Heading for Home

We hope to head for home on Wednesday, get home on Friday. We have had temps in the 70's the last few days, so nice! The ocean is very calm, we keep thinking we see whales spouting, but it is just the pelicans dive-bombing the huge schools of fish just offshore. Watched some surfers today, it is a fad here to stand on your board and paddle around with a long oar. Looks very Hawaiian.

Happy Birthday to Beverly and Jeannie!

Santa Barbara

We have been so busy enjoying the beautiful Santa Barbara weather, I have forgotten to post updates!!
Speaking of dates, Dad - did you get yours?

Here is a pic of Russ with Robbie, who used to live in Gualala, and is currently in Ojai.  Had a great Thai lunch with him. 

We have been eating our way around town - South American food, Italian, California Cusine, and of course, breakfast on East Beach, and hamburgers at the (famous) Spot in Carpinteria.  My brother Todd drove over from Victorville, had a great dinner with him, too.  Going to gain ten pounds!

We plan to eat breakfast on the beach again tomorrow and go to a meeting, then lounge around.  Hard to believe we have to go home soon.

Uncle Bruce is 80!

Happy 80th Birthday Uncle Bruce!  His children hosted a great party attended by his friends and family and gave a moving, loving, funny and well deserved tribute to their father.  Left to right - Scott, Jeff, Lori, Kim and Terri.   Uncle Judeen and Aunt Delores flew out from North Dakota.  Aunt Ione (also from ND) also came out, as well as her son Kenneth & wife Cindy, and daughter Diane and husband Mark with their daughter Amy. 

On the sofa are siblings Judeen, Bruce and Ione.  It was a very special family reunion and I am grateful we were able to come back here to participate. 

Just being lazy

We have been really low key here in San Diego.  Just relaxing on our patio, walking the dogs, and visiting with the relatives.  There is a little green doggy area here, populated by a large family of rabbits.  Riley asks to go there constantly, hoping to get close to the wiley wrascals!!  I think he even dreams of them.  Tomorrow we expect rain, but the 80th birthday celebration for Uncle Bruce will go on as planned.  I am looking forward to seeing some family I have not seen for many years.

Date Shakes!

I hope some of you like dates!  We are staying around the corner from Shield Dates in Indio, CA so we make a sojourn there this morning.  I had no idea there were so many different kinds.  They have their own orchard, and you can sample all the different varieties.  There is even a theater in the store, so we watched - I am not kidding - "The sex life of dates"!!!!!   And of course we had to have a "Date Shake".  Fabulous!  I had them when I was at CSUN and passing through Indio on the way to Puerto Penasco in Mexico each spring break for a Marine Biology class.  They were just the ticket for us hot, tired, and starving students.

We will be in the San Diego area - Escondito RV park - Tuesday.  Staying for 5 days to see Russ' brother again and my uncle's 80th birthday, complete with mini family reunion.  And finally some warm weather.