Hit The Road Jack

Road Trip Time

If you have plans to travel over the holiday weekend, be prepared to pay higher prices for a gallon of fuel if you travel to or through high traffic and popular areas.  The price for a barrel of oil just went over the $50 dollar per barrel mark since February 2016 when it was $26.

Whenever I go on a road trip I google the location of all the Costco gasoline station along my route.  They are not always as convenient as I wish they were, but I’ve been known to go a few miles out of my way to fill up at as much as 30 to 70 cents cheaper per gallon.

Looking at the Los Angeles area for this holiday weekend the Costco gasoline stations range from $2.32 per gallon on the low end to $2.42 on the high end.  By comparison the in the same area (LA) Super 8 in Norwalk from $2.37 to $4.29 at a Chevron on N. Alameda and N. Main St.

If you take a chance it will just come down to where you get low on fuel, and feel that you can no longer risk it and go for the best price you can get at a gas station.  On the other hand, if cost is no object, simply enjoy your trip and know that this holiday’s gasoline prices are amongst the best (lowest) we’ve seen for a while.

Many experts are predicting record number of travelers due to the great gasoline prices and the fact that we just came out of a long winter, and need the family getaway.  Expect heavy and slow traffic at times, and long lines almost everywhere you go.  Safe and happy motoring.  Remember the new laws regarding use of restrooms, keep your family safe.  The best is yet to come…………..

Travel Arrangements

Travel Arrangements

Once again a major holiday weekend is fast approaching and with it the hustle and bustle of people heading out of town for a well-deserved get away.  The airports are filled to their limits, and so are the train stations, bus depots, and the gasoline stations.  Travel trailers and RVs are competing for space on the roads with semi-trucks as they transport goods to market, and the work commuters that stay behind and hold down the fort.

Memorial Day

·       Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war.

·       By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

·        Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries. ~ Wikipedia

·       “As we enter into the summer travel season with warmer temperatures and tulips in bloom, thoughts of historic cold are still fresh in the minds of Americans in many parts of the country,” said Marshall L. Doney, AAA Chief Operating Officer. “The winter blues appear to have given Americans the travel bug and a case of cruise cabin fever as travel for the holiday is expected to hit a new post-recession high.” ~ Heather Hunter, AAA (Triple A)

As for my family, we have made plans to stay at a 5 Star accommodation, where the best chef in the world practices his craft.  That’s right we are staying home and getting together at our home to BBQ some very quality steaks and Salmon (plus special consideration to a couple of family members that are vegetarian) with all the trimmings including of course corn on the cob, We are going all out with the food especially considering all the money that we will save by not traveling.

Since I am retired I prefer to plan all my travel while everyone has their nose to the grindstone.  To those of you hitting the road, I wish you a safe trip, lots of fun and a safe return home.  Whether you are traveling at home or abroad, stay on your toes at all times, remember that criminals take advantage of people outside their normal element and routine.  The best is yet to come……

Relationship Maintenance

View from our balcony

For a number of years during the period in our lives that our children were below the age of 8 years (with the youngest being 2 years of age) my wife and I hardly spent any quality time together during the week.  It was during that time that we decided to find a way to date even if only once or twice a month to maintain our sanity and romance strong.

It seems that all our waking hours were spent taking care of the children and their needs and wants. Responsibilities included taking care of my mother who had come to live with us at my wife’s invitation.  Don’t get me wrong my mother didn’t add to the list of chores, in fact she was a special blessing.  We could always trust my mother to look after the children for short amounts of time while my wife and I tended to the family business, and I of course also maintained a full time job (and at times night school).

Quite by accident we discovered a brand new hotel on the water front, when we took the children for ice cream and a stroll on the Marina.  I was so impressed by the location that I got away long enough to check out the rooms, and view, as well as the costs involved.  While there I made a reservation for a couple of weeks down the road.  It was meant to be a surprise get away for my wife, so I kept it to myself.

Our typical stay there included a chilled bottle of champagne, and twelve roses set up in advance of our arrival by the hotel (by pre-arrangement of course).  The place had what I considered a huge Jacuzzi in the master suite, and a balcony that was right over the water overlooking the Marina.  We most often had a rushed day even as our check-in time approached.  We would, however, always make time to stop at a grocery store to buy more fruit than we could eat (pears, apples, oranges, bananas, mangoes, etc.), and more magazines then we could read while spending one night away.

