California Historical Landmark #307

I explored this waymark on Day Ten of our California Road Trip.

Casa de la Guerra
California State Historical Landmark #307
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
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This landmark is located at 15 East de la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in San Barbara County. The GPS coordinates for this location are 34° 25' 12.7" N 119° 41' 56.4" W.

You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com!

A common council was duly elected near this site on August 26, 1850, two weeks before California statehood. The City of Santa Barbara held its first official meeting here in 1875, the first city hall was erected here, and the area is still center of city's governmental activities. The plaza was the scene of early Santa Barbara fiestas, and the hospitality at the de la Guerra house set standards for Santa Barbara.

Marker erected by California Centennials Commission in cooperation with Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara Historical Society.

Dedicated August 26, 1950.

At Turkey Creek Golf Club

Holly, Van, Sharon and I played Turkey Creek Golf Club on Friday afternoon. Sharon and I played there in 2015 with the Sanborns. We teed off at 12:10 pm. As usual with Holly and Van, I rode with Van and Sharon rode with Holly.

I was generally pretty happy with how I played. I am definitely striking the ball more consistently. Using a couple of mulligans on the tee, I ended up with a liberally scored 104. It took us just under five hours to play.

The four of us finished the day with dinner at Q1227. Sharon and I split a KALE SALAD WITH PECORINO AND WALNUTS VGGFA [kale ribbons, golden raisins, toasted walnuts, housemate bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, garlic lemon juice, evoo]. For entrees, I had CHEF Q'S JAMBALAYA [andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, crablegs, clams, mussels, spicy tomato broth, salmon trim, saffron rice], while Sharon had WEEKEND ROASTED CHICKEN [half mary's free range chicken, herbs de provence, shallots, fresh herbs, fingerling potatoes].

Celebrating Sharon's Birthday

After a hectic eight days at Sea Ranch and in San Francisco, Sharon and I ended the day celebrating her birthday.

She asked me to make Juicy Lucy Burgers with special sauce for dinner. These are the same burgers that we made for Jack's birthday last year. I got eclair's from Whole Foods for dessert.

For presents, I got Sharon several practical gifts, including a external iPhone battery and an adaptor for our trip to Japan and a couple dozen golf balls.

We finished the night watching a couple of episodes of season three of Hacks.

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #3

Sharon and her brother Tom spent a second night at the Presido Lodge.

They had breakfast at George's Donuts & Merriment.

Sharon has home in the early afternoon.

2025 Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
    ✔ Anora - winner
    ✔ The Brutalist
    ✔ A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Conclave
    ✔ Dune: Part Two
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    I'm Still Here
    ✔ Nickel Boys
    ✔ The Substance
    ✔ Wicked: Part One


Best Actress
    ✔ Cynthia Erivo - Wicked: Part One
    ✔ Karla Sofia Gascon - Emilia Perez
    ✔ Mikey Madison - Anora - winner
    ✔ Demi Moore - The Substance
    Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here


Best Actor
    ✔ Adrien Brody - The Brutalist - winner
    ✔ Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
    ✔ Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
    ✔ Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice


Best Supporting Actress
    ✔ Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Ariana Grande - Wicked: Part One
    ✔ Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
    ✔ Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
    ✔ Zoe Saldana - Emilia Perez - winner


Best Supporting Actor
    ✔ Yura Borisov - Anora
    ✔ Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain - winner
    ✔ Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
    ✔ Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice


Best Director
    ✔ Sean Baker - Anora - winner
    ✔ Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
    ✔ James Mangold - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Jacques Audiard - Emilia Perez
    ✔ Coralie Fargeat - The Substance


Best Adapted Screenplay
    ✔ A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Conclave - winner
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    ✔ Nickel Boys
    ✔ Sing Sing


Best Original Screenplay
    ✔ Anora - winner
    ✔ The Brutalist
    ✔ A Real Pain
    ✔ September 5
    ✔ The Substance


Best International Feature Film
    I'm Still Here - winner
    The Girl with the Neddle
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    The Seed of the Sacred Fig
    Flow


Previous Year's Oscar Nominations

Lunch with Snipes and Tomasin

Snipes and I drove to Vallejo and met Tomasin for lunch at the Sardine Can.

