Off to California
In about three hours we’ll be heading to the airport. There we’ll meet our son Danny and get on a plane to Los Angeles. David is flying to the same destination from Minnesota.
This is the seventh year where we’ve all taken a Christmas trip together. While these trips take us away from people we know in Chicago, it let’s us spend some real quality time with our boys. I’ve pretty much decided to keep doing these trips as long as the kids are able and willing. (Some day, I imagine, they will have competing obligations.)
The weather has been so mild in Chicago, though, that this trip doesn’t have the usual feel of Escape from the Gulag. Even so, it will be nice to be in a place that is warmer, far away, and just – different.
We’re coming back on New Year’s Eve. In the meantime, I might post a photo or two, but do not intend to write anything of length.
Wishing joyous holidays to you all.
gardeninacity 
And the very best wishes to you and Judy too. Have a wonderful Christmas with your boys.
We’re meeting our boys in Florida this year, which is new for us not to be home. All of us coming from different directions and one very delayed flight but I think everyone will be in place in a few hours. Very warm in Rochester, NY too; in Florida high of 88 and I’m not used to all the elves and Santa Clauses on the front lawns when it feels like deep summer. Enjoy your sons and have a wonderful family vacation!
You’re off to LA again! Enjoy yourselves, and Season’s Greetings.
What a wonderful idea. Have a great holiday. 🙂
Merry Christmas and enjoy your family time!
Best wishes for a safe but fun adventure with your boys. Enjoy every moment. 🙂
Reblogged this on Caliban’s Hour.
Wishing you all safe travels and happy holidays.
Sounds wonderful. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Happy Holidays to you and your family Jason! Safe travels!
Have a great trip Jason, and enjoy the warmth of the season in sunny California! Merry Christmas to you all.
Happy holidays to all of you too!
Hag Samaech, Jason! Enjoy your time together in Los Angeles.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Bon voyage and happy holidays!
We are in California now. Cool and has been rainy, but great to be with family and a little one. Have a safe trip and a blessed Christmas.
Have a wonderful holiday with your family. Our son and his family from Australia arrived in Montreal this afternoon. We are just back from a casual Christmas eve dinner with our daughter Hilary and her family, our daughter Gill and her family plus umpteen other relatives. An evening that pushes all the right buttons. Best wishes for 2016.
What a great idea! Very tempted to copy it, in fact. Maybe next year… Have a wonderful Christmas, and safe travels, Jason!
Have fun!
What a lovely Christmas tradition. Safe travels and have a wonderful visit with your boys. We’re spending time with our children this year in Ft. Lauderdale.
Have a fantastic trip Jason, Judy and boys! Merry Christmas. X
Yep, enjoy those young men while you have their attention. Times do change. Merry Christmas to you, Judy and the kids.
How lovely that you get away with the boys, I keep on going too! It seems to be unseasonably warm everywhere!
Have a marvelous holiday. All the very best to you and yours, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas day.xxx
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to you :-). I hope you are enjoying the trip.
Hope you have a great time in LA with your family. And maybe see a garden or two?
Hello Jason, I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and return refreshed, recharged and ready to garden in the New Year! Take care and enjoy your break!
I hope you had a great holiday season. Lucky you for having a nice trip too.
I hope you had a terrific time here in Southern California. The weather has been glorious. Happy New Year to you!
Hi Jason, here is the answer to your question: Jerusalem artichoke can be eaten raw or in any format the way you would eat a potato — fried, deep fried, baked, boiled and so on. But JA has an earthy smell (much like carrot and beets). People might not like that smell. So, before cooking and thus wasting valuable time, energy, spices, gas, I would suggest that you eat it raw first. I don’t remove the skin. If you want, you can remove the skin. But removing it is too time consuming and skin has lots of health benefits. If you like that smell while eating raw, then you will also like it when you cook it. One suggestion though — wash it really carefully. It has lots of nooks and cranies on its woobly surface to trap dirt, soil, sand. Scrub them down really well; wash twice, if required. In fact, that’s the most time-consuming part of eating JA. Hope this helps.
Welcome! Hope you have a wonderful time!
Hello warm weather! Check out my Garden Love column. 🙂
You’re in warm California, Jason, I envy you…but
All good wishes for the New Year ahead to you and your family!
Having been warmly welcomed into your blogging family, it is no surprise to me that your kids continue to join you ()happily) for these family expeditions. Enjoy! and Happy New Year!