Johnny's Trip to the California Kids

Johnny managed to finish the horse paddock project http://lindafink.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-fence-project.html and get all the hay in http://lindafink.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-hay-is-in-barn.html so he could spend a week away from the farm visiting our California kids and grandkids. Naturally, he had projects to do down there. But first up was Cedrus' pre-school graduation on June 14. Here are the four graduates (shortest one is on the left and barely visible) with their teacher... and the school's play structure... behind them.

Cedrus, in the center.

The graduates held up signs saying what they wanted to be when they grew up. Cedrus wants to be a chef. He can come cook for me any time!

Joh

Each graduate was presented with a lei. What an adorable kid.

Here''s the cool play structure that is in the background of all the above photos. It's an ark, I think.

At home, Kestrel and Cedrus have a play structure, too, that they play on often. They especially like the zip line that Johnny and Steve installed on a previous Grandpa visit. Auntie Fudge came for graduation and is watching Cedrus.

Kestrel is good at the monkey bars, too.

Johnny also took photos of the kids and Steve using a hula hoop. But most came out blurry so all  I can show is Cedrus, with Munazza and Kestrel in the background.

They also took hikes with Grandpa. Good thing I wasn't there. Munazza puts up with more than I would. Steve, while balanced on a tree limb, is taking a photo of a bee hive in a tree with Kestrel, whom he is obviously *not* watching. Oh my.

Of course, Cedrus wanted to see, too.

Thankfully, they all survived. Back home there was plenty to do indoors. The boys now play and sing some songs together: Cedrus on keyboard and Kestrel on guitar.

Here's Cedrus crossing hands in a piece. Both boys are learning their instruments quickly.

 The kids are avid readers. Kestrel has graduated to full size books. He's just finishing this one. Pretty impressive for a seven-year-old.

And, of course, there's cooking. Here are Steve and Kestrel making sushi.

At a music fest they went to in town, they jammed with one of the musicians.

Of course, there were projects for Johnny at home. The big one was redirecting the plumbing for the washer and dryer from inside the house to the garage. Johnny would have to explain what they did and all the problems they ran into. I stopped listening when he told about uncapping a natural gas line by mistake. Oh my.

Here Steve is cutting away the wallboard to expose the pipes behind.

This is what was behind the wall.

This is how they remodeled it.

Here are the washer and dryer, installed in the garage.

They had to redirect the dryer exhaust pipe, too.

The other project for Grandpa was more fun. The "playhouse" part of the play structure was never used because it was dark and full of spiders. Johnny and Steve cut holes to lighten it up and, presumably, discourage spiders. (Johnny says to let birds in to eat the spiders.)

Here's Kestrel trying out a new window.

Of course, Steve had to try it, too.

The boys looking out the  new windows.

This one is a tube tunnel from the other side.

When it was time for Johnny to catch the train for home, everyone went to the San Jose Amtrak station to see him off. Here is Steve in front of the station, being Steve and teaching his kids to be nuts, too.

Since Johnny took all the photos, there are none of him. But that's okay. I know what he looks like... and he's home again now. It's wonderful for me to have these photos of Kestrel and Cedrus, our incredibly wonderful, adorable, talented, California grandkids. And whacky Steve, too. I'll get more photos of Munazza when they come here and I am holding the camera.