Summer Family Fun

I started writing this blog as a way to capture memories.  I guess I've gotten a little lazy in remembering to take pictures of all the wonderful events I experience.  I often rely on snagging a few of Duane's great pictures from Flickr!  He enjoys taking pictures and I get to relax and enjoy the moments instead of fussing with my camera.

This picture captures the family who contributed to all kinds of fun and memories at Zeke and AnnMarie's vacation home in McCall.  We older siblings think it's important to provide family memories for Maureen's children, who never knew our parents, Stan and Bertha.  We crammed a lot of eating, talking, rock painting, water skiing, hiking, sleeping, and FFF into the week.

I like to get up early and sit on the deck and enjoy the quiet!  This year we had a little rain, but it did not damper our fun.  The lake early in the morning gives me a sense of peace and tranquility.

We always have a project to work on....Dan did most of the finish work on the 2015 stepping stone.

But we all painted a few rocks -- it was a great rainy day project in the garage.  

Ryan and Grace, taken on our annual walk through the beautiful gardens.

Lots of fun on the water.  AnnMarie  encouraged these little peanuts to ski!  I was in my 30's before I had the courage to try it.

Ann Marie, the teacher, everyone loves to watch her on the water!

Grace and I joined Karen and Maureen on the kayaks!  We were stopped by the water sheriff because the adults were not wearing life preservers.  They gave Grace a T-Shirt for her compliance.  I pretended stupidity and said, "is a kayak considered a boat?"  The sheriff's boat followed us all the way home, just to make sure we were safe!  Actually quite a nice learning experience.

Jake, by now a master on the paddle board.

Paul, Ryan, and PJ making their way through the water.  

Duane rented a jet ski, which added to the water fun!

We played "A Minute to Win it" by forming teams and challenging each other.  

Each challenge brought lots of laughter from those watching

One of the best things about a family reunion is watching the children play with each other, sometimes in the hammock, sometimes in the hot tub, sometimes in the house looking at the IPAD, or building with LEGOS and playing Heads Up or Liar's Dice.

Heads Up, Charades

Kids loved the hot tub - more like a swimming pool for them.

A nice fire, with Smores every night, brought a lovely close to every day!

Lots of precious Grandma time!

Thank you Zeke and AnnMarie for another wonderful time in McCall.  Your generosity gives us precious time together!  

Alcatraz Tour

I've visited San Francisco many times, but had never taken the Alcatraz Island Tour so Anne, Colin, and I got on the ferry at Pier 33 around 10:00 AM and learned a lot about the Island.  Alcatraz, built as a "heavily fortified military site on the West Coast", formed a "triangle of defense" along with Fort Point and Lime Point, and ensured security to the bay. The island was also the site of the first operational lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States.^[10] Alcatraz never fired its guns offensively, though during the war it was used to imprison Confederate sympathizers and privateers on the west coast.^[19]It is home to the abandoned prison, the site of the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States, early military fortifications, and natural features such as rock pools and a seabird colony (mostly western gulls, cormorants, and egrets).

We rode a ferry from Pier 33 and this is the first view of the facility.

The shower area for all new prisoners.

Some men learned how to knit

And to paint

This cell recreated an escape attempt!

Loved the view of San Francisco from here!

I always have to take pictures of the flowers

We ended the day observing the seals sunbathing on the pier!

Ah, to be free to climb trees and eat ice cream in Golden Gate Park

San Francisco - Cable Cars and Bike Rides

Duane invited me to accompany his sweet family to a NANOG conference in San Francisco.  We stayed at an old, famous hotel on Union Square, the Westin St. Francis.  We walked into the hotel around 6 PM and several people spoke to Duane, including Betty, the president of the NANOG Board of Directors! Wow, I felt proud and impressed that so many people knew him.   I forget that Duane's been on the board for years and is quite well known in this circle of people who care about the INTERNET and all the networks that bring information to our computers, phones, and other devices almost instantly.  Soon we noticed hundreds of "geeks" wearing Netflix lanyards and name tags.  We get settled in and I'm immediately impressed by the high ceilings, the shower, and other architectural elements of the room Colin and I shared.

The bathroom floor and shower - all marble!  Pure delight to enjoy the rain-style shower head!  

My sleeping buddy Colin - so easy to entertain because he brought his Kindle Fire with him and watched several Star Trek episodes.  I love the sleeping mask he attempted to wear out to breakfast.

We ate several breakfasts in Union Square, just across from our hotel.  Lovely coffee drinks, fresh fruit, and egg sandwiches, plus gorgeous sunny mornings!

Monday became our Cable Car and bike riding day.  

We stopped at the Warming Hut for a lunch break and photo op before continuing to the Golden Gate
 Bridge.

The sunny day brought out thousands of tourists on the pedestrian bridge, so we decided to lock up our bikes and walk across the bridge.  The decision saved our limbs and frustration.  Bikers weaved in and out of the pedestrians, often in front of people taking pictures.

We spent a little time at this viewpoint and I told Colin I wanted to re-create a picture taken in 1981 when we visited San Francisco with our foreign exchange student, Marit.  I'm not sure where we were standing in 1981, but I'm quite certain bike lanes and entrances to the bridge are all different now.

A little science lesson - how the bridge vibrates!

We took a little side trip to Ghirardelli Square

Our reward - lots of chocolate, even a cable car filled with Chocolate!

Sweet, patient 10-year-old, posing for lots of pictures!