View from restaurant

 

Right next door was a new and considered amongst the best in the area, seafood restaurant. The evening consisted of a very nice and relaxed dinner, followed by a walk along the Marina.  Once back at the hotel we would relax in the balcony reading and enjoying the sound of seagulls over the sailboats anchored near our window.  We would follow this relaxed time by an even more relaxing time reading in the Jacuzzi.  Almost any talking we did was conversations about the children and what each one of us had been doing during the week.  The total cost for the one night normally ran in the neighborhood of $300 plus dollars, I know it sounds a little extravagant especially for early 1980’s, but look at the bright side:  we were 6 miles from home and could be there in under ten minutes if we were needed.  No cost for travel to out of state vacation.  Plus it saved us from spending that much or more on therapy.

Hotel Lobby

 

If I were to justify this post it would be simply to keep fresh in my mind the responsibilities that goes with forming and maintaining a loving relationship that endures beyond the years after the children leave the nest.  Saying I love you every day for a lifetime is important, but keeping the relationship fresh and interesting is equally important.  At some point when the children start arriving they totally disrupt the romance if you let them.  You owe total focus to the children, but that only means that you have to step up your game, and make time for the one person that you fell in love with and give adequate effort to the love affair.  I know that what I am talking about borders on a perfect life, and I’ve said it before that we are blessed.  None of our story was without effort.

If you are presently faltering even a little bit in your relationship, there is plenty of time to step up your game.  Keep in mind that it takes two to tango, but be persistent.  The best is yet to come…..

Halloween Stories 13

Saved by An Angel

By Unknown Author

18 years ago I was in Turkey for vacation with friends. I was 21 at the time and a novice swimmer. I was swimming in the sea when a strong current carried me into deeper water. The waves were crashing over my head; I could not feel the surface beneath my feet. I was being pulled further and further out to sea. There were no other swimmers in the water. I began to wave frantically but no one seemed to notice I was drowning. I went under once, twice and I knew the third time was going to be my last. I was thinking all the time I don’t want to die so far from home. I was going under for the third time when this little brown body of a boy child came from the left; he swam like a fish in the water. He came over to my right hand side and held me up out of the water by my elbow. I turned to him and said don’t let go.  I did not know how such a small child was holding me up but he was. He was only about 4 years old. He just held me there and stayed by my side he did not speak. I was calm and knew I was safe.

A few minutes later a woman in a green swimsuit swam to my aid. When she reached me she held my left arm and he held my right arm. They held me for what seemed like a long time before they slowly brought me to the shore. I turned to the boy and he was gone. I was confused and kept looking for the boy. I kept asking “where is the child gone, the little boy”. The woman said she did not see any child I was very puzzled. He was right there all that time. How could she not have seem him? In fact I had assumed the boy was with her because they seemed to work together.

A group of children surrounded me in the shallow water; I asked them if they had seen the little boy who pulled me up from the water. I wanted to thank him. They told me they had seen what has happened but they only saw the lady rescue me, they did not see any little boy.

In disbelief I asked everyone who was on the beach including my friend did they see the little boy, I was getting worried about him.  Was he still in the water? Where was he? But no one else saw him. He saved my life yet I was the only one who saw him. How did the woman who helped save me not see him when he was right there with us? I will never understand and can only conclude that I must have been saved by an angel that day.

And if you can hear me little Angel “Thank you, I can never thank you enough.  The best is yet to come…

 

 

 

Unaffordable Family Entertainment

Unaffordable Family Entertainment

Every stage in life comes with advantages and disadvantages.  When we consider the cost of living during the time that we were raising our children, everything was cheaper.  Wages were no different, they were also cheaper (lower).  Some of us always find a way to come out ahead, and the majority of us simply roll with the punches, and get by.  I learned early on that there are only so many hours in the day that can be traded on a basis of labor for money.  Once again I digress, this subject will be followed on a different future post.

I recently posted a picture of the Disneyland Castle on Facebook (titled “A people trap set by a mouse”), and it took me back to the many years my family has visited the famous resorts in Southern California.

Evolution of Disneyland Tickets

When the gates to Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, visitors paid a mere $1 to get into the park. This fee, however, did not include attractions and rides. Those additional tickets, roughly $2.50 for eight attractions, could be purchased in books, with the prices depending on which attractions you wanted to attend. Those books ranged in classes from A to D. A few years later, an "E" class was added, which covered all of the big thrill rides. Those rides were later coined "E-ticket rides," a name that has stuck throughout the years. Disneyland officials abandoned the books in 1982 and began charging a single fare for each patron entering the park. The price included all rides and attractions, with the exception of the arcades and the Frontierland Shooting Gallery.

