You can see some pictures and trip highlights here.
And this last Saturday, the formal "ground-breaking" ceremonies were held, with shovels full of dirt thrown by various dignitaries, including a lady who has been chosen as the first homeowner at this new site -- she will start her 500 hours of "sweat equity" required work next week.
The City Impact project (rebuilding a 4 story building in the inner city for use as a Christian K-8 school) is somewhere around 90% done. Mike spent a full day this past week working on installing floor tiles and bull-noses on the steps of the main stairway. The second floor of the building is all done, so the volunteer builders can now gather in Room 210, one of the future classrooms, at lunch time.
Mike and Blake got another adventure trip a couple of weeks ago, visiting the SS Red Oak Victory ship, which is part of the "Rosie the Riveter" National Historical Park in Richmond. This cargo ship was built at the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond in 1944, and later saw service in both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
Those who have read Mike's Letters to the Editor in the local newspaper know that he and Sandy have a growing concern about the size of our national debt, and what this will mean for our children and grand-children. (And of course the folks in Sacramento have spent California right up to the edge of bankruptcy, so things aren't much better on the state level.) Here's a picture of Mike at a recent Tea Party street-corner rally, waving his big American flag, and hoping more people will realize all levels of government have got to stop spending as if "money grows on trees."
Great Grand-daughter Kerrilynne came to visit recently, and fun included getting tips on shopping skills from Grandma Sandy at the Danville Art and Crafts Fair, and going swimming at Great Aunt Sheila's house (where cousin Erin and her boyfriend Andrew were also visiting).
Sandy received recognition a few weeks ago from the Contra Costa County Meals-On-Wheels organization for her work with a group of ladies that buy and wrap birthday gifts for inclusion with meals delivered on a shut-in's birthday. Hundreds of people were present at the annual volunteer recognition luncheon.
Mike and friend Frank recently braved the rainy conditions to go up in the mountains south of San Francisco to watch Lance Armstrong and dozens of other world class bicyclists pass by in Stage 3 of the 8-day Tour of California.
At the Edes Avenue Habitat work site in Oakland a few weeks ago, the volunteers were cheered as they realized that was the President of the United States flying over head, obviously taking a personal interest in the new homes they were building................... Oh, you say he was just enroute to the solar panel plant in Fremont, and not actually looking at the new Habitat houses? Bummer.
Wow! Have Mike and Sandy been to Hawaii again? And perhaps had a sunset dinner at the famous Beach House restaurant on Kauai? Why yes!
You can see a few Kauai pictures here.
Mike and Sandy are now members of Community Presbyterian Church ("CPC") in Danville, and have gotten involved in various ways, including being greeters in front of the church on Sundays, and helping with yard cleanup for seniors on the annual "Lend-A-Hand" Day.
It may have been raining outside this year, but the Easter brunch crowd was warm and well-fed around the table. Friends Dick and Patty joined our family group this year.
It was another "mini-reunion" for the San Mateo High School Class of 1956 - at least for 3 of the girls. And where better to do it than the "Wine Road" event in the Russian River area? Oh yes, these are the husbands, along to carry the boxes of wine back to the cars after the tasting sessions!
Mike, Sandy, and friends Buzz and Doreen, are back from Cancun. See pictures here.
Mike and Sandy are back from their January cruise out of Miami and Alabama-Florida motor trip combo; see travel section for some pictures and stories.
The annual LPGA golf tournament was underway outside Mike and Sandy's rear fence in September. On the left side of the tee in red shirt and white cap is Lorena Ochoa, for several years the top-ranked golfer in the LPGA. She didn't win this year's Blackhawk tournament, and the rumor mill blames "distractions" of her upcoming wedding to the CEO of airline AeroMexico.
Mike and friend Marv learned that the Blackhawk Club was organizing a bicycling group, and went along on the first ride. They're not sure they'll continue, however, as most of the other riders had the narrow-tire street bikes, and wanted to travel quite fast. (Mike and Marv are more into long rides than fast.)
Grandson Jon, down in Bakersfield, sat still long enough for his picture at school -- he turned 6 this past summer.
See more pictures of the 2009 Hawaii adventure here.
The annual Christmas brunch was a little smaller this year, as family members come and go, are at other Christmas observances, etc. The camera caught almost everyone present smiling in this pose.
Some folks managed to relax a bit while at Sandy and Mike's recently -- here's Ryan and Trisha Basman, holding on to Jonathan, while Ryan Darius looks on.
The big day finally arrived, and Sandy is now officially 70. She has had many good wishes from near and far. Here she is with all the guests at the big family party at the El Dorado Hills home of one of her sisters -- what a crowd!
Great-grand daughter Kerri Lynne did a great job finding Easter eggs last spring.
Grand-son Avery (3 years old last month) and Grand-daughter Carina (now 6) posed for a portrait a while back.
Mike and Sandy recently joined a family party at the home of Sandy's youngest sister. The weekend saw Sandy and all 3 of her sisters together, a fairly unusual event, as the four live in four different towns, hundreds of miles apart. Here's Sheila, Barbara, Sandy (the oldest), and Carla, in a rare picture.