Toby turns Sweet 16

Carolyn had a little birthday party for her puppy Toby who turned 16! That's 112 in people years, so he beats Uncle Tony even!

Here are a couple of pics for you.

Toby with his new "gopher" toy.


Carolyn, Toby, & Alex



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Our first orange!

Ah ha! I told you we are becoming farmers!

Take a look at our first orange...

Well, OK, it's not an orange YET, but with a little time it will be! (We have NO idea how much time.) Stay tuned!

This is one of the trees Ronee & Carolyn gave us for Christmas and Rick planted in January. (2 oranges, an avocado, a lemon, and a banana tree!)

Next week: watching grass grow! hahaha Just kidding... we don't have any grass!

ps: Thanks for the flowers Jill, Carol, & Louise:


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Jules at Intuit

Well, Julian moved into his La Jolla apartment this weekend! Today he starts his summer internship at Intuit. Big new adventures on the horizon!

His furnished apartment looks over the pool, and is right in the heart of town! One mile from his office, with shopping, bars, and restaurants all around him! The UTC Mall is a block away. He is just a short distance from Downtown San Diego, and around the corner from Old Town, Mission Bay, Sea World, Torrey Pines, UCSD, and of course the beaches of La Jolla and fun spots like Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. (He's 35 miles south of us in Vista.)

In Spanish La Jolla means "The Jewel", maybe now it will be "The Jules"! Seriously, it is the most beautiful part of San Diego county. http://www.lajollabythesea.com/

We take most of our visitors down to La Jolla for a day to walk along the towering cliffs at Torrey Pines State Park overlooking the sea and wander the ocean pathways to enjoy seal beach, and see the snorkelers, scuba divers (there's an underwater park) and kayakers.

Jeff Gilberg, our nephew, came in from Vegas for the weekend, so he helped us get Jules moved in and we all went to Rock Bottom Brewery Saturday night. I think next time Jeff wants to come to town I might not even know...he'll just call Julian and go hang out with him and they can hit the bars together!!

Since Julian doesn't have a car he'll be getting around by bike. He bought a new one just for that. Of course he has his mountain bike and road bike, for a total of 3 at his apartment. (Plus two still back in Michigan!)

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We also got a nice visit Sunday with Rick's cousin John DiMercurio, and his wife Marie. Turns out they moved to San Diego about 10 years ago (from Michigan). Darn, we forgot to take pictures. Guess we'll have to get together again soon!

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Uncle Tony turns 95!!

OK all you youngsters out there!
This weekend we helped
our Uncle Tony DeMaggio turn
95 years old!!

Can you believe that?!
AND: He is also celebrating his
5th wedding anniversary!

Tony was married to my Aunt Mary for 66 years. She was my father's sister and passed away 7 years ago. Two years later Tony remarried. It seemed soon at the time, but hey, how long are you going to date when you are 90 years old!!??!! He and Joy just returned from a Hawaiian cruise! And their families threw the party.


Don't they look cute in their matching outfits???

All you single folks... hang in there! You too could get married on your 90th birthday! (I think only a man would do that!)

Three of my cousins from Michigan flew in to join the celebration. Louise, Carol & Jill Urban, as well as Jill's daughter Nicki. They stayed in San Diego a couple of days near Louise's son Mark, and then spent the weekend up in Vista at our house (and 2 miles from Uncle Tony's). Everyone took lots of pictures so maybe I'll be adding some of theirs to this blog once they get home.

Carol, Nicki, Jill


















Jill Urban and our cousin Bob DeMaggio (Tony's son)


The only other California cousin we saw was Patricia Steiner (Nicholson) and her family. They came in from 29 Palms, California. Bob & Candy DeMaggio's daughters and grandchildren did attend and we got a more personal visit with them later in the evening back at Bob & Candy's home. (Along with left-over dinner!)

Sunday was Mother's Day, I took my cousins driving through some of the winding roads and foothills of Vista a bit, and we visited the San Luis Rey Mission over in Oceanside. Built in the 1700's, it's beautiful and on 56 acres just a couple of miles from the ocean. Here's some pictures and history of this mission, and the story of other 20 California missions: http://www.sanluisrey.org/ (I also take classes here -- currently "Renaissance Art & Architecture" -- through Cal State).

Our Aunt Mary's ashes are at the Mission's cemetery, in a niche -- something I didn't know until one of my cousins told me! We stopped and visited it. We miss her!
Louise's mom, my Aunt Esther, passed away last year, and her twin, Uncle Edsel & HIS wife, our Aunt Joan, left us a few years before Mary. My Dad, and all of us, miss all of them! There is just my Dad, LeRoy (83), and his brother Robert (who just turned 93) left of the Nicholson brothers and sisters. They are both still in Michigan. Tony & Mary retired out here some 25+ years ago, while Joan & Edsel moved to Vista back in the 60's. (Which, if you didn't know, is how I came to start visiting out here.)

Esther, their father John (or is his name Robert?),
Franklin, their mom Cora, LeRoy, Edsel, and Mary 1940's



OK, back to current activities! Later on Sunday Mark drove up, Carolyn came over, and we BBQ'd steak in our backyard. It was beautiful out. Nicki and I got in the hot tub, and eventually the other girls at least put their legs in! The guys were inside watching both the Pistons and Red Wings lose. :( Louise, Carol, and Jill's husbands were at the Red Wings game, as were our friends Art & Kathy. At least since they are playing the Anaheim (California) Ducks, WE can stay awake long enough to watch all the late Pacific Time games!

Carol, Louise, ME, Jill, Mark, Nicki, & Carolyn

This morning I joined the girls and Mark at Scripps' Birch Aquarium down in La Jolla, and snapped a few more pics before heading home. Last I spoke with them, they had spent the entire afternoon hanging out in Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach, and there was a bit of giggling going on! Bless you Mark! They are staying at the hotel again, and flying back to Michigan tomorrow.

Louise McGhie & son Mark Wronikowski


Nicki and Jill Urban below:

Waist up only photos!

If you have anything to add, or just want to let me know you were here, you may click on "comments" below and leave a message!

Oh yeah, and I broke down and bought a car this weekend! The beautiful Saturn Aura! "Car Of the Year! www.Saturn.com

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Julian is in California!

Julian arrived in San Diego just in time for my birthday! Does this look like he's happy?



We were at my sister Ronee's celebrating my birthday, his 21st birthday (April 8th), and Cinco de Mayo!



Today is our 31st wedding anniversary! The 3 of us plan to have dinner at our new favorite Italian restaurant: Marcos. And, it's close. Just down the street!


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