Family pictures, upside down pockets, and on with January

Why is it that time goes by waaay too fast when you're doing things you love?  Our family visit is done (everyone left Monday) and I am still a little sad. Boohoo - but as the girls would point out, we are the ones who moved away.

We had a great group dinner the last night at Bistro 821 which is downtown on 5th (really a downtown, but that's what everyone calls it). Walked a little on 5th after dinner to find live music and massive Xmas lights still up. Fun!
I forced the family to clean up and tidy up for family pictures - something that makes people grit their teeth and groan. In fact, I hear the groaning now as you read this. However, the last family photo was 3 years ago - so time. And, I will report - went quickly, smoothly and nice pictures if I do say so...



Jay, Heather, Mark, me, Chris & Tiffany



The girls

 I am back to a single daily walk to the beach after the double walks with Heather. Whew! So when walking early with hardly any people around, I wear whatever and have the additional fashion statement of a fanny pack (for my chunkier camera). Oooh yes. When walking middle of the day where I'm seen, I nix the fanny pack and take my phone instead (not for talking - for the magic photo I might miss otherwise). Having started a tai chi class yesterday, (which I like so far) had to walk later with the people, so out I went sans fanny pack, to discover that the skort I was wearing had a pocket, but upside down. Okay, didn't know my own wardrobe apparently, but that particular skort is a tennis skort. Having played tennis years ago, brilliantly realized this wasn't a manufacturer mistake. For those who don't play tennis, the pocket is designed that way to hold a tennis ball, so you can whip it out for say a killer serve... Had to hold my phone - poor me- and not a picture worthy scene in sight, and for the record, I do realize that no one cares at all what I'm wearing or not, it's an absurdity of mine...

Finished first book of 2011 - and a great one. Pat Conroy's My Reading Life. He's the Prince of Tides, Great Santini, etc. author and I've read every single thing he's written. It is autobiographical and funny, sad, and enlightening. Highly recommend it.