More Lou Happenings

 

 

 

Although this was a nature happening:  at breakfast Max looked out the kitchen door and saw a  SKUNK crossing the yard.  He yelled "lock all the doors!"(which, of course, we did) and then stood guard at the window to make sure we were safe from any possible skunk attacks.  As Linda put it, she'd really like to have Max around in any emergency.

 

 

 

Later we took him to Kidspace in Pasadena -- crowded with kids but fun (and where Lou pulled him out of a mock tunnel before he got mobbed by kids wanting to get in--a sort of reverse rescue).  Max and Lou are now best buddies.

 

 

 

A grown-up thing--dinner at Firefly Restaurant on Friday night.

 

 

 

And Spencer came from the far west of LA to join us for breakfast on Saturday morning.  Fun to have the cousins together

 

 

 

but sad to see Lou go--she made a huge hit with the grand kids and we loved being with her.

And Lou Arrives!!!

 

(or Linda, as Max pointed out:  "That's her real name.")

 

 

Max had Thursday and Friday off from Pre-K so Toby, Lou-Linda, Max and I went to the California Museum of Science to see the Endeavor.

We thought we were seeing it--but this is actually the Apollo capsule--right?  Who was to know?

 

 

We spent a lot of time in the "digestion" section where Max practically had the whole museum to himself and couldn't be torn away from the interactive things like gurgling intestines.

 

 

 

Later we picked up Maddie from daycare and decided it was just the right moment to exchange gifts---

Linda brought great aprons for the kids and coincidentally I gave her an apron for her birthday

 

 

plus a pair of rainbow shoes--so, of course, there needed to be a "shoe" photo.

The M's for the Night

with a new twist--

 

 

 

using Maddie's little China tea set at breakfast.

 

 

We tried out our English accents

while we sipped OJ from the tiny teacups,

 

 

 

although Max decided drinking directly out of the teapot might be better.

 

 

 

Soon it was out into the studio where there was a lion cub in the hammock!

 

 

 

Maddie decorated a cardboard house and made clay people to go inside.

 

 

 

Later, suitcase packed, Max waits for Sam by the roadside.

Maddie's 6th!

 Can't believe she's 6 already--our Maddie!

 

The birthday weekend started with the Saturday am walk to gymnastics

and Max making the cake--all vanilla, Maddie's favorite.. 

blowing out the candles.

Some happy down-time with her end-of-the-bed wake-up present from the Panama crew.

On Sunday it was the big party in the park with face painting,

 

bubble blowing with Adam and Jess' daughter Greta Wren,

a fancy, pretty goopy, fairly yummy butterfly cake!

  

 Serious climbing on the challenging spider-web.

Party ended, happy people, lovely day.

 

Just Got Back from Traveling Up North

Not that far north (5-6 hours?)--our first stop was Carmel where I had a tip about a gallery that might sell my furniture.  And maybe they will!

We stayed in a wonderful inn in Carmel and here's Toby at dinner.

Then on to Palo Alto to see the Feinsteins

and gather some of Woody's feathers to bring back to Maddie.

Lea's huge studio and her new paintings--crinkled and whirled painted Tyvek that looks a lot like fabric--reminding me of the paper artistry in the windows of Koi.

And a fine dinner with our old Caltech friends:  the Ferejohns, the Nolls, and the Fiorinas.

More Visits

 

 

From Maddie and Max--another good overnight. TV while eating pancakes.

 

To Maddie's school for an In-N-Out Burger fest where this photo was taken of her with her #1, Gilbert.

 

 

 T

 

From good old friends (since Nader days) Andrea Hricko and her husband John Froines,

 

 

  

 

and a glass of wine in the backyard with Sam and Jess and Rhode Islander Kerri Ulluchi who was out in LA for a conference. 

 

Visits and Such

 

 

 

Several Sundays ago we hosted a "cousins" brunch here:  Dave and Julie Allen were in town from Anaconda, WA, to visit kids and grand kids.  And we were reunited with (after years) our LA cousin, Susan Hersh Knox and her husband Bob.  

 

 

 

Next, a visit to Toby's old Peace Corps friends Herb and Suzanne Siegel who live quite near us in the Mt. Washington area.  Lots of movie discussion with their son Thomas.

 

 

 

Think I've forgotten to mention the Page/Kender faithful retainer Oscar.  He takes advantage of sunny chairs when no one's home, then escapes to security behind Sam and Jess' bed when small people are about--although, I have to say, he's gotten quite friendly lately and I love having a 4-legged creature to pat.

 

  

 

More Koi window shots.

 

 

 

Wish this designer would make a book out of her creations.