2002 on Multer family website

Ira, Karen, and Max head back home

Mon, 30 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

It was great having family here over Christmas. I sure wish our family wasn’t quite so spread out across the country, but that is the Multer way. I can’t wait until the next time we all get together.

Off to Carmel for the day

Sun, 29 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We’re off to Carmel today for either shopping or playing at the beach. The shopping thing appealed to Karen and Max, while the rest of us enjoyed the sand. We managed to get a photo of the whole group on the drive through Pacific Grove.

The power is out again

Sat, 28 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The series of storms has already taken out our power for a day and a half before my dad came to visit. Of course their visit couldn’t go by without it going out again. Everyone is trying to stay warm by the gas stove while they stare at the big TV with no picture. Time for books, games, and conversation to pass the time.

Taking the kids bouldering

Fri, 27 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Another stormy day, so we head indoors for some rock climbing at the Pacific Edge. The kids love clambering around on the bouldering section even if it doesn’t go very high. Gabe refuses to stop climbing even when he gets tired. I have to pull him off a few times when his arms and legs start shaking. Man this is fun.

Having fun on Christmas day

Wed, 25 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The big day has finally arrived and it’s time to start opening presents. It’s the usual feeding frenzy. We’re happy to have my dad, Karen, and Max visiting again this year.

There’s a break in the storm and I can’t pass up the opportunity to go for a ride before the rain starts again. My dad seems to get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing me exhausted after a hard ride.

A few Christmas gifts to whet the appetite

Tue, 24 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

There are so many gifts under the tree, we finally give in to the begging and let the kids open a few early. Uncle Scott gave Gabe the biggest ball he’s even seen. It’s constantly blocking our hallways, but it certainly is his favorite present. Meanwhile, Charlotte, Karen, and Max strike a pose.

David on the bike once again

Mon, 23 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Before the startup bug consumed me and all my free time, I loved road bicycling. Its been quite a few years, but I finally made the commitment to make it part of my life again. I was amazed at how quickly I was able to climb the mountains again and get back the strength and endurance I built over many years of riding. I’m almost up to riding every day again and I’m feeling great.

The storm takes its toll

Mon, 16 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The wind was really blowing during this latest storm. Plenty of power outages and trees down. The golf course in our neighborhood took a big hit with many trees having fallen. Here’s a big one that went down near the club house.

It's stormy in Half Moon Bay

Sun, 15 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We headed out to Half Moon Bay today when most people stayed home to wait out the storm. I enjoy being outside on days like this. The waves are really rolling in and we enjoy the view from the car for a little while. The seagulls are intriguing with how they line up into the wind while standing around. There’s also no shortage of puddles to play in.

A refrigerator full of photos

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I think Charlotte has something against the look of our refrigerator. She works hard at covering every square inch with photos of family and friends. It might also be that it’s something we all look at very regularly and even the old pictures always put a smile on my face whenever I see them. OK, I really like it too.

Chef Annabel

Tue, 10 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Aunt Charlotte sent these groovy vegetables (among many other wonderful holiday gifts). As you can tell from the photos, Annabel has a real knack for cooking, just like her mommy, Bridget.

Hiking in the redwoods at Henry Cowell

Sun, 08 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The campground at Henry Cowell may be closed, but that just means less of a crowd. We pack up a lunch and head out to the campgrounds followed by some great hiking. It’s mostly downhill to the river and then a long uphill hike back out. The kids held up great. Everyone made it out on their own two feet, even if just barely. It’s a great way to spend the day before the rain hits tomorrow.

Decorating the tree and the kids

Mon, 02 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas in our house, so I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising that our kids have learned to be flexible in showing their holiday spirit. It sure was a shock when I saw the decorating job they did on themselves. They sure are having fun though.

Along more traditional lines, everyone helps out decorating the tree after a quick shower. Doesn’t look too bad for a fake tree. We’ll having a few problems with the lights this year. May have to hang the menorah on the tree if it gets too dark.

