What a wonderful day! Don and I were invited to take a trip to San Marcos and the Grand Country Quilt Shop... well Donald went along for the ride not being much interested in the quilt shop. He says when the gals and I start talking quilting, it sounds to him like the teachers voice in Charlie Brown TV shows " whaa waaa waaaa waaa wan ". Incomprehensible. To him.
Donald got the great pleasure of a couple of dog walks with Rick and in particular a fantastic hill park in San Marcos where they could see San Diego and our Mt. Jacinto in the distances. Lunch was great in a little town called Oceanside. Buccaneer Roadside Stand was calling our name for a burger and drink!
Rick continued on driving through Oceanside to the small craft marina, and what is driving in front of us, but a 4x4 truck from Coast Mountain GM in Smithers. BC. We tried to get a look at who was driving, but were not very successful. What are the odds of that?
The weather was beautiful and clear and the ocean was magnificient. Lots of public beach access at intervals between the oceanfront homes, with families enjoying the Christmas break. We wondered how much those homes cost???? ( except you could hand your next door neighbour a cup of coffee without leaving your house ).
This morning we are off to pancake breakfast with our gang at 8:30, then Donald and I are on the hunt for some dates as I fly to Toronto this afternoon on WestJet for a couple of weeks. My father, a wonderful man, passed away Christmas afternoon. He will be so missed. It has been a great support to have friends here to lend their support. I had a difficult time on that day, but the thoughts and prayers of others is such a comfort.
Christmas dinner was still fun though and a few laughs. Well, more than a few. We had the task of booking the hall and cooking the turkeys. There are some who get up at 4 am to start their turkeys, and some who start them at 2:00 pm - we are the latter and there were a few raised eyebrows about whether those turkeys would be done! They were small at 10 and 14 pounds, and a fresh and a frozen turkey, kept separate for taste comparison. Well, no one could tell the difference except for the carver, Ken, who said the frozen turkey was way easier to carve. Paulette made a yummy ham, and the rest of the dishes were ooooohhh too scrumptious.
We decorated the hall with our red geranium for a centerpiece, and Christmas/Winter quilts. Paulette had hers gone before I could get a picture, so check out her blog! I managed to get these ones done in time:
The tree quilt is 3-D in effect. For those who hear quilter talk and not the Charlie Brown teacher talk: it is a pattern, and I changed it by using Peltex in the tree parts, making it much more stiff, and stuffing those parts with dressmaking netting. There are also Swor. crystals in the background. Ok, enough of the Q talk!!!!
I think we have seen more of Mr.Mason in blog talk, which is wonderful and he is some cutie, but here is Miss Emma ( and no, it is not a grandchild competition...)
She was enjoying waiting for the Black Ball ferry in Poppa's truck!
and her big brother. Ok kids, Nanna's about to get all her winter gear on and leave the heat.....brrrrrr.
