Camping - Winter 2022

 Today was a wash for me. I stayed in bed with chills, headache, body aches, and fatigue, not even caring that I wasn’t able to enjoy this day of glorious sunshine. Phil went into town and shopped at Costco and Trader Joe’s, then worked out at the Y before returning. But I had a faithful companion. Actually, both dogs lay on the bed with me all day, commiserating.  Thank goodness for audiobooks, which helped pass the hours as they dragged by. A friend had recommended Ellie Dwyer’s Great Escape , which I downloaded from Hoopla as an audiobook, and it got me through the day. I began to feel stronger and less achey after a salmon and broccoli dinner, but then developed a muscle spasm in my back from lying on the bed for two days. It was much worse lying down, so I sat up and watched movies ( A Little Chaos and Effie Gray , both on Netflix and both highly recommended) until 2 a.m. All those stories were a way of making lemonade out of this lemon of a day.

 It is amazing to wake in morning, step out of the trailer, and see the wide expanse of marine blue shimmering in the distance. This is the most beautiful camping spot we’ve had on our trip so far. I hopped on my bike before breakfast to ride through the tent campsites and stand on the top of the bluff overlooking the ocean at high tide. The perfect way to start a day: full of peace and beauty. We’d talked about going back to the YMCA today, but decided that the gorgeous weather dictated that we enjoy this place instead. Feeling a bit tired, I napped before lunch while Phil did his long beach trek, then I set out for a shorter walk down to the point. At low tide it’s possible to walk around the point without getting pounded by breakers, but I opted instead to sit on a rock and call a good friend.  Feeling tired and a bit chilled, I headed back and napped again before dinner. Phil finished his steak dinner from last night, and I had no energy to make anything except cold cereal...

 Today was cool and windy, with clouds scudding over the cliffs from the ocean, bringing blessed rain. (No native Californian in his/her right mind would complain about rain.) Many campers had cleared out after their Super Bowl extravaganzas, so the campground felt peaceful and a little empty. The sites here are relatively spacious, with plenty of room for a picnic table, lounge chairs, and a fire pit. The full hookups are much appreciated, though there is no WiFi. But our phones work well as hot spots for iPads and streaming. Because of the rain, we drove about 20 minutes north on I-5 to a delightful YMCA in Mission Viejo, one of the most beautiful Ys I have ever seen. The swimming pool was the highlight for me—an outdoor, heated saltwater pool with hot tub. Phil worked out inside, while I swam and did my pool exercises, listening to the mockingbird singing on a tree nearby and watching hummingbirds darting around the pines. I will get photos the next time we go, because it was tr...

 What a lovely day—sunny and warm in the morning, with mists rolling in from the Pacific, cooling the sun and bringing the promise of rain.We walked down to the beach, which stretches for a mile under great cliffs of sandstone. Here’s a picture of my valentine: We walked down the beach toward a pier, but one of my feet was bothering me, so I turned around while Phil went on and explored. I sat on the beach and let the waves mesmerize me. Soon mist was moving inland, creeping over the bluffs and shrouding the campground, so I gave up and went back for a nap with the dogs. Ah, the sweetness of retired life! Note the man with his dog. There is a “no dog” policy on the beach, which is completely disregarded by any and all. Lots of dogs running into the waves.  Lovely. The fridge was nearly empty, so I drove to San Clemente’s Trader Joe’s to stock up for the week. I picked out some rib-eye steaks for a Valentine’s dinner. When I got back, Phil had returned from his long exploration...

 This was our destination today, about a six-hour drive from our campsite in Arizona: But first, the job of packing up and saying good-bye to a very scenic spot. The drive was uneventful and passed relatively quickly, thanks again to audiobooks. Leaving the Arizona desert, we entered the unmistakable mountain terrain of southern California. It reminded me a lot of the hills around Westmont College in Santa Barbara. Lots of poppies by the side of the road. We pulled in to San Clemente State Beach about 4:00 p.m., parked our trailer, and walked around to check out our new surroundings. The air here is fresh and damp, fragrant with the smell of eucalyptus and sunshine and salt. So different from the dry Arizona desert. The sites here are relatively spacious and scenic, many with full hookups. The big buzz when we got here, of course, was the Super Bowl. Everyone’s TVs were on, either inside our outside of their trailers. Delicious smells of tailgater food filled the campground, and ch...

 Awoke early enough to get a load of wash done (always a boon in the camping life), have breakfast with the grandkids, play a game of chess with Evan, laugh till I cried at seeing Helen playing teacher and Rachel playing a very naughty and inattentive student, and pack up to leave Bellevue by 11:30 a.m.  You can see how badly I was beaten by Evan, who is a chess aficionado (I played white).  My flights were uneventful, except to note that I enjoy Delta’s perks as a platinum medallion member, being bumped up to first class and comfort + on this trip. Phil picked me up in Phoenix, and we drove back to the campground in the dark. The moon, almost full, spread a silvery light over the great Picacho Peak, and the air was soft and warm. I almost regretted the fact that we were leaving for California in the morning.

 My stay in Seattle has gone so quickly, it’s a mishmash of memories. I came to see this dear family And these dear family members and friends The past five days have been a kaleidoscope of activity and fun: making meals, playing games, gardening, taking Rambo for walks through the forest, walking Evan and Helen to the bus stop, reading Hardy Boys stories, telling tales from the Country Mouse and City Mouse, getting roundly beaten by Evan in chess (and by Katie and Wes in Splendor and Canadian Salad), having Rambo jump up and snuggle in the early morning hours, listening to books on tape while cooking or cleaning, and thoroughly enjoying the fresh, cool, damp air of the Northwest and the greenery of the neighborhood. Daffodils are budding! Tulips are poking out of the ground!  Visits here are always fun. Time to plan the next trip…. ❤

 The morning was bright and fair, and we hustled to get ready to go into Tucson for some groceries—and also to visit one of the most iconic and well-preserved Spanish missions in the Southwest: San Xavier del Bac Mission. The mission was started by the Jesuits in the 1600s, but it was the Franciscans who oversaw the construction of the mission, completed in 1797. It has become an iconic symbol of the Tucson area and is being slowly and carefully restored, using the natural ingredients that make up the original bricks and mortar. It’s an impressive building from the outside: The white wash on the towers makes the sky appear even bluer. The outside is simple and elegant, classic Spanish mission architecture. The inside is a feast of ornate detail and symbol, awash in color and texture: St. Francis Xavier The chapel itself is small but magnificent. The Spirit descending at Pentecost The original wooden door. Due to Covid restrictions and lack of space, the priest explained that Sunday...