At Sally's

I'm finally able to add to the blog, but it took awhile and I'm going to cut this short. I just want to write briefly about the party last night:

At Duane and Ani's palatial* house in Encinitas, we had a terrific gathering. Besides the host and hostess, plus Sally and me, attendees were Sally's daughter, Teresa, Duane's daughters, Kendra and Jasmine (both in their early twenties and gorgeous), Kendra's boyfriend, Conner, and Ani's Dad, Ray. What a congenial group and what a beautiful setting.

We ate out by the pool--a huge enclosure which includes a guest house (sitting room, bedroom, bath, and doors to two other rooms) and various plantings. Before we left, we saw Ray's model ships--wonderfully majestic and meticulously crafted. He is staying with Duane and Ani for a time until he gets his own digs. Great food, wonderful company, and we had a ball. 

Here's my cousin, Sally, back at her place the next day:

 ("The Mermaids" is the name of the water aerobics group to which Sally belongs.)  

* Palatial in the sense of "mansion," "huge," and "this ain't Newark, New Jersey." And if anyone deserves to own it, it's warm, kind, fun, out-going, and good-looking Duane.