 |
As it turns out, Amy's birthday was three days before on April
11, so we had a few surprises for her. Here she's opening a book.
|
 |
Here are Amy and Glen checking out Amy's new camera (she had to
open first so the camera would be ready!).
|
 |
Amy opening another present while Glen and Dad and, in the
foreground, Jeff and Jane, look on.
|
 |
Guess what: two days before (April 12) was Jane's Birthday. You
have to send her a confidential email to find out how old. Here,
she's reading a card.
|
 |
It must have been funny! That's Barb to the left and Rick and
Jeff in the foreground.
|
 |
Finally, Dad got a chance to open his presents! Here he shows off
a steam locomotive Amy needlepointed. Glen and Lynne look on from
either side while Jane and Barb are in the foreground.
|
 |
Here Dad looks at what I think is a gag gift!
|
 |
And tries on another gag gift (or was it the same one?).
|
 |
Dad checks out a photo album of his life put together by Barb
from photos that we all found in our collections. And no, he
hasn't been drinking from all those bottles. They're gifts
including Groth wine from the Cunninghams and McCallan's Scotch
from Jeff.
|
 |
Here Dad checks out a new "computer chair" we all gave him.
|
 |
Dad examines one of the etched commemorative wine glasses.
|
 |
The pattern that was etched on the wine glasses (from the fax of
the proof!).
|
 |
Amy's ready to eat; Dad brings more wine.
|
 |
Dad pours some wine in my glass. Very important!
|
 |
Dad's still pouring. That's Glen, Barb, and Amy along the far
side and Jane on the near side.
|
 |
Jane and Rick with Amy and Barb in the foreground.
|
 |
Jeff, Jane and Rick. What's Jeff Doing?!?
|
 |
Lynne, Glen, and Barb. They're getting anxious to eat.
|
 |
So we all ate dinner and it was time for the cake and a rendition
of "Happy Birthday to You..."
|
 |
Of course, the candles had to be blown out! Fortunately, all the
flash attachments didn't fire at once.
|
 |
Amy, Dad, and Barb admire the cake.
|
 |
Here's a close-up of the cake. Barb generated the layout on her
computer and took a floppy to the bakery. Apparently bakers now
have frosting jet printers or whatever!
|
 |
On Saturday, we took a picnic lunch up to the Tonto National
Monument near Roosevelt lake. Here are Dad, Amy, Rick, Jane, and
Jeff. Barb's behind Rick. Lynne and Glen left Saturday morning to
fly their plane home before bad weather set in.
|
 |
Amy and Barb on the far side and Rick and Jane on the near side.
|
 |
The attraction at Tonto National Monument is Indian cliff
dweliings. Rick, Amy, Jeff, and I hiked up to the ruins. Here's a
view back down to the visitor's center which is up the hill from
the picnic grounds.
|
 |
Amy and Rick (Jeff is behind) looking out over the valley.
|
 |
Rick and Jeff at the ruins.
|
 |
Rick and Jeff again but the real subject of this picture is the
strain gauge in the upper right. There's a big crack in the
overhanging rock. It looks like the front of the cliff might fall
off. It appears that the park service is trying to keep track of
it.
|
 |
The front of the ruins. Note that there are some modern additions
which appear to be an attempt to hold it together. If I remember
what the signs said, the dwelling was abandoned sometime in the 1300s.
|
 |
Rick going through a "door." Either the natives were a lot
smaller than we are or had more flexible backs (or maybe it's a
window!).
|
 |
Rick and Jeff do some exploring in the ruins.
|
 |
The view out the valley. A piece of Roosevelt lake is in the
background and the visitor's center is on the right.
|
 |
Think this is upside down? No, it's the view looking up at the
overhang (that might be going to fall off soon! see strain gauge
picture).
|
 |
Amy and Jeff with me in the middle in front of the ruins.
|
 |
View of the ruins from part way down the trail. I think this is
the spot on the trail where Amy slipped and gashed her knee and
got a jumping cholla stuck in her leg! A little bit of
excitement! We stopped at the emergency room in the Miami
hospital on the way home and she got a couple of stitches.
Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the wound!
|
 |
Back at the visitor's center. The ruins are somewhere in that
cliff!
|