Our Family
Nothing Else Counts In This World!
Introduction To Family; Visit Our Friends
Friendship counts!
Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown
The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through
life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding
shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting
pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending,
and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma
Bombeck
Those quotes pretty much describes this collection of people!
If you don't believe in ghosts, you've never been to a family reunion. ~Ashleigh Brilliant
To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush
Our Parents???
Who Are These People In Our Lives???
Diane is Sue's sister and they live up north (Silicon Valley where she teaches school and Pat's in in high tech maling super cell phones).
They have two daughters, Hannah and Lisa. Lisa is now in High School and Hannah is in the honor's program at UC Irvine.
We visit several times a year usually during the summer and at Christmas. With Hannah being local now, we will likely see them more... A goof thing!
We visited them at Tomatofest.
Visit the Porter's
Jeanette was married almost 20 years but is now very happy as a single Mom. She is a Program Manager in the IT arena for a very large financial institution. Being single is agreeable to her as she is now so very happy and full of hope for the future.
Her specialty, juggling twenty two balls at the same time! She is planning to re-take up the piano and learn to dance! She is in process of becoming an Elk!
Jeanette has two boys, Zachary and Conner.
Visit Jeanette and her latest adventures.
Colleen was married to Pete Chartier but that ended in divorce. She is now happily remarried and living in New Hampshire with Mark Perry, A Senior Chief in the US Navy.
Colleen has two girls, Jacqueline and Cassandra, still at home.
Jonathan, our grandson is out in the world making a living.
Michele is our oldest daughter and is a new mommy having completed her goal to become a PhD. Theo joined the family October 2006. years old!
They live in Beverlywood, a small area next to Beverly Hills. Funny, it where Paul grew up so visiting them is always an adventure in retrieving old memories.
We see them as often as possible considering the busy schedule of a young mother!
Visit
Michele and Franklin and Theo!
Robin and Bob Duda
Robin and Bob are "adopted". Robin worked with us at Rockwell/Boeing for 20+ years. She was our right-hand so we spent 8+ hours a day with her.
Paul was fortunate enough to walk her down the isle and we are called grandma/grandpa by Nick. We are so happy to have her and Bob in the family!
we have a lot of great adventures together such as wine tasting, Taste at California adventure, the wine train and other activities. Fun fun fun!
Visit
Robin, Bob, and Nick
Aunt Kaye And Tom Hale
Aunt Kaye was Paul's Mom's sister (she is a Lewis). She lives in Stockton California and has for years and years.
Tom and Paul spent a lot of time together growing up. Tom went into the dime store business and was an executive with the 99 Cent stores. He is now living with his mom also in Stockton.
We see them several times a year as we fly by on the way to/from Diane's home or the Tomato Festival!
Visit
Kaye and Tom
Cousins By The Dozens
Sue and Diane had six cousins when growing up... All girls!
They spent a lot of time together over the years and were most recently out for a wedding. It was a load of fun seeing everybody again
Visit
Visit the wedding and the cousins
Kat (and Edith) traveled with us for years and the health began an issue.
Cousin Kat began having dementia issues soon after so we sold her home, we arranged for an assisted care facility where she can live out her days in dignity. We see her every few days and go to movies once a week. Visit Kat
Aunt Edith was her constant companion after her mother, Opal, died. Edit passed on at 94 in 2004 after providing everyone in her life a load of joy! She was funny, quick witted, and just a bundle of energy.
Our first grandson!
Jon stayed with us for several years while his dad served in the military and was stationed overseas. We call him "Jonathan Weasel" because when we used to give him a bath, we had a music box that played "Pop Goes The Weasel" and he used to laugh so lard he would fall over.
He is a man now and on his own making it though life and we are proud of him!
Is is joining us for a short vacation form New Hampshire and we are ecited about it!
That's Sue and Paul in the front row! Which one you ask? We will
not tell.