Sneak attack by Grandma and the Marines !

We are still in Camp Pendleton which is 45 miles north of San Diego, California.  Our plan, as of right now, is to head east to Yuma, Gila Bend, and then onto Tucson in a week or so.  Always flexible in the RV lifestyle!

Staying in Camp Pendleton has been wonderful !  Yesterday I laid on the beach and soaked up some rays.  This marine base has everything you would want...BX, commissary, bowling alley, movie theater.  We highly recommend staying here if you are active or retired military.  During the weekdays the place is empty.  Weekends with nice weather is a different story.

"Our" beach at sunset

Since we have been here we have been hanging out with Donna and Chuck DuFault. We met them last year in Tucson, Arizona while we were staying at Davis Monthas AFB. They departed here yesterday and are heading east.  We should see them again soon.  Miss them already !

They are Fulltimers and have taught me so many things. I could never say "Thank You" enough !  They are a wonderful and a fun loving couple. I am sure we will remain friends for a long time. Andy even learned how to play Pinochle.  Of course single deck is better than double deck and Donna is nicer than Chuck..lol lol

While we were here I had a chance to see and visit with Casey and Anne Jones. They currently live in La Paz, Mexico on their Baba sailboat "Vger" and have for many years. Casey and I are both retired Army.  I first met them while stationed at Ft Lewis, Washington.  For some strange reason we would follow each other from duty station to duty station.  From Ft. Lewis, Washington to Germany to Fort Carson, Colorado. We used to go skiing in Germany, Austria and Colorado.  We were so broke sometimes we would just sleep in the parking lot at the ski resorts so we could get two days of skiing in.   It was great seeing them again and hopefully seeing them again soon !!

Andy, Casey, Anne and myself

Also, since we have been here, Andy's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  What a shock ! Andy flew home to be with her mom for the surgery.  She was gone for a week.  A week after Andy came back here we found out the first surgery didn't get all the cancer. Another surgery was scheduled. This time we both flew back to Portland to be with her mom and dad. Just before surgery, like 5 minutes, they cancelled it!  Her sugars were too high...another shock ...now she has diabetes? She finally went into surgery a week later when her sugars were under control.

This had been a very stressful on her mom and the family. Andy has been so worried and scared.  The other day we were informed that the pathology report came back negative and it seems like they got all the cancer.  No chemo !! What a stress relief.  Mom don't do that again...enough is enough ! We love ya

While we were back in Portland we had a chance to visit our friends and family.  I even had a chance to go to my granddaughters birthday party. She sure is a firecracker!

Kloee

Since we are staying in a military base you never know what can happen.  We came under attack!

Armored vehicle swimming

Japanese attacking us with the US marines help..huh !

Picture taken from the RV window

Carrying the wounded

Joint exercise with the Navy

We even got sneaked attacked by the good ole Girl Scouts !!

How cute !

Homeless on the Beach !

We are back at Camp Pendleton, California after a short trip from Seal Beach Navel Weapons Station.  I would highly recommend staying at Seal Beach Military Base while you visit Disneyland or any of the other LA attractions.

Here we are again...beach bums on the beach !

Epinephrine...our spot on the beach

When we pulled into Del Mar Beach Resort here at Camp Pendleton, it felt in some strange way like coming home !  We plan on being here for about a month, depending on family issues. So it is a wait and see !

"Our" beach !

The weather has been blues skies and temps about 70 degrees.  Tomorrow and next week we should have a few days of 80 degrees.  Loving it !

Andy has been taking her daily walks on the beach and I have been riding my bike around the base. Thanks Richard for the nice bike... I stole it at a great price ! Your loss my gain..lol    The sunsets have been beautiful, colorful and relaxing. I will try to share a few!

Fantastic sunset

View from our coach

Andy off on her walk

Ta Da !

When Andy was on her walk yesterday I get a text message from her,"The Dolphins are swimming by the beach !  Come down here. Bring the camera !"  So course, I do what I am told.  Yes, I do from time to time..lol

50 feet from the beach

Every once in a while one of these drives right behind our motorhome.  When I say right behind, I mean like 15 feet.  It is kind of cool...how many RV parks can say they have these !  It does bring back a lot of memories for me.

We were just about set up when we saw Donna and Chuck.  We met them about 9 months ago while we were in Tucson, Arizona. Great to see them again.  The four of us, on Friday decided to do a trip down to San Diego.  We had breakfast first in Oceanside at this wonderful place we found last year. Andy has been trying to replicate their Crunchy Banana French Toast since. I think she has but she doesn't think so !

Afterwards we jumped on the Coaster which is a high speed train that runs between Oceanside and Seaport in San Diego.  The only way to travel! No traffic, no parking fees and only $5 per person round trip.

This ship was used in the movie Master and the Commander

Bow Sprit

Chuck & Donna...aww..how cute !

Ferry ride to Coronado Island

Coronado Island as we pull up

 After what seemed like miles of walking, and being lost for quite awhile we voted Andy out as tour director.

