Four Days In Paradise (Part II)

After posting these pictures, it helped me remember that when we first got to Cambria, my sister was at work at the Olallieberry Inn.  She is an Inn Keeper 2 days a week at this beautiful Bed and Breakfast Inn which is 4 houses down the street from her house.  It was built in the 1920's and restored in the 1970's.  The picture does it no justice at all.  It is a beautiful 2-story home with a large kitchen, sitting room, office, and 2 bedrooms which are rented out on the first floor.  There are two or three bedrooms on the second floor.  We couldn't go up there because guests had already checked in.  There is a large covered white wooden deck off the back that over looks a beautiful garden and lawn.  There are pathways thru the garden and little benches under trees and little tables with rod iron chairs set up on the grass under trees for guests to have their morning coffee outside or an iced tea later in the day.  There is also another building that has an additional 4 rooms that over look the garden.  The painters were there finishing the new blue color with white and plum trim.  It looks so fresh and pretty. The large tree in front is a California Redwood and probably well over 100 years old.

After Carol got off work, we walked into town following Gracie who takes herself.  Leash in mouth, she trots down Main Street enjoying the comments she gets from everyone who knows her and the visitors who think it is so cute to see a dog walking herself.  Her first stop is the Antique store.  She goes in to see Donna.  Donna always has a dog cookie for her along with a hug, a scratch and loving words.  From there we head up Main to the corner liquor store where she dashes inside to greet Annie who always opens up the beef jerky canister to give her one of her favorite treats.  Carol always hands Annie a quarter behind Gracie's back because she has always thought Annie does this out of the kindness of her heart.  LOL  Annie probably would just give her the jerkie but since Gracie has made this such a habit, Carol wants to pay for it.  From the liquor store, we wander down Main and just window shop and enjoy the cool afternoon air.  There are no more treats waiting for Gracie but she meets people who know her and she gets hugs, pats and lots of attention.  It's about a mile or more round trip and we are back at Carol's house.  We make this trip every afternoon we are there.

I have to take a short break but I will add more this afternoon...  until then    ô..ô

 

Four Days In Paradise

We had such a great weekend.  We got into the 'relaxation, vacation, kick-back mode' after lunch which was about Ventura - 2 hours into our 4 1/2 hour drive north.  It's difficult to enter that MODE while driving through the Los Angeles area but once the 101 takes you all the way west and you can see, smell, and feel the ocean that MODE creeps into your system and the relaxing begins.

It was a beautiful drive.  The hills are a combination of deep green trees in yellow fields of drying grass.  The area had a lot of rain so there are still quite a few wild flowers on the hills and sides of the road.  Bright yellows, vivid purples, some reds and blues and whites dot the slopes.  The vineyards are so lush and green this time of year. They seem to go on for miles. When I was up there in early February, they were brown sticks tied to stakes.  Now, they have come to life and their leaves are so thick and hearty.

We arrived in Cambria around 4:00 in the afternoon.  When we got out of the car, the cool, moist ocean air felt SO good.  What a relief after day after day of over 100 degree temperatures at home.  We stopped at my sister's home first.  It was good to see them and of course, to be greeted by lovable Gracie their 11 year old Golden Retriever.  She is so funny!  She ran up to me then stopped, looked around to be sure Kasey wasn't anywhere to be seen  and then proceeded with her happy greeting.  She doesn't approach me if my dog is around because Kasey is so bossy with her about me.  She really liked having me to herself this weekend and I liked it, too.

After dinner, my sister took us to the house we rented for the weekend.  It was so nice!  She and Keith picked it out for us.  It belongs to friends of theirs who live in New York and visit Cambria 3 times a year.  The man who owns it is a former U.S. Ambassador so there are many wonderful items from his travels in the house.

The house was built by a woman who was the daughter of one of the Baldwin Brothers (not the actors, LOL) of the Baldwin Piano Company.  One of them had built a huge Victoria mansion in Pasadena, California in the 1920's.   When that house was to be torn down, his daughter had all the doors, stained glass windows, leaded glass windows, the mantle of the fireplace, and a beautiful wood arch way removed from that house to be used in this house when it was built.  The arch was the center point of the architectural plans.  I've posted pictures of some of these pieces above.  When she died, the house went on the market and the current owners bought it.  It also has a detached 2 car garage with an apartment above it.  They rent out the apartment to a single woman who works in town and she oversees the house and property.  The upstairs has an ocean view and the back of the property faces the forest and will never be developed.  The first morning we were there, a mother deer and her baby were eating grass in the back yard.  It was so pretty.

