’08 December

This is a shot I did on a previous visit.

December 15

You can click here to see pictures from Rome’s Holiday Party at School!

December 31

The last of 2008! at Marsha and Tom’s New Year’s Eve party.

Included here are some of the folks I missed at Marija and Brian’s Christmas Eve do…Jack, Alicia, Maryanne, Becky, Ljubica, Chris.

Too cute to miss.

Jack Jack Jack…3 of 10…next time when your wife wants a picture you could consider to just cooperate and it’ll all be over ever so much sooner…for all of us…

Folks from church, Marsha, neighbors, Becky (having determined to be in every shot), and Alicia (who was there first!).

December 30

What have we got here?! Lunch in the shape of the letter K! First she ate off the arms and ended up with the number 1, then she ate the top of the number 1 and had a boot. Then she ate the boot and the cut-out pieces that were in the shape of triangles! Oh we do have fun.

There’s a new kid’s bookstore right up the street. What is Rome searching for?

Charlie and Lola!

December 29

Happy Birthday Carl! with Lynn and Zack. Hurray!

(Looking forward – one more year and then for ten bucks you can buy a lifetime pass to the National Parks!)

December 28

Hurray! some of Mark’s People. Photos from Cynthia at Christmas in Wisconsin.

1) Grandma and Mom. 2) Big sister Michelle and her husband Woody, and their three kids – Tyler who is 12, Brooke who is 18 and Nicole who is 17. 3) Grandma and Michelle’s family. 4) Michelle and Mark.

cc.

December 26, 2008 with Nancy and Sandy

Here we are on opening day of our Joshua Tree National Park outing, Sandy getting on her gloves and Nancy wrapping her headscarf.

It Was COLD. And the Wind was Whipping around out there and we were thinking maybe it was just plain too cold to be out in the world. But we soldier on.

Our first stop, the Live Oak trail.

(Oops…forgot to get a shot of the Oasis of Mara at the Oasis Visitor’s Center.)

December 25

It’s Christmas Morning and SANTA has come to town! Wow, Santa brought Rome a Glider Bike! Just like her cousins Xander and Anya used in Germany! And did they ever zoom around on those things. She is going to have So Much Fun!

Rome really got the knack of it this year, that there was a pile of packages, that she could open them, and that inside there was great stuff for Her.

She loved each and every one of them, which was a delight for all to see.

Liz and Gary, enjoying the morning.

Check out Devyn’s nails. Rome went around and polished all our finger nails…

…Gary’s too! Oh what a lovely day.

December 24

Marija and Brian’s annual Christmas Eve BBQ Dinner was a Huge festivo this year. It seems anyone who has ever come in the last decade was able to make it this year.

I did get many guests in the photos but I see upon review that some are missing. I’m sorry to those of you I missed!

From Marija: “My nephew, Bryan, his girlfriend Kristina, my brother-in-law Darryl.”

And our hosts Brian and Marija!

From Marija: “In the new room, my girlfriend Carol, her husband Walt, their daughters, Jackie and Christina Burch!!!! To Walt’s left is Mary from Ljubica’s apartment, Goldie, and Rhonda also from Lj. apartment.”

With Marija and Marsha too. (There…but missing from this shot at least Jack, Alicia, Chris…who else?)

The cousins Ljubica’s Melissa and Marija’s Melinda, bff.

Becky and her fam, but no Jack…but yes grandbaby, and hey, the rest are all just decoration anyway.

Ann’s crew! SO nice to have both sons home, the pregnant daughter-in-law, and the forever-long boyfriend all together. Nice.

From Marija: “In Dining room from left, Jeff, and his wife Tracy, and at the end Jamie and Cathleen, Melinda’s friends from high school.”

Also we see the family, Christopher, Steve, Mindy, Melissa.

From Marija: “The people in the living-room are my neighbors. The lady in the Christmas sweater is Della from Ljubica’s apartment. On the sofa my neighbors from left Tim, his wife Robin, her mother-in-law Audrey, and Tim’s father George. Audrey and George are Tim’s parents.”

December 24

I write this on the 25th…Many MANY Christmas pictures forthcoming! I’m in Joshua Tree National Park now with NA Nancy and Sandy, enjoying friendship and the cold, crisp air of the desert. Maybe I’ll get to some holiday pictures tonight…or maybe not until Sunday.

December 23

It’s Kailtin’s Playgroup! Hi all you adorable moms and children!!

One of New Kids of which there are many and of which there will be many more.

Sam’s brother.

JoJo, Sydne’s brother, and Zoe, doing the cat climb up the stairs.

Ellie, bejeweled.

Sydne.

Rome and Sydne.

December 21

This was among the first views I had upon arrival in Vietnam back in 2005. Maybe it’s getting a little like this now around here…

December 20

Ken and I are enjoying the Granada Pavillion during the break when they gave away a table full of raffle prizes.

I know, it looks like a high school gym in there. But they’ve got a real band and they play every ballroom style and Ken knows them All. I get to dance fox trot; slow and Viennese waltz; mambo; cha cha; salsa; East Coast, West Coast, and Triple Time swing; rumba; tango; we did a merengue this time, a first for me I think…and maybe more I can’t even remember.

