~ Months of the year ~
~ On the Road in 2025 ~
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The first day of the year is always a challenge: a combo New Year's and Anniversary celebration. The official start of the year was at Wednesday midnight, but with the window closed and my sound machine making waves, I didn't hear the outside bangs or pops. At 6:30, I greeted Liz with a "Happy New Year and Anniversary." Her hallmark card was at the breakfast table. We managed a minor celebration by walking through Leo Ryan Park, passing our wedding site of 12 years' earlier, and going for coffee at our first-date Starbucks. In the Afternoon we stopped by a neighbor's place for treats and conversation. It was otherwise restful. So began 2025. The next day, I got a haircut and on Friday drove to my dentist in San Lorenzo. I showed him my loose tooth. He said it was an implant and I would need to return for a fix. I did get another tooth drilled and re-crowned. I also stopped by Holy Angels Cemetery to visit Kim's gravesite. It seems a lifetime ago when I was married to the woman whose picture adorns the stone. The men's group kicked off on Saturday with Graham being the guest speaker. He spoke about an article by David Brooks. It was good to interact with the men and the ideas. Liz and I attended CPC on Sunday and on Monday I walked with Steve at Seal Point. I struggle to keep up my writing. I hate to admit it, but it's much easier to scroll through iPad videos and audios than discipline myself to compose fiction. I tried to write a little bit every day. It's odd. "I tell myself it's for the sake of Pascazia or Ken, characters in my story. I don't want to leave them incomplete. The month was soon half over. The big news continues to be the LA fires. Such destruction! Will Liz and I see any of that when we visit Southern California in March? I keep busy with the usual activities: a visit to Filoli, walks around the CSM grounds, a zoom meeting with MF leaders, and the start of a Memoir Class at the Senior Center. For that class, I had 6 people for the first session and 7 for the second. I'm happy I can share my skills- - for my sake and for others. I kepi up with the activities of Zach and Si. They met for a few days at Saint Augustine, Florida. I needed a break from the mundane of life and planned for three hotel nights in Groveland at the Charlotte Hotel. I departed after Men's Fraternity on January 16. The car trip east was 141 miles and calculated at three hours, but I took my time stopping along the way. I stopped for a walk in Tracy, then I paused at the Oakdale library to plug in my Prius at a free EV station. I walked the streets for an hour while my car charged. Next, I paused at a view at Moccasin Point. Then came the winding up-hill roadway to Groveland. My getaway plan involved a stay in a hotel, but a tour Yosemite on Friday and Saturday. My check in at the Charlotte occurred about 3:30. I rested, walked around town, listened to my Civil War audio, and generally loafed my way to an early bedtime. On Friday morning, I scraped the heavy frost off my car window, drove it a few blocks, plugged into a park charging station, and returned to my snug hotel room. I transcribed 6 verses of John from Greek, listened to news, drank coffee, walked to my car at noon, then headed east along 120 into Yosemite National Park. The drive was just over an hour to my stop. I used a parking lot near Curry Village as my free charging station and spent four hours on the valley floor gawking at the imposing rockfaces. Most of my hiking involved trails along the base of the Lower Yosemite Falls. The valley floor appeared deserted with weather around 50 degrees. There was lingering frost in ground pockets where the sun never broke through to warm the ground. I enjoyed a bowl of chili at Degnan's Deli about 4. I am grateful that at 75 years old I'm able to walk my 10,000 steps without a mis-step. It was a good day. I got to my hotel as the sun was setting and settled in for a quiet evening. I decided to return to the park on Saturday. It was more crowded, being a 3-day weekend. I sat in the shuttle as the bus drove a one-hour loop, getting off at a few spots. I wanted to revisit Mist Falls one Kim's favorite places, but after a walk to the base, I discovered the steps were closed for repairs. I returned walking along leaf-strewn trails and gazing up at God's great creations. The day-time temperature created a situation where frosty grass persisted behind downed branches. In all, my two days at Yosemite Valley were an adventure in solitude, nostalgia, and splendor. I slept in a little on Sunday morning, watched the CPC church service on Live Stream, loaded up on coffee, and headed back home about 10:30. I stopped for a Burger King meal in Mantica (Liz had given me a coupon), and got home about 4:00. I talked with Liz, then stayed up late listening to the latest political news. Monday was both MLK day and Inauguration. I walked, showered at the gym, and corresponded with Zachary. His inauguration adventure in DC did not go as planned, but he was in on a little piece of history. I do think America and the world are at a grand moment of change. Maybe History will prove me wrong, but I think when Trump dodged that bullet last July, our great nation dodged a bullet. I wonder what the next four years shall bring. I found the next week one of tremendous political change. Trump signed 200 executive orders on his first day in office. DEI seemed to DIE and the ICE began mass deportations and new cabinet secretaries began to bring about mass change. As it says on the one-dollar bill Novus Ordo Seclorum - New Order of the Ages. I planned the Carribean Cruise, taught the Memoir class, bid farewell to Dan Ried at MF, and got a glimpse of Simon's new Tesla. I also made progress on my fiction, getting through Mission 2008 and beginning Mission 2009. January 31 was full of rain just like January 1. The middle 29 days were dry as dust. I counted up my EV charges. The total for January was 29 charges at $50.73. Political upheaval continued. Is it my own focus upon the news or is a true revolution taking place? It seems like Trump is a wrecking ball and Democrat heads are exploding. Greenland, tariffs, DEI, Gaza, immigration, USAID- a bombshell and a revelation every day. The first days of the month saw me preparing for a tropical cruise: gathering, packing, haircut, emptying out the fridge. I worked on the book, incorporating African Friends and Money Matters. Rain returned with a vengeance, howling and drenching. I donned my SF niners rain suit and walked through the horizontal sheets of water. Zachary sent me some memes of the family and I posted some poetry. Brief visit to West Palm Beach WednesdayOn February 5, Jeff picked me up at 6am. It was a long flight on American Airlines with a 5-hour layover in Dallas. I was able to wile a few hours at the DFW USO, eating 2 hot dogs. Simon met me at PBI with his new Tesla-He showed me how the blinkers could fart. We stayed up late talking about life and politics. My timing was good. Lorenzo and Gia were celebrating birthdays, 16 and 14. They are sure growing up. I woke up with a slight pain in my neck. I noted a swelling near my left ear on the jaw line. I ignored it in hopes it would go away. Simon was taking business phone calls all day, so walked down Flagler, back and forth, for 6000 steps. Loafed around the house, recovering from the long plane flight and late night. I walked a few blocks to meet Lorenzo at his school drop-off. About 5:00 we headed out to see Gia's soccer game. She was limping with a calf sprain, so didn't participate. She was busy flirting with a guy named Sammy that got Gia in a bit of trouble and got him banned from the sidelines. After the match, we went to the mall for birthday gifts for my two grand kids. Each got $200. The mall closed at 8:00pm so both rushed from store to buy their clothes and shoes. My grandkids sure looked grown up. We dropped them off at Dilia's for the night. Si and I stayed up late, watching the Warriors lose. I slept in as Simon had the day off work. Around noon Simon drove us in the MG to the Oceanside in Palm Beach. Si ran as I walked the sand. We then went to his favorite landscape place where he picked up a plant. We got Lolo early at Suncoast. He claimed a "mental health" day. Gia had another soccer match at BOC middle school. She played well and her team won. We had a combo meal: Gia and me at Taco Bell and Simon and Lolo at KFC. (Yes, Lorenzo is now a carnivore). After a few hours with Dilia, Gia ran home crying. I heard that Dilia chewed her out for flirting with Sammy. I watched True Grit with Simon. The grandkids were supposed to watch with me, but the movie did not appeal. My tri-rail didn't leave to Miami until 2, so I had some time in the morning with family. We played a card game called Exploding Cats. Gia won twice. I gave each of the kids $20 and Simon $10k. I'm proud of his lifestyle and child-rearing. I walked Flagler one more time, getting half of my steps. The lump on my neck concerned me. I was hesitant to speak of an ailment that might interfere with my cruise.