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #2

With works that exuded cool elegance and transgressive sensuality, Tamara de Lempicka (1894–1980) helped define Art Deco. Her paintings captured the glamour and vitality of postwar Paris and the cosmopolitan sheen of Hollywood celebrity. This exhibition — the first major museum retrospective of Lempicka in the United States — explores the artist’s distinctive style and unconventional life through four major chapters. The more than 100 artworks on display range from her post-Cubist work in 1920s Paris to her most famous nudes and portraits to the melancholic still lifes and interiors of her final days in the United States and Mexico. Including an in-depth look at the artist’s drawings and studies, this exhibition reveals the creative process behind her iconic paintings.

Sharon and Tom spent the night at the Presido Lodge.

After having breakfast at lodge, their focus for the day was the Tamara de Lempicka exhibition at the de Young.

They walked in Golden Gate Park after touring the exhibition and the museum.

Sharon and Tom finished the day having dinner at Dalida. Located down the block from the Presido Lodge, Sharon said that it was the best meal that she has had in some time.

We are planning to go to dinner there with Holly and Van in February.

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #1

Sharon and her brother Tom took off midday for a couple of days in San Francisco. They headed to the Lodge at the Presido. They are spending two nights there. Sharon and I stayed at the lodge in 2021.

Jack took an Uber to meet them at the Lodge. Jack got a chance to see the Lodge and the room. The three of them took advantage of the wine and cheese reception.

Jack, Tom and Sharon took an Uber to an early dinner at the Foreign Cinema. We held Jack's birthday party there in 2023.

The movie playing was Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery. For the entree, Sharon had the Grilled Heritage pork chop [butternut squash purée, crispy Brussels spouts, sage butter, frilly mustard greens].

Ubering back to the Lodge, they dropped Jack at his apartment and crashed early.

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #5

My goal for the morning was to go for a run. As I have said repeatedly, with fifty miles of trails, Sea Ranch is my favorite place in the world to run. Being able to run along the bluffs on the ocean for miles and miles is so cool.

Running north from the house, I covered 3.25 miles in 46:39. I averaged 13:37. This pace is not much different from my longer run last year. My body felt better than I expected.


Kevin and Donna went out for a walk. Sharon also went out separately.

After a quick breakfast of the left-over breakfast hash, we started to pack up the house. We pulled away from Monette about 10:25 am.

With Sharon driving, we decided to passby the cliffs. We took Timbercove Road to Seaview Road to Fort Ross Road to Myers Grade Road to Highway 1. There were two long stops for road construction on Highway 1: North of Timbercove, and; North of Jenner. Changing drivers in Bodega Bay, we drove through a Taco Bell in Petaluma. In spite of the Martin Luther King Day holiday, it was a very easy drive home. There were no slow downs at any of the normal gore points. We pulled up to the house a little after 3:00 pm.

After picking up Tiber from boarding, Sharon and I finished the night watching Ohio State beat Notre Dame in the College Football Payoffs by the score of 34 to 23.

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #4

Sharon made a hash with eggs, potatoes, cheese and sausages for breakfast.

The plan for the day was a longer hike. We drove to a parking lot on Solstice near the Del Mar recreation center. We hiked along the bluffs and up Salal Creek through the golf course. It seemed like we could see the seventh and ninth fairways more than we could before. We looped through Gaulala Point Regional Park. We made a quick stop at the visitors center; it wasn't open. We stopped for a light lunch and some wine on a rest log overlooking the ocean. Although the sun tried to come out several times, it was cloudy.

In total, we covered 5.3 miles in just over three hours. We had about two hours and twenty-four minutes of moving time. We did a similar hike with Holly and Van in 2021.


Back at the house, we had a lazy afternoon. Kevin and I used the hot tub. Sharon and Donna worked on a puzzle. We watched the Eagles beat the Rams by the score of 28 to 22 and then part of the Bills versus Ravens game. We were watching the games on my iPad. In our rush to get out of the door on Thursday, I forgot the AppleTV.

Getting cleaned up, we headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge for dinner. We intended to have a cocktail before dinner, but the place was overrun. With only one bartender, it was chaos. We sat for more than thirty minutes and finally just went to our table.

