Furry Faces

"Oh, you're back?" "Where did you go? Why didn't you take me?"
"I don't want to have my picture taken. I want to lick your hand!"
This picture cracks me up--how happy do these goofy dogs look??
Looking forward to some time with Erik on the weekend and us all getting back on a sane schedule again next week!

Home Again

I'm back in California, having left the lovely white Wisconsin to return to a surprisingly damp Cali! My flight back was a leetle more eventful than I would choose, but I got here in one piece and so I shouldn't complain.

My flight itinerary both coming and going changed, sending me to two airports I've never been in before rather than the regularly scheduled stop at LAX (I flew out of Bakersfield this time around). Going, I flew from Bakersfield to Denver, then to Chicago and on to Green Bay. The nice thing about this route was that no one flight was particularly long. However, on the way back I was grateful to have avoided the Denver stop as some of the people on my return flight had been stuck there overnight. Instead I flew from Green Bay to Chicago, then to San Francisco with a final hop to Bakersfield.

The flight from Chicago to San Fran is a long one. When the pilot came on over the loudspeaker to let us know that we were within about 20 minutes of San Francisco, he also said that a storm front was moving into the area but that we were a good ten minutes ahead of it and it shouldn't be a problem. A few minutes later, we flew into some clouds. They were the sort of puffy, gathering-together-to-make-some-rain kind of clouds (that's a meteorological term); I could see that the ground was dark and stormy looking through the breaks in the clouds as we flew over. Then suddenly we were in the midst of Towering Clouds, gray and angry looking. Clouds so tall they completely dwarfed the giant jet. The kind of clouds you see on a movie screen and wince as you watch an airplane disappear in their midst. It was rather marvelous to watch them, although the fact that the small amount of turbulence we'd been experiencing increased exponentially as we flew between them was a bit unsettling.

We finally touched down (rather roughly) and had just slowed down to ground speed when we were hit with a fantastic wall of blowing rain. It smacked wings, cabin, and tarmac, blowing almost horizontally. Because there had been lightening sighted, the ground crew was inside and we were unable to de-plane right away. They came out about 25 minutes after our landing and I went in to find that my flight to Bakersfield had been canceled (if it had left on time, I would have missed it anyway). They were hoping to take the 30-seater to Bakersfield in another 3 hours, providing the weather settled down a bit.

To make a long story even longer, we left about 4 hours later. It was dark by then, and no longer storming although the pilot warned us it would likely get bumpy during the flight. There were indeed several pockets of turbulence--more than one sharp enough to make my stomach give that funny leap you get when driving over a little hill too fast. The worst was within only a few minutes of Bakersfield, at which point we dropped so far and fast that I found myself suspended in the air for several moments, held to my seat only by the belt strapped across my waist. I was not alone in being very glad to land and get off the plane! I'm still irked with myself for having packed both my cameras away in the overhead bin; I really would have liked to snap some shots out the window.

Anyway, that's my long way of saying that I'm back, safe and sound. :-) I'll post some Wisconsin pictures in the next few days, but tonight wanted to share some pictures I took yesterday in that irresistible after-a-rain light. It was damp yesterday, but we didn't get a whole lot of rain; today it rained on and off all day and the foyer roof started leaking again. Joy. Our yard is also a muddy mess (can you say muddy dogs??), and the I-5 (the way down to Ben & Pei from here) is closed due to snow, but I'm grateful for the rain nonetheless! Among other things, it is dampening down the icky smoggy air which always makes me so sick after my lungs have cleared in the air of Wisconsin. It's nice to come home and not get sick! The rain also makes some great light, and is making everything green. :-D

You can see all the water in the ditch in this first picture.Boy, oh boy is the rain making things green!I found this flock of sheep when I was out exploring and trying to get closer to the mountains. What naughty things are these three planning?? :-DI love this pair . . . I felt like I was interrupting a good gossip when they turned to look at me and my camera. That's all, folks! More soon. :-)

Happy New Year!

Well, Kirsten, you were partly right about the boys . . . Patrick did the dishes while Erik kept him company. But lest you think Erik doesn't help around the house . . . ;-)

Most of our new curtains arrived just before Christmas! We don't have all of them up yet, but did get up what we could. They are plain white sheers that let in a lot of light, which I love (they'll match the paint better when we . . . paint. Someday.) The ones in our bedroom are a little different; ivory instead of white because of our bedspread and dresser, with some pretty detailing.Yes, I know. Boring. But I'm excited!!

Speaking of excitement, we had a little more than we would have liked shortly after the new year began. Erik was leaving to run an errand and discovered that we had a (very) flat tire. He's a handy sort of guy to have around! Changing directions a little here, have you noticed how few fortunes there are in fortune cookies these days? It seems so many of them have little quips or advice like, "Happiness is the key to success". All well and good maybe, but not a fortune. However, when Bill took us out for Chinese on this week, this is the fortune I pulled out of my cookie: Not only a true fortune, but a fortune that is true! I will be flying to Wisconsin on Thursday and believe me, you cross desert in any direction you take out of Bakersfield.

