Winter Storm in Southern California

Yesterday we experienced a "winter storm" in southern California. This video was taken on the beach just to the right of our house.





If that video doesn't work try going here.

Beach House View 1-16-10

Kevin Bob and Lucy on our balcony.
John Deere grooming the beach.


Dawn from my balcony.

Two jetski's heading out at dawn.

Go to facebook for more pictures.

The Lap of Luxury

My private balcony. This is the view from my bed on the third floor!

View from the roof top deck.


Second story balcony.


Port of Long Beach with Uncle Jack, Bob and Glenn.

Glenn, Uncle Jack, Bruce and Cheryl.

Cheryl

Glenn and Uncle Jack.

Loren and Rhonda.

Loading and unloading containers onto and off of ships.

Cheryl, Glenn, Bonnie, Bob and Bruce.

I'm not a lap sitter by nature, but the lap of luxury is a VERY nice place to be. I am writing this while listening to the ocean waves, the sun is glistening off the water, temp is a perfect 75 degrees, doors to the balcony are open wide admitting a slight breeze.

I traveled to Long Beach California Wednesday morning with three of my sisters and our husbands. We settled in Wednesday night with a nice meal and then bought groceries. We relaxed with refreshments then called it a night.

Yesterday our Uncle Jack gave us a tour that highlighted the extremes of the area. We went to the upper deck of the port of Long Beach where we saw the large vessels being loaded and unloaded. We went to Farmer Johns, a meat packing plant that Bruce used to deliver to when he drove truck in this area, then through a poverty stricken area with many homeless on the streets. Within what seemed like only a few blocks we went through the garment district, then the jewelry district where every window was alight with sparkling jewels and the streets were full of people who looked like they could afford to buy them. What a contrast in the human condition. We also toured Hollywood and Beverly Hills before heading for home.

The freeways here are another sight to behold, they seem to take in humans of every condition and walk of life and blend them together, spinning some off to the right every so often. What I couldn't figure out is why all the tennis balls in the drains along the road. About every 15 feet there was a tennis ball laying in the gutters along the freeway. Perhaps one of the great questions of our time to which we may never know the answer.

We had burgers with Uncle Jack, Uncle Willis and Aunt Evy and their daughters and their daughters families and Uncle Garrit and Aunt Grace and their daughter Jonna. We ended up at Uncle Jacks to see Aunt Kay before they both went to our beach house to bring us home and take the grand tour. Half of us went to bed and the other half stayed up to watch an exquisite show. (My Luke says exquisite instead of explicit.)

Today everyone except my sister Bonnie and I went to Universal Studios. Bonnie and I are relaxing in our lovely beach house. I will be posting pictures and a description of our house (luxury's lap) in another post.

I think I may go sit out on my balcony with a book and a tomato beer. Another post soon hopefully.

Goin' to Kansas City, Kansas City here we come.

Three of my sisters and I got to meet Ree in KC! Rhonda, Bonnie, Cheryl and I went, unfortunately our sister Lorri had to work.




On the way we ran into snow. The roads got so bad that I even suggested we pull off the road and miss seeing Ree (drastic measure). Thankfully Rhonda, our driver, persevered and we made it.



We also met her boy punks and her manly husband. Wow on the husband, he's gorgeous in person! I once mentioned in Ree's comment section that If I ever met them in person I was not the type to ogle her husbands butt. (Everyone ogles his butt on her site especially when she posts a picture of it in chaps.) I lied. I ogled.

It was also very nice in person. Can I say "I saw his butt in person?" I think I can. His voice is gravely and sexy, there is something extraordinary about his eyes. Let's just say he is a fine specimen.

The boys were adorable and entertaining. This looks like a sweet hug, it is actually a head-butt to the neck.



"Look what I found Dad."

Tossing his little brother over the wall. They got lots of laughs.

Ree looked awesome as always. Loved her outfit. We were in the second row. The interviewer asked us to write down questions for Ree. The lady skipped my question which was, "Have you waterboarded your children lately?" It was an inside joke Ree would have got because I asked a question involving waterboarding during one of Ree's question and answer posts. Anyway, Ree was sweet and funny. She sang. Then they awarded door prizes.

