There is gold in them thar hills!

And I feel like a disovered a true goldmine this morning. I went to the Pelton Wheel Museum to be interviewed re being a docent there this spring and summer. It was a most wonderful hour or so while I was being interviewed and shown the many wonders of the museum. The building itself is fascinating - it was the source of air for several nearby mines. Seeing the 30ft. pelton sheel again was exciting (I have not been there for many years) - and hundreds of amazing items from local mines. They have the only Burden Pan in the world that still works - somehow it was used to separate the mercury from the gold and other minerals. As a Docent I will turn it on for visitors. To me it looked like a huge cast iron bowl with two or three cast iron balls in it. Excuse my rambling - I am really wound up - and that is good! Oh, yes - I did feel like a need to take a dust cloth with me next time.

My first great grand daughter

 

She is, of course, well behaved - in fact, she never let out a peep! It was great fun having her and her mommy here - also having Brian wonderful. Oh, yes - Brain (not a typographical error) adopted my computer - I do mean adopted - anyhow, he will solve all my numerous problems (I am computer challenged) from his home down South. Apparently, all I have to do is holler. Wow! They were here Tuesday night - and I just had to enjoy them more so I headed down to Rocklin Thursday afternoon and stayed overnight. Karen and Sarah and I even got to go shopping.

It happened again

 

Yes, the gas pedal stuck and the brakes wouldn't work - but, Gavin found a way to stop the car - he just planted his feet firmly on the pavement. Obviously, he was quite frightened by the ordeal.

Success!

 

Fortunately, Gavin was able to find the problem in the cars computer system and fix it. He is quite talented for his age.

It doesn't take much!

Wow! What a lovely surprize. Brian and Sarah called yesterday afternoon to let me know that "if it is o.k. with me" they would be coming here today and would be staying here tonight. I knew that they would be in Rocklin this week but never ex pected them to be here. Of course, this requires some rushing around on my part - but I love reasons to rush around! Good all Brian has already agreed to solve my getting pictures from my camera to a blog or an e-mail - whatever. And me, I am going to get busy and do some special baking etc. - and some dusting etc.

It doesn't take much!

Really, a lovely surprize!

(In my usual normal fashion, I messed up - what a talent!)

Saturday afternoon Shellie popped in to have an early celebration of my oncoming 84th birthday. She had forewarned me - which meant I had a great time looking forward to her being here. She did have to leave for a meeting regarding her HS reunion - at one of Nevada City's infamous bars. She returned around nine and we were having a great time chatting when I mentioned the time change - whoops - it now was head for bed time. Sunday morning did not workout as planned - she was going to fix me a glorious breakfast. I willingly gave up on that in order to just eat what we could find and enjoy more chatting. She had to head home about nine - her "ride" had arrived. It really was very special - Mothers are weird that way.

A lovely surprize!

Jogged Memories

 

I did not remember having this picture. Working on another project I "discovered it" and immediately remembered taking it. I even remember my thoughts while taking it - the pure joy of seeing Russ and Karen so happily absorbed in his music. Somehow, the very old and huge cedar tree adds to the specialness of the scene. There last time together they spent absorbed in his music in his cabin. There are no pictures of that event, but it revolved around the fact that Russ had never learned how to read music. As you know, he certainly had an ear for music and thus played tunes he knew the sounds of quite easily. Some weeks, or months before that day, Karen had given him some Argentinian sheet music - not knowing it was basically useless to him. So, that day, he had her play it on his keyboard so he could learn the melodies involved. Yes, this picture is a very special picture.

cruisin'

 

I have gone cruisin' twice in my life. The last one, a few years back, was fabulous. We went from Florida through the Panama Canal and headed home from Long Beach. Going through the Panama Canal was very exciting for me - I finally got to see it. Then there was the retired Major General - ah, well, it was great fun while it lasted.

My first cruise was quite a few years back, and it was also fabulous. I was all of 21 years old. A good friend from work and I cruised the Great Lakes for one week. We were the bells of the ball, so to speak. There was a scarcity of guys - but we collected three that followed us around like sheep. One was so old - 36 or so - he was a mortician! Then there was the man who decided that I should be his assistant when we reached Mackinaw Island. He was going there to take pictures for some publication. I got "fired" when I refused to go to his stateroom to discuss what I would be doing. That was the first night on board ship -and, the only stateroom invitation that either Fran or I received.

One of the pictures is obviously aboard the ship. The other picture shows us bravely dipping our feet into Niagara Falls - well, at least some water in the vicinity. As you can see, we were quite a pair - Fran, with never a hair out of place and perfectly made-up - and me!