The Golden Gate Bridge

The sun was sinking as we arrived at the Golden Gate bridge.

Since parking was limited in San Francisco, we did not rent a car. We depended upon local transportation.

A taxi came to our rescue on this evening when we were racing against time to get to the bridge before dark.

Dining In The Sun

February does not seem like the best time of the year for patio dining, but it works when you're in San Francisco.

Afternoon Treat

After a hard day of sightseeing, this stop was well worth the calories! San Francisco is home to Ghirardelli's chocolate. We couldn't visit the city without taking it in.

Pier 39

Howard and Madeline are sitting in the sun watching the sea lions at Pier 39.

A Long Trip Home

What was supposed to be a two and a half hour lay-over in Chicago ended up being an overnight nightmare!

The plane that was scheduled to transport us to Cincy had a mechanical problem. Another plane was brought in. The first crew was over their time limit. They went home. Another crew was located. Only the pilot arrived. No co-pilot. A flight attendant who had landed from LA was begged to take care for us and spend the night in Cincy. She agreed. Still no co-pilot. This saga began around 6:00 pm and ended at 12:30 am when an attendant announced the flight was canceled!

Here we are in the photo heading for a shuttle. We have vouchers for an overnight stay at the Crown Plaza Hotel. No PJ's...no toothbrush....no nothin'. The only luggage in the photo belongs to an Indian couple. They arrived in the States with almost no English. Madeline is pulling their luggage. Howard took them under his wing and tried to explain what was happening (as if any of us knew!).

We got into bed around 2:00 am. Our wake-up call arrived at 5:30 am. It didn't take Madeline long to get dressed. She slept in her jeans.

We were delighted the next morning when we boarded a plane that had both pilot and co-pilot. The pilot was proud to announce that since the tail winds were strong, we were arriving fifteen minutes early. It might have been early to him, but it was about fourteen hours late for us! We didn't complain. We were just happy to be home.

Homeschooling At It's Best

Believe it or not, this is a morning of homeschooling. Sawyer is studying plant life. Here he is with his teacher (mom) learning all about the various kinds of flowering plants. This is homeschooling at it's best! (In case you're wondering if this is too good to be true, he is scoring a year ahead in math & reading. We have yet to see how he scores on plant life!)

Spring In Bloom

Carol and Sawyer invited me to go with them on their homeschooling trip to the flower conservatory. This is one of many photos I took of the blooming Spring exhibit.

Papaw Keeps His Promise

Several years ago, when the grandkids were toddlers, Howard told them he would take them anyplace they wanted to go in the U.S. when they became teenagers. Time flew by, as it always does, and Papaw had to keep him promise.

Taylor jumped over the border three years ago by requesting Toronto. Craig went with them, and all three had a great time.

Crosley picked New York City just one year later. I was delighted since I had never been. It was a delightful trip; however, the temperature soared higher than it had in recorded history. The weatherman suggested that everyone take a wet washclothe with them when they leave for the day and drape it around our neck. Crosley was not going to be found dead with a washcloth hanging around her neck in NYC. After all, she was thirteen, and thirteen-year olds don't look stupid in public. Fortunately, I was 63 and had nothing to prove. I left with the wet washcloth! Before the day was over as we were walking the streets of Soho, she asked if she could "borrow" the washcloth. The heat had over taken her, and she decided it was better to live than die proud.

That brings me to #3 grandchild, Madeline. She turned into a teenager in December, but Papaw asked her to wait until February to make her voyage. She is homeschooled which makes it possible for her to be gone during the school year. She chose San Francisco. Good choice. We are out here now having a ball.

We arrived yesterday to perfect weather. No rain or earthquakes. The sun is warm and the air is cool. We took in the tourist things today which included the "Hop on & off" double decker. We hopped off at pier 39 and after having lunch in the sun, walked to the famous chocolate factory...Ghirardelli. Who could come to San Francisco and NOT have some hometown chocolate?

We are here until Friday. I think we will have a hard time returning to ice and snow. Howard only has one more grandkid to go, and he recently announced he wants to go to Australia. I hope he is saving up his quarters because that's going to be one expensive trip.

Beaver Creek Christian Church

Beaver Creek Christian Church is where Howard
is serving as interim minister. It is a few miles east of Dayton, Ohio. It takes a little less than an hour's drive to get there from Cincinnati.

We have found the congregation to be warm and friendly and appreciative of Howard's coming.

Since it is located near the Air Force base, there are several military families in the congregation. One woman was beaming this morning because her husband was coming home from Iraq. He will only be here two weeks before going back.

The woman who is in charge of Jericho Junction (next post) will be saying good-bye to her husband as he leaves for Iraq in a matter of days. He played keyboard with the worship team this morning. My heart goes out to these families who sacrafice so much for all of us.

Jericho Junction Is The Place To Be

The kids at Beaver Creek Christian meet at Jericho Junction each Sunday morning for a lively song fest as well as a quiet worship time.

The room has been transformed into an old railroad station with all the trimmings. A large train chugs down the tracks in a handpainted mural.

Windows opening into the cafe provide the perfect view for the youngsters to watch puppets discuss the lesson and how it applies to them.

