Tuesday, December 15, 2015

lost in space

Just arrived back to Texas from California again, my 3rd trip there this year. That may not be much for folks who travel for work all the time, but I don't.  And I really like hanging out near home.  Three trips to California plus one to Seattle, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and I’m good for awhile.  For quite awhile, actually.

 Did I enjoy all of this travel?  Yes, of course, but I'm now going to plant my feet in Frisco, Texas until at least next summer.  No, yes I am.  No really.

The trip I just completed was fun, and whirlwind.  Whirlwind definitely.  Also very exciting.  You wouldn’t believe all that I packed into three days.  My head is still spinning and I’m not even home yet.

First of all, the reason for the trip was to meet some family again.  I have a brand new younger brother, Joe, that I got to meet for the first time along with his wife, Janice.  I met up with my “sister” Jeana again, along with her entire family as well.  These people are amazing.  They have taken me in like I was one of their own.  Blood relations aside, these folks are just pretty cool people.  Pictures will follow, iPads just don’t do photos like I’d like.

So what else did I squeeze in in three days?  In two and 1\2 days really?  We (Rick and I) arrived late Saturday night and I left (and am currently sitting up in the air) on Tuesday morning.  That ain’t a lot of time …

Over the course of those two and 1\2 days, Rick and I not only met and dined with my “younger brother” and his wife, but Liz and I managed to have dinner with my sister and her family. In between those two events we all met at Elizabeth’s apartment and celebrated Christmas. She isn't able to come home for the holidays so we made do the best way we knew how. Santa came to her!

The next day, I hauled my family to the beach (Newport), touched the ocean with my bare toes (while wearing a down parka) and took all of us on a ferry ride across Balboa Bay.  We shopped at the Fashion Island Mall, picking up Elizabeth’s lunch at a health food juice bar and then headed an hour away to let her grocery shop at a gluten free bakery.  Then we all headed to Santa Ana to Polly’s Pies so I could enjoy one of my favorite meals of yesteryear, a Polly’s tuna melt.  We then headed back up to Elizabeth’s apartment to settle some fees and then did some grocery shopping for she and Rick (he remained behind for a few more days of rest and relaxation) managed another lunch with my sister and her family.  This time we dined at Farrell’s (yes, that old time ice cream shop!) where we also celebrated Rick’s birthday. Then we hurried back down to Anaheim to transfer cars and because my day hadn't been packed enough, I then jumped in my car and headed two hours-ish away to an NBC PAGE Reunion with the gang that I'd worked with back in 1984.  And then, back on those fun California freeways for the trip back to the Disneyland area.

This morning, Liz and I squeezed in a small trip to Disneyland before I drove to LA and thus flew home.

See why I can't fly again until next summer?  Or ever?  I’m too tired!!!  And all of those quotation marks are making me "dizzy".  I'm not sure where to exactly put them so I just sprinkled them where I wanted.

Yep, I did.  "Yep."

;)

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