Madison and Zachary visit Paradise

Here it is July 10th already, and guess who’s come to Paradise? Madison and Zachary!! Yeah!! We have had fun visiting them nightly, at their other grandparent’s house, since their arrival from Valencia on Saturday. Danny drove them, and Mommy, Kristy, up here, and then had to return today to L.A for work tomorrow. Madison has been entertaining us as “Cinderella,” complete with her little costume, slippers, and wand. Baby Zach seems to be teething? Drooling and chewing, but good natured, as usual. He’s sitting up now, too, and trying to scoot. All changes since my trip in June!! How fast they change and grow. Here are some pictures to share them with you. Aren’t they cute??

July 5, 2005

I’ve got 23 minutes to get this posted and be caught up with the calendar!! All fun has to come to an end , they say (who is “they” anyway??) So today it was back to the “old daily grind!” It was a lovely, balmy, clear evening down in Chico, and we did get to enjoy the SilverDollar Fairground’s and Nettleson Stadium’s fireworks from the side street that goes by Costco.
Tonight I have to share a fun gift idea I discovered last week at S&S Produce. It is called “wrapsacks.”I got one to send to my knitting Secret Pal, and it was very fun registering it. Go to www.wrapsacks.com if you are curious or interested in finding out more about it. Five minutes left! Gotta wrap this up so I won’t be behind anymore!! Bye!!

Happy July 4th !

Happy Independence Day to all of you!! This morning we’re all more or less lazying around, visiting and trying to stay cool. I feel fortunate to have gotten a four mile walk in on the bike trail while the temperatures were lower and everyone slept in. “Everyone” except hubby, Paul. No one in this house gets up earlier than he does!! He has been laboring at the computer, trying to learn how to post pictures on my blog for me. (Following this message, there will be pictures of yesterday’s July 4th party at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s home.) This afternoon, Theo and Krystalynn and Steve (her hubby), are taking Dad (Paul) to the theater for the opening week-end of Stephen Speilberg‘s, “War of the Worlds.” I haven’t decided if I am going or not? I usually regret going because of the language, intimate scenes, etc. I just don’t find those things enteraining, enjoyable, uplifting or
wholesome! I get a steady diet of that in the ER, on the news, and on TV--free!! Why would I want to pay good money to sit in front of a huge, surround-sound screen to be made uncomfortable??? When I have capitulated and gone, I usually hear myself asking me, “What were you thinking? Did you really expect something different--better? What are you doing here, listening to and watching something that makes you squirm??” OK, so I AM a prude!!! SORRY-- just dub me “Church Lady!” It’s okay. My shoulders are broad!! Besides, I grew up in the movie theater--literally!! It was my daytime baby sitter, while my Mom was at work. I sat through many repeated episodes throughout the day, and even chose my dream profession, trapeze artist, after several performances of “The Greatest Show On Earth.” I think it was a sure cure for flicks, at least for me! (But at least “back in those days” the movies and language wasn’t so raw.) So, I hate to be a “party-pooper,” but I think I’ll stay home and fix the potato salad, knit, prepare some packages to mail to my secret pal while we are on vacation, and listen to a beautiful new CD from Sunny, called “Deep Unto Deep.” Later this afternoon, we will have the usual July 4th menu of hot dogs (vege, of course), that potato salad I mentioned, chips, corn-on-the-cob, root beer, and watermelon slices. Yum!! Hopefully, this evening we will find some nice fireworks to top off the holiday. We are investigating the Oroville Dam display. We have never been, but hear they are the best. Maybe because they reflect over the water?? May you all have a fun, safe, and sane day and celebration!!!

Celebration Party, July 3

In a few minutes we will be leaving for a large party at my daughter-in-law's grand-parent's home. It is their sixth annual outdoor celebration in their backyard, overlooking one of the canyon's. There are about 150 people that have been invited, made up of family, friends, and neighbors. My daughter-in-law coordinates the food--buffet style, and it is always gorgeous, as well as delicious, with vegetarian hot dogs and burgers, corn-on-the-cob, vegetarian baked beans, chips, potato salad, a huge variety of fruits and melons, and apple pie with ice cream. There is always a program of singing, patriotic readings and historical information, a live band playing patriotic and festive music, and several vocal solos. This year David (our son) will be one of the speakers. It's quite a "shin-dig!!" Yes, there are alot of "older persons" there, but it is fun and holidayish, and it makes Grandpa and Grandma happy to be sharing with others! So that's where we will be until later this evening. May you have a safe and sane fourth of July!!

