Summer Vacation Part 3 San Diego!

The last part of my summer vacation (being updated at the end of October) was to San Diego to visit my friend Jay and then on to Arizona for a brief stay at the Circle Z Ranch owned by my friend Z-woman.


The beach, of course, was magnificent. We were at a lightly crowded beach with para-sailers gliding down the cliffs behind us. I think I spent a good 45 minutes frolicking in the waves amongst the surfers.
In some of these shots, you can see little dots of surfers waiting for a wave.





This is Opossum. He's a groovy little dog.


We went to Magic Mountain and I rode four roller coasters (for the first time in over 10 years). This was the last one. I realized how much the fluid in my semicircular canals have hardened over the years.


A view from one of the coasters.



I am always amazed by these wind farms. This one is off 10 heading east towards Palm Springs.


This is my friend Jay's band, Moontucky Risin'. They were awesome!!! Check them out!


Sunset from Jay's balcony.



More of beautiful San Diego.


Again...


Out in Arizona, one of the Z Ranch dogs,


And one of the cats.....


This is sweet Maggie, another Zranch critter.


A scene from the Z Ranch. Somewhere in northern Arizona.


I was in Arizona during the monsoon season. Great storms like this sweep up and are amazing. My car thermometer went from 98 to 76 in about five minutes. I almost got blown off the road. WHEEEE!


A picture of the horse barn at the ranch.


And a view from the porch. It's a mighty fine place to relax.


One of the magnificent Agave plants growing on the ranch.

Z woman herself during our ride through the desert.


A view from the back of mine. It was a beautiful, yet sometimes terrifying ride. Horses and steep hills are an interesting combination.



Some of the petroglyphs near the Z Ranch.

Another view off the porch.....


And another petroglyph.... They were all on this one rock formation off the wash. It's a beautiful little site.


The dogs living a dog's life on a ranch. Free to run and chase small animals and roam sniffing whatever you may.


Overall it was a wonderful trip visiting old friends and touching mountains again.

The porch revisited....again!! Summer vacation pt 2

So my first trip this summer was down to Houston, TX to see my grandmother, who was in poor health. She was staying with my aunt Alita in a nice little place north of Houston. We visited with Mee Mee (what we always called her) for a while. She was in a lot of pain and really wasn't there in a way. My aunt was doing a great job of making her comfortable and taking care of her.



My dad and my aunt Alita with my grandmother, Norma.
It is her (my grandmother's) guitar that I play on open mic nights. She and my grandfather used to play guitar together all the time. I was given his electric guitar when he passed a few years ago. But about 8 years ago she was unable to play any longer because of arthritis and she sent me her Martin D35. She's a beauty and I call her Norma.
When I was there in July, I pulled out her guitar and played it for her. She seemed to hear it and she actually fell asleep while I was playing.
I took that as a good sign.







She passed away in August and I played one more time for her at her funeral. I haven't played much since then, but I've also been really busy since then.






After our visit with my grandmother, my aunt hired a day nurse and we all took the ferry to Galveston. It was a beautiful, albeit hot, day and the ferry ride was just what the doctor ordered.
We saw wild dolphins in the gulf swimming alongside the ferry. I couldn't quite get a picture of them. We rode in my dad's van and my uncle's convertible (pic below) and had a lovely drive topped with an awesome seafood place. yum!


The bridge coming back from Galveston.


Me in the convertible.

The ferry

The killer bbq place near my aunt's house. Wow was this stuff awesome!!!!

After Galveston, I headed north to Dallas to see my friend Walter! It was a long drive with some nasty storms right at sunset of course. But I eventually made it there and spent a day relaxing at his and Stan's lovely home.


Walt and Stan's sweet living room.
My great sadness was that I was so bent on relaxing, that I didn't get my camera out until the day we left for Arkansas. So I didn't get a pic of Stan. Hopefully next time!! :-)


So Walt and I took off for Missouri the long way. His mom and my mom both live in southern MO, so we took a route through OK, and then AR with a destination of Hot Springs. The above picture is in OK.

So is this! I had no idea there w as a pretty little corner of Oklahoma!


Our road trip picture!


More beautiful pics of OK and western AR



Clever Walter!!!!


This is what our road conditions were for most of the trip to and through AR.....windy, turny, hilly, but pretty.


Ahhhh....the Buckstaff Baths....one of the only public bathhouses in the US. For 50$, you can be pampered for a glorious hour in hot springs, baths, and even with a massage. My numb hands could use it right about now.


Walter and I camped in this beautiful place outside of Hot Springs. We had a whole upper campground to ourselves....us and the gigantic turn night into day dusk till dawn lights that were on the bathrooms. THAT was a little annoying, but the campground was fantastic.



After a full day of being lost, we finally made it to our respective mothers' houses. Here is a pic of mine and her husband, Jim.




And their cool barn!



Next installment....San Diego!