Reports from the siblings (and from the woman herself) are that Mom is recovering nicely from her hip replacement surgery, but it will be good to see her. I won't be traveling while I'm there as the reason for the trip is to help with recovery, but if anyone is going to be in or near Sturgeon Bay in the next couple of weeks, let me know!Heartfelt wishes for a bountiful and joyous new year,
christel

Happy Christmas!

Has it really been almost a week since Christmas? The days after can be a bit of a let down; nothing left to prepare or plan for, no anticipation of getting together with folks, and the nagging thought that soon decorations will have to be taken down and packed away for another year . . . maybe that's why it's taken me so long to get these pictures up. But I'm determined to get them up before the New Year!!

We had a great Christmas season :-)
What fun to get updates and greetings in Christmas cards . . . to decorate our new home . . . and to fight with the cats about the tree skirt and lights! Ha.We had a brief visit with Ben on Christmas Eve day; Pei had to work but Ben drove up to have lunch and hang out for a couple of hours. Then he headed home and Erik headed off to work. They loaded the trucks really early at the warehouse, allowing the guys to go in (and therefore come home) early, which was nice. Erik got home at about 4 a.m. on Christmas morning and got a nice nap in before getting up to start the day. We started out the way we always did at my house growing up--by looking in our stockings, eating our oranges (and chocolate), and reading the Christmas story.Although we weren't really going to do presents, there were still things to open! Rosie helped.
We had a nice breakfast (with requisite eggnog) and talked to family on the phone . . .Then we headed to Santa Maria to visit Patrick and Debra! Brothers. They seem to do this sort of thing when they get together.Debra had all sorts of yummy food prepared, including her famous runzas. It was a nice relaxed day; we had fun chatting and munching and then playing with the Wii.
Patrick's professional golf swing Debra bowling faster than the speed of light
Erik waiting to see if he made his shot
Proof that boys CAN do dishes (!!?!?!)
Fuzzy picture of Debra on the front porch with Homer amidst all the lights
It was such a nice day; we stayed late and then drove home to fall into bed. The next morning the first thing we did was to take down the door knocker . . . (that's right, no more "Mr. & Mrs. Lopez?" jokes)
. . . and put up the one Patrick and Debra gave us! :-D
Yay! :-D

I'm off to bed. Sorry if this is a little disjointed--I plead tiredness (mixed with stubbornness at getting this posted tonight)!

We are so grateful for many thoughtful gifts and well-wishes, and for the ultimate gift that we celebrate especially at Christmas but all the rest of the year too.

May the wonder and joy and love of that gift remain in your heart through the New Year!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

It's been a busy few days.

Erik was involved in an accident at work last week. Luckily no one was hurt; now we're waiting to find out if it will affect his job.

Mom had her hip replacement surgery today! April & her husband Ben took her to the hospital; they're the first shift of the kids to be there. Kirsten and Paul were also at the hospital with them today. The report is that the doctors were pleased with how everything went (YAY!), but that the anesthesia did not agree with Mom's constitution (she's been nauseated and uncomfortable). Hopefully that will pass and a quick recovery will begin.

Any and all prayers appreciated!

Since I do not have approval to post the cute picture April sent of prepped Mom in her surgical bonnet, you'll have to be satisfied with our version of a Winter Wonderland. Hey, it's the closest we can get to snow right now! May your week be filled with the joy and hope and love of that first Christmas!

Visit!

Noelle & Andy came for a whirlwind visit last weekend! Noelle and I went to the Ladies' Christmas Tea at church on Saturday. This is the centerpiece from the table where we sat.The tables were beautiful and all decorated differently; a hammered dulcimer played throughout the program. After some visiting and game playing and eating, we sang Christmas songs, ending with candlelight and "Silent Night."In the afternoon we went back to church to help out with the Christmas program rehearsal (for more pictures, check out "Dove Creek Bible Church" on Facebook). We all went to bed EARLY on Saturday night; sad to be so tired when we had so little time together! But we did find a little bit of time to play before they had to leave . . .
All too quickly they had to head home; we're so glad we got the chance to see them though!

Gratuitous bloom pictures from the rose bushes in front of our house--they smell DIVINELY!

Another World

It's hard to believe that Wisconsin is a winter wonderland when the shrub in my back yard is blooming and the hummingbirds are still coming. Granted, it has been unseasonably cold here (we've been getting frost in the mornings and there is snow in the mountains where Erik drives for work), but it's still hard to imagine. One nice thing about our current chilly spell is that it has been "too cold" for fog--usually around this time of the year we can have some pretty nasty fog.

We have-wonder of wonders-been getting RAIN! Twice this week! I've always loved rain, but only a midwesterner transplanted into a desert like Bakersfield can fully appreciate how excited this makes me!

Noelle & Andy are coming for a visit this weekend. :-D
Hope everyone is staying safe and warm,
cmr