The Ostrich Egg!

Yes! It is a real ostrich egg from a local farm. Jay prepared it for us Dec. 26th. The texture is different~rather like "puffy clouds of deliciousness" according to Jay. They tasted like regular scrambled eggs although the texture was a bit different. One egg is equal to about 12 chicken eggs! And yes, blowing out the egg yolk is absolutely disgusting!!!!!

To get into the egg you need to drill a whole into the thick shell. Then you insert a straw into the hole and blow air into the shell forcing the yolk and white out. We discovered it was best to use an immersion blender on the eggs before cooking.

Christmas 2009

Starting with back row, left to right: Dan, Tom, Margey, Joey, Cayce, Beth, Katie, Jay (the goofy one!), Patience, Brian and Emma.

How fortunate we were to all be together for one evening. Emma came from Ohio, Brian and Patience came from Illinois, Margey, Tom, and Beth came from Rancho Cucamonga, Cayce from Fullerton, and Jay and Joey from San Diego! We were also joined by Jay's girlfriend, Heidi and the two dogs Auggie and Danny. It was cramped with 12 people and two dogs in our tiny living and dining room.

We celebrated on Dec. 23rd and while we waited for Jay to get off work, we all sat around and played Taboo. It was great fun with Danny barking every time someone pushed the penalty buzzer. The good/bad news was that Auggie didn't bark, but that was because he is deaf!

Dinner was easy: Lemon chicken soup and Potato cheese soup, salad, and bread sticks.

We even used disposable bowls (which would have shocked my parents!). Clean-up was easy and off to gift opening. From a parental perspective it was wonderful to see our children, nieces, and nephews all grown up.

The good Lord has given us so many wonderful blessings this year! We have so much to be thankful for. May 2010 we a peaceful, safe, and blessed year for our world.

Auggie Goes to the Hospital

Auggie scared us all yesterday as his gut literally blew up before our eyes and he went into shock. Fortunately he was being an "office dog" and not a "stay home alone dog." He had already arrived at Shore Management for a day of sleeping and hunting for treats. Katie, the bookkeeper, saw what was happening and took him to the vet where they were able to stabelize him although he remained quite ill. At the end of the day he was still to sick to come home.

We had to take him to an overnight animal ER where they did more tests. Now if you know this old doggie, you know that putting him in a cage is not an option. He will scream for hours (I kid you not), shake and ram his nose into the cage making it bloody. But this time they said he simply slept all night (with no sedation). When I picked him up to return

him to the regular day vet hospital he simply laid in his bed under a towel and slept. This is yet another sign that he was not well. He hates the car and has major panic attacks if you go on a freeway. He ignored the whole thing transport thing.

Oh! I hear him coming home now. He still has a bandage where they took his IV out, but he looks okay. Dan and I are going out tonight, so he will go back to Katie's for babysitting. Good thing I have retired so I can stay home and watch him tomorrow. Guess I will invite Danny over for a play date. It is supposed to rain, so perhaps there will be napping involved too :)

Snow in Ohio

Just a short month ago Dan and I were here in Ohio as a part of our Midwest tour to see family and the "fall colors." One of our stops was to check in on my Aunt Mudgie who was living in an assisted living home. At that time we moved her from her room to a smaller room that was near the elevator as she requested. We got her all set up and within 2 weeks she had fallen (no injury), but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Turns out she had an infection that spread throughout her system making her quite ill. So, as of Nov. 1st she has not lived at the assisted living home. She is now residing in a Catholic nursing home in Lakewood, Ohio~ a place where she was a nursing supervisor many years ago when it was a hospital!

The last 3 days Dan and I have spent closing out her affairs in town as it is clear she will not be leaving the nursing home. Actually she is quite ill with an aortic aneurysm that is 7 cm and is now leaking a bit. Many of her organs are showing signs of shutting down as they are not really assimilating the nutrients in the food or water. She is choosing not to eat or a very minimal amount at best. Her deterioration in the past month is dramatic. She has asked to go on Hospice and after a rather large meeting with multiple folks in attendance (hospice, priest, Dr., nursing staff, social workers, and family), we decided it was time to begin this process. So, whether it is days, weeks, or months, Mudgie is where she has always said she would like to spend her last days~ back at St. Augustine. Believe it or not, some of the nursing staff remember her as their supervisor 30+ years ago! What a small world we live in.