The four of us split Focaccia & Marinated Olives. Sharon and I split a Chicory Salad [d’Anjou & Asian pears, Fennel, Pt. Reyes Blue, Candied Walnuts, & Cider Maple Vinaigrette]. For entrees, I had Spaghetti with Dungeness Crab, while Sharon had Braised Short Ribs. Kevin and Donna split Fried Brussels Sprouts [Walnut, Fresno Chili, & Anchovy Relish]. For entrees, Kevin had New York Steak, while Donna had Farm Oyster Mushroom Risotto.

We finished the night playing Mexican Train Dominos. I won three of the four games to easily win the evening. We crashed about 10:30 pm.

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #3

Donna and Kevin made scrambled eggs for breakfast. The plan for the day was to play golf. With the Sea Ranch Golf Links closing on January 5, we made a tee time for the Little River Golf Course more than an hour north. At dinner at the lodge on Thursday night, the waitress said that people were continuing to walk on and play tghe Sea Ranch Course. On Friday on our way back from Gaulala, we stopped and talked to a local in the Sea Ranch Golf Links parking lot. He said that they weren't chasing people on the course. Additionally, they are continuing to mow the fairways and the greens and move the pins every day!

Although we didn't have pull carts, we decided to pivot and play the Sea Ranch course. We walked and carried our clubs. It was a little surreal. There was no one on the course. It was very quiet and peaceful. The course was in very good shape. A single caught up with us on sixth. On the ninth tee, there was a group of more than a dozen people hitting balls.


Unlike Thursday at the Links at Bodega Harbour, I was very happy with how I played. I was making solid contact. I parred three holes. Both Kevin and I hit safely over the ravine on the eighth hole. I had a fairly honestly scored 50. I really enjoyed the round!


We had a late lunch on the deck on the back of the house. The weather was gorgeous.


In the late afternoon, we hiked the Sea Meadow Trail to Pebble Beach. We walked down on to the beach. Heading back, we stopped to watch the sunset.


We had a nice dinner of oysters, crab and left-over lasagna. While Kevin and I were barbecuing the oysters, one of the neighbors came up. She was worried because she smelled gas. About ten minutes later, security rolled up. He said that someone had called smelling smoke. He talked to us for a while before moving on.

We finished the night playing Oh Hell. Kevin won on the last hand. We crashed just before 10:30 pm.

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #2

Moving slow, we had a lazy breakfast watching the ocean waves break on Black Point Beach.

After breakfast, Sharon and I hiked north along the bulffs. We covered 4.2 miles in just over an hour and a half. The weather was nice, not too windy. This is a beautiful section of the coast. I brought my running stuff with me; I need to find some time to run at least once while we are here!


After the hike, we headed into Gualala. Sharon had somehow not packed her underwear. She was able to buy some at the Gualala Sport and Tackle Shop!?!

After lunch at the house, I drove the car to the Sea Ranch Lodge. I walked back.

The Gainsleys rolled up about 2:10 pm. They unloaded and got settled in the house.

Eventually, the four of us walked to lodge for a cocktail. It was the same bartender [Trace] that we met three years. Trace said that he started working at the lodge in early February of 2022.

Driving back to Monette, we had lasagna, salad and bread for dinner. Sharon had made the lasagna on Wednesday.

We finished the night playing Mexican Train Dominoes. Sharon won... It was after 11 pm by the time we crashed.

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #1

Scrambling to get the car loaded and on the road, we pulled away from the house about 8:50 am. We are spending a long weekend at Sea Ranch to celebrate our birthdays.

The plan for the morning was to play nine holes at the Links at Bodega Harbour. We originally had a 11:30 am tee time. On the ride over, I called and slid the tee time to 11:50 am. With no stops, we pulled up into the parking lot a little after 11:15 am.

Playing by ourselves, it took us just over two hours to play nine. I was very surprised by the course. The front nine is very hilly; there is a lot of up and down. Sharon said that it reminded her of Apple Mountain without the trees. The views of the ocean and the coast were spectacular!

Sharon and I both struggled. I was very inconsistent. I had a number of shots that I was very happy with and an equal number that were awlful. I ended up with a very, very liberally scored 54.

After a quick stop at the Tides Restaurant for some smoked salmon, we headed towards Sea Ranch. Very unusually, we took Sharon's car and she drove the whole way.

We pulled into Gualala about 3:30 pm. After picking up the key, we did some shopping at the Surf Market. Afterwards, we headed into Sea Ranch. We are spending four nights at Monette. This is the fourth time that we have stayed at this house.


