We have been Christmassing in Park City. since 1976 but this year the only ones there for the early week are Maria, her children Mike, Matt, Melissa, Mitch and me sharing the unit.
I was released from SBA duty on December 19 in Sacramento, picked up Mike from college and then drove to my Lake Almanor home and met Melissa and we drove straight to Park City the next morning.
Martin, Richard's brother and Kathy were also there early waiting for their children's families to arrive. They were fun to visit with, only time I ever see them is Christmas, it seems.
We like Christmas in Park City because it is simple, we play games, eat ski or snowboard, have a
Christmas program of sorts and always the white elephant gift game.
Maria brought her portable Christmas Tree!!!!
Dinner is always good but not time consuming. I remember one year especially when we put the turkey in the oven before we went skiing, bought a Christmas tree really cheap on the way home and had Christmas dinner that evening. It is always good no matter who is there and what we eat.
Matt was the only one snowboarding. Mitch and Mike spend time on their computers and the girls shop and usually sit in the hot tub. And we always have fun playing games, going to movies and watching tv.
This year the hot tub was not working so that was a great disappointment.
I also enjoyed watching from our window the construction work going on in front of Meagan's unit, which is why they went to Hawaii this year. Maria was also doing some dating on the side, so that was an interesting sidelight!
Matt in his snowboard gear. And he showed us how he can board down stair railings, too.
Mike kicking back from school and watching tv when he is not on the computer.
Maria's family poses for a picture together. It is hard to get family together in this crazy world so we appreciated this time.
Melissa all ready to go shopping, shopping, or looking, looking since everyone was saving money for college this year. Mitch and Maria ready to go for an outing also. Maria and Matt pose at Temple Square.
We always make our trek to Temple Square. It is always bustling with visitors, Christmas trees, the Nativity Scene and beautiful, beautiful lights. It was a good Christmas! Thanks, Valkos, for letting me share Christmas with you.
Thanksgiving 2008
For Thanksgiving Maria and her four children had Thanksgiving in my hotel room in Sacramento. I was still working for SBA. This trip was quite lonely except that Mike was in Sacramento, too, so I would often pick him up to eat.
Maria brought the creamed corn and Melissa had luscious spinanch dip but the turkey I shared was not too great. Maria say, ""the turkey is the part of it," and that is so true.
After returning from Christmas I had my slippery slide down my front steps and didn't do any blogging for almost a month so here goes Christmas 2008. By the way I had no time to get Christmas cards out in 2008, maybe 2009 will be the year for cards.
We had a Farewell Dinner on Friday and this is Maribeth, my pod partner, and John, my Supervisory Loan Officer. I had the salmon which was marinated in ginger, brown sugar and bourbon. Delicious! 
Jody, the lady, is our trainer, Edwin, in red is our leader, Greg in glasses was my car partner and fellow traveler from Maryland to West Virginia in Hurricane Isabel and Chuck, with the hat was my car partner for awhile here in Sacramento. 
