Timber.......!

Our good friend Tony Tycer who owns and runs the tree service A Picture Perfect Tree
came over yesterday and removed our large and pesky Pine tree branch that had come down
early Christmas morning on top of our garage. It was still hanging part way in the tree and
was a safety hazard as it kept slowly shifting downwards to the point where we were concerned
to even open our garage door.....yikes.
So Tony and Al (a landscaping friend of his) came over and quickly dispatched that branch.
Here are some before and after pictures plus a little video that shows some of the action....

Merry Christmas Day!!!

Well the magic day is upon us.....it's just the three of us this year as Grace is in New York City with Radu and Paul is snowbound in Issaquah....but PJ, Russell and I are having a hummy day.

The weather is slowly easing up and actually there is a bit of blue sky as I write.

We do have an interesting situation on our garage roof. A LARGE pine tree limb (18"in diameter and about 15 feet long)

is gently resting on part of the roof and is precariously perched on a few branches...I am hoping it will just simply slowly slide into our driveway without a mishap to the house or anyone. It's too dangerous to remove yet as there is still a ton of ice on our roof....it's interesting to say the least.

In just a little bit, we'll be off to Tom and Steve's next door for roast beast and other tasty bites.

YUM......

Tom peeling the potatoes

Katie and Colin

Steve's mom Fay is making the Rum Sauce....
for the yummy Apple Cake

And here's Steve...who was our bartender....
while keeping the dishes and countertops clean!
Phillip enjoying a lively comversation............

Scott....Kristi's husband. They drove up from Fresno...

Greg.....good friend of Tom and Steve's

Kristi (Steve's sister) madly taking photos
Here I am.....

and Russell is doing a great job here of not
only holding down the chair but,
watching everyone work......

All we had to do was bring the "Gosh Darn Apple Pie" (actually I was calling it worse names while I was making it yesterday) and some bread......I was going to make the NYTimes No Knead Bread....but got sideswiped by the idea of making Challah...so I did. Two loaves and it was fun to make. I'll take a photo later at the dinner and you can drool over what we had!

(actually I forgot to take photos as my appetite precluded any more photos)

Again-we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Let it snow.....

First snowfall of December....

will we have a white Christmas?

Meanwhile....where's my peanuts????

More snowy shots on my flickr site....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katheworsley/

It's been a busy busy year and now it's time to.....

...pull up a chair and sit down while

I reminisce about this past year-

the year that has so swiftly flown by....

In February and part of early March

Russell and I joined 13 friends for the

trip of a lifetime. A cruise from Chile down

the coast of South America, around the

Horn and back up the coast to Brazil.

It was an amazing 16 days and we are so

glad we went. We saw sights and went places

that we might have never experienced if not

for this amazing voyage.

Here are the darling Magellan Penguins!

Penguins-think of that!

Here we are going through the Fiords of Chile.

The following day we went around the Horn.

It was remarkably calm-the sea was like glass.

The following day we arrived at the Falklands

and it was 77 degrees. The warmest it had been

for a year. Amazing place and I would have

liked to have stayed longer than just a few hours.

In March our good friends from Abbotsford BC came to visit on their way back from The Grand Canyon. They stayed with Curly and Suzie and we all met for dinner one night. We all know each other from Zihuatanejo....

April found me gardening with Tom and Steve-
as I was ready to be sharing that big 20x20 foot plot!

In early Summer I went camping in the Olympic National Forest with Doug and Peggy for a week. I had never been there before. Such gorgeous scenery. And right in our backyard ! Wow.

I also took a quick one week trip to Colorado to visit my brother Paul, my sister Nina and my good friend Kit. I also got in a good visit with my nephew Evan and his girlfriend Fawn.

Here's an unusual shot at Luscher Farm. Artists at work.....

Russell and I had many a delicious meal with our great neighbors Tom and Steve. Either at our house or theirs.

Here we are being silly in front of a sidewalk mirror....

