Texas, Jen's Birthday, Moroccan Dinner

February, 1

Ice storms in North Texas keep us from

Graham so Mom's funeral could not take place.

Back yard at Stan's and Margaret's

on February 1

We had a memorial service on Tuesday afternoon at Stan's.

Mom's Children
Lanora, DJ, Stan, Liz and Don

Feb. 3
Flying back home

Love Field: Picture of food that I took picture of instead of ordering and eating.

Becky Bulb was in full flower and fragrance
when I got home.

Saturday, February 5

Dinner for Jennifer's 34th birthday on February 7

Jen with her dad

Jen with her Mom

 Jen with her husband, Chris,
her brother Clay (James) and sister-in-law, Janyll.

Jen's son, Michael and niece, Kaylie, Clay's daughter

Jen's Mother-in-law, Sandi and Grandmother-in-law, Fran and her daughter, Jacey.  Jacey and Sandi are giving themselves, facelifts.

February 20-26, San Rafael

President's Week

January 21, Clay and Janyll went to Oakland for the Prince concert.

Janyll, Kaylie, Clay and I awakened on 2/22 with a cold so I didn't take many pictures.

Early Spring in Terra Linda

Saturday, February 26

Moroccan Dinner with Rebecca, Sara and Brian

Zucchini and Onions

Sara's using a clay cooking pot to steam vegetables

Chefs conferring

Liz rolling truffles and dipping in chocolate powder

Dinner

January was a busy month

January 1

Jackie opening champagne before we enjoyed her annual southern, good luck meal of pork chops, black-eyed peas, greens and cherry breeze pie.

At Jennifer's:

Painting by my mother-in-law,
  Marian Colwell Birmingham, done approximately 1915

Another interesting shape;  remains of coffee with chocolate at bottom of my coffee cup

January 4

I'm ready for Chistmas to go away, but not quite energetic enough to actually put away.  This is everything Christmasy, from every room which I managed to move to the dining table awaiting it's return to boxes and the closet for another 11 months.

Woo Hoo, living room is back to normal

I was invited to stay with Kaylie while Clay and Janyll went to Hawaii for a few days in early January.  I was happy to spend time with her and to get her to-and-from school, do homework, and take care of pets.  We worked on her ancestor project and I suggested that her ancestor doll be from her Irish heritage (Birmingham).

January 6

Kaylie does not have a striking resemblance to her Irish ancestor.

Her ancestor doll does have a striking resemblance to the family portraits Clay drew when he was a child.

Granddog Truffles at home

Don, Becky and Abigail (Santa Rosa, niece and great niece) spent Sunday afternoon in San Rafael with Kaylie and me.  We didn't take pictures, however, here is a picture from a week earlier of Becky and Abigail in Knights Valley.  Love the red coat, Becky

Jan 12

Taken from Amtrak window returning to Sacramento from San Rafael

Jan 15

Michael's 11th birthday party at bowling alley in Folsom

His birthday is Dec 27..never a good time for a birthday party.

Michael and Grandma Liz

Jan 20

Through park to Hyatt to see ex-coworkers

at New Mayors and Council Members Academy

Brian, Helen and Sussan in lobby at Hyatt

and most important

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/skeptical-local-officials-prep.html#

Jan 21

 Preparation for repairs to living room ceiling from rain damage.



Uh Oh, living room not back to normal for long.

This is a month long process; waiting for ceiling to dry; then removing plaster, then replastering; wait several days for that to dry, then sanding and someday painting.

Stacey is taking me to dinner at Ernesto's for my birthday.  Yes, my birthday is November 23, however, it was nice to still be celebrating my birth!

January 24
Jacey out of school today; she and Jen came to visit and we had lunch at Pronto.

Jen took picture of me and Jacey through the looking glass.

Pasta Carbonara

Jen wasn't happy with any of the pictures taken of her today, so here's one from Michael's birthday party on the 15th.

Christmas present from Becky.  I added water and this is what happened.

 January 26

Jackie invited me to go with her to Mondavi Center at UC Davis to hear

Daniel Handler, AKA - Lemony Snicket

http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

We had dinner at Mustard Seed in Davis, and then laughed for an hour and a half at a drolly-funny Daniel Handler.

January 28, 2011

Mom was taken to hospital at 11:00 p.m. last night, cold and unresponsive. She was moved into a room with a plan to keep her comfortable and Hospice would come in the morning.  She died at  3:15 a.m., Central time this morning. 

Headed to Texas to Mom's funeral

I had a 4 hour layover in Phoenix and plenty of time to snap a few photos.

Look Up

Look Down

Overhead light as reflected through my glasses onto cracker package.

Sunday, Jan. 30 at  Stan's

Don, Stan, Liz

January 31st

Spent lots of time at kitchen table visiting with  Stan, Margaret, Don and DJ.

Tomorrow is the day of Mom's funeral and Don's birthday.

See Arrangements Pending Blog

Christmas 2010

Here we were Christmas Eve 2009

Jacey and Kaylie

Grandpa's shock amuses Clay and Janyll while Michael awaits his turn to open a present.

Chris, Jacey and Michael - where's Jennifer?

And here we are Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas Cactus on front porch

Merry Christmas wreath from Jude

Santa and Christmas tree lording it over the nativity scene

Jim, Jen and Chris

Janyll models hat from Clay

Dimly lit, Clay and Janyll..nothing personal


Janyll demonstrating my new exercise equipment from the Holinsworth's

Michael, Chris, Clay, putting together Michael's games.  Professor Birmingham (Janyll) is instructing.  Dominican University in San Rafael re-offered her a teaching position that fits her schedule; she said yes and so adds to her already impressive resume.

Our Professor

Jacey enjoying some of her favorite Christmas gifts; Elmo snuggy and aviator glasses.  She's grateful for a "cool" aunt and uncle who pick just the right gifts.

 Me, no doubt telling a story

 Jim watching Michael and Janyll playing soccer

We've had a very blessed year. 
Jen and family love their new home and are enjoying the new heating/ac unit; if not entirely thrilled with the necessity of having to replace the old one.
Clay also had news.  The company he works for is closing and I think they were told on Thursday (Dec 24) or at least very close to Christmas; however, he was offered another job on the same day, which he accepted.  We all rejoice!

Happy New Year

P. S.  Stan just sent picture from their Christmas celebration today.  Mom had changed her mind about going when he arrived at the nursing home to pick her up. He talked her into going.  She stayed about an hour and a half and when he took her home she said, "this will probably be our last outing". 

Stan and Mom - Christmas 2010