The Hoyems come for a sleep over

Fri, 29 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

George, Ellen, and the kids stayed with us after Thanksgiving last night. Monica got plenty of quality girl time in with her cousins, while Gabe and Zach clearly enjoyed each other’s company. I got in a great bike ride with George and we enjoyed another beautiful day in Santa Cruz.

Thanksgiving at Valri's

Thu, 28 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

George and Ellen are over the house for a short visit before heading over to Valri’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. We’ve got a few dishes for the meal to prepare and some relaxing to do before we go. The kids spend their time jumping on the trampoline, while George and I catch up on things out on the deck.

We squeeze in a few holiday photos before we head out. You’re likely to see one of these as our holiday family photo.

Charlotte visiting in Bootjack

Thu, 21 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte, Valri, and Charlie headed out to Bootjack for a visit with Gordon and Charlotte. It’s getting pretty cold out there, but they’ve certainly got that holiday spirit going. This is quite the festive truck in front of the Office Shop in Calumet.

I’m not quite sure what Charlotte was thinking with this picture, but that sure is a nice pile of rocks. There’s always plenty of rocks in the U.P.

It's cat feeding time

Sun, 17 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We originally got our cats Tasha and Daisy as part of our overall pest control program a few years ago. We had quite a bad wood rat problem, and after catching tons using traps, we wanted a better long term control mechanism. It’s also convenient that the kids always like a new pet in the family. Thankfully the weather here is so mild, they both live outside all year round. You can always count on them to show up promptly around dinner time for their food. Funny how that works.

Charlotte sewing more therapeutic packs

Sat, 16 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte keeps telling me that she’s had enough with Char’s Natural Therapeutics as far as sales goes. But naturally there’s always just one more show or some group of people that are just dying to get a few more bath salts, oils, or eye pillows. The Bernina sees a lot of work this time of year especially with the holidays coming up.

Strolling around in downtown Santa Cruz

Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

My dad, Karen, and Max are in town for the holidays. An always popular destination is Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz for those shopping inclined. Low and behold, we run into Santa at the local sweet shop.

Monica's birthday

Tue, 05 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

After a traditional Multer birthday night at for pu-pu platter at the local Chinese restaurant, we head home for presents and cake. Monica picked out a cookies and cream ice cream cake that was so good, I’m sorry we got it. The presents were a big hit as well. Charlotte made her an awesome new blanket. She also got the sheep dog stuffed animal she had been longing for, the Spiderman movie, some software for her new PC, and jewelry. Nick and Gabe got a few party favors as well. The slinky was a big hit with Gabe.

Road trip to Yosemite

Sat, 02 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica wanted to do a road trip to Yosemite for her birthday. We headed out Friday night and got at the Tenaya Lodge late that evening. First thing in the morning we headed into the park. We first stopped at the Mariposa Grove to check out the big Sequoia trees. We often visit the big redwood trees at Henry Cowell in Santa Cruz.

We stopped for the first big view of the valley. You come out of a tunnel and get blown away by the scene. No matter how many times we’ve been to Yosemite, it’s always amazing.

Monica's field trip to Long Marine Lab

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica’s class went on a field trip to the [UCSC Long Marine Lab] (https://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu) today. The Seymour Discovery Center is like a tiny Monterey Bay Aquarium, but more focused on the work the scientist’s do at the lab. It’s a great location and always a great trip. Here’s Monica’s class assembled out front waiting for the tour to start.

Since I did this trip last year, I’m free to roam around the area while the kids learn all about the lab. It’s a tremendous day outside and it’s nice to enjoy the view. I sure do love living on the bay.

Halloween in Santa Cruz

Thu, 31 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

School is over for the day, and now it’s time to play trick or treat in the neighborhood. Nick went for the scary mask this year, rather than the skeleton outfit. He’s finally outgrown it and it’s time to pass on the tradition to Gabe. Monica chose some type of spider woman outfit. I think she’s still hot on that look since playing the spider in the school play James and the Giant Peach. Charlotte and I load them up in the car and head over to aunt Valri’s house to hook up with their cousins.