Aunt Mudgie has a long time friend named Susan who sees her daily and who keeps her laughing when times are tough. Our family is indeed fortunate to have such a wonderful woman taking such good care of her since all the family is in California.

So, today as we finish our business here in Ohio it started to snow! Flurries danced around us and the temperature dropped significantly since we were here last. In mid-October everything was decorated with a fall harvest theme. Now, Christmas lights and decorations are everywhere. It is like some fantasyland all decorated for some contest. These Buck-eye's really know how to get you in the mood for the holidays!

Black Friday~ YES!!!

This is a truly wonderful day for me. I manage to get most of my shopping done. I start at 6:30

and I'm done by 11:00! Then a quick lunch on the go and home by 12! What a great day:)

Margey, Beth, & I got to the mall at 7 and were home by twelve eating left over pumpkin pie. Then off for a nap while the boys were still out playing golf. Around 3:30 we headed for the Great News Cooking Store for a few last minute items. I am pretty much done with the shopping. How about you?

The After Turkey Dinner Party

Now we get down to the really good stuff...game playing! We played the card game "Hand and Foot" with Jay, Heidi, Tom, Margey, Katie, & Dan. Beth, Joey and Cayce played on their computers. Family time is so fun. Tonight (Friday) we are going to play a different game called Left, Center, Right. Hmm...sounds like a game where you have to keep track of things.

Of course we ate pumpkin and apple pies while playing. Dan and Heidi were the card playing winners. Revenge tonight!

Thought you would enjoy some adoration pictures of Danny, who is now two, and his "daddy" Jay. This doggie is just too cute. He didn't beg at all...can't say that about Auggie

Our Family Gives Thanks

Did you ever think we could feed this many folks around our little table? Yes, I was there, but of course someone has to be in charge of all the lovely photos you see.

Before Turkey Nap

This will be short and sweet! The men napped before the meal. This includes the old man "Auggie" who at 14 years old needs lots of extra sleep.

The girls slaved around the stove. Tom did manage to stay awake long enough to check on the turkey. He did a mighty fine job too!!!

Thanksgiving is a very special time for our family!

"Proof of Run"

This post is really for my trainer, Brandon. Yes, Brandon, I really did participate in this race. My time was 58 minutes because I walked it...I walked fast too, but there were so many people it was hard to go as fast as I wanted in some sections. So here is the mile one marker.

And here is mile two. So far we are on track for 18 minute miles. The ball of my left foot is now hurting and I am getting sweaty. Time to get rid of this long sleeve Turkey Trot official shirt.

Finally we go to the 3 mile sign and I was ready for this puppy to be done. The cool thing is that as you head for the last .2 miles you

are running in over the bridge into Balboa Park. It is rather exhilarating. Not exciting enough to make me run, but it was pretty cool. Now this is my 6th 5K. Not bad for an old couch potato.

So here it is Brandon. I did it and even saw 4 ladies that were in the run club with Michelle!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Part III: The Turkey Trot

Hurray! It is 6:30 a.m. an officially time to start Thanksgiving. Joey has just arrived and we are all getting ready to drive to Balboa Park for the Fr. Joe's Turkey Trot. This event is the main fund raiser for the charity's feed and house the homeless programs. We piled into 2 cars and the 6 of us headed out by 7. As you can see here, we are putting on our official "bibs" and shoe timing chips. Thank heavens Jay was along to help the inexperienced (Joey and Heidi) and elderly (Mom and Dad).

Heidi and I walked the trail rather than running because:

• Our feet hurt
• Too many people to maneuver through
• Too many strollers and running bobs
• It was sunny and hot (it rained last year)
• We were taking "proof of walk" pictures
• We talked to people we knew along the way
• We talked to random people along the way

One of the high points was that I got to have a picture with Father Joe himself! Now how cool is that :) Jay and Dan went to the beer garden and they said it was great! Joey chatted with a friend after the run, but found a shady spot to wait and Heidi and I became designated drivers. Get this---4 beers by 9:30 a.m.!

Dan broke his record and ran the race in under 30 minutes and Jay was a bit faster. Jay was actually a bit slow because he injured his MCL in his Ultra Marathon Race last weekend. Joey came in shortly after and it took Heidi and I substantially longer. Beth was kind enough to hold all the "crapita" like jackets,

water bottles, cameras etc. while we trotted.

This year they expect 7,500 folks~that was 1,000 more than last year. HOWEVER, they had just over 9,000! That does not include all the helpers it takes to put on an event like this. It was so well run and there were no causalities, dogs were well behaved, and everyone was happy to be supporting a great cause.

