Another Day, Another Bailey's

Do I look happy?  I've got a dog and another Bailey's to add to my stash!  Christmas wasn't quite over, you see...

The Bayly's (Dave, Kathy, and Lauren) came to visit and brought me some Bailey's and some dark chocolate...(the healthy kind!)  Even though it was raining very hard, they came all the way to San Jose to wish me a Merry Christmas and even took me out for a lobster dinner!  THANKS, DAVE, KATHY, AND LAUREN...It was good to see you and I LOVED the lobster (and the Bailey's!)

Here I am, in my recliner, watching Judge Judy (with my earphones on) and soaking my feet in a warm (hot) bubbling footbath!  Felt GREAT!  

Leo couldn't figure it out...he had to take a look from several different angles...

The next morning, I was eating breakfast and I guess Leo thought I needed company.  So...

As you can see, ignoring him doesn't work.  He parks himself on my newspaper EVERY morning.  That way he gets ALL my attention!

Christmas 2010

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Well, another Christmas has come and gone.  Here's what I've been up to...

Christmas Eve, Barbara asked me to help make cookies.  So...here I am, the Chocolate Chip Cookie King...I can eat the cookies faster than I can get them on the cookie sheet!

 I was EXHAUSTED after making (and eating) cookies so it was back to my favorite chair and time to enjoy a shrimp cocktail.  Notice that the cat is just keeping me company...not eating my shrimp!

Then it was time for dinner...and I put in my request for lobster.  Barbara made me home-made french fries and...my favorite,  lobster tail.

Then it was time to check my blog!  (Odd name...whatever it means!)  Barbara helped me out by putting a BIG ARROW on the keyboard so that I could easily scroll down through the photos and read the comments.  (Thanks for the nice words!)  I don't really know how this works but I sure like it.  It's like getting mail every day!

On Christmas morning, the Schuberts' arrived...making the trek down from the Santa Cruz mountains.  Carl was wearing his brand new pajamas and his new red boots and green Christmas socks.  Of course, we had to light the lights on the dollhouse and Carl checked to see how the dollhouse family was celebrating Christmas.  He even added snow to the greens and lights decorating the house.

We started the morning with home made eggnog...a Schubert family tradition.  Barbara asked me if I wanted rum or brandy in my eggnog and I said "YES"...yes to both!  A little freshly ground nutmeg on top and I was ready for the day.

One of my presents from Santa was a heated foot spa.  The one I had was wearing out so Santa popped for the "big boy" and now I have a "heated foot spa"!  (Can't tell you how GOOD this feels...I can't wait until Monday...that's "footbath day"!

Carl told Santa that he wanted a sewing machine so that he could make pillows.  (He's been sewing on my old machine with Ray supervising but that's a pretty powerful upholstery machine for a five year old) so...Santa brought Carl a Brother sewing machine...dual needles, 15 different stitches, the whole works!  Once Barbara set up his table and chairs, he took to sewing like his Great-Grandfather!  During the course of the day, Carl turned out five different pillows.

Carl let me choose from all of the pillows and I chose his first attempt...the pillow with the red cardinals.

Breakfast time...and we had orange juice, fresh fruit (pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, and orange slices), followed by French Breakfast Puffs and an Egg Strata with mushrooms, carmelized onions, cheese, and red, yellow, and green peppers.  Coffee (and more eggnog) rounded out the morning.  (Even Carl's baby monkey enjoyed it!)

Ray and Jelly, (Carl's black Lab) had the right idea...NAP TIME!

All too soon, it was time for dinner.  

We had some appetizers and some drinks and then sat down for some home made lasagna.  I'm still sipping on my Bailey's Irish Cream...now my favorite beverage...as you can see from the next photo.

So...after some dessert and some more Bailey's, it was "Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!"

Joining the Tech Revolution

Well, as I wrap up the year 2010, I thought it was time to join the technology revolution and have my own Blog page.  I'm living in California again...loving the weather, staying in touch with "old" friends, and so grateful for the opportunity to get out and see things, go places, and reminisce with family and friends who come to visit.  I do better talking to people in person than I do on the phone...everybody sounds the same on the phone these days so it's great to see people in person.

