At the end of January, Mark and I jetted to California to visit with our family out there. I know, I know, it’s now May - but the memories are still with me and “life” has finally allowed the time and energy for me to start writing again!
San Diego!
What a beautiful city and area!
What fun we had!
We arrived on a Thursday evening in late January, which was perfect timing because we got to walk the grands to school on Friday morning. Kara and Pancho live in a nice neighborhood with a wonderful elementary school nearby - about three blocks away. It was a perfect morning walk and gave us some special time to interact with Layla and Walter. They both always seem eager to get to their school.
Timing was also great for us because that evening we were able to watch an exciting football game! Walter plays on a flag football team - The Seahawks - and he really enjoys it.
We lived in the Midwest most of our lives and as parents attended many many kids sporting events. This one had a little different vibe. It was much more social than the events we attended. There was a concession stand that sold beer and wine! Kids enjoyed the game and parents enjoyed socializing with their friends while watching the kids play. Fun! Is this a California thing, I wondered……..? At any rate, Mark and I enjoyed watching Walter play and enjoyed meeting Kara and Pancho’s friends!
We had to hurry home after the game because Layla and Pancho had to get ready for their daddy/daughter dance at Layla’s school. They both looked so nice and apparently had a nice time too! Papa was in charge of getting a wrist corsage for Layla. Who knew that they had to be ordered in advance? At any rate, Mark found a florist nearby owned by an older gentleman who took pity on this grandpa and made one for him on the spot! Papa did a great job and Layla loved it!
Saturday was a fun filled day too! I must say that Kara and Pancho always go out of their way to find interesting things for us to do when we visit. Today was no exception. We headed to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. This branch of the San Diego Zoo is quite different than the more famous San Diego Zoo that is located in San Diego Balboa Park. This one is located in Escondido, California and is a large wildlife conservation park. “It features expansive, open habitats for animals from arid regions, offering experiences like the Africa Trams, guided safaris in open-air trucks, and overnight camping, with a focus on conservation and up-close animal encounters.” We didn’t do any of that, but did enjoy walking around the different areas of the park and enjoying the animals in their natural habitat.
Do you know that they sell beer at the Zoo too? Made me wonder if all zoos sell beer or just the ones in California? At any rate, we enjoyed it plus ice cream!
That evening we all dressed up and went to dinner at Peoche’s Chart House restaurant in Coronado. The Nagel family took us there to celebrate our 75th birthdays. It was a beautiful place with magnificent bay and San Diego views. Delicious food too!
We enjoyed a leisurely Sunday morning and then were off to have lunch at a cute restaurant in Ocean Beach. What a charming beach town! We really enjoyed the casual beach vibe and the darling homes and cottages. From there we went to Cabrillo National Monument. We toured the lighthouse, walked to the top of the hill and enjoyed the stunning views. According to Google: “Cabrillo National Monument has the best panoramic view of the San Diego skyline, harbor, Coronado, and on clear days, all the way to Tijuana, Mexico.”
Monday through Thursday of that week was definitely a blur for us! Pancho and Kara had to go back to work and the kids were at school during the day. Kara works from home most of the time, and Mark and I tried hard to stay out of her way as much as we could. We enjoyed our time during the day by taking walks in the neighborhood, reading, shopping and doing a few chores around the house. Our evenings were busy with kids’ activities - softball practice for Layla and football and baseball practice for Walter. Layla is “into” chess, so we did seem to get a game in every evening! They are a very busy family!
One day Mark and I took a day trip northeast of the city to Julian, California. The drive there was incredible with hiking trails and mountain views. We stopped once and enjoyed a hike. I should say Mark enjoyed it, me not so much! I didn’t wear the right shoes for hiking and was too worried about getting lost. We both enjoyed Julian, however! It is a small quaint town that is known for its gold rush history and apple orchards. It is particularly famous for its apple pies! We ate at The Miners Diner, an old fashioned soda shop, enjoyed a piece of pie at the Pie Shop and the did some browsing in a couple of souvenir shops. The ONLY gas station in town was out of gas that day and we didn’t find another station until we were halfway back to San Diego! I must say that I was getting a bit nervous about running out of gas!
We finished this fabulous San Diego trip at a restaurant in La Mesa. Before dinner we enjoyed cocktails with our dear friends, Dale and MJ Weaver. They live in San Diego and it was wonderful to be able to spend some time with them. After our “happy hour”, Kara, Pancho and the kiddos met us for dinner - good food, but mostly good company! The next morning, Mark and I walked the kids to school and said our tearful goodbyes…….then we were off for our flight back home.
Goodbye San Diego and our loves! Till next time……..
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