The beginning

Welcome to Our Excellent Adventure!

As I'm starting this blog, I'm thinking that Jan should be doing it...he's the writer in the family...but here goes...

After selling our family home in Walnut Creek in 1999, we began what I call the 2 year equity hop, trying to build income for retirement. From then until 2008, we lived in a series of very boring "cookie cutter" homes. Our plan worked until the economy crashed and we were stuck in Brentwood...Now, you have to know that we would have never gone to Brentwood except for the fact that our youngest son Chris, convinced us it was the place to be. He and his wife were moving there so it seemed like a good idea at the time. I convinced daughter Paige that it was time for her to move so we were all going to Brentwood. Of course, that didn't end up as planned since Chris got a divorce and never went to Brentwood...Gee..thanks Chris! I find this amusing since Chris never went, we have moved and Paige is still there..Sorry Paige...

All this time, Jan and I were running a retail and consignment store in Concord, CA...My Dad, Xavier, was living with us most of the time and he needed some care...Jan was the chauffer..what would I do without him. We lost Dad in December 2007 and our lives started going in a very different direction.

We suddenly had FREEDOM...lol...which we of course couldn't deal with so we got a puppy. Sounds dumb but we love him...No kids, No Dad..get a puppy...makes perfect sense, doesn't it? I guess we need to be needed.

I'm going to put a little family tree right here since there are so many of us, people get confused...

Michael and Jasa Williams.....Alexander and Astara Williams
Paige and Steve Sowinski.....Joel, Nichole, Stacy and Jamie Caruso and Taylor Sowinski
Camille Williams and Michael Qualls.....Stephen Facaros and Joe Qualls
Robyn Orme Anderson Nathan.....Maxine and Roman Nathan
Stephanie Melder....Jenifer, Catherine and James Melder..Jenifer presented us with our first Great Grand Child, Gavin who is approaching 2 years in the spring of 2009. Way to go Jeni!
Christopher Orme...Alyssa Montany Orme

The ages of the grandkids go from 3 years (Astara) to 24 Years (Joel)

Our lives have been blessed.....I wouldn't have changed it....

I'm going to publish this now...just to see if I can...and continue later.