Today we met a lovely couple about our age who live on a ridge just 4 miles south of us, here in Ahwahnee. They have been good friends of Jacques and Yvonne -- Patrick’s friends for over 30 years. Actually Patrick met them many years ago, when Kathy was just a toddler. Obviously he was still married to Minerva.
Madeline and Paul sold their house in Simi Valley about 3 years ago and bought 25 acres here, then built a house. It’s at the top of a ridge overlooking Deadwood, the 3,000 ft. mountain that separates us from the rest of the world, to the southwest, on Highway 41.
Madeline is from near Pau, where Patrick was born (as was Yvonne). Her husband, Paul, is Yugoslavian, related to Jacques – but not sure of the exact connection. They fed us breakfast and indicated that we would be welcome to join their many social gatherings. They play Patanque very seriously, guess I need to learn how. It shouldn’t be hard for an old tennis player…
So tomorrow we leave for home – our primary one, that is. Can’t get back here until later in January now. Quail Cottage is winterized so that's comforting. We installed a regular double bed in the bedroom today and moved the huge trundle bed into the living room. Gives us more room all around.
We’ve had a fire in the wood stove the whole time, cozy. We’re lucky to live with many trees available for firewood, mostly dead oaks. It’s an old forest here.
Signing off from Quail Ridge.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Waving at the Camera
So here we are again in the Sierras, in our Quail Cottage. Tomorrow AM we leave for San Rafael to visit Connor, our grandson, and his parents. It began raining here this afternoon about 12:30 and it’s been steady ever since. We hear it’s snowing at higher altitudes. Here we are at about 3,000 feet. I felt nervous driving in the rain into Oakhurst earlier today to have lunch w/Marie. But it was OK.
We are spending Patrick’s last vacation week of the year. It’s been restful and pleasant. I really don’t miss TV here. In the evenings we play board games, gin rummy, watch videos, or just sit in front of the wood stove and chat. I go to bed here earlier than at home. And sometimes I sit and work on my blog -- like now.
The woodpeckers have created a nest atop a telephone pole across the driveway. They are total pests, and, very beautiful with scarlet breasts. We watch them w/binocs. Patrick has become a “Birder.” Maybe that’ll be his Christmas present – a bird ID book.
Tonight we celebrated our tenth anniversary of meeting each other at Lake Tahoe. Thanksgiving, 1997. Which was also the year that Dana – my “baby" decided to become Clean and Sober, checking herself into rehab. It was truly a year to be thankful. The following year, 1998, Dana was able to join us at the Lake for Thanksgiving – and really celebrate!
It was a beautiful time, and we played the video tapes at home during Thanksgiving this year to remind us of how very lovely it was. It was a time when my Aunt Nance was still decent, somewhat kind, and available. That time is gone now, too bad.
The tapes capture the first time Patrick put his arm around me; when he waved at my camera and told me he loved me (a mere 48 hours after we met). He was smitten.
I believe I said: Oh Shit.
We are spending Patrick’s last vacation week of the year. It’s been restful and pleasant. I really don’t miss TV here. In the evenings we play board games, gin rummy, watch videos, or just sit in front of the wood stove and chat. I go to bed here earlier than at home. And sometimes I sit and work on my blog -- like now.
The woodpeckers have created a nest atop a telephone pole across the driveway. They are total pests, and, very beautiful with scarlet breasts. We watch them w/binocs. Patrick has become a “Birder.” Maybe that’ll be his Christmas present – a bird ID book.
Tonight we celebrated our tenth anniversary of meeting each other at Lake Tahoe. Thanksgiving, 1997. Which was also the year that Dana – my “baby" decided to become Clean and Sober, checking herself into rehab. It was truly a year to be thankful. The following year, 1998, Dana was able to join us at the Lake for Thanksgiving – and really celebrate!
It was a beautiful time, and we played the video tapes at home during Thanksgiving this year to remind us of how very lovely it was. It was a time when my Aunt Nance was still decent, somewhat kind, and available. That time is gone now, too bad.
The tapes capture the first time Patrick put his arm around me; when he waved at my camera and told me he loved me (a mere 48 hours after we met). He was smitten.
I believe I said: Oh Shit.
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