After getting settled in the house and enjoying the sunset, we headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge for dinner. After some oysters and splitting a farm mixed green salad, Sharon had the local halibut, while I had braised short ribs.

We crashed very early...

Celebrating My Birthday

Sharon and I had a busy day celebrating my birthday, including:

• a leisurely breakfast at The Mimosa House (banana nut bread pancakes and Athens omelet);
• hitting a medium bucket of golf at the Ancil Hoffman driving range;
• a couple of Peloton bike workouts;
• a phone call from Jack wishing me happy birthday;
• a dermatology appointment;
• facetiming with Drew and Carmen;
• a very nice scallops dinner with presents (shoes, turtleneck, pants and South Africa book) and tiramisu for dessert, and;
• watching the finale of season two of Hacks.

Golftec

Coming out of a difficult December, I started swinging a golf club again last week. Last Friday, I hit a few balls at the Ancil Hoffman driving range. On Monday, I went to the Hagen Oaks driving range and hit a medium bucket of balls. I enjoyed using the Toptracer app.

Tuesday morning, I had a lesson at Golftec. We worked on closing my stance.

After not playing since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with Kevin and Donna, we are scheduled to play three times in the next ten days.

Drew's Instagram Post

Drew's Instagram Post

Nature, Rain, Oceans, Rivers - Apple Music
Sound Bath Essentials - Apple Music
Sleep Sound Bath - Peaceful Ambient Tones for Restful Nights Sleep - Spotify
Rain, Oceans & Rivers (Natural Water Sounds) - Spotify
Meditation Sound Bath - Spotify

I have a clear memory of being a 12 year with a guitar in his hands. In that moment there was a certain “knowingness” that came over me that let me know that music would be my focus in life.

I’ve always been grateful for that clarity of where my passions lie and the eagerness to dedicate my life to it. The thing that is particularly striking to me now is how little of my career I could have foreseen. Especially in the last ten years - doors have continued to open to opportunities that I couldn’t have predicted.

This Joseph Campbell quote has bounced around in my head a lot the last decade. “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” I think of this one as I spend a lot of my days playing synthesizers making ambient music. Like wtf?! How did this path unfold?

Pivots, man. You start down a road and you constantly accumulate information about the best use of your time and energy. It’s a dance and if you embrace it I believe the universe is your partner.

Grateful for a moment to reflect and celebrate the continued musical journey into the unknown. Thanks for all the support along the way friends.

Landman

Sunday night, Sharon and I finished watching Landman on Paramount+.

Landman is a drama television series created by Taylor Sheridan [Yellowstone] and Christian Wallace. It is based on the podcast Boomtown hosted by Wallace.

The season launched on Sunday, November 17, 2024, with two episodes. The subsequent episodes of the 10-episode long season were available weekly on Sundays through January 12, 2025.

It stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris as a landman for an oil company. The supporting cast includes: Ali Larter (Tommy's ex-wife); Jacob Lofland (Tommy's son); Michelle Randolph (Tommy's daughter); Jon Hamm (owner of the oil company), and; Demi Moore (Hamm's wife). There is an interesting guest appearance by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in episode nine.

Landman is set in the oilfields of West Texas. It follows the lives of roughnecks and billionaires amidst a booming energy industry. It explores the complex relationships between landowners, oil companies, drug cartels, and the environment. The series highlights the ethical dilemmas and personal struggles faced by those involved.

I liked the series a lot more than Sheridan's Yellowstone. Yellowstone just jumped the shark too much. In particular, the body bag count in the early seasons of Yellowstone was just unbelievable. Landman seemed much more realistic. Thorton is very good. Landman has not yet been officially renewed for Season 2; personally, I hope that it is. I recommend the show!

The Brutalist

Saturday afternoon, Tom, Sharon and I saw the The Brutalist at the Regal Delta Shores & IMAX. The movie fits into our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has The Brutalist as the favorite to win the Best Picture Oscar. It won three awards at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including: Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor; Best Director; and, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. It was named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the American Film Institute.

The Brutalist is a period drama film directed and produced by Brady Corbet. Corbert co-wrote the script with Mona Fastvold.