Halloween night at the roller rink

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

It’s not quite Halloween, but it is time for some scary skating. They’re having a free school night at the roller rink in Scotts Valley and everyone gets dressed up. The thought of all those kids attracted by free skating for this one night only, is all the scaring I need. Gabe and Monica are very excited about going, and I’m thankful my awesome wife is willing to take them.

Char's Natural Therapeutics at the craft fair

Fri, 18 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte has been looking forward to selling her wares at the church craft fair this weekend. Manufacturing kicked into full swing in preparation for the event. Plenty of bath salts, essential oils, and a whole collection of eye pillows and such. We’re not quite sure what will sell best.

Charlotte got a table way in the back, but we’re hoping the fragrance will draw them in. Monica is spending most of the day with her mom to help out. Everything sure looks good. Her neighbors are sporting quite a few crosses.

Oh no, I caught the skunk

Wed, 16 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

My worst fears were realized this morning. I had a good run of luck catching raccoons, but I finally caught what I didn’t want to catch. Now I have to figure out what to do with this stinky creature. I won’t go into detail on the unfortunate series of events that followed, but let’s just say I spent the rest of the day dealing with this mess. In the end, I got rid of the skunk and traded it for a very smelly sauna. I think I’ll take a break from catching the local wildlife for a little while.

Nick's birthday

Thu, 10 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Today is Nick’s birthday, so again it’s time to beat an animal filled with candy, eat cake, and open presents. Nick normally loves birds, but I won’t tell. Everybody gets a turn, but this bird turns out to be especially tough.

Eventually the humans triumph and the frenzy to grab candy begins.

We take the head of the bird as a trophy.

While Abby wonders why she didn’t get a turn.

Open Studios

Sat, 05 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Santa Cruz is home to quite a few artists. Every year they put on an Open Studios tour where local artists open their studios to the public. There’s quite a wide variety of art to suit every taste.

My wife’s sister, Valri Peyser, was admitted into this select club for the first time this year. Her new studio was a recent addition to their house and gives her a ton of room to work. Her style is very colorful as you can clearly see. She works on canvas and sometimes glass. She’s done a quite a few painted glass lamps that make great night lights.

Raccoon problem

Thu, 03 Oct 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I finally got fed up with the raccoons.

The little buggers were drawn in by the cat food we leave out for our two cats. Of course they also take every opportunity they can to get into our trash cans as well. It started as just one or two of the beasts, but lately I’ve discovered they’ve got 3 or more little ones. With one or two, I was happy to keep up with securing the trash can and always remembering to bring in leftover cat food. Now with a whole family, they seem to insist on searching out every nook and cranny hoping to find a treat. They also have this new habit of walking up the side of my white house and leaving it covered with tons of dirty little paw prints.

Charlotte visiting Bootjack

Sun, 29 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte, Valri, and Karen have been making regular visits to see their parents while Charlotte hasn’t been feeling well. The weather is definitely cooling off up north, but fall is a very beautiful time of year. Here the girls are hanging out with Gordon by the lake and on the dock.

Charlotte manages to find herself a little frog. Gabe and the rest of the kids will certainly be jealous.

Charlotte visiting Bootjack

Sat, 28 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gordon and Valri’s houses at sunset. At least they’re not covered in snow yet. Wish I was there.

But now that I see Karen out on the dock looking cold and wet, maybe it was better that I stayed home.

But then again, Charlotte still looks great fishing off the end of the dock. I don’t think she caught the big pike this trip.

I heard that Charlotte (senior) has been very busy with her paintings. I think a few of these are touchups of some stuff that Valri was working on as well.

Charlotte visiting Bootjack

Fri, 27 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte and Valri make it to their parents house, where there is never an end to the gardening that needs to get done. These shots are in front of Valri’s house. Of course you’ve got to get down and dirty to do a quality job.

