That's a bit misleading. I am going to attend the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. AND I only have to wait TWO YEARS, THREE MONTHS, and a couple of weeks!

Months ago, I applied for tickets and received a very encouraging email. "Hi Denise, Registration for the first LA28 Ticket Draw is now closed and your entry has been successfully received. Based on your billing postal code, you're eligible for the chance to purchase LA28 tickets during the LA Locals Presale*. This presale is an exclusive early-purchase window from April 2–6, 2026 for the fans closest to the action in the greater Los Angeles region.

During March 31–April 4, if I was one of the chosen ones, I was to receive an email letting me know that I've been assigned a time slot to purchase tickets during this brief sale. Sadly, I wasn't sent the coveted invitation to shop.

BUT my friend Julie was. She was able to purchase LA28 Olympics tickets with a very limiting 12-ticket maximum. I am so fortunate that she chose me to be one of her guests.

So what did we choose? Because I don't actually want to be IN Los Angeles during this chaotic time and because Julie has a thing for male volleyball players (they're tall, along with having other appealing attributes), we're attending an event conveniently located at the Honda Center in Anaheim only 10.1 miles from Julie's house.

What a beautiful day to get off the hill and into the darling town of Genoa, Nevada.

Seven of us met for a morning of coffee, books, art, history, and some shopping.
What a gathering of amazing women: Cyndi, Karen, Cindy, Mimi, Gwen, Janet, and me. What fun.

We then explored the quaint Moss & Midnight Bookstore.
We got to know Lillian Virgin Finnegan a bit better by ogling her statue. Known affectionately as Lillie, she was born and raised in Genoa. An early graduate of Nevada State University, she was a teacher, suffragist, businesswoman, and respected community leader. In 1919, when the citizens of Genoa wanted streetlights, Lillie suggested the idea of a dance and making candy to pass around during the dance as an incentive for a good "turn-out" of couples. It was a huge success and “The Candy Dance” continues each year.
We learned a little surprising local history. This marker told us that the Lincoln Highway passed through Genoa. This was part of its Sierra Nevada Southern Route, which branched off near Fallon. It followed the historic Pony Express trail, running through Carson City and Genoa before ascending the Kingsbury Grade to Lake Tahoe. I had no idea.

The following images are a snapshot of my weekend. What a memorable birthday.

On our way to seeing our kids, we detoured to meet up with old Tahoan friends, Kae and Sue. Both have moved from the Sierra with Kae settling in Chico and Sue being conveniently located in Santa Rosa. It was a brief reconnect and long overdue.
My daughters-in-law make everything from scratch. Aren't these doughnuts delightful?
With Spring fully upon us, a stroll through nature was a must!


We all share a love of Estate Sales and there were several occurring conveniently on my actual birthday. I did not buy this typewriter but other treasures came home with me.
What fun to have an opportunity to meet up with some Peanuts friends while on a walk around town.

While the women and children played on my birthday weekend, the big boys went to the GT World Challenge America at the Sonoma Raceway.

"GT World Challenge America, powered by AWS (Amazon), is the premier North American GT series, contributing to the global GT World Challenge championship. Racing across the best circuits from Sonoma to Indianapolis, the season focuses on upper-echelon GT3 racing as well as the Pro-pairing class. The three-day race weekend featured 90-min double-header races for complete and exciting race weekends."






This is an annual event that all three Haerrs enjoy attending. With perfect temperatures and great company, the weekend was a success!

My daughter-in-law is incredibly crafty and when we were all a bit unruly, she brought out supplies to create adorable Jumping Bunnies. How fun.

I'll never look at a toilet paper roll the same again.

I'm celebrating with both sons and their families. Birthday wishes do come true!

It's good to see I haven't lost my sense of style!

I appreciate this quote from Louise Hay, “Know that you are the perfect age. Each year is special and precious, for you shall only live it once. Be comfortable with growing older." I'm going to do my best with this concept.

On another perfect Spring day, Jenny and I met up for a long walk. Yes, I'm in my Happy Place.

It's the simple things done with friends that make me the happiest!

Having returned to my Happy Place, it was ideal that my first day back was spent with Karen. She has a knack of reminding me why I love Tahoe so much!

We began our morning catching up at Cuppa Tahoe.

With hopes of spotting newly awakened bears, none were to be seen. We were disappointed.
What we did witness, in plentiful quantities, was evidence of beavers.
After extinction in the Sierra Nevada by the early 1900s, Castor canadensis were re-introduced to the Tahoe Basin between 1934 and 1949 in order to prevent stream degradation and to promote wetland restoration. Descended from no more than nine individuals from the Snake River in Idaho, these little guys are plentiful and way so cute. For some reason, in the winter of 2014, one beaver ignored the designation of nocturnal and would appear in the afternoon, to the delight of a vast audience who knew his schedule.

This darling image has been taken from my post describing that winter sighting.
With 60°+ temperatures, it felt like late-Spring but the foliage still had the bleak look of a recent winter.
That said, upon closer observation, Spring was discretely appearing. What JOY!
Karen then treated me to lunch at a new-to-me place, Cascade Kitchens. What a perfect return home. JOY, indeed.