A Belated Happy Thanksgiving!

Last week we, John, Anthony and I, drove down to SoCal to celebrate Thanksgiving with my Dad and brother, John. Cousins Nicki and Gene have a huge Thanksgiving every year with family from Nicki's dad's family, Gene's family and their neighbors. Everyone brings something (or I should say, lots of somethings.) Nicki and Gene provide the turkey(s), ham(s) and drinks - everything else was brought by guests. We were lucky enough to be invited to join them this year. What a feast!

A small sampling of the food

Didn't catch a photo of the turkey or the ham, but you get the drift of how much food there was. Didn't photograph all the desserts either; pies - pumpkin, apple, fruit, a merangue torts, brownies and more.  We weren't hungry for a couple of days.




An indication of how many folks there were...

We then made a quick trip to look at the campus of CSU Fullerton.  It's one of the schools where Anthony has applied.  He said he could see himself there - a good place if he doesn't get accepted to San Francisco, San Diego or San Jose.

The front of the Theatre - A great place to start for A.

 
Then, off to see my mom.  We met John Jay and Dad at Mission Lodge for a nice visit all around.

GGrandma is tired after dinner

THE GUYS
John Jay, Anthony, John B and Raybo

We had a nice short visit with family and Sierra Madre/Pasadena.  The weather made our visit even better. 

Our "home" in Pasadena, since we can't stay with Dad and Tom Cat
The Westin Pasadena

A great place to stay, great visits with Dad and John Jay, wonderful TG dinner with loved ones and the knowledge that Mom is well cared for.  There are a lot of things to be thankful for.

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful life.

xxo



Reminiscing in Novato

Looking out from the Christensen Home
in Novato, California

This last weekend, I went to visit my oldest and dearest friend,

Susan (Hermie) Smith Christensen.

 

After our year long sabbatical journey, it was time to drive the 3 hours north to see how Susy and Kevin have "improved their home" in Novato and to get together with some people from the Pasadena High School class of 1963. I was welcomed to a new patio with comfy deck chairs and a new jacuzzi spa for evening lounging.  It was quite lovely to sit in the beautiful weather sipping wine and catching up on the family news while enjoying the spectacular view.

 

Their home is a perfect setting for the gathering that brought 8 classmates from the class of 1963 at Pasadena High School.  Richard Bray and Susy have been talking about having a get-together for years, so with the finishing of the redecoration and the upcoming event of our 50th (OMG!) Reunion, they (Richard and Susy) finally pulled it together.

 

Susanna and Richard Bray, Kevin and Susan Smith Christensen, Craig Reese and me, Susie Obazawa Berteaux
This is the group that remained by the time I remembered the camera 

 

 

It was really fun to see a few of the classmates that live in the Bay Area - Lafayette, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Berkeley and me all the way from Monterey County.  Let's see, Ellen Barnett and Kathy Franken came together; I hadn't seen them since the 40th PHS Reunion (Ellen's grandmother was our elementary school nurse).  Budd MacKenzie and I were cheerleaders together.  John (Randy) Gaulding lived in Sierra Madre and we used the same bus stop to get to school. Richard Bray always seemed to be around and into everything at PHS, so he knew everyone.  Craig Reese, Susy and I have been friends the longest - we lived on the same street less than a block apart, we were in the same kindergarten class and have been able to sketchily keep in touch over the years... even before we had the internet!!!  It was really good to see these folks - it made me feel so OLD, but so YOUNG at the same time.  It was also good to be able to reminisce about the ones who have passed away and teenage experiences that have stayed with us and have made us who we are today. 

 

Susy, Craig and me
Friends for 62 years!

 

 

For me, seeing old friends like this, makes me appreciate the life I have and the friends that I have made and those I have kept since my childhood.  We are all shaped by our friends and circumstances - I am so blessed to have had such loving and positive experiences with both.