Six of us went down to the beach – Jeri, Tim, Justin, Nicole, Victoria, and Lizzie. We (purposely) caught it at low tide. The temperature was in the 70s.
Here’s Lizzie walking along the beach.
A one-minute video composite.
A rich, chocolatey dessert! Using a Vitamix and digital scale, this recipe is very easy to follow.
Here are the ingredients:
| Ingredient | Measurement | Approximate equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 300 g | 2 avocados |
| Cocoa powder (and/or cacao powder) | 60 g | 2/3 cup |
| Coconut milk (or almond milk) | 150 g | 1/3 cup |
| Maple syrup (or honey) | 75 g | 1/4 cup |
| Salt | pinch | 1/16 teaspoon |
| Vanilla | 25 g | 2 Tablespoon |
| Dates (pitted) | 300 g | 16 dates |
Start by zeroing the scale with the Vitamix container on it.
Add avocado by scooping the flesh into the container. In the following pictures, I had 318 grams of avocado. Other times, I’ve used only 200 grams of avocado and scaled the recipe accordingly.
Zero the scale and add cocoa powder. To be a bit healthier, I use a half cocoa powder and half cacao powder. The amount should be one fifth of the avocado amount.
Next add coconut milk. The amount should be half of the avocado amount. Because I was out of coconut milk, I substituted almond milk.
Add 100% pure maple syrup. Do NOT use maple-flavored corn syrup! You can substitute honey. The amount should be one quarter of the amount of avocado.
Next add vanilla extract. (I really like to use Mexican vanilla.)
Add a pinch of salt which is about 1/16 teaspoon. In the picture, I have half of a 1/8 teaspoon.
Finally add the dates. Zero the scale. Remove the pits and stem caps. The amount should equal the amount of avocado.
Finally blend on the Vitamix. Use the tamper. Gradually increase the speed until you are finally able to blend it on high to get it really smooth.
If necessary, use a scraper on the sides.
When done, scoop into a container and store in the refrigerator.
For a satisfying treat after a meal, I will take a scoop with tablespoon to slowly enjoy. Yum!
I started with a recipe that I found online. I modified it slightly and simplified its instructions. Original recipe is here.
Some of the young people from church planned a bonfire at the beach for Saturday afternoon and evening. Unlike most of these beach outings, Tim, Jeri, and Justin actually attended this one…for a while.
Here are some pictures. Click on them for full size.
Today, after the morning service, our church had a baby shower for Jason, Hannah, and Evelyn. Today was the first time that they have been able to attend church since her birth.
We had food set up inside. To stay within state guidelines due to COVID-19, we had the men and children eat outside and the women ate inside.
Click on any picture for full size.
Here is a short compilation of the pictures.
With her red hair, Evelyn looks a lot more like Nainai (Grandma) Pau than Yeye (Grandpa) Pau.
On Monday, August 17, 2020, Joanna, Victoria, Jeffrey, and Lizzie left for Bass Lake (near Yosemite National Park). They rode along with the Oautu family. They returned six days later on Sunday, August 23rd.
Note: You can click on any picture to view it full size.
We watched our church’s morning service at 11:00 AM.
Pool was a popular activity for some during our vacation.
We watched the first few episodes of the Korean drama “Stranger” during our vacation.
Josiah was able to participate in his Bible Bee meeting via Zoom.
Here’s a group picture. On the couch, starting with Victoria reclining on the left, Joanna, Sarah, Nicole, Lizzie, Justin, Jeri, Josiah, Jason, and Hannah. Tim and Jeffrey are seated in front.
Some did a photo shoot outside in the evening.
Video compilation
Once again, we start the day with a big, late breakfast.
Josiah was covered with bed bug bites over most of his body. So after the first few nights, we moved him out of his bedroom and informed the owner. Fortunately, he didn’t get any more bites and he gradually recovered.
Jeffrey bought and brought a bunch of meat to grill during our vacation.
A few years ago, Nicole gave Tim his first Lego set. It was of New York City and had the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Flat Iron Building, and the Freedom Tower. So finally Tim (with some help from Jeri) put it together.
Here’s a time-lapse video condensing the two-plus hours into 4+ minutes. A few times, Josiah would come over look at the instructions and immediately start putting the pieces together. Whereas Tim had to methodically identify the correct pieces and figure out how to assemble them.
Watching TV (when we could get it to connect) included food shows, Korean dramas, and (clean) stand-up comedians.
Jeffrey periodically tended the grill.
For supper, we picked up some food in Pine Knot Village (including a top-rated poke place) and brought it home to eat.
Some of the Age of Empire (video game) players enjoyed watching recorded matches of top players.
A short video compilation of the photos.
We hung around the house today. Some are playing another game of Sequence.
Jason must have been pretty tired.
Sarah and Jeri did their nails.
Victoria and Jeri played Pac-man in the much cooler basement.
Josiah, Jason, and Hannah watching the Food Network. That station was a favorite of many during our vacation.
That evening, Jeffrey and Lizzie went to town and picked up a carry-out order. They shared some onion rings with all.
The weather was hot and dry. The highs were in the 80s. The relative humidity was below 10% during the day. As a result, everyone noses were very dry.
Some even got bloody noses. Here’s Lizzie with hers.
Several of Tim’s coworkers recommended the board game Sequence. So we bought a copy and played it multiple times during our stay.
Day four (Thursday) was grill day. Here’s Jeffrey preparing to grill.
We prepared some chocolate-chip cookie dough before we left home. And then we baked cookies several times during our vacation.
We ate a big, late lunch.
Downstairs had a pool table, an air hockey table, an indoor basketball game, and a Pac-man arcade game.
Then we headed to Big Bear Lake to try kayaking and paddle boarding.
Initially we rented two paddle boards and three two-person kayaks for two hours (5 PM till closing at 7 PM). Although there were 11 people and only eight spots, our plan was to swap people after an hour.
However after Tim rowed out on a paddle board, he realized that no one out on the lake had their cell phones (due to the water). Plus it was looking like a lot of fun for everyone.
So he decided to paddle back and rent two more kayaks. However the guys at the dock said that it was getting late and if I rented two more kayaks that we wouldn’t have much time left. So he gave us two kayaks for free!
Later that evening, some had left over barbecue for a snack.
