Disney's Love of Trains

Matt and Jamie attended this evening's SLO Railroad Museum's fundraiser event at the Pacific Coast Railroad (Santa Margarita Ranch) that featured rides on the Disney coaches as well as a multi-media presentation by Michael Campbell, President of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society. Michael spoke about the development of the Disney railroad and Walt's love for trains. Train rides were available both before and after the presentation on the historic former Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad "Retlaw1" passenger cars that were built in the Disney Burbank Studios and operated at Disneyland from 1955 to the early 1970's.

All of Jamie's photos for this event are here:
https://www.jamie-foster-photography.com/Trains/120414-PCRR-Disney-Event/

Nipomo Greenhouse Tours

It's become something of a Foster Family and Compound tradition to visit the Central Coast Greenhouse Growers Association annual open house and tours. Including the twins and their parents! All the photos: http://jf2.com/120414/

Golden Gate Park et al

Karen sent Lynn and Jamie on a little getaway to San Francisco. And despite the threatening weather the entire trip, we managed to cram in just about as much as was humanly possible, including some outdoor adventures. On the way north we discovered yet another restaurant in Paso Robles, Estrella: fantastic Latin American cuisine.

We stayed at the Warwick Regis Hotel on Geary. Neat little place, like stepping back into another era. And their restaurant, La Scene Cafe was the perfect little spot for a before-the-theatre meal.

Here are the other spots we hit, most of them pictured at this JF2.com link. There are many photos on this page, so be patient: http://JF2.com/120412/

• American Conservatory Theater. We saw "Maple and Vine"
• Golden Gate Park
  • Conservatory of Flowers, including a Playland at the Beach model with G-scale trains
  • Academy of Sciences
  • Japanese Tea Garden
  • De Young Museum, with a Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit
• John's Grill
• NASA Ames Exploration Center
• Hahn Winery (Soledad)
• Studios on the Park (Paso Robles)
• Robert's Restaurant and Wine Bar - wow!

A Pier/Beach Field Trip Erupted

A field trip to the Pismo pier and beach erupted late in the afternoon. Oh my goodness, the kids burned more calories in those couple hours...

Photos: http://JF2.com/120408/

Easter Eggs Dispense Legos

Some of yesterday's Easter eggs carried Legos. Lots of Legos. So this afternoon, a lazy, Easter Sunday afternoon, the Lego projects began...

Easter Eggs a Day Early

Sometimes it works out best to call the Easter Bunny in a day early. Like this year! The kitchen situation made a big ol' fancy gig out of the question, but the sloppy joes, deviled eggs, and strawberry pie did the trick? Not to mention all the chocolate...

Photos: http://jf2.com/120407/

Easter Preparations

A little outing with a couple of the kids is always a treat, especially when Easter goodies are at stake. How about that "People of Walmart" photo?!

Kids and Kittens

It's a daily ritual now. The kids have to have some play time with the kittens at least once a day. And a kitten-friendly litter pan has been introduced, not to mention their expanded play area. Oh, by the way, kittens can crawl way back into wine bottle slots; Tracy looked like she was noodling trying to get them out!

Kitten Update

They're amazingly mobile now!...

Gone Fishin' (Again!)

These fishing excursions are amazing adventures. Not much involves fishing, really. I learned what an ember bundle was today as the first graders decided to try their hand at fire building. With sticks for matches.

Photos: http://jf2.com/120324/

On the 12th Day of Kittens

They look very, very cute!

Photos: http://jf2.com/120323/

Kitchens and Kittens: All Doing Well

The kitchen is in its second week of work, and it looks like it's just in time as the Compound population has grown. Grown by 6 kittens born last night. Mom and brood are doing well (once we got Hershey blocked off).

Always good to get pictures of where the pipes and wires go!



P.S. We've had about 20 people here for dinner the past two Monday evenings with the kitchen in this shape. Nuts, I know. It's amazing what can be done...

Kitchen Remodel: Days Zero and Two

The big kitchen remodel began March 1st. Pictured first at left is the kitchen as it looked the night before (Feb 29). By the end of the second work day, most of the kitchen was gone (second picture). Amazing! I think we should turn the area into a dance floor. More photos of Day Zero and Day Two are here: http://JF2.com/120304/

You may be wondering why we felt the need to remodel such a cool kitchen. Well, it was a good looking kitchen, but there were some definitely illogical things about it operationally. Like, only 2 burners for a family of nine, no way to open the fridge if there was someone cooking at those 2 ranges, cabinet space that was half useless as you couldn't get to the back without unloading the front, and lighting that looked really cool but didn't actually illuminate anything. There was a list of stuff like that...

Nine People on Four Food Paths

You may not have thought it possible... But at the moment we have four food paths ("diets") going on here at the Compound. It became noticeable when Matt and Nana started a detox-raw-foods thing a week or so ago. That put Tracy and Jamie on a separate path, the kids on their path, and Robob stayed, of course, on his unique path. There is overlap now and then, but that doesn't seem to make the logistics any easier. What's really going to make all this very interesting is that the kitchen gets demolished this coming week and will be "out of service" for three weeks during the remodel. Veggies and dairy and fruit, oh my!...

And please, don't leave the internet connection unplugged when you use the blender. (We network over the AC electrical system.)

The kitchen did get a mega food processor out of the deal.

I think Robob will be moving up the schedule on his kitchen installation, too.

Flying Truer

Under Dad's watchful eye, Sam and Serafina got some archery practice in this afternoon. And they are getting much better - the arrows are flying much truer!

Photos: http://jf2.com/120225/