Beach Time!

It has been two or three years since we vacationed at the beach, but this was the year.  A week in September at Newport and, I must say, I don't remember ever having such good weather. Here's the view from our balcony.  Before we checked in, I called and told them that my husband was on crutches, so we would probably be spending most of the time in our room, and it would be really nice if we had a good view.  They certainly came through, because it's likely that we may have had the villa with the best view of all. 

Our good friends Gary and Diane Anderson from Upland spent the first three days with us which made it a lot of fun.  They are great to have around.  Diane even treated us to cupcakes from "Sprinkles".   If I were a better blogger, I'd also have a picture of all of us going to the Crab Cooker and meeting the Guymons there for lunch on Tuesday.  They had come down from Utah to see and old neighbor and someone told them we were in town, so they called and we were able to hook up.

After the Andersons left, Stan spent a lot of time here, looking out over the ocean and reading his book.
On Wednesday after the Andersons left, I got a phone call from my sister, Melinda, and she and her husband, Randy, and their son, Robert, had just landed at the airport in Orange County.  I knew they were coming over for their grandson's baptism, but neither of us realized it was the same week we were going to be there.  Melinda happened to talk to my aunt that morning who told her we were in California.  So we got together that evening, and then the next day they all came out to see us at the beach.  Poor Stan had to stay back at the villa, (since the sandy beach isn't really very "crutch friendly" but the rest of us made the trek to Crystal Cove.  Here we are in the tunnel going under the highway--The Schamels (Randy, Melinda, and Robert) and the Kims (Leslie, Brian, Tyler, and Cameron).  Actually, Leslie took the picture so I could be in it. The tunnel is full of the politically correct environmental paintings by the school kids.  
They have been restoring the beach cottages at Crystal Cove for a long time, and it is really a "happening" place now.  This place with the umbrellas is the one you pass as you come down the path onto the beach.  It is a restaurant and there were lots of people there eating.  They also have picnic tables all along the front of the cottages.
Here's Leslie, Melinda, and Cameron--He's a real cutie!  All three of her boys are darling, and so well behaved.  I was glad to have the chance to get acquainted with them.

Just before we left, of course, everyone had to go check out the tide pools.
The next day they all came back for a trip over to Balboa Island.  Here's Grandma Melinda and Cameron on the ferry.
This picture needs no caption--just serves to make you all wish you were there, having a Balboa Bar with us.
Tyler Kim after his baptism--so proud of his new scriptures.  Such a sweet boy.  I was flattered to be asked to speak at his baptism.
On Sunday, before we left for home, we went to church at the Bosley's ward in Newport Beach and then went with Rita (Andrew's mom) to the convalescent facility where Ted (Andrew's dad) was and had a picnic.  We thought it would be fun to have a picture of the two Grandpas in their wheel chairs.  What a pair!!  It was fun to see the Bosleys again and we had such a nice visit as well as a yummy lunch.

Tag! I'm It!

Okay so Maren tagged me, and now I guess I have to come up with 6 quirks about myself.  I'm afraid that at my age, I've developed way too many.

My first one, though, is exactly the same as Maren's--(Did I do that to her?)  I can't stand to see people chew gum. It just seems so gross to see something rolling around inside of someone's mouth, and I guess there's just no way to be discreet about it.  

Number 2--Another thing that I think is really gross is to see paper in a plate.  e.g., You finish dinner and then unwrap a mint or something and put the wrapper in the plate on top of all the leftover food--Can't stand it--Gives me the creeps.  (Weird, I know.)

Number 3--I like things straight and orderly.  You know that little lever that holds your tray up on the back of the seat in an airplane?  Well, every time I have ever flown anywhere with Maren, she will always turn that lever so that it's not straight up an down.  Call me Monk, but I have to straighten it.  She does the same thing when we're playing dominoes--always puts her domino down a little crooked. I try to ignore it, but eventually it gets to me.  

Number 4--I'm really afraid of heights.  I'm okay in an airplane, but don't like looking over the edge of anything that's up high.  The thought of dropping something off a bridge and watching it fall can cause me to break into a sweat, too.  And, as if that's not bad enough--and this is admittedly really weird--I sometimes get the same feeling watching a helium balloon float up into the sky.  A kite's okay, though, because there's a string.  It must be all about control.

Number 5--I can't sleep in a bed that hasn't been made.  If I didn't get to it all day, I have to make it before I get in it--even if it's 1:00 in the morning.  I have even been known to get up in the middle of the night and "straighten" the covers.

Number 6--Casey's husband (Tim) made fun of me once because I like my spices in alphabetical order in the cupboard.  But I think it helps me find them faster.  As a matter of fact,  I've been thinking lately it would be a good idea to do the whole pantry that way--AND my food storage shelves.  I'll let you know they it turn out.

Okay, I tag Cheryl, Carrie, Sue (Brown), and Bart

  

Bart to the Rescue!

Well, as fate would have it, three days after I brought Stan home from the hospital, I was attacked by a kidney stone--not good.  We realized immediately that I needed to get to the hospital, but Stan was of no help in that department being on crutches and all drugged up on pain meds.  My visiting teacher was out of town, so I finally called my next door neighbor who is soooo nice, and she and her husband came and whisked me off to the emergency room.  I was there for a few hours, and then the bishop and his wife came and retrieved me, took me home, and even went to the pharmacy to get my prescriptions filled.  Such nice people.  As soon as Bart and Marie found out what had happened, they insisted that Bart was coming down to help out (or to determine if it was time to put the old folks in a home).  So Thursday night (Sept. 4) Bart arrived.  He went right to work the next day finishing the "dreaded" walkway that Stan was working on when he broke his ankle.  As a matter of fact, Stan was so worried that Bart might have an accident out there also, that he kept reminding him over and over to be careful. Finally  Bart assured Dad that it wasn't "the Bermuda Triangle out there, just the side of the house."  Here he is cleaning up after a perfect job.  

It really turned out nice.  Before the walkway there were some stairs there, but the purpose of this was to make it possible to "roll" things (like marimbas and vibraphones) down the side of the house to the basement, rather than having to take them apart and haul them down the stairs inside.  It works great!
Having the walkway finished also meant that we could get the cabinet that Stan built from the garage to the bonus room downstairs.  It was in three sections, so Bart took each one of those down and then installed them for us . . . 
. . . while Dad looked on.  No need for supervision here--just watching.  Pathetic sight, isn't it?
So here's a big THANK YOU to Bart.  It was so nice to have the instruments downstairs, to be able to unpack all the boxes of stuff that went into the cabinet, and to have the cabinet out of the way in the garage making it a lot easier for Dad to navigate with the crutches/walker/wheelchair (depending on the mode of transportation for the day) when getting into the car.  We were consigned to the fact that the whole job would not be finished before spring, since I'm sure that winter will set in before Stan is truly mobile again. I have to say, though, aside from all that Bart accomplished,  it was just plain fun having him around for those few days.  He really cheered up the old folks who were getting a tad discouraged.  We love you Bart!!