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2011 Carpinteria Truax Christmas
Mom's Narative
Updated 5/7/12
Dear Family.
This is a belated Holiday Greeting.. especially wishing all of you a Happy
Healthy Prosperous New Year.. As you all know we left here on Dec. 20th..
had an uneventful trip to Calif.. flew to LA and then changed planes to Santa
Barbara.. It really worked well since we flew American Eagle and they have
a small terminal in LA so we avoided all that hustle and bustle and we arrived
on time in Santa Barbara with Tom, Sam and Tess waiting for us just as we got to
baggage. Really great to see them.. This was Tues. eve and Pam had a
great dinner waiting for us... They have a lovely home.. had our own room,
bath.. and it's a on quiet cul de sac.. such a neat little town.. you can walk
everywhere.. Tom already described next day.. we were supposed to pick up
B.J. that evening.. but he came on Thurs. about noon instead. The
first two mornings we went down the street.. to a neat breakfast at McDonald's
in backroom with gorgeous view of mountains.. can walk there.. then to Tess'
horseback riding lesson and on to get B.J. Thurs. evening they hosted a
really neat cocktail buffet for friends and family and got to meet lots of
friends they've had for years.. a really enjoyable evening.
Re Terry's suggestion.. we all went to the Reagan Library on Friday (sans Tess
who spent day with a friend).. beautiful day, drive and we all loved it.. the
picture doesn't do the spot justice.. magnificent view.. Sat was Christmas
Eve and Tom has told you about that.. we did lots of walking and lots of
excitement at their home of course.. Sunday went to Mass close by and had
a wonderful dinner.. and went Christmas Light looking. Watched lots of
sunsets with kids and Tom and B.J. playing Frisbee .. Went up to Santa Barbara
again on Monday.. pictures are from City College above the Ocean.. kids
skateboarding, biking etc.. and ended up on Ferris Wheel.. Santa Barbara
is just beautiful as you all know.. Weather was fantastic.. lots of
excitement with the cats and mice (who are now parents of ten) .. turned out
they weren't the same sex.
The house is so neat.. the kids have wonderful bedrooms upstairs.. and you look
out kitchen window on a lovely patio (a little chilly for eating outside) but
the best is the view from Tom's office of the mountains.. He pretty well
described all we did.. but I have to add We.. Dad and I, loved every minute of
it.. great visiting with the kids.. parents and B.J. it couldn't have been
better.. Just wish we all weren't so far away from each other. Pam
and Tom and the kids were great hosts.. and while traveling is a bit challenging
these days.. was worth every minute of it.
We feel blessed to be able to visit all .. Pretty lucky this year with
seeing everyone in June/July. Happy 2012 from both of us.
( Tom.. you did such a good job describing it all.. we still are savoring what a
wonderful trip it was .. and it's so nice to picture all of you in your spots
there in Carpinteria..
xxxxoooo mom