Heading north again

It was hard to say goodbye to Ben and Julia this morning, but they'll be glad to have their house back! We're looking forward to coming again to explore more of their favourite places in the city. They treated to a fun breakfast at Bette's and presented Jim with an early birthday gift before we piled into the car. We made good time and are overnighting in Grant's Pass. Mt. Shasta was completely snowcovered just like it was when we were going the other way in December. The last photo proves that men on the road talk softly and carry a big spoon.

Visit to the Zs and Wights

Our good friends Todd Zazelenchuk and Helen Wight live in San Mateo with baby Sam. We showed up for supper tonight and had a good catch up with them. Our timing was impeccable; we arrived just as Todd got out of his car with pizza. Fourth-month-old Sam is, of course, adorable and tolerated being passed back and forth. We are again reminded what good friends they are and how we wish they were closer.

San Fran

Having fun, cooking (see the beautiful artichokes we got at the market?), walking, eating! So much to eat in this city! Julia showed us how to use Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains, so we don't need to use the car much. Rick, Karin and Jim walked to Berkeley campus yesterday (there was a protest of some sort) and on the walk home, stopped to pick up some basil plants. We're rehabilitating the kids' backyard garden. Ben's old high school friend Tony just got back from an extended stay in Thailand, so he came by last night looking very calm and Jesus-like and we all swapped travel stories. Jim wrote a postcard to his YMCA coworkers and one to Jon to drop in the mailbox today. Beautiful sunny day and blue skies so a good day for more gardening.

Cooking at Ben and Julia's

We made it to San Francisco in good time yesterday, and arrived about 5 p.m. Julia made one of her famous roti-dahl-choka dinners and we all pitched in to help. Had a great evening! Jim is bunking on a great air mattress, we got the kids' room and they slept out in the shed :) Their house is very cozy and feels happy!

Heading north after E.B.

We're packed up after a great visit in San Diego. Car is full and ready to start the leg north, at least as far as San Francisco on Sunday. We can't leave until after Xander finds out what E. B. (Easter Bunny) has left him and by the sounds of it, that will be EARLY! Jim is already in SF with Ben and Julia so we can make the miles tomorrow if we don't hit traffic. Ben came down for a family get-together around Jim; we left it as a surprise for Xander until the last minute. He thinks Uncle Ben is a god, so he couldn't believe what a good day it was! His knock-knock joke prowess alone almost outdoes Bobo (of course, if it's an early morning, he cheats with the Internet). Did an array of 'grandparent' things like walking Xan to and from preschool, going to the San Diego Zoo, helped make a secret fort, went out for barbeque at Phil's, helped out with gardening and landscaping, shampooed the dog, took Xan to the grocery, dyed Easter eggs, etc. Xander says, "Amma and Bobo, I can go with you and live at your house!" I think we'd get tired :)

Sad news about kids' grandmother

Oddly enough, we were at a family gathering around Jim last night when we got some sad news. The kids' grandmother, Maddy, passed away. She has just turned 90 in March and died quietly at home. Char and Larry were there as were Char's brother and Jim's Uncle Ned, Aunt Helen and cousin Nicole, us, Erin, Benjamin and Jim. We were glad to be around for the kids, too. Maddy was a wonderful person who always made us feel welcome. Rick has cherished memories of times they spent together over bagels when he was part of the Davis family. We loved her stories about the business about as much, we suspect, as she loved telling them. Erin found a really good (and accurate) piece in the LA Times tonight.

Hikes

Yesterday we did our second Hermit Gulch hike and made it to the top in record time, just about 40 minutes. It was oddly unclear with fog, but very sunny. We were greeted at the summit by a little gecko, who found us fascinating. We walked up to the top of the Conservancy the other day (first two photos) and it's good to see the hillsides a lot more lush and green than our last visit here after the horrible 2007 fire. Turns out, a guy from Indiana owes some money for that. Other than a blackened tree here and there, you'd never know it happened. Only one more day here and we're back to San Diego. We don't want to leave!

