Daughter Maria

Maria poses with some of the staff at California State University in San Marcos.
Her boss is on the right.

June Wedding

Niece Stephanie's son Davis marries Adrienne Ellsworth in Lolo, Montana.

Dustan is father of the Groom

The happy couple.

Beautiful place to have a wedding.

There is a story behind the unusual characters on the cake.

So happy...

 

Missing Robin Redbreast

Where did all the birds go?  I loved watching them drink and bathe and hop around in my yard and they haven't come for awhile.  Was it the earthquake that scared them away????  Something to wonder about.

Family History Update 2013

I am so excited.  My rhododendrons are actually going to bloom soon and I see some lilies ready  to pop, too.  Thank heaven the deer have been staying away!

Saturday night Jean called and asked if I would share information about family history and bring some of my books.  I actually put them in a suitcase and a few more in my back seat and took them Sunday morning plus I had prepared the following regarding my record keeping.  I did not read it but more or less said it.  Anyway I will print it here as a reminder of how I got into this blog business and life books, etc.

 

Family History and Genealogy

I don’t know when my interest in family history and genealogy began but I always kept diaries, wish I had some of those earlier ones. And I have always kept scrapbooks and photo albums.  Wish I had those scrapbooks from high school. 

Temple Record Book

When I was a freshman at BYU  I took a Genealogy Class taught by Archibald Bennett, who was the author of the manual.  However, he hardly ever referred  to the book in class and one day I asked him why.    He said, because it doesn’t  matter how much you know about genealogy, you won’t do it unless you catch the spirit of it.  And so he tried to inspire us and I guess I was inspired.  I traveled to Ogden, Utah to talk to my Aunt Erica about what information she had.  She entrusted me with this book of original Temple records started in1925 and she told me to take good care of it and she felt it was my mission to carry on the work that she and her father had started.  I will never forget how I felt as she handed me this precious book all wrapped up in a linen cloth.

I had joined a Social Unit at BYU (which is like a sorority) but they had their meetings on Thursday night but that was the only night the bus went from BYU to the Genealogy Library and I wanted to go and gather up all the records I could find so I quit the Social Unit and thus began the beginning of hand writing all those Family Group Sheets .  Thus when we were asked to do our 4 Generation Sheets and submit them in the 70's I had the information and gathered the rest from my brothers and sisters on their families and submitted both Richard’s and my 4 Generation Sheets. We had a great Genealogy teaching class in our ward and I learned how to keep files you are working on in my brief case to take whenever I go to FH Centers.

Book of Remembrance

In the meantime I continued to gather and save any information I thought was important.  I had Book of Remembrances for ourselves and each of our children.  A lot of it was just saving and gathering until I had time to put them in books.  I used labeled  manila envelopes as I do today for my pictures. When my children left home they had a Book of Remembrance and a box of Christmas  ornaments.

Christmas Books

I had saved all of our Christmas pictures and Christmas letters that I wrote so when my daughter in law gave me a Christmas Notebook Cover I organized all those Christmases by date and I now have three of those notebooks.  I also kept scrapbooks of important happenings and all greeting cards received.  What wonderful information is on them!!!  So when  I write my history, there is all my information.

Journals

My first real journal I started in 1960 and that is one thing I gathered up when my son died and I knew we would need information about his life for his eulogy in San Diego.   After my husband died and I was living with my daughter, her bishop invited me in to talk—one thing he told me, write it all down what you are feeling, it is so important for your family to have that record.  My daughter-in-law had given me a journal for Christmas and I did write it all down and I am glad I did.  You think you will remember how you felt, you won't, write it down. 

Family Group Sheet and Pedigree Working Books

When the Family History Center in Salt Lake opened up the library to everyone to come in and print off their family records—I believe it was early January 1990 I went in with my granddaughter and put in my daughter’s name and came out with about a six inch stack of records.   Those 4 generation sheets had linked to the records they had.   So from 1951 through the 90's most of my family history work was gathering and preparing for the temple, individual names.

Direct Descendant Chart—Ahentafel Book

With all that wonderful information I was also able to do when interesting things for the grandchildren.  When Meagan was in Jr Hi I was now computer (as of 1985) literate and had all these records on my computer.  I was able to do a direct ancestor chart from her to   Count Foulgues III of Anjou France  in 926.  When my grandson Jacob needed information on family I ran off a Ahnentafel book for him showing him direct ancestors for 15 generations.  I think knowing who you are, where you came from, and having a sense of family is important to us.  Yes I am a historian. I don't keep all this information on my computer anymore, but it is available online.