Charlotte always looks so happy up north. Of course I wish she was home with me and the kids, but I’m always glad to see her happy. She’s not quite a true yooper, but she tries.

Renaissance pleasure faire

Sat, 14 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The last time I went to one of these was back in the 1980s. Man that was a long time ago. I happened to spot a great coupon in the Metro that said the faire had moved from Novato to Casa de Fruta. I figured with it being a whole lot closer, the kids would have a great time.

It was actually a great location and not too crowded for the first few hours. By the time we got out to the jousting area, it was a mob scene in a hot dust bowl. I managed to get a few shots of the action before I was forced to flee.

Our home

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I think Charlotte took these pictures as part of our refinance. Time to lock in those low rates yet again.

Charlotte at the computer

Mon, 09 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte is very happy now that she’s got her computer all to herself. The kids and I used accounts defined under Windows XP and would switch as needed. Most of the time I would be competing for time with Charlotte. Now each of the kids have their own computers and everyone is happily clicking away in each of their rooms. I finally made the switch over to my Mac, so Charlotte is on her own. She sure looks happy.

Boat show in Oakland

Sat, 07 Sep 2002 00:00:00 +0000

That old boating fever keeps coming back. I caught wind of a boat show in the area and decided to make a day of it with the family. The NCMA boat show was held in Jack London Square in Oakland. The show had both indoor displays and a large number of boats in slips. It was a beautiful day to be outside and around boats, and I had never been to this area of Oakland before. It’s a great area with lots to see and do.

David in Rome

Thu, 29 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve been to quite a few places around the world, especially Europe, but I was really looking forward to my trip to Rome. I was headed out to Italy for a standards group meeting for the Open Mobile Alliance. I won’t bore you with what went on at the meetings, but unfortunately they chewed up most of my free time. I did manage to get a full day away to check out the city, but of course it had to be raining that day. Who really cares about getting wet anyway.

Day at the zoo

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

While I was in Rome for the week, Charlotte tooks the kids up to the San Francisco zoo with their cousins. I hear that they’ve rearranged things quite a bit since I was last up there. Charlotte went for our usual secret parking spot close to an entrance, but they closed that gate. Sounds like they’ve done a great job on the new layout. Guess I’ll have to take the whole crew up again sometime soon.

Sheepdogs at the show

Sun, 18 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I hadn’t seen my uncle Jeff and aunt Eileen in such a long time. When Eileen called me to say she was coming to Santa Cruz for a dog show, I tried my best to talk Jeff into coming as well. To our great pleasure, even Ari came along. Eileen has got quite a travel setup for her three dogs Mary Jane, Luther, and Lacy.

The kids loved hanging with the dogs, though Abby seemed a bit overwhelmed with the sheepdog pack that came to town that day. Here Gabe can’t take his eyes off Mary Jane.

Day at sand dune beach

Sat, 10 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

There’s this beach north of Santa Cruz and just south of the Pigeon Point lighthouse that we call sand dune beach. It’s probably our very favorite beach in the whole area. It reminds me a lot of the beaches back on the east coast. It has towering grass covered sand dunes, a long walk to the water, and not a whole lot of people. It’s become a bit more crowded lately since they built a classy campground/lodge nearby.

Gabe catches a pike

Fri, 02 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Looks like both uncle Gordy and grandpa are needed to help Gabe land this northern pike. Gabe definitely gets the prize for best dock fish after landing a small mouth bass, and now a pike.

Dinner at Dreamland with the folks

Thu, 01 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Guess we couldn’t get enough of the Dreamland for dinner. Tonight we dinner out with Gordon and Charlotte. The smaller kids got their own table, and Chris is hanging with the grownups now.

Dinner at Dreamland with the kids

Wed, 31 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The Dreamland restaurant is only a few miles from camp, and a good destination for dinner when we finally get tired of making dinner for our whole pile of kids. Here the three sets of cousins pass the time waiting for their food.

