Friends and Family in California, June 2016

We had such a good time during our visit in Visalia!  We parked Abe at Guy and Jeanne Evans’ home on the northwest side of Visalia during the week we were there.  Guy is a “gearhead” and he and Jerry had lots to discuss!  Jeanne, a retired grade school teacher, had found a second career mentoring student teachers through Fresno Pacific University.  We had lots of great conversations!  Unfortunately, they had planned a trip to see their granddaughter the weekend we were there so we didn’t have a lot of time together.  In the photo, Guy and Jerry are working on Abe’s generator bay door.

Jill, Bob and Lauren came down for the weekend to join the reunion party so we had the whole weekend with them.  They enjoyed Doug and Judee Berg’s pool both afternoons.  

Jill and Lauren went to breakfast with us downtown after church and we had to wait about half an hour.  The restaurant we chose was right across from the old Fox Theater.  So while we waited, Lauren and I had quite a conversation about who might live in the clock tower.  We came to the conclusion that Rapunzel must be up there and all those pigeons we saw sitting on the window ledge were her only friends.  What an imagination!

Our Christ Lutheran Church friends’ reunion was a huge success and, of course, began with a Sunday morning service at CLC.  We attended this church for over 30 years, and one of my favorite memories was singing in the church choir.  I love these people!!!  This summer choir was a small sample of the worship choir that sang at the 8 o’clock service during fall, winter, and spring.  Lim Forgey, the CLC music minister, a particularly talented man and so much fun to sing with!

Sunday afternoon 16 of us gathered at Doug and Judee Berg’s home in Visalia to reminisce and catch up.  I was too busy visiting to do my diligent photography but I did catch Pastor Brian Malison (our pastor for many years!) and Jerry having a conversation.  Nothing like getting together with old friends!

In addition to our reunion, Sunday, June 19 was also Father’s Day.  It was lovely for Jerry to have his sweet little granddaughter there to give him a gift…of “Nutter Butter’s cookies” and a card, which she needed to explain.  She “signed” all the cards with a little scribble that, if you squint, might say “Lauren”.

Jill, Bob and Lauren stayed around on Monday, which gave them the opportunity to visit with Berk and Carolyn Johnson, Jill’s godparents and our good friends of many years.  In fact, they are the ones who introduced us to Christ Lutheran Church in the fall of 1978.

Carolyn, a wonderful singer, pianist, and composer had pianos for Laruen to “play”. The little piano, which Carolyn found at an antique store, was just the right size!  Carolyn has used that piano in a children’s sermon that I remember well.  Looked to me that the Klucks need to factor a piano into their budget!

Carolyn and Berk were from Oneida, Illinois, the same little town in which my mom grew up and where both of my folks graduated from high school.  Carolyn, Mom and Dad all had the same first grade (I think!) teacher!  When we were contemplating a transfer to the Visalia Butler Mfg. plant in September 1978, Jill was due the next February.  I cannot imagine how hard it was for all of our parents to consider our moving so far away, but when my folks learned we were joining the Johnson’s in Visalia, it all was okay!

We took a driving tour East of Visalia to see Lake Kaweah while we there.  We had heard that the reservoir was fuller than it had been in years.  Indeed!  In fact, we could see snow on the higher peaks of the Sierras…wonderful!

Wednesday, June 22, we made our way to Coyote Valley RV Resort in Morgan Hill, CA.  This RV park was about 20 minutes from Jill and Bob’s house in San Jose.  Although we hoped to spend our summer in Anacortes, WA, we could not get into our RV park there until July 8, so we chose to “cool our heels” in Morgan Hill and enjoy some more time with the kids.

Jill had one request of our time and that was to replant their front flower bed.  Yahoo!  Off to Home Deport for purchases.   We had planned Friday, June 24, as a Grandma and Grandpa day with Lauren.  Surely she needed to help plant flowers.  Lauren was in charge of shaking fertilizer into the holes in which the flowers would be planted…seeds, she called them.  What a hoot!  Grandpa finished the project long after Lauren and I decided it was time to go inside for lunch.  Such a good guy!

If that wasn’t enough for one day, we walked about 4 blocks to the park where Lauren demonstrated her jumping skills.  She was fearless…tough on a Grandma’s heart!  And yes, she was wearing snow boots!

Saturday, June 25, we took Lauren to see her first movie “Finding Dory” while Jill and Bob went to a brew fest in Santa Cruz.  Of course, Nemo had to come with us!  Lauren was enthralled with the movie and thought that her living room needed that really big TV!  She sat through the whole thing and didn’t get restless until the end…just about the same time I started to think it was time to move!  She even ate a whole bag of popcorn!  

You can see from the photo, she was much more interested in the previews on the screen than getting another picture taken.

We walked home from the movie…about a mile.  Lauren made it almost all the way under her own power, stopping periodically to run up and down available apartment stairs!  (When was the last time you ran up and down some stairs for fun?).  A quick lunch and then I convinced her she ought to take a nap.  Although she wasn’t sure she needed one she was willing to try…and slept 3 hours!  Grandpa and I had a little shuteye, too!

We weren’t sure when Jill and Bob would be home so we planned to cook dinner on their grill and included sweet corn on the menu.  Lauren approved!

During our reunion in Visalia, we learned from former Pastor Paul Thomton that there was a terrific pastor and Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill.  So, on Sunday, June 26, we made our way to Advent Lutheran Church…another great one!  We didn’t meet their pastor, Anita Warner, who was on sabbatical until September, but the interim pastor Karen Perkins was terrific.  Advent’s congregation was another warm and welcoming crowd and we shared stories over coffee and promised to return the next Sunday.