Old Coronado Hotel build in the late 1800's

Bird of Paradise

Have no idea what these are??

We lost track of time and tried to make it back for the 4:30 ferry ride.  Funny sight us "old" people power walking through the streets of Coronado.  Rounded the corner just as the ferry was pulling out.  Only an hour wait for the next one, which actually was better because we were able to view San Diego just as it was getting dark.

Now we know what "non retired" people do on the weekends!

Before Long weekend ! Empty !

Saturday morning

View from RV on Saturday

Today, late afternoon.

Working people go home...this is my beach
 

It's all good.  People have been very friendly and would go out of their way to help you.

Family and Disneyland in Southern California

Andy has been in heaven these past few days.  We've had a great time with the kids and grandchildren, Kennedy and Hunter were such good kids and a joy to hang out with.

Last day at Disneyland..can't escape the rain !

Had a wonderful time at Mikes and Teri's place for the yearly "Christmas Dinner".  Andy couldn't make it ! She wasn't feeling very well plus large crowds are a major problem for her due to her hearing loss.  Teri did a fantastic job with the decorations and dinner.  She is just amazing !  Thank you for inviting Andy and I.  I never did get to spend very much time with Teri and Mike because they were so busy feeding that rowdy crowd. Well over 30 people !

The girls, Christine and Dana, doing what girls do...just like teenagers

The Dossey families

Nice picture..I do have copyright on this picture...plus you owe me drinks...Seattle Seahawks won!

Mike and Page Dossey with family. Neighbors kids is there too !

The Four Amigos

Larry and Ernie invited us to stay and spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with them at their place in downtown LA.  We had such a great time!  I think all we did was eat !  Andy and Larry sure know how to cook and drink wine.  I opt out on the wine...nasty stuff.  We even sat in the hot tub on the roof over- looking downtown LA on Christmas Eve.  How fun is that !

Christmas Dinner at Ernie's and Larry's place

It was good to see Ron again.  He is so nice !  He even let me win a "Shit Head" and to hold his Laker's NBA Championship Ring.  Don't be a hater now Jeannie and Bobby !

Lakers 2010 NBA Championship Ring on "MY" finger !

We went to Disneyland on December 27, 2012 !  It was so busy !  They even stopped letting people into the park at 2PM because it was so busy.  It was hard walking around, let alone going on a ride.  I would never ever go to Disneyland or California Adventures during this time of year again.  We knew there would be a crowd but never imaged it would be this bad.  We still had a wonderful time standing in the lines and goofing with each other.

Huh !  Does anybody get this ?  Tell me !!

What a misfit gang !

No way..see next photo

Greg being silly and Andy pissed her pants..lol

First day at Disneyland

2-3 hour wait ! Nope ! 

We are still hanging out in Seal Beach Navel Weapon Station in Seal Beach California.  This is a really nice place.  We are schedule to leave here on the 15th of January but we will see.  We are thinking of going to Camp Pendelton near San Diego for a few weeks.  We are hoping to see Casey and Anne and maybe Chuck and Donna.  Casey and Anne I have known and have been friends with them since 1980.  Chuck and Donna we met in Tucson, Arizona last year while we were traveling.  Hope to see all guys soon!

People from all over the world read this blog which I really enjoy.  I do wonder from time to time how this happens.  People from America read this blog more than any other place followed by Russia.  If you are reading this and are from Russia please feel free to be a member and or leave a comment.  I find this extremely interesting

Christmas In Our RV !

So what is it like hanging out in a RV in Southern California, during the Christmas Season?

I have lived in cold climates all my life and Andy has been in Oregon for over 30 years, so this sunny, warm environment is kind of strange to us ole timers.

Today, the sun was shining so we took a "walkabout"  the small town of Seal Beach, California. The Christmas decorations were out...people dressed up in their "Christmas Sweaters" and bands were playing Christmas Music. People were shopping and smiling but something just didn't feel right ! It seems like the "Christmas season" !  I know it is !  I see the decorations, I see people shopping,  I know its like mid December! What can it be...why does it not feel like Christmas...oh I know !!!

Palm Trees next to a Christmas Tree ? Oh my !  How can this be ?  Tell me it isn't so ! It is also 68 degrees ! How can this be the "Christmas Season"?  No cold, no snow, and for the people from the Northwest...NO RAIN !

I am glad it doesn't feel like the "Christmas Season" come to think of it! I don't miss the cold and the rain !

Being in a RV resort around Christmas is kind of weird too.  As I sit in the passenger seat in Epinephrine, our RV, and look out the windshield ...lol...What do I see ?  I see Motorhomes and 5th Wheels all decorated up!  They, the people who live in them, have strung lights all over the place. If something can hold a string of lights then by gosh there is a string of lights hanging from it.  They even put those blow up things on their roofs and put lights on the ground surrounding the RV site.  They are so weird ! 

I am looking right now on my GPS for the nearest Walmart....I need some Christmas lights and one of those big inflatable Santa and Reindeer things !!

Andy just had to decorate the inside of our RV too. So here she is...big smile on her face.