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Today Jilly and her family get on a plane in L.A. and head home to Norway. They've spent the last couple of weeks in Utah, Nevada and Southern California. While they were still in this country it didn't really quite seem like they were "gone", but in just a few hours they'll be on a jet flying home. Even though their visit this year was more hectic than usual , we had such a wonderful time and the days I got to spend with Espen, Anders and Johan was time I'll cherish for ever.
This photo was taken out in front of our house and when Taige and Tia were here all the kids created this "club hole"........and what entertainment it was !!! They spent days out there playing.........well, not Espen...he's more into his Ipod and Itouch. Anyhow....they all had a ball and I wish I could hear them shouting and laughing out there right now. I know, however, that time does indeed fly and I'll be back in S.F. at the airport picking them up again before I know it !
After doing my usual morning "chores", I headed down to Auburn to supervise Seth and Ross while they moved Molly and Ross into their new digs. All went well until they tried to get the queen size box springs up stairs.........there's no way it's ever going to negotiate the turn to head up the stairs ......short of taking out one wall ! Kind of a bummer, but they're young and mattresses on the floor are kind of romantic........if you're twenty-something! After they finished we went to the A Town Deli and enjoyed a couple of sandwiches. Molly was down at a workshop at her school and so missed all the fun.
After arriving home I got busy dealing with an abundance of cucumbers and tomatoes. I made a batch of dill pickles and then a few jars of sweet chili sauce with the tomatoes. I hardly made a dent in the tomatoes..........and lord.....I wish I could give you all a dozen fresh eggs, I have them stashed all over the inside of the refrigerator. Sounds like Seth and Amanda will be around a lot next week so we'll enjoy some Summer omelets for dinner a few nights!
Apparently down in the valley there's a nice breeze from the ocean blowing and so temperatures down there are reasonably pleasant, but up here, no ocean breeze and it just can't seem to cool down. It's fairly humid also.......huge big thunderheads all around us. Let's see......only 2 more days of July left! Then I can start complaining about how hot it is in August!
I headed down to Auburn this morning and spent the day helping Molly move into her new home........very nice......and she has AC! On Thursday Ross and Seth are going to do the heavy lifting......moving in the furniture. Guess I'll go down then and see if I can be of some help.......Molly will be attending a workshop all day.
I talked to Tessy this afternoon.......she seems to be real happy. I miss having her around......maybe I can get up to my old stomping grounds in Humboldt to visit them.
Some kind of pasta for dinner tonight with lots of veggies thrown in.......the fridge is overflowing with beautiful, colorful homegrown goodness.
Sad news today........Dan called me this afternoon to let me know his Grandpa had died last night in a hospital in San Diego. Dan had cared for Irwin in the last few years and ,of course, had become very close to him. I had met Irwin a few times over the last 14 years and liked him very much. .......he had a real joy for life and a real love for Dan. Both Dan and Anna contributed so much to Irwin's final years......I know they made his life full and joyful. Irwin was a very lucky man to have a fine young man like Dan for a grandson ......and Dan, lucky to be able to make such a wonderful difference in someone's life.
Yes, I feel guilty ! I've been in and out of the pool all day........my poor Jim is down at his office both today and yesterday, yes, that's right Saturday AND Sunday. I don't ever want to hear about how easy state workers have it.......I know you've thought it !........down at the Energy Commission the work load is staggering , the morale low . All this with a 15 percent pay cut thrown in for good measure.......bad times in ol' California.
I did actually do some profitable work today.......some sewing and designed a cool and easy clothespin holder.........yes, you should be drying your clothes on a clothesline ! I hope I can convince my customers of that , otherwise today may not turn out to be so profitable at all!
It's real hot up here today.......I'm counting down the days left in July. I'm sure it'll be just as hot tomorrow since I'm going down to help Molly and Ross move into their new place in Auburn and Molly makes it a point not to move anywhere unless it's at least 100 degrees ! Hopefully, we can nail Seth to help this time.......but , whatever, it'll end up being an exciting, memorable day!
First batch of pickles for the season........done !! Although canning is always very rewarding......I find it hard every year to get started. Now that I'm officially started for 2009 I hope I can continue to cruise along until I have rows and rows of brightly colored jars.