Simon, Lorenzo, and Gia stuck with me at the tri-rail in Lake Worth. I was sad to say good-bye to them. My slice of life in West Palm was great. For $5 I bought the ticket to the Miami airport. I walked down terminals, up escalators, caught a shuttle, and soon found myself at the Courtyard Marriott. Liz was happy to greet me. We walked across the roadway to eat at a neighboring hotel restaurant. The day was long for both of us and it was lights off at 8:00. I walked a neighborhood near the hotel complex and ate a muffin. Liz hailed an Uber at 11:00 and we were soon at the massive cruise terminal. We encountered some check-in confusion; too few immigration officials. We boarded the ship Vista of Oceania Cruise Lines and were resting by 1pm. We had to chill until 3:00 when our suite became available. I ordered a Ruben sandwich as a late lunch. We rested in room 8079 until our 6:30 formal dinner at the Ember. Liz and I watched the first half of the Super Bowl. The Eagles were ahead 23 to 0 at half time. I had trouble sleeping. The lump on my jaw-line made it difficult to rest on my left cheek. I didn’t fall asleep until 2am. We had a day at sea, traveling up the Old Bahama Channel, off the Cuba coast. We set our clocks ahead an hour to Caribbean time. I napped and listened to Audible-finishing up a philosophical book called Substance Dualism, about the nature of consciousness/soul. We listed to a lecture on the history of the East Indies. I learned a lot. I was in a quandary about my jaw lump/ what to do? I finally decided to visit the medical office on the 4th floor. The ship doctor diagnosed a salivary gland obstruction. I had a blood draw and got a prescription for pain and penicillin infection. Later I got the bill: $950, outrageous but not surprising. I did feel less pain when I tried to sleep. This was our day in the Dominican Republic, a new country added to my list - the 42nd. We slept in a little late and I walked steps on the deck. The food is always great on these cruises and I usually over-eat. The palette prospers as the waist-line suffers. Liz and took an excursion of Puerto Plata, the second largest city in Dominica. We boarded a bus and gazed at the country side. We stopped at a rum factory (I sampled from shot glass/Liz didn't). We visited a church, a fortification, and a down-town market. The 4 hours off-ship was just enough of a foreign experience for me. The Vista is comfortable and I enjoy lounging in the room, walking the deck, and snacking. My lump felt better. Maybe it was the meds, maybe not. This was our day in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. I was told the American flag and the Puerto Rica fly at exactly the same height. Maybe it's a 1/2 new country? I'll count it as 43. The morning with Liz was restful, lounging, playing puzzles, and snacking. We went on different excursions; she on a rainforest hike and me on a tour of San Juan. I wanted to get a sense of the place. It really seemed like the 3rd option, not a state, not independent, but hybrid. The tour was in a 12-passenger bus, make 4 stops-art museum, downtown plaza, church, fortress. I returned to the room an hour before Liz and rested from the excursion. We ate dinner at 6:30 and Liz investigated a Lima, Peru, to San Diego Oceania cruise for 2026. Getting to bed at 8pm and getting up 6:00, I am sleeping too much. The new nation for this day was St. Kitts & Nevis, a two-island set, and former British possession. Our excursion was designated as a "day at the beach". After breakfast and lounging, we brought our tickets to the auditorium and got our bus passes. We traveled to an Oceanside resort and procured two plastic lounge chairs. I think my sandy beach days are over. We found some shade under a tree and napped. I walked the strand to get some steps on my feet. The splashing blue sea and distant Nevis Mountain provided a pleasant view. The place felt a bit 3rd world with pestering vendors and blowing trash. The return shuttle broke down and we had to wait an additional 30 minutes for our ride. We got back to the ship around 3. The afternoon was spent listening to Audibles, walking the deck, doing laundry, and enjoying the cuisine. The island du jour was Guadalupe, a little piece of France floating in the Caribbean. Our excursion guide said the department of Guadalupe was shaped like a butterfly with one conic volcanic island and on one lowland island connected by a spit of land called Pointe-a-Pitre. It was a long shuttle ride but the guide was very good. Our activity was at a botanical garden called Jardin Botanique. We saw koi fish and a variety of parrots. The gardens featured numerous tropical plants. Our guide seemed to know the name of every one. Liz was impressed. After two hours along the garden trails, we went a short way to a beach. I was burned out of sun and sand so I sat in an open-air restaurant. Liz preferred to sit on the shoreline. Being hungry, I ordered a meal of chicken, salad, and fries. The order was long in coming and I left at the hour mark. Our return ride was stop-and-go and took 90 minutes to return to the Vista. It felt good to rest, shower, enjoy the air conditioning. We enjoyed a string quartet. I relished the Brandenburg concerto. I felt I had been eating too many chunks of red meat, so I settled for spaghetti. Liz and I seem to be getting along so the voyage has been good. We pulled into Saint Lucia as I was eating breakfast-Bacon and eggs. It was an early start in a 12-passenger bus. Saint Lucia is an independent nation and member of the British commonwealth. Like most of the Antilles, the island bounced like a ping-pong ball, changing hands 14 times-mostly between the English and French. The excursion consisted of a drive into the interior of the island and a tram ride up a rain forest canopy. Eight passengers loaded into a gondola and we moved slowly up the mountainside. There was 5 minutes of movement and a 5-minute stop. The greenery was dense with culverts, streams, and multi-layers of plant life. The air grew cool, then rainy. The gondola had a cover, but the breeze blew the spray onto our laps. It was enjoyable, but chilling. We saw hummingbirds and mongoose. Liz and took a short walk under the tram. The downhill drive was tight and curvy, but we made it by 2pm. I had failed to turn on the "clean room" hall light, so Liz raised a ruckus. Alas. The Vista turned North, working its way to Miami. The remainder of the day on shipboard passed as usual with walk, rest and food. Our final island was Antigua, once a colony of Britain, now independent since 1981. Our excursion on this day was to a series of forts on the far side of the island, all clustered a place called Nelson's Dockyard. The views were outstanding and the winds brisk. We watched a diorama of Antigua history emphasizing the triangle trade between Africa, Indies, and England-slaves, sugar cane, and rum. It was another slice of Caribbean life. The evening zoomed by in idle activity: A CPC live stream, a message from Zach about attending a Boyz to Men concert, food, and walk. The return voyage from Antigua to Miami lasted sixty hours. Without benefit of an excursion, Liz and I just chilled on board. To get in steps, we orbited the 8th deck, walking in opposite directions, 705 steps for the circle. We listened to lectures and watched a few TV movies. The outside pool area was too hot and humid for me, so I spent some idle time in the deck-5 reception area. Our cruise consisted of six island visits with intervals of rest on the ship. It was good! I am blessed with the time, the wife, and the funds to make such a vacation possible. The adventure was over with 2823 nautical miles of cruising. We cleared out on Wednesday morning- from the suite, to the deck, to the bus, to the MIA airport, to ORD airport, to SFO airport, onto Uber, then home by 7:00. I can't rest until all is put away - so I persevered - and was asleep by 10:00. The night was short, but 5am in California is 9am in the Caribbean. So I left the house at 5am and made it to Men's Fraternity. Back to the routine. The last week of February raced by: Men's fraternity at CPC, Saturday Morning's Men at Burlpres, a visit to the dentist in San Lorenzo for a crown removal/replacement, and an appointment with Dr. Teng to check on my jaw-line bump (no action needed). I taught the memoir class and drank coffee with Keith from BurlPress. That was at a place called Fiero's. I drove the Prime to Half Moon Bay for walk on the beach. So I did keep busy and recouperate from the Carribean cruise. I made a little progress on the novel (stuck in Mission 2008) and figured my 2024 taxes. I'm going to owe a lot - -about $10,000? Saturday, March 1, was sad for me. The event was expected, but untimely. About noon, I read a post from Jim Francis that my sister Charlotte had died at 4:00 that morning. And then there were three. Frank filled me in on some of the details. I e-mailed this premonition to some of the family: "Last night almost asleep, an image of my sister Charlotte came to mind as a sputtering candle, consuming her final bit of life-wax. Poof! The final flicker and an indistinct puff drifts into the ether above." Six days later the mortal remains of Charlotte were interred at a cemetery in Kelso. Shelley, Frank, Eileen, Sarah, and Alesha were in attendance. Frank posted on FaceBook. The next day I attended a funeral in San Carlos for a church friend named Neal. It seemed to be a season of death. I'm working on a video tribute for a Charlotte Memorial next month. I did something stupid. The result was bad, but not catastrophic. While unplugging my Prius at the college lot, I left my iPad resting on the car hood. I drove off and didn't realize the absence until I got home. I raced back and found my gadget in the middle of a roadway. A corner of it had been run over. I could see the tread mark! However, the iPad did operate just fine. A corner was slightly damaged and a hairline crack grew across the screen. I bought a screen protector to prevent further cracks, but now I have bubbles on the surface. Alas! My penalty for being careless. I have been trying to keep my 10,000 steps per day. It good to be outside exercising. On the walk back from Men's Fraternity I caught a magnificent rainbow and on a walk at Prayer Mountain I marveled at the blanket of greenery. Mid-March was a time of rest and routine. I experienced a slight earthquake on March 16th which rattled my bed at 7:41pm. During a phone call with Frank, I learned that a memorial service for Charlotte was cancelled. Alas. I did correspond with my sons, trying to set up a time to visit in the summer. I'm happy Ruth posts pictures of Zélie and Zoshi on Facebook. I also completed my taxes - I owe a lot for 2024, because I didn't make that large contribution to Fuller (I will in 2025). My days are filled with writing my fiction - now finished with Mission 2010, plugging through my Greek Bible, leading Table 1 at Men's Fraternity, and teaching my Tuesday memoir class at the Senior Center. I had 10 students on March 25. As the month waned, Liz and I prepared for a one-week vacation to Pasadena. On Saturday, March 29, Liz and I left for Southern California. At 9am there was a light rain. I drove down I-280, to HW85, to HW101 to Gilroy then across HW 152 to hit I-5. We made an urgent stop due to Liz's TLB. Then Liz drove a while down I-5. We stopped at Harris Ranch for lunch and a walk. (Zachary FaceTimed me to show me his outing to the Pentagon). At the high point of the Grapevine is a Tejon Pass rest stop. We paused for a bit and walked. Liz and I got the Valencia Hyatt about 3pm. It was a Wendy’s dinner, then, an early goodnight at 8pm. On Sunday morning I was up at 5am. 9 hours of sleep is plenty for me. I did my morning routine of Bible study, comics, and news. I then walked a slight distance in a slight drizzle. About 9 we headed to the La Brea tar pits. Although Liz had lived in LA for 4 years, she had never seen the sight. It was fascinating to me, both the displays and the tour. The location is one of the few places in the world where asphalt bubbles to the surface and pools. I took lots of pictures of the exhibits and the replicas of the ice-age animals. Afterward we walked to the Saigon Pearl restaurant. We met Liz's friend Jody and talked. I split a plate of taco salad with my wife and gave Jody my book of Rwanda. We checked into Room 202 at the Springhill Suites in Arcadia and relaxed for the remainder of the day. Stopped off Baja Fresh for dinner, walked the neighborhood, and listened to an audio the civil war. As usual with Liz, it was lights out at 8pm. On Monday I got up before six and walked with a cup of coffee in my hand for a few thousand steps. Then it was breakfast, then morning Bible and news and comics. We had planned to drive to the Norton Simon Museum. However, since we had been there a few times, we decided to go instead to the Los Angeles County Arboretum. It was only a few miles from our hotel in Arcadia. We got there