ChanomiTalk

This has been an interesting start to a new year. We were able to spend Christmas with Joyces family in the mountains of Northern California. Only got a little bit of a white christmas but the snow did show right on cue. Many family members and friends were seen and the kids were spoiled. Good thing we drove the truck down so that we could crate back all the goodies. With 15 people in one house, presents covered nearly half the living room and seemed to be stacked to the ceiling. We came home to our house in Clear Creek and blew off crazy fireworks to start the new year. Our first new year away from Hawaii in 15 years. Hard to imagine that that is true but it is. Already this year we have had snow of 4 inches and another storm brought in another 5 inches which closed Cians school for a day. Instead of school we use the hill for some fun kid style sledding. A little hard to get around and cold when it snows but the kids are amazed and love to play.

Finally as of yesterday all the snow has melted and the sun came out. Rain is now in the forecast but also a day of sun. Soon it is back to work and back to Canada for some school. Until next time…aloha!

Pictures (#1) and (#2) are of the town where my parents live. It is Chatham, Massachusetts. The one picture is of the Wayside Inn which is a beautiful old inn and it has a restaurant that looks out on the Main Street. The gazebo is where the Chatham band plays music every Friday evening in the summer time. They describe Cape Cod as an arm and Chatham is located right at the elbow. So there is a lot of ocean surrounding it. As a result we don’t get as much snow as areas that are more inland, but we get a lot of wind. The town is very quaint with lots of little shops (art galleries, an old fashioned candy store, an old fashioned 5 and 10 cent store). It is so much fun going exploring through the stores because it takes you back to a time when things were simpler. I especially love going Christmas shopping here because people greet you and they sometimes have cookies and cider to share. It makes if fun. Shopping then becomes a fun event not stressful like going to a mall. By American standards, Chatham is an old town. There are houses here from the 1700’s. By Japanese standards, I believe you might consider that still very young.

(#3) is a picture of a beautiful flowering tree in my backyard in the Spring. I don’t know the type of tree and the owners couldn’t remember, but the color was gorgeous!
(#4) is of a windmill at the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts. This was the town where I lived. It was the first town that was established on Cape Cod and this occurred in the 1600’s. The windmill really works. The Gardens are gorgeous! I loved going there during each of the seasons to see how things change. At Christmastime they have a beautiful light display on the weekends in the evening. But I especially loved the spring when all the azaleas and rhododendrons were in bloom (picture #5). Picture (#6) is of my Mom and Dad during one of our walks through the gardens. Many people say I look like my Mom. I’m very proud of them both and love them very much.