1989 continued

While we were in Florida with the TCP program, I did get to take a couple of trips.     One back to California where my sister-in-law Kitty had come in from England.     I had a great few days with her showing off my favorite California places, including Santa Barbara:

and San Francisco

I also made a flying visit to England to attend my niece's wedding.     That was an experience - I arrived in London and was met by my nephew Ian who was then going to drive me to Tavistock in Devonshire.   This was on the Thursday.    BUT, no luggage!     We had to continue on to Tavistock, but the airline assured me that I would get the luggage in time for the wedding.     Friday came and went and no luggage, Saturday morning saw me frantically running around the small town of Tavistock trying to find something to wear for the wedding.     By this time I was on my fourth day of wearing a sports outfit!     I had left Florida on the Wednesday, arrived in London on the Thursday and here it was Saturday.     I could find nothing that worked so finally decided I would show up in the only thing I had and try to explain to those who would wonder if this was the wedding outfits people wore in the US!!     But British Airways saved the day and my luggage arrived less than one hour before we had to leave for the church.     It was a lovely wedding and since Sarah married a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, the exit from the church was quite spectacular:

We had a good year farming that year

but had some very sad times too.     

Mom Topper died and even though we had lost her to Altzheimers for a number of years, it was still so sad to say our last goodbyes.     She truly was a good woman who lived her life for her family and for her Lord.

We also lost Buddy and Taffy this year.     Both were heartbreaks.     We had had both since they were very small puppies and Taffy was 17 and Buddy was 15 when we had to lay them to rest under my favorite plant that lined the driveway, and separated it from the vineyard. 

But we did add two more to our family.     Lady (a golden retriever) came by way of Julie, a lady we had hired to take care of our house and animals while we were in Florida.     Lady was abandoned by Julie's daughter and husband and was found raiding garbage cans to eat.     We took her in and adopted her, little knowing that she came with some luggage of her own - very pregnant!    We would have taken her anyway, even if we had known.    

Then Dick arrived home with Duke - a 150 lb. Great Pyrennes.     He apparently had been abandoned in Caruthers and had gone from place to place until Dick looked into his eyes one day, and a bond was made.