at the ten o'clock opening. The entrance fee was $11. The park was a great experience with lots of fun strolling, flowers, plants, trees, birds, turtles, and koi. However, what greeted us as we entered were about a dozen peacocks - - all wanting to spread their tails. Liz liked the waterfall and the ponds best. Many of the plants were labeled with the species name. That was nice. We were in the park for about 3 hours. The rest of the day was lounging, walking and eating at Panara Bread. With lights out 8:00 my day comes to a quick end. April first was a day set aside for a donor luncheon at Fuller Theological Seminary. The morning was typical with a walk, breakfast, Bible study, and puzzles with Liz. We headed north about 11:00. After greeting Dasha, our old Bay Area rep, and our new rep, we dined at a round table. I spoke with a Korean guy named David and was happy and challenged to use my Korean language. Our meal of chicken was good. We listened to three graduate students on scholarship who thanked donors for our support. Dr. Goatly also spoke. We headed back to the hotel about 2:30. That was the central event of the day. The evening was a bookend to the morning. After a regular hotel morning, Liz and I headed out to the Huntington Gardens. She had been in contact with two old friends named Liz and Mark. We met them at the entrance about 10:30. That Liz had once been the college roommate of my Liz. The two ladies led the way down the trails while Mark and I followed in polite conversation. Huntington is always a pleasure to visit. It's immense with trails, a Japanese Garden, a Chinese Garden, European Art, American Art, ponds, and an impressive library. We four chatted for a long time after lunch. I clearly logged my 10,000 steps. It was a good day. I'm always glad to meet old friends of Lizzie. After the day's walking - then driving - Liz and I enjoyed some "horizontal time". The news is shocking. President Trump instituted his tariff regime and the stock market plummeted at the news. My own portfolio is way down - over 10%. I do hope it recovers soon. Thursday was our last day together. We packed up and I drove Liz to the Burbank Airport. That was at noon. After dropping her off, I headed north along I-5 for my overnight stop at Lost Hills, a distance of about 146 miles. Of course, I paused along the way to snack and walk. I stayed up past Liz's bed time of 8pm and viewed podcasts until 10:30. The night was pleasant at the Motel 6. How can you beat $69? On Friday morning I consumed a left-over breakfast from the Marriott Hotel and logged 6000 steps walking down backroads. I resumed my travel at 10am, zooming up I-5. The 238 miles passed without incident. I filled up the gas tank at the Costco in Gilroy and was home by 2:30. I parked the car in the garage and unpacked the contents. I was too tired to go to the gym and so just showered at home. The adventure was over. I did learn that Gia got accepted to Suncoast- Good for her! I hopped back into the routine of things, documenting my trip and making it to Men's meeting on Saturday morning. Liz was out the whole day attending a birthday party for Carolyn in Alamo - Alan drove the distance. As the month progressed, I was involved in a number of things: Steve walk, haircut, pedicure, Memoir class, and speaking at Men's Fraternity on Thursday morning-about telling your story. I continued to write about Rwanda, follow the volitile stock market, attended a classical concert at CSM, and got 10,000 steps on this aging legs. Zachary sent me pix of Zélie and Zofia hunting Easter eggs while from Simon of saw Gia star at a track meet and Lorenzo with a fidget spinner. I spent two nights at Prayer Mountain, returning home on Good Friday-April 18. I had an optometry appointent at KP. A floater had been annoying my left eye - nothing big. It was cold and actually rained a bit. Easter was unusual in that Liz didn't want to go to church - too many people at CPC - and BurlPress was getting to liberal for her. So we did a live-stream of the Easter service, which included 27 baptisms. On Monday, we did a hike together at Edgewood, looking at all the wildflowers, lots of tidy tips. (And Pope Francis died that Monday.) I taught the memoir class on Tuesday and on Wednesday I drove over to San Lorenzo to get my front bottom teeth repaired. Friday-Saturday-Sunday was meant to a time set aside for Charlotte's memorial service. The Walker kids cancelled it saying it would be "too divisive". Since I had purchased by tickets and set aside the time, I flew to Portland anyway. Jeff drove me to SFO at 10am on Friday. The flight was odd being with Alaskan/Hawaiian airline (the former has bought out the later.) Frank picked me up at PDX and we drove directly to Kelso. Friday evening was set aide to visit Jim Francis. And we did. He seems to be recovering from his wife's death. We talked about many things, especially his upcoming trip to Whiting. I found it so strange that only contact he has remaining in Whiting is my old flame - Arlene. He even will be visiting her. Wierd. He showed off his new motorcycle; we ate burgers at Applebees; strolled at Lake Sacajewea; then it was time for Frank and I to return to Vancouver. We were both tired, and I sacked out about 9pm. April 26 had been set aside for Charlotte's memorial. It morphed into a family gathering at Jenny Brotherton's house. But the day got started earlier at 6am with Frank's prayer group of four men-with me it was five. We rested some, then at noon we headed to Longview. There were eight of us in attendance: me, Frank, Lelia, Eileen, Jenny, Jeff, Laura, and Shelley. We ate Polish food, told stories about Charlotte, and watched the video I had prepared for the memorial. I also read by tribute to Charlotte. After a few hours we moved on. First to visit Eileen's new puppy named Missy, then to Charlotte's grave. I had asked Lelia to dig up a patch of her violets to re-plant at the grave. (One of my childhood memories is going to Egger's grove with Chalotte to search of spring violets.) And that was Charlotte's day of remembrance. Once back at Frank's place, we walked at Salmon Lake and talked through our plans for the forthcoming road trip. On Sunday, Frank drove me to PDX at 8:30. My flight was delayed so I got some extra steps back and forth in the terminals. The 75 minute flight proved uneventful. I sat in a middle seat, but the time whizzed fast. Soon Jeff was picking me up at SFO. I got home to Liz about 2pm. I was tired, so I showered, put on the PJs, and rested the remainder of the day. So my 3-day trip was over. My inter-adventure brake time only lasted three days- - Monday to Wednesday. I noticed on Monday morning that my car's maintenance light came on. I scheduled a service at the Toyota 101 and spent the afternoon in Redwood City waiting for my Prime to be serviced. They said I needed new tires, but at $1000 I thought I'd wait until my roadtrip return. On Tuesday, I taught the Memoir class and on Wednesday, I chilled out, a calm before a storm of travel. ~ Fourteen-Day Road Trip half with Frank ~
It was an early morning - 4:50am. I was quiet so as not to awaken Liz. Most of my packing was complete. I pulled away for men's fraternity at 5:15, plugged in the Prime and walked at dawn for the 20 minutes to CPC. I was 1 of 4 at Table 1 with Steve, Dan, and Jeff. I marked my road trip get-a-way at 8:40am from Foster City, at 20585 miles. My first stretch was across the San Mateo Bridge, up I-880, I-80, and I-505. I was listening to Bach and Beethoven. I stopped at a rest area, walked, and lowered my glove container. It wouldn't close back up. I googled the problem and discovered it was probably the top of a cabin air filter mishandled during my recent maintenance. And so, it was. I drove into a Toyota dealer in Redding and the problem was fixed in 30 seconds. I filled the tank at a Costco. The temperature was at 90, so I also bought a pair of shorts. It was just a short drive to my overnight at Bailey Cove on Shasta Lake. It cost $15 with the senior discount. This was genuine car camping on my part with a cardboard base and a 2-inch foam mattress. The interior space was just adequate for a twin-size bed. My hatchback tent provided legroom and ventilation. I was a bit uncomfortable, but hey, that's hobo camping. I cooked a meal of ramen and 2 pot stickers. Made a fire with 2 logs and enjoyed the sunset. I then looked at the stars through my glass roof. Friday - May 2 - destination Whistle's Bend, Oregon I was up about 7am, sleeping in a bit. It was a challenge to get my stiff 75-year-old body out the hatch back portal. I puttered around with a morning fire, boiled water for an oatmeal breakfast, then pushed the button to start the Prime. Nothing! Nada. The dash lights were strobing and sending me odd messages. The windows wouldn't roll up. I freaked out. What an out-of-the-way place to need a tow! However, I did have my portable battery and a pair of matching jumper cables. I emptied the back, located the charging posts, and re-charged. After 5 minutes, it almost started. I was encouraged. After a 30-minute walk, it started right up. Hallelujah. I figure I had drained the battery by letting the hatchback light shine all night. I went down the road a way to check out Shasta Lake Caverns. I may have paid the $44 for the tour but it was a 2-hour boat ride and there were busloads of kids. So, I headed north up I-5. I paused at Dunsmuir for a coffee break and plug in my car for an hour. I walked around town taking in the sights. I continued up I-5 with drizzle in the air. I listen to 5 chapters of my book -2007 to 2011 - and crossed into Oregon. I paused in Medford for a lunch stop. My dad once frequented a place called Elmer's, so I stopped there for a steak and mashed potatoes. Then I was off again. Not in a hurry, I paused at Seven Feathers for free casino coffee and a walk. I soon exited I-5 for 20 minutes to arrive at my next overnight stop at Whistler's Cove Park -an oxbow on the North Umpqua River. I backed into site 11 right by the river bank for $35. My dinner was a can of soup and my delight was a hot shower. I watched a 2-log fire burn down to ashes, then crawled into my car bed about 9. To be cautious, I first disconnected the hatchback light. I watched a few podcasts before putting on my night mask. Saturday - May 3 - destination Vancouver, Washington It was drippy when I exited the car about 7am. I did make some coffee, but left by 8:00. Camping in the rain is no fun. I tossed my wet gear into the back in a jumble. I stopped off in Cottage Grove for coffee and gas, then at a rest stop north of Eugene. I was in no hurry. I began to listen once again to the Pacific War-1942-43. I slowed down a lot passing through Salem and Portland, but I made it to Frank's place in Vancouver at the appointed time of 1:30. We talked a bit, but he had to attend a funeral, so I rested on his upstairs guest bed. We didn't do much when he came back, just walked at Salmon Lake and ate at Burgerville. Lelia wasn't feeling well, so we two prepared for the road trip, talking to bed time around 9:00. Sunday - May 4 - parked in Vancouver Frank and I got up early to go for a walk. Lelia wasn't feeling well, so she was absent for the day. We went to Church at the Grove at 10:30. The church is part Baptist/part Pentecostal, part Pacific Islander/part gray-haired. The sermon was about the Spirit and Liberty. We headed for Longview right after church. We were a bit early, so we walked at Lake Sacajawea before going to Jennifer's house just after 1pm. This was Eileen's 80th birthday! All thirty of her clan were present, plus me and Frank. I palmed a cheat sheet to keep track of my sister's kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. We took lots of pictures, sang songs, and told stories. It was good to talk with such kids as Alison and Levi. It was all much fun. I doubt I'll be in the midst of that crowd again. I handed Eileen 4 of my Forgiveness books she requested, a container of licorice, and birthday balloons. Jenny took pictures of the family clans on the front porch. We left about 3:00. The remainder of Sunday was spent walking and talking with Frank. Got to bed early in preparation for our road trip. Monday - May 5 - destination Walla Walla, Washington We began our day with cups of coffee. We then strolled up Plantation Avenue a quarter mile where three dogwood trees brighten the roadside. Frank prepared his usual breakfast burritos. We packed and pulled away about 9:00. We stopped at Hood River and walked up Mosier Twin Tunnels overlooking the Columbia River. It was a good stop. We continued along I-84 then turned up I-82 into Pasco. We met Lucy-Lelia's sister-and one of her granddaughters at IHOP. We spoke of old times and new times. Frank and I then drove on to Walla Walla for our first overnight of the road trip. We stayed at the SureStay Best Western. We just had time to visit the Walla Walla Museum before it closed at five. It was surprisingly interesting.
