Day 103

Wow, only two photos today. It was pretty quiet, not by design but just how it turned out. The pool was the best example... First time back in over a week because of the surgery quarantine. We were quite excited. Never got in the water due to lightning. We hung around, had lunch, twiddled our thumbs, all quite patiently and quietly, then bailed when it was clear the pool was not going to re-open during our 1-4pm time slot. I'm sure the kids were thinking they'd rather be playing video games than sitting doing nothing at the pool. There were a few goings on, like Fina's ballet and Jonny's online reading, but mostly it was pretty quiet. Hot dogs for dinner. And we watched a couple more episodes of NUMB3RS.

The baby loved having Lexi's artwork at the hospital.

Day 102

Final stringent lockdown day for most of the family. The baby goes off for his procedure tomorrow. The kids got some play in this morning with wheeled devices. Good thing as it rained and thundered off and on the rest of the day. Fina gets back to the actual Colorado Ballet Society studios for a class tonight! Smashburger for dinner. Tonight's adult entertainment was to continue with NUMB3RS.

Jamie has really gotten into this book.
He's using it to update an online course for the AG Methodist Church. 

Lexi continues twirling to the baby's delight.

At home now from Fina's Ballet.

Evening snack.

More little squares are done...

Day 101

As usual, we "attended" church along with all the other TimberCreek folks. The dads wanted Baconators from Wendy's, so that's what we did for breakfast. It's Fathers Day, after all. Fina made some very fun Fathers Day gifts. Papa got a new gun from California, Bug-a-Salt; too fun! Jamie started in on his new Creation lesson for the Arroyo Grande, CA Methodist folks; scheduled for early July. It'll be an excerpt of sorts taken from his "Is God Expanding, too?" course from way back when. Daddy Matt prepped some great tri-tip and sauted some mushrooms. Throw in some rice pilaf and pico de gallo and, voila, dinner. Tonight's shows: several episodes of NUMB3RS and Family (for the Fosters). There might have been fudge for dessert.

I wonder what it will take to call this lockdown over and get back to much less frequent posts and titles that do NOT start with "Day."

"At church."

Bug-a-Salt. Got him! Thanks California Fosters!

Only the best for these Dads!
Words cannot express how much we like this mug.
One for Jamie. One for Matt.

More Lexi twirling and baby belly laughing.

That's what she was making the other night (Day 98) - Slime.

The layout of the quilt is just starting to take shape.
Nana's been cutting out "millions" of fabric triangles the last week.

Day 100

Day 100, what?! This was deemed so significant that the fathers got their Fathers Day gift early: a Regusci wine glass by Yeti. And it's the best! Particularly when full of Regusci wine.

But wait, that was much later in the evening. Let's start at the beginning of the day... Jamie spent all morning prepping for and delivering a Parlor Car Chat session about the Central Coast Railroad Festival (a link to a recording is here). Matt took the boys fishing most of the morning. While that was happening, the moms were dealing with a dog that managed to soil up most of the house (well, it seemed like that). Lots of cleaning and extra laundry took place. The dads were both hungry for tacos for dinner, so Vaqueros it is! Tonight's movie: My Blue Heaven, largely filmed in San Luis Obispo County, CA, ya know.

Today's interesting tidbit: Thinkr.org. From their website, "We summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction. Read or listen in just 10 minutes per title." Free trial, then $10/month. No affiliation.

Jamie's Parlor Car Chat (recording link is here).

The culprit. After cleaning up, he was very shy and quiet for a long time.

Whatchya doin'? "Stuff."

"How many days?!"

Day 99

Tomorrow is Day 100. We should have been putting a bottle of beer on the wall each and every day! Lexi was very excited about picking the first cherry tomato, until she tasted it. "No, thanks." The boys went up to Palmer Lake for some more angling. By evening, everyone was into their hobbies, again. Dinner was week-in-review, and bubbly. Tonight's movie: That Thing You Do.

Another fishing day at Palmer Lake. Considerably chillier than yesterday.

The D&RGW hasn't owned anything here since 1988.

Thunderstorms this afternoon

Now there's a Fathers Day gift!

Tracy started a 3,000 piece Harry Potter puzzle.

Nana started in on her next quilt.

Day 98

Lots going on today. An early activity was Lexi (and Nana) picking roses from the garden for an art project. Matteo, AJ, and I spent over 4 hours fishing at Palmer Lake. Absolutely beautiful there today: about 70 for the high, bright and sunny, and the boys were catching fish (Matteo got 8). More Palmer Lake pics are here. Tonight's movie: You've Got Mail.

In that movie, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) says something like, "Everyone says something they regret when stressed or concerned." I reflected on that by the new patio fire after everyone else had gone to bed. This lockdown period has been stressful, and I am concerned. And I did say things I regret, specifically to some of our recent first visitors since the COVID-19 thing shut everything down. It wasn't the content I regretted, it was the tone: cutting, sharp, a little over the top, like hurling a virtual molotov cocktail. The quote above is what Joe said trying to comfort Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) right after nailing him verbally, righteously, but unkindly. And she knew it was wrong the minute it came out of her mouth. So I ask myself, who delivers the truth well and sticks to rational thinking about politics, life's bigger meanings, etc.? You know: cool, calm, collected. Dennis Prager is one guy like that, I think. He's published a lot of stuff in many forms, but it's his Fireside Chats that I've gotten into lately. He's done one a week now for about 140 weeks. He's big on Happiness. Happiness is his root of all goodness. The lack of happiness leads to evil. Check out his book, Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual. Some quotes are here.

Be happy. It really is up to each one of us.

Lexi's completed rose-petal art.

From the pedestrian bridge running from a parking lot to Palmer Lake.
This is a southbound BNSF unit train of coal on The Joint Line.

AJ got his School in the Woods patch in the mail.

That should keep us busy a few days.

Excellent "Week in Review": steak, eggs, onion saute.

We have no idea what she's making.

Tracy got all some Sasquatch Cookies!

Beautifully cool evening, the fire felt great!