The last harrah!

We made it home in one piece. None the worse for wear. It's been a long 3 days driving. Holiday over, unpacking begins and one fine day will end.............

the last supper

Superbowl Sunday. At least that is what I am told. More than likely, won't be watching the game, but partaking of our last fiest on the road. Another long day but still enjoying the experience. Good friends make this journey so much more rewarding. I will treasure this trip forever.
It will be good to get home though and see all our friends and family. I miss them all.
I miss my bedroom fan and my chair! I am also looking forward to getting back to my kitchen sink salads!
ONE MORE SLEEP....

xxoo

I am sitting in a very beautiful Marriott Hotel room in Medford, Oregon, watching Harry Potter on TV and Bill sleep. Even though it has been a long day, it has been a great one. It was Sue's birthday today and it would have been nice to lounge beside a nice warm pool somewhere, but we were again on the road. It also rained just about all day which didn't help matters. Sue picked the hotel today and was she every right about the choice. This is the nicest hotel yet. We went into town and had dinner at the 4 Daughters Irish Pub. Was sure nice to get back to this nice room and veg for awhile though. Up early and on the road again tomorrow. Don't know how far we will make it, but we will keep plugging along. Hope the rain holds off, but that is not in the cards I don't think. It is going to be sad to have this wild, wonderful adventure end. Only a couple more days and we will be back to reality. No pics today and Bob is locked up and sleeping until we get home....have a good night.
XXOO

last day in paradise

OUR FINAL DINNER AT AN AUTHENTIC LITTLE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

DINNER x2

THE BEACH BELOW OUR CONDO

well, the last day of our stay in Encinitas was spent lounging on the deck, reading and walking the beach....we finished off the evening with an incredible Italian dinner in a little restaurant downtown. Tiny and Awesome! The morning was sunny again and worked out great for the guys who did a phenominal job packing the truck. Sue and I were threatened with being lashed to the roofracks if we shopped any more. I don't know what they were talking about...we actually had at least 6 inches to the roof in the middle of the back! It started raining about 20 minutes after we left and rained all the way to our first stop. We decided to vere from the highway 5 to 99 where we stopped in Fresno, California. Not as far as we had hoped on our first day but it took longer on the road through Los Angeles than we figured. Don't know where we'll end up tomorrow. We will find somewhere nice as it is Sue's birthday and we want to celebrate. We just got back to the hotel from dinner at another wonderful Italian restaurant here in Fresno. It is still raining. I guess we are getting ready for the wet homecoming we are expecting.... oh, and we did manage to go to the mall and introduce Sue to Marshall's. Will be back tomorrow from some far away place along the road.....until we chat again

second to last day in paradise

SUE ENJOYING THE FINAL RAYS OF THE SUNSET

SUE AND TERRY ENJOYING AN INCREDIBLE ITALIAN LUNCH

STROLLING ON CORONADO BEACH

WORLD FAMOUS DEL CORONADO HOTEL, THE LARGEST WOODEN BUILDING IN NORTH AMERICA

We took the opportunity today to traverse the freeway system and go into San Diego. We left fairly early (we are on holidays you know) and found the entrance to Old Town San Diego where we left our car and boarded one of the old Trolly cars for a 2 hour tour of the city and area. What a wonderful way to see almost everything. We went through the Gaslight district, Coronado Island and the naval base, the waterfront, Horton Square, Downtown, Little Italy, Balboa Park and the Zoo and then back to Old Town. We got off on Coronado and ventured to the famous Del Coronado Hotel. The largest wooden hotel in North America. It is beautiful and several movies have been made there. It is very posh! The Coronado beach is in front of it and it is supposed to be one of the best beaches in America. It really is beautiful. We also got off at Little Italy and had the most wonderful Italian cuisine! The name escapes me at the moment, but it was very authentic and very, very good. I hope with all the walking we did, we managed to shed a few of the calories consumed. (of course we could not leave the restaurant without tasting some pure Italian pastry delicacies!). By the time we got back to Old Town I was ready for a siesta, but we pushed on and meandered quite a bit of the town. The drive back was uneventful, but we managed to get home before the sun set and it was the best yet. The few clouds in the sky made the sight spectacular. Got a great shot of Sue sitting on the deck enjoying the sunset. All in all it was a great day and we are sad to have to leave so soon. One more day....

Hugs to all and an extra squeeze for Karen and Al. We are sending some sunshine your way.

I don't know what day it is, but it's been wonderous

BOB CAN'T DECIDE ON 'RED OR WHITE' FOR HAPPY HOUR

INCREDIBLE SCULPTURES ALL THROUGH THE BOTANICAL GARDENS

NOW, THIS IS A 'DEBBIE SHOE'!!! WEEP, MY FRIENDS!!!