On Friday, I had a doctor's appointment in San Luis Obispo so my sister and I drove down for that while Dennis and Keith went for a 2 hour hike along the coast line.  After my appointment, Carol and I headed to our favorite store and did some shopping.  I found a beautiful outfit for the cruise and it was on SALE...  I couldn't believe my luck.  Carol bought some cute cropped pants and a t-shirt.  We had lunch and then stopped at a little road side stand to buy Santa Maria strawberries on the way home.  We got 1/2 a flat, which is 6 baskets for $9.  Each berry was large and perfect all the way through.  It was as if they were picked for a VIP and delivered to us by mistake.  LOL They were the kind of good that make your eyes roll back when you bite into one.  I think we polished off about 6 each on the way home.   When we got back to my sister's house, Cari and Sam had arrived to join us for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday we went on a 2 mile walk along the coast.  I posted pictures of that, too.  The path is great.  My favorite things were seeing all the wild flowers (which did get my nose and eyes running because I'm allergic - but I wouldn't have missed it for anything), the many pelicans flying low to the water, the sounds of the seals barking at each other while sun bathing on the rocks off shore, and also the sounds of the many shore birds that livein that area.  Because Carol and Keith know almost everyone in Cambria, we met many of their friends along the path.  That was fun.  We would stop and chat for a few seconds and then be on our way again. 

We met Cari and Sam for lunch at the Main Street Grill which is not fancy by any means but they have the best food in the village.  After that, Cari and Sam went on a tour of Hearst Castle, Dennis took a nap, Keith went to work for a few hours, and Carol and I did what we do best = Shopped.

I'll finish the saga later....  Too much to report in one entry.

Until later...............   ô..ô

Sputter, Sputter, Fizz, Fizz

What a day!  I was busy from 6:30 this morning until just now and it's a little past 8 in the evening.  This is Wednesday so Miss Kasey had her 7 a.m. grooming appointment.  After that I had a nail appointment.  From there, I dashed to Costco to pick up a few things and then I zoomed home to get a few loads of laundry started before heading back out for a doctor's appointment at 2:30.  While at Costco, I picked up something for the gal who does my nails so I had to drive to her house.  I called her when I was close so she was waiting at the curb when I drove up to fetch a huge package of paper towels.  From there, I had to go to the drug store to pick up medication refills and two new prescriptions my doctor wrote for me today.  Since traffic up the hill to my house from the drug store is an absolute mess with the construction going on and the middle school getting out, I decided to just sit and wait for my medications to be filled.  That ate up about an hour.  I strolled around the store, looked at greeting cards, bought a loaf of bread and then sat in a hard plastic chair outside the pharmacy while I waited.  Soon everything was ready so I wrote my check and went out to the car.  I put the key in, turned it and nothing happened.  Zip, Zero....  no clicking, no grinding, no engine start, no lights on the dash.........nothing.  I tried again and again then after banging my head against the steering wheel until I got a good sized knot (just kidding) I dug my cell phone out of my purse and called Dennis for help.

My Knight in Shining Honda came speeding down the hill and into the parking lot to save me.  He popped the hood expecting to remove a dead battery but the battery indicator light was green which means it's in good shape.  We looked at each other and said naughty words....  By this time it was 5:15 p.m.  I got on the phone and called the service department at the Chevy dealership.  They sent a tow truck and assured me that they didn't mind keeping the car until we can deal with things on Monday.  Oh, Yes!  All of this running around was preparing for a weekend away.  We are leaving in the morning for Cambria, California and will return on Sunday afternoon.  Phew, I'm out of breath!!!

Needless to say, I'm about 3 hours behind in my efforts to get ready to go but I will catch up and I will be ready to go tomorrow morning around 10:30.  Cari and Sam are coming up on Friday which will be fun.  Sam has never been there so it will be great showing him around.

Cambria is a little town on the Central Coast of California just above Morro Bay and just south of San Simeon which is famous for Hearst Castle.  The little town is very unique because 1/2 of it is on the beach and 1/2 of it is in the pines.  It's quiet, peaceful and just beautiful.  My sister and her husband have lived there for many years.  They both sold real estate for years so they know almost everyone.  Their golden retriever, Gracie, is a celebrity in her own right.  She walks into town carrying her own leash which always gets a lot of smiles and attention.  She has her route which takes her into quite a few shops where the owners give her treats and make a fuss over her.  She is so sweet.

