July 22

One of my favorite views from my house - the bell tower of Hyde Park Community United Methodist church. My photos are not great, but this tower looks beautiful in the evening light, and right after a storm, like tonight. When I'm working in the garden I can keep track of time with its bells, every fifteen minutes, and we enjoy the impromptu playings of Let There Be Peace on Earth on a regular basis. I enjoyed the view a lot more before it had those dead tree branches in it. I've been trying to get Woody to take that tree down for a couple years, but he keeps thinking it's going to come back. Here's a bonus photo - zoom view.

July 21

Just a follow-up from yesterday - here is my quite optimistic workout schedule...including three weekly walks with Woody. On those days I need another dose of exercise later in the day!

Kristi - July 20

So, a few months ago I decided I could cancel my $70 a month health club membership that I never used in favor of a $15/month membership...that I didn't use for the first six weeks. But here I am today, to meet with a trainer. You know the drill - they try to sell you personal training, which given all the money in the world I would totally sign up for. In my current state, not so much. Regardless, I plan to try it on my own, two or three times a week for spinning or body works classes. Stay tuned for updates!

July 18 - Oops - wrong order!

This is my "forgot to take a picture today" picture, But is does show how Holly always sits on the steps with her behind on the top step and her feet one step down. I think she sits here all day with Woody (foot in background) while I am at work. He sits out here to smoke - doesn't even bother to hide it from me anymore. And Holly just wants to be where people are. I am her favorite, but he will do in a pinch.

July 19 - Surprise 18th Birthday Party

I guess it's easy to throw a surprise birthday party nine days after the actual birthday - who suspects it then?? But we had to wait for the key guests to be back in town, Walker and Erin. Robby was surprised and I think happy. They ate burgers and cake, tons of fruit and carrots with dip, and then we sent them bowling on our dime. I'm quite pleased with myself - and with Robby. He's having a really great, social summer. What a relief!

July 16 - A Surprise 50th Birthday Party

Really, isn't everybody 50 by now...apparently not. Our friend Attef is just now getting there. This is his wife Linda unwrapping an Attef puppet somebody got him, decked out in complete coaching regalia and looking eerily like the real person. I have other photos, from later in the evening, of Linda kissing the puppet, dancing with the puppet, etc. Attef is a good friend, Ross' first soccer coach, and the one who taught all of us to be soccer fans.

July 10 - Robby's birthday

This year for his birthday Robby went to King's Island. That was always his favorite thing to do on his birthday, but it's been years since he actually did it. Summer birthdays are hard, with so many people out of town. For a gift I made him a poster with photos from all his past birthdays and several were with friends at KI. This year, since I of course was not going, I had to take this photo of Robby with Josh and Kate before they left.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Back home from California. We stopped at the girls house to pick up Kula. She was ready to come home. I wanted to take a picture of the girls but one hadn't showered and one was just getting out of the shower so I settled for Chief! He doesn't love everyone but he does love me. I took care of him a lot when he was a pup and hurt his leg. Kamie told him to get on his bed because he was jumping up on me. He followed her instruction but complained the whole way. If you have ever been around a Aussie you know what I mean. They talk! He matches his bed well doesn't he?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Dinner with good friends. We traveled a lot with Chuck and Sherry on thier boat "Orion". About 5 years ago they donated to the Boy Scouts of America so they could raffle it off. A generous gift as Orion was a 50 ft. yacht. This eatery is located a block from where Orion was docked. We could walk here and not worry about a thing. When we were coming to California Chuck would say, "You know where the key is". Kenny and I spent many a weekends on Orion docked in Newport. We hope we can return the favor someday and let Chuck know where the key is to our place in Pinetop! For now dinners will have to do!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Well, a beautiful day. Sunny and about 80 degrees! The water is a bit cold for me but Kenny loves riding the waves. I'll wait for the water in Hawaii. Lots of families and people just loving life!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Kenny's favorite past time. We rode our bikes from Newport Beach to Huntington Beach and ended up at this pub drinking beer! The weather was great and the food and drink even better. Here I could enjoy one of my favorite past times....people watching. Next on to the beach. It's good we get our exercise in the morning!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Oops! Today I almost forgot to take a pic. So this is of our friend's backyard in Chino Hills, CA. Always a relaxing place to visit. When you are in the pool or spa you feel like you're at a resort. It is also fun to walk the neighborhood. Beautiful homes and amazing landscaping. There are many things you just can grow in Arizona. However, you do have to battle traffic and masses of people. "Call someplace paradise and kiss it goodbye! Kenny and I walked to the local outdoor mall and watched the kids play in the water fountain...California having a bit of a heat wave.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

This little contraption helps you travel with your ipod. It helped get us to California today. Bon Jovi was playing "The Story of My Life" . A great song if you have never heard it. I like the smiley face. 3 months ago today I was lying in a hospital bed jacked up on Morphine. Today I feel really good!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Well, as you can see the only excitment today was pork chops on the barbeque grill. I really don't like it when people take pictures of their food....but this was all I could come up with. And it does look rather delicious doesn't it? P.S. We barbeque at least 5 times a week.

