I've Been A Long Time Gone !

Wow....busy, awesome week!   Time to play "catch- up"........Saturday, July 1, was the long awaited baby shower for Tess and Boyce's baby boy.  It was a super fun party.....pretty spontaneous, lots of laughter, good, but casual food and a host of wonderful people.  Tess received so many lovely gifts and good wishes.......thanks again to all who made it such a memorable day.
 On July 3rd we headed down to Granny's party to watch the Sun City fireworks.  It was a lovely cool night with lots of great company.  On the 4th we were all up early to trek up to town to watch Foresthill's own parade......the best Americana parade around.....the high school football team, Forest Service trucks......with Smokey the Bear !......lots of candy being thrown to the kids and the "Clampers" a very weird club leftover from the Gold Rush days.  We came home....fixed some hot dogs and proceeded to play games in the shade for the rest of the afternoon.
   The next day we all piled in a couple of cars and drove over to the coast.  We stopped in Fairfax, the lovely town Ross and Molly live in, picked them up and headed to Stinson Beach.  Despite the fact that it was a cool, windy day the 4 youngest kids jumped right in ......even doing a little Boogy Boarding !  After a long bout of shivering we got them back in the car and off we drove to Point Reyes National Seashore......a true treasure.   We hiked down to another beach there and the kids stayed somewhat dry.....no shivering involved !  From there we drove up to a high cliff with an overlook .  Tia and I got there first....we looked out and there was a whale below us !!  It was such a sight to behold in this glorious, wild setting and we all were transfixed for a good hour.  Back in the car....now we were all shivering, it was cold !.......we drove back to San Rafael just in time to see Ross preform at Terrapin Crossroads.   Wonderful show.......great time !
   Next day , it's off to Chucky Cheese.......Granny's treat!  The kids had a ball and came out with all sorts of plastic junk !  
  Yesterday was another day of adventure.  We met Tess and Boyce at their favorite swimming hole on Oregon Creek.  It's pretty much right in the middle between their house and ours. It was like a water park , only it was all natural......jumping off rocks, swimming under waterfalls ......even secret passages under water.......it had it all !  We left in the evening hungry, exhausted and thrilled to have spent the day in such an awesome place.

  Josh and family left this morning and it seems so quiet.  They are such a wonderful family.  Thanks for making the long drive, Josh.........we love you all .