Tuesday - May 6 - destination Deer Lodge, Montana We got up for a motel breakfast at 6:30, lazed around before leaving at 8:00. We paused at small town named Pomeroy to walk and take pictures, then into Idaho at Lewiston. The whole area and theme revolves around the expedition of Lewis and Clark. This Tuesday leg was the longest of the road trip-397 miles-a lot of it following the Clearwater River through Nez Perce country. We went through Lolo, then got to Missoula at 4:00. We had just enough time to tour the Butterfly and insect museum. It was a good side trip. After another hour of driving, we stopped for the night at the Old Montana Inn in Deer Lodge, Montana. It was late and we were tired. Frank bought 2 hot pockets at the Dollar Store and that was our dinner; which was okay since we doing a lot of snacking. Wednesday - May 7 - destination Hardin, Montana We walked around the little town of Deer Lodge viewing an old prison and an Assembly of God church that Frank had once completed against in Bible Quiz. We drove along I-90 just past Butte to a place dubbed "Headwaters of the Missouri River". It was located at the confluence of the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers. There was a plaque to the famed John Colter. I played the Disney song for Frank. We drove on to Bozeman to the Museum of the Rockies most known for the T-Rex named Sue (the most complete of the T-Rex skeletons). We walked the place about an hour, then continued on I-90 to Billings. We spotted a turn off to a place called Pictograph Cave State Park. We got in a 40-minute walk before the park closed at 5:00. Throughout many of these miles we were listening an audible of Deerslayer by JF Cooper. We finally arrived at our overnight at Hardin Lodge. We drove around the town and finally settled to eat at Pizza Hut, splitting a Medium Meat. These one-night-stand motels tend to blur together.
Thursday - May 8 - destination Cody, Wyoming The hotel had a meager breakfast and we left for the Big Horn County Museum at nine. It was a great little place with lots of local lore and history. A part of our original plan was to visit the Custer Battlefield, however on this particular day the site was closed for road repairs. We parked near the access road and walked a mile to the shuttered front gate. Instead of battleground headstones, we spotted hundreds of cute and chirping ground hogs. I enjoyed the walk. We drove into Wyoming and turned west on HW 14 at Ranchchester. The Big Horn Mountains were magnificent, snowy and twisty. We enjoyed a late lunch in Greybull, Lisa's Western Cuisine. We entered Cody at 5:00 and chilled at the Big Bear Motel for the remainder of the day. Frank's been watching basketball and I've been watching podcasts. - - Part of the news is a new Pope, Leo XIV, an American.
Friday - May 9 - destination Jackson, Wyoming A very full day. We backtracked a few miles from our motel and toured the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. It was worth the $18 entrance fee. In the same complex were a museum for Bill Cody, Western art, natural history, and firearms. Two hours was not sufficient to see it all. It convinced me that Bill Cody was a phenomenon. We agreed this was our favorite museum. A note said, "Buffalo Bill captured the Wild West and toured it under a circus tent." Frank was singing Rocky Racoon. After leaving Cody, we drove upland beside roadside snow into Yellowstone National Park. My senior pass covered the entrance fee. We paused for geyser and buffalo photos. (It's been 11 years since my last visit.) Artist's Paint Pots displayed bubbling, gurgling, and spurting caldrons of blue, white, yellow, and rust colored mud. We ran into a 30-minute delay as a dozen bison moseyed down the center of the roadway. I had to urge Frank to drive on the road shoulder to pass the beasts. The nation's first national park was as magnificent as ever. The south park exit had just opened that same day and we were able to drive down HW 191 into Grand Teton National Park. The jagged mountain peaks looming to the right were magnificent. We stopped at several view points along the route just to take pictures. We arrived in Jackson about six, staying at a rustic Super 8 motel.
Saturday - May 10 - destination Bear Lake, Utah After a morning hotel breakfast, we drove into the trendy town of Jackson Hole. We walked through a park and posed with sculptured celebrities. We then back-tracked south to the Tetons. We exited HW 191 to see Hidden Falls (Frank says he especially likes waterfalls). After a half-hour-drive we arrived at the trail head. Alas, the pathway was packed with snow - impossible to walk. So, we returned, stopping to stroll along a bike path - getting in our 10,000 steps. The outing was worth the backtrack. We then headed south along HW 191 and HW 89, crossed the state line into Idaho, then Utah, then continued to until we hit Bear Lake and we stopped at Garden City at a KOA (Kampgrounds of America). Two workers were completing a a patio pad to the front of our rustic cabin. I got a bigger bed and Frank had to settle on a bottom bunk. We did laundry, walked the grounds, then walked a mile into town for a "World famous" shake - mine was raspberry. We were often in the midst of a windstorm. Upon our return, we got a fire going, roasted some sausages, and enjoyed a sunset while looking at the fire. I used my iPad to play old songs which Frank requested, and I challenged him to guess some. I think he liked Johnny Cash best singing I Walk the Line. He flashed me a photo of Lelia on his phone and said, "Because she's mine, I walk the line." I enjoyed immensely having a brother like Frank; easy to be with and a faithful companion. We mutually decided things, sometimes with him getting his way and sometimes me getting my way. We always compromised, never insisted, never bickered, give-and-take without rivalry. Frank finally said "I'm tired" about 10pm and he poured water on the embers. Sunday - May 11 - destination Salt Lake City, Utah We loafed and packed up and were on our way before 10:30. We attended a church service at "The Village Church" with about fifty people in attendance. The sermon addressed Esther, chapter 4. We headed east toward Logan, eating at a In and Out Burger. I hailed a bit as we departed south. Along the route we turned off HW 89 when I saw a sign that pointed to "Hobbit Cave". After a few minutes of driving, we parked at the roadside. One had to walk down a ravine and across a stream to access the tiny caves. Frank managed it but my body declined. My balance and flexibility are just too poor. We kept on driving, getting into Salk Lake City about 3:00pm. We checked into the Hyatt House Courtyard Marriott and moved our stuff into room 308. It was an excessively large room. We paid $25 extra to part in the garage and $40 more for two beds. It was too early to retire for the day and too late for a tour of Temple Square, so we opted to drive to Salt Lake State Park. It is a barren place, a big copper mill across the road with a gigantic smokestack. The wind was blowing so hard, a door on the giftshop was barred shut - had to use a back door. We walked the grounds, getting a sense of a Salt Lake and its history. Frank remarked that the state seemed to have erased mention of the Mormon contribution. Back at the room, Frank mentioned a plug-in charging station nearby. He was watching an Oklahoma City-Denver basketball game, so I re-parked my car at the free plug-in from 8pm to 10:30. I was up late. I regret to say, I had to move my sleeping location to a roll-out bed in another room, because of my brother's snoring. Monday - May 12 - destination Southfork State RA, Nevada We got up about 7:00 for coffee and breakfast in the lobby. This was our day to tour Temple Square. At first Frank led the walk, using his phone directions to follow the blue dot. That took us a thousand steps in wrong direction. So, we followed my iPad and walked ten blocks to our destination. All the old structures are being earthquake retrofitted, scaffolding abounds and much is off limits. They put the 150-year-old tabernacle on buffering pads and girded all with a heavy metal lattice filled with concrete. I'm told it costs 1 billion dollars. Frank and I walked to see what we could see. There were lots of statuary of the Joseph Smith myth and of the hearty Utah pioneers. We visited the convention all to see the home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We went to the rooftop and strolled the grounds. That was our journey to Mormon-land. Lots to see, but it was tiring. I face-timed with Zachary and he sent me a video of Zélie doing her confirmation at his Catholic church. My feet were tired and I noticed Lime scooters were for rent. For $5 I traveled from corner to corner. Frank didn't have the app so it wasn't fun to scooter alone. After a break at the Hyatt, we packed up to leave at noon. We had one more stop to make. That was at the Church History Museum (the place that holds the genealogical records). There was just too much Mormon pseudo-history for me, so we didn't stay long. We did make a drive by stop at the Cathedral of the Madeleine so I could take a picture St. Paul rebuking the Mormons as anathema. After that brief stop, I was off to drop Frank at the SLT airport. (He later told me his return flight was a fiasco-losing bags and delays.) It was solitude time again. I drove I-80 across an empty west Utah, made it to Wendover about 3pm, crossed into Nevada. I paused at a rest stop for an hour stretching out in car back. I traveled on through Wells then Oasis and decided to stay at a place call Southfork State Recreational Area outside of Elko. It cost me $30. This was planned as a car-camp night. The wind was high, the skies drippy, but I persevered. The hot shower was nice as was the sausage soup meal. I watched a fire burn down until about 8:00 and caught up on the news of the day. The night was a bit uncomfortable. Tuesday - May 13 - destination Emigrant Gap, California The morning was cool but the rain held off. I brewed coffee, walked a bit, then packed up to go. This was a driving day. I did pause in Elko for gas, coffee, and road snacks. Then continuing west on I-80 I passed through Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, and finally Reno. The sky always seems so weird when I pass through Nevada. I turn in a 360-degree circle and see sunshine, black clouds, and dark bands of rain in falling onto distant mountains. At one stop, my iPad seemed to die on me. It wouldn't boot up. Oh. no. I plugged in the thumb drive of Bach Brandenburg Concertos. Entering California, the weather was cool with sunshine, but once climbing into the Sierra Mountains, it became cold and rainy. Up, up into Truckee, then Donner Pass. I couldn't believe my eyes. Big snowflakes were falling from the sky. My temperature gauge read 36 degrees. I decided not to car camp. I passed my original campsite and kept driving downhill. Finally, I stopped at Emigrant Gap which advertised a hotel and a restaurant. The asking price was $135 but when I showed my veteran driver's license his host cut the cost to $115. I was glad to have the warm bed in this alpine environment. At 5000 feet it was cold and rainy. I walked my final 3000 steps down a misty road, then decided to enjoy a steak dinner. It was great. I showered and rested and played songs on my Android phone, since my iPad had deserted me. Wednesday - May 14 - destination HOME, San Mateo, California It was time for my final leg home. Liz had messaged me earlier and I told her I would be home about 3:30. I pulled everything out of my messy car, brought it into my room, washed the pots and pans in the sink, and packed all my gear neatly. I left a few excess items by the hotel trash can. I got a gratis coffee the restaurant and was off. I drove all the way to Vallejo rest stop-2.5 hours. After pausing for some steps, I filled up my gas tank and was bound for home. I decided to stop at the Apple store first. Hah, the expert just pushed a few secret buttons and I was back in business. I checked my investments at Wells Fargo. I have almost fully recovered from the tariff wars. I also stopped off at KP to pick up dental meds for my extraction the next day. Finally, I got home. It was just 2pm, so I decided to unpack the car