California Dreamin’

Well not California specifically, just the ocean, possibly any ocean.  This was the dream of our 12-year old granddaughter.  Throw in Sea World and the San Diego Zoo and you’ve got the perfect beach vacation.

There were many firsts for Alyssa on this trip – first time flying (more nerve-wracking for dad and us than her), first time to California, first time to the beach. Visions of strumming her ukulele while looking out over the ocean danced in her head.  She had even taught herself a song that she was certain the surfers would know.

Alyssa is passionate about animals so grandpa thought she would enjoy sea kayaking, with a chance to catch a glimpse of dolphins (her true love).  This sounded good to her until we got to La Jolla Cove and boogie boards and wetsuits won out over the thought of paddling a kayak.  She would take her chance with the dolphins later in the week at Sea World.  Didn’t take her long to figure out which registered higher on the “fun” meter without a great deal of effort.

Looks like beach trips in her future based on that smile.

Sea World was next on the agenda and offered a day-long adventure for the three of us.  First up was the One Ocean show, starring Shamu.  A trip to Sea World is not complete without seeing this one.  Grandpa and I won out on the seating arrangement, opting to stay clear of the splash zone.  The image of me walking around for the rest of the day having been doused with gallons of seawater didn’t seem too appealing.  Good decision as everyone in the splash zone looked like they needed to be wrung out after the show.

We all agreed the Blue Horizons show ranked tops for the day, with acrobats, dolphins, and tropical birds appearing on cue.  Trouble is, with a couple of folks in our group forgetting to charge camera batteries, I have no pictures to show for it.  I’m not naming names, but you know who you are!  And yes, we did get brave and sit in the splash zone but those dolphins just couldn’t put on the show that the orcas did so we walked out dry.

Later that night was our favorite show, Alyssa playing the ukulele (self-taught) and singing for us.  She also plays the guitar and is longing to learn the violin. Can you tell we are just a teeny bit proud?  Much of what she has learned has been through you-tube videos or just listening to songs.

Next up was the San Diego Zoo, one of the largest in the world.  Housing more than 4000 animals,  it is almost impossible to cover the entire park in one day. Having not visited in 20+ years, it was like seeing it for the first time.

The stars of the zoo were the giant pandas, namely Gao Gao (Big Big).  San Diego is one of the few zoos in the world housing these gentle-looking giant teddies. Notice his smaller left ear, which was believed to be injured in a fight before his captivity.

Gao Gao, a bamboo-eating machine.

Seems we all enjoyed our day, given the number of animal photos we accumulated.  I think Alyssa took one of everything she saw, she was so enamored by their beauty.  Even with all we had seen, seems we just scratched the surface, covering only about 2/3 of the park.  There are many ways to take it all in, on foot, by bus, or by aerial tram.  Most of our time was spent on foot but Alyssa decided to give the aerial tram a shot, having already heard the story of how her father was not too keen on them.  And guess what dad, no fear of heights for this one!

Although Sea World and the zoo were big hits, the beach definitely came out on top.  Alyssa would have spent the entire week there we think, swimming with or without a wetsuit, in 58º water.  It was a great week for us all.

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For A Reason

People come into our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. ~ Unknown

He came bundled in a heavy Carhartt coat, although the weather didn’t call for this.  His was a comfortable face, one would say even attractive, although weathered by time and circumstance, I’m sure.  The eyes are what I was drawn to, warm and forgiving, I thought.  When he told me a little of his story, the eyes belied his life.  His was the face of the homeless.

I have volunteered feeding the homeless, but other than a “hello, how are you, enjoy your meal” I never took the time or had the opportunity to learn about the person I was feeding.  Most times those being given what may have amounted to their only meal of the day were appreciative but there was an emptiness to them, a hollowness where life on the streets had stripped them of their marrow.  The gentleman who walked into the laundry room this day did not exude these tremulous feelings.  Eye contact was made; greetings were passed; and I soon began to learn his story.

He was very deliberate about the telling, very matter-of-fact, no anger, no sadness, just a story to tell it seemed.  He had an audience in me, as we were the only souls inhabiting this space and it was laundry day for him.  Truth is I wanted his story; I needed to know his story.

It’s cold in the wintertime, and the handouts are few.  Is the whole world so blind to the plight of the few?  It could be your neighbour, who should be your friend.  In the heart of the homeless the heartaches don’t end.   ~  Farrell and Farrell

Having been on the streets since 1996 he seemed aware of current events in the area and worked from time to time, when he could find it.  When work was not to be found, he took to the bottle.  He knew this was his weakness and was honest about that.  Today seemed to be a slow day for work based on the pungent smell wafting off of him.

