Flowers, grandkids, weddings, bling

Following are a variety of pictures and such from the last couple of weeks.

Remember that freak hailstorm we had on the morning of the Mt Diablo trail race? This is what it did to our calla lilies. That'll teach these things for getting their pretty on a couple of weeks too early. We've had more rain since, but we've also had days in the 80s. Everyone is ready for winter to go away, but it looks like another storm is going to try to move in this week. Here's to hoping for it to fail.

The grandkids stayed over last Thursday night while their parents spent the weekend celebrating their anniversary. All Darci talked about was how she wanted blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Anyone that has spent any time around kids knows what is likely to happen next - you make the very thing they are begging for, only to have them change their mind ("Cap'n Crunch!") and not understand what the problem is.

She didn't change her mind, and in fact, ate all of those in the pan plus more. (She was disappointed I couldn't make butterfly shapes though.)

On Saturday we drive to soggy Placerville for a wedding. As you can see, we were thrilled to be there.

KIDDING! At the reception there was a photo booth set up where you took four pictures - there were prompts to inspire your poses. That one was "Be serious."

This prompt was "Act like you are happy to be here!" Some of us had to act more than the others. (The Blog does not like big weddings, but he went along to make Mrs Notthat happy and also because he heard that there is good ice cream in Placerville. The ice cream was good, but maybe not worth six hours of driving in the rain.) In any case, enjoy this picture of me in a suit and tie - that doesn't happen very often.

This is a difficult picture to explain. I have no idea what Darci has in her mouth or what Dove is so intently staring at, but I do know that that is Weird Haired Mom crushing Riley (you can tell it is her due to the flash of pink by her head).

Yesterday Mrs Notthat took the grandkids along with a group of walkers on a trail out along the bay. I love that Darci shuns the asphalt for the gravel. She's going to be a great trail runner.

I have no idea what this face is about, so I'm going to say Riley is showing his disgust of the asphalt too. But he is likely looking at bird poop or a candy bar wrapper.

 When you finish a race, you get a finisher's medal (that's Mrs Notthat's on the right). When you don't finish a race, that's called a DNF (Did Not Finish), which normally means you don't get a finisher's medal. I did not finish the 50K, and so did not deserve a finisher's medal. Mrs Notthat and the fine people at Brazen Racing felt otherwise though, and I got this 50K medal in the mail this week.

I love the engraving on the back - I'll definitely be back. (With a snorkel and swim fins if I have to.)

That's it - move along...