Babies, Skunks and Rock and Roll !

Well, I haven't been doing too well at keeping up with this blog thing......I think about doing it...if that counts !   I can't really remember where I left off in my last post, guess it was a few weeks ago.  Nothing earth shattering has occurred since last you heard from me......a lot of sunny days, cold nights and smiling faces.....just the way I like it !
   The last couple of weekends were just such days.......one Saturday I met Tess and Bryn in Grass Valley .  Pacos Tacos and Goodwill thrift store......how awesome is that !?   I snapped a few pictures of Bryn while Tess was otherwise occupied........he thought it was a real lark and we shared a few belly laughs !   The next morning Matt.......Molly's boyfriend.....came over for what has become a tradition with him........to join us for Sunday morning waffles.  It 's wonderful to have him share the morning with us and then he and Molly usually take off for some grueling 10 mile hike !  
     This past Saturday Jim and I had dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant and the we had tickets for some music at the funky Auburn Event Center.  It's like stepping back in time to the late 60's and so of  course we felt right at home !  We heard some awesome music.....danced with some awesome people.  The photo that I took there does not look that way because I was on acid......my camera was having technical difficulties .......but, it did kind of capture the evening !

   This photo of Callie Rose was taken after an unfortunate encounter with a skunk.  Need I say more......

Busy Week !

      Super busy and super fun week......just the way to end my 62nd year !  Saturday Molly and I met up with Tess and Bryn in Auburn to do some shopping for her new house up the road aways.  Bryn was, of course, his usual adorable self and Tess her usual entertaining self.  We had such a fun and productive day..........ending with a quiet dinner at home, just me and Jim.  Molly had a date with new beau, Matt.......who, by the way, we all think is a great guy.
   Sunday the crowd arrived for the Super Bowl and even though the 49ers ending up losing we had a fun day.......although poor Dan was feeling pretty sad when he and Anna left.   I hope the world looked sunnier when you woke up the next morning, Dan .......the 9ers will live on to fight again !

  Yesterday we had a surprise visit from Tess, Bryn and Boyce. They stayed for dinner and Molly and Matt also joined us.  Wonderful evening....we are so lucky!                                                                                                                  Today Jim and I headed into the wilds again for a brisk, long hike.  We wanted to get another one in before the supposed snow arrives here tomorrow......plus I'll be a year older tomorrow........I might not have been able to make it after today !!!
   So........63 looms tomorrow.....sure beats the alternative and I have a fun lunch planned with my mom and my wonderful friend , Belle.  I know it'll be a blast. 
 Pictures I'm posting today are all from various events this week......my "official" birthday party will be this Saturday....I'll snap a few then and share next week.......See you then !

Really ..........January ???

     So the last day of January.......some really cold weather, but almost always sunny this year.  We've tried to take advantage and get out there as often as possible for some wintertime hikes.  we've hit on some good ones and if the forecast is correct we'll have a few more hikes coming our way !  

     Today I spent with my mom ......we shared our usual salad at Chili's.....Caribbean Chicken, I highly recommend !   A quick trip to Target.....stopping at Raleys for some fresh crab for dinner.  It was pretty yummy !
    This weekend I'm helping Tess move into her new abode in North San Juan, Ca.   It's a very small gold rush town in the mountains of Nevada County......about 45 minutes away.  It's a pretty awesome community and I'm looking forward to getting to know it better.....as I know Tess is also !
    Sunday is , of course, the Super Bowl ......featuring our San Francisco 49er's !   Pretty excited !!!  Some of the kids are coming up for the festivities as well as my mom and......shocker.....my dad !
Tomorrow I'll be shopping for groceries for the big day.....nothing too fancy....probably a big pot of chili, maybe some wings.
    I finally figured out how to download photos from my phone to this computer so I promise to try and get more stuff posted......for instance photos of Bryn on Saturday.   How's that for a tease !!

What !!!! It's a New Year ?

  Wow...where has the time gone?  I can hardly believe it's already over a week into the new year.  I've just started to settle in, thinking I should post something and then this morning I got an email from a dear friend inquiring as to the state of my life since I haven't posted for so long.  Terry, all is good....changes occurring as always, but everything toward the positive !  I will try to be more diligent in the new year, I fear I've already lost 90% of my readers. Maybe they'll check in some slow day and see that I have resurfaced.
    I'll mostly blame Molly!  She had 2 weeks off and so we just seemed to find something to do almost everyday.....now she's back at work ,.....I guess it's a good thing !
   I'm back to my walking regime once again and it feels so good....I even got some real shoes to wear at Costco.  I have to admit they make a big difference.....so light and comfortable, I'm almost flying !   However, we'll see if I can handle have shoes on my feet come July when it's 92* out !!

