The Early Season Vacation

As appears to have become my custom, I took a week vacation in April. I didn't have anything in particular in mind when scheduling the time, but knew I'd find something. From a couple of years ago, my younger son had enjoyed the trip to Ventura, with the shot up to Solvang, so that's what we did for the first couple of days!!!

Once we got there, and checked into our lodging (also the same as last time, once again per my son's endorsement), we headed over to the restaurant we'd been past while walking around the harbor where they'd had the live music last time. I had called before we went, to see if they'd have a band during our time there. As I thought, nope, it's a weekend thing.

The place is called Margarita Villa (see what they did there???), and it's upstairs, with an indoor area, and outdoor patios to the front and back. We popped in, and the inside was pretty loud and echo-y, bad acoustics, so we opted to eat outside. Turns out, they're refurbishing the back patio where we'd heard the music last time, and for now when they do have the live band, they are inside. I can't imagine.

After we ate, the boy and I crossed the street to the beach, to check it out. I think the tide was out, and it had made a pretty dramatic, over 3 foot, drop off in the sand near the shore!!!

While we were walking along, we came across some shark or ray egg cases!!! (At least, I'm fairly sure that's what these were!!!)

We walked down a bit, to the breakwater area.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same area as where we had walked last time, and there were two rock jettys not far apart, which looked to have been designed to make a surfing area!!!

There were a lot of surfers out there. The surf wasn't huge, but it was OK, and better there than on the open beach. It was overcast most of the time we were in Ventura.

As we came back, and there was a shot of the calm harbor.

They added the new “I ♥ The Sea” illuminated selfie sign.

Last time we were there, the fire pit wasn't going, but it was this time!!! If we had been waiting long, it would have been a good place to hang out. Or, if we were sitting, listening to the live music, like last time!!!

The next day, we managed to get going in time to make it up to Solvang early enough to get in on the æbleskivers. First thing we did was find a place and get some.

They had an æbleskiver pan for their doorstop!!!

Afterwards, we wandered around, bought souvenirs and took in the sights. My son wanted to grow some tulips, and we were looking around for some, or some bulbs. We didn't find any, but we were near the visitors center, and they suggested going to the Ace Hardware, not far over, and checking there. They had them, and a bit after we got back, we picked up a couple of box planters and soil, and they're in there. Perhaps an update, if they come up. There seems to be a local critter that'll dig 'em up!!!

When my wife was talking to my mom prior to the trip, my mom told her about an ostrich farm in the area. I looked it up, and it was just a little past the main tourist area in Solvang, and an actual alternate way to get back to the 101 to head back!!!

We stopped in, and got bowls of ostrich chow, and fed those bad boys!!!

We didn't stay there that long at all, but it was something different, and pretty fun and cool!!!

Mid-week, the boy had a dentist's appointment that had been rescheduled twice already, with my wife's surgery and recovery, so we headed back for that, and a little breather in between.

The next day, the boy and I went to Knott's Berry Farm!!! They are having the Boysenberry Festival, but we didn't get in on any of that. It's been a while since I've been there, and there was a new coaster, Hang Time, that I've been wanting to go on.

It wasn't busy at all when we arrived, right after it opened, and we headed over and got on with almost no wait!!! It features a 95° first drop, and it takes you to the top of the hill, and holds you where you can't see the track for a few seconds, then drops you, and goes through several inversions. Great coaster!!! Oh, and there was my current Pokemon GO buddy, an Eevee with a flower crown, that I evolved into a Sylveon once he was to best buddy level.

We went on it twice, then the Coast Rider in the same area. One of the best there, the Accelerator, was closed, as was the classic log ride, and the entire Fiesta Village area. Got on the Silver Bullet and Ghost Rider before the lines started getting long.

We were in line for the Pony Express, and it broke down, so we crossed over to Calico River Rapids, formerly Bigfoot Rapids, which had probably the longest line of any ride we went on. I got fairly soaked, and the boy got slightly damp.

Went on Knott's Beary Tales, which has been redone yet again, and is a jelly-shooter 3D ride now, it was pretty low-key fun. Other low-key classics we went on were the Calico mine train, on the back side of the log ride mountain, and the train.

The train was changed up for the off season, instead of the steam locomotive with several cars, they had swapped in “The Galloping Goose”, an engine with the front end that looks like it's from a vintage car, followed by a single passenger car. Indeed, they said it's powered by a Cummings 4 cylinder diesel.

The last day, we went out for lunch to a sushi place that we've been frequenting, along with my son's friend. We got some ice cream afterwards, and then went to the movies.

We went to see Dungeons and Dragons, it was pretty good!!!

Ginger Foster

Last weekend was Memorial Day. On Monday we went to a picnic with a bunch of friends. Very shortly after we arrived, the sister of one of my son's friends calls us over, and bundled up in a blanket, she has this little ginger kitten!!!

