Tradition and Serendipity

My daughter loves living in San Francisco.

But, she hates that we don't live close enough for  "drop-in" visits.

Four years ago, we started a tradition.

I fly to San Francisco on the Saturday morning before Mother's Day and enjoy breakfast with KC and fly home for dinner with Steve.

This year, KC had a celebration at Santa Clara University for a mentoring program in which she volunteers.

She was busy until noon, so this year, I flew up for lunch and spent the night.

Yesterday, we did some fun and serious shopping for her apartment.

Today we slept in ( I NEVER sleep in) and had a late al fresco brunch at Rose's cafe.

We sat looking at KC's apartment building - her's is the third story bay window.

After brunch, we headed to Corte Madera to shop - Anthropologie, JCrew and a brick and mortar Sundance store.

We really didn't buy much and actually spent more time enjoying the gardens and pathways in the outdoor mall.

I have very bad allergies and for the past 10 years, my sense of smell has been non-existent.

In the past month, for some reason, my sense of smell has returned.

I spent the day taking in the aroma of fresh flowers,

enjoying the sun in my face and visiting with my daughter.

It doesn't get much better than that!

Or so I thought.

As KC and I were walking to the car, I received a text from my cousin saying "Happy Mother's Day - it is a beautiful day in the bay area."

I texted back with "I know, we're in Corte Madera."

With a few more texts back and forth, we realized our flights home were 20 minutes apart and 5 gates away from one another.

After a great 26 hours with my daughter, I got to spend an hour visiting with one of my favorite people.

A little tradition and a little serendipity made for a great weekend.

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Find me at

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

My Romantic Home  - Show and Tell Friday 

You Don't Mess With Tradition

There is a line in the movie Mystic Pizza that goes, "You don't mess with tradition".

I learned that the hard way.

Since 2003, we have gone on a family vacation for Christmas so I don't go all out decorating like I did when the kids were growing up.

Our very first Christmas together, I crocheted stockings and made extras assuming we would have children.

As the children were born, I added their names to the stockings.

In the summer of 2005, I decided to knit all new stockings for everyone.

After nearly 35 years, the crocheted stockings were looking a little ragged and with JP getting married, I needed to add a stocking for our new family member.

I thought it was a great idea.

That year for Christmas, we flew to Chicago for the wedding and spent Christmas Eve in a hotel.

Late that night, I filled the new stockings and set them out in living room of our hotel suite.

When KC awoke and went in search of her stocking, I heard a loud "what is this?" coming from the living room.

She was not impressed with the new stockings.

I had not realized how important the stocking tradition was to her.

We had gone away the past two years, so being away from home wasn't the problem.

She was bothered that there wasn't a single bit of Cook Family Christmas that year.

We were in a hotel, going to the home of strangers for Christmas Day and wouldn't open our presents in our usual early morning tradition.

And now she didn't even have her stocking.

The striped stockings became a new tradition and every year they hang on the mantel.

 But, wherever we are spending Christmas, the old crocheted stockings tag along.

They are already in my suitcase even though we don't leave for 9 days.

So wherever we are, at least we have something from home.

Because, you don't mess with tradition.

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I am linked up at

Savvy Southern Style - Homestyle Christmas Vignettes

The Lettered Cottage - Christmas Mantel Decorating Party

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Mockingbird Hill Cottage- A Favorite Thing