The Princess and the Porta Potty

At every racing event there are those lovely porta-potties that smell oh so fragrant. Fr. Joe's Turkey Trot is no exception. There were two humongous sections for these wonderful tinkle houses with each section having about 45 toilets. That means about 100 of these! Not bad since they announced that this year there were 9,000 racers.

Ever wonder how porta-potties get to an event and what they do with them after it's over?

But you know the game plan: be one of the first to use them if you have to and have hand sanitizer in your pocket!

A princess uses these ONLY in the event of an emergency.

It's almost time to run...better make sure there won't be a problem on the 5K!

Turkey Day Prep Part II

Well, shopping was done and it was time to tackle some of the cooking so that all of Thursday is not spent cooking!

Beth was tasked with baking pumpkin pie. She whipped out five HOMEMADE crusts in nothing flat and then made the filling. She is amazing. I thought Mrs. Smith's frozen would have done okay, but apparently not :). Don't they look awesome!

Now we know Brian will be bummed because he is not getting any of this pie, but perhaps there will be a repeat when Christmas comes. Heidi is bringing an apple pie for those who enjoy fruit pie--That is definitely Dan and I know I love it too!

While Beth worked diligently on the pies, I took to the task of:

• Sage Dressing (Dad's family recipe)- into a crock pot-but drying out the bread took 2 days.
• Cranberry Chutney (another of Dad's recipes)- thank heaven's we now have food processors
• Mashed Potatoes (not your ordinary potatoes: cream cheese, sour cream, whipping cream, butter, scallions, and lots of shaved Parmesan cheese) Cholesterol Hell!
• Gravy from the turkey stock I made yesterday
• Two sausage, onion and spinach pies (kind like a double-crusted quiche and DEFINITELY frozen pie shells) for after the Thanksgiving Day 5K-better known as the Turkey Trot to benefit Father Joe Carroll's Charity.

STILL TO DO TONIGHT: prepare fruit salad and clean the bathrooms before the guests come. Guess I should pick up all the dog toys that Danny and Auggie have strewn around too.

My hands are killing me from so much dish washing. We filled 3 trash bags before the night was over. I filled 3 bags yesterday with other prep work. Tomorrow will be more. I should stop whining about clean-up~I am so blessed to have my family here in San Diego to share this wonderful holiday!

Parts III and IV tomorrow!

Prep Time for Turkey Day Part I

It is Wednesday and my sister Beth and I are up and ready to start the preparations for the big event tomorrow. All the family will be here except Emma who is in Ohio at school and Brian and Patience who are in Chicago with her family. We have a new member joining us and that is a young woman named Heidi who is Jay's girlfriend. Can you believe it, she and Jay were born 11 days apart? Jay is the younger of the two and Jay reminds her he is dating a younger woman...I am not sure how enthralled she is with the comment.

To begin the day Beth and I were out the door by 8:30 a.m. and headed for the YMCA for our workout session with Brandon, the trainer. After a quick warm-up on the treadmill, I went to do some ab work...ugh, I so dread that. Anyway, as we were training I got the bright ideas to mix-up the workout and asked if we could play basketball instead of the usual cardio and weight routine.

Now Brandon is a HUGE basketball fan and was a player in high school and college, so of course he was up for it. We went and got Beth off the treadmill and the 3 of us went to the courts.

We learned some shooting drills, a little dribbling, some passing (three kinds), and how to shoot using our legs like springs. It was fun! He played some silly game called knock-out. We were out of breath and had a great workout.

When we left we felt ready to tackle the turkey-day prep work! Now I was somewhat hesitant to go back to Vons for yet another trip in sweaty nasty workout attire, but we did it anyway. After walking the produce aisle a few minutes Beth laughed and said that all the people in the store either just came from the gym or they all just wear workout clothes for the heck of it.

Hmm...maybe they were working off the "intended" calories of tomorrow.

Not So Retired

This week has been very hectic with my support role in bringing along new schools to the K-2 GATE Nurturing Program. I have discovered a few things about myself...
I am used to having my time budgeted for me. School hours are very regimented. Even the after school meetings are structured. Curriculum is determined by state standards and everything is about test scores! I do NOT miss that.

