Why I Go Back to California

Settle back because this is a long post.

But first, an update on the eyelash extensions. I got a shorter haircut yesterday and had to show it. I think I like it shorter. I know, I'm shameless! Hah.

Okay, one of my left eyelash extensions is starting to lift up from the eyelash. I don't dare pull it off. I just tucked it back up after coming home from church and seeing it. I'm betting that some of the chicks wondered what was happening to my eyelash this morning!!! LOL I just don't care what they thought actually. It's just so funny with them looking at my eyes so much. Plusssssss, I was putting on my lip liner this morning and went the wrong way on my lips and I now have splinters in my lips!! I kid you not. I got one out but my tongue can feel 2 more in there but neither hubs nor I can see them. I can see it now: going to the doctor and telling her I have splinters in my lips. *Sigh*... Good grief, I think I need to pluck my brows! On my right eye I can see hairs that shouldn't be there.

First of all, the end of April hubs went to Reno to a model RR train convention. He was going to take our pop-up camper but a friend in Reno called a couple of nights before and told us of high winds on I-80, which is mostly desert from here in Idaho to Reno. So he decided to not take it and just stay with our friends.

Well, as luck would have it, he got into the middle of a sandstorm. It just about totaled his Toyota Tacoma—actually almost $6,000.00 worth of damage. It looked like it had been sandblasted. If he had taken the camper it would have blown him off the road into a dry lake bed. So, off to the auto repair shop, where we are on a first name basis with the owner now after having 2 accidents in the last few years. I think they're going to throw us a party for giving them so much business. Sigh... Our insurance company allowed him 22 days for a rental since the front hood, windshield, driver's window, bumper, lights, etc. had to be replaced. The only 2 cars available were a Chevy HHR or a Chrysler PT. I HATE those cars. When he drove into the garage and came in the house he was almost afraid to tell me! (Now, if you own one of those cars or like them, I don't want to hear it. You have your likes and dislikes and I have mine and I'm free to carry on about not liking the looks. Anyone who grew up with those old cars that looked like those wouldn't consider having one again!) ;-)

Anyway, our trip to California was planned and hubs suggested taking the rental car and save the mileage on our Toyota Camry. Good idea, but I ain't gonna be seen in a PT cruiser. So, I called the rental car company and requested another car. They didn't have one available but said to call back on Wednesday. We were going to leave on Thursday. So I called and they had a Hyundai Sonata. I said, "We'll take it." Nice little car and it got 44 miles to the gallon at one point when we filled up. BUT the nice part was that it had Sirius XM radio! I tell you that was great. We could listen to our favorite programs all the way through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California and the stations came in nice and clear. They did have commercials though, just as many as most radio stations.
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We go back to California on average of at least once a year. Why you ask? You might think it's this:
Son

The girl he married (youth photo) but she's still as gorgeous as ever and I didn't get a photo of her this time because she was so busy running around:
Grandson Bill, who is in desperate need of a shave. Since he's 1/2 Asian he can't grow a full beard which I'm thrilled about since I'm not fond of beards on my men!

Grandson Josh who is in dire need of a haircut:

But you'd be wrong if you guessed those 4 in Southern California are my reason for going to California each year.

THIS is why I make trips to California! World's Fare Donuts in northern California, where our daughter lives. As Love Bunny was in there for the 2nd time in 4 days getting us these for the trip back up to Idaho, he met a man doing the same thing. He was going to visit his son in Petaluma, just northeast of San Francisco, and the son told him to grab some of these before he started up to visit him. That's how good these are. This is a cinnamon roll and it's as big as a plate for only $1.25. The Asian couple that own it have owned it for about 30 years at least and the woman doesn't look a day older than when I first went in there about 25 years ago. She's very pretty. I cannot say the same thing about ME!

I absolutely love the drive along I-5 from the north to the south. This is inland of northern Calif.

Pistachio trees. These are a marvel to see when laden with the nuts on them just before harvest. They are so heavy with the nuts that the branches drag on the ground. Heaven forbid that Love Bunny should stop so I could get a decent photo for you gals. *Sigh*...

These are almond trees. We went though a long stretch of I-5 where hundreds and hundreds of acres of these trees were dead. Why? Because the state cut off the water from the Delta to them because of a 2" fish—the delta smelt—was endangered! I can't believe they put a fish above humans. But it was truly sad to see so many citrus and nut trees dead and blackened. I feel so sorry for those farmers. What is our world coming to when this happens?

Here we are in Southern California heading from Moreno Valley to San Diego, which is about a two hour drive. That's son in front of us with his truck. This is very light traffic in the middle of the day.