Gabe and Doug ham it up as usual for the camera.

Another bonfire in Jacobsville

Tue, 30 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica and Kayleen enjoy a cool dip in Lake Superior. It’s getting late, but the light is awesome and it’s very calm.

Little Gordy prefers to wander along the shore and leave the swimming to the girls.

Meanwhile the rest of the boys work hard at getting the bonfire going. There’s something about boys and fire.

Valri and Gordy just hang out and enjoy the day.

Trip to Houghton for wilderness supplies

Mon, 29 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gordy sent out the call for all kids to head for Houghton. We were heading for the surplus store for an unspecified mission. Charlie was to captain our trustworthy vessel under the watchful eye of master seaman Gordy. I’m not sure what’s behind Gabe’s expression, maybe he had his mouth open and a big mosquito flew in unexpectedly.

There were plenty of fun things to check out at the store. I had a load of fun in the hats section. Time to stock up on the fur hats before winter comes.

Gabe's small mouth bass

Sun, 28 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe’s been fishing off the dock pretty much every day since we got here. First thing in the morning, he runs to the dock. Whenever he has time during the day, off to the dock for more fishing. Late at night trying to get him to bed, he wants to fish just a little longer. Most of the time he’s catching small rock bass. Occasionally he catches a sucker and has to find someone to get it off the hook.

The Delaware mine road trip

Sat, 27 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We decided to spend the day doing a road trip. Our first stop was the Delaware copper mine. We’ve been to the Quincy mine before, but we had heard great things about this one. The tour was excellent and quite a bit different in style from the Quincy. Our tour guide was full of humorous anecdotes. We even got buzzed by a bunch of bats while we were down there. An old style drill was on display, and I’m not quite sure what that blurry picture was.

Frogs and a boat ride

Wed, 24 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Probably one of the kids favorite pastimes is catching frogs. I’m sure we had some collection of frogs and toads in the sauna pretty much every night. They caught so many of them that they stopped giving them names. Of course I’m sure we saw the same frogs quite a few times. Gabe is showing off his frog in his new frog facts shirt. Can you tell what little boy loves frogs?

Gordon in the hospital for his leg, and a bit of fishing

Fri, 19 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The big drama this year was Gordon’s leg. He got some kind of infection near his ankle from some mysterious source. Unfortunately his regular doctor was not available, and the first diagnosis was some skin infection. He took medicine for a long time without a lot of success. He made quite a few visits including this trip to the hospital to pump him full of antibiotics and make sure he rested. We all stopped by to raise his spirits.

Bald eagles in Bootjack

Mon, 15 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

The past few years we’ve seen an increasing number of bald eagles up north. There’s a pair of adults with a whole pile of adolescents. They appear to hang out in a specific tree just a bit south of us. Here are a few shots of one of the young eagles. He let us look for a little while before he decided we were a bit too close for comfort.

Chutes and ladders

Sat, 13 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

here’s a place in Houghton called Chutes and Ladders. It’s an awesome playground we take the kids to sometimes. It has a nice little beach where the you can see Gabe enjoying himself. Charlie looks like he’s ready to leave though. That’s the Ranger in the background coming back from a trip to Isle Royale.

What you can’t see unfortunately is the huge slide structure that is the basis for the place’s name. It’s a huge towering set of ladders climbing to the top of 3 or 4 long slides. It’s well worth the climb. The beach is a good cooling off break after sliding for a while on a hot day.

Trip to Eagle river

Thu, 11 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Another favorite trip when we’re up in Bootjack, is driving somewhere on the northern shore. There are lots of great rock beaches for agate picking. The black flies tend to be much worse, but you just have to stay alert. Those suckers will take a pint of blood without you even knowing. Here Gabe is having some fun by the waterfalls.

