The Return to Dana Point

A couple of things I do quite a bit: Take an early season vacation, and go back to places I've vacationed at before!!! Last month, we did both again!!!

The last time, it was for our anniversary celebration, so this was the first time for the younger. Stayed at the same Best Western in Dana Point, right across from the beach. I didn't opt for the room with the upcharge this time, just took one that sleeps four. I'm not sure they even have one that sleeps 4 with the improved view and balcony, but we didn't use the balcony much last time. The room was on the back side, so possibly a little less train noise from there. It didn't shock me awake this time, so either that was the case, or I was ready for it this time.

First day we were there we headed straight to Selma's again for more Chicago Deep Dish!!! It was a little early, and we did manage to get in on their happy hour for some pretzel bites as an appetizer. It was awesome, as it was last time.

Just as an aside, I had made a trip to a thrift store again to get a “work” T-shirt, and one for a pajama top, since a lot of mine seem to have gone missing. Ended up with three, one is a big, lightweight coral colored one for the PJ's (that I've used for general purpose as well), another is a Buc-ees with a nice Texas theme (it's a medium, so it's towards the smaller size of fitting me well. We'd stopped into a Buc-ees on our Texas vacation), and the final is shown here, a cool design, “McGuffin Creative Group, Established 2004”. Love me some McGuffin!!!

Last time we were in Dana Point, the weather was phenomenal. Not so much this time, a lot of gray skies. When we'd headed out and for most of the drive, it was bright an sunny. Just as we neared the coastline, it got grayer. It was mostly like that while we were there. When we arrived back at the lodgings, one of the guys camping across the street at the beach had a nice fire going in a fire ring. I considered heading over and warming myself to their fire, it's been forever since I've been to a fire on a beach!!!

The next day, we got in on another whale watching trip!!! I located one that was supposed to have underwater viewing pods, that sounded very cool. However, the ship with the viewing pods is being worked on, so we were on a catamaran. As previously stated, it was cold and gray. It has an upper viewing deck, side and bow access, and an enclosed cabin. My wife mostly stayed in the cabin.

The boy and I ventured out to the bow, and the breeze just cuts right through your hoodie!!! Didn't stop us. We headed to the upper deck, and shortly after they announced a sighting, looks like a juvenile blue shark, they said. Looked like the pictures I've seen of the Loch Ness Monster to me!!!

It just cruised along without a care in the world, and we were near it for several minutes. Not long after it was spotted, they changed the ID to a thresher shark. In my second picture, and in real life, you can somewhat make out it's long tail that it uses to smack stuff around!!! Pretty cool!!!

Always love seeing pelicans. Here was a line flying low over the fairly flat ocean. I also love seeing when they're flying high, and spy their lunch and fold into a spear and dive straight down!!!

They headed on, and just a little later, they spotted a pod of dolphins. It wasn't the massive size of the last one we'd seen, but it was good sized, and there was a good amount of action.

Hung around them for a while, then it was time to head back in. Once more, didn't see whale one!!! Ah well, it was still pretty fun. On the way back in, the obligatory swing by the buoy with the sea lions on it.

I noticed that this time, we passed the green buoy, and I was pretty sure the last time we'd gone past a red one. Went back to the pictures from then to confirm, and yeah, it was red. Didn't have a picture from last time, so here's one from 2021, when the sun was actually out!!! (I think it was gray most of while we were out last time as well, but it was clearing by the time we came back)

I don't remember if we had been discussing Chinese food prior to it or what, but I located a Chinese buffet place that we headed off to that evening.

The next day, after having a nice breakfast again at the hotel, the sun made an appearance in the afternoon!!! The younger an I headed across to the beach, and walked a ways up.

Spotted this white, looked like quartz based rock among all the dark ones, so we posed with it.

Later in the afternoon, we finally made the trek down to San Clemente for some Taco Bell. There's another thing I tend to do on vacation, spend a considerable amount of time looking for somewhere to eat!!! I think I was looking for places that serve dogs, and nothing really grabbed me, so Taco Bell never fails!!!

My wife wasn't feeling well, so she stayed back. Of course, I had to head down to the pier!!! Once again, just like the time we'd gone to the Ventura pier, he neglected to bring a jacket!!!

I hadn't mentioned last time we'd been out on the pier, but to the south there's an artificial reef, the Wheeler North Reef, that pokes up above the surface. I didn't get a shot of it, but there the boy is pointing it out!!!

As before, great views from the parking area, so rounding it out with a couple of shots from there!!!

Good Times!!!

Axed Again

I haven't done an update on my broken 5th metatarsal in a while. I went to see my doctor towards the end of March, and he took a look and declared me mostly healed and said I didn't need to come back, unless I had a complication. At the previous appointment, he'd said I could go from the boot to a “hard sole shoe”, which isn't really a hard sole shoe, but a low-top version of the boot. He can get me one, for about $35, or I can get one myself for probably around $20-$25, so that's what I did. I've been going around with that for the most part. I asked the doctor about if I should keep using it, and he said it's up to me, some people are just done with it, others wean themselves slowly. I'm still feeling some movement, and a clicking feel, without it, so I've been sticking with it, and probably will for some time still.

Anyway, long story longer, I'm finally able to drive again, so the week before last I go in for my 2 days, and then again this week. I'm not crazy about it, my start time is 6 AM, and with going in I have to get up around 4 to shave, shower, get dressed, and drive in. Makes for a long day.

Yesterday in the morning part of my day, my supervisor (I've had a lot of supervisors in my time there, and I think he's been one of my favorite ones) asks me to join him in his zoom room. He lets me know they are letting me go. They are giving me, what is to me, an amazingly unprecedented severance package.

When I was interviewing with them, after hearing some about the company, I told the interviewer I could see retiring from there, and I would have liked to. Apparently it wasn't in the cards. Oh well, I had a good run there, and as I said after I started there, it's the best company I've ever worked for.

I had made mention previously that axing day had traditionally been on Thursdays, but they had gotten away from that for a while. Coincidentally, it was also a Thursday the last time I had been axed as well. We are parting ways on much better terms than I was with the previous employer!!! Almost made it a full 19 years.

There's a song lyric I know that I've heard, something along the lines of “Wonder what I'm going to do with all this free time”. Haven't been able to figure out what song it's from (if I ever figure it out, I'll post in the comments most likely). I have a bunch of thing swirling in my head that I can do. My wife suggested yesterday that we could go on a cruise. That sounds good. I've been working fairly non stop since 1987. Since they are taking such good care of me, I'm thinking I'll take something of a sabbatical from working for a while!!!

Good times!!!