Okay, here we are at the University of California at San Diego. Spent a few hours there looking over the campus for grandson. He's been accepted as a transfer student from Riverside to SD in the health sciences department. He's studying to become a pharmacist. That's the family below: my son in red hat, 13 yr old grandson in red shirt, daughter-in-law in jeans, "adopted grandson" in green shirt (also in dire need of a haircut!).

And the famous Love Bunny below:

The 14 story building is his dormitory. New ones are being constructed as you can see. One side of the dorm is a beach where you can watch students surf during lunch or breaks, and the other side is a view of the fantastic gym for students. We lived in San Diego in the early 60s and just loved it. Warm all the time and so many beaches to visit. Grandson will love it!

Another shot of the family:

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Pink Saturday 5/15/2010

We were out of town this past week, and I didn't have the time or opportunity to visit any blogs, and I do apologize. Spending time with my family was more important though. But it is Pink Saturday and I want to again thank Beverly of How Sweet The Sound for hosting this. She's a real doll for doing this because it can't be easy to do it time after time. Thank you, Beverly, and I'll be better this week, I promise.
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I won this recently and it arrived in the mail on thursday last. Isn't it adorable? I don't know where this woman found such a darling tool set but it really is just right for women. I absolutely have my very own tool set because Love Bunny gets grease all over his and that ain't happenin' to this chick. :-) I'm neat and clean when using my tools. It included a hammer, pliers, screwdriver and mat knife. The little wooden tray was also in with the tools. What a prize, I tell ya!! Woohoo. Love it.

Just a pretty pink paper rose for you. I'll be telling all about my trip to California on monday and I think you'll get a kick out of it.

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Love Bunny's Organizing

Enjoy the eye candy here because it gets ugly from here on out.

This is Love Bunny's side of our bedroom armoire.

This is my side of our armoire. Not as neat, but not bad really.

Did you happen to notice in the first photo that his is organized and labeled? Yessssss, labeled. Check closely the red Dyno Labels on each shelf.

Now, I wondered why he did that, and he never really answered my question. But he thought it would make it easier for me. What?! I'm still trying to figure out the drawers for socks. One drawer is for brown; one drawer is for black; one drawer is for blue. So, where do I put the gray and pink socks? *Sigh*…

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Chandeliers - because every life should have a little sparkle.
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Today at lunch time:

He: You have your t-shirt on wrong side out.

She: Why didn't you tell me earlier?

He: I guess I didn't notice til now.

She: Sigh... Does he look at me at all before noon?
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One thing I love about people is their ability to be lifted so high by the smallest drafts of hope.
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The flavor of the peel does not reliably predict the taste of the pulp.
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Hubs is lucky I even get the shirts in the armoire!
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And More Red!

Another reminder to enter my Cottage Charm Giveaway on my 5/1 blog post. You could win some of these. I just loved this shot when I took it out on our back patio through this iron trellis.

And again, more RED for you.

Isn't this porch adorable and quaint?

The colors of patriotism! Red, white and blue.

Most unusual house in Turkey where my daughter visited recently. It looks like clay stone painted red. Very colorful.

Ohhhhhh, be still my heart! I could live in this little cottage.

I have no clue where this has is but it looks like somewhere on the East Coast. I think it's lovely.

Too many stairs for this ol' lady.

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Mother's Day Gifts

As some of you may know I've been down in California since last week visiting with kids and grandkids. I prescheduled posts so I could have a break but I wanted to tell you about my mother's day gift. Now, as I've said before, there are some things in my life I've wanted to do for some time. Oh, not terribly exciting things like skydiving or bungee jumping...screeeeeeam...my heart couldn't do that...but just something I thought would be fun.

We went to San Diego saturday to check out our grandson's college—UCSD—and while there we went to MCRD, which is Marine Corps Recruit Depot. We lived there in the early 60s while Jack was on the drill field there, so it had been a long time since we'd seen it. We actually lived across the street and up a hill a bit from it. WOW!!! Has it changed! But my son and daughter-in-law bought me a bottle of Juicy Couture Perfume at the PX there and that stuff is NOT cheap, trust me, even there. Then when we got home my daughter-in-law told me about their WM having a spa. Well, without further chatter, let me show you the pix.



That's right. Eyelashes. Not false ones but extensions that are glued on. My DIL took me to WM and in about 1/2 hour I had eyelash extensions. And, yes, I photoshopped the photos because I had absolutely no makeup on at the time and I looked horrid. I wanted a clean face to begin with. I did only my skin. The eyes are real and not photoshopped.

Son and his wife in wedding photo. The boys are now 21 and almost 14.
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