Leaving California

Since I stayed in the Bay Area through the holidays I had time to meet with many of the special people in my life before I took off.  First my kids had a family gathering to honor me in my retirement.  It was at Matt (son) and Jennifer’s (his wife) home with their two sons, my grandsons, Brady and Noah,  Mitch (son) and Shana (his wife), Kellie (daughter), Jason (grandson-Kellie's son) and Allison (his wife) and their two daughters, my great-granddaughters, Lilly and Lexi,  Jenna (granddaughter-Kellie's daughter), and Maureen (ex-husband's sister and my good friend) and her husband Dick (also good friend) attending.  It was a VERY special time for me.  How can you beat having each person at the table tell you how wonderful you are? 

Matt, Jennifer, Me and Kellie in the background

I also had lunch and/or dinner with the following individuals/groups of people:

Former colleagues from Amador High School (they had a retirement dinner for me about 20 years ago – which is where this picture is from). The five who met for dinner were Shirley Welch, Shirley Peugh, Joyce Mohatt, Rose Boddington and myself.

Amador Valley High School Clerical Staff (Circa 1990)

Jan Allen, Jan Pappas, Me, Dianne Patterson, Linda Larsen

                                               My P-town pals   

Beverly Smith

 


The Entry 9 Dinner group from Rossmoor,  (Sorry no picture-Fran Barry, Betty Valente, Nancy Dill, Josetta  Bilboa, Barbara Owens, and Me)

Peggy Berry

                               Former VA Colleague who retired 2 years ago       



and my little book club from Rossmoor.

Marilyn Haupt and Carol Barratt

  ********************************************************************************

On January 2nd I had a farewell lunch with the Matt Campbell family at the Habit in Walnut Creek.

On January 3^rd, I said good-bye to Kellie and my apartment,

got into my well loaded automobile, and drove to the Oakland Airport where I picked up my younger daughter, Kori.

 I missed the first exit off 880 South, had to turn around to go back so I could pick up the exit to 580 east.  We stopped at McDonald’s on Santa Rita Road so I could purchase one last Egg McMuffin –

 as I had every morning on my way to work. 

We drove down I-5 until we got to the Harris Ranch where we stopped for arguably the best hamburger I have ever had.  Our next stop was Arcadia where we spent the night with son Mike and his wife Diane.  

 We had a breakfast at a familiar spot, Nano’s Cafe,

 and were on our way.  Our only stop before entering the State of Arizona was at Bob’s Big Boy, in who knows what little town, so Kori could have her picture taken with her “special boy friend.”

AND THERE IS THE WELCOME TO ARIZONA SIGN!!!!