| Flexer Harrison Family News |
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| Suddenly it's August, Where DOES that summertime go? Aaron was caught in the power outage fallout, and his Thursday night flight turned into a Saturday afternoon trip. However, he made it home safe and sound, and played in his DVSC tournament on Sunday. Madeleine flew home with her grandmother, who is visiting for the very first time! IN spite of the jet lag, Masssey is kvelling over the trees and teh ocean think that she'll like Benicia! Riva and Stephen managed to wedge in a brief but relaxing holiday in Mendocino, and Riva has made it to the high peaks. Both children are back home now, and and school starts on August 25. Mendocino is located north of Point Reyes, on the Northern California coast. Riva's always wanted to visit it, since she heard the McGarrigles' song "Talk to me of Mendocino" A small, heritage town, with Victorian homes, many water towers, beautiful gardens, good food, and the Pacific ocean down the street. She and Stephen stayed at the Joshua Grindle Inn and recommend it highly! They stayed in the North Cypress Room... |
| Photos to come |
| The day after they returned home, Riva took off with Toni Owen (who drove!) to Yosemite National Park to bag a couple of peaks and try out her new hiking boots! Yes, they worked a treat, as did the Camelbak pack. What an incredible landscape! She had forgotten the impact of high elevation on breathing... ON Friday afternoon, the Benicia Hiking Club climbed up to Gardisky lake, and 12 brave souls made it up to the summit of Tioga Peak. It was more of a warmup, to see who could actually handle the elevation (11524 ft). The following morniing only six showed up to climb Mount Conness, (12500 ft). It was a real challenge of bouldering, scrambling and very little else...lovely alpine tarns, snow, myriad flowers (which we did not pick!). Riva made it to 12240, but could not bring herself to climb the final knifedge with the 3000 ft drop on either side- she had images of falling, and just had to turn back halfway through (thanks to Steve, for escorting me!)...so much for the summit, eh? But it was a good 8-mile hike all round (some say ten!)- the group was out for 10.5 hours... Sunday, the scheduled trip up Mount Dana was cancelled in favour of a jaunt up Lembert Dome and Dog Dome, with a side trip to the hot springs afterwards. Recommendations for dining - Tioga Pass resort, and the Mobil station at the corner of Hwy. 120 and Hwy. 395 Many thanks to Donna Pino, who opened her house and heart to the Benicia crowd... |
| Photos to come |
| We are all waiting for the NEW BABY arriving in Fort McMurray - the first western-born Flexer should make his appearance sometime on Thursday, August 21, 2003. GOOD LUCK to Gaylene and Will |
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| WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BERNARD WILLIAM FLEXER August 21, 2003 |
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| Well, the autumn months have slipped by, with pictures of new babies flashing back and forth across the Internet. And life goes on... Stephen's parents visited for four weeks in September. The weather was beautiful, and it gave everyone a chance to be outdoors as much as possible. Ronnie rebuilt part of a fence, Stephen and Ronnie installed a path and a new hot tub boiler (a massive job) and Riva and Thelma reseeded part of the lawn and worked avidly in the garden. Aaron tried out for the Benicia High School Soccer team. Much to his surprise (and chagrin- he is also a member of DVSC Rage, a civil team), he was accepted for his senior year. The Panthers made it to the first round of the semi-finals in Sacramento. Aaron said that he enjoyed playing...he is now registered in futsal, a Portuguese version of indoor soccer.He is also in the throes of college applications/exams.What pressure! Madeleine has been playing soccer all autumn, and has just finished a session of indoor soccer. She is doing well at school, and all seems to be in its place. Our household now has a new member. Madeleine has been asking for a cat for over a year now, So she and I finally went down to the animal shelter open house and she picked out a a small black and white kitten now called SHMUTI, who lives in her room much of the time, and who gets along with Lili surprisingly well... Stephen is still playing soccer outdoors, although with the recent rain the Sunday games may be put on hold for a while... Riva has been gardening, dog-walking, singing and cycling. Perhaps the peak of the fall season was Foxy's Fall Century, a 169-km ride around Davis, Fairfield and Lake Berryessa. She completed the ride in 9.5 hours, one of which was total stops. At least the weather cooperated! It was a real challenge. The next stop? Mount Diablo! We have finally undertaken the enormous and costly job of redoing our kitchen. It all began on Dec. 6, when we started tearing out the old cabinets. Thanks to Chul, Steve, Lorretta,Darren, and Gilly. Aaron did a good job ripping off the lino... As of January 1, we have a working microwave (on its own circuit too!) and stove, new maple cupboards, plywood counters (waiting for the Cambria), no sink (Oliveri - will be installed with the counter, uninstalled diswasher, and a concrete slab for a floor. Cooking is a real adventure! It all should be operational by January 19...we are looking at flooring options now... |
| XMAS 2003 |
| JANUARY 2004 |
| Happy New Year to All We have Expectations for 2004. |
| AUTUMN 2003 |
| The Flexer-Harrison family travelled to Montreal to see the FAMILY! Babies, their parents, uncles, aunts and bubby - Will and Gaylene were there for four days, and it was SUCH a pleasure meeting those new nephews. The cottage has a new bathtub, courtesy of Alec, Anni and Massey, and the lake may just freeze this week... |
| ***News from the Movie front**** Jess has a new independent film scheduled to come out in 2005! Chicks with Sticks |
| Kitchen Renovations We started on December 6, tearing out the old kitchen. Thanks to Chul, Steve, Darron, Lorretta, and Gilly for physical and moral support. Then the electrician did his thing, installing a new circuit for the microwave, and plugs for the undercounter lights...By the time the cabinets arrived, we were becoming accustomed to washing up in the garage at the laundry sink... Nine days in Montreal helped, but we came back to wooden counters, and no water. The counters were finally installed on January 13. The new sink became operational on January 15...LET THERE BE WATER ...and there was... The FLOOR is the next project. In order to avoid water infiltration, the sidewalk outside the kitchen needs to be removed and drainage gravel installed...Gotta swing that sledge, brother! |
| February 2004 |
| This month has started off with a bang (as seems to be the 'status quo')...Stephen broke his leg playing soccer at a game in Concord - Clayton Royal Oaks VS Starry Plough. A vicious tackle snapped both tibia and fibula in an open fracture, necessitating immediate surgery to clean, set and screw back together. Hence his left foot is in a 'no weight-bearing' state for some time and the soccer and ski seasons restart in the summer, with any luck... |
| Pictures of beautiful babies... |
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| March 2004 |
| The Track and Field season has started for Madeleine, on the BHS Varsity track team. they attended their first meet on Saturday, March 6 in Sacramento. That weekend, Aaron went to the Chevrolet Association Cup in Visalia, for three soccer games in the sun... Stephen now has a walking cast, and goes back to see the surgeon on March 17. |
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| Riva participated in the Cinderella Tour, a ride for women only...there were 2500 this year! 65 miles wending through the LIvermore/Dublin area.Next year she'll go in costume! Stephen now has a black boot,to support his leg.The tibia is healing well, but the fibula is only partially attached... With any luck, it will be more solid by April 7, when he returns to see the surgeon. |
| The hordes descend from April 3, to April 5 for a California Seder...Jack, Deb & Jacob, Will, Gaylene & Bernie, Laurie, Stephen, Jess and Nicky, Bob and Anne, Steven, Uncle Sidney and Harriet, Thelma and Ronnie... Stephen's parents arrived on March 13, and stay for a month. Hopefully the weather will cooperate! |
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