1-9-26

Today the slab came out.
 

1-8-26

 And even more progress.

1-7-26

 More progress.

1-6-26

It happened!
 

1-5-26

Demolition starts tomorrow.....

 

1-3-26

My mom had us all over for dinner. My sister Sta is in town. Mom had two of her three kids, as well as both of her sons-in-law, as well as 5 grandchildren and 5 great grands there. 

We had lots of ice cream to choose from.

It went remarkably well considering all the youngsters.

 

1-2-26

The electricity folks came out and checked the pole. 

I went to a bat mitzvah this evening.

 

1-1-26

Today I took the boys on a walk along the Scout Trail. It went well until J stopped listening and ran off. So, I tied my jacket around his waist to keep hold of him. That made him decide that he was a dog and he refused to walk. Had to call Dan to help me get them home. 

 

12-31-25

We are starting a major renovation project and had some trees cut down today. The carport is going bye bye and we are getting a new garage and art studio. They are going to disconnect the electricity so they put in a temporary electrical pole. 

 

12-28-25

 I got the boys to do some clay projects today in my studio.

12-27-25

Jes and family arrived yesterday and today we had our gift exchange and breakfast.

We had fresh squeezed orange juice as well as stuffed french toast. I got a grow light from Squirt and some pants from Jes and from Aza I received an assortment of goodies- olive oils and an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. 

 

12-25-25

 We spent the night last night at Aza's house and woke up with the kids to see what Santa brought them. It was fun seeing them discover what was in their stockings. Dan and I got stockings too- and I got a lot of chocolate. 

12-23-26

The soap turned out!

I made this kiddish cup for a little girl having her bat mitzvah next month.

 

12-21-26

It's little A's birthday-- and I made the cake. 

 

12-20-26

 We tried making African soap.

12-19-26

My newphew Will and I are making soap.

 

12-14-26

 

First night of Hanukkah... I took Rose to the synagogue for our party. I met my work replacement there- which was very cool. She is Israeli. 

12-12-26

 

I ordered a bunch of art supplies from Temu and have been having a blast doodling and coloring with them.

12-4-25

 We are ready to get home. Today we drove from Hot Springs all the way home, stopping for lunch in Tupelo, Mississippi at the King Chicken Fillin' Station. I had the BEST smoked chicken sammich.

We got home around 6pm, very tired.... 

12-3-25

 Today's destination is Hot Springs, Arkansas. But along the way we stopped in Fort Smith, Arkansas where a federal court hung people who did crimes in the wild wild west.

The National Park in Hot Springs was really interesting, and I made a cup of tea from the hot spring water.

We camped in the most beautiful spot in the National Park campground. We only have to pay half price since Dan got a lifetime senior citizen pass. That's our truck before we popped the camper up.

12-2-25

 Today we drove through west Texas and Oklahoma. We went to the Washita National Monument in Oklahoma where another horrible massacre happened. 

Along the way we smelled all the smells of West Texas and saw the poor cows herded into feeding pens.

It's hard to see, but the black things are all cows.

We also went to a really neat place in Texas called Alibates Flint Quarry where the native peoples used to mine for flint to use and trade. It was strikingly beautiful in its own way. White dolomite sticking out of red hills...

We camped this evening near the Foss Reservoir in the truck for the first time. It was really comfortable. Dan ran the heater but we had to walk to the bathrooms.

12-1-25

 OK, we are driving home from Colorado. Today we stopped to see two National Park Monuments.

The first is an old fort on the wild frontier where people would stop to buy necessities or get their wagons fixed. This is Bent's Old Fort.

It's a reconstruction but very realistic. 

The next site was a Japanese internment camp called Amache Japanese Internment Camp.

It's all mostly gone, but there are a few things left to see. What struck me was how desolate it was out there in the middle of nowhere, and how horrible it must have been for people in California to have been shipped by train to this remote site.

Note the moon in the tree branches. We read that the Japanese could purchase a tree to plant and you can see them dotted across the barren landscape.

 Finally, we tried to go here but it was closed.  It was the site of a horrible massacre of native peoples by the US troops. The Sand Creek Massacre. It was cold so we stayed in a hotel this evening in Springfield, Colorado, after having dinner at the Cow Palace in Lamar, Co. 

11-30-25

 It's our FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY!

We are walking around Idaho Springs on our way back to Denver and decided to have a hot cocoa.

11-29-25

 Today was so cool- we took a walk, all of us, at this nature preserve that had trails and an indoor play area.

It was just gorgeous out, and I was in 7th heaven. J Bird was not supposed to climb on this teepee.

Then J Bird found a "fossil" that he just had to dig out.

Little Rose and her daddy.

Little Goat. I'm not sure what his nickname is (Ozzi), but now it's goat.

11-28-25

 Today we took a bus up the mountain to the town of Beaver Creek to see an ice skating show and just enjoy the festivities. Little Roo and Rose enjoyed the bus ride.