Present Day Ticket Prices

Ticket prices are set for adults (ten years and older) and children ages three to nine, while guests younger than age three are free. There are no special discounts for senior citizens or disabled persons. California Adventure theme park admission prices are the same as Disneyland's, and there are several types of tickets to choose from.

·       Single-Day Theme Park: A one-day trip to Disneyland, not including parking or admission to California Adventure, costs around $92 for adults and $86 for children.

·       One-Day Park Hopper: Admission into Disneyland and California Adventure costs about $137 for adults and $131 for children.

·       Two-Day Park Hopper: For around $175 for adults and $162 for children, you will receive a two-day admission for either Disneyland or California Adventure. For $35 more, you'll receive admission to both parks for use on two days. The ticket expires 13 days after its first use.

·       Southern California CityPass: For $319 for adults and $279 for children, you can buy a three-day admission to Disneyland theme park, California Adventure, and several other Southern California attractions, such as Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld, and either the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park. You must use the ticket within two weeks.

·       Bonus Park Hopper Tickets: Three, four, and five-day park hopper bonus tickets are also available. These tickets include a "Magic Morning" early admission at one of the theme parks (to be decided upon at time of purchase), but only when they're ordered in advance.

I don’t mean to pick on the world’s favorite mouse, but because it is so popular, is becomes an easy target.  Sports events are also pricing themselves out of the typical family range.  My children grew up attending concerts (NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, etc.), and WWF Main Events, NFL Games and on. While prices were high back then, today’s prices are through the roof.  I refuse to get a second mortgage for a weekend’s outing.  The best is yet to come…..

Bucket List Item #10

Huntington Beach California

#10.  I will vacation in at least two beach resorts in the States of Oregon, and California.

 

This post is an update to: Making A Bucket List (posted Monday, February 11, 2013 http://www.being50.com/2013/02/making-bucket-list.html).

Warning: if a person loves the sun, sand and ocean, and is weak of mind, stay away from the California beaches.  Not so much because of the beautiful people that hangout there, but for what Mother Nature has to offer.  The feeling that you get from being out on the open air, walking on the sand feeling the Pacific Ocean at your feet is therapeutic at the very least!  Your mind begins to think on its own, and the first thought is how nice would it be to do this very same thing I am doing, at will.

The reality is that what I have in my home state in my neighborhood, would probably cost at least 10 times as much in Huntington Beach or any other neighborhood of similar standard.  To live anywhere else within driving distance would soon become boring if not a complete nightmare.  The amount of fatal or near fatal accidents I saw on the way to the beach alone (without consideration the total  number I saw within the week), would be enough to convince you to stay indoors and lock the doors.  During the short time we were there, there were in the neighborhood of 8 or more earthquakes registered with a magnitude of 3.2 or less, within 30 miles of where we were staying.

The bottom lines is that the resorts and beaches are beautiful, but I still wouldn’t give up my Pacific Northwest life for them.  Many years ago in a different lifetime, I lived in Santa Cruz, and often thought I would someday retire to live in Santa Cruz.  That is until a strong earthquake caused severe damage to the city.  Young people in today’s economic conditions can’t afford to rebuild, a person of senior age would be in an equally financial and emotional shape to respond.

Surfer Girl, Beach Boys

Enough said about the negative.  The period of time spent in the area between Sunset Beach and Newport beach was like spending time in God’s little acre.  I swear I felt younger by at least 10 years, I had fun driving around in a 2012 Camaro SS, listening to the music (perhaps a little louder than usual).  Eating seafood where it should be eaten, within stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean (at exorbitant prices I might add, an order of crab was $49.95).  I actually got to witness (not for the first time) the type of scenery that inspired the Beach Boys’ songs.  We actually saw people getting ready to play volleyball at Huntington Beach, surfing, roller blading, biking, swimming, strolling hand in hand, and just plain soaking in the sun rays.

I did promise myself that no other vacation to Southern California would be complete without a similar visit to the beach.  In love with the area, but still in control.

