This year Relay was early. Moved up from July to avoid the heat? And what do we get but, REALLY warm California Spring weather!
Anyway, It was fun. Honoring and remembering those had and have cancer. My team Rancho Viejo School, was amazing as always. At least a half dozen of the kids walked a marathon in HONOR of Kabrina a classmate we lost almost two years ago to leukemia. I was 4.2 miles short. If I'd stayed the night, I could have done it too.
Anyone who wants to donate still can through my Relay Donation Page Relay For Life of Rancho Santa Margarita (Team Rancho Viejo School) The link will last for a few months, maybe until August 2014. I am very proud of one of our team members. She raised nearly $1,000 !!!
My family and I have added Munzee to our list of activities. It goes hand-in-hand with Geocaching and Waymarking as many geocaches have Munzees near them. I went to Central park on Friday, the day before Relay to look around. I wanted to know how early they set up. I was there around 9am on Friday. I stopped at three benches on the far side of the course. I added a Munzee. RFL 2014 for Kabrina If you click the "notes" tab, there is more: "a bench between two others. Foxhound & I have participated in
Relay For Life for about 6 or 7 years. This year will mark the 2nd that
we have done without Kabrina. She was the reason for our team "Rancho
viejo School". This bench is along the (back side) loop that the relay
follows.."
The new corner median at Buena Suerte and La Miranda was complete so the road was open but, the sidewalk in the park was still taped off with yellow tape. Two guys from SAMLARC were there and I asked "what about Relay?" They told me that "no problem theses guys will have it done, they are fast" Then I asked them about a co-worker and bluebirds. I had not seen any at Central Park, yet. And I know there are no nesting boxes there. I showed them a picture of one of the boxes we have and Monte Vista Park.
I told them about Easter Grass.
They had to catch up to the other "inspection" people they were with.
I continued around the course.
Just as I cleared the Hockey Rink, on the grass under the palm trees, was the brightest BLUE male bluebird! I stopped. I watched. He flew straight up to the base of where the fronds had been cut and ducked into a little gap there! A NATURAL Cavity!!! I placed another Munzee. BLUEBIRD TREE
It turns out there is also a connection to Bluebirds with Kabrina. At her house there had never been bluebirds til after she passed away. Now, her mom sees them in the yard. Karina is watching over them, She is watching over all of us for/at Relay!
My daughter and I came to Relay on Saturday at about noon. We'd been to our monthly Bluebird Club Meeting. We'd found and placed some Munzees between the meeting and Relay. We walked through out the day. We did the Luminari Lap.
A very special and emotion lap at about 9pm (the halfway mark) The entire path is lined with Luminaries dedicated to loved ones.
We walked until about 11pm then went home while others stayed through the night.
I returned the next morning at 6am. I was joined by some of the members of the team. It was about 7:30am on the far side near Kabrina's Bench when we saw a bright yellow bird with a red head. I pointed it out to the two others I was walking with. A Western Tanager! I was too slow with my phone/camera and he flew up into the trees. I walked several more laps in hopes of seeing him again. But, he was hiding in the trees.
Another Relay in the books.