into the garage, then swim and shower at CSM. I greeted Liz at just the appointed time of 3:30. We talked some, did our puzzles on the iPad. I was pooped, so I skipped dinner, put on my PJs and called it day-glad to be home and glad from the big adventure! My odometer read 23891, or 3306 miles traversed. End of 14-day Road-Trip Life's regular course of events continued the next day. I got up early for Men's Fraternity - the last of the season. We took a group picture. I then drove my Prius through Jack's carwash. It was filthy. Then in the afternoon I drove to Castro Valley for my tooth extraction. OUCH! it was painful.The nitrous oxide helped some, but it hurt. When I got back home I took my heavy-duty pills and laid low the rest of the day. It appeared the tooth pain could facilitate weight loss. So that became the plan. I hung around the house on Friday and Saturday, but went to church on Sunday. I walked with Steve at Seal Point and resumed my Memoir class on Tuesday. On Thursday I had some activites: Zoom meeting with leaders of Men's Fraternity at 6am, Optmitrist Appt. at 10:55 (no new glasses), and a drive across the San Mateo Bridge for a one-week follow-up on my tooth extraction. Dr. Shimane told me all was going to plan, but my tooth and whole area still hurt. May 22 was also Zachary's fiftieth birthday so I posted this picture of him. Frank posted his version of our mighty road trip and I got a to see Zélie in her First Communion and Zofia graduate from kindergarten. On Sunday, I went to CPC alone as Liz did the livestream. We met at lunch with members of her Work/Life Ministry. This was the 3-day Memorial Day Weekend. On Tuesday I led my last Memoir Class of the year at the Senior Center. It's a good group. I hope to re-tool it over the summer. We meet again in September. I got a haircut on Wednesday and dropped in to see Dr. Chan on Thursday. Dr. Clifton was kind; told me my painful tooth was doing fine; and didn't charge me. And so May came to an end. The first Sunday of the month was communion day at CPC. Sandy Hughes preached a decent sermon. I walked with Steve on Monday and Tuesday I had coffee with Charlie Gregory. On Thursday, Sybil, Sara, and Alan dropped by for lunch. It's good to have people in this house. Both Liz and I entertain few guests. I continue to plug along in my book; now at Mission Year 2013. I figure I'll be winding up the project in the next few months. It's almost like I hate to conclude, because I don't know what to do next. During the second week of June I walked through Filoli with Liz, Sybil, and Sara. That was fun. I met with Pastor Josh at Panara Bread, and I worked on my Advance health Care directive. Sometimes I think I'm in a second childhood. I ordered to items from TikTok and sent them to Lorenzo. He was thrilled to get them (I suppose Gia was too). I posted a old comic clip about Trump on Facebook, got a happy Father's day pix from my grandgirls. At church on Sunday, Mark Mitchell was the guest preacher. His message came from Mathew 5:17-20. I brought along my Greek Bible and surprised myself by understanding the entire four verses--without any translation help. Thank you God. On Sunday afternoon, I prepared for my flight to Florida. It will be great to visit with my family. When Jeff dropped by the house at 7pm, my adventure began. He put my little Gia suitcase in the trunk and I carried my iPad shoulder bag. After getting my boarding pass at Delta, I hung out at the USO for an hour. I passed through security and boarded my flight at 9:15. I listened and noted corrections to my book of Rwanda. Monday - June 16 At midnight, I was somewhere over Texas. With the 3-hour time change, I landed in Atlanta at 5am. I had two hours to wander and wait. I ate the two boiled eggs I had packed. Soon I was off for Florida at 7am. Simon met me at PBI driving his MG. I squeezed in and we rumbled to his place on Flagler Ct. It's good to be with my son. He said he was busy with his work, calls and meetings. He's doing a lot to prepare for his time away at Orlando and Europe. I was pooped with travel and napped for several hours. Lorenzo and Gia came by about 4pm. I gave each an envelope of 100 euros for their travel to Europe. At 5:00 we left to get a haircut for Lorenzo and Simon. Simon prepared a dinner of ravioli and we watched some TV. I was still tired so I turned in early. The two teenagers were staying with Dilia overnight. Tuesday - June 17
I was borrowing Lolo's room as he stayed with Dilia. I slept in some before going for a long walk down Flagler. It was already warm - 82 degrees and high humidity. In order for Simon to work and the teenagers to be occupied, Simon drove us to a shopping mall. He returned home and we would take a bus. The two were hungry so we had lunch at Chick-fil-a. I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with my grandchildren. We did a little shopping, then returned by bus to a corner near the house. Simon picked us up. During this time, Simon was busy fixing a leak in his bathroom. He had two of his repair guys come over, one to pull out part of the sink cabinet and one to deal with plumbing. The house was busy with packing and fixing. I stayed up kind of late talking with Simon about Politics and life. Wednesday - June 18 Age is taking its toll. I did spend a lot of time in Lolo's room just resting - horizontal time I call it. Simon is busy at work, Lolo is watching TV/his laptop, and Gia in her room with door closed. I walked down Flagler, and helped Simon with packing. We adjusted the weights in his garage to make room for two cars while he is away. I read a Father's Day card from Dilia to Simon. It is an unusual relationship. They both appreciate the parenting skill of the other. We ate dinner at Chipotle Mexican Grill while Simon went to Home Depot for sprinkling parts. Back home he made repairs to his irrigation system. Too much water pressure was damaging the water lines. I watched a few movies - Pirates of the Caribbean? - with Lolo and talked late with Simon. Thursday- June 19 This was a transition day. Both Lolo and Gia came by the house about 8am. (Early for them). We did some packing of bags, then Simon and I went to the airport Enterprise to pick up a car. It was a giant GM Acadia which I drove to the house. Simon parked the Tesla in the garage - first time he said. We weren't in a big hurry, so ate lunch, packing up some excess food for Orlando. Simon was constantly on the phone, coordinating details with Zachary. We left for Orlando about 11:30, planning to arrive about 2:00. We traveled up Highway 441 then the Florida Turnpike. We stopped at a turnpike plaza for a break. The kids ordered baked potatoes at Wendy's. I had an ice cream. On the second leg, I quizzed Simon about the 100 top rappers. He seemed to recognize all the names, taking exception to Jay-Z being #1. We arrived at Hyatt Place about 2:30. Zachary was at McDonalds, but he soon showed up with his family. I have no greater joy than to see my sons and grandchildren mingle and actually enjoy each other's company. I sat by the pool for a while and watched Zélie shoot Lorenzo with a high-tech squirt gun. After a rest, we walked to a nearby Korean restaurant called KPot, where we each ordered our own hot bowl of steaming meat and vegetables. The total was $225, but it was an experience. It's just good to be with family. Friday- June 20 This was the long day at the Universal Studios theme park. I walked 17,000 steps. About 9am Simon, Lorenzo, and Gia walked the 20 minutes to the Universal front gate. I left in Zach's car a bit later. I thought I could get a military discount, but that didn't work out and it cost $200 for the day. (ouch!) The day was hot and humid as we passed through the different themes: Harry Potter, Simpsons, Dr. Suess, and a few more. I went on the Harry Potter train and a Krusty Clown simulated roller coaster. Lorenzo, Gia, and Zélie went on a big roller coaster, but I sat that out. As I was standing in line at a crowded restaurant, there was lightning, thunder, then a downpour. I can't remember a time in life when I just stood and purposely got soaked to the skin. Maybe in the army? However, it got cooler after the heavy rain and the sky remained overcast. We walked more and I watched my four grandchildren enjoy the amusements. About 3pm, I walked with Zachary back to the room for needed horizontal time. We drove back about 5, but apparently the rest were pooped out too, so we all walked back to the Hyatt Place. It was a good cram-packed day of amusements at Universal Studios, enough for this grandpa. Saturday- June 21 The day began with a hotel breakfast and for some a visit to the gym. We celebrated Simon's 48th birthday. Yippee! We were uncertain of our plans but we ended up going to DezerLand just a few blocks away from the hotel. The place claimed to house the largest collection of specialty cars in Florida. The family had fun with the arcades and wandering. We ate lunch at an odd place called Mexican Camel, then had gelato before parting ways. Zélie was so sad to separate from her cousins. It was then a 30-minute drive to the Airport Hyatt Regency. The single room was expensive, looking down upon the Orlando Airport Terminal. Simon made a nest on the floor with blankets, while Gia and Lorenzo slept on a bed. I walked through the airport to locate my departure site at Frontier Airlines. It was so odd, they only accepted screen based boarding passes. Paper passes were $25 extra. I ate the second half of my burrito and turned in at 10pm. Sunday- June 22 I awoke at 5:30am to catch my flight. I aroused Simon so he could sleep on my bed and patted the back ends of sleeping Lorenzo and Gia. I was out the door before six. I'm glad there were no hitches. One never knows with Frontier. I sat in seat 16c for the five-hour flight home. It was long. Frontier has no screen or WiFi. I did listen to my WW2 Audible and my own book. I landed at SFO about 10:30. Jeff met me pretty quick and I was on my way home. I unlocked the front door and my adventure was over! End of 7-day Florida Adventure I rested for the rest of Sunday, trying to overcome fatigue and jet-lag. (I had woken up at 2:30am California time!) I unpacked and showered. I did puzzles with Liz and loaded my iPad photos onto the desktop. About 4pm I shopped at Safeway to fill an empty fridge. I failed to attain my ten thousand steps only getting in 5090. Alas. I was also following the international news about the US bombing of Iran's nuclear sites. Who knows where this will lead? The final ten days of June passed with the regularity of a heart beat. The weather was mild; I got my steps in everyday; I re-read and revised by massive text - now 390 pages. I discovered the actual doctoral dissertaion of Jason McCoy about Simon Bikini. I'm reading through that and making adjustments to my book. I enjoy reading the comics I can't believe how prescient Berkeley Breathed was back in 1989, making all the far-off predictions of Donald Trump. I guess it was in the stars. I drove to Castro Valley on Tuesday to have the extraction site of my future implant looked at. I was happy to get the sutures removed. On Wednesday, I put 4 new tires plus alignment on my Prius Prime for $1001. I saved a $100 because I had locked in a cheaper quote at Big O three weeks earlier. With new tires, I decided to get a car wash. I laughed when the car-wash guy said "We have an upgrade. I'll no longer be buy 3 and get a fourth wash free. Now it's buy 4 and get the fifth free!" What ugrade?! I went to a BurlPress BBQ on saturday evening, eathing too much yummy tri-tip beef, then on Sunday went to CPC with Liz. Not a bad sermon from Matthew 5. Got my monthly haircut at Supercuts for $27 with $3 tip. And now the year is half way over! As the second half of the year began, I pondered my circumstance. I felt under-used. True, my Memoir Class and my Men's Fraternity are on a summer hiatus, but for many days at a stretch there is nothing on my calendar. I want to reach out and do things with other people, but my introverted personality isolates me. Liz and do some things together. Our relationship seems healthy, but without many friends, a regular job, and a shadow dog. I focus a lot on writing and watching podcasts. I do hope to reach out more on this second half of 2025.