I asked where he slept and if he was warm enough.  He said he was fine and that   there were others much more in need than he.  The loss of a job some years back started this downward spiral and he knew no job now could get him to a place where he could afford rent.  His car went the way of his job when it refused to start one day.  A simple story but one that could be told by millions of people today balancing on the precipice.

Earlier that day I had received an email from a friend, one that has been passed around time and again about the reason people come into our lives, some for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  His was for a reason, although I am not yet sure why.  I am just thankful for the chance meeting.

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Don’t laugh at me;  don’t call me names.  Don’t get your pleasure from my pain.  In God’s eyes we’re all the same.  Someday we’ll all have perfect wings.  Don’t laugh at me.  Don’t laugh at me.  ~  Mark Wills

San Diego Vacation

Many of us have a specific food that, when brought to mind, elicits less than fond memories for us.  For me that is an eclair, that fried doughy dessert with a cream filling (yuck).  When I was a kid, I became ill when eating one.  Honestly, I think I was already working on getting a ‘bug’ before I ate it and to this day I associate the flu with eclairs.  By now you must be wondering what my ramblings have to do with San Diego vacations.  Bear with me and I will try to connect the dots.

Terry’s sister and niece had never been to San Diego and with spring break looming, a four-day visit to San Diego seemed to be in order.  Given that it was to be a short trip and they were looking at a 3-hour time difference,  jet lag was bound to be an issue but no one factored in (or at least me) the daylight savings time change the day before their arrival.  The weather in SD, which had been darn near perfect, turned cooler than their home state of Indiana.  To add insult to injury, sister Denise contracted a virus shortly after her arrival, which landed her in the clinic and on the sofa for the following day.   Even with all this, they seemed to be good sports and were able to enjoy a day at the San Diego Safari Park, giving it a two-thumbs up rating.

We had such a good time kayaking in the La Jolla cove that Terry and niece Sara decided to give it a go.  The weather was sunny but breezy, which made paddling a little rougher than what we had experienced earlier.  They were hopeful for dolphin sightings and with a feeding frenzy occurring just offshore (good sign of dolphins nearby we were told) they took off.

Alas, no dolphins, just a bunch of barking sea lions to entertain them.  They were both smiling when they returned, although they looked a little blue around the lips!  I must admit to wondering how warm they were, as I sat on the beach reading.  Everyone else in kayaks had donned wetsuits, everyone that is except Terry and Sara.

The water was too choppy for photos and for paddleboarding as well (which was also on the to-do list) but we did grab a few great pics of sea lions from the walkway above and got to catch a glimpse of passing dolphins!

Slip-sliding away!

It's been a tough day!

Sara was determined to have a bonfire and s’mores before she left San Diego so Terry stoked the fire that night.  Believe it or not, I had never had one before (s’more that is) and had to be guided through the process.  Tasty but unfortunately not to be an ongoing part of my diet.  Thankfully Denise had recovered enough to join in the fun.

Sara and Denise roasting marshmallows

So much to see in San Diego and only one day left so we decided to do a little sightseeing to give them a flavor of the area.   Lunch brought us back to Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill for fish tacos and they were just as tasty our second visit.

We all welcomed a stroll along the coastline, providing us a pleasing contrast of colors and shapes.

A playful little grey squirrel caught my attention so I gave him his own photo shoot.  He seemed to be enjoying it, posing for the camera.  Although these little guys are cute, they have become quite destructive along the coast, adding to bluff erosion.

You have no idea what these hands can do!

A quick stroll through Balboa Park and the grounds of Coronado Island rounded out the last day.

Vibrant Watercolors in Spanish Village at Balboa Park

Hotel Del Coronado

So, to finally connect the dots, given jet lag, time changes, cool weather and illness, I hope San Diego does not become an “eclair” for Denise and Sara.  I hope they decide to come back at a later date to enjoy all it has to offer.

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A Painful First

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.  ~ From a headstone in Ireland

Many anniversaries invoke warm, tender memories but for those who knew and loved Barbara Burke, this anniversary is anything but.  Today is the first anniversary of her passing and although I knew this day was drawing near,  I am in disbelief.  I cannot accept that you are gone, my dear friend, even one year later.  Sometimes my mind tricks me into believing that you are still sitting at your computer, creating vibrant works of art, all with your big toe.  But there is no one there to count down the days until my visit, as we always did.  Where are you now?

I walk along the beach and feel you in the warmth of the sun, the cool breeze on my skin, the power in the surf, the grace of the soaring birds overhead.  I see glimpses of your essence in others and wonder, is that you?  Are you trying to communicate with us?  Or is this what I do to comfort myself?

