Introduction to Port Angeles

Scott and I love hiking and eating.  Sometimes the exercise from the hike doesn't quite balance the calorie count of the food but we are working on making that work better.

Recently, we have been trying out several restaurants and coffee houses in Port Angeles, Washington - our gateway to the Olympics.

Here are three recent discoveries:

Creme Brule' at Bella Italia in Port Angeles, WA

Creme Brule' must be in fashion again because it is on the menu almost everywhere we go.  Many have been good, one was burnt and one was outstanding - that was the one at Bella Italia in Port Angeles.  It was a lavender flavored, deep dish Brule' that was heavenly.  This is the type of place that we exchange our muddy hiking boots for dress shoes and clean up a bit before hanging out there.

Baked goods at the Blackbird Coffeehouse in Port Angeles, WA

The Blackbird is our go-to place for coffee, tea, soup, sandwiches and special treats with their baked goods.  I personally like the funky interior and the people are playful and fun.  I never feel self-conscious in our hiking boots here.  Since we are finding that many restaurants in Port Angeles have limited hours - especially on the weekends - the Blackbird has been our consistent haven, especially before a hike.

Downtown Port Angeles Coffee and Goodies at Bada Coffee Bar

We are new to using Bada Coffee Bar as a back up to the Blackbird for morning coffee and carbs.  Like the Blackbird, they bake their own goodies.  Although the selection is somewhat limited, we have enjoyed their chicken potpie pastry for a quick filling breakfast.  I am not a coffee drinker but enjoy it here.  Seating doesn't encourage long conversations but we don't want to hangout - we want to hike.

2016 - A New Life with a New Life Mission

I just returned from the Tony Robbin's event "Date with Destiny" in December with my new life mission.  When I wrote this, it rang true for my past as well but gives a new focus for the New Year.

Life Mission - Jean Radosevich McDonald

To be an Explorer.
To enjoy the Journey.
To share the Discoveries.

I came home and began new adventures and am making that huge effort to share my discoveries.  I just rediscovered this old blog as well as an older business blog for my jewelry business.  Both are being revived and linked to my new blog.

We have also moved from the greater Seattle area and are now on the peninsula.  What a joy it is to be out here - close to the Olympic mountains, the ocean and to Canada.

Dream Class and Spiritual Survival

Our Dream discussion class last night in Bonney Lake, WA seemed to go very well. I love being involved in dream study and we had a group last night with very active and vivid dreams. It was very enriching. It was a great precursor to the Spiritual Survival Book discussion class that we are starting this Thursday in Sumner, WA. I am in charge of leading the discussion of one of the four chapters that we are covering. I will discuss our experience with the Pacific flood in January and the spiritual lessons and insights from that ordeal. If it seems fitting, I'll post my story later next week.

My jewelry business ALDA Jewelry and Gifts will be set up this weekend in University Place, WA for a neighborhood festival. We havn't done this festival in several years but had a great time and hope that the weather cools enough for the Northwesterners to enjoy themselves. We've had 100 degree weather here is week, breaking all kinds of records. Fortunately, the forecast is predicting a cooling into the 80s for the weekend.

Next week, I'll be down in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR selling at the VA Hospitals there. I am confirmed for Vancouver for Monday and Tuesday (August 2 & 3) and will be set up from about 8am - 2pm near the cafeteria and canteen store entrance. As usual, it will just be a smaller setup especially since I'll still be recovering from the surgery for another month. I'll be putting in a longer day at the VA in Portland Wednesday through Friday from about 8:30am - 3pm.

I do want to let everyone know that I am recovering well from my recent surgery. It is taking longer than I expected and everyone keeps telling me that as we get older, we don't recover as quickly. Fortunately, the doc reported yesterday that I am recovering faster than his average patient. The down side is that I haven't done anything physical in the last 3 weeks and am ready to bust out of my skin if I don't run or play tennis or at least walk the dog soon.

The future of this blog will be to focus on life's daily adventures showing a spiritual and perhaps humorous twist. I invite polite comments for or against my views but if the posts get rude or unseemly, I will put them into hiding.