Above – How many parrots can you find enjoying loquats? Taken last week while walking bear.

Below – Top photo was taken in the hospital I think the day after the fall. The rest are at the Vi of La Jolla where great progress is being made.

This is Mitchell, hairdresser at the Vi. The physical therapists are Sara and Chris.

Yesterday we took Mom on her first outing to get another X-ray and a doctors appointment. The PA seemed pleased with her progress and we’re hoping she’ll get to go home soon.

Robb calls this “happy hour.” The kids are enjoying their food, including clams and dessert!

Maya and Sparty are on a Pt. Loma Little League t-ball team coached by Ron. Maya’s the only girl on the team (note the pink shoes, sleeves and batter’s helmet).

Bruce took these photos at their first game, which I missed because I was in a workshop. I changed my teaching schedule the next Saturday to make it to the game but found out at the last minute the game time changed and it was subsequently cancelled due to rain.

Only in t-ball do all the players (including the runner on the opposing team) fight for the ball. LOL!

I’m crossing my fingers the weather cooperates and I’ll get to see them play Saturday. My apologies to my students who will be getting a schedule change for a later class. After all, the grandkids are #1 in my book!

Coming full circle from when our kids were growing up … we spent many hours at the fields for both little league and soccer – Bruce coached and I was team mom for every team the kids played on (2 teams each season), and in the later years I also coached soccer (kids and adults).

Kudos to Ron for stepping up to coach. Your kids will always remember this and you’re also doing a great service for your Pt. Loma community. Way to go!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X with LOVE!!

Above – yard art spotted while out walking Bear.

Worm.

Just when things were getting good – Yoga Therapy in La Mesa a few weeks ago.

Selfie:

Sick day …

Well Day …

Making muffins …

When the going gets tough, the tough gets tougher. This my friends is a broken pelvis. It’s hard to see unless you know exactly what to look for, but the left side of the pubis is broken in two places and the left ischial is, well, crushed. That’s on the right as you look at it.

That’s not my pelvis btw. It belongs to the one and only Monette Kelly who is resting and healing at the care facility at Vi at La Jolla. This happened almost two weeks ago (2/19) as she literally flew through the patio door at Nati’s. The part of the story she likes best is having 8 handsome firemen and paramedics hovering and taking care of her. The good news is this morning she walked (with support) 45 feet and this afternoon another 90 feet. She’s getting PT every day and is making great strides. I’m crossing my fingers with confidence she’ll be home for her 90th birthday party next month.

This calls for supported backbends.

Even Ziggy’s gets into the action.

Robb, Alo & Kando got these light-up shoes for Sparty & Maya for Christmas. They’re really cool. They charge by USB so the lights can stay on continuously and there’s a button so the colors can change.

Maya’s also wearing a top I bought for her in Pune a couple years ago. She’s a sweetie even though she was making faces at me!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE from Vi at La Jolla.

Above – group photo (L-R) Bruce, Bonnie (Craig’s wife), Mom, Craig (my “new” first cousin), Monette (my “old” first cousin), Danny (Monette’s husband). AncestryDNA baby!

Below, Craig & Bonnie holding the rifle used by “our” ancestor Alexander Covington in the Civil War. Check out that bayonet!

Happy Valentines Day and happy 44th anniversary to Bruce! I love you with all my heart.

In keeping with the spirit of Valentines Day, below are photos Robb sent me of the boys preparing Valentine cards for the Valentines celebration they’re having at school today. How fun!

Below – Maya & Sparty taking a couple breaks from our bike ride at Shelter Island last week.

And this little fellow…

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE! ?

Above – Robb and the boys on a train ride in Balboa Park.

Below – Reading “Nibbles” for bedtime.

Alo gets serious with a craft project he received from Monette & Danny for Christmas.

Fillippi’s!

Just hangin’ around …

I was actually trying to clear my lungs of accumulated crud. It works.

I got a text from a friend this morning saying she got a “suspicious” email from me. Let this be a reminder and warning that if you receive a “suspicious” email from me (or anyone for that matter), confirm it’s legit before opening any attachment. It’s usually obvious by looking at (or hovering on) the link that it’s something foreign. All my emails should have my signature at the bottom, including my title and logo, and I don’t participate in frivolous email exchanging so that should be a big warning. When in doubt, confirm with the sender before opening any suspicious attachment. I realize this should be obvious to most people, but that’s not necessarily always the case.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X and iMac with LOVE and gratitude!

Above – At the car museum in Balboa Park over the holiday break.

Below – More of the same …

Sparty and I were home sick. But evidently we weren’t missed …

Today’s Weather Report

It looks like we’re in for a clear, blue sky with warm weather worthy of a walk outdoors!

Who knows what you might come across …

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and iMac with LOVE and gratitude!

What goes up, must come down. Above – on the roof last week taking down Mrs. Claus’s Christmas lights.

Below – A view of two remodeling projects I could see from the roof, both on opposite corners of Orchard and Santa Barbara.

Cousins. The rope wall is always good fun.

Alo shows a little dexterity in his toes here …

At the docks along Harbor Drive before a ferry ride to Coronado.

Group photo from Coronado with the city on the other side of the bay as a backdrop. It was a beautiful day!

Selfie.