Walking up and down the beaches is always fun. Everyone tries to find agates, or at least very cool looking rocks. It’s hard to resist the impulse to do the Yooper jig, and Valri is no exception.

Some geese by the dock, then off to Jacobsville

Wed, 10 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Well it’s that time of year to be in Bootjack again. It sure is a welcome site to see Charlotte (senior) in her black outfit and colorful hat. There’s always a bunch of new things around camp that you have to be briefed on. I suppose Valri is getting the latest scoop on one of the many gardens.

I guess this family of geese has yet to learn that the Multer and Peyser kids are in town. For their own safety, it’s best for them to find a new location to lounge around for the next month. I’m sure Joey is admiring the beauty of these living creatures, or maybe something else.

Griffin the parakeet

Tue, 09 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Griffin was Nick’s pet bird. He was a cute blue parakeet that Nick loved carrying around on his shoulder. We didn’t have Griffin for very long, only a few months. A friend of Nick bought the bird and was looking for a new home for him. Nick has always loved Valri’s bird Toodles and had been lobbying for a bird of his own for some time. Griffin was a nice bird, but wasn’t quite in love with Nick the same way Toodles is.

Charlotte's garden

Fri, 05 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte’s green thumb is really starting to show. This year’s garden is kickin some booty. We’ll be hauling in a huge number of tomatoes any day now.

Monica's new doll Samantha

Thu, 04 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica loves her new American doll we got in Chicago. She’s decided to call her Samantha, or Sammy for short. Here she is modeling her many adorable outfits. First up is her ice skating ensemble. Next is her urban outfit for trekking in the big city. Then she moves into her tennis outfit so she can meet up with the other American girls at the club. Finally she gets into her pajamas and it’s time for bed.

Swimming lessons with Gabe

Wed, 03 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe has been doing so great with his swimming lessons. Here he is learning to swim on his back in the Scotts Valley pool. He always has a lot of fun with this instructor. It’s also really tough to ever get those swim goggles off him. But he sure is having fun.

Monica and I sit on the sidelines while Gabe has all the fun. Monica’s pretty entertained with Samantha and her matching sweatsuit outfit. What a pair they make.

David and Monica head to Chicago

Sun, 30 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We decided to do a boat lunch cruise around Chicago for our last day. Scott got us a reservation on a fine ship called The Duck. In spite of the name, she was a fine ship. Annabel certainly liked the taste of her.

After lunch, they held a variety of contests for the kids. The moment we heard the hula hoop was to be an event, the prize was as good as ours. Monica works those hips effortlessly and crushes the competition.

David and Monica head to Chicago

Sat, 29 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We started the day with a very big event for the girls. Lynda arranged for breakfast at the American Girl store downtown. We had a great breakfast that felt a lot like a little girl tea party. This of course was followed by an intense session of doll shopping for both Monica and Rachael. Monica made off with a new doll and a pile of new outfits, including a matching sweatsuit for herself. As you can see, she’s literally eating it up.

David and Monica head to Chicago

Fri, 28 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Lynda gives me a call and suggests we meet in Chicago for Rachael’s birthday. Good chance for a trip to see Annabel and Monica loves to travel. How can I say no. We managed to pack quite a few events into our short trip, including this visit to the Field Museum. I think this is the T-Rex that Johnny Cash wrote a sing about, or maybe that was a man names Sue. The last two shots are a glimpse into what it was probably like for our early ancestors in the Stone Age. Notice the prominent brow ridges.

Ira and Karen in Alaska

Fri, 28 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

My dad (Ira) and Karen went on a cruise to Alaska with my uncle David and aunt Carole. I hear that they enjoyed the glaciers, gardens, and spectacular food.

Visiting with George, and a drive by the coast

Sun, 23 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We’re up in Burlingame visiting with George and his family. Here the kids are having fun in the hot tub. Zachary and Gabe have a great time together, and when all the girl cousins can get together, it’s always a thrill. Nick doesn’t like to go anywhere without his mask and snorkel. Trouble ahead.

