Family people

 

 

 

A lot of our time at Christmas was spent around the California branch of the extended family. We got together a bunch of times, and had a white elephant gift exchange. The present I got the most excited about figures prominently in the last picture here. We will keep it in the garden to scare away vegetable thiefs (of which there unfortunately are many).

La Jolla Coves

 

 

 

If you are a Steinbeck fan (which I am), you will no doubt be familiar with the La Jolla Coves; in Cannery Row Doc and his motley crew drive a junker car there from Monterey in order to pick baby octopuses that is going to be the subject of a research paper on the effect on rage on the red octopus. We did not pick any octopuses, but we did look at the giant pelicans, and the pupping seals. We also ran around on rocks and dipped our toes in the frigid waters. Some day I want to go to Moneterey and see if I can find the old water tank one of the other characters lived in.

So wrong

 

 

Googly eyes, and lucia cats rising outside in December: Two very odd things, that we enjoy when we can.

Accordion

 

Amelia's mom is realizing her life long dream of learning to play the accordion, which is awesome on many levels. However, she is also really good at it after not that much practice. When confronted with the instrument of choice Amelia could not stay away either; after some riffing, I believe that she has some aptitude for it too. It must run in the family.

What did you do for christmas?

 

 

While everyone else was shivering in their badly insulated Portland houses, we blew town for the sunny town of San Diego. The weather, once we arrived, was great as always. New traditions brought with us was California Lucia cats (a new experience for the family). We did not bring our bikes this year, so we had to keep in shape using our gym routine only---bicep curl intervals, and explosive glute clenches. This will surely see us to victory on the bike in the coming year. We brought back some great souvenirs too, like a three week chest cold that manifests itself in terms of green goo. We'll be happy to share with anyone that wants some.