Family Histories and Hard Copy Family History Books

Trunk of Vida’s materials

In the meantime Richard’s mother passed away and we were all at her house deciding what to do with all her things.  I found she was also a saver and though no one was interested in all those family pamphlets and family history books from family reunions and all her boxes of records of her husband and children I gathered all that up and put them in a huge trunk.  And what treasures they were—handwritten notebooks to her husband telling him what she was going through, telling him about the children, lamenting that she was alone.  I treasured all that information she had saved.  Plus she had Richard’s report cards, certificates, letters, everything.  Plus all the family history books.  As I say a trunkful.   When my husband died I passed the trunkful on to his elder brother and he eventually gave it to a niece and she produced a beautifully written book on the life of Richard's parents.

 

JI Earl Book

But what has this all to do with Family Histories—all those relatives have histories of the ancestors and I was gathering those up, too.   Richard's cousin took two years to travel and gather information on the grandparents of my husband and then print it in two big volumes and he used some of the materials from Vida's trunk I shared with him.  He also printed a book of J I Earl's journal and that is interesting to read.  There are letters going back and forth between two brothers about the Manifesto and whether one was committing adultery or not.  One short item I was interested in was when Vida eloped.  He just said something about how they were surprised that Vida married yesterday to Merlin Hardy.  He was such a good man and they welcomed in to the family.  No recrimination, just the family facts which he always noted as to who was having a birthday, wedding, birth.  He was a faithful journal writer. 

Richard and John Memory Books

After my husband died in 1996  I was living in Pacific Beach near  the only person I ever brought into the church.  She was also single and we bought beach bikes and road around the Mission Bay and Pacific Beach in the mornings before we went to work.

I found out that she was the 7^th Ward Historian and Nadine is a wonderful craft person and the history book that she was creating for 7^th Ward was magnificent.   I just  learned so much from  her about creating Memory Books.  

Thus it was when I moved to Lake Almanor a couple years later I started my  first Memory Book. It was of my husband, of course.  And I had all the wonderful records, pictures and certificates and letters that his mother had saved plus all the things I had saved so it was not hard to do.

My Life from Lake Almanor and Beyond

In 2005 I was working in Texas after Hurricane Katrina and I flew home for a granddaughter’s wedding.  My daughter told me I should start a Blog so they could read about where I was and what I was doing and I wouldn’t have to write emails to everyone.  So she set it up and showed me how to do it and those started all my Blogs.

I now have that main blog which I print off every year into a book—it is like a journal with pictures of my thoughts, family happenings and gatherings, and it is on line as well as my hard copy.  Then I did The Montana Years my life from birth to 1956, The San Diego Scene which is only up to 1980—have 18 more years to do.  Then Linda and I did the Anderson and Larson Family Histories and the Hardy and Earl Family Histories,  Our Favorite Family Recipes, John Hardy, Memoir and John Hardy Web Space, and I am currently working on an enlarged Memoir of my husband.  When I finish my San Diego book I will print it and give to my children and then I will do a Gap Book from 1999-2005 and that will finish my personal history books.  Two of my granddaughters have expressed that they read my blog, others may also some day—just as much as I like to read about how things were in my Mother’s life and my grandmother’s life and how they lived and found joy . 

I have 10 inch notebooks which letters, emails, writings, etc dating from 1942 to 2005. There is where the main information for my life histories come from—besides the three Christmas Books with pictures and yearly Christmas letter.   

Mother’s Book of Remembrance and Book at the Cabin

When I visited my mother in the 80’s I made a Book of Remembrance for her plus two photo albums—later I would copy much of that information plus her a my Dad’s life stories and put it all into a huge Memory Book that I sent up to the Family Cabin in Silver Gate, Montana all in plastic sheets and a sturdy box and It is in a safe place there for all the descendants to read about their grandparent, (or great grandparents), who built this cabin that they all enjoy.  I have received many messages of thanks for all this information and pictures. 

So the important thing in Family History Writing I think is 1—to keep journals, any kind, write it down, you won’t remember, you think you will, you won’t.  Have an organized way to saving valuable records and papers—by name, by place or whatever, but save what is important of the past.

If you have the records and you have the journals, eventually you will find a way to share it and pass it on to other generations.  With the internet it is especially easy to do. 

