Basketball kickoff celebration and Thanksgiving

Where's Conor? Just like Where's Waldo, we are playing Where's Conor? Clue: He is the one dressed up like one of the 7-foot Lopez twins on the Stanford basketball team. Katie's fiancee' Kyle wouldn't let us have an "engagement party," so we cleverly called it a basketball kickoff celebration! HAA! ... Suzie and her family joined us for Thanksgiving, and her chef fiance' Michael showed up later only to have Josh heat him a plate of yummy food after Michael had cooked all day at the country club where he works. Josh got a high rating from the executive chef, too, not to mention from all the rest of us.

Dreaming of the desert...

This is about the time of year when my great photographer pal, Eric, and I start getting excited about spring training in Arizona again and counting down to the day pitchers and catchers report -- which means we report and get to not only work on fun stories but eat at tasty restaurants and jog in our favorite spot at the Papago Buttes each night! Yes, it's still 3 months away but I came across these pictures and got excited.

Sadie's first Thanksgiving

Clearly Sadie got spoiled by ever-willing dogsitters Evan, Petra and the rest of the Slapnicka family while her mom and dad visited us in the Bay Area!

Ballpark skating...

The Giants have opened up an ice skating rink in the ballpark, and my colleague Eric's wife, Elizabeth, and I had fun there today. Liz skates in competitions and is fabulous. I, on the other hand, slid (safely of course) headfirst into what would have been home plate and called it a day. My left hip and right knee will be screaming at me for a couple of days. The kids who witnessed it said it was just part of the experience for writing the story. I smiled (hiding a grimace) and agreed. Props to Eric for his fine photography as always!

McCauley farm equipment

My parents snapped this picture on their September trip to Ireland. If you click to enlarge, you'll see! :-)