Mike, Jill, Lucy, & Wubie!

“Wubie crushed my wand — no magic show for him!”
— Lucy’s response after she waved her ‘magic wand’ (stick with a ribbon) in front of Wubie one too many times (he destroyed it).

We went to the SJ Obon with friends recently and had loads of fun, especially Lucy…she got to dance in her first Bon Odori.

Lucy went to her first Obon fest way back in 2008, when she was still a baby. Grandmommy had suggested we go, she had cut out a clipping from the newspaper for us, and urged us to go that very day (it was a Sunday and we had been visiting her in the hospital). We went and had a lovely time. Shortly thereafter Grandmommy got out of the hospital, so we all went together to the Palo Alto Obon fest. That was about a month before she passed away in September, and it was our last big outing together.

The Obon festival is held to remember ancestors and loved ones who are gone…so it seems appropriate that we keep going in memory of Grandmommy. (Posts from last year’s visits here and here.) If she were still here, she would surely be dancing with us!

Phalaenopsis, phalaenopsis…pretty flower, pretty flower… (to the tune of Frère Jacques) — Lucy’s song after visiting the orchid farm

We’ve had a pretty mild summer, a few hot days here and there. On the hot ones we head out of town…to the foggy city or to the cool beach. Here are some snaps from our summer so far, mostly beach pics. Stay tuned for part 2…

We were lucky to spend this Father’s Day with family at one of our favorite places, Filoli. Lucy got to romp around, dance and sing with her grandparents, and cause a ruckus in the café. We had a wonderful time. Here are some of our adventures.

The tree house…a room made by hanging branches

Trying out cameras…she sure has some trusting relatives!

lounging by the pool…phew it was a hot day.

(Anyone else notice how much auntie resembles G’Mommy these days…almost thought it was her in some of these pics. maybe it’s the hair…)

dancing in the ballroom with grandpa

cavorting in the café

Last week we had our first adventure in kite flying, on a big hill overlooking the valley. Madame was a natural!

The weather was warm, wind was blustery, and the view was spectacular…you could even see the water of the bay and the hills in the distance. What a perfect day.

We went to a super cool birthday party recently, and they had a bouncy house. What fun!

Madame also enjoyed playing with the birthday girl’s toys….

But kept going back to the bouncy house….she even convinced her daddy to bounce!

They were crafts…a pinata…loads of balloons…cupcakes…phew!

It was a great party, and we stayed til the very end. Just as we were about to leave, she got in one last bounce!

Palo Alto HS Flea Market from Mike C on Vimeo.

Here’s a quick video I took of our trip to the flea market yesterday (May 8th. I get the date wrong in the video.) This one’s held at Palo Alto High School the second Saturday of each month. I like it because it’s pretty small, easy to get to, and is my idea of a “real” flea market (i.e., a lot of real people selling used stuff, rather than outdoor retailers selling the kind of stuff you could pick up at any big box retail store.)

Though the kid was a bit sleepy at the beginning, she perked up once she saw stuff that interested her (toy mice, dollys, wagons, etc.)

I wasn’t looking for anything in particular but wound up with a ball and mitt for $5. From the age of 8-11 I don’t think a day went by where I didn’t have a mitt on my hand at some point, probably pretending I was Campy Campaneris or Willie Mays (showing my age!) The $5 mitt brought some of those memories back when I slipped it on. And it was already broken in too—no need to stick it under the bed post! It’s funny, the stuff you wind up with at the end of the day.

Music Used:

• “How High the Moon” from Chet by Chet Baker

One of the goofier things Lucy and I do most days is snail racing.

We go out to our garden, and check for snails on various plants, esp. the lemon tree. We pick our contenders. After watering the racetrack, we place the snails in a line with a goal in mind, usually the top of a nearby pot. And they’re off!

Racing snails is similar to cats…they take naps, go the wrong way, turn around a lot. So it can be quite exciting…you never can tell who will win.

Going to the Snow from Mike C on Vimeo.

We spent the weekend in Grass Valley with Lucy’s grandparents. Lucy had been looking forward to the trip all week, especially our Saturday trek to Soda Springs where she’d be able to play in the snow.

Lucy got her first taste of snow last year. However, she wasn’t really prepared for that encounter. Her excitement dissipated quickly once she realized how cold and wet snow could be.

However, this year was very different. Lucy’s three now, a grizzled veteran compared to the two year old rookie we plopped into the snow last year. This time she had a much better idea of what to expect. We also planned things a bit better, making sure to bring along a snow sled for the kid.

In this video you’ll see us all having a great time in the snow. Lucy’s excitement can be quite infectious that way. Also, if you watch the whole video, you just might catch a special moment where Lucy and her Gpa cut the rug together. Fun stuff.

We went to Grandma’s last week and played in her green and blossoming garden. You may noticed a little red gnome frolicking in these pics…

Auntie Laura took us to a park a few weeks back which overlooks the city of San Francisco. It was an interesting, sometimes harrowing ride up to the park, which is level with some big tower at the top of a hill (auntie can tell us which).

The beautiful park is open to dogs, so Luna came along, and met up with other dogs big and small.

It’s wooded in places, hilly and meadowy in others, and it felt like we were in the middle of a forest, rather than a city. (It also reminded me of Hitchcock’s Vertigo.)

Here are some of the breathtaking views:

That green strip is Golden Gate Park.

Toward the Sunset, you can see the beach:

Auntie points out her house:

Luna having fun.

Auntie, Luna and Lucy wander down a path.

Lucy chasing the ‘piglet’ doggie:

We hope to visit again soon.