Once in awhile-now and again-this is us

and here we go again, more news of covid and it’s variant and how fast it is spreading. i hope you are all vaccinated and still wearing your masks. i’ll be first in line for the next booster.

Tracy, I’ve used fresh ham and smoked ham hocks before, even salt pork (in the lean years). but never kielbasa. how were yours? Maybe next year i’ll try kielbasa, this year my peas were a disaster☹️. The recipe i used was not good. They tasted ok but turned to mush. The best part of my time in the kitchen was frying the bacon and onion in my new-(used)-revere ware 12 inch frying pan. I got it on etsy. I love it! The one i had that my mother gave me lost it’s handle. I wanted to share my efforts with the neighbors, but maybe next year- with the kielbasa😊

I’m looking forward to when we can get together with friends and family too, without that little voice telling me to “be careful now”. I’m getting rusty at Chinese checkers Ray. Oh no, I may not win. And after reading sundays newspaper, i’m looking forward to getting in the coach again too. we want to plan a trip up north. Later in the year of course. here are three reasons why—

We love all three places and have been to all of them many times.

at one time we went to Monterrey twice a year and even became members of the aquarium. Our first time there was 1985 one year after it opened. we have seen it grow to be more amazing with every visit. The jellies are a highlight.

the california redwoods are a incredible sight, as you that have seen them know. to see them from their canopy sounds heavenly. We have camped in all the redwood campgrounds from ‘julia pfeiffer burns state park’ this side of monterey to ’jedediah smith redwoods state park’ this side of the oregon border. so many wonderful memories.

San fransisco was another frequent destination. the presidio national park is part of the golden gate national parks conservancy. We’ve explored that area way back when teddie lived there, and since. it’s a great place for views of the golden gate bridge, also a national park, i wonder why its not a monument? Walt Disney put a museum in restored buildings there. it was fantastic. you’d love it martha.

and since we would be up that close to jessica and hannah, we could just drive a little farther and visit them. and then drive a little farther and visit ’ olympic national park’, one of our favorite parks.

We had a very nice visit with emily to start the year. it’s hard to believe she is 18 and driving. it was great to have a one on one with her. no parents to interject and no little sister to distract us. for lunch she ordered wing stop online, something we don’t do, and then went and picked it up and brought it home to us. We could get used to that. she’ll start college next year. she’d love to go to san diego state, but may decide to save money and go to long beach state.

One of my favorite pictures of me and emily. i wish my hair would still do that.

Again, I loved all the recent comments. I read all of them. twice sometimes. they are a joy to me. hear that grandgirls? it’s like a pat on the back, getting an A on homework, a friendly smile.

I hope you stay tuned

💗jilly