Reading

I finished New Moon last night. I had forgotten how much I liked reading this series. I think I have to start  Eclipse now. There are lots of other things I need to be doing BUT I only read when I need to rest. Sometimes I need to rest a lot. HA HA!!! The good part about reading is the more I read the less I eat and that is a very good thing. Bring on the books.

The Host

I finally finished The Host by Stephenie Meyer this morning. I am writing this because it took me forever and it was a great satifaction for me to finish it--619 pages. I would read a few pages and then pick up another book and read that book. I would pick up The Host and get through a few more pages then read another book and this went on for months and for 4 or 5 others books until a few weeks ago when I decided to really get into it---I couldn't put it down. I really really liked it. No wonder it was on the best seller list for so long. My problem--it was really confusing for me for the first 100 pages.  And I had to think too much about what was happening. People who I talked to said that once I got through the beginning of the book it made sense so I outlasted my doubting and I am glad I did. Have you read it? Try it. You may really like it too.

Now on to reading New Moon again to refresh my mind before the movie is released next month.

Annual Trip to Spooner Farms

Today was our annual trip to Spooner Farms.

Andrea joined Paul and me this year. 

Buddy came along too but had to stay in the car because the sign "NO DOGS ALLOWED" is very big. But at the end of our visit I took him out and put him on a big hay stack to get his Halloween picture.

 It was Andrea's first time there and she was amazed at all the different varities of pumpkins. She said she has never seen anything like that before.

We had fun and got some great big and little pumpkins. Our big one weighs 89 pounds this year. I always worry that Paul will hurt himself getting it in and out of the car but he lifts it the way the safety books say to, so so far so good.

 It's hard to believe it is already Halloween and birthday month. I haven't put my Halloween decorations out yet but I have my fall decorations in place. I just have to add to them. 

Happy October and Halloween everybody. Now on to the Trick or Treat boxes for my children. Look for them in the mail in the next week!

Cruising down to the Pre-Birth-Day Party

We had a wonderful three day repositioning cruise from Vancouver, Canada to San Pedro, California. We left on Wednesday the 23rd of September on the Sappire Princess. There were no stops on this cruise so we were out to sea the entire time. We ate, slept, walked around the ship and then started the whole cycle again. Food was great. The rest was needed. The walking was good for us.

The only glitch was standing in line without moving for an hour and a half before boarding the ship. The word was the Coast Guard was having a drill on board.  We thought that was weird when they knew that two ships were getting ready to sail but what can I say.  What is a little inconvenient wait when we knew great food was waiting for us once we got on board. I'll give you the rest of the story later.

We arrived in California and Brian picked us up.

We dropped our bags off at their place and then proceded to go shopping for the "Baby Shower" which was called a Pre-Birth-Day Party because Brian was afraid the guys wouldn't come if it was called a shower. They had invited couples, single men and women.

Yes, we went to Costco. You know we have fun there. Brian thought we were getting too much and that it wouldn't fit in the refrigerator but I had faith (it all fit-- even the cake).

 We had to do some creative organizing but it all worked out. Brain got an adorable cake.

It was delicious too. The shower/party was lovely. Flora and Brian received great gifts from their friends.

Dewey and I even knew a few of them.

John Stewart, Brian's best friend from school days in California and Mike Weaver, a friend from Altus High School. Spencer and Wendy were there. We gave them a Pack and Play. Spencer and Wendy were the only ones there who had children except for us so they put the Pack and Play together while everyone sat around and watched. Spencer prides himself in putting things together without reading the instructions. However, I did notice that he glanced at the instructions a couple of times.

I think the realization that a little one is entering their lives soon is starting to sink in. They are going to be great parents. It was wonderful being able to spend the weekend with Brain and Flora. On Saturday afternoon Spencer brought Connor and  Little Spencer  over for a couple of hours.

I love my grandsons and wished they lived closer.  Brian and Flora took us to a quaint little Italian Resturant called Brunno's.

It was a fun evening right by Santa Monica Pier.

Now for the rest of the story about our long wait in line before boarding the ship. On Sunday evening Dewey was reading the news on his Blackberry and dicovered that a women had jumped off the Sapphire Princess on Tuesday and she wasn't dicovered missing until everyone had disembarked on Wednesday morning. Looks like the Guard Guard drill was really an investigation and search for the missing women. She was never found. We did not know anything about this during the entire cruise. It was really kept quite or else we weren't talking to people in the know. Apparetntly from what we have found out since she was a 67 year old women from California with a terminal disease.

We flew back Monday on Virgin America.  It was very nice. 

When we picked up Buddy he was so happy to see us. Kitty really told us what for when we got home. Paul takes good care of her but she doesn't like being left alone so much.  If we could we would take them with us. We miss them too when we are gone.

We are so excited about the birth of our 4th grandchild.

Flora and Brian don't know for sure but they think they are having a little girl. That would be fun for Hayden to have an Owens  girl cousin that close in age.

Mariners vs. A's

I haven't been to a Mariners game this year so Dewey decided I needed to go. So off we went. Fortunately for Buddy Paul was home with him until 8PM so he didn't have to stay in his crate the entire time we were gone. Dewey purchased great seats for us. First row down the first base line. The seats were a few seats over from where he sat when Spencer, Paul and Andrea took him on his birthday. This time fowls balls came our way. Ichiro ran back and forth from his outfield position to the dugout each inning--- no more than 50 feet from us. It was great. Great seats! Great game! Great fun! Our date for the week. Mariners won 4-2.

P.S We didn't have garlic fries. I'm so proud of us. Dewey had a hot dog and I had a cup of Ivar's clam chowder plus a hot chocolate.