A party at Ray's home with old high school buddies. This event took place because Dana Hume was in town. A good friend I haven't seen since high school graduation! Too bad he didn't make the picture.....he looks great. A good time had by all!

A dinner out with friends. Our favorite place to dine...Jonathan's Cork. This dinner was long in the planning but worth it. The wait staff kept saying it was good to have a table with personaltiy! A little loud...yes, did we close the place.....definitely!

This is Kenny and Bill. Kenny used to work with Bill at R.E. Darling and they have remained great friends. We are getting to know each other as couples. The Hollands are fans of Maui just like us. We may plan a trip in the Spring with them. Bill is also the guy that reminds me of my nephew Ross. Very fun to talk to!

Well there is nothing better in Arizona than a sunset. We are anxiously awaiting the monsoon season. It is getting closer as we can see by the clouds, but no storm yet!

Here is Ness or Little Guy as I call him. He always thinks he is on vacation when he is here. His yard doesn't have any grass in which to play a game of catch. For me, it is always a good sign to see a Aussie at our house. It means one of our girls is visiting from across town!

We are surrounded by quail this time of year. I wasn't doing much today but I saw this mom and teenager sitting on my gate. I thought it looked cute. It's fun to watch how family oriented these little creatures are.

July 6-9

July 9

My friend Janet and her daughter Jesslyn preparing for their Tiki party by mixing one of several rum drinks. The party was a big success - about 50 women, many in grass skirts and leis. I think Janet was surprised that so many of her invitees were actually in town in the dog days of summer, but she throws a great party. Terrific pork and pineapple tacos, her special spicy shrimp on the grill, and lots of happy chatter!

July 8

Had to snap this photo in my car - we hardly ever see the thermometer in triple digits here! The 75% humidity on top of that makes for pretty miserable weather. Mayor declared a heat emergency and air quality warning.

July 7

Snapped this picture of the sun coming through the trees at Redbird Hollow just before meeting my friend Karla for a walk. This is a great horse/dog/people trail in the woods of Indian Hills. Round trip about three miles maybe. We had a great walk.

July 6

Terrible photo, but that is the one and only Carlos Santana onstage at Riverbend. Woody and I braved the heat and humidity. Totally worth it.

July 5, 2010

I thought this was a nice picture of local kids getting cooled off during a long hot summer. This is the Gila River somewhere between Globe and Mammoth, Arizona. See, Arizona is not all dry. This must still be water from snow melt. It was a snowy winter in Northern Arizona.

Picture a day--7/4/10

Well, this is the first of 365 photos. I decided to post one of myself. I'll try and do that about once a month and hopefully it will look better each month! I am 50 years old and this picture was taken at a new lot we purchased. We are going to build a cabin (a dream come true) so we can escape the heat of Tucson during the summer. I have the measuring stick as Kenny and I attempted to find the perfect spot for the house. As mom's we rarely get pictures of ourselves. I think we must ask those around us to snap one every now and then.

July 5, 2010

Holly is happy to be home from Red Dog, under her chair. When I picked her up they said they had a rough night there last night with all the bombs bursting in air.

After I picked her up I trimmed some bushes, hosed down the patio and put the furniture back in place from the painters, gave Holly a bath in the yard, washed her beds, went to work for a while, stopped at the grocery and then cooked rice and green beans while Woody grilled chicken kabobs. Now, more laundry. Busy day of getting back into the flow.

July 4, 2010

Not very imaginative, but before we bugged out of Loudon I took this early morning shot over the lake. I sent it to Connie who wanted a sunrise photo of the lake to use as a background on her phone.

We could tell the weather was getting hotter and muggier, so we were sorry to leave the lake, but Bob and Sandy are both a bit under the weather. Bob still recovering from the pacemaker implant and Sandy feeling weak this morning from a late night bout of political discourse with her favorite socialist. That would be me.

July 3, 2010

Just outside of Bob and Sandy's cove at Tellico are three silos, remnants of the farmland flooded when they dammed the Tennessee River to make this lake. It's fun to watch the people swim down under the water to get inside the silos, then climb up to the top and jump.

Robby just watches. Even Ross has never done this, but maybe that's because he only has been to Loudon once or twice.

July 2, 2010

Sandy said she hadn't baked a cake in forever, and she had NEVER used canned frosting. Until now! She was kind to bake Robby this early 18th birthday bundt cake, and he loved the canned frosting. Not sure he's ever tasted anything else. :) I couldn't get him to hold up 18 fingers and toes, but that's probably just because he's not technically 18 yet.

Weekend at the Lake

July 1, 2010

Here's a good place to start. A weekend at Tellico Lake just outside of Knoxville. Just took a quick trip down at the last minute with Woody and Robby, partly to check on Bob who had a pacemaker implanted last week. We can watch the sun rise from their deck, across the 17th hole over the lake.

Kristi