The Tommy Page

There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone some remain
All these places have their moments
                                                     With lovers and friends I still can
                                      recall
 
Some are dead and some are
living
In my life I’ve loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
All these memories lose their meaning
                                                    When I think of love as something
                                     new
                                   Though I know I’ll never lose 
                                      affection
For people and things that went
  before
I know I’ll stop and think about
   them
In my life I love you more
 

                                                            Though I know I’ll never lose affection
        For people and things that went before
     I know I’ll often stop and
         think about them
     In my life I love you more
     In my life I love you more

{I love this song; it moves me to tears in fact, as it conveys how I feel about those who have been in my life, are still in my life - and who have made such profound impact upon me….Let this serve as a dedication for those I love in my life….}

The interior of Morton’s is decidedly rich and elegent, decorated in luxurious cherry wood furniture and warm earth tones. A quiet ambience and only a few other customers besides ourselves, we were in dining splendor.

Our gracious waitress, Sarah, was in top form as she presented the fabulous menu. “I like a girl in a bow tie, ” I told her. “Only a few of us can pull off androgyny!”

 Mike (my partner), myself and my dad sat in anticipation of great food for the special birthday occasion. We ordered Italian water - cost: $17.00 for two bottles!

A vast similtude interlocks all,
All spheres, grown, ungrown, small, large, suns, moons, planets,
All distances of places however wide,
All distances of time, all inanimate forms,
All souls, all living bodies though they be ever so different, or in different worlds,
All gaseous, watery, vegatable, mineral processes, the fishes, the brutes,
All nations, colors, barbarisms, civilizations, languages,
All identities that have existed or may exist on this globe, or any globe,
All lives and deaths, all of the past, present, future,
The vast similtude spans them, and always have spann’d,
And shall forever span them and compactly hold and enclose them.

It’s all a matter of
                      PERSPECTIVE!

There are some days when you would rather miss work (if you could) and enjoy the coming of Spring. Last week I had such a day. I awoke at my partner’s house located in the heart of the California foothills. 

A certain wonderous stillness was in the air.  Looking up into the sky with graditude, the sun light filtered brilliant through the trees where birds sang with vibrant joy. I whispered a “thank you, God,” and reluctantly snapped a few photos before heading back to Sacramento for work…

 
Timid daffodils were peeking at me like little happy creatures who had sprung up after a long long nap…

As I climbed into my car, heading back to the city, there were more  daffodils near the edge of the drive. I snapped this quick photo, and trained my thoughts on getting to work on time…oh well…
 

On the road again, I snapped a “Bye-bye” photo of the foothills wilderness as I vroomed back to the valley.

In honor of my partner, Mike C., and my sister’s fiance’, Jeff, the Skiens Family and the guests of honor went to dinner at Finn’s Seafood to celebrate two special birthdays. Located in the heart of downtown Sacramento,  Finn’s is a charming eating establishment noted for its seafood menu.

With a varied menu that ranged in price from $8.95 for a fish taco to $17.95 for swordfish (which I ordered), there is something for all tastes…

Arriving early, Mike, my mom, Joni, (seated to right in the photo to right) and myself (seated to left in photo to right) awaited the rest of our party…

My beautiful mother, Joni, ordered fish and chips…

…while I chose something I had never eaten before, swordfish….

Although the serving was sparce, swordfish was very tasteful, similar to a very fine and delicately cooked steak, but better tasting…(photo to left)

Mr. Skiens (my wonderful father) arrived on the scene, just in time to order his favorite entre amongst the seafood catagory - jumbo shrimp…

Tami (my beautiful sister), and her loving fiance’, Jeff, enjoyed their entre’s, too. While Tami enjoyed cioppino (photo below to right), Jeff celebrated the occasion with a plate of delicious-looking crab cakes…

Tami’s cioppino looked so delicious, I snapped a quick photo…What a great meal at Finn’s we all had, not to mention a few laughs, and a memorable occasion celebrating the birthdays of two extraordinary gentlemen, Mike C and Jeff…