New Year's Eve

H has read many books this winter, always better to do it in the sun.
Whats an ocean without seagulls.

Today is New Year's Eve, spending part of the day at the beach is wonderful. The sun is bright but it is hazy when you look back at the land. The breeze is from the north and cool, we only were there about 2 hours and I got too cold.

We will go to work at the Interfaith Community Center at 4:30 to help prepare and serve supper, don't know what we are doing later. We have to do something for the last day of the year, and of course stay up until midnight. We need to stop and get some sauerkraut for good luck in the New Year.

Gone Fishing

What our son-in-law says he is wearing to the OSU/LSU game on January 7 in New Orleans. Go Bucks!!
H finished the puzzle he bought yesterday, recognise anyone?

Today we went fishing, or at least to see the fish at the Birch Scripps Aquarium. Not very big but certainly enjoyed seeing the many fish from around the world and some unusual species of animals that can hide themselves in the surrounding areas. Certainly not our son-in-law in those pants, unless there are more OSU fans there than anyone else.

We hope to do something special this next week, either go north to some beaches we have not seen, or south to visit Baja. We'll see what comes up.

Here it is Friday already. I haven't taken anymore pictures, we have been in a slow down mode. Wednesday we worked at the Interfaith Community Center again, helping to prepare and serve dinner. H pounded pork chops to tenderize, by the time he finished his arm was sore, it takes a lot of pork chops to feed 60 people. I chopped vegetables, helped find spices and other vegetables, and of course serve dinner.

Yesterday we really did not do much of anything. In the afternoon we watched videos. Today we did laundry, then Christa called and we went shopping with her and her daughter Mandy, her other 2 daughters and son-in-law have returned home. Mandy is here until the 10th. We didn't need to shop, but some of the sales were too good to pass. I got a sweater and a shirt. H got a jigsaw puzzle. He was looking for a CSI puzzle but could not find it. In fact he is working on it right now.

Hobbes is really becoming an outdoor lover. We put him in his carry case and sit him on a chair in the sun, he would love it if we left him there all day. Of course we can't, I would be afraid he would get out. We get him outside as much as possible. Right now he is curled up beside me, his favorite place.

Christmas Day

Relaxing at the beach


Today we went to the Carlsbad Beach to catch a few rays for everyone back home. It was just right, not to hot, not too windy. The surfers were out and just before we left, we spotted a couple of whales, H got the binoculars and we could see the tails as they dove under. WOW! They were really far out, but we still love to spot them.

Cleveland National Forest

The Lawhorn family tree

Still some snow left in the mountains
Snowball fight
Me sitting down on the job
Acorns packed away for the winter in holes made by the woodpeckers
Prickly Pear
The mountains
Just a dead tree
Another view of the mountains from atop a huge rock.
Christa

Today we went with the Lawhorns to Cleveland National Forest. We were about 5500 to 6000 feet. We hiked up a trail past some really huge boulders and climbed up one to view the mountains. We went thru Julian on our way back, Christa picked up an apple pie there. The road back was like being on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Smoky Mountains, S curves everywhere, I was getting a little queasy, and I don't usually get car sick. We were trying to hurry because Laura wanted to see the sunset into the ocean, but we couldn't make it there.

We ate dinner with the Lawhorn family for Christmas Eve. Very good dinner, turkey, ham, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, and salad. Topped off with apple pie.

Christmas Day we will probably stick close to home, though we talked about going back to zoo if they are open. Would love to see the baby panda.

More Zoo

Who Me?
Ha Ha!
Honest, there is a bear in that cave.
??
Koala in the tree, he started into the foliage as I snapped.
Baby in the grass.
Some pig like animal.
Cat in a cage.
Black on white.
Do the Hokey-Pokey.
Panda in Shadow.
Great hiding place.
Help!!

San Diego Zoo

Panda relaxing and eating bamboo
Swinging in the trees

Today we went to the zoo with Christa and her family, though H and I did not have much time to spend there, so we bought a year pass so we can go back again, when we want. I have more pictures but again they are loading slowly. The zoo is beautiful, like being in a rain forest in the middle of San Diego. It is really large and we only had 3 hours, and we definitely need more time.

Last night we started a volunteer project. We are helping to prepare and serve meals at Interfaith Community Center, we did supper last night, breakfast this AM and will do breakfast tomorrow and then dinner Wednesday. After that it will depend on their need and our available time. They don't need help Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, they have more than enough volunteers for those days. They have about 50 to 60 veterans that live there, they need meals 3 times a day, and homeless persons from the community can come in also. They always thank us for helping. These vets receive counseling and assistance to get back into society while living there.

Tomorrow after preparing breakfast and church we are probably going to the mountains, to a little town called Julian(supposed to be like a California old time setting). They are supposed to have great apple pie, which of course H is looking forward to.