Grandparents July 3 Holiday Party. 

View From the Backyard. 

A Package From My Secret Pal.

On June 30th , after arriving home totally “pooped out”, after my third consecutive 12 hour ER shift, my spirits were lifted as I discovered a package from my secret pal. I could hardly wait to see the contents, which is pictured above. What a beautiful assortment of yarns and colors, as well as a fun and unique book on hats/patterns. I’ve found my favorite pattern and already started knitting the hat for one of my grandchildren! (See picture below) My secret pal is a spinner rather than a knitter, and I have a strong hunch that the lovely skein of deep mauve mohair in the foreground, was spun by her own little hands!! I have been blessed with a generous and thoughtful secret pal! Thank you. I feel very special and spoiled, and am looking forward to using the yarns for new projects. The Noro will probably become a “booga bag,” something I’ve been wanting to begin for a long time now. The Tweed will definitely be a hat, and the beautiful mohair, a fancy scarf or small shawl. If I get these projects done before this SP5 event is over, I’ll post the results!

My FavoriteChildren's Hat From My New "Knit Hat" Book.

My First July Day

WHAT??? Oh, this won’t do!! My computer clock says it’s really 2:04 July 2nd!! That means I’m already late for July 1st!! That’s just too bad. It’s still July 1st. It’s just a little later than usual, and I’m just a little behind! My day began on the road at 7 AM en route to my first appointment, followed by numerous errands, followed by my son’s next appointment at 11AM down the hill, followed by his next appointment at 2;30pm back up the hill, followed by my husband’s appointment back down the hill, followed by several more errands, including a trip to the ranch for apricots, peaches, and plums, followed by the trip back up the hill to the grocery store! We arrived home at 7PM, twelve hours later!
With the temperatures today hovering around 100 degrees, and an overheating car requiring the air conditioner to be turned off (UGH!), a shower was my first priority! Ahhhhh! About ten minutes later, our daughter, Krystalynn, and her husband, Steve, and their new “baby” (a weimariner puppy), arrived from Healdsburg, where they are on summer break from their work in a high school Christian boarding academy. Shortly after their arrival, one of her long time home-school friends dropped by with her husband and 16 month old to visit, before leaving to fly home to Indiana. In the meantime, I threw together a “haystack” supper. The remainder of the evening was filled with catching up and old memories. And, last, but not least, (just prior to this message posting), there were dishes to be done and fruit to be sorted and put in a cool environment. I think that’s how I got a little behind today.

The last day of June

Here it is! The last day of June!! Where did these past 30 days go??? For as long as I can remember, I have always associated "summer" with long, dreamy, leisurely, warm days and evenings when time slows down. Maybe from spending my growing up years in a latch-key (long before that phrase ever existed) type of situation in our brick apartment building on the third floor in Cedar Falls, Iowa, while Mom worked as a retail clerk, for "peanuts," and my brother, Ed, took on the role of "bread winner" in my Dad's absence, at Rath's, a meat packing plant. One of my favorite pasttimes in the evening after dark, was sitting on our screened-in porch of that third floor apartment, enjoying the summer fragrances, the noise of crickets and cicadas, trying to guess where the next lightening bug was going to twinkle, and keeping tabs on all the traffic on Main Street. (Remember, Donna?) Life was definitely alot simpler back then. All through the years since, I have looked forward to "summer," when life and time seem to move at a slower pace. Sadly, the calendar on my wall always dispels this illusion and brings me back to reality!
Reality, however, isn't all that bad! One of the loveliest gifts this last calendar day of the month has brought me, is the arrival of our son, David, his beautiful wife, Laura, and their adorable, spunky seven year old daughter, Allison, from Washington state. They have made the 17 hour drive to spend the fourth of July with family and friends, in what has become an annual holiday celebration!! Hope you, too, are planning a special memory-making event to commemorate our country's birthday! Come and join us!!