Author Archives: cherethomas

No LA for Me

Above – Alo wanted Kando (& Ernie, of course) to nap with him. It doesn’t look like they’re getting much sleep, but isn’t this the cutest thing ever??

I’ve been fighting another cold and yesterday it started kicking into my chest. Later yesterday sinuses were achy and congestion thickening. I’m staying home and laying low today so I’ll hopefully feel better tomorrow for the “Big Day” with Maya and Sparty.

Out for a ride. 

After the storm – towing the cars away that got twisted up in the garage like a washing machine. News 8 was there to document this.

Wednesday with Maya at ‘nastics.

Getting her foot tattooed after class. 

 

It was rainy and cold so we decided to have hot chocolate and popcorn. Silliness abounds.
  

  
  
  
  

The shipment arrived!! Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserve cooking vinegar. Oh, the possibilities are endless, but we bought it for brussel sprouts. After checking online for other cooking options, there are a lot of good ideas. This stuff is the real deal!

Here’s a photo to show the final cooked brussel sprouts. They were delicious. It was an eclectic meal alongside a taco with left over grilled salmon and left over risotto. Yum!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone/MacBook from BED with LOVE!

Where to Begin?

Above – Adorable Kando at 5 months (from Akuch’s FB post)

There’s so much to say and photos to post but I’m behind on posting so I’ll just have to catch up over the next couple days. Just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean I haven’t take lots of photos – Maya at gymnastics, flooding, etc. But we’ll start in order …

Monday (before the rains) at Ladera Street here’s the little squirrel again. Could it be “Secret Squirrel” reincarnated?

In the mornings before heading out on our walks I sit on the stairs to put my socks on where Bear is always there to remind me to hurry up. This is when I have to be on guard so “the tongue” doesn’t find my glasses!

  

We have these two clerks at work who come in a couple afternoons after high school to do odd jobs. We’ve got them scanning a bunch of closing binders so we can shred them. Evidently it takes TWO to do a scanning job which can only be done while seated. One pulls the pages from the binder and hands it to the other who scans it in. It must be the new generation way. I don’t know how I ever got along with all those scanning projects I’ve done all by myself while standing!

But seriously, aren’t they cute? They really are doing a great job.

Wednesday morning didn’t get off to a very good start … Luckily for us (let me rephrase … luckily for Bruce) this happened between downpours. We were on our way home because I was to pick Sparty up for music. The bad news, I didn’t make it to music. The good news is the technology in this new Mercedes notified me immediately the right back tire was losing air – a great feature!

  

Sexy spare tire!

Look, there’s a rainbow!

Then we picked Maya up from school for ‘nastics and “somebody” forgot to pack her ‘nastics clothes. So we bought her a new little outfit and all was well.

Complete with a matching hair tie.

I’ve got another busy weekend ahead of me – I’m headed to LA tomorrow and then Sunday we have both Maya and Sparty all day, starting at 5am!! We’re hoping to go to the Zoo, weather permitting.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone/MacBook with LOVE!

The Life We Bury

Not much to say today except I finished this book yesterday. It’s was fairly short and very entertaining. I give it a thumbs up and a high recommendation.  

 
Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!

Clarity

Above –  Looking out off Ladera Street yesterday. Surfers were enjoying small, slow swells in a perfectly calm ocean.

Below – A closer view of how clear the ocean was yesterday. If we were to use the ocean on the first day of 2016 as a gauge to determine how the new year will be, we could perhaps say it will be a year of peace, stillness and clarity. Wouldn’t that be nice? 

Calmness looking down at No Surf.
  

Oh no! What’s this? More photos from Jamie. A chilling contrast …

Holding true to Jamie’s words, there is a sun up there in her neck of the woods.

At Stone Brewery for dinner last night …
  

Akuch’s new boots … 

Selfie – Bear cuddling with me and keeping me warm.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone/MacBook with LOVE!

Family Jewels

Above – Brothers sharing a swing on the last day of 2015 (courtesy of Robb).

Below – Breakfast at Rancho’s on the last day of 2015. You know you’re going to have a good year when Sweet Baby Jesus is looking down on you … 

FaceTiming Jamie (in her robe …) on her 44th birthday.
  

This is what it looks like outside Jamie’s window. She claims the sun comes out there …

What the … ??? What ARE those things hanging outside the window?

I broke out the family jewels for the last dinner of the year. They will now be tucked away in the safe where they will remain (you guessed it) safe until another opportunity arises for me to wear them.

Are you a “Resolutionary?” That’s what I call people who make new years resolutions. It started when I belonged to the Escondido Athletic Club back in my racquetball days. For the first couple weeks of every year, getting a court or a swim lane, let alone a parking place, was nearly impossible. I couldn’t wait for February to roll around so things could begin to get back to “normal.” I always figured if something is important enough to a person, they shouldn’t have to wait for a new year to implement it. But that’s me.

Here’s something important to me – not wearing shoes in the house. I have absolutely never allowed shoes in the yoga studio out of respect and cleanliness, but we more recently, with the addition of grandkids, implemented a no-shoes-in-the-house policy.

When I went to India the first time in 2013, I realized no one wears shoes in their house. Shoes there are either kept on the porch or on a rack just inside the front door. Even most establishments require patrons to remove their shoes before entering. I got used to it and by the time I left, I enjoyed walking barefoot on tile floors and the cleanliness that goes along with it.

Come to find out, not wearing shoes in the house is the custom in many countries – Canada, Japan, Southeast Asia, Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, to name a few.

Why is this, and why are more and more Americans implementing this policy? I checked into it and found out some astonishing reasons why you should remove your shoes before entering the home, especially if you have small children or grandchildren. Here’s an interesting article I think everyone should read:  http://healthywildandfree.com/this-is-why-you-absolutely-need-to-stop-wearing-shoes-in-your-house/

I’ll leave you with that thought and a great big HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope 2016 brings good cheer, laughter, love, friendships new and old, happiness, good health and fuzzy socks.

Cheers to another year of blogging on Amma’s iPhone, MacBook, iPad and/or iMac with LOVE!

Goodbye to 2015

Above – (courtesy of Akuch) Kando and Alo watching Polar Express. You can tell already these two boys are their own individual selves.

These two, on the other hand are both trying to squeeze into the very small wagon. 

Daddy’s kids. But that’s only because Mommy’s not around …

Sparty kicking back…

Yesterday on our walk at the cliffs the ocean was beautiful and the surf was high. Here the spray was washing up over the arch! 

And look …  you can see the water rushing over the arch like a waterfall. I’ve never seen this happen.

Happy Birthday to Jamie and a safe New Years Eve to all!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone/MacBook with best wishes to everyone for a peaceful and healthy 2016!

Cousins

Above – Alo playing in snow in Lebec on the way back to Walnut Creek. I got a text from Akuch they made it home safely around 10pm.

Below – Cousins Sparty, Maya & Alo “so happy together” on Christmas Day. They were playing and I said “Hey, how about coming over and sitting on the stairs so I can get a picture of you together.” They stopped what they were doing (very important stuff) and did exactly what I asked. Impressive!

Yesterday morning Ron texted this photo to us and wrote “Silas woke up early this morning and got into Jens purse.” I think Elmo made him do it …

Meanwhile, back at the house Kando waited patiently while his mom and dad packed up to go home.

Brothers – I will miss them (and their parents too). Kando is a really good baby although he still wakes up every couple hours to eat and only breast feeds so Akuch stays pretty busy with him. Alo is bigger every time we see him, and so smart. He’s always talking, singing and getting into everything – very inquisitive.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone/MacBook.