Dennis and I are looking forward to relaxing and just getting away for a few days.  This will be his first time away in over a year.  He needs it so much.  I get little breaks often but he doesn't get away because his work is crazy busy and he has deadlines that he has to keep.  This will be so good for him (and for us!).

I'll be gone until Sunday.  I hope to have some fun things to write about and some great pictures to add when I get back.   Until later........................  ô..ô

What A Fun Day!

We had such a good time today.  It was beautiful in Costa Mesa - warm with a great breeze.  Bud and Andrea Birch hosted the event.  They have the perfect back yard for a gathering like this.  A nice patio, a lovely lawn, a sand pile for the kids with a swing set and slide.  They had a large, 3 lane Slip and Slide set up and a small wading pool for the kids.  There weren't as many people there as I expected which was a good thing when the sparklers came out after dinner.

Bud and Andrea have two girls, Amy (5) and Brooke (3).  Andrea's brother Mike, his wife, Leanne and their three kids, Emily (8), Haley (6) and Colin (3) were there as well as  my son, Bryan, his wife Shannon and their three kids, Megan (7), Nathan (4) and Andrew (19 mo.).  A few of their neighbors dropped by bringing 3 other children to the party.  Bud's parents came around 4:30 for dinner and fireworks.  There was a house full of people.  In all the time we were there, I didn't hear one cross word between any of those children.  They played so well together that it was a joy to sit outside and watch them.  They laughed, splashed, played games, and even made up a little parade to entertain the adults after dinner.  I was very impressed with their behavior...not one of them needed a correction about anything. 

Dennis and I were especially happy to see our dear friends, Tom and Sylvia.  We have known them for over 30 years.  They are parents to Andrea and Mike.  They have another son, Ed, who wasn't able to be there today.  Sylvia used to take care of Bryan while I worked when he was a little guy.  He and her son, Mike have been friends since they were 6 or 7 years old.  Since I don't have any nieces or nephews, I have adopted Sylvia and Tom's kids to fill that spot in my life.  Sylvia is the dearest friend anyone could ever hope to have.  She is thoughtful, loving, and kind.  She'd do anything for her family and friends.  She and I can talk about anything and we do.  LOL  The four of us found a spot to sit together for dinner and had a great time talking, laughing and catching up.

Since Dennis and I have to get up at the crack of dawn we left early.  The people on the street where Bud and Andrea live go all out with the fireworks.  We thought it would be a good idea to get out of there while it was still light so we wouldn't interrupt any of the displays.

There was NO traffic coming home.  It was almost freaky.  I wish it was like that all the time!

That's it for tonight.  I'm tired.  Until later..........ô..ô

Happy 4th of July

I rarely look back at my childhood.  I prefer the now and what is going on in the present so much that I don't want to let my mind wander back to those times.  There are a few memories that I don't mind revisiting and one of those centers around the 4th of July.  It was the most wonderful day of summer vacation.  Our entire neighborhood would get together for a block party that started in the early afternoon with all the kids - and there were at least 40 of us in only 10 houses - swimming in the Charlton's pool.  The little kids - under 8 yrs. old swam first and then the older kids went in.  Each group got about an hour and a half.  After that we all got Popsicles, soda, cookies or other treats to hold us over until the bar-b-cued food was ready.  We would break up into groups.  Some would ride bikes, others would play hide and seek, and a then there was a group of girls, me included, who would play Jacks.  As the afternoon went on, one of the older boys would gather us all together on the hill that separated our yard from the Bloomer's house next door to play "Who Dies the Best."  I swear to God!  He would get a toy gun and take a play shot at each of us, one at a time, and we would take turns dying in the most dramatic way we could possible go down.  Then everyone would vote on who died the best and they got the be the shooter for the next round.  Oh, my God!  Can you imagine children playing that game today?  Back then it was so innocent.  There were so many cowboy shows on TV and some of them had these dramatic death scenes when the bad cowpoke was shot.  We were just imitating that.  There was no gun violence in teenagers and children in the early '60's.  No one could ever imagine a child shooting another child.  To this day, when I see my friends from the old neighborhood we still talk about "Who Dies the Best" and how we would never allow our own kids or grandkids to play such a game.