MM gazing adoringly at his wife as they get ready to give the prizes.

Cheryl won! Ree's oldest son presented her a wall hanging that said "Cowgirl Up". Ree gave us all a T-shirt and I got a hug when we finally got our books signed. Ree said she was glad to meet me!

He wanted that mic bad.

A helpful smack on the butt. He got a big laugh for that.



Practicing their mixed martial arts.

Being goofy and the crowd loved it.

My sister Bonnie found the cutest Limoges figurine of a basset hound. We let the boys look at it while they where waiting for their mom to finish signing books. They loved it and so did Ree when we gave it to her.

Ree announced that she will be publishing Black Heels to Tractor Wheels! I hope she does another book signing tour. We want to meet Mike next time.


It was worth the hours of waiting to finally meet Ree. We had a great time at the signing, and in KC in general. Lots of shopping.

Pond

I think I am done with my pond for this year. I may do a little more planting next spring.

What I did on my summer vacation. by Slug-a-bed

On our summer vacation my boys and I built a fort in our backyard.

It has a climbing wall, a swing and a rope ladder the boys can throw over the fence to let friends climb up from outside our yard. There is also a fireman's pole that we are not quite done installing. We have plans to add a door to the open end and we want to put two bunks that fold down inside so the boys can have friends over and sleep out there.

We had a cool zip line from the fort to the other side of the yard, but I had to take that out because it wasn't safe unless I was there to supervise and some of the neighbor boys were using it without permission. There was also the matter of a small head injury to one of my brother Johns girls, lacerations to one of my brother Don's girls and a possible fractured bone to Johns littlest girl. The bone injury actually happened on the trampoline. I gave the tramp to our backyard neighbors and gave the zip line to brother John.

I removed the tired plants in front of our house and put in new beds and plants, but the best summer/fall project is the new pond and waterfalls I have been building. The project is not 100% complete, but I wanted to show what I have done so far. It looked pretty with the fresh snow blanket this morning. This is the view from our den.

I plan to add a third smaller waterfall to the left of these falls.

I want to add some ornamental grasses too. I am trying to keep it natural looking.

I purchased my latest 'one true love' today. It is the most perfect weeping white pine.

Isn't it incredible? My sister Cheryl said I was crazy to buy such a crooked tree. I just fell in love with the character of this tree. It is still in it's pot because I am not sure where I should place it. Any suggestions? Also what should I do with that open area between the water falls, just below the top of the pine? Plant something? It can't be a tree because the tree roots could cause problems later.

I think the new water feature looks best at night.

That is what I did on my summer vacation. The end.

Too busy to blog.

I'm baaaaa-aaaaack. You can't believe how busy I have been. I (with much, much, much help) prepared my old house to be sold, sold it, packed up all my earthly possessions, moved to a new house, unpacked most of our stuff (not all), had a new patio put in, are in the middle of having a fence put up, went shopping a couple of times for stuff needed in the new house, totally redid the planting beds in front of the new house, fixed the sprinkler system, am planning(with my boys) a fort to be built in the next two weeks and I am wondering how am I going to place the large boulders I will need for my pond and waterfalls (also in planning stages) after the fence is installed. Whew!
Other interesting things of note: Niece Shayla is living in a castle in England for the summer as part of a study abroad program. Niece Sarah is in Italy teaching the children of US military personnel.
So much going on and not enough time left in the day to blog. Last night Bruce and I sat down and relaxed together in the evening for the first time since we moved. I checked my email and found the following gem from Soupa-sista.

Judy got married and had 13 children. Her husband Ted died of cancer. She married again and she & Bob had 7 more children. Bob was killed in a car accident 12 years later. Judy *again* remarried.... and she & John had 5 more children. Judy finally died after having 25 children. Standing before her coffin, the preacher prayed for her. He thanked the Lord for this very loving woman and said, "Lord, they are finally together." Ethel leaned over and quietly asked her best friend Margaret, "Do you think he means her first, second, or third husband?" Margaret replied...."I think he means her legs, Ethel."

Hope your summer is going well, we love our new house. Luke is at the swimming pool about every minute it is open. Levi is with friends all the time, fishing or playing baseball.