Long Weekend!

Start of the mudflats at the marsh yesterday. I didn't bring my camera on our hike today, which turned out to be a great one! About 8 miles total. We got to a great beach where we were totally alone. No other footprints even, though there were some tracks left by elk. It's been getting colder here, but so far this weekend it's been nice for walking and hiking. And tomorrow is a holiday. I love three-day weekends.

I have been thinking about Tiff, Shane, and Caldon a lot though. I know it's been tough, but it seems like things are getting a bit better, and hopefully they will continue to... Still can't wait to see them in less than a week. And I'm really glad mom will be going out to Boston the day that Lorene has to leave. Lorene has been great, and I'm sure mom will be too! All I can do right now is send positive, loving thoughts their way...

A Thursday

 Broccoli cheddar potato soup. I made it (not Adam), as hard as that may be to believe. And it came from the recipe book Tiff and Shane gave Adam for his birthday. Pretty good!

Kiki. Not today though, it's been rainy and cold. It even hailed!

It's already getting dark

and it's only 5 o'clock.

Went to a new beach this weekend. Biggest waves I've seen around here. It was pretty cool, but then a dog got pulled out. I actually thought it had drowned it was under so long, but its owner kept diving in, and eventually they both came up ok. It was scary.

Finished the puzzle Tiff gave me for my birthday! It was a fun one. :)

Post-Halloween

And post-Halloween/Birthday flowers from dad. They're really nice, and I think the Halloween colored Asiatic Lilies are great! Plus, there's a cute balloon that isn't shown in the picture. The cats, Kiki in particular, are interested in the flowers (and the ribbon attached to the vase) as well.

I also got a Nook from Adam, which is totally awesome! :)

No trick-or-treaters, but I wasn't expecting any.

Thanks dad, mom, Tiff and Shane, Dane, Ed and Lisa, Lorene, Jeffra, and everyone else for the birthday gifts and wishes! 

Almost Halloween

 Enjoying the last rays of sun.

 Adam's awesome Zelda pumpkin! Mine was just a face.

We went for a nice walk on a new coastal trail today. The fog even cleared up, and we saw some seals while we were out there!

My favorite time of year

 

 And we have a great pumpkin patch here. A lot of green ones this year... We ended up with 5 pumpkins (plus one tiny one I couldn't resist at the end!). Seems like a lot, but I just love pumpkins....

There were several shades of really pretty sunflowers growing throughout the pumpkin patch. And it was a nice, though overcast and chilly, fall day!

Weekend in the Bay Area

 Santa Cruz! There's a possibility we might end up back here...

Extended Hioki family. Many a picture was taken... It was Adam's grandparents' 60th anniversary!

We came home to a pretty sunset and kitties happy to see us.