Audra was so proud of herself last night...
as she was Louis' little helper replacing a broken old fan
with a new chandelier in our home's sun room.
She asked me to snap her photo up on the big ladder.
:0)
Kinda pretty....
Voila!
I like it SO much better than it's 1980's predecessor.
Leaving from on the Amtrak Train for a 2 day & 1 night ride...just to get where he's going...
Located in Cimarron, New Mexico
Gear Check at the Base camp~
On the Trail...shorter hike days means a game of Risk at the camp site for these guys...
Jared has to use his left hand...and can't do a few of the activities (like Black Powder Rifles) because of his broken thumb...but it doesn't keep him from enjoying his trip.
'Death Crew 2' (half of the guys) ~ Atop Mount Phillips
Starting at sunrise every morning....hiking 3 to 10 miles each day...
The last mountain peak...The Tooth of Time...base camp is back in site...
Yeah! He did it!
12 nights in the wilderness...81 miles of hiking...40 bug bites
&
16 HUGE blisters on his feet!
Jared reports that it was one of the BEST Boy Scouting Adventures he has ever had!
(I feel so relieved to have him back home, safe & sound....15 nights was a loooong time.)
Here we are...just a tad Crazy for posing for a photo,
and I've got to acknowledge that Elena was 'quite the Sport'
to go along with our plans for her.
(Audra would not smile here, because she didn't want her face mask to Crack!)
There, that's better!
Audra was styling in & around Union Square.
Britex Fabric Shop is so beautiful...it's like visiting a Museum!
It's hard to shop in San Francisco, without a quick trip to Teuscher's,
let me just say....
THE best Champagne Truffles...EVER!!
....and it's just a Gorgeous chocolate store too!
All that shopping....we need a coffee break!
We visited China Town...
...ate a little Dim Sum....
and enjoyed site seeing Waverly Place's charming balconies.
It was a perfect 2 days of shopping & dining fun & we already plan to do it again
...we just have to recover from the shin splints we got from
WALKING so much on all the hilly streets!
Off To Long Beach we go....a Gorgeous View of the Harbor
& a Bridal Tea Party for one of my distant cousins.
Mothers, daughters, sisters, and every kind of cousin you can name...
(1st, 2nd, & the 'once removed' kind too)
I think Audra felt like Bride To Be, Meghan was a Disney Princess!!!
The Cast of Characters
The Yummy End Result!!!
I think I'll be eating these for every meal until one of my ingredients runs out...
Thanks for the Tomatoes, Nola and for the inspiration, Cindy!
One of my dearest friends, Karen called 5 weeks ago
to say she was on her way to Fresno....
her brother in law was being air lifted here to our Community hospital's burn unit.
Mark had been in a work related accident where he plunged into a scalding geothermal water site. He burns covered 73% of his body, from his feet up to his arm pits
(one a small miracle, his head to his shoulder tops were unscathed).
So here he is...5 weeks of healing...numerous skin grafting surgeries...and he has the BEST attitude I have ever had the privilege of witnessing. His wife, Paula has sat by his side, all day long....for these 35 days. The doctors still haven't given them a 'release date', but they are taking it one day at a time.
I have had the duty of being their 'Fresno Connection'...sometimes providing a bed, a mapping service, mail/Starbucks delivery person, business referrer, or just plain ole' VISITOR. And...every minute of it has been my honor to be able to help in some tiny way.
These 3 people are an amazing example of how to come together for family in a time of need.
They are my inspiration!
Ouch...Jared slammed his thumb into a teammates head (1 tough head, because it's not broken) and caused a fracture in his 1st knuckle right at the joint ( that's not the best place to break your bone) & this is on his RIGHT hand.
He asks for a little side note here: he DID make the goal he was shooting when the accident occurred!
So, off to the orthopedist we go...and now it's 2 1/2 to 3 months without his favorite sport. Believe me, he wasn't looking so smile-y when Dr. Majors said THAT to him.
Now he's sporting a much bigger splint to keep the bone from shifting....but his attitude is so good, I'm hopeful that his healing will progress faster than predicted.
I made another modge-podge/scrap paper frame...this time for my darling daughter's activities...she loves horses and has a chance to ride every Wednesday evening, after grooming & saddling her big brown buddy.
And, I've had this little gift card craft on my 'to do' list since 2 Christmas' ago! (idea lifted from Aunty Lynn)
Finally, I got around to making one.
I must say...it was fun, fast & gratifying too.