Some things change... some things never will

WELCOME TO ALAMO RANCH

Every year, my college sorority sisters and I get together for a reunion. For years we met at a 150 +/- year old cabin in the Carmel Mountains off Cachagua Road, (across from Heller Estates, who will be featured at our Wine Wars in August!). Then for several years we met at a Tahoe lakefront condo in Glenbrook. One year I rented a house on the Russian River. For the past three years we have met at Alamo Ranch. Alamo Ranch is located about 20 minutes east of Santa Maria in the hills and valleys of the coastal mountains. Because several of the gals come from Southern California, this is a mid way point for everyone. We have been very fortunate that our extended families have such wonderful places that we have be able to use. The places have changed but that bond that we all share sure hasn't. In fact I think that the effects of time have layered our friendship with a deeper and richer veneer that makes it stronger.

The early days at girls weekends, for me, pre-dates our college years. In High School my friend Jill and I would go with our High School girl friends to Cachagua for a weekend. I remember that the directions to the cabin involved crossing three cattle guards before you would look for the gate. The cabin had been in Jill's family for generations. Her mother would tells stories of going to Cachagua before cars. The tradition of girls weekends was learned by Jill from her Mother who would entertain her college sorority sisters one weekend a year. They would have their cocktails and undoubtedly talk about their children as they floated in the cool waters of the Carmel River. I have to think that was a great example to follow. Because since eons ago, I have been blessed with some amazing times, with some incredible people, that have become part of my personal story.

Remember your days in High School and the things that were important to you? Well, I am pretty sure our High School days at Cachagua mirrors that. This time is a time for exploring who you are and how you fit in the world. It was a time for drinking sweet drinks with forbidden elixirs, for hiding in a glen and smoking, for trying to see how burned you could get your skin, for talking about boys, gossiping about other girls. Boys in the camp would drop in, because let's face it we looked pretty good in our bikinis and obvious evil intentions! But the truth is we all were playing at being wild. We all thought we were pretty clever and sneaky, but I have to think Jill's Mom knew exactly what we were up to, she had been the same age in the same cabin with her friends. I have to believe she recognized that slightly guilty giggle in all of us.

College came and Jill and I, after each trying out a different out of state college, wound up at UOP in Stockton. We roomed together in the dorm before joining Delta Delta Delta. At the time I joined Tri Delta, the one thing I really was drawn to was the diversity of the girls. The stereotypes that the boys had for our sororities were, You party with a DG, you date a Theta and you marry a Tri Delt. (I think that is how it went.... ) But in any case, there was a Miss California who was at the house when I joined, true authentic jocks, bookworms, party girls, girls who were studying all kinds of things in UOPs different colleges. It was a lucky day to pledge Tri Delta.

The away weekends began to take on the character of the time. When we would come to Cachagua, we would float in the river, eat and drink as much as humanly possible, and gossip, gossip, gossip. At night we would play "Who am I?", Madlibs, Charades and laugh until dawn. Most of us would sleep on the porch. This time not only boys would swing by to say hello to the pretty girls on the river, sometimes men would too. It was all quite amusing to us.

Engagements, and marriages came with the graduations and jobs. Each year we would arrive with different stories and get the advice and sympathy of our sisters to bolster us for another year. As our lives evolved so did our stories. In the Cachagua years, our children were born, there were marriages, divorces, remarriages, divorces and remarriages. There were job changes, successes and failures. We played "Who am I?" while floating the river using JUST the OJ Simpson trial personalities. We began theme years, where we would come to outdo each other with our creativity. There was Toga night, Mystery dinner night, Talent Show, HAT night (in honor of my hairless chemo self).

By the time we would leave each year, we would be stuffed to the brim. Stuffed with crawdads, and Peanut M and Ms, Marty Specials, beer, wine and bread....Stuffed with stories and smiles and an assurance that these times would always keep us a little more sane.

When we began going to Glenbrook, Lindy's family place in Tahoe, we kept up our tradition. The stories now were about our children and husbands and jobs. We heard about a husband's infidelity, a child's illness and children's triumphs.We still gossiped about anyone and everyone we could remember. The themes ran from "White Trash night" to "Your favorite Song" to "Your first job." We swung on hammocks, and sat in the sun with SPF 40 lotion on (since more than one of us had skin cancers). I seem to recall a group of Men inviting us for dinner, I don't recall if anyone went (but a vague memory tells me someone went and retrieved some good wine).

The last three years at Alamo Ranch, Pam M's family's ranch house, we have settled into a pretty plush venue. Built specifically for gatherings of a very large family, the home overlooks acres of range land. There is a pool, ping pong, putting green, horseshoes and lots of beds and 3 bathrooms! There is a BIG outdoor kitchen with an enormous grill, wolf range and tons of space to prep memorable meals. In the past three years our themes have been "Spa", "Cruise" and this year was "A Foreign Affair." The menu for this years theme night will be the menu for the dinner we will auction off at WINE WARS.

We had 12 people there this year, missing our MB who had a job commitment that kept her behind. Our group Diane, Barb, Patti, Bonnie, Suzanne, Pam, Jill, Gretchen, Lindy, Pam, Susie and me. This year our conversations included an engagement (congrats Bonnie) and the crazy stories that led up to it, our children and their marriages or job or lack of jobs, our parents and their health and care givers, upcoming radiation, our 3 day walk, gossip, gossip, gossip about everything and everyone. There was a topic or two that was just too raw to talk about but not think about. One thing that prevailed this year as it always does... we are irretrievably intertwined.

The years have gone by and left us even more connected. We are blessed indeed. Time is not a thief, it is a benefactor. Without time we would be a one note song. With time, we have a complexity to the music of lives; The sax when you are dating and being oh so cool, the Tiphany drum when your heart realizes you have found "the one!", the playful run of a flute when a child enters your life, and the mournful solo of a cello when someone has passed. All these moments have made us more than friends - they have made us sisters.

AND NOW.... Pictures.

We did a little training for the 3 day while we were at Alamo Ranch. A group joined Patti, Jill, Barb and I for a walk on Friday - approx. 8 miles. Barbara and I went alittle further to the Hiway, and the other headed back for BRUNCH. The walk takes you through a valley where vineyards and grazing pastures are the main features. We saw Turkeys, rabbits, odd succulents and cattle.

Jill, Patti, Lindy, Barb and Gretchen (above)

Lindy and Jill (above)

Barbara and Gretchen (above)

Alamo Ranch sign with Barb (above)

A star trek like succulent (below)

Above and below - Gretchen, Lindy and Barbara

Barbara at the hiway (above)

And with a blister (below)

Saturday's walk... Barb, Suzanne and Diane (above)

Jack (below)

Above Hearthstone Winery Paso Robles

Below at Hearthstone - Cathy, Patti, Jill, Barb, Gretchen and Diane

The final shot at Hearthstone Winery! Hearthstone, courtesy of Judi Land and her brother, are donating 3 cases of award winning wines to our WINE WARS! So we stopped by to thank them at the opening of their new tasting room. To support us in our fight against Breast Cancer DONATE now, or let me know you'd like an invitation to WINE WARS August 20th!