Sophia's Big Brother

This is Carter, the much-loved first-born. I started out saying, "I have two granddogs." Now they're just the two oldest of four. The second born is Neela, another Golden Lab, but Carter is the third in line, behind Mom and Dad, of loving parents to Sophia.

El Camino Gardens

Albertha and Kristen have a little fun on a slow Sunday afternoon. They are staff members in the Life Guidance Unit at Atria El Camino Gardens where my mom lives.

This Little Piggy

Nicole and Greg came to visit at Justin's today. Justin explained the fine art of pig-rearing. He's raising 3 right now, they'll be butchered in 4-6 weeks.





And we learned that Nicole has always wanted to mow a lawn. I remember when she went camping for the first time with Greg and a girlfriend (or two?) a couple of years ago.

Clara Skaug Interviewed

The California Report, a KQED public radio program, did a report on the economic struggles of Dixon Unified. Clara's part of the interview comes at about 3:20 in the 5-minute-long story.

http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R908281630/b

Amazingly, Dick, his sister Carolyn, and sister Aurora all heard the broadcast live. Dick found this link on the Internet

Another Hodel

Today was Mom's follow-up appointment to discuss last week's colonoscopy. She has a 5-6 cm cancerous mass on her ascending colon. Bloodwork and a CT scan are our next steps. At the lab, the technician asked my mom how to spell her last name.

Rapidly, my mom reeled off "H-0-D-E-L."

The technician showed Mom her ID badge and asked, "Is it spelled like this?"

This is Jamie Hodel. She grew up in S California, her family previously lived in Kansas where they raised cattle. We couldn't any find any names/relatives in common, but we convinced ourselves that somehow we were related.

Happy Anniversary Jim & Lucy

A week ago, both Jim and Lucy thought their anniversary was either August 24 or 25. Jim checked the engraved wine glass in the china cabinet and discovered it was actually today, August 26. He decided to surprise Lucy by sending flowers to Lucy at work.

It was the biggest bouquet I've ever seen. Jim definitely loosened the purse strings on this one.

Lucy had trouble getting it into her vehicle to bring home. Dick had to help get it out.

The peacock feathers were a humorous addition to the arrangement.

There's an annoying neighborhood peacock which jump-flies from roof to roof and walks around the yard, leaving a mess in its wake, until the dogs decide to chase it away.

Dick and I got a fruit basket cake from New Roma Bakery, which shifted slightly before serving. Last week, Lucy and Dick were discussing how delicious this particular cake is.


Friends came over in the evening:
L: Virginia, Jim's step-mother.

R: Lupita
L-R: Neighbors Archie and Sandy Sanders, Jerry (Lupita's husband).

Chief is in the foreground.

L-R: Jim, Jerry & Susan Trautman, Jimmy Reed.

Breakfast with Adrienne

Good conversation and great food at Venita Rhea in Rocklin