Some of the most intimate times we shared  is when I read to you.  The book “Anam Cara” by John O’Donahue was one of your favorites and the discussions we had after always touched me deeply.  It was beautiful; it was moving; it is so damn tough to finish without you here.  I can’t seem to pick it up and move on from where we ended.  How ironic it is that John O’Donahue, Irish poet, priest, and philosopher died suddenly at age 53, just as you.  Both of your voices were quieted much too soon.

An excerpt from his book “Benedictus”, a book of blessings written  shortly before his death, seems fitting at this time:

‘May there be some beautiful surprise
Waiting for you inside death
Something you never knew or felt,
Which with one simple touch
Absolves you of all loneliness and loss,
As you quicken within the embrace
For which your soul was eternally made.

‘May your heart be speechless
At the sight of the truth
Of all your belief had hoped,
Your heart breathless
In the light and lightness
Where each and every thing
Is at last its true self
Within that serene belonging
That dwells beside us
On the other side
Of what we see.’

You always loved flowers, particularly your morning glories, which always remind me of my mother.  When you sensed your time was drawing near and you were struggling with knowing when to let go, you captured some of these beauties at the end of their season, hanging on a vine by a thread, and developed a Power Point presentation which became an analogy for your life, when to let go.  How our hearts ached and the tears flowed when we watched this.

Your grace and beauty live on through your artwork, music, photos, letters to family and friends and the countless memories we hold so dear.  The grief that you felt at your illness and impending death we too experience.  We will come to the acceptance as you did, although not very soon I fear.  You touched us all so deeply Barbara and for me, you will always be my anam cara, my soul friend.

Sea Caves of La Jolla

We had been looking forward to seeing the La Jolla sea caves for some time. Unfortunately we learned that this could not be done without a guide present so I started the research to find a company that would allow us to take our Sea Eagle out on the tour.  After some phone calls I found one that would allow this and took out small groups only (just what I wanted to hear) but decided we would rent a double instead due to parking restrictions in La Jolla.  Didn’t want to be truckin’ the darn thing several blocks after inflating her on the street.  Nina and Paul were game to kayak as well as they had not seen the sea caves either.

Let me start by saying that the weather was pretty darn perfect.  A sunny, calm 80° day could not be better.  You see a ‘but’ coming here, don’t you?  We did have a good day, in large part due to the company (Nina and Paul), and that we were wintering in San Diego on a gorgeous day and on the water.  BUT I cannot recommend taking a kayak tour to the sea caves.  I will not mention any company names because I suspect they are all the same.  All four of us agreed that many times tours can be a disappointment, too commercial, too many people.

Looks like Paul is slackin' a bit.

We paddled out to the caves in a group, feeling more like we were playing a game of kayak bumper cars, dodging  left and right.  The small group we were expecting turned out to be more like 15-20 kayaks, what appeared to be the largest of the tour companies out there.  The rented kayaks did not have a keel so the steering could be a challenge.  Picture 15-20 kayaks, with mostly novice kayakers in them, bobbing out on the Pacific.  Now put a paddle in those kayakers’ hands and tell them to paddle a straight line out to the caves.  Guess what you get?  I don’t even have to tell you, do I?

Traffic jam at the sea caves

We all made it safely to the caves and proceeded to get into a long line behind other tour companies waiting to get in (only two kayaks allowed at a time  and only one cave available for viewing).  The four of us were among the last of our group to enter, behind our guide.  It doesn’t take much to paddle into the cave and as soon as we got into it our guide said “paddle backward once on your left and three times forward on your right”.  This positioned us heading  back out of the cave.  We foolishly thought we were going to go in further backwards to see something spectacular that we could not be seen going in forward.  What we heard next was “now paddle out”.  That was it!  If we had blinked we would have missed it.

Look ma, no paddles in the water!

When heading back to shore, we had the pleasure of having four common dolphins swim very close to our kayak. Unfortunately we were not able to grab any photos but this, along with the sea lions we saw on the rocks, probably were the highlights of our time on the water.

Sea lions sunning. Noisy little fellas they are.

We had decided on lunch after but none of us had planned to get wet (go figure) so didn’t have a change of clothes.  Not to worry as we sat outdoors at a little Vietnamese restaurant and dried out.  Great conversation and great soup rounded out the day.  We said our goodbyes with the hopes of a hike in our future.

Back at home, over a glass of wine, Terry and I had a good laugh as we went over our 30 seconds in the sea cave.  Not the best part of our day but a very good day overall and we would definitely go back out to La Jolla Shores for more kayaking, BUT in our Sea Eagle AND sans guide.

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