LA Road Trip Wrap-Up

We are home. Thanks for being patient.

Michael with Aunt Patty

It was a wonderful trip but so much colder than expected. I wore a jacket during some of the family reunion. At Anna and Doug's in the desert, it was overcast and cool! No air conditioning needed! In fact, when we got home yesterday, it was the first sun we had seen all weekend and it was muggy! We slept with the windows opened and just a sheet to keep us comfortable. What a reverse of fortunes!

Michael with Cousin Shannon

The trip was to surprise Mary for her 81st birthday and to attend a family reunion. Done and done.  When we walked in the door, I was beginning to rethink the surprise thing. She was so shocked, I was worried we were going to have a surprise visit with the paramedics, too! Utter shock! We chatted a bit then piled into the car for the reunion.

Michael with cousins Shannon and
Rickie

I was able to spend some time with Michael's cousin Shannon, who hauled Michael to a rehearsal where we met forty-three years ago. I was 17-years old! A baby! But, I knew everything! HA!

We also spent time with his other cousins, aunts and an uncle. We had not seen him in over three decades. Afterwards, Mary directed us about an Irish Pub nearby, we enjoyed Corned Beef and Cabbage and Pot Pies and celebrated her birthday.

Michael's sister Anna and Doug

We drove home Sunday through the newish wine country near Paso Robles, had breakfast for lunch at a sweet little place, Michael had Danish pancakes and sausages before our trek north on Highway 101 to Highway 1 to our own sweet town and home. It was only three days away but it felt like forever. It was good to be home.

Today: WORKOUT! Afterwards, there will be a visit with the butchers, mom, Trader Joe's and Safeway followed by a frenzy of cooking for this week's breakfasts and tonight's dinner. A long day. Actually, a long week. I have three appointments this week: lung, weight and thyroid. Fun, fun and fun.

PS Anna and Doug live in a house with stairs and it became very clear that I really could never live in a house with stairs. Often, I would forget something and have to go up then down. Finally, Michael would run up the stairs for me. It was a good lessons as I always thought that I could have a master bedroom upstairs because I would only go up them a couple of times a day. HA! How wrong I was. Lesson learned.