See other posting related to this trip: Guilty Pleasure (http://www.being50.com/2013/09/guilty-pleasure.html , Guilty Pleasure 2 (http://www.being50.com/2013/09/guilty-pleasures-2.html , Our Place in Life http://www.being50.com/2013/09/our-place-in-life.html ).  The best is yet to come…

 

Bucket List Item #8

Scenic Snoqualmie Pass

#8.  I will participate in at least 3 family reunions.).   

This post is an update to: Making A Bucket List (posted Monday, February 11, 2013 http://www.being50.com/2013/02/making-bucket-list.html ).

There are a number of things that I am committed to, amongst the top 3 on my list, is family.  I won’t give it a definitive number because the other two are equally important.  It takes a core of things to make your life stable, and my three are what makes me who and what I am.  Since I no longer have my parents, and my wife was my support system when I did have them, it’s time to return the favor.  I love nothing more than to take my wife to visit her mother and family.  I honestly feel closer than just an in-law with her side of the family. 

This year we made more trips to visit her family than we ever have in years past.  The trip is normally a six hour roundtrip effort, but lately because of road construction over the mountain pass it has become more like a ten hour roundtrip challenge.  Our planning starts out by committing to making the visits, and it has been as simple as deciding on Saturday that we will travel on Sunday.

This year August and September were great months for family a get-together.  During August we had an impromptu get-together at my mother-in-laws house.  Whenever we give them enough notice that we are coming, everyone in the family gets notified and they all show up.  While it is a great time to see everyone, it’s also a time to realize how fast time goes by.  People that are now thirty, were being baby sat by my wife, not that long ago.  Those of you that follow my Blog know that I don’t mention names, so I won’t here either.  The family unit is very important, because if times get tough as it does sooner or later, you can simply circle the wagons, and survive with your self-sufficient built in support system.

During the month of August we also had a get-together at my first born son’s house also normally a ten hour roundtrip drive but also affected by road construction at the mountain pass. While a very nice scenic drive, it is best enjoyed at 70 miles per hour, and not in stop and go traffic.  My son is an excellent chef especially when it comes to grilling BBQ steaks.  We had a great time visiting with kids (grand children) that were getting ready to return to college (medical field), and even making new friends (semi-retired from the work force now concentrating in his love for art).  My son was in recovery from recent surgery so the visit had extra special meaning.

Within the last couple of days my first born daughter and I returned from a family reunion in Southern California.  We both had a great time moving around the gathering catching up with everyone that attended.  The get-together was so large that I felt compelled to ask for everybody’s attention at the dinner table and ask if anyone was threatened with bodily harm if they didn’t attend.  They all reacted with laughter, and some responded that not only where they there willingly but that they even prepared a favorite meal to share.  Once again I couldn’t help but notice how quickly everyone is growing up, and realizing their dreams.  Amongst the professions represented: An Airline Attendant for ten years, a Registered Nurse for about eight years, a rock star, lead singer with a popular rock band, project manager, construction worker, and there are the up and comers working their way up (some of the just mentioned successes started out with In & Out Burger not that long ago).

One of my favorite aunts couldn’t attend because she had just returned from a mini vacation so we surprised her by showing up at her work.  She let out such a big scream when she saw me that she scared the people she was dealing with at the time.  I love all my family members from the most recent arrivals to my step mother who is now 80 years old loves me so much that it makes me feel bad for all my brothers and sisters.  I don’t think she loves me because I am so great, I believe that 65% of that love is because I remind her so much of my father, whom she loves very much (he passed away 11 years ago). 
See other posting related to this trip: Guilty Pleasure

(http://www.being50.com/2013/09/guilty-pleasure.html , Guilty Pleasure 2 (http://www.being50.com/2013/09/guilty-pleasures-2.html , Our Place in Life http://www.being50.com/2013/09/our-place-in-life.html ).  The best is yet to come…

Guilty Pleasures 2

Huntington Beach

This is a follow up Post to Guilty Pleasures posted on September 20, 2013: (http://www.being50.com/2013/09/guilty-pleasure.html ).

 My last post ended as we were halfway through our mini vacation.  Everything nice that could go right, did.  How often can you say that about vacation that was pretty much spur of the moment, not totally unplanned the destination was moved in the last two weeks prior to take off?  The original plan was that my daughter and I would travel to Texas for a week so I could do research on a book I am writing (our own family’s story as seen through the eyes author “me,” working title “East Lincoln”).  The plan was established in the spring of this year.  The schedule was based on my daughter’s availability.

