One of the best people I have ever known is having a health crisis of sorts today... and I am concerned about her. While I have faith the she will be alright no matter the outcome... I wish only the very best for her and her health. I am so proud to be able to call her "friend"... and I hope that she is feeling better soon.
Life is so very short... a lesson I seem to be reminded of on a fairly frequent basis... and it becomes even more apparent on occasions such as this... that it is so vital to enjoy each and every day... to appreciate all that life has to offer... to love deeply... to care for one another...

Later on today... BAJ and I went to Trader Joe's to get some fresh fruits and vegetables... and some groceries in general for the week. Along the way... we got some fabulous pumpkins for the holidays, and some gorgeous flowers for the house.

One of the downfalls of the Kodak was that I had alot of difficulty getting macro shots ... it just didn't have the lens capabilities that I now have with the Nikon D300. The purple hydrangea shot above became my photo for today... but I am also quite fond of the orchid shot below...

Either way though... it was great to see so many gorgeous plants and flowers at Trader Joe's...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

(all photos by Elaine A. Russell)

In the past 24hours... I have learned that my friend's (from high school) mother passed away.... that my husband's sister is in the hospital with a possible heart attack... and I've learned more about bone cancer than I ever care to know.
Crazy how things seem to "dogpile" when they hit like that....

And yet the world goes round... and it goes on. I had a fabulous lunch with my daughter at Kelly's Pub in Nob Hill.
It is a really cool place... and the food portions are not only HUGE... but they taste awesome.

From there... we went to a great local gallery (which will be featured on Friday's blog "sneak peak")...stopped at Cafe Giuseppe for a hot chai ( totally awesome!! and the place is really cool).... and then we stopped at this incredible little bookstore "The Book Stop," where we found the most amazing selection of books (new and old).

I was able to take a few pictures while roaming about... and then we made a quick stop at Albertson's grocery store for a few items; where I saw the most beautiful orchids in their floral area. WOW.

And now I am home. And it is late. And I can't help but think about how crazy life can be. Life doesn't just stop... even when you want it to... if only for a minute while you catch your breathe. Illness and tragedy rains on everyone. ... and can... seemingly out of the blue...
And just as miraculously... good and great things happen as well. We may never know why things happen the way they do... and perhaps that is a good thing.

Living Simply Tip for the Day:

Enjoy life. Have good coffee. See good art. Read a good book. Enjoy time with loved ones every chance you get. Buy yourself flowers. Yes, it's more than worth it.... and these are the things you will reflect upon when the rough times sometimes hit you, or someone you love.

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LINKS:

Kelly's Brew Pub -- fabulous food, great service, big screen Tv's, billiards and more!

Cafe Giuseppe -- awesome coffee... tea... and a neat little lounge area

The Book Stop -- hidden TREASURE! Great little book shop.

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