Easter in E Nicolaus

At Justin's:

It was raining, so the Easter egg hunt was indoors.

Look down low:

None in the oven:

Justin cooked a ham on a rotisserie grill:

A walk to see the sheep and lambs:

Watch where you step!  It was hopeless.

Picnic in the park

Mike and Nicole arrived this morning from Boulder CO where Mike is a Research Associate at the University of Colorado. He presenting next week at the Materials Research Society spring conference in San Francisco.

Time for a family get together in Palo Alto at Greenmeadow Park.

L-R: Steve, Nicole and Mike, Dave, Carolyn, Mark, me, Dick, Leta, Greg holding Luke, Nicole, Martha and Tom (Nicole's parents), Lydia and Dan

L-R: Steve & Corinne, Nicole & Mike, Carolyn, Dave, Leta, Dick, Greg holding Luke, Nicole, Martha & Tom, Lydia, Andrew (Nicole's brother), Dan. 

Four generations:

Grandfathers:

Greg, Luke, Nicole:

Ice cream with grandsons

Dick and I took Kellen and Odin for an ice cream at McDonald's. Stacey and her brother Jared came along.

 

Kellen loves it when I bring my iPad along.  He manages to discover features I didn't know were on it like Photo Booth.  Here are just a few of the many pictures that caused hysterical laughter, all taken by Kellen himself.

 

 

Breakfast with Ade

A couple of weeks ago, Ade asked if I could make a simple cover for a doll bed mattress which she keeps at her house for granddaughter Kylie to play with. Simple? I couldn't do that and went way overboard to create something special for a good friend.  This morning we met for breakfast so I could give it to her.

I used only scraps from the Baby Skaug quilt.

I like the finished product so well that I made a cover for a chair pillow for myself. 

Dick says, "I'd ....

rather be sailing."

It used to be a lawn, now it's all weeds.  Sigh.

Walking with Phyl

I haven't been in Rio Linda much in the last 5 years, a few things have changed for the better. There are new bicycling, walking, and equestrian trails.

In the background, the Dry Creek Ranch House, now part of the Sacramento County Regional Park system.

We walked from the Curved Bridge Road parking area north toward Q Street.

Bike riding around town

Tuesday.  We rode downtown so I could get a haircut. Afterwards, we met at Starbuck's. Every woman I know understands how good it feels to get a new "do." I had to get one picture before I put on my bike helmet for a 1+ hour ride back to Rio Linda.

On the way home, on the East Levee Bike Trail, Dick told me about an event he had a couple of weeks ago:  "I was riding with my head down and not focused on the road ahead. I looked up to see this gate. There was no time to stop so I ducked down and went under it.

But, on the other side, I lost control of my bike and went down the side of the levee."

Which explains why he oddly didn't ride his bike for a couple of days, and held his arm a little funny.  His thumb still hurts today.

Wednesday.  Access to the bike trail is at the end of our street, about 3/8 mile from the house.  On the west side of the creek is Roy Hayer Park and a midget racecar track.

Long ago, when Dick and I were kids, this creek was not fit to play in, although we all did it anyway.

On the east side of the creek is a rodeo arena and a BMX track.  The Sacramento Northern Bike Trail links up with the American River Bike Trail and is the best way to get to Costco and REI, our goals for today.

Today.  After a bagel at Noah's in Town and Country Village, we bought a rake. 

Calvary sings

Every couple of months a group of choir members from Calvary Lutheran Church come to El Camino Gardens to sing to all the residents, but especially for Mom.

Although she doesn't sing along anymore, she sure loves the music and visiting with everyone, especially Leone.  Evelyn, sitting in the next chair, sang almost every song!

Seated L-R: Don Thorne, Mom.  Standing L-R: Leone Thorne, Caitlin, Ron, & Jan Smith, Nicki Sadek, Gloria Deroo. 

Thanks to everyone for making this a special day for my mom.  You are greatly appreciated and loved.

Dick comes home

Dick arrived in California last Wednesday - at midnight. Thankfully Greg picked him up in Oakland. Lucky Grandpa Dick got to spend a few days with Luke Abel.

In the late afternoon, I picked him up in Davis 

at the Amtrak station.

We drove to Dixon to have dinner with his brother Tom's family.  Dick is Clara's godfather.  When she was born, he gave her a bottle of wine to be saved for her 21st birthday which arrived last month.  Tonight the bottle was opened to have with dinner.  Alas, it was vinegary and undrinkable.  Clara is a junior at UC Santa Cruz. 

"What were you thinking?", I asked about giving a newborn a bottle of wine as a gift.  However, no one else thought this was weird.  My bad.