Sacramento and the Delta in the wintertime, photos of Shavor's holiday party.

In any regard, these photos are also a little out of cronological sequence but I'll put them here near the end which is kinf of appropriate since these photos are supposed to be more of a "what am I up to" than anything and it seems a good window of time to share these.

The fam moved from the childhood estate in late December and had been planning to for some time. My mother launched the idea of a move about the time my dad went into the hospital and rolling through until the end of the year, ensnaring my brother and myself in countless under-appreciated hours toiling around the house.

On one such occasion I thought that perhaps it might be my last time ever being there, I off to Italia for a month right as the house had gone on the market could easily come back to find it sold, out of escrow and into the family past.

Instead "we're moving" would drag through two more holidays that were thankfully not ruined with "we're moving" sentiment. Too much work for that, I suppose.

In any regard, a lot of buildup to explain why the house, why certain elements are therefore highlighted, etc.

Any event liker this is an excuse for a family gathering and nobody puts them on better than the group of cousins that includes my father. I'm one of the elder second cousins or cousins one removed or some damned thing.

Here, unless we are "uncle", "aunt", "mom", "dad" or some kind of grampa, we're all some sort of cousin, aren't we?

Happy Birthday, Aunt Phyll

Fortunately I was able to keep it to two pages.

Next year I'll have to get the wristband or ID or whatever. Prove that I am a TRUE fair dork.

In any regards, while I do not appear to have any photos of my cousin's performance at the State Fair, I do have demolition derby, sheeps, goats, fish, the state of the state fair under Der Gubernator, pigs, the MADD car and other amazements and amusements.

Step right this way.

James gets the summer gold star award for organizing our first family trip to Almanor in a couple of years. Molly and Hilary joined us as travel companions on a tent-camping adventure recalling the trips of yore, just without the massive support vehicle backing us up.

The verdict? Good times, though the lack of one's own "pooper" cast a dim shadow on a trip much longer than ours, at least in tents. Next year: cabins?

Later Saturday evening we went to Sand Point to see the Shakespeare Festival there. Kind of an interesting crowd, a lot of active, outdoorsy Tahoe types -- not suprising since they'd obviously turned down an evening at the tables to be here. A fun time and definately worth the extra rental price for the chairs.

Sunday we all-grouped to hike up the hill to see Diamond Peak without any snow. While I've driven by shuttered ski resorts dozens of times, I'd never really gotten up and into them so much. I really enjoy modern ghost town kind of places and this certainly qualified.

All in all an excellent weekend and excellent company with which to share it.

Would there even be enough hootchies to sponsor different categories this year? Where has Dixon gone, Joe Dimaggio?

Still, some old relics from the base's past remain. On the way back from the vernal pools hike we spotted one and decided to go back to take a look...

The babies are always getting older and finally reached the anniversary of their birth. Baby birthdays are alien to me. This is I think the only other baby birthday I've ever been to. Baby birthdays aren't like big people birthdays -- all the people looking for adult interaction hide out in the kitchen and sip discretely from plastic cups.

Dad Beck suggested that we were at "activity" time to which I thought, "SHIT! Should'a brought bocce balls!"

Cats, food, winter at Secret Spot and Hank's birthday, all rolled into one.

Really, these photos don't do the parade or the day any justice. Great weather, good parade, sadly bad angles and lighting for getting much online...