Your author hanging in the kitchen with George, Ellen, and Charlotte.

It’s a beautiful day on the drive home down Highway 1 to Santa Cruz. These photos are just north of Pigeon Point, and by Big Basin state park. This has always been a big windsurfing and hang gliding spot, but the kite surfers are a new thing. Gabe’s thinking, one day that’ll be me.

Charlotte's garden

Wed, 22 May 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte’s got quite a crop planted this year. Lots of tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, corn, peppers, zucchini, green beans, peas, pumpkins, and more. We’ve added a few more planting boxes this year. Charlotte’s also done a lot with filling in the paths and adding lots of flowers. We also added two apricot trees, and some berry vines. This is also the only place we can grow roses with the deer in the area. Can’t wait to start harvesting.

Monica in James and the Giant Peach

Thu, 16 May 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica played the part of the spider in Roald Dahl’s story James and the Giant Peach. If you haven’t read the story, or seen the movie, go get it for your kids. The Stinky Cheese Man and his version of the Three Little Pigs are also big favorites in our house. Monica did an awesome job as did all her classmates.

Nick and Gabe had a great time too. I think Gabe was very impressed with Monica’s performance.

Charlotte and Ellen

Mon, 29 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t quite recall what this photo was from, but clearly George and Ellen came down to Santa Cruz.

Gabe does the polka

Mon, 29 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe’s class had a polka night. He was very excited about all of us coming to see him dance and have a great time. There’s quite a few shots of him with his friend Gabi. If only they invited some of the parents to join in also. I sure wish I was in kindergarten again.

Zachary the baseball star

Mon, 29 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0000

George tells me that Zachary has got baseball fever. He can’t get enough of the game and practices all the time. It almost sounds as if some environmental trigger turned on something built into his DNA. Well he sure looks like he’s having a great time, and who knows what the future will bring.

Gabe's friend Flat Stanley

Wed, 24 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Flat Stanley was a school project for Lynda’s daughter Rachael. She made this cool little guy and then sent him on vacation with his cousin Gabe in California. We took a number of photos of Gabe and his new friend having fun at our house. He bounced on the trampoline, played with Abby, climbed on our playground, and went on the swings. Gabe tells me he and Stanley had a great day. Maybe we can have Stanley over again some other day.

Road trip to Oregon

Thu, 04 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We had been talking about a road trip for some time. It came down to a choice between a few exciting destinations. The choices were the Grand Canyon, the Oregon coast, or Yosemite. Charlotte and I had been to the Oregon coast a long time ago when we were living in Colorado and had really loved it. We’ve also done road trips up the coast, but never quite past the Oregon border. Charlotte had done the Grand Canyon a really long time ago, but the distance didn’t go well with the few days we could take. We’re off to the Oregon coast!

Gabe's birthday

Thu, 28 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I really blew taking pictures for Gabe’s birthday, but I did manage to capture his excitement for the new bike. He’s been hoping for a big boy bike for some time now. You can be sure he’ll be having a lot of fun today.

Passover at Carole's

Wed, 27 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Our family unfortunately didn’t make it out to aunt Carole and uncle David’s house for Passover this year, but someone was kind enough to forward these pictures. In other words, don’t complain about the picture quality. Looks like we missed out on a bunch of fun. John and Joni came down, and my dad (Ira), Karen, and Max came from North Carolina. Even my sister and her family came including Steve, Kyle, and Rachael. I love the shots of Karen nodding off. What a bonehead, we should have gone.

Char's Natural Therapeutics

Tue, 26 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte has been making eye pillows and hot/cold packs for friends for some time. She’s expanded her repertoire recently and had an opportunity to sell some items at a friend’s home. Manufacturing went into full swing on a whole line of eye pillows, packs, oils, and bath salts. They’re becoming very popular in the area and she’s starting to sell quite a few. Here are those humble beginnings.

