LIFE'S LITTLE DRAMAS.

An invitation for lunch from my friend, Paul was a pleasant two hours. We tried to solve all the problems of senior dating. It should be easy, but it isn't. Men want women 20 years younger than themselves, it seems. He had one taker but after nine months of traveling back and forth to southern California, they didn't have enough in common to make it work.

Lunch at Alchemy in Murphys, is to benefit from a wonderful chef. I ordered the white bean chicken stew with shaved lemon parmesan. Delish! Everything I've ever eaten there has been wonderful. Great soups and salads and wonderful entrees.
Paul had salmon and a salad with candied pecans and cranberriers.
They bring you corn bread, but, as you can see, it isn't what you might expect.


In the afternoon, I got a call from a friend that a dog needed rescue from someone who was threatening to take it to the pound. The dog's owner, my friend Anne, died and her caretaker decided she wouldn't caretake the dog until the new owner could come from Oregon and get it. So, off I went and came home with this cute little part papillon. Animal Lovers is trying to find it a home.


I haven't had a dog in about 8 years and it was fun to bond with a dog in need. But, my travel plans are soon. I expect little dogs are much easier to place than men in their 80's.  Both, are gems.

FAMILY TIME AND MOVING.

Continuing my family saga out of Las Vegas, Mason graduated on Thursday. My son and his family have a garage full of boxes, no beds to sleep on, minimal cooking utensils, chairs, a table, a couch and television set in their house. They are preparing to move back to California,  32 miles from me,  and still host a graduation party on Saturday. A bit  of bedlam with house guests, moving and a party. Ken and the boys spend Friday cleaning, hosing down the patio, pruning dead palm fronds, etc.

The heat is intense and when the outside work is done, the guys cool off in the pool.

Virginia and Cedric, and the boys arrived from California and take respite in the air conditioning with another 113 degree day.

The dogs are excited and nervous because they detect something different is going on about them and change for them is always stressful.

Laurie and I prepare gobs of potato salad, coleslaw and party stuff . It is too hot to barbecue so the chicken and pulled pork are catered by Dave's Famous Barbecue. Dave claims other sauces are just Ketchup. Kris comes in after work and we all enjoy some family time in the pool.

Kris, Laurie and Austin.

Theo likes the waterfall and diving for pool torpedoes.

In California, there will be no pool, but in Las Vegas, if you can afford it, a pool is almost as important as the house. Virginia is diving for torpedoes with the kids.

Saturday, the party doesn't begin until 4:00 p.m. Kris is also moving, not out of Las Vegas, but to a bigger place. She just got the keys to her new digs, so we all troop over to see it.

Her current backyard is hot and narrow. She has two dogs, a lab and a shepherd. The dogs share with those she fosters for a dog rescue program. The need is great  and she fosters dogs all the time.

She is currently caring for a minpin, (miniature pincer) who had a leg broken in three places and the owners couldn't afford the $1000 to mend the leg. She also has a pit bull in foster care right now. They all get exercised in the cool part of the morning, starting at 4:30 a.m. before she goes to work.

I've been accused of being a collectiholic, and Kris collects shoes. This one is just pretty, but she does very creative things with shoes.

Laurie collects anything elephant, and both use their collections as part of the house decor. Laurie has an elephant print on her phone. I love it.

And I love Kris's big, bold style of decorating, as in this over-sized clock, the width of a twin bed,  in her guest room. I spent the night there.

Her new back yard is 1600 square feet.

It has a pool. With Ken's pool unavailable, (they live close to each other), she was anxious to have that option.

I didn't make it up the stairs, but I like the different planes and mix of colors in a visible space from wall to wall that is popular.  Virginia and Theo  peek down from above. Tomorrow, the party and Girls Day Out.