There was a cargo storage container there, and apparently there was a litter of them under there, crying out. This was the only one they were able to get out, as it's eyes were gooped shut. She was able to get one cleaned and open. She also said that the others were spooky feral, but this one was glad to be rescued!!! When we first met him (she says he's a tomcat, but from previous experience, it can be tricky with kittens!!!) she had named him Frankincense, or Frank for short, which is also her brother's name. It was a rather cool day out, and the little guy was shivering. Later on, she'd changed his name to Colby. Colby Jack. I rather like that much better!!! Around the time everybody was getting ready to leave, she asks us if we could take him “for a few days, while I work on my mom”. I don't mind, even though, who knows, it could turn into a permanent situation.

He's a spooky little guy, but that's to be expected. We took him home wrapped in the blanket, and kept him like that for a while. We unwrapped him, and he pretty quick found the secluded area below the drawers on my desk. He did come out after a while for some food that we had laid out for him. The next day, he was still under there while I was working, and since he was somewhat trapped by me being there working, I eventually pulled the drawer out and extracted him, and put him in the kitchen. He's mostly taken up residence in the corner behind the refrigerator, but he's been getting out a little bit more as he's gotten used to it. I made up a box bed for him, and he got in it once. I left the blanket in the corner, thinking he may like it since he had some history with it. He logged on it, but has since figured out what a litter box is for. A couple of times (once, in the midst of writing this up), I've been able to get some pets in, and he does head snuggles, purrs, kneads a little, and rolls over on his back, I'm not sure if he's looking for belly rubs, or if he wants to play. Oh, and he's VERY vocal, especially when someone comes into the room. My wife and son have taken to calling him Gloopy, as his eyes still have some discharge, even though they are better. Now there's a unique name for a cat!!!

Looking Back: Ultra Beasts

Back in November, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, there was another Pokemon GO local event. We had gone to Stufful Community Day, and it was a great event, with tons of players, and had gone out to another, Litwick Community Day, that was also supposed to have brand ambassadors in attendance. There were no brand ambassadors, and it wasn't nearly as well attended, but it was good.

This was the Ultra Beasts Arrival event, and it was held in Hollywood, in the evening. The amount of people admitted was supposedly limited, I think to 1,500, so we showed up early to try and get in. We find the place and get in line. As we are waiting, a guy comes along with the Ultra Beasts newspapers! Pictured along with the newspaper was my current buddy, a shiny shadow Pineco, which I have named Shineco.

At 7 PM the line starts moving, and soon enough, we've been given cards with the promo code, a wristband, and a WiFi log in. After entering the code (and restarting GO) all these densely packed gyms appear!!!

They had a couple of actual physical representation of a stop there, with a line if you wanted to take a picture with it, and not much else. Around 15 minutes before 8, they began projecting the countdown on the arch, synchronized with raid countdowns on all the gyms.

Once it reaches zero, they project an ultra beast up on the arch, and the gyms all have that ultra beast. Of course, the place is fairly packed with trainers, so the raids fill up quick, and go pretty quick once they start.

The raids are shorter than usual, and every 10 minutes there's a new ultra beast!!!

We caught 'em all!!!

The Road Less Traveled

Now the bonds are broken, but they can be re-tied

One more journey to the woods, the holes where spirits hide

~Bob Dylan

I've been trying to lead a less sedentary life. The transition to a desk job at my advanced age has caused me to pack on a few extra pounds. I've managed to get out and go on a walk several days the last couple of weeks. The constant rains ha been making it hard to do so.

At the beginning of the week, I went out to go on a walk. The first portion nearly always starts out the same, with a climb to the top of my street. It gets your heart rate up to start with. There's a little wall up there, and I'll usually take a little rest and catch my breath when I get there. That's how I started off. Just as I'm getting ready to head on, here comes another guy, heading the same way I'd been planning on going. I head on just a little behind, and when he gets to the end, he makes a left, the same way I'd been planning on going again!!! I don't like feeling like I'm trailing after someone, so I decided to go the other direction.

Going that way, you can do a loop on the streets behind our house, but at the end, there's a little short-cut trail to the next street down, and you can head down and across to the next major street over from there, after taking a little stairway down. I've gone that way before, but it feels like it's been a while. It climbs from there, sometimes gradually, sometimes steeply, until it dead ends into a park in a canyon, that I often get to going the other way, but on the downhill end. It has a dirt path through it, with a very steep climb at the end.

The foliage has really liked all the rain!!! The park is fairly overgrown, as are several areas around here. The path had been badly eroded, with a deep groove nearly a foot deep in several areas.

Just before the part where it starts climbing steeply, I came upon this wood nymph!!! Or whatever she was. She had a girl there taking the pictures, and a guy manning the light.

She was up on probably a six foot step ladder, and it was getting to be the part of the evening when it starts getting cool out. All that overgrowth no doubt makes for a great backdrop!!!

Birthday Delay

It's been more than a month since the younger's birthday. He was planning on inviting a bunch of friends over, and hanging out, mostly on the back patio. However, it has been one of the wettest winters in recent memory.

Coming up to the date he'd scheduled, it was going to be non stop buckets of rain that weekend. He let everyone know it was scrubbed, to be rescheduled on a future date. Furthermore, my wife had another surgery coming up, just a few days after the actual date.