Wednesday- July 2 I awoke on Wednesday morning ready for my drive. I did my morning combo of Bible Study, puzzles, and news. Liz and I left the house at the same time, 9:00, she with Allan to the coast and me for the trek east. The drive was longer than anticipated. I didn't pull into Sierra City until 3pm. Along the way at stopped for shopping at Walmart in San Lorenzo, then gas near Stockton, then for a walk at Rice's Crossing North Reserve/Bear Yuba Land Trust. I was listening to a little of Bach and Jason McCoy's dissertation that he wrote about Simon Bikindi. I want to incorporate some ideas into my book. After checking into the Sierra Pines Resort Hotel, I rested and got the feel for the cabin and grounds. I had a dinner reservation and ordered a rib-eye steak. It was good. I saved half a portion for the next day. I did some writing in the evening and finished up my 10k steps. Thursday - July 3 On the 3rd of July I walked along Highway 49 and visited Ken and Linda Napier at nearby Sardine Lake. I talked a while at noon, then returned, to congregate with a Meet-Up group of 8 at 5:00. I also stopped off at Bassetts for a little shopping. It was a day of relaxing by the trout pond and strolling the grounds. I completed the second half of the previous day's dinner. For warmed over, it wasn't too bad. Friday - July 4 For Independence Day I wanted to hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. Is that patriotic? I walked up a switch-back trail and back for an hour without reaching a viewpoint walking past a few real hikers that whizzed by me. And so, I got 15k steps on July 4. It was good to be in the wilderness. In the evening, a July 4 celebration took place in a lot across the street from the hotel. There was a blue grass band and food. I unfolded my rocking/ camping chair and listened for a while, enjoying a $10 hamburger. A singer mentioned that "half the town was present". The then laughed, "This is about 100 people." Alas, It's hard to re-capture holiday nostalgia in a far-off place at a far-off age, with unfamiliar people. I stayed up late writing about Africa. Saturday - July 5 I got up early for the long drive home. I was listening to classical and audible much of the way. In Yuba City, on HW 99, I was pulled over by Highway Patrol. He said I was going over 70MPH. Fortunately for me, he let me off with a warning. Maybe it was the VETERAN on my DL or the MAJOR on my insurance? who knows? I did a long walk north of Sacramento along a rice field, perfectly flat and quiet. I made a few more stops and was home by 2pm. I showered and rested and put together some photos of the trip. That was Saturday. End of 3 nights at Sierra City I went to CPC on Sunday listening to Kevin Sneed give a sermon on divorce and on Monday I received a batch of photos from Simon. He just returned from his trip to Europe. It looks like the two children had a wonderful time. Gia fit right into Italy! Liz called me into her room at the sight of woodpeckers out her window. They were looking for a home, but a few haws convinced them to move on. The days passed with me working on the final chapter of my book: Mission Year 2014 - The Cloud of Witnesses. I caught glimpses of Zélie and Zofia on line. My plan was to stay at Prayer Mountain for two nights- July 14 & 15. I did stop along the coast for some beach time. My overnight fell through when I got a message from Liz that she had fallen on a hike at Thornwood. She stumbled on a rock and fell forward onto her shoulder and face. She was carried out in an ambulance to Stanford Hospital. I dropped off some donations at Prayer Mountain and drove the hospital, getting there by 2pm. Liz was checked into a room, x-rayed, and found to have a crack in her humorous bone. She also had scrapes on her face and elbow. Poor thing! I stayed with her until 7pm when she was able to demonstrate her walking ability. She wore her hospital gown home. We were up to about 9. But the drama didn't end. About 3am, as she walking to the bathroom, she passed out and fell to the floor. She remained there calling to me, but I didn't hear her. Finally, at 5:50am, I heart some sounds and found her. She said her back hurt and she couldn't sit up. She called 911 and went back to Stanford. Ironically it was the same trauma team. They recognized her. I followed the ambulance and was with her until 2pm - the process is unbearably slow because the attending physician must approve every move, food and walk included. They did more x-rays and diagnosis. At the point we left, surgery was uncertain. - - and that was an unfortunate Monday and Tuesday. The second half of July was focused on Lizzie's recovery. She could not drive and she stayed in bed a lot. Many people visited the house and she received phone calls, flowers, and visits. I drove her to Urgent Care once and ordered arm slings, and other items via Amazon Prime. We had arguments about me going away overnight and I cancelled a two-night stay at Pigeon Point hostel (July 30 to August 1) and 4 nights at Fort Bragg (August 14-17). She admits it's mostly her anxiety, but I have to deal with that. My days were spent walking, going to the gym, and writing. I did finish the last chapter of the book: 2014-The Cloud of Witnesses. Hurrah! I did a lot of mundane things like visit the dentist, get the car maintained, have lunch with Table 1, get my hair cut, and drop by the BurlPres mens' group on Saturday. I did go to church alone on July 27. One morning I read my Greek six verses and came across "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Mark 8:34.) Is it too honest to admit that Liz has been a kind of cross and I do need to practice denying myself? And so, the month ended with struggle and some resolution. August picked up where July had left off. I felt like my wings were clipped. Liz and I bickered a lot. She was cranky, bored, dealing with her injury, and trying to claw back her cruise expenses. I kept on telling her, "If you are kind and your request is reasonable, I'll do it." So I helped her with her ice machine, cold packs, sling binding, plant watering, and other tasks around the house. I drove her to doctor appointments and a cut and color. On August 8 we had lunch at Celia's with her mom and sister. I began driving Liz to the gym every few days and a lot of women came to the house to help her out. I kept to my routine of early morning, cryptoquip, 6 verses of Greek translation (now in Mark 10), two sets of comics (Sometimes I read about myself in the funny papers) and the news from YouTube (still Trump making headlines). I did begin to plan my upcoming cruise called Iberian Embrace, envisioning how it will be different without Liz. - I'd rather have her company, but solo is okay. A private big room and later nights sounds different. I scheduled myself four nights at a hotel in Fort Bragg up the California coast. I cancelled that at Liz's insistance. However, I did book a ride on something called the Skunk Train. I decided to keep that booking. On August 15 I drove up Highway 101 for neary 4 hours to get to Fort Bragg. I stopped off at the old Ashton Lane house. It was nostalgic - odd - familiar but different. The property had changed and I had changed. How much was one and how much the other is hard to say. The Skunk Train itself was hardly worth the drive at eight hours in the car and $185 for the Presidential car. It was a slow haul into the redwoods - 20 minutes in and 20 minutes out, then 40 minutes at a rest stop. I did enjoy a lawn chair by a creek. It spite of that effort, it was still good to get out of a rut for one full day - 12 hours. Being pretty much homebound, I was able to focus on my book. As a matter of fact, I finished up the last section: Epilogue. I'll do some re-reading/editing while on the cruise and then look to publishing the product. I've been following the activities of my children. It looks like Ruth is making a job change, moving from Carlow University to Duquesne. (← a word I'll never learn to spell). As the month continued, there was more looking after the needs of Liz. That continuing oblication was mitigated by anticipation of the upcoming cruise.I planned events in both Barcelona nad Bilbao: buses, tours, and museums. It will be fun. On August 19, I drove Lize to a Stanford clinic. I treated her to Word Wraps at the Stanford mall. I shared a lunch with Lindsay the mailman on the next day and on Thursday drove to see Dr. Shimane in Castro Valley. This was the last consultation of Part One. I have an implant scheduled for September. It's a long process. On Friday, Liz and I went for a walk at Filoli. As we passed the bookstore I heard a guitar rendition of Paul McCartney's Yesterday. I spoke to LIz, "Summer of 1965." Aoubt 30 seconds later we began a walk through the extensive road garden. The first label I noted was "the McCartney" next to a red-pink rose. I thought to myself, "Will any pop artist of today carry such impact in 60 years?" I honed my novel more, then decided to contract with Kathy Ide to edit the book. That won't begin until December but it needs another pair of discerning eyes. I was going through my checklist for for the upcoming cruise ✓ . To be self-referential, this journal which is now being typed was on the to-do list. ✓ On August 30, I packed and checked. Liz Q will be staying in my room, so I cleaned as best I could. Liz and I went to the Hillsdale Mall for a last harrah. Sorry she has to stay behind. Jeff came at 3:00 and my adventure began! August 30 - In the Air Lots of steps this day, walking from international terminal to USO in terminal 1 then back to international terminal (but wrong place, then) all the way around to distant gate G in Terminal 3. That totaled 16226 steps for Saturday. The 11-hour flight to Barcelona was tedious, especially the first half. My legs and hips hurt, but after the pain pill, I slept much of the second half. I was listening to an audible on the history of Spain. The day was shortened to 15 hours by 9 time zones. S P A I N After travel and little sleep, was good to have a day just to recoup. The taxi driver took me to wrong hotel; the Boutique Hotel Constanza instead of the Hotel Constanza. So, I overpaid for the taxi ride. I was tired when I finally arrived at 4pm and ate snacks which I had brought along. I slept until midnight, got up for an hour or so then slept again until 8am. The room was very small, but sufficient for my needs.