• Tropical Storm Warnings!  A low-pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico has an 80 percent chance of becoming a tropical system in the next five days, according to the hurricane center. “Regardless of development, this disturbance will likely spread heavy rains over portions of eastern Mexico and could cause life-threatening floods and mudslides over areas already impacted by torrential rains during the last several days,” Jack Bevin, a senior hurricane specialist at the center, said in a forecast.

Our Texas destination would have taken us to Brownsville and Corpus Christi Texas, right in the path of the tropical storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico.  Fortunately I had previously taken on some research for my book in the area of interest.  Due to the possible storm and the more than 100% humidity that accompanies such storms, we chose to move our destination to Southern California, and turn it into a mini vacation with alternate goals to be accomplished. Refer to Making a Bucket List posted on February 11, 2013 (http://www.being50.com/2013/02/making-bucket-list.html ).

The most serious objective was to relax, and enjoy, we purposely stayed away from all the typical tourist attractions (traps), Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, and San Diego Zoo, etc.  There was no specific timeline other than a family reunion on Saturday.  The rest of the time was more like, let’s see what we decide to do once we wake up.  I did have a secret agenda but didn’t share it with anyone, and wasn’t concerned if we couldn’t make it happen.  On my agenda, was to experience for the week driving a muscle car so I could get the feel for what it might be like to own one for the rest of my life. Another part of my hidden agenda was to spend serious time at two or three beach resort areas, so I could experience it, and meet another of my bucket list items.

The two days that I had secretly set aside for the beach resort visits were 94, and 84 degrees respectively.  On the day that turned out to be 94 degrees I mentioned to my daughter the idea of going to the beach, and while she liked the idea, she didn’t like the traffic we would have to drive in to get there.  We had pretty much decided to cancel when the housekeeping head of our hotel knocked on the door, to check our room’s service needs.  After a short conversation, she left and instinct kicked in.  I followed her down the hall and asked her if she lived in the area, she said she didn’t but was familiar with pretty much all the area of Los Angeles.  I asked her what beach areas were nearby, and how long it might take to drive there.  She looked at her wrist watch (it was around 10 am) and she said, if you take off right now, you will get there in about one hour, and you won’t get a better day for it.

I immediately told my daughter to get ready because we were going to spend time on the beach. Less than one hour later we arrived at Huntington Beach, and spent the rest of the day playing in the sand the water, and the piers from Sunset Beach to Westport Beach with Huntington Beach in-between.  It’s a good thing the rental shacks were getting ready to close by the time I got up the nerve to go surfing because I was ready to surf with the sharks (not).  Some less stable people lose their minds at the experience and start thinking about moving to the area.  Not me I realize that paradise vacation can only be paradise if you don’t live there.  If you move there it becomes the place where you toil, and worry about everyday things.  My wife taught me that when we first got married many years ago.  We ate dinner at the beach in Westport where an order of crab was $49.95.  We left the area after dinner (dark), and it still took us more than two hours to drive what had earlier taken about 50 minutes.

I can’t describe all the fun we had and all the things we did in one posting, but shopping, family reunion and driving a 2012 Camaro SS the whole time was part of the experience.  I couldn’t have planned it better if I had planned it.  It was an even better experience to get home to the family I love and missed the whole time I was away.  My first born daughter and I definitely bonded while on vacation.  The best is yet to come…..

Partner In Crime

Theo aka Daddy Big Bucks

Do you have a four-legged friend that means the world to you?  I hope so, because there’s no better feeling than to know what unconditional love is.  His name is Theo, and he gets professional grooming more often than I do.  He is a great looking Toy Poodle that like all Poodles doesn’t shed.  He is a 10 pound muscle bound little guard dog.  He senses when someone pulls up to our driveway or approaches our front door.  He might not be big enough and physical enough to literally protect my life, but he gives me more than enough warning for me to protect both of us.  With Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson Theo and I can stand back to back and take on the world.  This little guy is so special to me that I hope, that if one of us has to part this earth, I hope I go first so won’t have to miss him.

I buy puppy pads for him for overnight so he won’t have any accidents, and I often get criticized because I maintain an inventory of as many as three boxes of three hundred count each.  Same with his food and treats, I tend to overdo it with the stocking of inventory.  That part is not because I spoil him, after all he doesn’t even know where I keep the stash, but merely because like everything else the product always runs out at the most inopportune time.