Prior to the surgery, the hospital, in keeping up with the covid theater, required my wife to get tested, then isolate, along with the rest of the family until she went in. Not wanting the milestone to go unacknowledged, my wife got a cake mix and made up a cake. It's been a while, but I dusted off my decorating skills. He wanted his alter ego, Catnip, on the cake.

I added the medallion around his neck, because it was yellow cake, get it??? I put his new age in his favorite color, and had a lot of orange left, so I added radiation waves. I know, they are traditionally green, but who's to say they're not orange???

We gave him his gifts. I think it was last year we got him the game, 'Binding of Isaac: Four Souls”, and he's already gotten a couple of expansion packs, and we got him another one. Got him the funny cat shirt, also in his favorite color.

He also wanted this nine tailed fox necktie, and my wife found this other cool shirt.

Since there's been a fairly lengthy recovery going on, the reschedule hasn't occurred yet. More birthday to come!!!

Dean Domino Update

I made mention of meeting this fine looking fellow a while ago. He kind of stuck in my head.

About a month back, I headed back to see if the King of Swing was still hanging around the muffler shop. We pulled around back where I'd seen him, and got out and looked around some. Saw another cat, but Dean Domino was nowhere to be seen.

I was getting ready to head off, when my son said since we were already there, I might as well inquire with the guy from the muffler shop, so I headed in. The guy says, “Oh yeah, the lady at the shop on the end has been taking care of him!!!” and he escorted me over there. He tells the lady why we're there, and she, indeed has been taking care of him!!! She had him behind the counter, and he was curled up on a blanket, snoozing away his best life!!!

She already has several cats at home, and this little dog (I'm not sure if he was a 'shop dog' or if he goes back and forth with her) so Dean stays at the shop. She wasn't keen on taking him home, too, and said she may find someone who will give him an actual home.

Who knows... that someone may be me!!!

Looking Back: The Christmas Party

I've got a big ole' backlog of things I could post about!!! I was planning on sitting down and posting about our actual Christmas, but scrolling back through the pictures, I came across some of these, and did a course correction!!! Maybe I'll get to that one eventually, but until then, here's what I've got!!!

Last year, the company had their 'Holiday Party' at one of my favorite buildings, the Westin Bonaventure!!! They had Christmas lights strung up around the tops of the cylinders, very festive!!!

It had been raining, the start of what has shaped up to be a very wet winter, and it was chilly outside.

Got to see a lot of my friends who are still in the warehouse, and a lot of the office crew. It's always nice to see the people I haven't seen in a while!!!

Of course, you can't go to the Bonaventure and not take the epic elevators for a spin!!! The ballroom floor, where the party was being held, doesn't have any elevator stops, so we had to go down a level to catch them.

In the name of security, these days you have to have a room key to get higher than the first few floors. As luck would have it, we caught a ride with someone who did!!! Took it all the way to the top, and got to see the lights up close!!!

On the way out, we went by a wall that had several of the movies that had been filmed there featured.

Good times!!!

Frontier Weekend

Last weekend I did a coolant system flush on my wife's car. Interestingly, when we first went to look at the Matrix, I'd taken my scanner along, and the only code that showed up was for low coolant! Didn't give a check engine light or anything, and I'd never seen a code for that before, but there it was!!! Once, during summer, the coolant was low again, and when the temperature would climb, the A/C would stop working. That was the impetuses for doing a flush, it had gotten very warm out on Saturday, and my son and I were out in it, and the A/C wasn't working, and the temperature was up.

Anyway, apparently it has a very small coolant leak somewhere in the system, to the tune of around every 9 months or so, it needs more coolant. I had the thought to do the pepper trick, and might as well do a flush first. After we got home, I popped the hood to let it cool down, and went out in Scruffy to get a bottle of cooling system flush. Got home, and it was cool enough to drain and add the flush. I grabbed a 5 gallon bucket to add the clear water to the system, and try and rinse the system out some.

The bucket had been stored upside down by the barbecue, and for whatever reason, it was just behind where I've got this cactus, the 'Old Man of the Moutains'. After I wrapped everything up and was putting things away, I put the bucket back where it had come from. I just lobbed it back where I'd gotten it, but it landed kind of caddywompus. I grabbed the handle to the lid of the barbecue, and leaned over to right the bucket, but while I was leaned over, the wood handle broke, and I fell on a cactus!!!

All this took place on Saturday. On Sunday night, I was laying on the couch in the front room, and I heard a coyote yipping, very close. I looked out the window, and it was right on the very corner of the yard. It's on!!! I slip on my shoes, and grab a walking stick. I can open the front door quietly, but the security screen always makes some noise. I throw open the screen, and come out raging and yelling again!!! The coyote is quite spooked, and jumps down around 7 feet to the street and off into the canyon!!! It was a rerun of another time!!!

In retrospect, I realized I had a very western frontier weekend, I fell on a cactus, and chased off a coyote!!!