Raymie, this one's for you!!

While in Kuna, Idaho, last week, the newspaper said the "Strawberry Moon" would arise in the Eastern sky about 10:15 PM. So just after 10 pm, just after it had gotten dark (it gets dark real late in Idaho in the summer time) we ventured out into the street in front of TnT's house to see the moon rise. It was a GOOOOOD MOON! So full and bright! and Yellow! We were all so infatuated that we complied with the cameraman's request and showed more moons! (Did you know that a full moon makes sensible folks do very unsensible acts?) (It's true!) Does anyone know why the full moon on June 18th was called the strawberry moon?
Looks more like moon cracks to me!
This pic is especially for our friend, and tribe leader Raymie!

High Tea?? Bloody Hell!!

I went on an adventure to Little Tokyo today with Joan and Cierra. We went to the Japanese Museum and saw all manner of displays about the Japanese adventure to America. They were treated as lousy as the Irish in the early days, and even more lousy in the years of "the camps" or internment camps during WWII. The history of what man does to man is filled with injustices all around. So what do we learn? That we all get along as long as we are separated and segregated. Seems to be the constant theme.
Anyways, after the educational part of the morning, we ventured into a newly opened English Tea House, and had tea! Joan and C are experts in Teas, but I am a novice. Everyting was delicious except for the olive and crabgrass sandwich which I didn't care for much. I did taste it though, and I refrained from my usual outburst of "PEE YEEWWW! THAT'S NASTY STUFF!".
We all acted like ladies, and had a nice time. The lemon mini-bundt cake was delicious!!
Probably Jenny Wren would laugh at us, but we felt fancy and very QueenLiz-like.
Joan and C have actually been in London for Tea; I can only imagine it. Tea in Los Angeles must be slightly different from Tea in London, wouldn't you gather? Ponder that.
C snapped this photo of the twins enjoying High Tea. One of us looks like she is leaning over to fart again, and the other one looks so dignified and proper!! Keep those pinkies out when drinking tea!

A Good Time

We sure had a good time in McCall at the cabin we rented. The snow lasted just enough time to play in it for a day. Am not sure if this city slicker would do well in a snowy climate; I would probably whine a lot and break limbs from slipping and falling down on me arse. It would surely be a different world to be snowed in for months at a time. We had a sightseeing day and wound up in a place north of McCall which is a hot springs "resort" run by a guy named "Tiller". He was an interesting guy who told me his sister has post-polio too but cured it by going on the "blood Type diet". (I think I will pass on that plan). Tiller's place has cabins he rents; there is one outhouse and one water pump for all the cabins to share. We could see into one small cabin, it had a bed and little else we could see. Some heartly souls who truly desire bare-butt getaways must go there. Tiller said in winter he drives 30 miles into McCall for supplies on his snowmobile. It was a good glimpse of old Americana. If most of us were stranded there for a long time, we'd probably not know what to do with ourselves. No amenities, no fast-food, no computer or cell phone, or cable tv. Just a big pool with natural hot springs to relax in and not worry about a thing. Could YOU handle it???

McCall Idaho Cabin fun

Mike and I spent 2 weeks in Idaho with Tim and Tara's family. We had a blast! We rented a cabin in McCall for 3 nights and what an experience that was. Here is a view of it.

We had picked it out online and it sounded real snazzy. It was 2 story with 2 bedrooms downstairs, and a huge master suite upstairs with a sleeping loft, fully equipped kitchen, 2 bathrooms, all the linens and blankets furnished, and a deck with BBQ and free standing fireplace thingy, a porch swing, and a resident fox who comes around looking for raw eggs.
Oh wait.
Wrong picture.
Here is the real cabin we stayed in.

We arrived to rain and snow that melted as it hit the ground, but as the evening went on, the snow began to stick. We awoke the next morn to 3-4 inches of snow. It was so amazing for us city folk (the grandparents) to be in the snow.
The cabin was warm and cozy, and we had fun playing board games inside, and I had fun watching the kids have fun in the snow outside.
I will choose some more pics to post later. Tomorrow it is back to work for me, and I have to set my mind to it now.
Nighty night.

Mom always said, "Look it up!"

Happy Mothers Day to all you folk out there who ever had a kid, talked to a kid, or had a mother. That should about cover everybody...
I had a great laugh this morning. Don't tell Jordan. She spent the night at a friend's home, and called me a few minutes ago to come pick her up soon. (I am the only one at home available right now.) I asked her for directions to the friend's home, and Jordan said, "Look it up on MapQuest!!".
(When I was a kid and asked Mom about something, she would tell me to LOOK IT UP because if I looked it up, she'd say, I'd remember it better. So I used to use that command on my kids as well.... in the good old days of dictionery and encyclopedia in actual BOOK form.)
I laughed and said, "Just tell me how to get there". So she and her friend figured it out and told me lefts and rights etc, and gave me directions.
Imagine!! after all these years, I am still being told to "look it up" although now the info is computer available. But I wanted to see if Jordan could just give me old fashioned directions, and she did! whoohoo!
After we hung up, I looked it up on MapQuest. She was right! LOL.

this gets my goat

On Fridays our local mall has a Farmers' Market that offers a touch of that rural farm feeling... if you are willing to enter the goat pen to romp with the goats, chickens, a crazy duck, and plenty of animal waste. The first time Braden got to go into the pen, his Aunt Kim was brave and took him inside the pen for awhile to feed and pet the animals. But this past Friday, Aunt Kim was nowhere to be found, so Mama Kris took Braden into the hellhole... I mean, goat pen. Kris and I are not exactly animal people, unfortunately, (do not tell anyone this, especially Tracy!) but as Kris said later, "You do anything for your kids!". If Kris cringed at all, she hid it well, there was no screaming, and Braden enjoyed the adventure very much.




Hudson enjoyed the Farmers' Market from his view in his stroller, and he seemed very happy to be on the outside of the goat pen for now.
Life is so good!

Travel Town

Sunday we went on an adventure to Travel Town. Braden had not begun the day very happy, but after a ride in Grandpa's van to Travel Town, he was so excited! He wanted to see all the trains, and ride the minature train. His Daddy bought him some more train toys. He loves playing with his Choo-choos. There is a small train ride that takes you around Travel Town twice; Braden wanted to go on it so badly, but when Jordan put him off her lap on the seat next to her in their car, he freaked out and had to get back onto her lap.



Braden also wanted to be carried inside the train cars and engines that are on display. They must've seemed awesomely huge to him.




But Little Brother Hudson just rode in his daddy's baby carrier on daddy's chest and was happily observing everything.

Of course, our outing had to include lunch, so we went to Phillipe's near LA's Union Station, and had French dipped sandwiches with hot mustard that we love to hate. And the candy counter there is a kid's delight. Everybody got some candy, and Braden got his favorite: Peanut Butter Cups!
All poor Hudson got though was a photo in a Phillipe's old fashioned phone booth. Just for the nostalgia of it all. One day maybe the grandkids will join Grandpa in enjoying a few French Dipped sandwiches with hot mustard and a beer!





It was a good day! Thank you, Lord.