Ice Skating, Crab Night and the last night of Hannukah

The kids got to break in their new skates at the outdoor rink in Walnut Creek.



Davina didn't want her picture taken so I only got sly shots. It was funny though how she so confidently went out on the ice. These two ladies were pointing. I felt obligated to let them know that she takes lessons. This was no born-skater out there!







Watch Talia fall at the end;



We had our traditional Crab Night when Barbara and Ysabel come over with live crabs. We all kind of get squeemish when she goes to kill them but it doesn't keep us from digging in.

Davina playing with Ysabel.



I gave Barbara a shirt I bought here in France. We kind of have a running joke on Mao.



Evan was still there from Sacramento and Ken Flask drove down all the way to join us. I hadn't seen him in 20 years!

We missed Todd and called him. No one can replace Todd but it was nice to share our little ritual with an old friend.

These are the "crab shirts" that Todd gave Will and Marshall before leaving for Harvard last summer. He gave them while I was there and we were over at Vicky and Will's place for dinner. Both were sure to wear them for the event;



Here's our traditional "couch picture".



Left to right; Ysabel, Barbara, Will, Vicky, Davina, me, Talia, Ken Ronnie & Evan.

Here's one where Marshall got in finally, although some others were cut out (Thanks Barbara for these).



The next evening, our last night in California was also the last night of Hannukah and we went downtown where Chabad House has a menorah. The party wasn't as big as in last years but it was still nice. The kids got to hear the familiar songs in a different (non-French) setting;







The Christmas tree was right there in the same square so in the name of interfaith celebrations, the kids wanted their picture taken in front of it.







This is the same cougar that Davina posed with last summer. This time Ronnie and Talia jumped on it on the way to the car.





We then returned to the ice skating rink as a special last-night treat. Davina had a problem with her stiff new skates so I ran her home and just the two older ones continued.

On leaving, they tried out the snowmen;



...and then switched!