In Merrilyn and Bob’s back yard.

Near Justin’s house.

At Dave and Phyl’s house.

Happy cows because

Justin mowed the lawn.

Cherry pie is my #1 favorite pie, but I hardly ever eat it. Way too rich but mostly it’s really hard to find a good one. Last 4th of July, I had the best cherry pie ever at Merrilyn’s. today, Phyllis and learned how to make it.

From scratch. Neither Of us feels like we can make a good pie crust.

Because it’s not cherry season, we used frozen cherries.

Lattice top, precisely measured, and cut with a pizza cutter.

Latticed, edges crimped, and ready for milk wash and Demerara sugar.

While the pies were in the oven, we had brunch, then cracked some walnuts.

HOT! from the oven.

Unbelievably delicious. Warm with ice cream. Ahhhhh.

This was a hard post. I have 40 great pictures and could easily have written a tutorial. The next pie will definitely happen in fresh cherry season. Merrilyn, I know Phyl and I love the cooking lessons you’ve given us.

And best of all, lunch with Ade in the conservatory.

I started making Valentine Confetti on Super Bowl Sunday. Popcorn coated with melted white chocolate and packaged with red, pink, and white M&Ms. The first batch went to LGA Bike Club.

Everyone liked it so I kept making more and more bags. If you were in my path in the past two weeks, you probably got one. All of my CBET students got one.
The best story came on Thursday at Del Paso School. It was Jose’s first day, he did quite well, he has good English language skills. At the end of class, we talked about Valentine’s as a special day. I asked each student if they would be my valentine, then gave them the treat. All the ladies smiled or giggled and said yes. Jose, the last person I asked said, “No, I can’t. This is only my first day.”

Grandma: Odin, put down those nunchucks before you give me a hug.

Odin: Ok.

G: Your t-shirt says “The legends about my dad are all true.” What do people say about your dad?

O: Well … the bad guys say “Your dad is nice.”

A while later I asked for another hug.

O: I can’t right now. I’m busy.

There are times when helping Mario collect gold coins while running down a track is far more important than giving hugs.

Phyl finished the orange fleece pajama pants.  Next:  a knit top.

Previous successful projects:

This top you will never see again. One day as Phyl was looking at a bunch of pictures, she noticed how too often she was wearing this particular top. She vowed never to wear it again, unless we’re making jams, jellies, or pies.

This is me trying to drive Dave crazy. I borrowed his jacket when I went outside and put it back on the back of a barstool where I’d found it. But it were ever so slightly askew. Dave noticed and perfected its drape. So, when he wasn’t looking and before I went home, I fixed his jacket up nicely.

I was hired last fall by WALKSacramento to coach an after-school junior high bicycle club at Leroy F Greene Academy.

Because I’m an LCI (League Cycling Instructor; #3879), I was qualified to coach this club, one of many after-school clubs at LGA. I am a first in this region for this kind of job, so there were very few guidelines. It was fun from the very first moment.

Megan McManus is our staff advisor. Here students are learning about tire pressure, where to find the correct psi, and pumping up their tires to the correct pressure.  WALKSacramento has been very supportive by providing helmets for each club member and providing some excellent equipment basics.

Attendance has fluctuated cover our twice-monthly meetings. From this group, six have stuck with it. LaTraye (far left) was recently elected captain.

And four have qualified for first club ride on February 17 because they proved to Coach they had mastered these skills:

To be honest, it makes me smile to be called “Coach.”