More Pictures

Washers(made in Cincinnati, Ohio) on board the Reagan
Every day all of these ceremony articles are polished
H and I with Reagan's bust
Topside of the ship
The landing deck looking aft
Looking up toward the bridge
Looking aft toward the bridge

The USS Ronald Reagan is an impressive ship, has 5000 crew members and is a city in itself. The landing deck is 4.5 acres. There were no planes or helicopters on board because they are in port. We got to see the control room for the jets and copters, and also the intelligence room. Only saw them because we ran into another church member who is the head of that area. We met the fleet Admiral as we were headed for the ship. He saw Christa's Buckeye shirt and stopped to speak to us. He is from Piqua, Ohio and his parents live in South Charleston. Small world. My Aunt Rita, cousin Tim and his wife Michelle live there. The Admiral also carries a buckeye in his pocket.

We were on board for about 2 1/2 hours and only saw about 1/10th of the ship. We were all done in from the stairs. Everything is up and down steps. We climbed about 5 sets of really steep steps to get to the bridge, but it was locked, so we did not get to see that.

A really nice day, so glad we got to go.

USS Ronald Reagan

Christa's family-Mandy, Laura, Nicole(kneeling), Matt(Laura's husband), me, H, and Christa. Bronze statue of Ronald Reagan in background. Bart(Christa's husband) and her son Zach had to work.
Coronado bridge looking out from the deck of USS Ronald Reagan
Friend of Christa's, gave up his day off to give us a tour of the aircraft carrier.
Painted in the area where anchors are.

Sorry, I am having connection problems tonight, I will have to load the rest of the pictures tomorrow.

Tuesday

I guess I am slacking. It has been three days since I last wrote. On Sunday we went to Lighthouse Baptist Church to see a program, it was a musical taking place in the early 40's. I guess I was expecting a navtivity play, but this was very good. The church is large, has their own orchestra and of course choir. They were really professional.

Monday we went downtown Escondido(old town), has many shops, restaurants, museums, and arts. We went back today for me to get a haircut. Not altogether sure she got it exactly the way I want it, but it does feel better. She did it curly. We also stopped at a deli for lunch. I had an excellent veggie sandwich on squaw bread( a type of rye.) The bread was just about the best bread I have had. And bread is not a big thing for me.

The weather today was better than yesterday, sunny both days but the wind yesterday was too cool. Today there was no wind, but clouds and rain coming in tonight.

Tomorrow night we are taking the Wii over to Christa's, all her children will be there, I'm sure it will be lots of fun with more people to play against.

Glad We Are Here!

The pool, I don't know what pool temp is, but it is warm to the touch
Hot tub

The weather is again beautiful, as you can see by the pictures. While doing the laundry, I sit by the pool to catch a few rays. From watching the weather channel and talking to everyone back home, I'm glad we are not there. Snow is beautiful, but not to drive in, and not for months. We can see the snow on the mountains in the distance, don't need to be in it. If we feel the need to slip and slide, we can drive an hour to Julian,CA.

Everyone back home be safe in this weather. Watch out for the other guy!

Busy Day

Today we cleaned inside. You would think that a RV would not take that long to clean. But there is lots of wood to clean. H always helps. We also sent out packages. I said I was only going to shop on-line but I enjoy going to the stores to look. What I don't like is the traffic, especially if you are out at 3PM or later. Bumper to bumper. We thought it would be less busy up here in Escondido, but I think California is just busy. But up here we can see the mountains a lot closer. We can see the snow on some of them.

Tonight Christa and Bart are coming for dinner, I am not sure how she is going to get up the steps into the RV, metal steps are different than sturdy wood ones. She is on crutches and has an air cast since her fall Wednesday. One thing about being in a RV, we grill out a lot.

Great Day!

H relaxing at our new campsite
Our new campsite
Our old campsite

Big difference in the 2 sites, though it depends on what you are looking for. At the old site we were on the beach, at this new one we are in the hills with landscaping.

Today was a beautiful, sunny day again.

Had a morning call from Christa's husband, my friend Christa fell going out the door to work this AM. She has a tendon injury of her ankle, actually pulling a small piece of bone off. She is in an air cast and on crutches. It will probably take longer to heal than a break. And her children are coming from Ohio this weekend for Christmas.

Coronado

Hotel Del Coronado
Ice rink at the hotel
Christmas tree in the hotel
Streets in Coronado


Sand Pipers
Pacific Ocean, much calmer this week

Today we moved from Coronado Silver Strand Beach, where the campground had nothing, to Escondido in northern San Diego county. This campground is expensive but at least we don't have a 7PM curfew(they locked the gates) and we have full hook ups(electric, water, sewer, and cable TV) plus a pool, laundry, and game room. Tomorrow I will put on some pictures of the new place.

Today I did some Christmas shopping, the first this year. The store was so crowded. It's the internet for me.