1983 was another spectacular year, marred by only one event which I shall cover in my next blog.
Dick was heavily involved with the various vineyards we had and spent many a day travelling back and forth to work on them, or supervise what was going on. My life was filled with meetings, recovery, genealogy, visitors and golf. My involvement with genealogy came from Katrina who through her marriage to Lynn and her joining the Mormom Church, wanted to trace at least five generations of both her parents and their new spouses. She felt she could handle doing her mother Sue's history and Bill Ripley her step father, but enlisted my help in doing Dick's and mine. Ironically with her divorce from Lynn and leaving the church, her interest wained, but I was hooked for life! I had always loved history and was an avid reader of both British and American history (got hooked on the latter when I read Gone with the Wind for the first time at age eight). It wasn't long before I really Dick's background was seeped in American history and covered it seems every facet of it, from the first developments in Virginia and subsequently the Mayflower followed by the Puritans, through the Revolutionary War, Civil War, the migration West, the Oklahoma Land Rush and to the "Okies migraton to California". Sad to say, I started with the same enthusiasm on my own family but gradually grew bored as generation after generation never moved more than a couple of miles in the quiet rural areas of North Wales.
We had two long visits - a month each. The first being my cousin Audrey and husband Derek from Wales and the second the daughter of Gwyn and Oscar who came the prior year, who came shortly after their marriage. Both meant a lot of traveling around California showing off our wonderful State and Louise, who by that time had come to live with us, took some of the trips with us.
Louise came accompanied by a huge, ginger cat named Sam who adapted to life with us and Buddy and Taffy with ease. I grew to love Sam as a big part of our family.
Dick and I both played a lot of Golf at the local course and unbelievably I won the Ladies Championship. Have to say the competition wasn't very strong. As the club grew and the other ladies improved, I was never able to hold my title. We became deeply involved in the local politics, where a big 'war' was going on over future development and water rights. Dick became the campaign chairman for a slate supporting one position. The opposition was led by Richard Kiel. Anyone remember him from the movies? The seven foot ten inch giant that would show up as a bit player quite often. We won the election hands down, but unfortunately our 'slate' caved in once in office so we're not sure how much we won. That sounds familiar in politics doesn't it?
One thing we were very proud of that year was the establishment of a Christmas program called Santa's Helpers. It was a ball, restricted to 100 people which raised funds to provide a good Christmas for needy local families. This program continued for a number of years after we left YLP. We don't know if it is still going.
Dick, Katrina and I at the first ball. What do you think of Dick's curly 'do' - all the rage at that time.
Dick and I took a short visit to the Midwest visiting with some old friends and attending Debbie's first wedding to Bob Novak. We would also go up to Sacramento periodically to visit with Mom and family up there. Thanksgiving was special that year, when Hazel, Bill, Dick, Louise and Jerry were altogether - something that happened rarely. There was usually one of them missing for one reason or another.
Christmas was spent at our house - can't remember how many were there, but it was a big crowd, with Bill and Frances' family, Louise's family and our family.