Future’s so bright …

Looks like Santa paid a visit to Amma & Pappa’s House. No, that’s not snow you see outside the window …

Maya explains about Santa’s visit last year:

Our Christmas with the kids began Christmas afternoon with a really good dinner (a huge prime rib roast & salmon for me and all the fixin’s) before hearing Santa’s “HO HO HO” upstairs. It was kinda scary, but we ran upstairs to find the sliding glass door slightly open and some packages trailing behind on the deck. Santa must’ve heard us coming and dropped a couple packages on the deck on the way out. Alo and Kando spent a while looking out the window to see if they could spot Santa and his reindeer somewhere along the horizon. Maybe they saw him … ???

The holidays have changed a bit around here and this was the first year the grandkids missed spending Christmas Eve at Great Grandma’s. It was also the quietest Christmas Eve I can ever remember at Great Grandma’s house! Having our Christmas celebration on Christmas evening was very special and it made me reflect on how it doesn’t matter when you celebrate, it’s that you do celebrate. Every day is the season for holding your family close to your heart no matter how close or far away they are.

When the night has come and the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we see
No I won’t be afraid
No I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountain should crumble to the sea
I won’t cry, I won’t cry
No I won’t shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and iMac with LOVE and gratitude (& a sore throat) …

Above – Maya & Sparty with Santa (courtesy of Jen).

Below – Earlier this month, Robb and the boys shop a Christmas tree in chilly Walnut Creek (or thereabouts).

Back at the house with tree and train set.

You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of spare time when you view the next couple videos of Sparty’s and Maya’s school holiday programs. The first two are 15 minutes long.

Here’s Sparty’s.

This is Maya’s. In this video she does a dance with 3 other children. When I took that clip, I switched the phone to portrait which, I realized after I merged all the songs together (all other clips were landscape), cut portions of the children’s heads off. Don’t worry, I created a separate video (following this one) that has only that clip in portrait so you can see all of our beautiful granddaughter.

Here’s the short video of Maya’s dance, heads included!

An early Christmas for Kando & Alo last week at Daddy’s house.

On the last day of school before winter break, Alo and Kando hold up glazed sculptures they painted.

Last night’s Christmas Eve celebration was a quiet one. The youngest person there was 21 years old. Although all the little ones were missed, it was nice to sit and chat with everyone.

Both Robb and Ron collect their children at noon today and we’ll celebrate this afternoon with all of them.

I’ll leave you with a picture of the baklava Bruce and I made. Somehow this year we have extra left over, more than usual. It’s a good thing it freezes nicely. We’ll be able to pull it out later in the year when least expected. I bought the cinnamon sticks in Pune when I was there in August (see photo that follows).

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X with an over abundance of joy, merriment & excitement (more than she can stand) at the anticipation of see all the grandkids together again!

CHEERS!!

Above – Maya had lunch at Hugo’s with Amma & Pappa before helping put up Great Grandma’s outdoor Christmas lights.

Maya was a big help moving ornaments from the garage to the front yard. We had to load them up in the car and drive them around.

Jamie was a big help (& obstacle) too. Here we are on the roof. It’s very cool up there!

Couldn’t resist this one!

View from the roof of Maya helping Pappa on the ladder.

Robb and the kids took a trolley ride while they were here.

My guess is they all shared one Slurpee, and even that could create a urinary emergency!

A stop on the way back to the Bay Area. These two little ones have a lot of energy, probably requiring multiple food and potty breaks.

Home at last, a little wild and hungry!

Actually, Robb and the boys left the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I’m just hanging onto the memories of having them here. We had a lot of fun. The boys are smart, very well behaved and BIG eaters (Robb too. LOL). It’s always a pleasure to have them here.

Here’re some photos from the family photo shoot I scheduled for when all the kids were here.

These are just some of the “gems.” I love these kids!

Oh, I almost forgot to add the photo of the Christmas lights we put up. This was my first rodeo doing this and I think we did a damn good job!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X with LOVE & gratitude!

Above – No, Santa Ana winds did not blow this OB Holiday Tree over. For the second year in a row the OB Town Council managed to find a tree that bends considerably.

Below – Monette’s homemade apple pie. It was a masterpiece and tasted awesome. They get better every year!

Every Thanksgiving needs a pilgrim.

Yoga studio turned playroom.

… and group photo venue.

Notice someone missing in the group photo? Maya was sick so Ron stayed home with her. Don’t worry, they received home delivery Thanksgiving dinner.

Evening moon over the ocean at Ladera Street.

Cousins at Balboa Park.

These two cousins learned that the train isn’t necessarily built for two adults in one seat.

One of these trees was planted in memory of my dad way back in 1977. Since I couldn’t remember which one, we took a group photo at both trees. I tend to believe it was the the tree in the first photo.

It’s hard to believe Christmas is only a couple weeks away. Where did the time go? This weekend will be dedicated to sifting through digital pictures for the family calendar, an annual project that takes me a very long time.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X with LOVE!

Above – The sky yesterday looking up over Pt. Loma Nazarene from Ladera Street.

Below – the swat team.

The morning after our trip to the Campo Railroad Museum Maya rides her bike around the house blowing her whistle.

After a lunch at Natis last week, Robb, the boys and I took a walk to the OB Pier. Below is Papa Bill’s very worn out cement medallion at the foot of Newport.

Alo and Kando eat octopus.

Below – a sneak preview of our family photo shoot. I haven’t seen or gotten the pictures yet but expect to see them in the days to come. I took this one of Maya in the tree from my phone. Below that is a selfie at Hugo’s during lunch after the photo shoot.

I put this cooler in Hogan’s yard for Thanksgiving, and he didn’t waste any time climbing and hanging out on it.

Catching up with photos here and also catching up on work I put on the back burner for a week.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone X with LOVE!