Some of the Many Reasons I Love SoCal

No place like home...

Merry Christmas!

It is nice to be home in Carp for Christmas. Great to see everyone and spend time catching up. I did decorate the condo before I left and so I thought you'd like to see a few pics. (Plus, then I won't be stuck on 22 anymore, huh Grandmama? ;) Been a busy December!)


Watching Miracle on 34th Street :)


The Cats got into the Christmas spirit by donating and wrapping 87 shoe boxes full of gifts for needy children in the Valley of the Sun:

My New Couch

My first brand-new couch arrived right before Thanksgiving, so I've worn it in a bit by now. I love it! Makes the condo feel much cozier.

Trip to the Bay

The last weekend of October I made a trip up to Alameda to visit Dale and then over to San Francisco to see Margaret. One thing about living in the desert is that most people want to escape it, so traveling out of Sky Harbor (PHX) is usually cheap and easy. I'd never flown into Oakland before (OAK), but it is a nice, small airport (and really close to Dale's work).

On Friday I got to see St. Joseph Notre Dame, the high school baseball team Dale is helping coach, play Alameda High School. As you all know, I love baseball games, and SJND plays out on the old Navy base. Massive ships with cargo passing right by the outfield. Pretty cool (literally--I was freezing by the end of the game. So nice to be out of the heat for the weekend!).



We went to a Golden State Warriors game that night. I'd never been to an NBA game before, so it was a first. It was Asian Heritage Night, so Dale felt right at home ;) The Warriors beat the Clippers, which was disappointing for us SoCal kids, but we still had a great time.



Oh! Also, I took my first ride on BART to the Golden State game! Quite an experience. We took BART again on Saturday to see Margaret in the City. Marg is doing well--had coffee and caught up.

Dale and I love to eat, so we had some great food along the way. I got an omelet with avocado that was to die for at Jim's and then on Sunday, we ate at Burgermeister for cheeseburgers and wings. Sunday was Halloween, and we weren't very festive, but I had a great time watching the trick or treaters walking around downtown Alameda.



Nice to get out of Phoenix and see some of my favorite people!

Mom and Dad Visit

A few weeks ago, Mom and Dad made their way out to the desert in Dad's truck. The truck made it without any trouble, even weighed down with some furniture for the condo. We went to the State Fair (I mean, we are in the fair business after all!), the movies (Social Network, which overall was a pretty good movie), worked our fingers to the bones (well, mostly Mom and Dad's fingers, but hey, they're the only skilled labor I can afford) and ate at some pretty tasty places (not the least of which was Buca di Beppo--highly, highly recommend it). I'll update the condo tour soon so you can see the new furniture--my new couch should arrive before Thanksgiving (fingers crossed!).

Mom in the sweat-shop (literally...still in the 90s)


Dad at the Fair






Dad and me with Megaman


Mom won a Megaman mask

My Friend, the Tortoise

When I walk to the main light rail stop on campus, I pass a little urban garden. On Thursdays, the garden opens up to host a small farmers' market, and one of the farmers (I'm not sure which one) brings a tortoise. This is no ordinary tortoise, though. This little guy lost a leg at some point, and whoever rescued or takes care of him has attached a wheel to his shell in the leg's place. It is fascinating to watch him scoot his way around the garden. The wheel doesn't exactly roll as if you watch a tortoise's movements closely you'll notice it's shell tips as it extends it leg forward to walk. So, the wheel rolls a little bit, but mostly it just keeps his shell from dragging on the ground, especially over the uneven terrain. Regardless of how functional the wheel is, he makes it work. One of my favorite parts of Thursdays is seeing him on my way home.

Hardware Stores, Sports, and BBQ

What do these three things have in common? Dad's trip to the desert. In the 4 days he was here, we hit every hardware store within a 5 miles radius of the condo, ate BBQ at some pretty darn delicious places, and attended 3 different sporting events (HS basketball practice, a Dbacks game, and the ASU football game). Here are a few pictures to tide you over. Sorry I'm slow in posting. Once I turn in a paper on Wednesday, things should slow down a little bit (at least until the end of the semester).

Chase Field from by the pool in right field. Dad scalped them--Mom would have been appalled.


Not a great picture, but it is the only one I took of both of us.


Dad loved the light rail. This is after the game, right outside the stadium.


Go Devils!


Fireworks during the pregame show.


Dad secretly cheered the the Ducks, who won.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Sending love, love, love home to Mom!

A Saturday at Home with the Family

I made it out to SoCal for Labor Day weekend. The weather was gorgeous, if a bit cold ;) Saturday Mr. and Mrs. Kassel hosted an engagement party for Bryce and Ellery. It was so nice to see everyone, especially Bryce. I'm not sure when I saw him last, but it has definitely been awhile.

I'm sorry it has taken me a few days to get these up, but I flew back on Monday night and have been running ever since. Tuesdays and Thursday really kick my butt as I visit 3 campuses (Chandler Gilbert Community College, ASU, and Mesquite HS) in 3 different cities (Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert). It has been a good week but a very busy one. So, now I'm sitting in my office/guest room with beautiful new pillows on the air mattress and trying to catch up.











The Knee Pop


Hi Dad!




Movie Night after the Party

Homeward Bound

Off to SoCal on the 8:30 flight from Sky Harbor!

Lawn Jockeys

I took these pictures on my camera in Saratoga Springs, NY. We had an afternoon off, and I decided to walk through the neighborhood closest to Skidmore College. As racing and thoroughbreds are what Saratoga Springs is known for, the biggest and oldest houses still have jockeys at the street--not for function but for a signal of class it seems. The houses are enormous and very well kept; there are neighborhoods just streets over that are run-down and unkempt. It is an interesting juxtaposition.

I think of this as Saratoga's version of those posters you see of different doors throughout a region or a country: "Jockeys of Saratoga Springs." Each jockey with his house behind him.

















Jockeys rimming the fountain at the main entrance to the Saratoga Race Track.



No Byrons to be found in upstate NY...the one and only resides in Carp!