Currently I have:

 Nine blogs on line plus 160 photo albums on line
 

20 Photo Albums—travels, weddings, places,  etc

7 Scrapbooks

12 Hard back Family Histories

8 blog books printed

10 4 inch notebooks of chronological  data, letters, etc.

Many sorted pictures in labeled manila envelopes 

"My life is an Open Book!

 

Kathy Bishop's Daughter

 

Earthquake Jitters!

Today I was out watering and let Sadie loose from her leash on her Run.  She loves to run and then she spied the dog at the back of the yard and tentatively sought him out.  The owners were tending to bagging needles.  The dogs were soon running and wrestling and having a wonderful time together.  I should have had my camera.  So we watched them have fun and chatted awhile.

We discussed our Earthquake experience.  I have never felt so powerless in my life.  Sadie and I were watching a movie which is unusual at that time because I usually put her to bed and watch all the nighttime TV from my adjustable bed.

(GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A moderate earthquake centered in rural northeastern California and felt in two other states damaged some homes and ruptured a tank that supplies residential drinking water in the densely forested region, officials said Friday.
The magnitude-5.7 quake centered near Greenville sent items tumbling from grocery store shelves and downed chimneys when it hit at 8:47 p.m. Thursday. Despite the damage, no injuries have been reported.
The earthquake was felt in Reno, Nev., about 100 miles south; as far away as San Francisco, 230 miles southwest; and in Oregon. About four dozen aftershocks have been reported, including a magnitude-4.9 temblor that struck early Friday.
About 300 people were affected by the damaged water system and were under a boil advisory until further notice.)

But there we were, sitting on the couch, blissfully unaware of danger, when our house began violently shaking.  Sadie sprung up and then so did I, I thought the light fan would crash upon us and I was sure the house was crumbling around us.  Stupidly I could not think where to go or what to do, thankfully it only lasted about a minute and then I began an inspection of damage.  As I opened the door to go see if I could smell leaking gas anywhere, Sadie ran out past me and on to the road and headed south as fast as she could go!

This violent shaking was different than the rolling earthquakes I had experienced in San Diego and Guam but miracle of miracles my little cabin held up under the violence and only a bottle was broken when it fell from top of the cupboard to tile counter.  A few other things fell from the top of bookcases and pictures flopped over or became askew on the wall.

What I will never forget is how vulnerable and powerless I felt and yes, I immediately began praying that we would be safe.

My neighbors were in bed so it was a different sensation for them, their water heater has to be replaced.  Oh, no, I hadn't even inspected it but all seems to be well.  Thankfully when I was thinking   of selling my house last fall I had the earthquake bands put on.  So glad I did, yea!!!

Yea, It Works!

Today I tried my leaf blower that I got with all my American Express Reward points and it is so easy to use--not too big and I have a cord that takes me all the way to the end of the driveway!

It also works great on the deck and even blows the needles, etc off the river rock patio without disturbing the sand.

Wow, what used to be so tedious with a broom or hose is now a fast, easy, short job.

I also started a diet to reduce my blood pressure--yes, it is a diet to lose weight which is short on fat, sugar, salt, etc.  I can see I have been eating waaaaaaaay too much sugar and fat.  Anyway it is an easy chart to follow and I will probably have all I'm allowed before suppertime...

Observations On Being Over 85 Years Old-by my brother Dave

Dave and Dorothy--Married over 65 years

1-You can remember all your youth and high school but not what you did last week.

2-Your spirit is willing but your knees are weak.

3-By the time you get ready to go, you are too tired to go.

4-Young ladies treat you nice, they know you’re harmless.

5-Your wife says you only hear what you want to hear—you are glad you can’t hear it all.

6-"Ben Gay” is your best friend.

7-Your favorite song is “Memories”.

8-You can’t afford to live and you can’t afford to die.

9-You have too much stuff.

10-A new bike now costs more than your first car at $1800.

11-You have more friends under ground than above ground.

12-You can gain weight just by looking at food.

13-You steer the car but your wife is the driver.

14-All the dummies are in Congress and all the smart ones are on TV.

15-You have lived happily for 85 years without Facebook, Google, Internet, Smart Phone, or even  a computer.

16-You remember paying 25cents for a gallon of gas.

17-You have lived through at least six wars.

18-You have to buy a nice head of hair.

19-You are still paying taxes!

20-Your best exercise is just going up and down stairs.

21-Most of your social life is in grocery and post office lines.