  Jim harvested the beets today and so I spent the afternoon canning pickled beets......oh so good !!  He says he'll plant more next year because these came out so plump and beautiful.

   As you see in the photos my paperwhites are all planted and starting to sprout....my own little New Year tradition.  Soon the whole house will smell heavenly.

   We've been having beautiful weather, however, this afternoon a cold front blew in and the temps been dropping .  Snow by tonight.....not a lot, just enough to be pretty.  My little Callie Rose used to cold weather as an excuse to come in the house and lay next to me......such a sweet little girl.
    Well, hope to "talk" to you again soon......Happy 2013 !
         Darn!   Now something is not working right on Blogspot and so I can't load my photos !   Sorry.....I'll try again later !

May Not Be White...But it Sure is Wet !

 Rain and wind......3 days straight now !  It's supposed to snow later this afternoon, but I'm really not encouraging it......Tess, Seth and Molly are driving to San Francisco for the day and I want Molly to be able to get home tonight and Dan and Anna are driving up this evening from Stockton .....hopefully they make it before the snow starts falling. 

  As you can see, Shasta.....our last remaining kitten....is not the least bit concerned.  One of the advantages for being an "only" cat is that Jim takes pity and lets you in the house.  She's a good girl so I don't mind......actually kind of like it !
   Just about ready for Xmas....presents all wrapped, nuts all roasted and fudge all made.  Sweet Anna is making lasagna for dinner when they get here tonight......so for me , a 49er's game to watch, a cozy bed to crawl into later....nothing much to do.  Until I wake up tomorrow morning !  Morning brings......last minute house cleaning, camping stew to make for Xmas eve dinner and a big plate of homemade cream puffs.......sort of stacked like a Xmas tree !!!!   My mom will  come up early ,I hope,it wouldn't be Xmas Eve day without a last minute trip to Worton's , our little mountain grocery store.  Kids will be showing up later in the afternoon......just in time for dinner ! 
   So many cherished traditions this time of year.....I repeat them each and every year with such joy and anticipation.  Merry Christmas to each of you .......enjoy each and every minute of the coming days.

Who Needs Crab !!!

 Granny's annual Crab Feed was scheduled for last Friday, but, alas, the crabbers chose to go on strike !!   No crab for the masses !  Granny went with menu option # 2 and after a trip to Costco on Thursday.....we were good to go.  Shrimp Scampi for 12, along with Granny's world famous Caesar salad.  All the "local" kids were there and Denny and Joan made it also.  Actually, it was a going away dinner for them as they're headed back to Maui for the winter. 
    It was wonderful to spend time with everyone, but the star of the party was little Bryn.  It had only been about 10 days since I'd seen him, but what a difference 10 days makes !  He's such a big boy now, full of smiles and unbelievably seems on the verge of crawling......he's not even 4 months old yet !  We all had a blast with him.......a much loved little boy.
    Tess and Bryn came up and spent the night after the party and so the next morning Tess, Molly and I headed down for a little holiday shopping.   We were pretty sucessful and had a lot of fun, as we always do.

Today,between football games, Jim and I were semi productive.  I got the outside Xmas lights up and make some apple muffins.  Jim painted the front door.......huge improvement !   Molly went down to see Ross last night and won't be home until after work tomorrow ........teriyaki and asparagus for dinner tonight!
   

Creekside !

     Super wet weekend....12 inches of rain in the past 36 hours, with winds to match.  Good thing it was such a warm storm or we might be buried in snow until Spring.  Seems like it's starting to clear up and next week promises to be drier !

     Dan and Anna braved the storm this morning to come up to watch the Niner's game with us.....I was so glad when they arrived safely.  It was great ,as always, to have them come.  The 49ers lost ,but we enjoyed the nachos and each other's company.
     Yesterday I did a big craft show down in Roseville.  I did really well.....maybe the economy is turning around !  Molly spent the day there with me and I couldn't have done it without her.  It's pretty much a tradition for Molly to come with me, she's been doing it for quite a few years, at least 6 or 7......so sweet of her and so much fun.
  Now that I don't have to be chained to the sewing machine I can start enjoying the season !  I'm meeting my mom for lunch tomorrow and hope to do a little Xmas shopping.  My list keeps getting bigger and bigger.....I have lists on top of lists, on top of lists!   Good thing I love to Xmas shop, I was born to do it !