ONE OF THE FEW BEAUTIES OUT IN FEBRUARY

DANCERS FROM THE MEXICAN GARDEN

THE THREE AMIGOS

NOW THAT'S BAMBOO!!!

THIS WAS A MOMMA HUMMINGBIRD IN HER NEST WITH 2 BABIES

Another day in paradise! Nice lazy morn and then with the crew at our door to resurface the driveway, we had to vamoose for a few hours. No problem there as we just had to go to the San Diego Botanical gardens which just so happens to be right here in Encinitas. What a beautiful place even with us being about a month or two early for all the flowers to be in bloom. Got some lovely shots of great plants and trees and 'things'. Will put some pics up to show you. We then of course had more time to kill so went shopping! More shoes! Of course another picture to show the wonderful 'Deb Shoes' All my friends who know me will know of course right off the bat that these are definitely Deb shoes. And they are reasonably comfy to boot. Bonus! I couldn't stop at one of course and bought two, but the others are runners slash sandles. Now that is comfort! We walked the downtown for a bit. Not quite as quaint as La Jolla, but none the less still fun. Found a wonderful little store that sold nothing but silver, etc. and found wonderful jewelry at the less spendy we have ever seen. Red corals and silver and other fun stuff. And of course we came out with a few pieces. We are now having happy hour, feet up, blogging, napping, waiting for the sunset to attack again and then maybe a movie or game of cards before din din. We eat at the fashionable hour here in California. Too tired from all our adventures to cook! Hope all is well wherever you are and please be safe.

XXOO

a nice relaxing day...

it's monday and after a great relaxing day, we are sitting back having happy hour with a glass of vino (most of us anyway) and a nibbly before a wonderful bbq'd steak dinner. Jazz playing on the radio and the sun setting, leaving another colorful palet to enjoy. Ah, to be in the land of the retired folk!
Got up this morning and decided to go shopping....now, isn''t that a unique thing for us chickies to do! The fellas did come along though, but sent them off to Barnes and Noble and Best Buy. Ross Dress for Less was our destination and once again we managed to make a hole in the pocketbook. What fun! This afternoon was great and relaxing, reading, listening to more jazz and Sue and I painted for a couple of hours. So glad we brought our paints with us. Will take pics if they turn out half decent.
We didn't take any pictures today, but if all things work out, we are going to the 30 acre botanical gardens here in Encinitas. World Renowned apparantly so hope to see some incredible stuff. Maybe even get some inspiration for a painting or two. Well, it is probably time to get mobile and get the steaks ready for the guys to bbq. Hope everyone is having as good a day as we are.....

Day 11, a warm but not so sunny day in paradise

NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF THESE GUYS???????????????

SURFER DUDE

BILL AND I AT A WONDERFUL BEACHSIDE RESTAURANT

FROM OUR DECK....LOOKING WAAAAAY DOWN

SUE AND TERRY ON CRYSTAL PIER

FINDING TREASURES ON THE BEACH

CRYSTAL PIER IN PACIFIC BEACH

THE HOTEL WE STAYED IN THE FIRST TIME TO PACIFIC BEACH

Well, yesturday was a grand day....again. The 4 of us travelled south to Pacific Beach, which is the northern part of San Diego. NO FREEWAYS! Took the coast road all the way, although all the way is only about 45 minutes which is stretching it. Walked the boardwalk which was just hopping with people and took a stroll on the Crystal Pier. Fell in love with this pier when we were here before because it is so quaint. It is an old wooden one (which shifts terribly with the surf) and houses, exactly that....houses. Little ones that they rent out for an atrocious amount of money. Mega buckeroos! We had a good chuckle though as a herd (actually 4) young fellas were strolling all over the pier and the boardwalk in just their speedos. They were photographed much more than the beach! We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant right on the beach and took our time coming home on all the back roads winding around all the incredible homes on the water. Wow, how spectacular the whole area is. Stopped at the market in La Jolla and of course shopped but the prices were terrible, at least double what we would pay here.

Sue and I actually got a chance to dig out the paints when we got home and played for a couple of hours. I am in awe of her talent. She whipped right in there and created a masterpiece. Will have to show and tell when we get home. We havn't decided what wonderous events we will partake in today, but you can rest assured I will regale you with the details later.

Have a great day. Till we meet again!