22-Most of your phone calls are a pain in the a.__.

23-Everyone looks older than you at your class reunion.

24-Looking in the mirror the first thing in the morning is the worst thing you can do.

25-You can afford steak but you don’t want it.

26-Your wife knows far more than you do.

27-A morning BM is the best thing that happens all day. 

28-You have lots of time to read but your eyes get tired.

29-You hit the golf ball with a Driver about the distance a Pro can with a 9 iron.

30-You don’t lose many golf balls anymore because they don’t go far enough to be out of sight.

31-The suit styles are still changing but you don’t care.

32-The old songs and movies are better than the new ones.

33-You remember when a $6.50 hamburger was 15 cents and a $3.50 ice cream cone was a nickel.

34-The way the youth talk you wonder if there are any  good English teachers in the schools today.

35-You only take the daily paper to read the obituaries.

36-Your families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts.

37-You can’t understand why anyone would go to a “Harry Potter” movie at midnight and who is Harry Potter anyway?

38-You like Harry Truman!

39-You remember when only sailors had tattoos.

40-You walked to school.

41-You ate 3 meals a day with the whole family!

42-You remember when no one wore shorts, especially to school.

43-You have lived through many 3 initials  WPA,PDQ,OPA,CBS,NBC,ABC,FOX,LDS,USA,QVC…

44-Most of your rump has disappeared and reappeared around your waist.

45-The only four letter word you like and use is “four”.

46-You delivered papers for years but “tips” were not invented yet and neither was Mom driving you in a car.

47-You remember when Mom called in her grocery order and they delivered them at no extra charge.

48-Castor Oil and Vicks cured everything when you were young.

49- And dogs did not live in the house!

50-And children played outside as much as they could.

51-You made your own kites, wooden guns and lead soldiers.

52-You never got spanked even when you deserved it.

53-Family picnics were a BIG deal.

54-There was no Fast Food except for Mom’s cooking. 

55-Movies cost 10 cents and on Pal Nite two could go for a dime.

56-A ‘Black Cow’ sucker lasted through most of the movie but not the Friday Night added Serial.

57-You went through 12 years of school with no back packs and no car.

58-Passing gas in the morning is the best feeling of the day.

59-You usually win “Longest Marriage” (65 years) at the programs and reunions you go to.  When they ask “How did you do it?” You reply “Don’t die!”.  

Gluten Free Bread

Now I know!  Yesterday I was in Chico and Costco had some Red Mill Gluten Free flour so I decided to try it (cheaper) and did not buy the Pamela's Bread mix which I loved so much last week.  The bread I just made from Red Mill tastes terrible!!!  I will have to order some Pamela's quick...

Summertime and the Living is Easy

 

One of my favorite things is watching the birds that come for a drink or a bath--so many of them this year, wish I knew their names.  The robin takes the most thorough bath, really enjoys it.

Sometimes I take Sadie off her leash and she does big running circles around the property with me urging her on.  She loves to run and she is fast.

Nothing grows too well in this pine rooted soil, but anything that is green gets to stay.

Yesterday I watched  "Captains Courageous". the 1937 version.  I don't remember seeing it before.  So   Excellent.  Love TCM.

A Good Day

Today I really enjoyed talking on Skype with Meagan and Keira.  Why don't we do this more often?

It was a beautiful day in the 80's I think.  The yard looks so pretty as I picked up the branches blown down last week.

I also watched two really good movies.  Cried through most of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".  I feel like I looked so much like the little girl, I really related to her.  How many times have I seen this movie?  Many.  So relate to the story of the hardworking wife who appears so "hard" and the failure father who is loved by so many.  Much to think about in this movie.

"Above and Beyond" is the story of Paul Tibbetts, who flew the B-29 that dropped the first atom bomb on Hiroshima.  It is an excellent movie as it presents how much had to be done to get to that place in history and how much responsibility was on him--a man alone.  I was sad to hear that he and his wife divorced two years after the movie was made and about 9 years after the bombing.

Beautiful Daughters and Granddaughters

Melissa and Maria

Linda and Amy

I was just thinking the other day that it was Melissa and Amy who played with the paper doll sets I cut out.  And it was Melissa and Amy who each wrote their names on the bottoms of two of my dolls.  Amy chose Cinderella and Melissa chose Shirley Temple in her red dotted dress.  I have them saved for them.

Spring is Here!!!

Going to have lots of beautiful lillies this year.