Of all the members of our large family he definitely has his favorites.  He loves my daughter and her husband, one of my sons and his wife are also definitely favored, other than that he hangs out with me when we have company.  He is always happiest when he is near me inside or outside the house.  I recently went away on a vacation to Southern California, and he missed me terribly.  My wife told me that whenever she returned home from work he would stay near the door expecting me to come through the door at any moment.  At night he would lay down facing the bedroom door as if knowing that I should be coming home at any time.

My vacation’s purpose was to visit and otherwise stay in close touch with the California branch of the Family Tree, while there I fulfilled a couple of Bucket List items (see Post dated February 11, 2013 http://www.being50.com/2013/02/making-bucket-list.html ).  While the getaway was relaxing and fun, I missed my family back home and my partner in crime.

Theo Does Christmas

 

My wife, children and grandchildren understand that I was going away and coming back by a certain day, but all Theo knows is that I come home every day and he can take that to the bank.  Unfortunately he hates to travel by any means other than his own four-legged power.  The only time he gets in the car is when he goes to get groomed or to the veterinarian, and he trembles the whole way.  I sit him next to me to make it easier on him, but it only helps so much. I go out of my way to schedule some play time in the back yard or put on his leash so we can go for a walk to the park (he loves that).  Everyone in the family knows Theo very well, and they are aware that he is my baby, and they have to play nice with him.  He is loved by all. He definitely even gets wrapped presents at Christmas and dresses for the occasion.  The best is yet to come….

Bucket List Item #5

Bucket List Item #5

#5. I will acquire a classic muscle car.  (I cleared it with my wife).   

 This post is an update to: Making A Bucket List (posted Monday, February 11, 2013 http://www.being50.com/2013/02/making-bucket-list.html ).  I have many friends that still have their favorite muscle cars, but I finally took a close look and noticed that the ownership is not like the first time (around) ownership.  The cars are either in the garage or otherwise in storage.  They only come out for car shows or car rallies.  They are definitely kept out of sight during the winter months (at least in my neck of the woods).  I thought I would be a different kind of owner, I would use mine for every day shopping, or just plain old pleasure driving year round.

So I drove around for the most part of a week around Southern California in a new bright Yellow Camaro SS.  The most powerful engine they make for Camaro, every available option from sunroof, to special wheels, the information you need as a driver is projected on the windshield, extreme quality sound system, and more power than an old hotrod like me should ever be able to get his hands on.  One time too many I remember telling my passenger, "I feel like an astronaut getting into a space capsule," even than it didn't sink in.  The car is a challenge waiting to be made to anyone on the freeway trying to prove that his car is better.  Maybe you can imagine the restraint that it takes not to accept the challenge.

At this point I have proven all I have to prove.  After all not only am I driving a very powerful car but I know how to handle it.  I will vow down to this car in the area of notices and good looks.  Every where we went people took notice and actually talked about it.  I had one young man about 9 years old, step out of his fathers pickup truck at a gas station to tell me that I was driving a very nice Camaro and that he had seen it in the movie Transformers.  I was so proud that a young child would go out of his way to compliment my ride.  Other than the compliment the majority of notices were on the freeway, where drivers would pull up and rev their engines to challenge me.  I would just nod my head to acknowledge them, and wave at them.  The Highway Patrol also noticed me and would give a glance my way on the freeway.

Somehow I felt like an old gunslinger that has changed his life and doesn't want to be tested anymore, but I am not sure that I wouldn't react to a challenge down the road and take on the young whipper snappers, and their effort to take on the great Kahuna.

Of course I am being silly, my resolve is strong not to misbehave as I did when I was young.  However, my thoughts of how I would handle my future muscle car is defective, my original plan never took in consideration the three young granddaughters that accompany me everywhere.  I am more like a butler to three princesses.  I can't predict the future but If I could, I might predict a new minivan loaded with all the bells and whistles maybe even a built in vacuum cleaner.  The best is yet to come….

Our Place in Life

Our Place in Life

Is your life one that requires you to travel out of town for work?  I spent 27 plus years doing that exact same thing in my career.  Week after week I would pack my bags for travel that lasted most of the week.  While I missed my family, I had the comfort of knowing that I was doing it for them.  My children were ok with it because mom was always home at the end of the day.