Speaking of brightly colored........I used some of the purple potatoes Jim dug up the other day.........very cool..... why aren't all potatoes purple ?? I also made some green muffins......loaded with zucchini. Kind of a technicolor world I'm living in ! Wow.......that really dates me !!! Technicolor !!!!!!!??
Make what you will of this lusty looking carrot.....as for me, I don't know what Jim's been feeding them with.....perhaps it's in the water ! We also had a suspiciously similar tomato just a few days ago. Maybe our garden has some mid-life crisis goin' on.......maybe it's all those bumblebees, little flirts that they are! There's probably a market for veggies such as these.......I don't know, however, if I want to find out where it is!
Today I did not get going on the pickles ,as I 'd mentioned yesterday......instead Molly called and I spent the day with her checking out some rentals in Auburn before they sign the lease on one they liked a few weeks ago. The more we looked ,the better the original pick looked. There was one place out in the country that she's interested in, but I think she's decided it may be more money than they want to spend right now. Any how.......a fun day ......spent in an air conditioned car !!!
When I got home there was a message from my wonderful friend Terry , who lives in Oregon now. I called her back and we had.....as always ......a great visit. Like all good friends , we're able always to pick up where we left off as if no time has passed.
Hopefully there'll be pickle pictures to share tomorrow !
We were joined for a light Summer dinner this evening by Seth and Amanda. We've known Amanda since we lived in Davis , but something clicked between her and Seth at Tess and Ryan's wedding............could it be that garter that Seth caught!! Naaaa, probably not that.....probably Seth just noticed that Amanda's an awesome young woman ! Whatever it was.......I'm happy for them both, they seem to really enjoy each other.
Molly, Mom and I went down and paid Ikea a visit this afternoon......always a fun little jaunt. I bought a flower pot, Molly bought a file folder and Mom got a tupperware thingy........not a huge haul, but a whole lot of fun looking. It's still really hot here and so I was loving the AC......upon arriving back home I made a desperate dash for the pool as soon as I got out of the car.......it was close , but I'm happy to report no meltdown occurred.
I'm afraid tomorrow I'll need to confront the cucumbers waiting for me in the garden.......pickles by-the-quart.......that will be my life tomorrow.
It is way too hot.....even Jim is feelin' the heat....poor Jenny is inconsolable with no place to hide. Yesterday we got some relief, heading up to the high Sierras and taking a few dips in mountain lakes , but even up there....around 7000 ft , it was hot........and being gone all day yesterday somehow makes it seem hotter today! It looks as though ,maybe, it'll start to cool down a little starting tomorrow, but I'll believe it when I feel it !
July always makes me kind of edgy......as all who know me can attest to.....that threat of extreme heat is always lurking, the days are way too long so the sun just burns on and on, my only consolation is our mighty Doughboy........which is where I've been most of the day. In and out......wet then dry.......struggling to cope ! Jim is going to die of laughter when he reads this............he's the one who has to live with me.......even in July!!!
Just wanted to let everyone know the fire danger is over......at least for the time being. Even though it was a Furlough Friday here in California, the firefighters showed up and were able for the most part to completely contain the fire. Our beautiful road up here is a little scarred .......but , I'm sure everything will grow back....hopefully in my lifetime!
It always amazes me the might with which the CDF........California Department of Forestry........hits these fires up here.
Still way too hot here......107 today down in the valley........I knew there was a reason I hate July!! Jim says we'll go somewhere cool tomorrow.......I don't really believe he's willing to drive as far as that will take !
The flowers in this photo are some of the leftover wedding flowers.....still so pretty, but fading fast in this heat. I need to clump them all together in a large pot so they don't dry out so quickly. Maybe we'll just drive down to Target tomorrow to get a pot........it'll be cool in there.......and only a 1/2 hour away!
Yep, Jill, Gaute and the boys headed out this morning and these two little faithful cars look so lonely.......just about how I felt when they left. As always we had a wonderful, if somewhat hectic , visit and, as always, it ended way too suddenly. But , the good news is ....only 11 months until they're here again ! Thanks for all the fun times and amazing memories, Norway Gang.......I love you all so much.
