My favorite way to spend New Year’s Eve: spend the night at Dave and Phyl’s, have appetizers and drinks, and watch movies.
Monthly Archives: December 2016
On the town with friends
The town being Rio Linda, the bar being the American Legion. Friends L-R: Hilda, Lucy, Jim.
Jimmy and Ed:
Walnut crop 2016
Once I felt I’d recovered enough from my bicycle crash, I had to get out to the walnut trees and get the absolute last of this year’s crop. The grass had grown quite a bit, I raked the leaves the best I could, but the best way to discover all the fallen gems was to step carefully. Lots of bending over!
I gathered about 55 pounds to make the grand total this year 560 pounds!
Happy Birthday Val
The second annual birthday party for Val at Maria’s.
Great conversation, champagne, a little dancing (as long as Alexa cooperated with verbal commands), and delicious food.
So much fun!
Pie Making Day
From the Sewing Cave: two sets of four open-wide zippered pouches from a collection of fabrics called Pie Making Day by Brenda Ratliff.
There were 11 different fabrics in the collection.
Once nested, they were reduced to this.
Christmas Day
We had brunch at Justin’s house.
A nativity scene to play with.
Going for a ride in Grandma’s new Walnut Wagon.
Another way to transport onesself.
Sophia read to her brother, Bill O’Reilly’s book Give Please a Chance.
While Mom and Uncle Justin discussed a landscape design plan,
Sophia and Avery investigated a dirt pile.
Christmas Eve
At Leah (Lenin’s sister) and Jeff’s. Cousins! Avery has his hand on Leo’s head, Sophia is open-mouthed, Cameron is wearing a hat, and Lauren and Jeffery are to the right.
Prime rib for dinner!
Cousins Jeffery and Christian check to see who’s taller.
When Grandma babysits …
It’s ok to have a little ice cream for breakfast.
And lick a gingerbread house.
We went to a nearby Goodwill store to find a 100% wool sweater to make mittens and we ran into a commercial being filmed inside the store.
Playing hide-and-seek with the neighbors!
Party at Archie & Sandy’s
Lucy & Jim Reed and neighbor Laura:
Jim, Sandy, and neighbors (whose names I didn’t catch):
Archie has a very big model train project going on, which he says will never be finished.
Archie helping a young conductor:
Val Martin and me:
Field trip with Justin
Going to Maisie Jane’s in Chico is an annual trip for Justin. This year I was invited to go along … yay!
Another of Justin’s favorite stops:
Lunch at Sierra Nevada Brewery:
In the space above the gift shop, you can see a collection of Santas begun in the 1980s by Karen Gosner, Mrs Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Days like today are so special. Thank you Justin for inviting me to go along!
arletelouise 