September 1 - Barcelona, Spain My full day in Barcelona was active. I made it next door for breakfast, to a place called the Egg Lab. I ordered the Spanish egg breakfast with a mocha. At 17€, I thought it was over-priced. I chilled in my little room a bit, still a bit jet lagged. At 1pm I walked down the street to catch a 2-hour tour of the city on a big golf cart called Eco Tuc-Tuc. I was the lone passenger and Beatrix was the driver/guide. She drove me from place to place, explaining things as we passed them. The cultural land mark is the La Sagrada Familia, a massive church that continues to be crafted and constructed after 140 years. I was able to hop out and snap a few pictures. But the streets were packed and building barricades everywhere. (I'll have to take the virtual tour.) It reminded me of visiting the Mormon Temple earlier in the year. We zoomed up and down streets as I hopped on and off. I did walk for a stretch at a mountain top to look down upon the city. I was back to my hotel room by 3:30. I rested the rest of the day, going for a walk in the evening. I enjoyed a plate of spaghetti and ice cream. When I attempted to charge my watch overnight, the current did not work! I tried several of the outlets with no luck. And so, I planned to buy a new watch in the morning. September 2 - Bilbao, Spain It was a busy day, packed with activity. I ate breakfast again at the Egg Lab, then followed my iPad route to a Casio shop. I decided to buy an old-school Casio watch. I had forgotten how heavy such a watch was. 59€. I then talked with the front desk to get an airport taxi. In 30 minutes, I was back at the Barcelona airport. Veurling airlines is based in the city and after an hour's flight I arrived in Bilbao. A taxi took me from the airport to the old section of Bilbao. My hotel, Goien Boutique, was located on a narrow side street. I checked in at 1:30 and rested. Room 44 was small, but a bit larger than the one on Barcelona. I had an entrance ticket for the Guggenheim Museum for 24€ at 5:30 and planned an on-off bus to get there and around the city. I walked a few streets to catch the Bilbo city view bus for 14€. After 4 stops, I hopped off at the Puppy - the flowered doggie sculpture - at the entrance to the museum. On this stop, I figured I'd stroll the exterior to view the outside art which was mainly the Puppy and the Spider. The titanium shell of the museum was also amazing. I hopped back on the bus for a complete circuit of one hour. I listened to the tour through red ear plugs. When I disembarked it was time for the Guggenheim Museum. I'm not much of a fan of modern art, but it was fun to dialog with Simon about the collection. I took lots of photos. I moseyed around the three levels for 90 minutes or so. I was hungry and rather than explore local cuisine, I ran across a McDonalds. I struggled with the Spanish of the auto-menu and accidentally ordered too much food. I over-ate, of course. When I got back to the bus stop, I sat for several minutes then noted the last tour bus departed at 7:30 - it was 7:45. And so I walked back to the hotel. My iPad said it was 32 minutes, but it seemed more. There were lots of steps, but without my smart watch, I couldn't count them. I sacked out after this long day. September 3 - Bilbao, Spain This was my second day in Bilbao. I discovered that my smart watch would charge if I plugged it directly into a USB port. Yippee. Therefore, I stashed my Casio and resumed wearing my step-counting fit-bit. I had signed up for a road tour called Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Gernika Tour from Bilbao. I walked a few blocks to the hotel Tayko. There I waited a while for Michael who would drive the tour van. It was a long drive, maybe 30 minutes to the spit of land called Gaztelugatxe. Apparently, this was a former monastery and more recently a featured location in a film series called Game of Thrones. I walked with our group of nine to the viewpoint and gazed out at the amazing sight. It was a rugged island with a causeway, then a staircase to the pinnacle, which lead to a Christian chapel. A pier of tunneled cliffs extended to the right. It looked awesome with the cascading stairs. Here's what the brochure said "San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Trail is an out-and-back trail that covers 1.6 miles, with an elevation gain of 738 feet. It takes about 1 - 1.5 hours to complete and is 241 steps up then back." I realized that was beyond my reach as I slowly tottered back from the view point. Because all 8 customers passed on the hike, Michael said we could make a few extra stops. So, we traveled in Basque Country, to the coast and a few historical sites. My favorite stop was at Guernica, the town that was bombed by the Nazis and memorialized by Picasso's famous painting. We returned to the start point by 2pm. I rested a bit and did some walking around this old section of Bilbao. One wall sticker was about Basque independence and one connected Picasso to Palestine. September 4 - Bilbao, Spain (shipboard) I got up in the morning with a plan to leave for the airport about 11am. I paced myself with a breakfast and walk around town. I listened to my audible of Spanish history caught up on the news. My taxi arrived about 11:30 and I headed to the airport, passing many Bilbao sites that I recognized. I was dropped at the side of the Oceana cruise ship called Vista. My boarding was quick. How familiar it all felt. I ate a Philly cheese sandwich for lunch. Then I sat poolside until my room became available at 3:00. I unpacked the 2 suitcases and settled into my suite #8081. It's bigger than my last 2 rooms and seems extra roomy without my lovely wife. I did hear from Liz saying LizQ had arrived and she was driving her to medical appointments. I loafed around until 6:30 when my dinner was scheduled at the Ember. The T-bone was not that great, although the meal presentation was over-the-top. The Vista pulled from the dock at 7pm. I strolled the decks to get my 10k steps and from the balcony looked out to sea. I did do my laundry, a four days accumulation. Getting old is not fun; being old and alone is less so. September 5 - Gijon, Spain Overnight the Vista traveled from Basque Country to Galacia, docking at 8am. I felt a few quivers of the ship. I carried out my onboard morning routine of fetching a mug of coffee, doing 6 verses of Greek translation, then eating breakfast. Liz had picked out most of these excursions and so there are a lot of garden tours. Today's tour was titled Atlantic Botanical Gardens and Laboral University. I sat in the Vista gathering hall until my number was called and walked in nice weather to the bus. Our tour guide was a bit hard to understand as she explained the local sights. The Galacian name of the city was Xixon. The gardens were large and each plant bore a label with Latin name. On the north coast, we were in the Asturias climate and the plants were indigenous to this locality and to the North Atlantic zone. The gardens were well-kept and forested areas wild. There were numerous streams. However, there was little color or flowering foliage. We then went to the nearby Universidad Laboral, the place was open stone court yard surrounded with architectural splendor, a neoclassical masterpiece. I rested at a coffee shop and took multiple photos. The place houses the tallest masonry structure in Spain and large church with murals. I didn't recognize one of the religious figures. I messaged Zachary. He said the boy with fish and Angel meant it was Tobit. Zachary then sent me photos of his girls in front of murals. In the evening, I rested and listened to my Audible of Spain's history. My evening meal was a slice of roast beef with extras. September 6 - La Coruna, Spain After my morning preparations, I walked to Vista Lounge. Our excursion guide listed the three stops on bus trip as: "Travel to Galicia's captivating past, to an imposing castle, a timeless fishing village and a graceful country estate surrounded by flowering gardens." We went to the sights. The castle was just a look-see because of the steep entrance fee. I walked the seaside and took some photos. The gardens were walk paths through stone monuments and trimmed hedges. There were not many flowering plants, but it was near the water. We finally stopped off at a plaza, crowded with tourists and locals. The weathered stone structures presented a facade unfamiliar to my American eyes. We did pass by at a distance the last Roman-era lighthouse in Spain. The young man who led the excursion was difficult to understand, therefore I listened to my History of Spain nearly all the tour. I'd been corresponding with Liz. She is encouraging me do more and eat less. She seems to be enjoying the company of LizQ. My wife reminded me of the terrible trolly car accident in Lisbon - Yes, it did impact my excursion. For my specialty restaurant reservation, I had the filet mignon at the Polo Grill. The night was extremely stormy. Decks 12 & 14 were cordoned off to traffic due to gale force wind. P O R T U G A L The night was stormy and travel bumpy. I had to get my sea legs every time I wandered to the toilet. When I first looked at my watch, it read 7:05am. "I wanted to get up by 6" I complained to myself. "I wish I could turn back the time". Then I looked outside and it was so dark still. Then I remembered I was is Portuguese waters. Yes! My iPad read 6:05. I had a few hours before my Sunday excursion departure at 8:15. I snatched the Oceania umbrella from the closet. Our guide spoke understandable English for a change. Our Tramway was delayed because automobiles obstructed the rail tracks. The mist turned into a drizzle, and some of us 30 tourists got wet. We finally boarded the tramway and slowly rumbled up a hill side. There was lots to see. We stopped at a monument to Henry the Navigator who was born near the site, and walked the streets. My umbrella was fending off a steady rain. We saw the institute of Port Wine. We then walked down the hillside to the riverside Avenue Gustavo Eiffel, lots of boats, shops, tents, and tourists. Soon we were on the return bus ride. It was quick because I fell asleep. I was happy to return at 1:30, in time for lunch - a Philly cheese sandwich. I walked the onboard track a bit and watched some news on the suite TV. I sat in the hot tub a bit and talked with fellow voyagers. My evening meal was light, a bit of beef and salad.