Tuesday, June 27, we drove to Redwood City for a little exploring.  We had had some rather warm days (>100 F) in Morgan Hill and were amazed at how quickly the temperature dropped as we approached the bay.  We were curious about the sign that led us into the old downtown area…”climate best by government test”.  A little research and we learned that this slogan was based on a climate survey conducted by the US and Germany before World War I.  Redwood City’s climate tied for the world’s best with the Canary Islands and North Africa's Mediterranean Coast!  Wonder why that study was done and how they decided the winners!

Time for some lunch in Redwood City so we “yelped” lunch places, looking for something new to experience and came up with this Fiji place!  These sisters from Fiji had immigrated to the US and set up this little take-out place across from the Amtrak station.  I asked the lady in the ball cap why they had come here and she said, “Of course we came… everyone wants to live in America!”  Think about that!  I’m sure my Swedish grandparents and great-grandparents had the very same thought.  

I cannot tell you exactly what I ate but it was a delicious and spicy curry.  The green stuff at the bottom right was spinach and eggplant…to die for!  The little pile of red stuff in the bottom center was hotter (spicy) than anything I’ve ever experienced!  Yum!!!

Wednesday, June 29, while Jill, Bob and Lauren had a busy week, we drove to Turlock to see our dear friend Beth (she and her deceased husband Dan were good friends and travelling buddies for years in Visalia).  Beth was clever enough to buy a house close to downtown and Dust Bowl Brewing.  We walked to the microbrewery and checked out their wares, while catching up with Beth.  She had been to Australia and New Zealand in the spring with Road Scholars, has been a volunteer at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, and has made another half dozen quilts since we last saw her.  Lots to talk about.  

On our walk back to Beth’s house we got our courage up and stopped at Staley’s Club, a local “dive bar”.  It turned out to be delightful inside!

You might wonder why I have included a photo of Jill and Lauren standing in our shower.  They came to the bus one evening for dinner and while Jerry and Jill were sitting outside talking Lauren and I were inside playing.  She was the Mom going to work and I was the little girl being dropped off at daycare!  Our shower was the car!  Jill came inside to see what we were doing and got a tour of the game…very creative!  

Lauren enjoyed visiting with Smokey, too.  Smokey was cautiously friendly…thank goodness!

Sunday, June 3 we were back at Advent Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill.  This active congregation was focused on the Morgan Hill Fourth of July parade the next morning.  Jill, Bob, and Lauren came for hamburgers that afternoon and we made plans to go.  

We had found Lauren a “Dory” at Wal-Mart that morning after church and this little stuffed toy was a big success.

July 4, Monday, we were ready for the Morgan Hill parade.  I was quite impressed that no candy throwing occurred!  This was a perfect Fourth of July parade.  

We saw bands, horses, old cars, and lots of floats.  This young man had the important job of picking up after the horses came down the street.  Funny that the guy on the other side of the road felt it necessary to salute.It lasted about 2 hours and was almost longer than some of us could handle!

We stopped for lunch on our way out of town and said our good-byes.  Had to include this cute shot of Lauren watching a video on Jill's phone.  Sure was hard to leave Jill, Bob and Lauren, but we knew we would be seeing them in Illinois in September at the family reunion.

Tuesday, July 5, it was jacks up and time to head north to Anacortes.  We took I-680 to I-80 and crossed the East Bay on the Martinez Bridge, with a toll of $20!  I think that’s the largest toll we’ve ever paid anywhere!  It was impressive passing the yard full of newly off-loaded cars waiting transportation, with a view of the Navy’s mothball fleet in the background.

That night we stopped at the delightful JGW RV park just south of Redding, CA, right on the Sacramento River.  We had not explored Redding in any of the times we had stopped previously, so we decided to correct that omission.  

Our first stop was the Sundial bridge, spanning the Sacramento River in downtown Redding.  This pedestrian bridge has helped to bring tourist dollars to the town and was part of a riverfront development.  The upright…the shadow-casting object…only told the time during the afternoon of the summer solstice.  Interesting, nonetheless!

Our second stop, a microbrewery, of course, was called “Woody’s Brewing Company”.  With that name we had to check it out!  The owners were Polish from Michigan, but nicknamed Woody.  Fortunately, they served great beer, too.  I thought this was a great picture; knowing “Woody” was Jerry’s nickname in high school.

We left Redding the next morning, Wednesday July 6, and were eager to cross the Lake Shasta Reservoir.  When we were through here in February, the Lake was a mere puddle.  It was amazing to see it looking so full!  We noticed, too, how the landscape still looks green…amazing in July.  After four years of serious drought, one wet winter didn’t replenish the water table, but it was looking hopeful. 

It would not be a trip north on I-5 through Oregon without a picture of Mt. Shasta.  We were pleased to see how much snow remained.

Our Wednesday evening stop was at Seven Feathers Casino and RV Resort in Canyonville, WA.  This was a first class RV park with a beautiful site, lots of room and interesting neighbors.  We didn’t go to the casino but BBQed and visited…a lovely afternoon. 

Thursday, July 7, brought us to Washington and rain!  Just about the time we crossed the border from Oregon, it started to mist and we soon were travelling in a serious rain.  Welcome home!  Our stop that night just south of Olympia was not one of my better choices.  To reach our site, we had to follow a guy on a bike as he guided us through the trees on a narrow road.  He even stopped at one point to correct Jerry and his driving techniques down this narrow path.  Amazing. 

We arrived at Fidalgo Bay RV Resort in Anacortes about 1:15 and it felt good to back.  We are looking forward to being here until the end of August, catching up with friends.  More adventures to come!