Russell with sister Barb and Florida sister Susie...Our friends from Scotland, Toni and Andrew came to visit in September. We had a great visit what with traveling to the Redwoods, to the dunes in Florence and allowing them to explore the Columbia Gorge on their own! We were quite sad when they left and felt slightly abandoned for a bit. They are now having an adventure beginning their own "croft" which is Scottish for "small farm". Obviously we'll need to visit soon.

Russell decided early in the summer that he would run for City Council. I took this picture early on with one of his campaign signs that he had up at our favorite gas station. Look at the price compared to the $1.69 it is now !Russell didn't win, but as it turns out it's ok. We have lots of new projects to look forward to!

And so here we are.......Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!
Since I am just getting over my knee surgery
I am being very lazy and allowing this to be
our Christmas Card. We wish all of you the
happiest of holidays and the best New Year to come.
Hugs and Kisses from Kathe and Russell

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

I am especially thankful this year .

My knee has been repaired and

I am healing nicely.

Our friends and family are well and healthy.

What more could we ask for!

We had Thanksgiving dinner over at

Rick and Debbie's. Debbie is a great cook

and she and Rick are gracious hosts.

We had veggie and shrimp appetizers by the fire.

Served with Cranberry Champagne Cocktails. YUM.

One was my limit (dang) as I am taking pain killers.

But that one cocktail was sublime!

Here are a few after dinner photos.....

Russell and Debbie...

Duncan peering out from where he had been

during dinner...he loves being under the

dining room table!

Rick at the head of the table-resting up after the magnificent meal!

Pat and Merv-Debbie's parents
Pat made a delicious Strawberry Goat Cheese Cheese Cake. Yum.

Oh Those Babies!

Welcome

Gracie Marie Worsley

October 22, 2008

9# 5 oz

Now that's a baby!

She looks a lot like her Daddy!

Earlier this summer I visited my brother Paul

in Berthoud Colorado. While I was there one of

his three sons, Evan, came up from Scottsdale AZ

so we could all get together. I also met his girlfriend Fawn.

Their baby was born on October 22, 2008 at 11:50pm

weighing in at 9 ! pounds 5 oz Mama mia that's a lot of baby!

Welcome baby girl Gracie Marie Worsley

and here's some photos of the quilt I sent on to her.

I am looking forward to meeting her next summer

when I make it out to Colorado again..............

Close up of pocket with birth info-I like
adding a pocket to the back
rather than just a label.


The quilt below is for Chantal and Berry's little boy
who is due the end of December. I cannot
mail it until he's born because I want to add
his name and birthdate on the pocket.
He will be joining his big sister Mauri
who is 2 years old now!Here's an old photo
of Mauri when we visited her and her family
in Zaltbommel September 2006






Blank pocket for the moment.....



Close up of the strip design I have fun with.




As a postscript ... .I missed attending brother Paul's

son Clay's wedding in September. He and his wife Tori

are expecting a boy in late February. So I am starting to pull

out fabric and imagining what colors and design I will use....

A Tale of a Bionic Woman

Looks like a scene from CSI doesn't it?

But in reality it is just a simple shot of

my wrist after being in the hospital for 3 days.

I had a total knee replacement done as

my right knee was quite worn out!

Here I am in my hospital room-very relieved to

have the surgery behind me! Whew!

Only a liquid diet-but after no food for over 18 ours

I was happy to get broth and jello....

Jerry the physical therapist at Willamette Falls hospital
really helped me get started on my recovery....

This is called a Continous Passive Movement machine

Strap me up and I will heal....

Learning how to use a walker
without a horn or grey wig.....

I had a really nice room-at the end of the hall and quiet-

all the rooms were private.....shhhhhh

End of Campaign=Trip to Mexico

As a reward for going the extra mile and

running for City Council and then

not getting elected...whew...

we are in Loreto Mexico celebrating

Russell's return to being a slacker!

Look what I saw in the airport........

Russell's signs in the back of the car the day

before we flew into Mexico....arriba!

Mission Church in the historic center of Loreto

Now THIS is gooooood good!

Chicken Mole with rice and beans....yummy

Note: Portuguese Chef in the background.....

We are having fun exploring Loreto and  looking at

real estate for sale- the usual thing we do.....

Tomorrow we'll do a bit of shopping and swim and read....