Archive for April, 2011

I love it here

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Welcome me back to my home.  I arrived here April 13th so that I could take care of Amy after her surgery to remove her 3 wisdom teeth.  We got them taken out on Thursday and spent the weekend recovering while debating should she take the Vicodin or not and what can she eat without adding pain.  We did fine and on Friday we painted patio pots for her backyard! 

Day 1! Ice packs and her elephant!

Yes, I got permission to post!!!!  She is fine, all the vicodin is gone and she is almost eating solid foods again.  Another “Mom” task completed.

Now Paul’s turn to be dad.  Stephanie’s car was costing too much to keep in a condition that she was comfortable with and since she has been employed since graduation she was ready for a new car.  They had been talking on the phone for several weeks and as soon as he arrived in town on Friday she was ready to hit the dealers and write the check for a new car.

A new Honda Fit

A very cute car just for Stephanie.  Congratulations Steph on arriving in true adulthood, car payments and all!

We have been here a week and loving everything about it; we square danced last night and saw many old friends, spending time with the kids is always great.  We will be here in town thru Mother’s Day.

Santa Catalina Island

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Sometimes we have to just splurge and do something touristy!  Santa Catalina Island is definitely on my list of places to visit.  We only had the day but made the most of it.  We caught the Ferry in Long Beach about noon and made the 1 hour ride over to Avalon Bay.

Avalon Bay

Having only the afternoon we decided to rent a golf cart, the main mode of transportation in Avalon Bay.  Everyone is running around in these carts and it is really fun.  They have plenty of power to climb the hills to get the best views of the bay.  We spent about 3 hours touring around before turning the cart in and exploring the little village on foot.

Avalon Bay

William Wrigley, Jr.  an owner of the Chicago Cubs is very important to this little island and so there is a memorial to him high atop the hill overlooking the bay.

The Wrigley Memorial

Wrigley Memorial

The day we were visiting they were having a memorial for a family member so we visited quickly and moved on to other sites on this cute little place.  In town, the houses are very small and very close together but most have great views and the ones that don’t only have to walk out to their street and have a great view down to the bay. 

looking up the valley from the bay

 There is so much to do here on the island; snorkling, boat tours, bus tours, zipline, kayaking, snuba diving, shopping and eating!  We had a wonderful dinner at a charming pub.  Then it was time to get back to the ferry landing to meet  the last ferry of the day back to the mainland.

Catalina Express

End of the day in Avalon Bay

Goodbye Avalon Bay

Simi Valley California

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

What a wonderful place to spend a few days while Paul visits a few RV dealers.  We are parked in a tiny spot of only 7 sites at an Elks Lodge in Simi Valley.  The Lodge is nestled in the hills where there are walking trails nearby for Duke and I while Paul goes out to see his dealers.

Hikers mark the trails?
Duke enjoying all the smells
Mountain Goat? or Duke?

The weekend had beautiful weather and Paul can’t visit dealers on Saturday so we took a drive through Topanga Canyon out to Malibu.  Beautiful drive and amazing vistas.

Overlooking Simi Valley

Arriving in Malibu at lunch and not wanting to be indoors we stopped at a local market, Vons!  While it isn’t a local market it had what we wanted, Local wines, cheeses, and sushi!  Loaded with some eats we went looking for a beach with a table which isn’t easy to find here in Malibu.  They are all either private or you have to pay to enter!  Finally we found a nice parking lot that had a fee but you could park on the highway and walk in, use the facilities and they had perfect tables right near the beach.  We enjoyed lunch and gave Duke a nice walk on the walkway as he wasn’t allowed on the beach but I was!

Love the sand and the salt water
No surfers on these beautiful waves
The view while walking along the shoreline

It was a beautiful day and in the evening I got to visit with my mom who was in Simi Valley with her sister for a bowling tournament.  I went to hang out with them at their hotel and about 10:15 we got a call from the front desk!  The neighbors think we are having a party and would we like to bring it downstairs to the lobby?  What?  3 women in their 70’s and me!  Talking and laughing is now considered a party!  Time for me to go home so they don’t get kicked out!!

Welcome to California

Thursday, April 7th, 2011

Yeks!!!! gas is over $4.00 a gallon.  That is going to hurt when we fill up the RV.

We are spending a few days in Los Angeles so that Paul can see some of his RV dealers which means we will have enough money to buy the fuel to travel this spring and summer.

Last days in Mesa

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Tomorrow we hitch up the car and point our home to the west.  We have had a great time enjoying the sunshine while the rest of the country had a winter to remember.  I can’t wait to get back to California and see the spring results of lots of rain.   Our last week here has been full of the things we love about the desert.  We had two days of 100 degrees in March!  That seems crazy even for the girl from California.  We had some more amazing sunsets!

April Showers?

There was a pool party, golf, more pickleball, lots of card games and we got out for another 3 games of bowling!  I won the round with a starting game of 193!  The game started in the first frame of only 3 pins and ended with 4 strikes in a row!   Maybe I should turn the golf clubs in for a bowling ball!!!  Nah, bowling is like most things I try,  I can be pretty good but never consistent.

Leaving the desert is like leaving home with lots of great memories and way too many goodbyes.  And just like home I know we will be returning soon to pick up right where we left off!  Can’t wait to get home in less than 2 weeks.