Week in Review

While I was out with the ladies, Stace took Violet to the archery range. She still enjoys archery, though for the time being she's stopped her mounted archery.

From the car on the dirt path to the range, they spotted this bad boy. Yep, that's 100% a rattlesnake. Notice the larger diamond-shaped head and rattle!

Violet doesn't just shoot arrows, she throws them. All good for her PE credit hours we need to track at home with her new schooling situation.

Speaking of school, it's going very well, but Vi has had a ton of algebra to do this week to get caught up to where the Learning Post algebra course is. She's been a bit frustrated but she's getting through it. Thankfully the English and history assignments are easier.
 

Living his best life! Seb got height AND the bean bag when we stacked cushions up to get them out of the rain this week. 

Cora took a rest day this week, following the extreme energy output required for Puffs (or any show run). 

Here's the completion of the beautiful bird puzzle Aunt Patty and Uncle Bill gave us when we went up to visit in September!

And, we didn't get a photo, but JT, Jim and kids came up for lunch Friday to return Violet's camera that we accidentally left in their car when they came out to see Puffs. We met up at the Indian restaurant and enjoyed their filling and fabulous lunch buffet.

England Wrap-Up

For most of the time during our stay back home, the weather was overcast and rainy, but we did have a couple of  beautiful crisp days with clear skies.

During this trip, I paid a visit to Keith and Shirley Partridge. It was lovely catching up with them after nine years. This photo was taken by their grandson Aiden, Gareth's son. I hadn't seen him since he was a baby.

On our last night we all went out for dinner in Yeovil, at the Hungry Horse.  After we ate, Livi and I played a fun card game as we all sat around chatting.

Dean, yet again, proving that every village has one...

Over the Christmas holiday I started this puzzle but didn't have enough time to finish. It was a real stinker.  It's a lovely village scene, with a cottage, vintage car, motorbike and church in the background. Mum and Dad kept working on it after Vi and left to fly back to Santa Clarita.

Week in Review

Violet loves making mug cakes - single person desserts you cook in the microwave. Yum! And look at her adorable new glasses.

My google photos app offered this color edit to me, and I thought it was pretty cool.

Liana came over to hang out, and Cora led the dynamic duo on a D&D quest.

Spencer is usually the one sleeping with Violet, while Seb sleeps in the living room or in our room. (He'd like to be in Cora's room, but she likes her door shut and her room dark, and Seb usually wants to leave in the middle of the night.)

It was cute to spot Seb on Vi's bed the other morning.

Violet, with a bit of help from me, completed this puzzle.

We celebrated January birthdays - me and Ellie! - with a dinner out at Bricks.

Ellie liked the drawing board we gave her.

I got one for Violet, too, and Spencer liked it.

Vi and I took a nice walk Saturday afternoon, with a stop at Starbucks on the way back. I'm glad one of my girls will still go on walks with me!
 

We've had a lot of wind, and now my pretty red and orange leaves are gone.

Week in Review

Stace finished off and baked the sourdough that Michelle hooked us up with, and look how gorgeous!

It was as tasty as it looked.

Melanie, Nick and Ellie came over to play in the pool Sunday. Ellie loved her first pool experience!

At least, she seemed to. She was very chill and relaxed.

Big news! Cora was able to return to karate!

Squares are drawn on the dojo floor with tape, masks are worn, hand sanitizer, no physical contact...but at least they can be sarcastic with each other, in person.

We went to Placerita Canyon, where we were pleasantly surprised to still find a tiny bit of water.

This sign struck me as funny: the picnic table is reserved for "No one at this time - no picnicking or social gathering right now until further notice. Thank you for understanding."
I'll withhold my sarcasm - wait, no, I won't. I'm sure that me and the girls sitting with a water and crackers and a banana will spread the virus?

Violet showed Cora her little favorite spot.

The bathrooms were open, but the nature center building shut.

We made a big step toward normalcy this week, with Violet going to a friend's house Wednesday, and Cora having a girlfriend over the same day. It was wonderful, and both my girls were so happy.

Also this week, we finished this amazing puzzle of Paris that was a quarantine gift from Sue and Gord. Oh, just a year ago, we were going to the UK and Paris! What a big difference a year makes.

Weekend Work and Play

 We had a long weekend for Memorial Day, and around our Santa Barbara day out, Stace got some work done on Saturday. He added in a new sprinkler head, since we get very dry patches in the lawn every summer.

He was very glad he'd taken such great notes when he initially redid the sprinklers a few years ago - it made a tough job easier.

 On Monday, it was a good deal warmer, and Stace and Violet had fun watering the plants...and each other.

 I'm taking part in a popular quarantine pastime - puzzles! The girls help now and then, but it's become mainly my thing.

I completed this kitty puzzle that my friend Sue gave me - she's also doing lots of puzzles.

 And we finished and hung this family picture puzzle I made on Shutterfly a year and a half ago. You can tell their older photos now - I'm still significantly taller than Cora!

We decided to paint the wooden frame to make it stand out better, since the natural color blended into the background. And, painting it blue complemented the blue-framed mirror we've had since our early years in the condo.

 Next stop - Paris! Gosh, I wish it were last summer again, back when we could travel freely! Thanks, Sue and Gord, for the perfect Easter quarantine present!

Also, this huge puzzle gave us a purpose for the science fair board we'd picked up in March, and then never used since the science fair didn't happen. The board is the same size as the puzzle, just a few inches wider than the coffee table.

Seb has proven a faithful and very helpful puzzle buddy.