Anyway, back to the point.  After a wonderful dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, pickles, potato salad, and corn on the cob.  My dad would bring out an old wooden ice cream maker and everyone would take turns turning the handle until the contents froze into delicious homemade ice cream.  He usually made butterscotch which was my favorite.  Everyone got a serving and enjoyed it so much especially after working so hard to make it.  When it got dark,  all the kids sat on the curb and watched the grown ups light box after box of fireworks.  The loud whistles that some of them made had us covering our ears.  When all the big ones had been set off, we each had a box of sparklers to light.  The rule was that as soon as it went out, it had to be put in a bucket of water so no one would get burned.  We all had to wear tennis shoes - no bare feet and we had to have an adult light the sparkler.  I can still remember the smell of sulphur in the air at the end of the night. 

When my own kids were little, fireworks were banned in our neighborhood. There were too many trees and dry bush that could catch on fire.  We went to a few fireworks shows over the years and some parties with friends but we didn't establish the traditional celebration that I had growing up.

Tomorrow, we are going to a bar-b-cue at the home of my friend, Sylvia's daughter and son-in-law.  Sylvia's kids are the closet thing I have to a niece and nephews so I'm looking forward to seeing them.  My son and his family will be there, too.  That will be so nice to have time with them.  The place will be crawling with kids from babies in arms up to about 10 years old.  I'm going to find a shady spot and sit back and watch the fun.

Happy 4th of July!

It's Gonna Be Another Hot One

It's supposed to be 104 today.  Nasty. Dennis is on the phone trying to find someone to take my ticket to the Angel game today.  I'm not going to sit out in this heat!  I'm not that much of a baseball fan.  Why sweat when I can watch the game at home on my couch in the air conditioning?  Right?  He understands - in fact when he came home from the game yesterday he said, "Honey, I don't think you would have enjoyed it very much.  Everyone was using paper towels to mop their foreheads..."  That was enough for me!  LOL 

I do need to go out for about an hour this morning.  There are is no food in the house so I have to stock up on some things.  I hope to get out of here before 10:15 and be back before 11:30.  I want to get my Lotto ticket checked.  If I won that 98 million last night I'd like to know.  There are some people I would love to help right now.  I've always promised God that if I win I would put others needs before my own.  I don't think that prayer ups my chances of winning but it is a sincere thought. 

I want to say a special thank you and give (((((((hugs))))))) to all those who put such kind comments in my journal regarding Erin.  I just can't get her off my mind and I suppose I shouldn't try.  She needs my thoughts and prayers.  Situations like this seem so huge and I think they make people feel so powerless over life's circumstances.  None of us has any control over what is going to happen at any point of our life and something like this brings that message home so clearly. 

I think I'll call everyone close to me and tell them how much I love them. 

 

 

 

 

A Day of Heart Felt Emotions

Last night we got home, after spending the evening with our son's family, to find several messages on the answer machine.  When I heard the one from my friend, Sylvia asking me to call her I knew something was wrong.  It was already nearly 10 p.m. but she's a night owl so I didn't hesitate calling her.  "I have some terrible news to tell you."  she said.  I braced myself and asked, "What?"  "Erin's husband, Brian, was killed in a motorcycle accident Thursday night."  I could hear her words but they weren't making any sense.  "What?"  She repeated the news and then added, "He was on his way home from work.  I guess he was getting off an off ramp and went into a skid.  He it a concret pillar and was killed instantly."  My God, My God.  I didn't know what to say.  "I can't believe I'm hearing this."   She started to cry,  "I know."

   Erin grew up around the corner from us when Dennis and I lived in our first house in Chino Hills.  She is the youngest of four kids of our friends, Donna and Larry.  She's  in her late 20's now.  Brian, her husband was 35.  They have 2 boys, 4 and 2, and she is due to have a baby girl in September.  They were going to move into a new house this very weekend.  Erin is legally blind.  She can see shadows and can make out some forms but nothing more than that.  She and her oldest brother, Jeff, both inherited a gene from each parent that caused this blindness that began to show up in both of them when they were between 8 and 10 years old.  The middle two, Lynn and David  were not effected.  Inspite of her vision loss, Erin has never let anything stop her from doing everything she has wanted to do.  She is warm, loving, outgoing, funny, and delightful.  At her wedding to Brian, when no one was dancing, she got behind the microphone and announced, "This is my wedding and if you guys don't get up and dance, I'm going to cry."  Well, that was all everyone needed to hear.  They all got up and danced the night away so Erin wouldn't cry.  My heart just aches for her today.  I know she is surrounded by her family and good friends.  In the long run, I know her determination and the fight in her will help her get through all of this but, gosh darn it, I wish she didn't have to.  Her children probably won't remember the wonderful man who was their Daddy.  Brian was so warm, kind, friendly and most of all, he cherished Erin and his kids.  It's a tragic loss.