Uncle Patrick

     Poor Uncle Patrick can't catch a break.  Actually that is a very poor choice of words -- he caught a very bad break.  He was completely cleared by his cardiologist to resume his normal life.  On Saturday, December 4th, he fell from his motorcycle on a practice course and broke his left leg very badly.

     Surgery on December 7th to drill holes in the leg to bring the broken bones together.  I am not completely clear on this and when I try to visualize the problem, I feel weak and faint.  So, he is wearing some kind of big traction thing on his leg.  More surgery to come after Christmas when they repair the break with some more metal.

     Poor Uncle Patrick.  I have my paws together for him that he was not in too much pain through all this.

California Casualty

This is not a commentary on anything in our great state; it's our insurance company.  Nice people that they are, they called to hire Mama DiDi to do a small video for a new advertising campaign.  She dressed appropriately in royal blue and set off for the studio.

If I had been able to go, they would not have had to put makeup on me or "do" my hair.  I would have looked fabulous.  Alas, I cannot speak from experience and California Casualty is not MY insurance company.

Mama DiDi could barely speak as it was -- the end of her cold has given her a croaky kind of voice.  When she got home she said she was made up within an inch of her life and her little short hair was teased and smoothed into obedience.

She tried very hard to give them some usable sound bite and finally was successful (they told her) with, "We chose California Casualty because of the price, but we have stayed for the fabulous service."  Or something like that.  If you look at my blog about the kitchen flood this past February, you will see that California Casualty was wonderful to us.  So Mama DiDi was completely sincere.

Thanksgiving Day in Calistoga

Isn't this pretty?  This is a tiny part of the view from my Auntie Donna and Uncle Walter's house in the beautiful Napa Valley town of Calistoga.  I heard that the name of the town came from a man who proposed to develop tourism because of the wonderful spas, hot springs and healthy waters.  He supposedly said it would be the "Calistoga of Sarafornia".

Mama DiDi's mama sits in a lovely old, old rattan chair she gave to Auntie Donna and enjoys the view in the afternoon.

Here I am studiously ignoring my cousin Rocco as we sniff, sniff together in the front yard.  (I love him really.)

We stayed overnight in Calistoga town and had to return to Sacramento early because Mama DiDi had a bad cold.

Almost Thanksgiving

My dears, it's been lovely here but it has finally turned cold and LOOK!!  See what I am wearing to keep warm.  It is better than staying in bed.  

                                                           This is from SewGramy

Hand-knit by Miss Yvonne Tolley

 

 

Late Hallowe'en

My dear Uncle Patrick had another heart attack on Halloween day.  He was watching motorcycle races when it happened and they got an ambulance to him right away.  That night he had a new stent put in and he was out of the hospital in a couple of days.  What a miracle of modern medicine.  

He and Auntie Teresa love to greet their Trick or Treaters but that night their house was very dark and poor Cousin Rocco had to spend it alone. Sniff.

Last we saw, Uncle Pat looked marvelous! We'll see more of him on Thanksgiving when we go to Auntie Donna's house in Calistoga for Thanksgiving Day. 

Meanwhile, I was home most of the time patrolling the back yard and showing off my neck scarf.  This was made especially for me by my friend Pamela of Elegant Bow-tique.  http://elegantbow-tique.com/

Cast a Giant Shadow

They tell me my shadow is bigger than I am.  What do you think?  I truly love our daily walks and look forward to them.  You might notice I am not wearing a sweater.  Mom figured since I'd been out in the backyard all morning, I didn't need one.  Good thinking.

A Pair of Veterans of World War II

These men are part of The Greatest Generation.  They served on a patrol frigate, the USS Rockford and were both sonar operators.  The one on the right is my own Daddy Moose!  He and Mr. Townsend had lunch together yesterday to hear a speaker.  Today they got together again for lunch and to share photos.