Christmas 2020....A small affair with good outdoor time

 Well, like most people this holiday season, we had to just wait to see before making any plans. My dads senior living facility had to go into lockdown 2 days before Christmas because of a positive test in a staff member. They really have done a wonderful job keeping the residents healthy. Kelly and Bixby were lucky to have a visit with him the day before, and Mike and I dropped off a goody box. He seemed happy to keep everyone safe. Kelly and Bixby gave him a visual Alexa devise but we will have to see if he enjoys telling "her" what to do once someone has helped him set "her" up. 

Mike and I went over to Kelly's for the opening of gifts,  mostly homemade and re-gifted (the best kind, I think since I hate shopping)  Baby Yoda showed up under the tree for each family from Grandad Mike to connect us and for the sharing of our photos with each other as we take him on adventures. Then we hiked up near by Pine Mountain where a monolith appeared a few weeks ago. We had a wonderful family zoom connection with Cameron and his family in Ohio. They enjoyed a white Christmas, certainly on our bucket list to join them some year. We finished off the day with a simple but delicious dinner presented by Kelly and some games led by Bixby. 

                                         It was a lovely day. Best wishes for a health 2021.

Bixby gets a bowl full of money.

Nana Gwen made the bowl...we miss her

Grandad Oscar collected the change.

The chickens were peeking in

Bixby makes a model

of a perpetual calendar

We are making good use of the marble coffee table

that my dad gifted to Kelly.

Kelly has a good eye for decorating

Baby Yoda enjoys lunch

Then gets ready for a hike

We came across an injured person on the trail.

Help had been called for and the paramedics arrive.

They had to climb over a fence to access the trail.

Bixby is ahead of us as usual,

and goes the hard way !!!

Yoda and I wear our masks

At last...The Monolith

Standing atop Pine Mountain !!!!

A sight to ponder

Yoda waves goodbye

Back at home, Bixby chops dates for sticky pudding

while Yoda looks on.

Kelly and Mike always enjoy 

preparing the meal together.

After dinner a few lively games

of Uno and Trivial Pursuit 

A great day

 Saturday was a fun day...for our family here on the central coast and for our son in Ohio.

First, in Ohio, Cameron's wife Tina gave him a wonderful gift for his birthday. Our son Cameron was always into airplanes and flying and spent much of his childhood time using the flight simulator on our early, crude computers. For his 13th birthday he asked for flying lessons and he was a natural, amazing his instructor, Alan with his understanding and ability to fly a plane. He continued to take lessons from Alan and "soloed", flying by himself' at the age of 16.Fast forward to this, his 40th birthday and once again he is in the sky, flying this beautiful vintage plane. He will be continuing his lessons, aiming to complete his small plane license.

Meanwhile back at the ranch...aka Kelly's in Atascadero,

We walked the trail opposite her house to cut a 

Christmas Tree. Bixby chose a beautiful one.

And cut it down himself using a hand saw

We all agreed it was a winner

We  proceeded to carry it the mile

 to the paying booth.

Then home again

We climb back over the fence to leave

the tree lot in front of Kelly's house

Kelly and Mike get the end cut off

Then to decorate and play games