California trip , AZ to meet Cash

Fabulous house and spectacular views from the "top of the mountain"

Cash loving his new walker

View to street and house below

First glimpse of house on drive up the hill

Steep curvy narrow drive

House from street below

Cash and Grandpa sharing the love.

Our bonfire everyday.  Great Fire pit Dennis made.

Cash gets lots of love and attention

Still too young Grandpa.

Melissa, Courtney, Cash, Dennis, Grandma Stiak

The workout area

Dennis going out on bike to wait at lower area to lead Grandma Stiak "home".

Mike waiting at bottom for his Mom to arrive so he can drive her car up the steep, curvy driveway.

      Landmark  Thumb Butte rises above the area just west of town.

We spent every afternoon in the sunshine

Not yet Gramps

The Large boulders are just outside the kitchen window

Patio at back of the house and the view down to Willow Lake [looking north]

Hot tub with Corona keeping watch.

Melissa and Cash

Start of the long steep drive..  Thumb Butte is the focal point.

 
Grandpa, Grandma ,Dennis,  Courtney, Cash


Stiak Family, Dennis, Courtney, Cash

Dad Dennis, son Cash

Good by Dennis, we are sad to leave.

It is a long drive through Mountains , across the desert and back to traffic of Southern California

Some of the more unusual sights, in the middle of "nowhere" there is a Round a bout.  no town just a cross road in the middle of the desert. No Traffic either??????????????? We wonder why.?

Sam Hill's Cigars and Pipes

Can you read the license plate?     "VICTIMS"  Make up your our story about that.


Flying back to Texas we get some of the Southwest humor:

"Information card is located in your seat back pocket.  For you Dallas Cowboy fans, your in luck as it is mostly pictures"

[Holding up seat belt] " This is the seat belt latch, if you don't recognize it you really need to get out more"

"Thank you for paying attention and to those of you who didn't,,,LOTS OF LUCK"

After a quick stop to pick up more passengers and running behind , trying to get people seated quickly we hear "Please find any empty spot, we are asking you to pick your seat not your soulmate"
"It is only a 57 minute flight and they all face the same way".

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Cali trip 2017

April 6, 2017
We board Southwest for our trip to California and Arizona .  I am reminded and amazed at this great country and how different it is from one state to another I had to included the great views from my window seat.

Lots of wind turbines in south Texas.
Because we went to New Orleans we got to see the Louisiana swampland


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Next comes the Mississippi river

Mountains and valleys



Flying into San Diego is always a pretty sight.

Mike picks us up and off we go to Oceanside getting to experience the pretty drive and the joys of traffic on the Pacific Coast Highway. We get plenty of time to catch up. 


After Mikes gets home from work on Friday. Mike, Kevin, Bob and Mary go to OAW [Oceanside Ale Works] a very unique "tasting room" where you can buy your glass, bring it back each time you come and also get a Growler filled to take home.  Yes, we did !

 Melissa was at the house making us a great Lasagna for dinner.

Sitting in the back yard someone spills their beer but Roxie is always ready to help clean up.

 Back yard where we spend lots of time.  Charlie and Roxie are always there for company.

 View from kitchen window

 Gathering firewood from the Canyon area.


Saturday morning we head back down the Pacific Highway to get some  Cardiff Crack.

 This motorcycle dude has his surfboard strapped to his bike and is wearing his wet suit.

 Stopped along the way for lunch and to admire the surfers.

 Soon we spot the Cardiff Kook, a famous statue that is always getting a different look

 So many bicycles in the traffic. This one has a dog in the backpack with his head over her shoulder.

 View of Mike and Melissa back yard and Canyon

AHHHHH , the Cardiff Crack is on the grill

 The Crack Chef ,

and the fun begins..

Kim, Kelly, Cynthia and Lancelot join us for a afternoon cookout and evening of drinks and laughter.

What more is there to say , Melissa and Kim are best friends and we all had a great time.  Everyone spent the night in the same house. 

Tomorrow we leave for AZ and three days with Dennis and family.  Continued...................................................................