Adult and teenage actors come dressed for the occasion with skits that involve the young audiance. It is definitely the place to be on a Sunday morning! I'm not a kid, but I am hoping to be invited back to Jericho Junction.

Sawyer's Real Dog

If you read my previous article about Sawyer's Webkin, you might have wondered how his real dog was getting along. Here is Jack lounging near the front door waiting for someone to give him some attention. I'm not sure a flash from my camera was what he had in mind.

From Trash To Treasure

Carol, our daughter-in-law, has always loved the furniture from the 50's. She likes the sleek Danish look which was introduced during that period. It has become popular again and quite pricy.

Since she is the world's best shopper, she kept an eye out at all the discount places hoping that one day she would run across someone's "trash" with the hopes of making it her "treasure".

She recently stopped at Goodwill to check out their latest inventory. Sure enough...there was the dining room suite she had been waiting for. The collection consisted of a buffet, china cabinet, table and six chairs.

When she asked the manager to give her a price, he said it would normally be $40.00 but since it was half-price day, he would let it go for $20.00. Needless to say, Carol was on cloud #9.

The top layer of grim and dirt hide their true beauty. She scrubbed and polished until the wood grain shone through.

I think you will agree that she is the "World's Best Shopper".

13 X 2

Last night I attended a meeting for the new Clifton Cultural Arts Center. It was fun meeting new people who share the same interest.

One of the members seemed to know everyone who ever lived in Clifton. I was amazed at her ability to pull names out of the past. She said she knew lots of people because of her and her sibling's many friends. That took in a lot of Cliftonites since she was one of thirteen children. My ears perked up because I, too, am one of thirteen.

We could hardly believe there were two of us in the same room who had this in common.

I told the group that my mother's maiden name was Baker. She said she always wanted a "Baker's Dozen". My new friend let out a squeal because that's her father's name! Since she is yet to marry, it continues to be her's as well.

As the old saying goes...."Life is stranger than fiction".

Winter Wonderland

If I could locate my camera's battery charger, I would post the picture I saw when looking out my window this morning. It was a winter wonderland . Everything was covered with a blanket of fresh snow. What a beautiful sight!

Since winter is a rather dormant month, I find myself wondering what I can do that I wouldn't do the rest of the year.

Spring takes care of itself. As the earth comes alive, so do I.

Summer is filled with lots of activites. Watching our grandkids reach the finish line in swim meets is always a fun part of the season. Families and schools gather for reunions during these hot months, and block parties form in neighborhoods. (Our West Virginia family reunion has been on the calendar for months. It's an event we look forward to each July. The neighborhood block party is a new highlight for us.



Our neighbor, Troy Jackson, brings out his "Green Egg" and shows off his cooking skills while the rest of us fill in with side dishes. We always hope his wife, Amanda, remembers to bake her famous homemade rolls!)

Of course Fall is beautiful and meloncholy. The woods invite us to come and meander through fallen leaves. The temperature is perfect as the air turns cool and dry.

Now we are back to winter. Our neighbors are inside their homes just like we are ours. We seldom see them except on garbage day. We wave and dash back into our warm cacoons.

Do you find yourself wondering how best to spend these days? I have been thinking about this and have come up with the following suggestions for myself:

* Read a good book
* Finish the scrapbook I've started
* Sort photos
* Send a note to a friend especially an elderly one
* Visit a shut-in (or call and chat)
* Host a neighborhood gathering (maybe a "pot luck" supper or a girl's tea)
* Clean closets and pass along unused items (who wants to be in a closet in July?)
* Make a pot of homemade soup with freshly baked bread

The list can go on and on. I'm sure you could add your favorite winter activity. If you have a tradition, please send it to my email address (marthabrammer@hotmail.com). I would love to hear from you.

I hosted a tea party this afternoon for two of our grandkids and daughter-in-law Carol. They got to sort through my cup & saucer collection and pick the ones they wanted. A friend brought us a bag of scone mix and tea from England, so we had a English tea. It was a fun way to spend a cold winter afternoon.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven". Let's take advantage of these winter days. It won't be long 'til Spring!

Traveling Down Memory Lane

The only way to travel without leaving home is to go down memory lane. Howard took a trip recently and never left his closet. These boxes have not been opened since....who knows when. The trip was a fresh reminder of how much he savors the heart-felt messages of the past. He had letters from childhood friends and relatives. The faded letters from his mother were special since she passed away at an early age. He was seventeen. One note ended with: "I hope you are still going to church". Little did she know that he has never stopped!

When Was A Stamp Ever 3 Cents?

The postmark bears witness to the fact that in 1961 you could buy a stamp for 3 cents. This does not seem like a long time ago for those of us who graduated from high school that year; however, to our grandkids, it's ancient history.

Nothing Like A Visit From Friends

It was a treat yesterday when Marcia Jones & JoAnn Wilhoite knocked on my door. We had a delightful time eating.... laughing... catching up on our lives.....and celebrating our belated January birthdays. Howard got home in time to see the wedding photos Marcia brought of her daughter's wedding.