Patricia Harrelson

Can I just say that the following chain of events appeals to my sense of family-centeredness: At 8am on Saturday morning, Uncle Raleigh met Uncle Michael in Twain Harte so that Cody, Kyle, and Candice could be transported to the … Continue reading

I can’t remember if they had Grandparents Day when I was in school. Maybe there was such a day, but it meant little to me since my grandparents lived many states away, so I rarely saw them. But it means … Continue reading

I have a theory that if you put a 7 year old in a swimming pool or a lake, you can stand back and watch him or her learn to swim. Throw that child a few pointers about kicking, stroking, … Continue reading

When I asked Culley if there was some kind of service I could do for his birthday, he said he’d like to have the planters on his deck cleaned up and replanted with annuals and some more perennials. WOW! I … Continue reading

Clare relished every minute of her 2nd birthday, reminding us all to slow down and savor time. She patiently awaited the older children who had to be called from play far and wide to come sing. She glowed after blowing … Continue reading

Around these parts, 4th graders typically study California history for their social studies curriculum. Jenny enlisted me to to take part in Kyle’s study by doing a couple of field trips and helping with his mission project. Kyle is a … Continue reading

Cindy and I planned to go to Todos Santos for two weeks in February to hang out with the dogs while Connie and Andy came back to the states to get their kitties. But all that changed. Turns out the … Continue reading

Cindy’s dad, Fred Dixon, recently turned 80!WHOA!Eighty!8-0!That’s a lot of years!So the family threw a Surprise Party. Despite all kinds of commotion in the days before the party, Fred never caught on. And when he walked through the door of … Continue reading

Since I was a child, saurkraut has always been a side dish at Thanksgiving dinner. The dish came to our family from my paternal grandmother, Mary Kamak. We think of it as a Polish dish, but in truth the method … Continue reading

I’m thankful for all the opportunities I have to watch young minds growing and learning: August doing 10th grade science, history, and literature in online courses; Cody heading off to do the last part of 8th grade with 5 amazing … Continue reading