California Open House

I'm not too fond of United Air Lines.  They've taken our retirement away, and our buddy passes, and our seniority; they are threatening to take away our health coverage.  There is almost nothing left for them to take.  In spite of this, there are occasional times when we can actually find seats on one of their planes.  Our trip to California last week was one of those lucky times.  Because there were some empty seats when we wanted to travel, we got flights both going and coming.  It was a lucky break.  So, happily, we flew into San Francisco last Wednesday, rented a car, and spent the next 4 days with friends and family, then flew back home Monday night.

Chase and Morgan had their California open house last Saturday afternoon, at Audrey and Cliff's house in Mountain House.  Lots of people came, including some of our very good friends.  It was so fun!  We spent some happy times reconnecting.  Chase and Morgan spent their nights at the house also.  That's pretty unusual for honey-mooners, it seems to me.  They head for Idaho and their college home sometime this week.

Chase and Morgan, ready for the Open House to...open.

Early arrivals at the Open House.

Byron and Marcia Dansie, old and very dear friends, traveled from
Sonoma to be at the Open House.  It was so great to see them!

Cliff, the weary father of the groom, and his mom, Lottie.

Granddaughter Rayne (sister to Chase) with grandson Scott.

After the Open House, the opening of the gifts begins.

I loved spending time with family!  Our newest granddaughter, Victoria, was blessed by our family men on Sunday. We acknowledged all of our September family birthdays:  Reed, Alexis, Rayne and Jonathan.  It was such fun to spend time with them.  We had an especially great time with Reed.  It seems to me that I need to pursue my sons if I want a close relationship with them.  The girls seek me out but not the guys.  Why is that?  I think they love me.  But bonding is not high on their list.  They do call me for Mother's Day and my birthday but otherwise, usually not.  Except for Gerald.  He does call and write occasionally.

Victoria Grace Galbraith (youngest daughter of  Ben and Jes)
on Sunday, in her blessing outfit.  She wasn't fond of it.

Jonathan (son of Ben and Jes) playing with his
new birthday gift...from us!

We spent Labor Day with Ben and Jes, then flew home.  I sat by a very nice guy from Oregon who is a grass farmer.  We talked all the way, mostly about grass and cattle.  I thought afterwards that I should have brought up the Church somehow.  If I were more missionary minded it would have occurred to me, but it didn't.  Until later.  I want to "minister" to others in a more effective way.  Somehow I've got to learn to recognize opportunities when they come and to notice other people in terms of what I could possibly do for them.  I often wonder what the Lord wants me to do at this time in my life.  I want to be valiant in His cause.

We arrived home after midnight on Monday.  We've spent the week recovering and cleaning up from the California trip and getting ready for our trip to Branson, Missouri.  We leave on Friday, for ten days!  In case you don't know anything about Branson, it is a place dedicated to entertainment.  We will spend a week or so just going to all sorts of shows and such.  Layne is so not into this kind of pleasure trip but our neighbors talked him into going.  We've never done this kind of thing before so I'm excited to see how it turns out.  Imagine:  Layne and me having fun.  What a thought.