AstroGypsies

We needed a change of pace, wandering about looking at ducks had me wondering if I’d be sprouting feathers soon;)….A walk on the beach sounded the perfect thing to do when our friends Regan and Sheila arrived from Canada, one day after their vacation, they hopped on a plane after agreeing to drive a 20′ U-haul back to upstate NY with the remains of what we own and not stuffed on the trailer. It was time to close the California chapter and get those last few belongs, books and picture albums, worn bits of family furniture, heirlooms or not, it is the few things we still feel we have a history to and we have a place to put them so out of the 20′ shipping container on my brother and sister-in-law’s property and off to Ontario they eventually will go! After the checking the price of moving companies and choking, this was our option, Regan stepped up and coerced Sheila I’m sure to a 6 day cross the USA adventure driving a truck…ha! They are amazing people! And yes, I still found birds;)

We walked down the beach…”all those fit Californians” Sheila remarked:) Indeed, one less trip to “Habit Burger” the little angel said sitting on my shoulder;) We toured Ocean Beach the next day after having breakfast at Gillespie Field, the devil made me order the eggs benedict, honestly… watching the planes take off and land. Ran into some people with bengal cats on leashes, NEED! and Obi Wan’s church (I could have sworn it said that) as well as a peace hostel and a tour through “The Black” finished by margaritas on the boardwalk people watching:)

It is such an odd place California. After the God billboards of the South, California has its own Gods, the Cannabis ones…American marketing at it’s best, there is someone out there waiting to sell you something;) And the Trump flags…sigh…do you really need to fly your flag at a campground, God forbid some sane thinking person might approach you, warn them off right away!!! Maybe I can get an Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez one, billionaires beware!

We live in such divided times don’t we, it seems the middle ground has sunk into a swamp and we are clinging to either side…but at least the West coast is well medicated from what I can see, eases the pain…;)

We bade farewell to Sheila and Regan and our truck full of memories headed North, pleaded with the weather Gods to be kind for their travels and started to pack up as we had a three or four day hotel stay ahead of us as our trusty trailer Myrtle had some body work to be done after an encounter with road debris, maybe it was a road nargle…sigh..it put a bump in the left rear quarter and pulled the trim away. I called a body shop a mobile RV guy suggested, first it wouldn’t be until the middle of February, then he called back and said bring it in right away!…now, to find a cat friendly hotel, and dog friendly ones are not interchangeable…rooms that smell of wet dog will not be accepted Groot exclaimed!

We searched online as the insurance company gave us a budget of what we could spend, the Ritz Carlton was right out;) I was craving countryside and dirt, we looked at the beach but it was concrete wall to wall so headed inland and checked out a small motel near Julian. Huge live oaks behind, places to walk the cat, kitchenettes with fridge and freezer…bingo! Even a bakery across the road with lovely home made biscuits! It was Groot, Gamora and Puffy approved once they had the chance to explore and settle in. They amaze me these creatures of habit that can adapt to sudden change! Kitty Vacation!!!! Nooks and crannies to explore as well as high cabinets to perch on!

The forecast was for rain so we took a morning drive before the front came through and checked out a few local state/county parks for future RV reference, William Heise and then off towards Mount Laguna before the clouds rolled in and the rain started. I do love this terrain. Perhaps it reminds me of the Baja Sierra mountains and live oaks, I feel at home here at this elevation more than anywhere. I didn’t get Mike to visit the Camel/dromedary dairy though;) Will save that for next trip! The trailer was actually done a day early (imagine that) but our reservation to return to Santee was not so we stayed put an extra day before heading back to Santee to retrieve Myrtle, cats in tow and heading back to the lakeshore loop at Santee Lakes for a few days to make sure all was in order, shopping done and a few more walks around the lake and bid farewell to my troup of birds:)

It keeps me out of trouble;) All these birds. The morning we were scheduled for departure the clouds had parted and the sun was glorious! It has seemed to be an oddly wet time of the year and spoiled as we are, what is this mud thing??? Ha! It brings mushrooms and glossy berries and cats hidden in trees!

We headed North on the 67, Mike and I chuckle now when we start to give highway directions, SNL “the Californians”, thanks Regan and Sheila, ha! Yes we do sound like that sometimes…so, like we took uh the 67 North to hmm, the 78 at Santa Isobel you like turn left onto the 79 North to like the State road 22 East….to get to Anza-Borrego State Park. Past snow covered hills and then the LA mountains to the North. The road going down to the Salton Sea had been sanded, wicked weather here a few days back, the road signs were covered with ice. Just wild! Nothing like Ontario my friends but weather nonetheless, I think it was my great Grandfather that said Southern California has climate, not weather;)

So with our escape from the city complete it was with a bit of a heavy heart as it felt indeed like a chapter coming to an end, things that tied us here, things, not the wonderful people, family and friends, are now gone. We place so much stock in these things at times. Sometimes I think the longer we stay away from the them, the less important they become, until we open that favourite dog eared book, and gaze at the photos, the old chinese chest and the old ass sucking (yes, you really can not get your ass out of this sofa once you sit down) rattan sofa…our things…not new, not fancy but just wonderful comforting old things. They will await us for another few months as our journey continues, seeking a few warmer spots before it is time to head North and East once again. Stay tuned for the desert and the Salton Sea my friends!

Saludos amigos…love this desert air!