I bring the subject up because as I write this post, I am in the middle of a mini 4 day trip to Southern California.  There is no guilt trip leaving home as required for work, but leaving home for time off to visit family, comes with a ton of guilt.  I've never ever had the feeling that I had to get away from home, because there is nothing better than a fun and happy home.  My biggest joy in life has become spending time with my three granddaughters (three, four and seven years old).  On the other hand I haven't visited with my siblings in near 3 years, and as you all know time waits for no one.  My nephews and nieces, are growing, and growing so very fast.  One of my nieces just turned 30 years old this weekend (she was 27 years old the last time I saw her).  One of my brothers just got married this last weekend, and I missed it all together.  I'm not looking for justification to nullify the guilt feelings, of being away from home, but bottom line there is value on all the options and reasons.

There is a couple or three things that weigh in today that weren't a factor ever in the past.  My three granddaughters, enjoy spending time with their grandfather (me), I've been known to color on coloring books, watch the Disney Channel, Calliou, Lazy Town, play at putting puzzles together with the three year old, sing songs like Old McDonald Had a Farm, and Itsy bitsy Spider, all these from sun up to sun down, without a break.  My granddaughters have been known to pass up a chance to go to Chuck E. Cheese, to stay at grandpa's house instead, etc., etc.  Well the day I left on my four day trip, my seven year old granddaughter cried because she missed her grandfather.  My four year old granddaughter was quoted as saying, "I'm going to miss my grandfather when he goes away, I miss him already and he hasn't left yet!"

I always try to find the silver lining in every negative in life, and I couldn't help but draw a parallel between being away temporarily in an avoidable trip, and the real and forced departure, of leaving this life.  I've always had a cavalier attitude about death and dying.  By that I mean:  when my time comes, I am ready and prepared to go, no regrets.  That is until this lesson came up.  I knew that my wife and children would miss me, and so would my brothers, and sisters, but I had always hoped that they would celebrate my life instead of mourning my passing.  I come to the realization that my brothers and sisters have a bigger stake in my life than I realized.  I am the oldest of my father's children, and by unanimous vote also the one that looks most like my father and is most like him in every expect including mannerism, voice, and attitude.  My siblings and their children loved my father so much that since he passed away (10 plus years ago), all of their love and focus has been redirected at me.  A very high and possibly unearned honor, but certainly an honor that I will work hard to be worthy of.

I underestimated, how much understanding and love my little granddaughters have for me.  It makes me sad to think that I would leave a void in my little girls precious lives.  I am planning on not going away with short notices on planned trips and I plan to work even harder, at staying healthy, and not taking any chances that might endanger my life.  I also know how much my wife loves me and what I mean to her.  I'm making this commitment equally for my wife and children, and all my loved ones.  I knew I was loved and well thought of, but i don't believe that I understood my place in the family.  The best is yet to come…..

Road-Trip Aborted

Road-Trip Aborted

 Have you ever started on a road-trip with wonderful expectations, and then something goes terribly wrong?  We did once, and fortunately we escaped the day unscathed.  During the early years of raising our children some 26 years ago, my wife and I decided to take a road trip with our four little ones.  Our children are two years apart, and back then the youngest was two and the oldest almost eight.  We are fortunate to operate our lives as one mind with one plan, and unwavering commitment for the full benefit of our children.

My wife and I think so much alike that somewhere along the way we came to the consensus that when we brought these little children into the world, our focus became raising them happy, healthy, and safe.  Our personal everything became secondary.  I swear we never sat down and talked about it, it was the unspoken commitment (living as one).  Early on we determined that if our children couldn’t go somewhere with us we weren’t going.  We stopped going on vacations alone. Our little ones never spent an overnight even at a grandparent’s house.

This was a special adventure for us, we were going to go on a spur of the moment road trip.  The non-plan was to drive south from the Northwest towards California perhaps as far as Los Angeles (maybe even visit Disneyland) or not, and head home whenever we wanted to.  The plan was so flexible that approximately 30 miles into the trip we made a decision to treat our children to their first ferry ride across the Puget Sound.  I remember like it was yesterday, getting out of the minivan and going up on deck, and feeling the sea air hitting our faces as the ferry cut across the water at a fast pace.  We traveled from Edmonds to Kingston, and drove towards Port Townsend.  We thought of visiting some of the antique shops that the area is famous for.  However, along the way we saw a road sign pointing to a Historical Landmark (Fort Worden), and decided to go check it out.

Fort Worden, along with the heavy batteries of Fort Flagler and Fort Casey, once guarded nautical entrance to Puget Sound. These posts, established in the late 1890s, became the first line of a fortification system designed to prevent a hostile fleet from reaching such targets as the Bremerton Naval Yard and the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett.  Once there the sandy beach was very inviting to a young family that had never (as a family unit) seen the Pacific Ocean.

