January 20009

"Friends are the Family we choose for ourselves." Jennette and I fuel each other by having dinner together from time to time.

Inspirational cactus! This cactus stirred an affinity in me, and I saw how valiant and strong it was there in that bare, depressing, industrial lot. Why, he had grown to at least nine or ten feet right up through the aslphalt by the chain-link fence. Can a person love a cactus?

Our house right after Christmas. How were we to know that this season's weather would dip into the 30's? We had our trees chopped back in the early fall so we have to look at our neighbors glorious manifestation of nature.

A view across the street at Robert and K.C.'s trees.

New Year's Day 2009

Leezza Oldham came with her mother and father and started our year off right. She can sit up all by herself.

On the way and in between our Christmas visit to Utah we saw Joey, Sabrina, Luke, Isabel, Sylvia, and our new grandchild, Hazel. On our way up they were in St. George, UT and then they were at their home in Las Vegas on our way back. We celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with them.

My mother on her porch in Orem, Utah. We also saw Robin, Russ, Marshall, Jean and Don, Jordan and children, Natalie and Justin, Margery, Larry, Scott, Audrey, Emily and Paige.

Our poor car parked in the driveway of Mother's house.

We got to see Brad, Hai Minh and Leezza at the end of the trip.

Thanksgiving with Leezza

We enjoyed a great day with Brad, Hai Minh, Leezza, Alan, Stephanie (his friend), Beverly, Jill, Misty, Tito and Vicki.

However!

Our Thanksgiving centered around this girl!

New Granddaughter

Book Club Expo in San Jose, CA

Jean and I had a great time hearing authors and being inspired as to what we'll read next. The weather was perfect and the Expo was organized to perfection. We dragged many pounds of books, free and otherwise, back on the plane. It was a real upper.