Love the blooms on this crabapple tree.

I had to laugh when I went to our new nursery in town.  They have so many glorious blooms, my freaking few things look pathetic.  Would be wonderful to know what those gardeners know.

Today I found the hammock is perfectl for a good rest while working in the yard.  However, I also found when a weakling old lady and a frisky puppy try to climb onto the hammock at the same time upsetting things can happen!!!

James at El Camino

James and Camber also visited Richard's grave and were able to pull up the vase and leave some flowers.  Such a nice Mother's Day Gift.  Thank you so much.

Mother's Day Gift.

Maria cleaned up Richard's tombstone and laid a rose across it. It gets covered with lots of tough grass and it is hard to clean up.  So appreciative, Maria, thank you.

New Hanmock

I love my new hammock, it is wonderful to gaze into the trees and sky and watch and listen to the birds, I think I could take a nap there--must find a pillow and blanket...

Tanner, the Missionary

So I love all these pictures of grandson Tanner on his mission.  He is in the Bacolod area of the Philippines.

I love reading his letters, he is so strong in his love for his mission and the people he is serving.

And he looks like he is strong and healthy, too.

His companion does not speak English so Tanner is learning to speak their language better and better.

Looks like such sweet children.

 

 

Aha, bare feet...
So proud of Tanner.

Outside My Home

Last year Maryanne gave me a Tulip and when it was finished blooming I planted it in one of my gardens, but I know it was not here.  The squirrels move them around so I have heard.

When I am in my recliner on the deck this is what I see to my left.  Rather unique with the symmetry I think.

Update on Sadie

Sadie is going to be a bigger dog than we thought.  She is already 12 lbs.  And she has this wirehair which is a trait of only certain kinds of dogs.  According to what I read she should have her hair hand stripped about four times a year!!!!  I have watched a video of it, I have tried it, not easy.  So what happens if it is never done???  I would like to find out how to make her hair shine more.  Guess it is all about diet!

She loves to run and she loves to find little branches to chew on and she just ruined my new glasses by chewing on the lens and the stems.   I think the count is now up to three things she has ruined, besides the glasses, there was my ear plugs and some sandals!

Our favorite activity together besides walking?--watching TCM movies in the afternoon under the fur throw--she can sleep in my lap (she loves to sleep on the fur throw) while I stay put for awhile and pet her.

So which one of these  breeds did she inherit her wire hair from?????  Some kind of Terrier or Schnauzer?  Certainly not from a Beagle, Chihuahua, or Springer Spaniel as has been mentioned as possible parents.

Airedale Terrier

Australian Terrier

Border Terrier

Brussels Griffon

Cairn Terrier

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Dachshund Wire-haired

Irish Terrier

Lakeland Terrier

Norfolk Terrier

Otterhound

Parson Russell Terrier

Scottish Terrier

Sealyham Terrier

Schnauzer

Welsh Terrier

West Highland White Terrier

Wire Fox terrier

So, she remains a mystery.  Matt said for $50 you can get the DNA of your dog and find out exactly what their ancestry is--that would be interesting.

Grands and Great Gran in the News

Keira became a tiger on a recent trip to Cabo with her parents.

Sarah and her cousin compete in a swimming meet and both win one race!!  Sarah won in Backstroke and Kirra won in freestyle.  So cute!

Lea is so beautiful as a lovely ballerina--10 years now!

Keira and her Grandpa John

 

 

 

 

They really do look alike, don't they?

It Is Spring at the Lake

The daffodils are blooming and it is in the mid sixties today.  Sadie likes to sit in the sun.

Utahna's husband made this sign for me in 2000.  Most people think I am referring to my house as the Great Escape.  Actually I am basing my reference to the movie The Great Escape and am referring to Bandido and I making the Great Escape from the City!!  It was a miracle we were able to escape and move to the mountains.

April, 2013

I think this has been the longest I have gone without writing in my blog.  It has been a month of unpack, sort, clean, everthing from top to bottom plus do all my paperwork and print off necessary papers, pay taxes, etc. etc.  Since I don't have the energy I need and got sick along the way it has taken me a looong time.

I also made time to travel to Chico for my reading glasses from Costco and get more collage paper and materials from Michaels and travel to Susanville about three times for things.

 Then I also found time to start the yard clean up and start decopouging boxes for all my dolls.  I was exhausted every night but also found time to read "Poaching Daises", see the movie "42" with Maryanne and prepare my Relief Society lesson  plus walk with Sadie a few times a day.


