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2011 Carpinteria Truax Christmas
Tom's Narrative
Updated 5/7/12

We didn’t do a lot of structured activities.  Mom and Dad arrived on schedule Tuesday.  Gave them a tour of the kids Schools and Carpinteria on Wednesday.  Watched Tess’s horse lesson on Thursday before collecting Byron at the airport, then the kids guided Byron on a downhill scooter run through the Santa Barbara City College.  Mom was a bit worried because they took 30 minutes to complete what is normally a 7 minute run, and BJ hadn’t ridden a scooter before, but he figured it out on the way down.  Pam had stayed home prepping for a Pot Luck with friends we hosted on Thursday Night.  Friday we followed Terry’s suggestion and patronized President Regan’s Museum (with Sam but not Tess).

The 85th street boys went solo Saturday afternoon, a short paragliding flight from the mountains to the beach with BJ driving chase and Dad navigating, followed by an outdoor lunch on the pier, a walk along the beach front, then cocktails at a friend’s house with a view of the sunset over the ocean from his garden patio.  The whole family squeezed into our small TV room to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve.  The girls cooked a large Turkey on Sunday that provide leftovers for the rest of the week.  Byron and Tom played Frisbee and basketball with Sam before dinner.

Back up to SB on Monday for another sunny stroll across a rolling green above the beach followed by an outdoor lunch in the harbor.  On Tuesday, BJ went to work hanging overhead light fixtures in Tess’s room.  We did a reading of the Desiderata Wednesday followed by departures.

The weather was sunny and clear with very little to no wind every day.  Perhaps a bit chilly, warming into the 70s a couple of times, but some days only saw the high 60s.  It did droop down below 50 at night, and the days are short around the winter solstice in Carpinteria at 34°  latitude.  We are about 5° further north than Houston, but the ocean moderates our temperature swings and we have a 4500 foot south facing mountain range at our back to collect the winter sun.

Mom and Dad had their own room, and BJ was on an air mattress next to Tess.

It was great spending time with Mom, Dad, and BJ, mostly just putzing without a schedule.  I didn’t take any photos, but BJ did.

Tom