THE INN IS OPEN

We are having a run of visitors this month. What fun we are having!

Vanessa had a friend over this weekend, Sophia, and her parents, Rob and Manuela.

Jack met Rob oh about 30 years ago as high school students in the Bay Area. We haven't seen them in ten years, but it felt like 10 days. They live in Santa Barbara now, so it's a short trip. It was really fun.

Vanessa grabbed Sophia's hand and took her everywhere she would agree to go. Sophia picked up Vanners and carried her around like, well, a baby. V-Dog is half her size so that was quite a sight.

We four parents ditched Grandma, Sophia and Vanessa one night and went out for dinner. Woo hoo! When we arrived home we discovered they had watched the Backyardigans, scribbled with crayons, had a tea party with the baby dolls, ate ice cream sundaes, and had just put Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on. All in two hours' time.

We took a beach walk together.

We went to the Hearst Castle together. Banana-chan started shouting, "I want the boob. I want the boob!" at the beginning of the tour, so Daddio arranged for Van and I to be ushered to a private nursing room. We missed nearly all the tour, as a result. When we rejoined the group, Nanners was a wriggly, wiggly little noisemaker, so Daddio had to sprint around with her.

The funny thing is, one of our docents recognized Vanessa. It's true! She said, "We met at the park one time." She was right. I said, "I have a photo of your grandson on Van's blog!" Talk about a small world. Her grandson, Ried, is the 3 year old who saw Vanessa from across the park, tried to climb up after her, and eventually grabbed her hand and kissed her rather intently.

After the tour, we visited the elephant seal colony on the coast. It's calfing season. What an incredible sight!

The little brown newborns were so cute I wanted to steal one and raise it in our bathtub. Daddio said no. We have our hands full.

Then, Monday, whilst we all rested, Daddio left for an indoor track meet in Fresno. "Auntie" Shea-Shea showed off a little bit in the high jump. See a nice article, here. Note that Shea looks extra buffed with those muscles flexed:

http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=48977.html

And, on Tuesday, we watched our new President, "Rock Oh Mama," as Van calls him, be sworn in.

Next up? Cousins Pete, Becky, Molly and Daniel come this weekend from Sacramento and Granny Ernestine arrives Monday. Then, after both grandmothers leave, we go to L.A. for "Auntie" Nell's wedding. Nanners has already started practicing to be a flower girl - Grandma noted, "She takes it very seriously."