We parked the minivan and planned to walk the children while holding their little hands along the water line.  We instructed the children not to go near the water on their own, while we prepared them by removing their shoes and socks.  While tending to two of them the six year old made a run for the water.  I didn’t realize that the area, being a shipping channel had an almost immediate drop after about two feet of sandy beach.  Before we realized what happened my baby was drifting submerged away from land.  Without a second thought, I gave an order for everyone to stay put and I dived after my little one.  I prayed for my son safety as I swam after him.  I was at a point where I could reach his feet but I wanted to lift his face out of the water, so against my survival instinct to grab him, I swam closer to him until I could grab him from his waist to lift him out of the water.

 He immediately started coughing, and crying as I swam back to shore holding his upper body out of the water.  I know that I had special help in that instance because I am not that strong of a swimmer.  My son and I had to take a very cold shower at an outdoor location on the beach.  We tried not to make a big thing out of it, but we drove into Port Townsend, had a burger and fries, visited some stores and headed home,  If for no other reason in my existence, I know that I am blessed, and that I am loved, beyond what I probably deserve.  The best is yet to come…

Extended Holiday Weekend 2

Extended Holiday Weekend 2

• Excerpt from Blog Post, dated 5/24/2013: Extended Holiday Weekend. There is so much to be said for youth, we were all there once.  Some of us are still there but it’s not the same; young at heart and in mind is not the same as young actually.  The things we value, the things that drive us, for the most part it’s the material things, and the instant gratification.  I was impulsive once upon a time, I like many others, and somehow felt that youth would stick around forever.  What a wonderful thing to have progressed out of it while I was still young, and could make amends.
• The extended holiday weekend reminds me of the olden days when I too would have the car packed and ready to go for the 1500 mile trip from California to Washington State to visit family and friends for the three day weekend.  The only difference between then and now was the amount of the payments of the muscle car I was driving, and the cost per gallon of gasoline.  My car payments were right around $50.00 and the cost of a gallon of gasoline was .29 cents.  Compare the cost of gasoline at $3.79 today.  Not to mention the cost of a New Camaro or Charger, right around $49K to $64K plus financing. 
• This is  a typical scenario leading up to the extended weekend; Thursday night like most every other week night I would stay up until around midnight, I would wake up by 5 am to show up to work by 7 am (5 hours sleep maximum).  On Friday I would arrive from work at around 5:45 pm, and hit the road immediately headed north.  The drive as soon as the holiday traffic cleared up and we were past the Bay Area traffic would be a constant 85 to 90 miles per hour until we arrived home the next day near noon.  The visit while fun and exciting, was short lived.  In order to return in time for my job we had to leave no later than 1:30 pm on Monday so I could report to my mid-management position by 7 am on Tuesday. 

 WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This Labor Day, millions of cars will hit the road as Americans celebrate summer with family and friends. As with all of the summer holidays, many people celebrate the end of summer by driving to a location that is more than 50 miles away from their home. The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) is reminding all motorists to drive carefully when they travel this weekend.  

In 2012, more than 6,270 red-light violations occurred over the Labor Day holiday.* this year is likely to be just as dangerous.

 

Travel club AAA is projecting that 34.1 million Americans will travel over the holiday, with 85 percent expected to drive to their destinations. This prediction represents an increase of 4.3 percent when comparing the numbers to last year's drivers.  Due to this expected rise in the number of road travelers, the National Safety Council predicts that 394 traffic deaths will occur over the Labor Day travel period, an increase of nearly 6 percent over 2012 numbers. In addition, the safety organization estimates that another 42,200 people will require medical treatment for traffic-related injuries.

 

"With a significant influx of cars on our roadways, all drivers must be careful over the holiday weekend, especially in and around intersections," says Melissa Wandall, President of NCSR. "We encourage everyone to slow down and take extra care to stop at red lights."

Friday, August 30 is expected to be the busiest travel day of 2013. AAA predicts that 46 percent of Americans will depart for the holiday weekend on Friday and 43 percent will return on Monday, September 2.

 

My family and I plan to stay home, and entertain our family members that drop by for some delicious BBQ, and home style family cooking.  We can always travel when everyone else returns to school and work.  I wish travelers a safe and happy extended weekend!  The best is yet to come.....