Upon retirement, I have lots of unstructured time, but have lots of work to be done if I am to be a consultant that is actually helpful to others. I was far more organized while I was teaching than I am now. What is wrong with this picture? I was always known for my organizational abilities. I have to admit that a lot of that drive is dwindling away.

My Midwest vacation sort of cured that. I realized that:
I like slowing down.
I like reading whenever I like.
I like napping in the middle of the day.
I like going to the Y when all the other people are not there.
I like simmering soup all day long.
I like to say, "Well, not today, maybe tomorrow."
I like playing with Danny and Auggie.
I like having time to write and create.
I like having time to help out at church.
I like having time to help other teachers
I like sightseeing and traveling!
I like time with family.

I guess retirement isn't all that bad:)

Home Again

We left Chicago early morning today amidst the rain, mushy leaves and darkness. No hitches at the airport and had a smooth flight except for the turbulence over the Rockies. That scared me! We landed in sunny San Diego some 3 1/2 hours later to 70 degree weather.

When we turned in the rental car I check to see our trip mileage and it indicated that we had driven 1164 miles. Well, Dan drove them, I just navigated with Garmin and slept along the way. It was a great 2 weeks, but as all vacations, it is wonderful to be home.

What, A Basement?

The Midwest, unlike Southern California consists mainly of brick buildings, hardwood flooring, and tall narrow structures. They also have this hidden world called "The Basement." That could be the name of a mystery novel couldn't it? Anyway, the kids have a basement where they store the same junk we put in garages as well as the washer and dryer that their landlords kindly let them use..

FREE OF CHARGE!

However, for those of us not accustomed to such dark, damp places, it is a bit creepy. First of all it is damp and dark. Everything is cement block and brick so it is cold. The stairs are narrow and a bit steep. More creepiness. Once you get to the basement "room"

you are okay except the ceilings are low and the walls are cement block. Now there is nothing wrong with any of this, but it is just so different. Growing up in Indiana we had a basement and I remember playing in it as that was sort of our family room. But I do not remember it in the same way as this basement. I am finding that the older I get, the childhood memories are becoming less reliable!

The good news, I will be returning to California with suitcases full of CLEAN laundry just waiting to be put into drawers. That leaves some time for grocery shopping, picking up the held mail, paying bills, preparing for my consulting jobs in November, and the Shore Mgmt. staff meeting. Reality is soon to hit, but what a wonderful trip for this retired teacher.

Snowing Leaves?

When we arrived at Brian and Patience's home this morning we were greeted to a shower of leaves. Not snow, but a gusty, crisp, swirl of leaves descending upon the sidewalks and cars. It was such a cool

thing to experience! You can even see that the street is filled with leaves almost level with the sidewalk.

It is an amazing thing to be in the center of a leaf storm! I bet that within a week to 10 days everything will be red and orange instead of the yellow colors. It isn't really that cold. Patience left for work in jeans, a sweater and little rubber flip flops! Dan and Brian left for golfing in sweatshirts.

But it LOOKS cold out as it is gray and a bit windy. Very odd weather for us Southern Californians.

Chicago in Gold

Today Brian and Patience are at work and we have invaded their space yet again. They happen to have friends staying with them currently and there are no more beds at this "inn." We were planning to get a hotel for the last 3 nights of the trip, but they have us sleeping with friends of theirs (Jeremy and Bethany) who happen to live about 3 blocks away. What a beautiful apartment Jeremy and Bethany have. It is on the third floor, so there are LOTS of stairs to climb to get to their apartment. It is very typical of places here.

The house shown here is really a duplex and Brian and Patience live on the ground floor with the owners living above. From the sidewalk in front of their

house you can look north (yes, I had to ask Dan what direction that was!) and see a golden blanket of leaves that have fallen along the tree lined street. When we were here 10 days ago, there were very few leaves. My how things happen fast. Things in Chicago are more yellow-lime green-gold where as in Ohio they were the deep reds, golds, oranges, etc. Interesting how the seasonal changes from state to state vary in time.

Another great feature of all the places here are the hardwood floors. They are not the new floors made to look old-- they are the real deal! They just shine with age. The drawback is that they squeak like

crazy. We stayed up to play cards with Bri and Patience last night and arrived at at Jeremy and Bethany's

around 11:30 p.m. We tried to be quiet, but that was impossible with the floors. The house just breathes!

Another interesting thing they have in these older places are these

radiators. They are in all the rooms and people paint them all kinds of colors. Here are just a couple...and yes I know this one is sideways, but I can't

figure out how to flip it around...

