Above – The best thing about a new month is changing the page on the family calendar. It makes me smile every month. It’s all about the grandkids!

Below – I utilize every bit of space on the calendar page for precious moments.

More dove babies. They really like this hanging planter with the pot Bruce put in there for them. We’re considering putting a camera on it since they keep coming back to raise more babies.

Look who’s driving! Everyone even put their seatbelts on.

Everyone loves a gorilla.

This is Joe, one of Robb’s college roommates. He and his family came to visit when Robb and the boys were here for Great Grandma’s 90th birthday celebration.

While Robb and the boys were here they also visited the boys’ Aunt Ayak and cousins, Hala and Kuat. I can’t believe how big these kids have gotten.

I don’t know if I posted before that Ron is coaching Maya and Sparty’s t-ball team. Priceless. Tip for best viewing: If you’re watching this on your mobile device, turn it sideways so the whole screen appears. If you’re watching it on your computer, switch to full screen.

Meet the newest member of the Pirates of the Caribbean cast.

More seriously, Mom had a basal cell skin cancer removed from her lower eyelid Monday with reconstructive surgery at the hospital. It was a very long day for all of us, but she’s back at home, pain free and doing very well.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!

Above – Big group family photo taken when Robb and boys and Jamie & clan came to visit for the BIG 90.

Below – 90 and time to blow out candles.

There’s no time like Selfie Time!

These two LOVE each other. The giggling and playtime is so precious.

Somebody was being bashful (& a bit pouty).

More family photos. Here is Great Grandma with great grandkids and great great grandkids.

Jamie’s family – Omar & Brianna, Jamie & Bobby, Chantz & Emilee.

I now pronounce you … Granddaughter and Grandmother!

Hey, girls only!

Four generations of “Kellys.” Where’s Brianna??

My little helper – juicing fresh orange juice.

Tis the season for doves. Our patio has turned into another revolving door of dove babies.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and MacBook from LA (spending the weekend at a Manouso workshop) with LOVE!

Above – What are they looking at?

… these baby doves nesting in our patio.

The babies flew away and now a new nesting pair has taken their place.

Cheers!

Happiness is trash day!

Robb and the boys two weeks ago – The first photo is “create with nature pathway” at (I think) Redwood Regional Park. Beautiful place.

Tree hugger.

Below – Maya and Sparty at their t-ball game Saturday.

I’m putting together an entertaining video I’ll share at a later date.

Bats in the belfry …

That’s Sparty hanging from the bar at gymnastics.

And here’s Maya thinking it’s really funny to be winning in Chutes and Ladders.

And now the good news. Mom was discharged from The Vi (care facility) Thursday. She’s doing very well and managing to move around the house (on the main floor only) without assistance. She got a pretty new blue walker and Bruce installed a wand shower head and grab bars in her shower. We stocked her kitchen with pre-made salads and easy to heat up and eat meals, and all is well at the home front. With “90” just around the corner, we’re looking forward to the BIG birthday party!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!

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!!