Dancing with Ken at the Granada Pavillion…it is So Much Fun.

December 18

I snagged this photo while watching the orientation movie. You just gotta go.

Come to think of it, it must have been public money that did the refurb and ‘we’ surely did do a FABulous job. Hmm, I took this picture. Not 100% not skew-y, but cool none the less.

The welcoming rotunda, highlighting the wonderful refurbisments of the original building…and you can not even tell from the classic views all the great additions. This is public service at its best. Right up there with Park Rangers.

Alex and Carol are kicking around California for a month or so before returning to their sailing adventures near and far.

Hey! It’s Cold!

What are we all waiting for?

Ahhh, that would be this!

I followed this great outing with a yummy dinner at Ben and Bonnie’s for a Bon Voyage since they are leaving for Israel in a few days. Bon Voyage…Hi to Jonathan…Bring Back Photos!

December 17

I’m shooting out Brigitte’s back window. These little guys are so delighted to be here, but then, a ruckas in the bushes and appearing, all chattery and MeMe…

…Mr Squirrel! Outta My Way!! Then Brigitte and I messed around with her technology, ate lunch, and generally enjoyed our rainy gray day.

And then I had a nice dinner with Windy and Jeff at Jeff’s place. Lovely!

December 16

This is the season to be JOLLY! And CUTE. Wow, D&A&K went out, got their tree and brought it home, got it set-up and decorated in the time it used to take me to Think about getting the tree!

December 14

Cynthia and Mark, off to Wisconsin on Wednesday. Safe Travels! Already I can hardly wait to buy me a ticket for a visit, and fresh new hugs and kisses. I love you!

Brigitte and Knut’s Seventh(!) Annual Holiday Slipper Party.

Whoo, they cooked All Day Long and we ate All Night Long! So many delicious treats. More guests came after this shot but ya know, you can only boss the folks around so many times…

from Brigitte: Brigitte Knut Japanese couple ?(have to ask K) Toni Rana
Toni Hana Jaqueline Paul Inga-Lill Nancy
Sharon Donna Eiji and wife Adolfo Ed and wife

Inga-lill and Tony, from across the street. Hi guys!

December 13

COOKIES! It’s NA Nancy’s Annual Holiday Cookie Party!

Hello ladies! Good job, yUm yUm!! Jane San; Katherine Fibiger; Brenda Castiel; Molly Artz; Sandy Chaves (seated); Nancy Artz; Sharon Parker (seated); Lisa Lawrence

December 9

See those leaves. They are bigger than Rome’s head. I wanted her to hold one up so we could match it against her head but she didn’t want to. She wanted to hold that cute little itty-bitty guy instead.

Hi sweetie girl!

It’s our kitty Archie. He lives around the corner and we are always especially delighted when we get to play with Archie.

Rome, standing on Archie’s porch. Bye Archie, see you next time!

December 8

Ho Ho Ho Ladies!

December 7

Today Sandy and I went for a walk to a new neighborhood Mexican snack shop and bakery. YUM. And then I grabbed a shot of the sweet and aged Smoo who is on her 7th or 8th life. Aww, Smoo, you hang in there.

December 6

It’s Althea and Allen’s Holiday Fete out in Lancaster where crowds gather each year to admire the literally tons of decorations both inside and out.

Take what you see here and then imagine teddy bear santas, gingerbread houses, a snowman collection of hundreds, raindeer and sleighs and packages and angels and candles and and and and. It’s a marvel.

Here they are, Althea and Allen, greeting their guests. Here they are in 2007.

And a few of The Girls, appropriately decked in Red.

December 5

Yikes-o-dellic. Cynthia is moving to Wisconsin. First of course let’s talk about ME. 1) I’m happy for her. 2) I’m going to miss the &*$% out of her. 3) I’m so there.

Mark is indeed a total sweetheart so I understood when Cynthia sent that background picture from Mark’s cell phone, that he took Right NOW back home in Wisconsin, she said ‘it Must be love’.

December 4

My little sister’s youngest son and his adorable family in their holiday card photo. They are the ones who lived through Hurricane Ike. Oh you guys!

Travis, Lainee, Cali, and Jack (studio shot)

December 3

I went with ND Nancy to Bergamot and then we walked over for a nice stroll around a place I thought was called The Water Court, but that’s unconfirmed.

What it is is a Santa Monica complex of bulky office buildings arranged around a large ‘park like’ setting with walking paths, bridges, cupolas, fountains, baby lakelets, and plenty of places to sit and watch the birds. For a complex of office buildings, it’s got a little something to commend itself.

Then I got to enjoy a great holiday dinner with the guys, here toasting Mindy in Zambia, we having a margarita in her name. Zambia. Makes Wisconsin seem near-by.

December 2

Our little golden girl, out for a walk.

December 1

With Sharon doing ‘our walk’, and a turkey sandwich and pumpkin pie. We’re really not done (actually never done…) with Thanksgiving!

A foggy afternoon in Venice. It’s the holiday weekend and the place was pretty packed with locals and tourists taking advantage of a nice winter day at the beach.