Dec 24, 2025 - Meg & Maddy are flying in today! We'll pick them up at the SLO airport and we'll enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve at home.
First Marilyn hugs
Meg & Maddy were so happy to meet Marilyn
Marilyn looks like a natural card player
We walked down to the Elfin Forest for a view.
And then there were five!
sisters
Laughs with Kevin
White Elephant gifts...an extra large can of Pringles
Decorating the tree
Tri-tip for dinner
Dec 25, 2025 - It's Christmas! Stockings, Secret Santa gifts, a game of darts in the back yard and Christmas dinner.
The Aunts changing Marilyn
And Marilyn has matching Christmas PJs!
Someone left the stockings in Indianapolis, but Santa filled these good kids' stockings anyway
It looks like Marilyn is going to help with the unwrapping
Time for a bottle break
family Christmas photo
Did Ian get a drill that he doesn't need?
Nope, Kev got him a bottle of Jim Beam with a can of soda and a box of chocolates taped together to look like a drill (with a golf membership taped to it)
Heggy's from Gram!
Marilyn got some new books "Some of My Favorite People" and Markham the Mushroom" from her Aunt M's (the authors of both books)
And they also got her some bibs with a truck with a surf board on top!
Marilyn's getting better at holding the bottle herself
a little Christmas bubbly
beer buddies
Darts in the backyard
the peanut gallery
the whole gang
Meg & Mom
Dinner is ready
Yum!
a few last gifts to unwrap
Dec 26, 2025 - Today was a chill morning/early afternoon and then it was time for the annual Pub Stroll (I wonder what number we're up to this year...I'll have to investigate that!)
Marilyn is looking forward to her first diet coke
Aunt Meg makes her laugh
A walk on the trail
love those sun glasses
someone's happy!
Marilyn and I are both dressed in stripes
First pub stroll stop...High St Deli for half price beers
The whole gang's here
We got a quick walk to the bay for the sunset
quick bottle before our next stop
Next stop Mirazur (our first time here). They had a great happy hour menu and nice patio with views of the bay
Marilyn was ready for bed, so we hit the Merrymaker for one more beer before heading home
Dec 27, 2025 - Today we headed to Morro Bay, for a hike up Black Hill, then a walk on Embarcadero St and a stop at Three Stacks and a Rock, before heading home for our annual group cook (where each couple makes a dish). Tonight we had some amazing nachos by M&M, yummy chicken Cesar salad by E&I and Kev and I made pizza and hamburger sliders with Hawaiian rolls (we've seen that so many times on Instagram and have been wanting to try it out).
It was a beautiful day for some views of the rock
and a nice climb to the top
And then views of the rock from Embarcadero
a beer and some hot dogs at Three Stacks
Then we stopped by our favorite spot for a sunset
Dec 28, 2025 - Today we're headed to Cambria, for the Bluff Trail at the Fiscallini Ranch and then a walk around downtown Cambria. Then Meg & Maddy and Kev & I will keep heading north on Route 1 to Hearst Castle for a Holiday Tour and we'll meet up with the Greene's at home later.
Marilyn slept on the way to Cambria, and didn't want to be in the carrier where she couldn't see, so she got carried on the Bluff Trail
Fiscallini has some great benches and this is one of my faves
We had a 5:20 tour, which got us to the castle after sunset (after the 5 mile ride in the bus, up the hill), but we still got to see the beautiful remnants of the sunset.
The Neptune Pool
the pool from above
Merry Christmas
It was fun to see the grounds of the castle at night
The Assembly Room had a tree at each end, a boys tree (with boys gifts under it) a girls tree (with girls gifts). This was how the Hearsts would have decorated the room for the holidays, when they lived here.
poinsettias above the fireplace
We got to tour the kitchen (which wasn't on the tour Kev and I did in Feb). I loved these chicken water faucet handles.
Christmas cookies
and lastly the Roman Pool
Dec 29, 2025 - Today we're hiking the Bluff Trail in Montana de Oro, in the afternoon, the Osos Farmer's Market, a glass of wine at the Deovlet Tasting Room and then Beerwood before High St sandwiches for dinner.
It was as crowded as we've ever seen it at Montana de Oro, but amazingly not too busy on the trail
Kev went back for the car, so we could walk most of the Bluff Trail, without turning around to pick up the car. And that's Valencia Peak above Kevin (which Kev & I still need to hike)
The benches at Montana de Oro aren't all that great (like those at Fiscallini Ranch) but the views are pretty amazing.
Next a walk through the Los Osos Farmers Market
Deovlet for a glass of wine
we tried an Amber Pinot Grigio that we all liked
Marilyn's new favorite teether
Beerwood with the gang
We stopped at High St for some sandwiches to take home
The VW is decorated for Christmas
Cheers (a quick beer while we waited for our order)
Dec 30, 2025 - Today is the last day for Meg & Maddy, and Elaine and Ian are leaving early this morning for Laguna to have Christmas with Hillary's family and Todd & Laurie. We decided to head to SLO for a few errands, and then lunch at Madonna Inn and then we had to check out the living room (and record player) at the Old Ale House.
It's a crazy pink bar at the Madonna Inn
The dining room looks ready for dinner
that's a big fireplace
We picked some sandwiches to share (thank goodness we decided to share dishes, the tri-tip open face sandwich was enough to feed a family of four)
then we split a huge piece of pink champagne cake (that the Madonna Inn is famous for)
selfie out front
the old Ale House has Guinness on tap!
And the living room was open so we enjoyed playing Gubs and listening to albums on the record player
It was a wonderful week! So fun for M&M to meet Marilyn and to explore E&I's new home town!
