August 2020

We started the month off with another paddleboard date, this time with Karissa. We went to Sac State Aquatic Center and Karissa had no problems at all getting up on the board. After an hour of paddling with Pops, we went to lunch at Noodles and Company in Rocklin. And of course, ice cream at Coldstone! Great day.

Both grandkids came over for a morning project while Michelle attended a meeting at Starbucks. They made whatever they wanted to make out of polymer clay. They each took ideas off of the computer, then got creative. They made some for my hat wall with the leftover clay. They had fun for hours on this project.

We “babysat” for the Zaucha’s chickens while they went on a weekend family getaway. Then after they came back, we had them over for a morning. This gave us a chance to celebrate Bobbi’s birthday. We also had the Nordstroms over for dinner and cards before they headed out on their annual camping trip. We continue with COVID lockdown although I feel less panic in the air. Everyone was just starting to venture outside for more activities and then CA was on fire. A couple of huge thunderstorms sparked dozens of fires and it rained ashes and filled the air with smoke. If you weren’t wearing a mask for COVID, you needed it just to breathe. Many homes were lost… very sad situation.

Rog started working on a dinette table as my birthday present this year. The table in the dinette right now is actually a patio table and will go outside when this one is done…

Meanwhile, the hydroponic system is completed. I finished the cycling, the fish arrived, and the seedlings are in. Unfortunately, the cycling sort of went backwards during the 105 degree weather so I am struggling to get nitrates back, but things are growing. Time will tell. I also made the usual beginner mistake of overfeeding, but I am on track now.

We finished the month with Karissa’s 10th birthday. She had to put off the family party for a week so that the smoke cleared a bit, but her folks did a great job of making the day as special as they possibly could. I think the kids suffer the most in lockdown. No parties or gathering with friends. 2020 has certainly been a struggle. But Karissa started her birthday with an early morning canoe ride with her dad, followed with a special breakfast. In the afternoon, she spent hours working on a treasure hunt that ended with finding a new bike. Top that all off with a ravioli dinner and lava cake dessert...a perfect day. Her party was on the weekend with family at a local park. Eric BBQ’d and Michelle made a rich chocolate “pigs in a pen” cake. Yummmmm!!!