Saturday, August 13, 2011

Myriam and Michael's Birthdays

I work with someone who is a yan to my ying. Myriam just turned 40, and that would be one of the differences. I could theoretically be her mother. I am 18 years her senior, with YEARS and years and years of experience. Myriam is tall around 6' +/- and gorgeous. I am 5'4" and a spunky maturing interesting (what other kind of adjectives can I throw in that mean...older) lady. Myriam has run triathlons and I was never an athlete. Myriam (so i am told) thinks like a guy.... I feel first and think later. Meaning I live on Venus and she lives on Mars. But together we make one hell of a team. She balances my approach to people in business and I give her some perspective she may have overlooked. Truly you couldn't find a better team to sell your home or to find and negotiate hard and smart for a new one. We are GOLDEN.


But there are benefits to this business relationship that I don't know if she understands I appreciate. Her youthful energy has helped me make changes that I would have otherwise resisted, like moving to downtown Mill Valley. She encourages my involvement with the 3 day and the training and is so supportive of the time it takes that it makes all of this so much easier. It makes me feel valued and smart when I know I have shown her a trick or two that she wouldn't have thought about. And there is a little piece of me that really appreciates it when she call me Mamasita ( especially since my girls are so far away0.


Myriam would be difficult to buy a birthday present for. She isn't a "thing" person. She's a living life large person. I think Myriam could get by with the smallest closet in Marin. Her wardrobe is classic and simple. So when it was time to pick a present, I gave her what I had said I wanted to do for a long time with her...a sail on the bay. Making this a birthday present meant we would actually schedule it instead of just talk about it. She was especially excited to share this with her children Sean and Emma, and Michael of course (who my the way is my miracle body worker and Myriam's "man") and we could also share it luckily with Michael beautiful daughter Ella who was here visiting.


When Myriam and I first talked about sailing she said she only wanted to go on a sunny day. Well, if you have been around the Bay Area this summer you will know it has been far from sunny. This may be the foggiest coldest summer in my memory. And the day started out just that way. I could tell the crew didn't quite know what they were in for when they came in flip flops...(well at least they had layers...) Wet boats require shoes that won't slip .... There are certain musts when you take folks out on the boat. One is going under the bridge. They seemed to enjoy it even if we had to motor against a flood (the tide running into the gate and against the boat).



But the skies did clear and the day became on of the clearest prettiest of the year. Everyone got a chance on the helm. 9 year old Sean and Ella, Michael, Myriam and I think Emma did too.



Smiles all around.

We went out to McCovey Cove and under the new Bay Bridge.





We had wicked sea spray, and screaking kids.


Trip to the foredeck were rewarded with waves of appreciation.



Ella had a relaxed method of steering.



Under the Bay bridge it seemed as if the mast would just barely make it through.



It was all so stressful Michael gave Myriam some one on one attention.





Looking for sun and stiller waters we found a spot on the lee side of Angel Island



Cupcakes and candles ... (neither lasted very long).


Michael's turn at the helm.



The team Cathy and Myriam, Real Marin Gal



All in all a great day. The one picture that sums it up for me is this one. This is one passel of happy people. I joked they were our "huddled masses yearning to be free."


Happy Birthday Myriam (and Michael!)

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