Saturday in paradise

BILL AND TERRY COOKING GOURMET BURGERS WITH THE INCREDIBLE SUNSET IN THE BACKGROUND

SUE AND TERRY FIXING DIN DIN

AN AMAZING SUNSET

BILL AND BOB CATCHING A FEW RAYS

OUR PLACE IS ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OVERLOOKING WATER

SUE, ENJOYING THE WATER WHILE ON OUR WALKABOUT

THE BEACH IN FRONT OF OUR ABODE
(stairway down is a block north of us)

Slept in this morning. What a nice thing to do on holidays! After Brekkie, we Travelled to the outlying shopping centres to find a few missing items and thank goodness for the navigator! On and Off Freeways the whole way. This must be the way everyone travels here because you can't go anywhere without going on, off, on, off, on and off this system. Nerve wracking, but we managed to pull through with little yelling and maiming. Sue and I found a Coldwater Creek store where we managed to do a decent amount of damage. Good thing we were on a high because we had to go back home using the freeway maze again. The girls ventured down to the beach and did a walk about along our street to the steep stairs down to the water, along the beach collecting lots of small sea stuff and then up into the neighbourhood again. What a nice journey!! Enjoyed a very peaceful, beautiful evening, partaking in a glass of vino (diet pepsi of course for the old stick in the mud, me), and so enjoyed watching the fellas cook our goumet burgers (a big yummy!!!), over what turned out to be a controlled open fire, enjoying the beautiful sunset. My gosh, are we blessed or what?! Tomorrow, if we feel up to rising to the occasion we might meander down to LaJolla using the side road system! There are a few markets happening, so will take pics of that. Have wonderful evening all and check in tomorrow for the continueing saga of Bill, Deb, Sue and Terry's big Adventure....

End of another grand day...

Well, after being woken up this morning at 5:30 by this very strange 'baying' sound, and finding out that my cell phone has decided that a beep just wasn't working well enough for low battery notification, we actually had a leisurely morning. Already posted some pics of our great place here. Bill actually got brown today. I know, I have to be nice!!!!! We decided the only thing we were going to do today was take a short drive of 20 miles or so to the Imax theatre in Del Mar. We ended up having to route through 3 freeways and lord knows how many off roads to get there. Our quick drive by to see where the theatre was, didn't quite work out as planned, so instead of re=routing and going back home, we decided to grab a bite and hit the theatre today while we were already there. We saw Avitar in 3D Imax. OMG what an incredible experience. It was absolutely awesome!!! Tomorrow is definitely going to be a relax day with maybe a walk to Moonlight beach. We shall see.....
XXOO

forgot this one!

day 8, Friday Jan. 29/2010

havn't figured out yet how to eliminate a picture so there are two the same. double the enjoyment! This is the view from our patio.

what a wonderful view to wake up to!!!! We are enjoying the sunshine on the deck, watching the surfers right out front and we had company next door with a pup that sat on his own deck chair the whole morning. He is still there. He obviously loves it here too! After washing the truck (of course), Bill relaxed on the deck enjoying the water happenings. Looking up he discovered a huge blimp passing overhead. Hard to discern the size, but it was really BIG. We have a nice quiet day planned with nothing more strenuous that going grocery shopping. yeah! a bbq tonight. Such a treat for us condo dwellers. Hugs to everyone and will update more as the day progresses.. Enjoy our view.....

Day 7, our SUNNY destination in Encinatis, CA.

I can't believe we have SUN today. What a beauty! We had an incredible drive down the coast again, through LA, which actually worked out better than we thought. We went with out gut instincts and just kept to the coast and it was beautiful there. We visited the mission at San Luis Obispo, as we were heading out of town. Beautiful mission and I will post a couple of pics. It was so sureal to walk around this great building in the sunshine. Enjoyed the experience. We travelled south to pay a visit to all the famous beaches....where we ended up at Huntington beach and had a wonderful meal on the pier there at Duke's. Good grub! we walked the pier and watched all the surfers trying their luck on the big waves coming it. Lots of fishermen too, which was fun to listen to them cabitz back and forth between themselves. Had a visit from a very friendly pelican too. This picture is for Rowan and Shea from Papa and Nana banana. After enjoying the sun for awhile strolling the pier, we headed south to San Juan Capistrano and of course once again visited the famous mission there. It was a lot larger than I expected. Lots of incredible history and lots of people trying to keep it's heritage in tact. We arrived at our destination in Encinitas, California (just north of San Diego), about 6 P.M. and got to see the final rays of the sun before it sank below the sea. My gosh, what a beautiful sunset right off our waterfront deck. We are blessed to have such a lovely place to hang our hats for 8 whole (hopefully sunny) days! Will take pics tomorrow in the sun and post them for all to drool over! I told a few of my friends that i would send a grand old California Hello...so to Sandy, who is ready to rip out her highspeed, we wish you a very speedy reconnect...and to Sally and Bryan, a continued restful holiday sunning on the beaches of Maui, and to my friend Linda who is blessed to always live in the sunshine, a week filled with fun things to keep her busy, and of course huggable thoughts all around!!! Also to all the grandkids from Nana Deb, Papa Bill and Papa Terry and Nana Banana Sue, a great big California squeeze!

extra fun pics

this one is for all the grandkids