My dolls had been all wrapped up and in a chest and I decided since I am not selling my house and moving I want to have my dolls out but there is not room to put them anywhere so I will put them all in nice boxes.  Finding the right size boxes is the hard part but I really enjoy doing the collage with the books of paper I bought for half prize.  They will last me a long time and are much better than calendars.

Matt came last weekend and did all the raking, finished the garage, and we took six very packed carloads to the dump.  We also bought what was needed to fix the hoses and for the first time in many years I do not have any leaks anywhere and no twisted hoses, etc.  He also cleared all the needles off the roof and out of the rain gutters.  That is a BIG and MESSY job.  Although there are branches left to chop, the rest of the wood is chopped and stacked.  I have never been so ready for spring and next winter.  Matt did a super, super job with everything and I mended the birdhouses and did a little paint touch up...and it is warm enough to start watering.  Many, many thanks to Matt.

We did have a cold spell though and all the pink blossoms disappeared off the apple tree--

The river rock patio even  got more sand and Sadie has a lot more space for her run.  She is finally learning where to do her pooh and adjusting to life on a leash.  When Bruce was here he led her astray a few times but I was happy to see that she did return promptly when called.

Yesterday she met her first deer.  Three of them were in the back yard and she actually barked at them and then she cried a little, too.  So many new things around here.

All in all I think we are ready for a great summer here and I am now ready to get started on all my projects again.  It is lonely without Mike to talk to occasionally but I have so much to keep me very, very busy.

Oh, yes, Sadie loves her new bed which Bandido did not use very much.  I now tell her goodnight and do not take her to bed with me.  She will not be allowed in my bedroom until she absolutely never has another 'accident' in the house again.

Mike is On His Way

One of Mike's friends had to travel to a funeral so Mike's Sacramento trip was cut short and he came back to pick up some papers and spend a few more days.  We had our Easter dinner on Saturday night.  I tried out a chuck roast in my new Dutch Oven and I liked it really well.  Very tender and delicious.  I also tried cooking my spinach in the rice steamer and loved that--I am not putting it away.
We had my favorite Waldorf Salad and Strawberries and Cream over homemade Sponge Cake.  The only thing that came out of a package was the Rhodes rolls and they were really good, much better than at Christmas.

Mike solved my printing and tv problems and is on his way.  Who is going to be my new guru?????  Sadie can't do it.

Matt willl be here tomorrow and help with organizing the garage and cleaning the winter debris from the yard.  He has already cleaned the roof, chopped the wood and repaired the deck.  What wonderful grandsons I have.  I will miss them all.

The Only Love You Can Buy

A friend recently told me that the "a puppy is the only love you can buy".  What a lovely thought and it is so true.  Sadie loves everybody and when I sit at the computer she gives me big wet kisses on my neck and she snuggles close when we sleep.  Of course, she also likes to escape me and the leash and run free whenever she can..


She is learning to love to sit in the sun on the deck.  She is frustrated by the no grass anywhere to do her wee and pooh, though and she misses running around in circles like she did at Linda's house.

One big advantage to her habitat here is that there are lots of sticks and does she love twigs and sticks.

Except for being frightened when the leash handle chased after her on the road (after I dropped it) she appears to really like it up here.  Soon I will take her to Maryanne's for a playdate so she can tussle with other doggies.

She really liked Mike and I am so glad I will not be alone--now that Mike is leaving!

Melissa and I drove to Chico on Sunday the 24th and had an easy trip.  Melissa is a wonderful traveling companion.  Very competent driver and most interesting conversationalist.  It was a great trip both ways and we loved the new car to drive in.  We arrived in Chico in time for me to go home to Lake Almanor.  Mike was packing and said he was leaving that night to visit his friends for a last time before driving East to Chicago and then his grandparents in Michigan and then on to Baltimore.  I never thought he would make it but he was out of the door by 8:30 pm.

I spent four days reorganizing, unpacking, cleaning etc etc.  The boys had done a nice job of cleaning out my freezer, cupboards and fridge.  Mike said they threw away all dated thing and ate the good stuff..  Saved me a having to do it and I just had to put things back the way I wanted.  I love being home  though I am really going to miss all the good food that Linda and Gary prepare and seeing all the grandchildren and lunching and going to movies with my daughters and visiting with my son and his family---nice options though, there in the winter, here in the spring, fall and summer!!!!!