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Occasionally, we managed to get the grandkids together, as shown in this picture. Kai is harder to catch than the others.
The kids have grown since we last reported on them. However school photos have been somewhat disappointing. Check out Family and Friends Photo Album to see how different they are this year. Hint: Very different.
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All grandkids were delighted to return to school in person, full time this year. The parents and grandparents were happy as well. Isn't it nice to have everything back to normal. (As if!)
Nico learned that computers and iPads, could be used to play games on the internet, just like Nana's phone. He still asks Nana if he can use her phone occasionally. Jim has the task of eliminating all the apps he installs. Nico loves to hide in a special corner of the office/guest bedroom, where he stays so quiet we forget to see what he's doing. Lately, he has learned how to contact friends on the iPad, but very quietly.
Scarlet meanwhile is back in her element. She loves school, Girl Scouts, and karate classes two days a week. She had her 4th KDay on December 12, 2022, to compete with Christmas and her 11th birthday. She decided to follow her Grandad's practice and celebrate for the entire week of Christmas, just as Jim does the week of Thanksgiving. We discovered that Scarlet and Ron have KDays near each other. Ron was 17K on December 27, 2022.
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Summer brought camps, both day and overnight variety. Both started by both going to Paddleboard camp, for a week, in The Bay. Then they went to Skylake Camp in the Sierras, near Yosemite, which barely escaped the wildfires that have become a regular hazard in California. They had smoke, but no fire. They stayed over for two weeks. Scarlet had only one gripe about Skylake. "It wasn't long enough." In 2023, the plan is for both to go for a time yet to be determined.
Back in hilly San Francisco, they attended bike camp, which involved riding around the Bay Area with older kids leading. We were impressed with how far they traveled. Nico also attended basketball camp, with some Warriors, at Chase Center. He has easily adopted the family fantaticism for the Dubs, as they are known locally.
All four of the Ricci's spend lots of time skiing at Kirkwood, CA. This year, with lots more snow than usual is an especially good year to go there. We hear that both the younger Ricci's are dynamite skiers already. Nico like to tell us about the double black diamond runs.
We didn't see as much of our other two grandchildren this year, Kai and Kiera. We had to be satisfied with the occasional visit to the back deck of their house in El Cerrito. Kai's fencing has improved to the point where he joins Charles in some Tournaments. We were waiting for the day when he is too much for his father, but Charles reports that he is already there, at least sometimes.
Kiera continues her usual full schedule, much as in 2021. This year, she and Charles are joining us on a trip to Nepal in April. We should have some of her photos to add to the mix next year.
Kai and Kiera both attended Danish Language camp during the past year. Kai went for 4 weeks to qualify for high school credit. Kiera went for only two weeks. Both plan to attend for a month in 2023. Jim met an actual Danish woman while standing in line for buffet breakfast in Costa Rica. He told her about the kids interest in learning Danish. "Why bother?" she asked. "Everyone there learns English."
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Charles reports, that Kai often beats him at fencing, but he (Charles) has earned a B rating, the second highest.
Charles continues working as the Children's Librarian at the Kensington Branch of the Contra Costa Public Library.. Amy continues as the assistant chief of the Napa Solano Area midwives.
Claire and Ron kept up their tradition of attending a "Grateful Dead" concert, and other acts, on the Mexican Riveria. Ron's work has been hybrid much of the year. He goes in about two days a week, working from home the rest of the time. This is convenient when he needs to run up to Philo to check on the work on the new structure. Claire has joined the ranks of the self-employed. She still works at CHO, the Children's Hospital Oakland, now formally known as part of the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. However, now she works on a per diem basis. She also works often in various dental offices that need an anesthesiologist for children patients.
During one of our stays at Purple Haze Jim was holding down the fort by himself when he noticed a mother bear and cub walking without a care past a window. Grabbing the camera, he moved to the back where he saw both bears scarfing down birdseed from the feeder. He decided to get close for a good look. The bear decided to come to the window for a very close look. Jim backed up and watched while they demolished the bird feeder. Ron drove up at that point, returning from running an errand. I quickly alerted him to avoid the back door. Soon the entire gang returned and we all watched the ursine pair.
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Mama Bear found the second bird feeder — we have since eliminated all feeders — and proceeded to chow down again. This time, we got a good photo.
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With travel more or less doable in 2022, we had some guests drop by for a visit. Our former foster daughter, Rosalind, came for several days. We took her to Purple Haze the main house in Philo. On a visit to Hendy Woods SP, she showed Scarlet how to be a tree hugger. Rosalind suffers from MS, which has caused a number of comorbidities. We hope that her health will improve.
Rosalind's brother, Stanley, aka "Bubba" has had his share of difficulties this year. His truck, after some mechanical problems, gave up the ghost, needing a complete engine overhaul. After toying with the idea of forsaking his independence and accepting a job driving for someone else, he decided to get a new truck instead. Of course, that one needs some work as well. So it goes. Bubba's wife, Stacey, continues to have health issues as well, adding to the family problems. Bubba's daughter by an earlier marriage, Becca, lives with her mother in Mexico, MO, and works at WalMart.
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Old friends we hadn't seen in years, Peter and Elaine Bono, stopped in San Francisco, before and after, a cruise to Hawaii. We showed them the view from the top deck.
Back when I worked for a living, Peter and I were on a Graphics Standards Committee. Peter, the chair person, arranged the meetings to provide some birding opportunities. Elaine is a NBS (non-birding spouse). On their return from Hawaii, Peter infomed us that an Oriental Turtle Dove had been spotted in the South Bay. He suggested we chase it for a chance to add the species to our USA list. (And our California list, of course.) Elaine rested. We joined a small throng of avid birders and found the bird when another birder spotted it. We are leery of these chases as they frequently result in missing the target. This was one of the lucky times.
More Pictures of frieds and family, are in Family and Friends Photo Album, along with many other photos.