California Christmas 2023: Day Twelve

Just a glorious morning, despite our colds. 

Yesterday Isabel and Jim told us about the grand opening of "Primo Foods" just down the street on East Vista Way. It is a Mexican food market and taco restaurant. So Sheila drove right down there. As soon as we walked in free full-sized sample tacos went presented to us! We soon had ordered eight more 2 carne, 2 pollo and 4 veggie tacos. As we paid up at the counter, the cashier asked our shirt sizes -- we were given a nice promotional t-shirts. So we decided to add some salsa and guacamole to the order. 

Back at Anza, when John got home he and Brannon walked down to Primo's to order their own food. They and Jim and Isabel complained that they had NOT been offered camisetas.

Later that evening Isa and Jim came in with gifts for John, Brannon, and the girls and cards for Sheila and me. We were delighted. When we were preparing a card of thanks to them today we remembered the t-shirts and decided to regift them to Isabel and Jim.

We parked under the giant mural on a Main Street lot. The girls posed under their Aunt Sarah Spinks' giant painting.

While we waited for our ice cream Ruth, Clem, and Sheila posed  -- Suz refused to participate.

We should have taken pictures of the "small" ice creams we bought. The small servings were in edible bowls and each contained three big scoops! For the record: Suz, vanilla; Ruth Mint Chocolate Chip with Oreo Chunks; Clem, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough; Sheila, French Silk Pie; and I had Pecan Praline. 

They were too big for us to eat safely on the sidewalk so we took them home and sat around the kitchen table with Brannon and John all sharing tastes. Some of the best ice cream ever! Wish we had pictures!

Here's a couple from the internet.

There are the waffle bowls stacked in the middle.

Here is one filled.

And a typical line on Main Street.

On the way home we stopped by Grocery Outlet for a few items. Clem had talked about wanting a snow globe for Christmas, and so when we saw this one...

... greatly marked down a few days after Christmas, we seriously considered purchasing it for our five-year-old granddaughter;

...then we read the label a little more closely and decided to pass.

California Christmas 2023: Day Eleven

 11:30: Sheila's headaches continue this morning. I feel a little better but am disappointed that the congestion is still really bad. I go through coughing spells that are very aggravating and long, but with long periods between.

The kids are headed over around noon. They are busy right now painting what must surely be the World's Champion Zucchini that was given to their Dad. He plans to save the seeds.

We had great time imagining all the animals, people, my hat and other things being devoured by the Great Zucchini.

John built a Ms. Pac-Man table several years ago. I always play  some when I am here. John, Brannon, and I have a friendly competition for high score of the visit. Both B & J have had scores above 60K this visit, but the old man sits atop the standings at the moment. 

Ruthie...

donned a wig...

...and fox? ears.

Clem had a puppet show with a Pikichu and assorted animals.

Suz was a lion.

Clem did NOT want her picture taken!

California Christmas 2023: Day Ten

When I saw the giant leather-like bag in the front playyard I didn't know the entertainment it would give three little girls and their grandfather for an hour or so this afternoon.

We brought several Christmas ornaments that Brannon had chosen from Mother's estate. It feels good to see a few of those things that used to hang on Mother's tree here with her great-grandchildren.

We ended up finding a dozen of these little homemade ornaments that Mother  used on her tree. David, Lillian, and Brannon each chose them so I alloted four to each of them.

I chose this little stained glass angel because we bought several ornaments similar to this very early in our marriage and I suspect this is one we gave to Mother, though I am not sure of that. 

California Christmas 2023: Day Nine

I seem to be a little better today, but Sheila is miserable. I'm guessing she is about a day behind me on the rotten-old-cold cycle. My days and nights are all messed up. 

One bright spot is that I have been listening to Jon Meacham's And There Was Light, subtitled Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle. 

I have been listening to parts of this for a while now and at least twice I have gone to sleep after forgetting to set a timer and so had it in my ears for long periods, having to then try to find where I left consciousness. So I have heard parts of it more than once! 

Meacham has given me a better understanding of Lincoln, I think, and a greater appreciation of the way he tried and often succeeded in guiding events toward his two goals of preserving the union and ending slavery. It often meant that those who should have been his allies were very impatient with him. He was acutely aware of the political realities, knew preservation of the union was a prerequisite of abolition and therefore many times progress toward abolition meant, paradoxically, that that cause had to be put on a back-burner.

Of course this book was written during another period of great unrest, fear, and right-wing extremism. Just as in the mid 1800s folks were justifying evil by reciting scripture, we are beaten about the head today with selected verses of Leviticus. (Never mind the abominable mixed threads and the whole New Testament!) So we cannot help but see the parallels. 

Brannon came by with the three girls to take me with them to the Agua Hedionda Discovery Center. Suz was sleeping when we got there so Brannon stayed in the car with her while Ruth, Clem, and I visited the center. Near the entrance we walked past enclosures for a kestrel and then the planet's fastest animal - a peregrine falcon. Inside Clem headed straight for the snakes, of course. 

Posing with a snake -- I've forgotten which one.

Hiding out

They've added this little stage since we were last here.

Wingspan

Tire snake

Striking a pose with fairy houses.

Watching a tortoise

Succulent wall garden

I made a donation then we looked around inside and out a while. Clem found a scavenger hunt sheet and we all worked on that till they both had found everything. They were rewarded with a Pokemon card apiece, and, of course, wanted something from the gift shop. I let them each pick something ($5 or less each); Clem chose a Black snake slap-bracelet --

 and Ruth a "fossil-embedded" chunk of plaster with a tool for scraping and brushing the plaster. 

Before we even got to the center Clem started asking me about... ABRAHAM LINCOLN! "Grandshaw tell me about Abraham Lincoln." Turns out somehow Abraham Lincoln had come up in her kindergarten class and when she asked her Mom about him, Brannon said, "Ask Grandshaw." So here I am in the middle of this very interesting but very serious book on Abe and my 5 year-old granddaughter wants to know about him.

I asked what she'd like to know about him. "Why did John Wilkes Booth shoot him?"

Wow. So we're starting there?

California Christmas 2023: Day Eight - Boxing Day

 Still ill. Yuck. But the kids came over for a while this evening and though I'm sure we weren't very good company the girls had a great time anyway.

Clem mostly played on her own in the playroom but Ruthie and Suz had a ball playing a new game -- Boomerang. Ruth invented it. She would have one of us give her a little shove when she stood before us as we sat on the couch. She would then spin across the rook, arms outstretched in an arc through the kitchen and back into our laps. Repeat. Suz soon caught own and followed suit.

Later Brannon walked the kids down to the neighborhood park to play till dusk.

PTSW - My Own: True Treasures

 

Exchanging Gifts

What gifts will you bring your Papa?

Pure  gold, however they’re made—

Wrapped in sunshine of smiles;

Tied up with love that won’t fade.

What gift will you bring your Lover?

Its rich, whatever you’ve spent,

You’ve  paid thrice in sweat and tears

and my promises, broken or bent.

What gifts can I bring my daughters?

What present is worthy my wife?

Tawdry trinkets diamonds would seem

On these precious true-treasures of life.

by Terrell Shaw