Molly came to my rescue and called and invited me to meet her in Auburn for lunch and so we had a good time and now that I'm home everything feels back to normal. Seth also just called to see how I'm doing........what a bunch of great kids I have !
Coming home from Auburn I noticed a huge plume of smoke and sure enough a huge fire's burning up here. It 's real hot 100+ and kind of windy, so it has scary potential. They closed the road right behind me .......Jim may have to take the long , scenic drive home tonight......as in several hours of additional driving time. Think I'll get out my police- fire scanner and get what information I can........keep you posted !
Yesterday we got organized and decided what we wanted to do today.......instead of spending half of today deciding what we wanted to do . Works pretty well !...........next year we should endeavor to do it more ! So...having gotten all the deciding out of the way, we were ready to leave by 10 this morning.....and so off we went. And where we went was the California Train Museum in Old Town Sacramento. It's a great museum.....I highly recommend it, the boys had a blast and Jill, Gaute and I enjoyed it as well. We stayed there until about 2 and then walked around ,.........after Gaute treated us to a lovely lunch on the river.......thanks, Gussie ! On the way back to the car we stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.......a flashback to Idaho days.......where I treated everyone to .......of course......chocolate ! Even the heat , 105 degrees , couldn't stop us from really enjoying our day.
As of yesterday afternoon .......Molly is the new K/1 teacher at the highly acclaimed Roseville Community School !!.........above photo is from the school website. She's very excited as the school is such a great match with her teaching philosophy.......not to mention teaching jobs are impossible to get in California right now !! But, truly ......the school is a small private school......Molly will have 10 students in her class.......the school is non- graded....lots of gardening......parent participation.....exploration and discovery are the driving learning factors. Hey.....apparently a big chunk of funding comes via the Bill Graham Foundation......not Billy Graham !!.......but, Bill Graham, 60's music guy.....the Filmore...etc........must be a pretty cool school! Anyhow....we're so proud and happy for her !
After she received her job offer yesterday she came up to Auburn to look for a house to rent. Jill, Espen and I had fun tagging along. She found a great place in her price range....cheap !.......and so I guess she and Ross will be moving soon. Of course, I'm just a little bit happy they'll be living so close !
Today my Dad came up to see everybody......we had a nice lunch on the deck and a good visit. Soon after he left Jim discovered that a bear had broken into the chicken coop......no fatalities , but he spent the afternoon repairing the damage. The rest of us....on the other hand ....spent the afternoon playing games on the deck. It was a nice cool day and it actually rained for a while !
Time to figure out dinner for tonight.......seems like I just got done fixing lunch !!........maybe some fajitas ! Maybe not.......I'll check out what I have around !
Jenny and I have the house to ourselves today and here's a photo of Jenny taking advantage of some snooze time ! Jill, Gaute and the boys headed down to Roseville to go to REI. They're going to go to Zion National Park in Utah after they leave here, before they head back to Norway.....sooooo....they're getting some hiking shoes, backpacks , etc. Meanwhile, here on the farm........I've gotten the house back in order , all three bathrooms are spic and span , the recycling's sorted and dinner is ready to go ! I needed a day like this.........but, it's about 5:00 now and I'm anxious for them to return home. .......I've kind of gotten used to the hustle and bustle !
Kind of a mouth full ....but Tessy's now a Mrs.!! The wedding is over !!!.....and life as we know it can return. What a workout....everything was 10 times more time consuming and 50 times more hassle than we'd planned , but it truely was a beautiful wedding . There were about 50 people present and great food , wonderful music and awesome dancing.........now of which were hurt by the free flowing champagne ! I couldn't have begun to get through it all without my wonderful daughters and daughters-in law........with a lot of help from sons and sons-in-law !! Not to mention my sister-in-law , Joanie and by-gosh and by-golly ...........my ex-husband Keith and his wife Susan. Of course, last- but -not-least.......my ever patient husband, Jim. Thanks everyone.........you all helped to make a memorable day for the young newly weds !
Josh and family headed back to Utah today.......things seem pretty quiet around here. We had a wonderful time with all the kids.........as well as all the "adult children".
I'll try to post more regularly now....I don't want to lose my readership!