September 8 - Lisbon, Portugal I opened the balcony sliding door to its max. My room temperature was set at 68 and the outside temp was about the same. Who needs a sound machine when one has a real ocean rushing past the window? After my morning routine, I rushed to the Vista room to catch bus 24. The guide spoke excellent English and was pleasant. It was a long ride to the Queluz Palace which is advertised as an "exquisite botanical wonderland, which was inspired by the gardens of Versailles, and view its tiled canals, hanging gardens and sculptures. At Ajuda Palace, you'll discover Renaissance-style grounds." We bussed just down the road to a botanical called Ajuda Gardens, which was a showcase for more than 5,000 plants from around the world. As I walked, sometimes I listened to guide on my headsets and sometimes to an Audible of Spanish history. We got back about 1:30. I had a Ruben sandwich for lunch then went off the ship for another walk near the port. Liz sent me a picture of her outing to Filoli with LizQ. The excursions seem to be interesting, but the evenings not so much. September 9 - Lisbon, Portugal My morning was typical. Shower, dress, get a mug of coffee and stroll, lie in bed to do Greek verses, go to breakfast, then around 8:30 got the vista lounge for the excursion. On this second day in Lisbon, Liz scheduled an on-off-bus. Through Oceania the excursion was $79. The same bus was $39 online. Go figure. I hopped off and back on twice. Then I got dropped off about a mile from the Vista. I wrote this to Liz: "Sweetie, the excursion was an on-off bus. No tour guide. I did hop on and off at a few places. So many things appeared the same - a big plaza lined by big statuary. I'm trying to stay healthy, getting my steps and cutting back on yummy food." M O R O C C O Day six of ten. If today is Wednesday this must be Morocco. Highlights of Tangier was different, because the excursion set off at 1:15. I just loafed and ate and walked in the morning. Mohamed was the excursion guide. It was a blur of stops and walks as he waved the #31 lollipop. Here's what the brochure said we did: "View the lighthouse and bright blue waters of the Strait of Gibraltar at Cap Spartel; See the Caves of Hercules with vivid views of the ocean through the caves' openings; Meander the narrow streets of Tangier's charming medina; tea time at the hotel Andaluci, Appreciate free time among the vendors in the Grand Socco bazaar, the Casbah." Yes, I did all that. It was a busy afternoon. In the evening, I had a formal meal at the Red Ginger, talking with Rob and Becky. My main course was beef and Udom noodles. We had hoped to the see the rock of Gibraltar out our window, but by 8pm it was already dark. September 11 - Almeria, Spain On this seventh day of cruising I awoke to the news that Charlie Kirk had been shot dead and that Russia had launched drones at Poland. Alas. I like the afternoon excursions better than the morning ones. It breaks the day better: rest-active-rest. On this day the itinerary read: Enjoy a panoramic drive into the mountainous, scenic Alpujarras region; Meander about mountain villages known for their whitewashed Moorish architecture; Walk the palm-line promenade that follows the beach in Aguadulce. I did those things. The most amazing site to me was the 150 square miles of plastic tarp-The greenhouses (invernaderos) are located between Motril and Almeria. The area of El Ejido is well known to be agriculturally productive. An hour after my return to the vista, I visited the Horizon lounge for the captain's reception; cocktails, schmoozing, upscale. I felt awkward and alone. "The luxury, pampering, and hobnobery is wasted on me. As an introverted hobo, I'm more comfortable aside a camp fire partaking of a can of pork & beans. You can add the love of a good woman and my own mix of music." September 12 - Cartagena, Spain Friday's port was Cartagena (named after Carthage). I like midday excursions. I get to be lazy in the morning. The 1pm foray into Spain was called Cartagena by trolley and described thusly: "See the Roman Theater; Survey the ruins of the Santa Maria la Vieja Cathedral; Admire the beautifully embellished Town Hall; Glory in incredible vistas of the bay, the Old Quarter and the countryside from hilltop Torres Park." I did all that in 2 hours, although we didn't enter the Roman theater, only saw the outside. Pedestrians waved to us from sidewalks as we trolleyed by. Back on board, I strolled the ship and soaked in the hot tub. I've been listening to a recording of my own book, making notes of corrections. September 13 - Palma De Mallorca I knew little about the Balearic Islands, so the stop was instructive. After breakfast, I walked to The Vista Lounge then off-ship to the dock. I boarded bus 15 and followed the 15 lollipop for the next 4 hours. It was hot. The cathedral was impressive as the notes said: "Explore La Seu Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece featuring an impressive rose window and metalwork by Gaudi; Visit a purveyor of Mallorca's renowned imitation pearls; Relish time on your own to browse enticing shops; Admire Bellver Castle roaming the spaces." It was getting difficult to keep up with group of 20. I'm feeling my mortality: "Some morning I will sit down and won't be able to stand up. Some evening I will lie down and won't be able to rise up. Someday . . . someday, but not today." It was my final night on board. I packed my 2 pieces of luggage including purloined Vista tea, jam, lotions, a soda. I tagged them with yellow6 and left them outside the door. I then enjoyed an elegant meal at Toscana featuring filet mignon. As I followed the news, I did not anticipate the death of Charlie Kirk would have such an impact. I had done some Facebook jabbering about that assination. September 14 - Barcelona, Spain I roused from bed extra early at 5:45. I showered and double-checked the suite for possible lost items. I had an early breakfast omelet at 6:30, then waited in a lawn chair near the pool. It was my final day on board. When they called "yellow6" I exited the Vista to claim my luggage. The final Currents said I had traveled 1665 nautical miles from Bilbao to Barcelona. The taxi ride to the Aerohotel was 44€. I arrived at the hotel early and decided to take an on-off bus ride around Barcelona - I had the time. I use the local bus system and of course I got lost and such, but I got back before dark. It was relaxing to walk the streets and watch the local people. September 15 - The 35-hour day My return flight didn't leave until 4pm so I rested in the room until 11am - check-out time. I walked the neighborhood again, then caught the metro underground train to Terminal 1. My flight was delayed an hour so I got extra airport time. What can I say about the 11-hour flight back to SFO? It was long. It was odd getting 3 odd meals at odd times. I watched a few movies and was able to doze the final few hours. But it was a long day. and the passport line was long getting into SFO. Jeff picked me up about 10pm and soon I returned to my home. My 17-day solo adventure was done. I slept without a shower on the Monday night. End of cruise After a shower on Tuesday morning, I headed to my first Memoir class of the Fall Semester. Eight people showed up at 10am at the Senior Center. I thought attendance was pretty good. I remained jetlagged during the class and glad teaching was the only item on my daily agenda. For the rest of the day, I rested and pieced together videos of the cruise. On Wednesday morning, I drove to Castro Valley for my dental implant. This procedure was painful but not quite as bad as the extraction. I made a payment of $2300 for half of he treatment. I was in some pain and taking oxycodin for the next 48 hours. Wednesday was jetlag compounded with pain pills. On Thursday I led table one in the first meeting of Men's Fraternity. There were five beside myself. I wasn't so happy with the chosen curriculum, something called The Practicing the Way Course: an Eight-session primer on spiritual formation. I kept myself occupied by documenting my cruise with words and videos. Liz informed me that the dryer had broken down, so on Friday morning we drove to Home Depot and she picked out a replacement - to be delivered the following week. Saturday marked my return to the men's group at BurlPres. After that, I drove a few blocks to an assisted living place called The Truesdale. The discussion has started about where Liz and I will relocate in the not-to-distant future - that old age is creeping on. We attended CPC together on Sunday. I have been eating little because my teeth hurt, not so much #21 site of the implant, but #22 to its left. So I was still taking the pain meds. I walked with Steve on Monday and taught my second Memoir class on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning I had a Kaiser appointment with Dr. Teng. He froze a few bumps off my face. I then drove to East Bay for my implant follow up. I was concerned about my wobbly #22, but Dr. Shimane said not to worry. Liz had her hands full with a rat-proofing of the house on Tuesday and a dryer delivery on Wednesday. Through many of these hot days, I was was busy making a multitude of edits on my fiction manuscript. On September 26 to 28, I attended a Men's Retreat at Mount Hermon, staying two nights at Prayer Mountain. It worked out well. I thought the 3 speakers were good and especially enjoyed the seminar on Faith and AI. I talked with a lot of men, got in my requisite steps, and ate 6 meals. I rested on Monday for my upcoming road trip. On Tuesday after my Memoir class, I headed the Prius north for a visit to family in the Northwest. Because of my late start, I only drove the 207 miles to Red Bluff. My overnight at The River Inns and Suites cost only $57. The evening was hot, but the air conditioner worked and performed as white noise for the night. The room was of course shabby, but still a step up from camping. On Wednesday, I lazed in Red Bluff until 10am, knowing my lunch date with Jimmy Walker was set at 1pm. The drive was 210 miles, but I took the trip leisurely, stopping along the route. I met Jim at his home on Mistybrook Drive in Grants Pass at the appointed time. We talked at his house a bit then he drove up to a local Red Robin for burgers. Jim tells me he and Valerie are carnivores now. We also talked about his family. (Jael is pregnant with baby 6 and she is moving to Medford - Josiah is premiering a video). Jim's passion seems to be providing equipment for stage band performances. I was with him for two hours then headed north again. I continued my travel the 139 miles to the Eugene/Springfield Motel 6. This low-cost-1-star room cost me $67. But it was OK. The neighborhood was run-down and near I-5, but I was content with a simple room. On Thursday morning, I drove to the Apple Store in Tigard, about 100 miles. I wanted to buy a new iPad since my current one had been run over by a car. I was prepared to shell out over $1000 but the Apple guy told me my insurance would cover the damage and the replacement would only be $99! I had convinced myself the device would not be covered. (Note to Reader: sometimes my wrong assumptions turn into convictions turn into facts.) However, a replacement iPad was not in stock and I'd have to pick it up on the return trip. I arrived at Frank's place in Vancouver about 30 minutes after I left Tigard. That was 18 miles. So, the whole trip equaled about 724 miles. I talked with Frank a while, rested in his upstairs guest room, then attended an evening men's group at his church. Frank led the session. I ate pizza. Once back at his place, I plugged in my Prius for the night. On Friday morning, we talked by phone with Franc Murenzi from Butare. My brother is planning his conference tentatively called Render unto Caesar. After that, we walked around Salmon Creek Trail, near the pond. We talked more about Africa and his upcoming mission trip. About noon we headed to Longview in my Prius to visit with Eileen. Her dog, Misty, refused to stop barking - yap-yap-yap. After a short while, we three went to see Jim Francis. I had brought along a satchel of ancient papers from my grade school/high school years. I especially liked cards I got from Mrs. Chambers - one from 1958 and one from 1968. It was a good get-together. Lelia had driven the pick-up to Jim's house, but the headlights didn't work for the return trip and it was dark. Luckily the high beams shown. I went to Eileen's for the night and endured the yapping dog. On Saturday morning, Eileen and I went to her senior breakfast at Columbia Heights Church for 70+ people. It was called Vintage and was fun to participate in. I sat across from a man who was wearing Dad's cross given to him in the 1970s. We had soup and pie and talked about school days. I spoke with Marilyn who is going to Rwanda and liked my Forgive Like a Rwandan book. Eileen scheduled a luncheon with Shelly at Dennys after which we three visited Charlotte's grave site. Then, about 5pm I drove to Jim's house for a second dose of Jim Francis. We walked something called the kitty cat count walk. This is a neighborhood walk where one counts cats as a contest. Jim said he has accompanied Aleshia, Christopher, Sarah, and finally Charlotte on the walks. He drove us to McDonalds for cheeseburgers. All this was good talking to my oldest friend. I drove to Frank's place about 7 arriving an hour later. The time was late so it was up to guest room before sacking out. On Sunday morning we went to Frank's church where we set up a table of Rwanda stuff. I only stayed long enough to greet the people from the church front. But I'm happy to help the cause of Rwanda. Then I drove to Tigard to pick up my replacement iPad. It was an hour at the Apple store, then an hour at the ATT store next door to get my cellular data going. It was a good deal for $99. No more cracked screen! And then came the long 316-mile drive to Yreka. I stopped for potty breaks, gas, and walks along the route down I-5. My cheap hotel was Econo Lodge suites. I paid $51 with my hotel.com rebate applied. I stayed up past midnight, getting my new iPad up to speed. I figured the i-cloud back-up wasn't that great. Lots of stuff did not get restored. NOTE: this is why there are no photos of this journey north. The back-up did not restore the photos of the previous few days. On Monday, I left Yreka about 10am and headed south for my 329-mile journey home. I stopped at Weed for gas and a walk to a Wells Fargo ATM for $300 cash. I then stopped in Red Bluff to message Liz that I would be home about 6pm. I listened to WW2 audios and to my pdf book to pass the 7 hours. My last gas top was at Arbuckle at Poppy Gas and Market. Zoom! I made it home a few minutes before 6pm. Liz was a bit stressed out during my absence. She had a plumber over for much of the day. I was pooped and didn't stay up much longer. End of road trip I taught my Memoir class on Tuesday morning with 6 in attendance. I shared some of my memorabilia including an English assignment from 1968. It was at t hat time I learned how to look up definitions for words I did not know. I went to Bob's car wash after my class to clean my travel-worn Prius. After resting a while, I went to the gym for a walk and shower. In the evening, I ordered a banner for Frank's African mission. I hope it arrives in time. I tinkered more with my iPad getting it up to snuff. I successfully applied the screen protector. Hurray! |
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