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The trip to Corralitos (near Santa Cruz) October 15th took about 21/2 hours. Highway 17 over the mountains is a bit tricky. Fortunately for me the tree that fell across the road was in the lanes going the opposite direction. No one was hurt but the traffic was backed up for many miles.
Jim took Tanja to Italy for her 50th birthday. I was able to arrange my schedule to be with Annalise, my granddaughter, most of the time they were gone. They left on the 17th and returned on the 26th. I was there until the 24th and Don, Annalise’s uncle, stayed with her until her parents got home. Jim and Tanja had a wonderful time, all went as scheduled and this was definitely a special birthday for Tanja.
Annalise (13) is one busy gal! Let me try and recap the events that took place until her parents got home. There were two soccer games (they are undefeated for the season, one more game), soccer practice, cross country practice, a music lesson (piano), meeting for trip to Washington DC (in November), athletic awards night, two birthday parties, one each Saturday and a piano recital. We went shopping one evening and to dinner with her Uncle Don another evening. She managed to keep up with her home work and received her report card in the mail with straight "A’s". Yes, she also went to school every day. This probably is not what it’s like every week but some combination of activities I’m sure. Did I mention that she is Student Body Secretary..........I do have bragging rights!
Annalise and I have not had a great deal of time together these last several years since Bob and I settled in Illinois. I so enjoyed the opportunity to experience what goes on in her life and spending time getting to know her. We are compatible and blend together well.
On one of the soccer excursions we road with her coach Doug and went to Salinas. The route is through Castroville, the artichoke capital http://www.artichoke-festival.org/ and the agricultural fields. If you’ve never been in the area the picture kind of gives you an idea of what you see. Artichokes, brussel sprouts, strawberries, other types of berries and lettuce are a few of the crops I was able to identify. This was a fun trip as was the trip with Amy, a soccer mom, we went with to the game over near San Jose. Great folks and the team members are very close and respectful. They have played together for several years. The pictures of Annalise were taken at these games.A concern I have after being here for awhile is the shortage of water. I have never seen the reservoirs as low or the dams such as Shasta and Oroville at the levels they are now. Our dependance on this precious resource for crops is very apparent. It is raining today, that’s a good thing! Where we live in the mid west so much relies on natural rainfall, they do not irrigate.
I spent time in the lounge chairs that you see in the back patio. This past year a wooden deck was replaced with a stamped cement deck and Jim redid the retaining wall. Tanja and he lugged those rocks from a pile that was left in their driveway. The result is beautiful. You can see the gazebo, off to the side in the front, that Jim Built after a willow tree was removed. The dogs, Golden and Sasha, kept me company while Annalise was in school. The weather was in the 80's most days and the kids left me with a gift certificate for a pedicure and I went ahead and got a manicure also. I found time to relax even with all the happenings.
The time passed all to quickly and before long I made the return trip to my Aunt Lil’s in Stockton.
