Bonnie received a box of Sees candy from one of her ESL students. Liz said to Bonnie, "I love candy, I can't wait to have some" Bonnie, who loves Sees candy, giggled and said," Sorry Liz, this is for just Daddy and I". Megan who was sitting next to Liz looked over and said," It's OK Liz, We'll be the skinny one's in the family" I guess I'll be happy eating Sees Chocolate and NOT be skinny.

Well, It's been raining for the last several days here in Southern California. I went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Card and I found her wearing some "Grandma" special rain shoes. Yes, If you look closely she is wearing socks, sandals wrapped in plastic bags and rubber bands to keep it all together. How, "innovative?"

Grandpa Card broke his other hip after tripping over a box. At least that's the cover story. I heard that he was chasing grandma around the house trying to pinch her bottom. What ever the true story is, he is doing very well and should be out of the hospital by the beginning of next week. Now he has two new hip joints. He's almost bionic.

As a Family tradition, we always set up our "FAKE" Christmas Tree thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Allen and their "Real" Christmas Tree fire many years ago. The girls were acting up all day and we had finally had enough. We decided to punish them by sending them to their room to work out their problems. We also told them that they would not be able to participate in setting up the Christmas Tree. If they were good, we would allow them to put the lights and ornaments on the tree the next day. When we were finished setting up the tree, we walked up to the girls room to talk to them and we found this sign taped to their door. They always find ways to make us feel like bad parents.

My friend ED wanted to show me what a Chinese Turkey (Duck) looked like. Yum. I think that it's smiling at me.


The Nokia theater at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.


Go Kings Go. Staples center after an LA Kings game.

Well, Megan is our first child to get railroad tracks across her face. Yep. Brace Face. She chose blue bases. What ever happened to just plain metal? I sure hope the blue color didn't cost me anything extra. Not that I don't want my little girl to look good because it's obvious that I do, otherwise I wouldn't put braces on her to straighten her teeth out. I just don't want to pay anything more then I have to. I had even thought about moving to England where Megan's jacked up teeth would be accepted or even celebrated. I soon discovered that that would have cost me more money to move the family then just putting her in braces. Sorry Megan. Daddy loves you.

Megan has become quite the photographer. She is improving with every pictures she takes. I just wanted to share a couple of pictures that she took over the summer. Megan entered a photo contest and won first place. Her winning picture was entitled "Just Straight Chillin" If I can ever find it again, I'll post it for everyone to see. I'm glad that she's artistic like her Nana.

The V.P. over my office had a retirement party and the St Frances Yacht club in San Francisco. Bonnie and I were invited to attend on Friday November 7th. We stayed at the Palace near the Union Square. We decided to make a get away out of it and to see the sights. We had a fun time going to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli square, Pier 39 and other parts of the city. We took a ride on the famous cable car and barely made it to Fisherman's Wharf after breaking down (loosing the cable) twice. We had to be pushed by a truck one time and then pushed up hill with a semi truck. The cable car was packed and very uncomfortable. People just jump on the sides and hang on for dear life as the trolley moves from block to block. Bonnie and I were sitting in outside seats when this man and his wife jumped on the sides right in front of us. Needless to say, the woman's purse kept swinging as the cable car was moving hitting me in my "Sensitive Area". I sure was glad when she got off cable car before I had permanent damage.


Trolley Car

Bonnie Pounding down a sunday in Ghirardelli Square. Man that girl can eat mint chip ice cream.


Alcatraz Island is in the background



Bonnie had the Clam chowder and I had the Chile both in Sourdough bowls. It's always fun when you can eat the bowl that your food came in.

Fishermans Wharf Crabs. Yummy

Lefties Rule store. Everything that a left handed person could ever need. My favorite is the left handed butter knife.

Fishermans Wharf

The kids loved the little train ride.







There is a little school house in the town. The kids got a chance to see what it would be like to go to a school back in the 1800's. Meg got in trouble and got the paddle. Liz was acting up and got the wrong answer so she had to sit on a stool and wear a Dunce Cap. Andrew got in trouble and had to stand against the wall with his hands behind his back. Those "Card Kids" would have been in trouble all the time if they had to go to school back then.

The kids had the opportunity to try out handcarts.











We all ate candy and drank sarsaparilla at the ZCMI General Store.

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We all had fun playing with the pioneer games.

They have lots of cabins, stores and shops with demonstrations on how the pioneers lived. They do a really good job showing the kids how to wash cloths, make soap, shoes and other leather goods, woodworking and lots of other things. It was a good experience for them.