Hurray for Doug!

This morning we drove to Walnut Creek so Doug could take the state certification exam to finish the final step to be a journeyman wireman electrician. Four hours, 100 multiple choice questions.  (Meanwhile, the boys and I drove to San Francisco to pick up Grandpa Dick at the airport.  He's home!)

Congratulations! He passed.

On the way home, we stopped at the union hall so he could sign the books.  #313.  Next up: a call and a job. We're all excited. I'll keep you posted.

Garden riches

Phyllis does her best to send home peaches with son Christian.

This one grew around a corner post.

Huey Lewis and the News

Thunder Valley Casino on a warm Saturday evening,

with friend Val.

Four food trucks in the courtyard

including one called Bacon Mania. Bacon-wrapped brownie bites?

Also old friends, Glen and Kathy, were there.  I taught two of their 3 kids, Shane and Tyrah, at Westside long ago.  Glen is also part of the pickleball group that gets together.

We met the people around us. Dan and Gay who have been friends for 39 years. Gay's husband stayed home making pickles.

Vicky took daughter Amy to her first concert when she was 8 - Huey Lewis.  25 years later, they reprised their outing.

That's Vicky's fan dealing with the heat of the setting sun.

Huey put on a great 2-hour show!

BBQ with Greatgrandma

Odin is sound asleep even though his eyes are partially open.

Food as Art

The topic of this week's library presentation.

Grandma babysits at the grocery store

We practiced naming all the fruits and vegetables in the produce section. When Kellen was stumped, I whispered in Odin's ear ("celery") and he would call it out ("sour cream") more or less.  We spun one donut in the cart when no one was around and discreetly spied on Mom and Dad.

My lost week

Friday 28 June.
Mom was in that ambulance. I just happened to arrive early (because my visit to the Social Security office was a bust) to find Mom about to go to Mercy San Juan Hospital. She was experiencing a lot of pain in her hip and was unable to get around.  We spent a few hours in the ER, got some x-rays which showed nothing, blood work which showed nothing.  And then the pain lessened, so Mom was released.  I will follow-up with her primary care physician after he's back from vacation.  In the days that have followed, Mom is doing quite well.  The pain seems to have mostly gone away. 

At some point after this picture was taken, I dropped my camera and didn't realize the memory card had popped out.  All the pictures I thought I was taking were not to be, but I would only find out about a week later.

My camera is like a diary, so I had to really think about what happened during my no-picture gap:

• two more unsuccessful early morning trips to Social Security,
• avoiding seven days of triple digit temperatures,
• LOTS of sewing projects: embroidered Luke's christening gown (a family heirloom), one blouse, a knit shirt, a boy's shirt, and half a purse,
• pickleball 
• and a wonderful 4th of July celebration at Merrilyn and Bob's house.

4th of July.

Sadly there are no pictures of those who attended.  I wish you could have seen the eight different homemade pies and the four gallons of homemade ice cream.  Delicious is such an understatement.  How do you decide?  I wanted 1/64 of every pie, but settled for 1/2 slice of cherry and chocolate cream.  OMG-now I want Merrilyn to offer a Cherry Pie 101 class, I will be the first person to sign up. 

Just before the fireworks show started, I discovered the problem with my camera.

Everyone contributed fireworks, it was a great neighborhood display.  Bob had such a cool setup with sawhorses and a board and nearby wheelbarrow and hose with a nozzle.

Thanks, Bob and Merrilyn, for a wonderful get-together.