Buffalo and airplanes

We’ve been coming to Catalina for years and had always heard about the legendary buffalo but had never seen them, just poo. In 1924, 14 bison were brought over for the filming of a movie, The Vanishing American. They were hard to round up later, so the Wrigley family said to just let them go. 14 grew to 600 and now they try not to let them go over the 300 mark. When that happens, they barge them to the mainland and I think they end up in South Dakota?

Anyway, we’ve never gone farther inland than our hike up to the Haypress Reservoir, and we always thought the interior tours were a bit expensive. For a lot less money, you can catch the airport shuttle. Karin’s dad bought a Cessna 195 from a doctor in LA in the late Sixties. They did a test flight and came out to Catalina, had lunch at the airport café and headed back. Dad said the flight was good, he was sold on the plane, but the smog was so thick on the return that he had trouble finding the Long Beach airport and should have been on instruments.

Erin and Xan visit, surprise Indiana company

Carrying on the tradition of being a kid on Catalina Island just like his dad, Xander came over to spend a couple of days with us in Avalon. Michael was busy with work at home, but Erin and Xan spent some time hiking and finding big treasures on the beach. “Seashells” will be a bit hit as the Sharing Letter S at preschool.

We were happy that Rick’s brother Jim and Cherie were able to make the trip, too, as a last minute thing if only for 2 days. But they at least overlapped so they could see Erin and meet Xander. He ran to them with arms open wide when they got off the ferry and decided there is now a Big Uncle Jim and his Uncle Jim, and an Aunt Cherie. The Indiana Schwiers were dog tired, but we didn’t miss the chance to show them the Casino theatre, and take Xander to his First Movie in a Real Theatre! The famous pipe organ was being played before the movie, and Xander agreed that it was to mark the occasion of his presence. When the organist (you'll meet him in the video) turned to wave at the crowd, he was clearly waving just to Xan. We saw Hop. It didn’t even start until past his bedtime, but he dutifully took a nap in the afternoon and stuck it out through the entire show. Xan’s head was bobbing in the wagon on the walk back home in the dark but so were Jim and Cherie’s—everyone slept well that night.

The Rubber Ducky Derby was on Sunday, but our #730 must not have made it to shore first because no one has delivered our big winnings. Erin and Xan left Sunday morning and Jim and Cherie left Monday afternoon after a few good hikes, good meals, lots of laughs and our first ever golf cart rental to see the sights.

San Diego Stewarts, Catalina Island

We had a couple of wonderful days with the Stewarts. Xan is a very energetic, chatty 4 so he was a good tonic for jet lag. Not that we’re biased, but we’re so proud of him. He has good manners, a good genetic sense of humour, and loves life and everyone around him. His favourite words are “Why?” and “Hey, know what?” and "Actually..." He thinks it would be good if we moved to San Diego, preferably just down the street so he could walk there. We harvested ladybugs from the back yard hill and deposited them on a vine with aphids, a fascinating biology experiment. Rick got to smoke a ceegar with son-in-law, and one night made pizzas. We hiked a new part of Cowles Mountain and Michael found a garter snake, a big hit.

Karin got a book interview done in Mira Mesa and we stocked up on some groceries for the Catalina house. Feeling a bit nostalgic about New Zealand, we picked up this dish soap. It’s just not the same; it doesn’t smell like sheep at all! On Monday we drove up to Dana Point, put the car in long-term parking and hopped on the ferry to Catalina Island. We’ve been coming to Avalon for years now and, for the most part, it stays peaceful and consistent. Ahh, to wake up to the sound of golf carts going up and down Sumner Avenue! There are crows everywhere; wonder if one of them is Russell? We’ve got writing underway; both finishing books, and a few other things but we’ll spend time hiking, and eating some good fresh fish. Michael’s Aunt Sue, who owns the cottage, has a couple of chores for us to do, and Erin & Xander are coming out for a visit on Friday. So we won’t be bored. Life is good.