Our friendly neighbor

Fri, 15 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Our new neighbor just moved into across the street. It’s actually quite a tale, but I’ll only give the short version. These are well known business people in our area, and they used to live next door to Charlotte’s sister on the other side of the neighborhood. Turns out they’re was very little love lost between the two neighbors and they eventually moved away. I can’t really say if there was ever any real connection. It then turns out they move across the street from her sister, but we’re hopeful it won’t get as tense as it was with Valri.

Our new mailbox

Fri, 15 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Well it’s not actually new, only mostly new, but I just attached the numbers. Turns out after maybe 50 years for the homes on this small street, the county wanted to assign us all with new numbers. The new home that went up in the background triggered a county assignment of a new number, when they discovered the existing numbers were not following the correct sequence. Somehow the sequence issue was translated into a possible failure for emergency vehicles being unable to find our homes. There was a load rejection of the proposal to change addresses and the compromise was the clear placement of numbers that would avoid any confusion. I hope I can keep this address for at least another 50 years.

It's really cold in Bootjack

Fri, 01 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte and Valri are up in Bootjack again for a visit with their parents. Man it’s cold up there! Here they are at the Miscowaubik Club in Calumet. Gordon plays lots of bridge at the club. It’s also where we held their 50th anniversary party.

Valri and Charlotte venture out into the cold for a bit of cross country skiing and snow shoeing.

Gordon and Charlotte do some serious bundling up before leaving Valri’s house.

David goes to Cannes

Mon, 18 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0000

No, I wasn’t off to Cannes to accept an award for some great new movie I directed. I was scheduled to speak on a panel at the 3GSM World Congress. It was a real shame that Charlotte couldn’t make it out with me for the week. I wound up in a hotel in Moujin called Le Mas Candille. The hotel was awesome, though the only photo I took was from my balcony. I really didn’t want to rub it in.

Gabe and Monica have fun with body drawings

Wed, 13 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Monica breaks out the makeup case and goes to town. Nothing tops painting on your own body, except maybe painting on someone else’s body. Monica really shows off some artistic skill with these body designs. Maybe I should get her to help with the design of this site.

Nick

Tue, 12 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0000

I’m sure these photos were part of some school project that I can’t quite recall. Anyway they make a nice sequence. All these were taken in the backyard by the edge of our canyon.

Day at the Santa Cruz harbor

Sat, 09 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0000

We usually go to the beach on the west side of the Santa Cruz harbor. It tends to get less of a crowd and the big concrete jacks are fun for the kids to play on. We decided today to have lunch on the east side and enjoy the beach and the harbor. Here the kids are mostly playing along the rocks and on the dredge pipe. There’s a decent view of the new lighthouse at the harbor entry.

David's birthday

Fri, 08 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0000

For my birthday this year, Charlotte and I decided we would spend the day together doing something fun outside. Our destination was Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing. We got up early to take advantage of the tides and then headed out in our kayak. It was a beautiful and peaceful day for a paddle. Our tour was very interesting and there was no shortage of birds and other wildlife. We saw a huge jellyfish in the bay just beyond the US-1 overpass. I’ve been to the slough in the past as part of a school field trip with the kids. This place really goes way back into the mountains. There’s also a very nice beach on the other side of the bay.

It's hailing in Santa Cruz

Mon, 28 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Now hail in January might not be an extraordinary thing in other parts of the country, but I can’t think of when it’s ever happened here in Santa Cruz. We used to get killer hail when we lived in Colorado. The kind of hail that totals a car. We tried to save some pieces, but it really was too small and melted as soon as you picked it up. Quite a treat.

Wild bird rescue

Tue, 15 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Now you might be asking yourself, why are they trying to feed crickets to a bird? Well that’s the cage we keep our leopard geckos in, but today it’s home to a wild bird. It appears that this bird hurt himself flying into our window, and the kids wanted to nurse him back to health. Our cats would have taken the bird down in an instant if Charlotte hadn’t come to the rescue.