It stars Adrien Brody as László Tóth, a Hungarian-born Jewish architect. The character of László Tóth was inspired by several real-life architects and designers, including Paul Rudolph, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, László Moholy-Nagy, and Marcel Breuer. The cast also features Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, and Alessandro Nivola.

The Brutalist follows the Hungarian architect [Brody] who escapes the horrors of World War II and immigrates to the United States. He struggles to achieve the American Dream. The architect becomes entangled with a wealthy industrialist [Pearce]. This leads to a complex and morally ambiguous journey that explores themes of ambition, power, and the lasting impact of trauma.

Tom's thoughts about The Brutalist:

1. brutal;
2. cinematic;
3. why?;
4. thank God for the intermission;
5. could have spent time better reorganizing my sock drawer; and,
6. Brody likely Oscar winner and probably deserved but still 5 hours of your life you’ll wish another time you still had.

The movie runs about 3 hours and 45 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. I am frankly surprised that the studio would let a director not named Scorsese create a film this long. I am not sure how it is going to attract a large enough audience to make any money.

We saw the film in an IMAX theater. The cinematography is fantastic! Additionally, as Tom noted Brody performance is very good.

When the movie was over, Sharon turned to me and said "I am sorry, that was not good, I didn't like it." I enjoyed the movie more than Sharon or Tom did. In spite of the cinematography and Brody's performance, I don't recommend it unless you are trying to fill out your Oscar Best Picture dance card.

Tom Over The Years

Happy Birthday, Tom! Love ya, brother. Looking forward to more adventures!

Maria

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Maria on Netflix. This is part of our annual journey to see all of the films that MIGHT be nominated for any Oscar. The movie received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Maria is a biographical psychological drama film directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight. It is the third film in Larraín's trilogy of important 20th-century women, following Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021). We saw both of those filims.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas. It also stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Stephen Ashfield, Valeria Golino, and Kodi Smit-McPhee [The Power of the Dog] in supporting roles.

Maria depicts the final days of legendary opera singer Maria Callas in 1970s Paris. She confronts a declining health, a tumultuous past, and the fading echoes of her once-powerful voice, while grappling with her identity and life's regrets.

This is a very good performance by Jolie. GoldDerby currently has her with the fifth best odds for a Best Actress Oscar. I didn't know anything about Maria Callas. I was surprised to learn that she was involved with Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. This film is better than Larrain's movies about Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

Nakasendo Trail Training Hike

Wednesday morning, Sharon and I hiked from Bannister Park to the Sunflower Drive-in and back. We had nut burgers for lunch at the Sunflower.

We covered 4.5 miles in an hour and forty-four minutes. The average pace was 23:07 minutes per mile.

2025 Kings versus Heat

Drew and I went to the Sacramento Kings versus Miami Heat NBA Basketball game on Monday night. We had dinner at Il Fornaio before the game. I had INSALATA BIETOLE [organic red & gold beets, wild arugula, toasted walnuts goat cheese and red wine vinaigrette] and RAVIOLI BRASATO NORCINA [braised short rib ravioli, porcini mushrooms and grana padano-cream sauce]. Celebrating my birthday early, Drew gave me a new wallet.

We sat in Drew and Kyle's seats: section 218 row A seats 19 and 20. These seats are on the front of the second deck close to center court.

Trailing by 17 points with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter, the Kings stormed back and tied the game at the end of regulation. The score was tied at 112 at the end of the first overtime. DeMar DeRozan scored nine of Sacramento’s 11 points in the second overtime. The Kings won the game by the score of 123 to 118.

DeMar DeRozan was the high scorer for the Kings. DeRozan had 30 points on 12 for 26 from the field, 1 for 4 from three and 5 for 5 from the free throw line. Domantas Sabonis contributed a triple double with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists.

Tyler Herro was the high scorer for the Heat. Herro had 26 points on 11 for 25 from the field and 4 for 10 from three. He had no free throws.

Two observations about the game. First, the Kings are definitely doing some different things on defense. They were running a second player, often Sabonis, at the ball on the perimeter. Second, the fouls calls seemed inconsistent. For long stretches, it seemed like the referees were letting the players be more physical (a rock fight). Then, all of sudden, they would call a ticky tack foul.

