The first box...

The ancient Chinese proverb says "the journey of 1000 miles begins with one step." In our case, the journey of 2400 miles begins with one BOX. I packed the first box using the one that the Missouri Santas used to ship the goodies.

The LAST LA Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Here are a few pictures of what we're calling "The Last LA Christmas." A big thank you to all the Missouri Santas!





Santa came to town---and look, he's still here!
No Christmas is complete without the carolers!Santa Tom with a new blanket!





Down with Rachel Ray!!!!
He's covering Rachel's picture...
Duke to Murphy: I thought I was on the NAUGHTY list for sure!

Man, we hit the JACKPOT!
Just give us the cookie!!!

Wow!!


Get back here!


Man's best friend!

A New Hobby

I have recently taken an interest in creating my own pottery. As a kid, I loved to play with clay and Play-dough. I tried my hand at throwing on a wheel during my first year as a teacher in Arma, Kansas. The art teacher and I became friends and she gave me a few lessons on the wheel, although I didn't practice enough to really build any sort of skill.

A few years ago, I obtained a potter's wheel from my dad. This wheel has traveled with me from Joplin, Missouri to Kansas City, Missouri, to Los Angeles. I kept promising myself that "someday" I would learn how to use it. After completing a Raku class at a local community college, I officially have the "ceramics" bug! Here are a few of my creations. My first attempts look a bit clumsy--but I think I'm beginning to get the idea. (The last photo is my latest piece.)

Indian Tacos

This is the first attempt at "Indian Tacos." These are a favorite of my mom and dad--and a big hit with their dinner guests! The only thing missing is the cheese!