HOLIDAZE

Our annual family reunion is really a family and friends reunion. The first to arrive on July 4th was Wendy and Paul Lothrop from Southern California. Long time friends of my daughter Kristanne.  it was designed to be a surprise for her because she hadn’t seen them in a about two years and didn’t know they were coming.

Doug was cutting tile for one of three tables he rebuilt.

Kristanne and Austin arrived next. After having a chance to visit with Wendy and Paul, and since we were waaaay behind schedule with extremely hot weather, my inability to do very much, and a lot of things left undone for too long, Doug put Kris to work on the barbeque table he rebuilt, staining the wood trim and later two coats of Varathane.

Austin hung the flag, washed and tested all the squirt guns to make sure they worked, emptied the garbage and sorted recycling for a run to the dump before the big event on Saturday.

He only had to toss one gun.

On Friday, the young cousins arrived. Abby got sparkles in her hair and the boys sported newly painted mohawks for the occasion. Later Kristanne fixed a mohawk for Austin, too.

Sisters, Bev and Kathy. Bev is mother of the boys and Abby.

Kathy always brings something zany for the kids, this time some 4th of July sunglasses…

…and some weird teeth for herself. Boy, what Hollywood can do to make you look old.

Ted and Bev set up the first tent. The kids played on the trampoline and had squirt gun wars all day, while Wendy kept us all fed.

Doug put Ted to work patching tubes that went dead.

Virginia, Cedric, Theo and Owen arrived late on Friday, but the kids got some trampoline time in and we adults played a game called What’s Yours Like?

It is a guessing game, brings a lot of laughter, and the good thing, is you can snack and drink with the game without worrying about getting your cards or board wet or spilled on or greasy. More reunion stuff tomorrow. Have to visit the Chiropractor this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENJOYING MOTHER LODE ATTRACTIONS

Good friends, Jose and Norma Tapia,  and my youngest daughter, Virginia, and her kids came up to the Mother Lode for a day to play. The weather was perfect, not hot, not cold, just coolish,  The kids played on the trampoline…

Owen, flying high.

Nearly three year old Abbie trying for that higher bounce.

Theo going for the extreme moves.

Anthony waits his shot at the ball in a game of driveway two-square. Whoever goes out steps aside for the next person in line. That way no one gets overly tired

Everyone wanted to take a walk and see where I heard the singing waters from a previous blog. The water is running, but without much thunder and  low enough to easily cross over the washes on rocks and branches. Its fun to almost get wet while throwing rocks into the culverts. The kids fed the neighbor horses and caught a frog,, which was promptly returned to its puddle.

Before dinner, the two youngest boys managed a wobbly, high structure with stacking blocks while we got the table ready. Before dessert, we caravaned  downtown Murphys to watch the Rail Jam, a new event sponsored by Bear Valley Ski Area,  and the Murphys Hotel.

Snow was brought in and piled from the second floor of the Murphys Hotel into an obstacle course for skiers and snowboarders. The amateur contestants were from eight years to fourteen years old. Down the two story ramp, over the first bridge,

a sharp right and down a slippery, round pipe,

and, a shoot to the finish over the “mail box”. Some of the older boys chose to finish on the edges of the blue barrier. Either way, a challenging, fun, competitive race with prizes.

Six year old Anthony confided, “I can do that,” as he watched the boarders. In the future, I’m sure he will. On this day, it was enough to play with hunks of dirty snow. But, dainty Abbie…
stuck close to dad and bravely ventured one leg over the rope barrier.

Jaime The Mudbug

Jim says:

Leaving Cape Cod we arrived at my son’s home in Ivoryton, Connecticut, Sunday afternoon. It was so hot and humid, we hung out in the back yard trying to get some shade and a tiny breeze.

My nine-year old grand-daughter Jaime wasn’t affected by the heat and humidity and was alive and animated as always. She has quite the bubbly personality. She showed me a framed genealogy document of the Jaillet name that told of us with that name as people who live in the swamp, bog, marsh and mud. I promptly dubbed her Jaime The Mudbug.

In her animated way, she presented a written invitation to her mom and dad, Mary and myself to attend Jaime’s First Annual Trampoline Extravaganza to begin at 5:45 in the back yard. She gave a great animated performance.

Here are three photos…

Jaime gave a great and entertaining performance.

She said she needed an assistant and of course, I was selected as the lucky individual. I already knew I have no business being on a trampoline!

A little later, here I am groovin’ to rocking tune on her MP3 player.

Mary flies to California for two weeks today. While she’s gone I’ll be hanging out with my grand-kids and of course, their mom and dad. Now, if it only wasn’t so hot and humid…

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
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