The little one is in the kitchen by the fridge. They painted the bathroom ones gray to match the decor and the rest are creamy color. I can only assume that the plant will not stay there long. In the middle of the night, you hear a hissing sound coming from them. I have only the vaguest recollection of these types of heaters from my childhood.

The generosity of these young kids is wonderful. Their parents raised some great kids. Aren't we all lucky to have kids that fall into this same "Wonderful" category? There seems to be so many outside influences that pull at kids and yet all of ours have seemed to avoid trouble and flourish. Praise God.

On the Road Yet Again

Yesterday we woke up bright and early...that would be 7 a.m. vacation mode time and packed up for the LONG drive to Chicago, IL. So we said our good-byes, we plugged in our book on CD, and headed for the nearest Starbucks. We never found a Starbucks if you can believe that, so we just got on the highway. After an hour and a half we found a McDonalds and got an quick Egg McMuffin and headed out. Since I am writing this the day after we arrived in CHicago, I can tell you it was an 8 hour trip and if I ever see a McDonalds again it will be much to soon. I think I am cured of junk food for awhile. GAG ME!

Here is our cute little car that has been so dependable and economical. Doesn't it look cute in the fast food lot?

Dan Helps Out

Dan's brother Dave is currently working in Washington DC and commutes back and forth from there to Ohio each week. He has a great new job with the ONE very major drawback that it is NOT in Ohio where the children go to school and his wife works. But they seem to be making it work. Guess in this economic climate, you work were the work is.

So, while Dave drained the sprinkler system in anticipation of the winter freeze, Dan mowed the lawn. This is funny because Dan said he hasn't run a lawn mower in at least 20 years! You all know how big our lawn is! 10 x 75 feet!!! We even have a gardener do that! Patty, my sister-in-law, said that in the summer months, she sometimes mows the lawn 2x a week -- GET OUT! I could not do that. Guess it is a good thing I am in San Diego...a sort of desert.

But look at the colors of those trees and how open everything is. No tall, solid privacy fences, no 6' between homes, and no noise from your neighbors. It is very tranquil.

The homes are so charming and very different from our Southern California living.

In the backyard you will see more trees and open spaces. Just below their home is a running creek with geese floating about. I thought they were supposed to fly south... Anyway, just take in the beauty of the Midwestern landscape :)

On the Road to Ohio

Bright and early on Monday morning we set Garmin for Mentor, Ohio to see Dan's brother, his wife and our niece and nephew. It was a pleasant drive of 6+ hours. Of course we listened to more of our Book on CD. The weather was better than expected with not a drop of rain the entire time. It was overcast, but that made the colors that much more vibrant.

The highway was full of color-ranging from yellow to red and every possible color in between. Scattered amongst the deciduous trees were a variety of pines which, of course, are keeping their deep green hugh. The contrast is fantastic and my little 3.2 mega pixel camera -through the windshield-does no justice to what we were seeing. The mapel trees are just so gorgeous. Once we arrived it did start to sprinkle a bit, but by then we didn't really care. Patty had a teriffic meal ready and the "catch-up" chatter began!

The Perfect Fall Tree

Fall leaves are just beginning to touch this tree located across the street from Uncle John's house. Just look at the shape of this tree! It is a maple tree and the outside edges of the tree are tinged in orange.
Down the street at few houses I spotted this tree with yellow, gold and red emerging. It is just amazing the colors we are seeing here.

But all the color is not reserved for the outdoors. Upon entering my Aunt and Uncle's home, I was bombarded by the welcome sites of fall decorations! It was so awesome. From little pumpkins, to scarecrows, and wall decorations, their home his radiates the homey feeling of "family." It reminded me so much of my childhood and the way I would decorate my classroom each year. We have enjoyed soups, grilled Brats and burgers, homemade Upside down Pineapple Cake, potatoes and veggies. We've even kept up with the World Series. Now ya just can't beat this kind of vacation!

Heading for Indiana

We left Chicago around 10 a.m. and headed for Indiana. We went through several toll booth areas like the one shown here leaving Chicago. Our trusty Garmin took us on an uneventful trip through some beautiful country. We packed sandwiches for the trip, so we only made a quick pit stop and ate in the car as we drove. We made it to Greenfield in about 4 hours of easy driving.

As usual for our car trips we had a book on CD playing in the car. We are listening to the new Dan Brown book. The miles just fly by when listening to a book.