Christine WAS listening :)

View from our bedroom

After we ate, we hiked THAT!

     Thanksgiving dinner for 8 people and she did an OUTSTANDING job!  Steve and I flew to Utah to hook up with Christine and Jeff and have Thanksgiving, it was a fabulous time!
     One of the best perks was a Thanksgiving weekend when I didn't even have to step foot into a grocery store, Christine did the entire meal planning and grocery shopping, and I might add she did an excellent job.  She was organized, prepared, hooked up to the internet so she could access her recipes and check on things.  We had drinks and breakfasts and lunch meals, snacks and the most wonderful wine, she has learned well.

Excellent kitchen - daughter and mother :)

Jeffo, Murphy, Doug and the rest of us - nice table Christine!

Jeffo doesn't care for Turkey - surf and turf is alright by me!

      We spent time in a wonderful house, the weather was crisp and cold, the dogs were there, the guys built a fire and we stayed inside and visited and drank :( alot .  We all hiked up Deer Valley about 9500 feet - the view was spectaculiar and I had so much fun.  It was relaxing, we played Wii and sang, I will always remember that "every Rose has it's thorn...." we laughed and a good time was had by all.

Christine Ashley

Steve made it to the top!

Gypsy Dog 

Jeffo got us tickets to watch the Utah Jazz - someone drove us in to town so we partied all the way in - the town was decorated up for the holidays and it was beautiful.  Our tickets were right on the floor - I could smell the guys sweat, I could hear them talk to one another - it was fabulous.  I texted Mark because they were playing Portland and he said he could see us on the TV - SLICK.

Jazz vs Trailblazers (Jazz Won)

Steve's favorite part of the game.

After game - downtown Salt Lake City

It was great of Jeff and Christine to have us and even more special to me to watch my daughter entertain, I think she learned some things while growing up under my wing, she WAS listening - I love that girl, she is my special, special girl.

Christine & Jeff ready for night hike.

Destination Kenya, Africa

     It's time to leave FINALLY.  As I have written to my friends, I am ready - packed, educated, have my shots and I know I can at the very least run faster than at least one person in our tour :)

     Tomorrow Steve will take me to Santa Barbara to the Airbus and from there I will travel to LAX and fly out to London.  I will meet up, with any luck, with Judy and we will board a plane from London to Nairobi, Kenya, Africa.  We will safari for 18 days, something I have wanted to do all of my life, and as you may well know, that is half a century!

     My bag can only weigh 30 pounds so I have packed and repacked - checked and rechecked and I am so excited I can barely stand it.

     Next stop - Kenya!

Half A Century Oh, my....

     Today I am 50 years old!  As my husband would say, shhhhhhhit.

     Yesterday I celebrated with family and friends at the airport hangar after a few of us celebrated the day by sky diving. It was fabulous and I'll do it again in a split second, and $250.00  :)

     The day was perfection in Lompoc - clear and beautiful and you could see clear to the islands and clear to the mountains on the other.  The air smelled amazing and I had such a great day.  I thank Delia and Karen for going with me - Karen especially because it was the first time she had ever been in a small plane, I am use to that because we fly - so I have to hand it to her for jumping and going up!  They give you no chance to change your mind, the door opens and one after another out you go.   Sue Nooney and Steve put together a fun time.   Great day, great party - it's gonna be a great next 50!


    Happy Birthday to ME :)  And now it's on to AFRICA....

Sky Dive Lompoc !

Birthday Surprise

Delia and Karen jumped too!

We partied - great time, great friends and family.