2021 Western Oddysey: Second Cousins 12/20

I had decided that Brannon and John's front porch needed some new flowers so I headed out to see what I could find. Also John's shovel was a pitiful excuse for a tool, so I decided to buy him a shovel for Christmas. I bought panzies and several other flowering plants and brought them back and replaced the spent summer flowers in the porch planters. 

Sheila and I had bought several books for the girls for Chrsitmas as well as a couple of books we thought would be appropriate for Jane and Harrison, their friends. We decided to give each of the four kids one of the books early and did that while they were together today. 

Clem loves Frozen and the snowman character Olaf so she got...

We found a cute little book about a "snowglobe fanily" for Ruth...

a Fancy Nancy book for Jane... 

and  and a book about a Harry for Harrison. 

All four seemed to like 'em.

We are thrilled that Amanda and Brian and their girls are here to visit in California while we are here. They came of to Brannon and John's for supper and a visit today. Brian and John both grew up here in Vista and have been friends since they were teens. Brannon and Amanda are first cousins, of course, and ahve been close since Brannon was a baby. As a matter of fact, Brannon met John through his friendship with Brian.   Now each couple has three little girls and today was the first chance for all six second cousins to be together.

Sheila and I babysat Baby Sue while Clem and Ruth and their parents took another tour of "Jingle Terrace Park"... 

It was one of my most precious times with Sue.

And at some point of the evening I managed to set the current highest score on the Ms. Pac-man console that John built from scratch. I took a picture lest some miscreant were to unplug the machine and desroy the evidence of my outstanding achievement!