Here are a few highlights from this past year.

Christmas 2009

Too many presents!  I have a lap full of presents AND a dog!

January 2010

The Bayly's come to celebrate my 97th birthday...along with the dog, Mr. Big!

February 2010

Celebrating Valentine's Day with a special brunch and a Mimosa!  That's LIVING!

March 2010
Here's Carl...my five year old Great Grandson...we're "dining" together!

Yup!  Barbara's got me busy coloring eggs.  SOMEBODY has to help the Easter Bunny!

April 2010

Jim and Katya Preston stop by...had a nice visit with them and did a lot of catching up.  They even called  in May and wanted Barbara and I to go wine tasting with them but Barbara was working in Wyoming so the wine went "untasted".

 Kerry and Brad also made a visit.

• 

Kyle also came to see me, driving all the way up from Los Angeles!

June 2010

Here I am, having Sunday Brunch at the Valley Ford Hotel and Restaurant.  My grandson, Brandon, is the owner and chef.  He and his wife, Shona, have restored this wonderful old hotel and operate a terrific restaurant...Rocker's Oysterfeller.

 In July, Barbara and I took a trip back to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  I got to visit some of my old haunts.  We went to Ocean City, walked on the Boardwalk, had ice cream, and visited some of the same places I visited with my family back in the 20s.  Even found some of the streets I lived on as a child.

We stayed with my grandson, D.J. and his wife, Janet.  Had lots of memorable meals, eating shrimp cocktails, lobster, Bailey's Irish Cream and enjoying visiting with friends.

 Another big happening in July was the wedding of my grandson, Brandon Guenther and his new wife, Shona.  They asked me to to be the "best man" at the wedding and I was honored to do it.  The wedding took place at San Francisco's City Hall...a beautiful building.

After the wedding, Barbara, Brandon, Shona, and I went for a post-wedding brunch, complete with champagne and lobster rolls!  

 August 2010
I'm learning to play games on the i phone and the i pad.  Pretty neat...but can kill a lot of time once you get into it.

My granddaughter, Rachel and her husband, Mike, had a baby boy in August...Here I am (in October) looking at the photos Rachel sent.  Guenther Gray is my third great grandchild.  Brittany Fischer is my oldest great grandchild...she's 27 years old, working as a graphic artist in Carmel, CA.  Carl Schubert is next at age 5, and now there's Guenther.

September 2010  and Fall is in the air and on the table...along with Leo, the cat, and Mr. Big, the dog.  

Barbara makes me "sing for my supper" so here I am, practicing my trumpet moves on the instrument Barbara brought back from Japan.  Takes a lot of "hot air" to keep this music coming!

October, 2010 and the dishes change with the season.  Helps me know what month it is!

I have my own Haunted House and finger puppets...each morning, the cat and I play with the spiders, ghosts, and puppets.  Sometimes I win, but most of the time, the cat wins, grabbing something from the house and leaping off the table with it in his mouth!

Carl LOVES Halloween.  He came over after school to make me some spider cookies.  (He's pretty tickled that I'm afraid of spider cookies!)

Here are a few more Halloween "treats" we had after Trick or Treating was over for the night.

November 2010 and a Thanksgiving Feast!  We had roast turkey, honeybaked ham, smoked turkey, plus lots of vegetarian options.  

And so goes another Thanksgiving!

December 2010 and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  There are four trees set up...a green tree, a white tree, a feather tree, and MY TREE!    I had to pick out the decorations I wanted on my tree...balls, toy soldiers, snowmen and santas...and then I decorated it and it's in my room, lit up every morning and every evening.

With decorations EVERYWHERE, even the cat has trouble finding a place to "perch".

Thanks to all my friends who have taken the time to send me cards and continue to keep in touch with phone calls and e-mails...Bruce Horan from Lincoln, CA, Pat and Frank Aikins from Paradise...just to name a few.  

Wishing everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!