So What's Up?

What's been happening in Jamie Dawn's world, you ask?
Well, The Reverend led a couples' retreat in gorgeous Lake Tahoe, and he and JD had a wonderful time. They stayed at The Inn at Heavenly, which is owned by some friends of theirs who recently purchased the place and have worked hard to make it a great place to stay. They offer all kinds of all-inclusive services such as use of the spa room (hot tub, steam bath, and sauna), hydrotherapy massage bed (which is divine), bicycles for a mountain ride, all the alcohol you want so you can get snockered by the warmth of the fire, and terrific food. JD highly recommends this place should you be planning a Tahoe vacation. The Reverend and JD stayed in the Kodiak/Pyramid cabin which was gloriously elegant with a private hot tub and superb great room for our couples' meetings. Just look at these pics, and you'll see why this is JD's idea of "roughing it" in the mountains.






JD spent time at her parents' house, then she and her dad drove down to visit her brother, Jason, affectionately called Jasper Donaldson, among other things. On the drive down, signs like this one were on display next to thousands of acres of land that SHOULD be planted with crops, but alas are not, due to some nutty environmental laws concerning the Delta Smelt, a small fish about the size of a minnow.



The almond company my mom works for is in grave jeopardy due to the water being cut off to protect this fish which lives and thrives in the Delta, but which dies when some of them are sucked into the irrigation systems. What's more important, the Delta Smelt or thousands of agricultural jobs as well as the 12% of our nation's produce that is grown there in the valley? But, I digress...

JD, her dad, and her brother ate at Philippe, where the French Dip sandwich was invented. If you're ever in downtown Los Angeles, you MUST eat there!! JD thoroughly enjoyed seeing Jasper Donaldson slather on Philippe's HOT mustard (without tasting it first), then watching him cry his way through his sandwich. Fun times! Inexplicably, it is located in China Town, but you'll have to go next door if you want some chow mein with your French Dip. Be prepared to stand in line; that place was packed.




It's been nearly a month since JD got her new, short hairdo. It is already growing out, and by Christmas she will be sporting dreadlocks.



Have you heard of Hookah? Well, Taylor and his buddies went to a Hookah lounge to hear a band playing there. People sit around and smoke fruit tobacco using steamy, water pipes called Hookah pipes that look very bong-like. They SHARE these pipes, which Taylor refused to try since he was certain they would be breeding grounds for H1N1 and other viral and bacterial yuckies. Good thinking, my boy! The strange thing is that this place does not sell any drinks or snacks of any kind. You go there, pay ten bucks to Hookah for an hour or so, and that's it. If you happen to get thirsty or have a hankering for something to eat, tough luck. JD remarked to Taylor that "They should at least sell some bottled water for crying out loud!" then she added another two cents, saying that "Those wienies could make more money by selling some frakkin' snacks and drinks!" Hookah originated in India, and this particular place had the Jamaican flag painted on the floor. ??? Hey mon, here's a pic of a Hookah pipe:



As JD writes this, it is Halloween night. Courtney is at college and is hanging out with friends while dressed as Annie Hall. Taylor is dressed as a pirate and is hanging out with friends at the local amusement park which is normally called Magic Springs, but for Halloween becomes Magic Screams, with haunted houses guaranteed to scare the doo doo out of people who are eager and willing to pay to have their doo doo scared out of them. The Reverend and JD are enjoying a nice, quiet night at home. JD hopes your neck of the woods is not haunted, and there's plenty of Halloween candy for you to shove down your pie hole.
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Jamie Dawn Bradley Hood.
Until next time...
Smile. It won't break your face, you know.