Happy belated Turkey Day! I hope everyone had as great a holiday week as we did! We flew from Sacramento to Las Vegas the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, then drove with Joe's mom to Parker, Arizona on Wednesday. We arrived at Joe's Aunt Sue and Uncle Dave's place very late for dinner and then made everyone wait while I made a caesar salad. They were very nice about it, and we had a delicious dinner of pulled pork (late) that evening. The next morning we left our hotel and attempted to find some breakfast somewhere, but it seemed everything was shut down for the holiday. We finally found this little diner that was a throwback to the 70's. The food was great, but there was no smoking section, and with Syd sitting there inhaling it all, we were finally driven out.
What decade is this? Ashtry in the women's bathroom!
After eating, we headed back to Dave's house, where we spent the day joyfully frolicking in the water and cooking grubs for Thanksgiving dinner. There were three birds cooked. Joe's Uncle George smoked one, Joe's Uncle Paul deep fried one, and Joe's Aunt Sue cooked one the only way I've had it before - in the oven. They were all very different and delicious! When dinner time came there were approximatley 17 of us ringing the table. It was good food, but even better, lots of fun. And Sydney LOVED the turkey and potatoes!
Parker waterfront yard.
Syd tries on a vest.
Syd goes on her first boat ride. She wasn't sure what she thought of it but didn't cry.
Cindy drives for Syd's first ride.
The 'Lil Squirt races alongside.
Smoked Turkey a la George.
Paul prepares to fry his turkey.
The family feasts. And Feasts. And Feasts. Turkey sandwiches were eaten all weekend.
Syd asks Joe for his turkey.
Friday brought more frolicking (did I mention it was about 80 degrees out?). The younger cousins got pulled down the Colorado on an inner tube and came back with welts on their backs and grins on their faces. The men got serious about getting Dave's boat "The Mead Snake" ready to race the next day. There is a Thanksgiving Regatta every year in Parker at the Casino, and Dave was racing in it this year. Lindi cut her Australia trip short by a few days and she and Bill made it down for the weekend as well. Sydney and Lindi spent much of Friday afternoon walking circles around the house and waterfront. I sat back and watched, thankful that Sydney had someone eager to play with her.
Sam and Gogi get towed by Cindy, Joe & Linda.
George and Paul send off Dave in the Snake.
Twins - Great Grandma Lindi and Sydney.
Sydney gets puppy kisses.
Friday evening Dave and Sue took a bunch of us out on their patio boat for a cruise up the river. It was gorgeous. Upriver the water broke off into channels that were lined with more houses, somewhat reminiscent of Italy (to me anyway - I've never been to Italy). The further up we went, the bigger the homes got. The sun set while we were still out on the water, and it was gorgeous and silent (surprising for a Friday night on a holiday weekend there).
Preparing for our evening patio boat ride.
The scenery was gorgeous!
The evening brought out the racous nature of the Chandlers. By the time it was over, Sue's scarecrow had been doused with gasoline and set aflame, Joe's cousin David had crawled beneath a motor-home to collect intel on the women's plotting, and Paul's (Australian and very cool) hat had been sacrificed to the fire pit. It was saved (by me, for which I received a ration of crap from the women) and survived to tell its tale, bearing electrical tape scars from its ordeal.
Sue surveys the "scarecrow on a stake".
Saturday morning was the morning of the big regatta, and while Dave finished up his first race, the Snake broke. Really broke. Dave was out of the race. Fortunately he had already placed first for the year in his class, so he had the evening to look forward to, with banquet dinners and trophies and partying galore. I didn't make it to the Awards ceremony because I was exhausted by this point in the trip. Syd and I went back to the hotel and waited for Joe and Linda to call from the Casino for their designated driver. Fortunately, they didn't stay out too late. But I've gotten ahead of myself. Earlier in the day Colleen (Brown), an old friend of mine from Juneau drove over from Yuma with her boyfriend, and hung out at the homestead with Joe and Syd and I. Paul took them out in the squirt (their first "fast boat" ride) and we caught up on the years (like 5 of them). It was great to see her again. We went to dinner with them at the casino prior to the Awards, and ate like kings. Afterward Jay showed Colleen and I the waterfall/waterslide part of the casino's hotel. I was not aware that there was a two story water park in there. It looked like SO much fun.
Colleen and Jay get a ride in the Squirt.
Dave takes Joe out in the fast boat.
I saw the beast surface over there the first time.
Syd is tuckered out!
Syd is thrilled she got away with the hotel room remote.
On Sunday we drove back to Las Vegas, and we spent Monday laying around Linda's place. She and I did some PhotoShop training and I napped off some nausea. We were scheduled to leave around 8:00 that night to head back to Sacramento, but our plane was delayed.... for what seemed like forever. Poor Sydney had a little meltdown in the airport. We didn't get home until around 12:30 that night, and I crawled into bed knowing I had to find a way to get up for work the next morning. Below are some random photos from November.
I didn't forget my promise to post the photos from last July, August and September. I actually prepped them all today, but since I've been sitting in this chair for HOURS and my butt is NUMB, they will have to wait another couple of days to find their way online. Until next time...
Picked this huge rose out of the yard. That bottle is wine-bottle sized.
This pear looked like a cartoon character.
Syd tries on UGGs. By the way? SO comfortable. I want some.
Oh! One more thing. We had to change the way the forum is run because we were getting so many spammed dirty messages in there. Now the first time you sign up you have to wait for us to activate your account. It would help if you email me to let me know that you signed up (so we know its you). Who else is SICK and TIRED of all the spam on the internet and in their in-boxes (hundreds a day for me)?!?!