I had mixed emotions about Jimmy Bulter being suspended by the team. I saw him play twice during the 2018-2019 season: once with the Timberwolves and; once with the 76ers. When I saw Bulter before, I was shocked at how big Jimmy Bulter looks; he is listed at 6' 8" and 232 pounds. While it would have been nice to see him play, I am glad that the Kings didn't have to face him.

The Kings have now won five games in a row. The Kings have 2 wins and 2 losses in games that I have seen in the 2024-2025 season. My goal continues to be to see at last one game a month.

Dinner at Holly and Van's

Sunday night, we had dinner at Holly and Van's. They served a great meal of butternut squash soup, salad, rice and Osso Boco.

We split a bottle of wine that they bought in Opatija during our Crossroads of the Adriatic trip. Grgić Vina was established in 1996 by legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Croatian-born Miljenko “Mike” Grgich and his daughter, Violet Grgich. Mike started the winery to produce the finest wines from native Dalmatian grapes and concentrates on crafting Croatia’s very best varietals: Plavac Mali and Pošip.

Nakasendo Trail Training Hike

Sunday morning, Sharon and I hiked at Banister Park. We covered 4.8 miles in two hours. The average pace was 23:13 per mile.

We are starting to train for our hike in April. We are taking a guided 11-day, 10-night walking tour of the Nakasendo Trail with Walk Japan.

The Nakasendo Trail, also known as the Road Through the Central Mountains, is a historic trail in Japan that connected Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. Many of the post towns along the trail, such as Magome and Tsumago, have been well-preserved, offering a glimpse into traditional Japanese architecture and lifestyle. Walking through the preserved post towns provides a unique cultural experience. The trail also offers stunning views of mountains, forests, and rivers.

Taking down the Christmas Decorations

I started ferrying boxes from the storage shed to the garage on Monday. While I was getting the last of the cardboard boxes on Thursday, Sharon and Velta took down and packed up all of the Christmas decorations. On Friday, Sharon and I took one load of boxes to the shed.

Clem, Lee, Morgan and Daniel came over Saturday morning. Using my Volvo and their Land Crusier, Daniel and I took all of the boxes back to the storage shed. There are more than 40 boxes of Christmas decorations!

Once we got the boxes to the shed, Daniel helped Sharon and I drag the Christmas tree out to the front. Using the chainsaw, I chopped the tree up on Saturday afternoon and stuffed it in the green barrel.

While I took down the lights in the front, Daniel took the lights off the back deck. All I have left to do on Sunday is take the light off the balconies in the front.

While I really enjoy the house at Christmas, it was nice to get everything done over the last three days. With Daniel and Velta's help, the process went much faster than past years.

Christmas Ornament 2024

2024 marked the 30th Christmas that Sharon and I have celebrated together. I have bought Sharon an ornament for the tree every year since that first Christmas.

This year, I bought her one ornament in Bergen and one ornament in Stockholm to commemorate our Viking Homelands trip. I got her a third ornament at the Postojna Caves when we were on the Crossroads of the Adriatic trip.

The Substance

New Year's Eve, Tom, Sharon and I watched The Substance. The movie received five nominations at the upcoming 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical; Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy; and, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture. GoldDerby currently has The Substance with the tenth highest Best Picture Odds for the 2025 Oscars.

The Substance is described as a satirical body horror film. It was written, directed, co-edited, and co-produced by Coralie Fargeat. The movie stars Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley.

The Substance tells the story of Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), an aging celebrity, who is fired from her job due to her age by her producer (Quaid). She resorts to a mysterious black market drug that creates a younger, more vibrant version of herself (Qualley). However, this rejuvenation comes with horrifying and unpredictable consequences. As Elisabeth struggles to maintain control over her transformed self, her life spirals out of control.

I have to start by saying that I am not a fan of horror movies. The first half of the movie is intriguing. The last twenty minutes jumps the shark; the special effects team utilized around 21,000 litres of fake blood and a fire hose. I don't recommend the movie. I will be surprised if it wins a Golden Globe. I will be disappointed if it is nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

New Year's Day 2025

Sharon and I hiked with the Larkins and the Holbrooks in the Auburn State Recreation Area. It was a state park ranger led group hike starting from the Oregon Hill Parking Lot. The hike included two out and backs: Access Road to Damsite out and-back; and Cardiac Trail to Oregon Bar and Oregon Bar Road Loop.

It was a leisurely pace. We covered four miles in three hours and thirty-five minutes.