Peace and Blessings to You All

Guest Commentary; The Bean tells a Story

Hi everyone. My Noni asked me to tell this story about our trip to the Martinez Marina. She said that you should start at the top left corner of each piture and go around like a clock goes.
When we first got to the lake where the birds and ducks were Noni was glad that Mommy gave me boots to wear because it was muddy all over. I loved walking in the mud even though Noni kept telling me to be careful that I didn't slip and fall.
Then we saw a whole bunch of birds . I chased them. They all flew up in the air and over the top of us. I laughed.
I ran over to the ducks but they went swimming. I found feathers and little rocks.

I drawed a picture in the sand and then I ran as fast as I could. I found a red twig and showed it to Noni. We took a hike to the river and Noni kept saying "Slow down." I ran in 5 puddles.
I fed the birds with chips that Mommy gave me and I made friends with a white Seagull. He wasn't afraid like the other birds. He would wait for me to throw a chip and then he came up really close to me. He was a handsome seagull.
I played on the swings and then I spinned on the thing that went around when Noni pushed it. I held on real tight. It made me giggle.

This was a good place. Noni and I had fun and we will come back when it's warmer. It was verwy cold.
We went and ate a Happy Meal at Mc Donalds and I got a special horse that lights up. It is an Avatar. It has six legs. It is a very handsome horse.

Merry Christmas, The Bean

Christmas in My Other Home

I stayed at my sister's house for the first two days. We went shopping, had lunch together, laughed at ourselves and talked..., and talked about everything.

I went to see Mom. Brought her a little tree with Christmas decorations and small pine cones on it. I wished her a Merry Christmas and we talked..., and talked...

On Friday I went to my son and daughter-in-law's house. This, of course, is also the home of my two beautiful grandchildren. What a coincidence!We had so much fun. I slept in Baby Bean's bed which was very comfortable. Life never stops when you are a child except when you're asleep..., so Noni slept very well at night.
My oldest grandchild, The Bean, has taken up Photography. I'M SO PROUD! He is learning the nuances of a point and shoot digital camera. We took LOTS of pictures. This is very serious business for him. I think he has inherited my genes. The ones that let him see the world more clearly though the lens of a camera. He also makes really funny faces.
My youngest grandchild, Baby Bean, seems in awe of the whole Christmastime, decorations, lights, presents thing. I see magic in his eyes. While The Bean is wanting to know how the big Santa man is going to get down the chimney , Baby Bean is content to listen to Mom read him a story and watch a Christmas CD. He's at one with the spirit of the Holiday.
Saturday The Bean and I spent the day at the Martinez Marina. I will have photos of this tomorrow. That night I Noni-Sat the boys so Mom and Dad could go out for dinner together. I think that was like a major Christmas present for them. I could see it in their eyes and hear it in their thankyou's.
On Sunday I drove to my oldest son's house in Oakland. He took me to Mass at Saint Jarlath's Catholic Church. I wanted to go back to this beautiful, stone church where I had lit a candle for Mom right after she died. This is not my son's church but he took me because I asked him too. It was the most beautiful experience a few months back..., lighting the candle, saying the Lords prayer in a small chapel inside the church and having my son say this prayer, in Latin, for his "Noni" and for his mother. After this Mass, on Sunday, we went into the little chapel and lit another candle for Mom.
My Mother was raised Catholic, my son adopted the faith as an adult and I'm the person that fell in between. I used to call myself a "closet Catholic" because of the pull that it seemed to have on me as I was growing up. I'm sure that some of this influence was Mom's "fish on Fridays" habits that she never let go of. She didn't raise us as Catholics. It's a long story for another day, but the pull is still there and so it is that I always love sharing this experience with my son.

I came home yesterday..., tired, happy and feel the strength of being able to do this kind of traveling I do. Feeling thankful for Family and knowing that even though I can't always be everywhere and do everything that I want to, I am so lucky to have the life that I have: To share my world with people who are good, caring, loving human beings and to know how fortunate I am to have them all in my life.
Now I need to go and hug my husband, play with Carl and get back into his good graces( he's a little upset with me for all this leaving), feed the goats and chickens, go for a hike in the woods and, as my blog friend Laura, in Georgia, would say... " I'm gonna get me some lovin'." It's a "southern" expression. I'm probably not saying it right but you get the idea.

Tomorrow we will all go to Martinez with The Bean. Please join us.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

I think I found Carl's alter-ego in a Christmas card...., it's Snoopy; Charlie Brown's dog.
Snoopy is jumping up and down, all excited about Christmas. Look at him! He's so happy and excited and filled with energy. "It's Christmas!! It's coming. Let the festivities begin...























and then this..... Total collapse. The sugar high is gone and there's nothing left.




Maybe it's not Carl's alter ego..., maybe it's mine.
How are we all feeling out there? Does this little dog look familiar to you 5 days before
Christmas? Is this what they mean when they say "dog tired"?

I got home this afternoon. Had a great time but, oh my gosh, I'm tired. Tomorrow I will post some photos of my trip and start some baking. Right now..., it's a good nights sleep.