Since we aren’t travelling for a few days and since technically the Route 66 portion of our trip is over, I’m combining the rest of our time in California into one post. Mostly because a lot of it was just my sisters and I talking, drinking and eating. And we sure did a lot of all of those things. I sort of felt bad for Barb and Linda. I don’t feel we did many things and they flew all that way. But we were able to catch up and talk and that was nice. I also regret not spending more time on the beach. We wanted to see the sisters (and Dennis. Whenever I say the sisters and me I also mean Dennis and Keith) so I didn’t really take much time for the beach. We left usually by 11:00 in the morning and didn’t get home until 10 or 10:30 at night. Besides it was cold and cloudy at the beach. If we were lucky it got to 70 degrees and the sun didn’t shine until after we left there for the day. I did get to see the ocean every day so that was good I guess.
Wednesday we met everyone at the BBC (Belmont Brewing Co.) for lunch. We were suppose to also go to the Long Beach Museum but it was closed for staging a new exhibit so we just did lunch. We of course had Joey and everyone was nice enough to sit outside so she could sit with us. I really appreciate them. The drive in had been awful (TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC) so I ordered a split of presecco along with my meal. I got the grilled cheese and tomato soup and it was so good. The soup was so flavorful and hot (California is cold in June). Keith got the Wagyu beef burger. He said it was very very good. Joey got a little of everything. We relaxed and took a while for lunch and then went back to the camper for an hour or so before going over to Diana’s. Now I have to say that by this time I now hated California. Keith doesn’t like the freeways and taking surface streets meant that everytime we went from the beach to Diana’s it took us 45-60 min one way. If we went into Long Beach twice in a day we were in the car for 2-3 hours a day. It was beginning to be too much for me. Just the thought of getting in the car made me anxious. And google maps never took us the same way twice. ARG!!! We spent Wednesday night like we did all the nights there, sitting on Diana and Dennis’s patio eating, drinking and talking.
Thursday Barb and Linda wanted to go to Catalina Island. Diana had been many time so she didn’t want to go. Unfortunately we got tickets late so we couldn’t leave until 2:30. Our return was 6:30 so that only left 3 hours on the Island. But we went first class, meaning we got seats inside that included a snack and a drink. We got bloody marys because we could and had a great time on the hour long trip. Once we arrived we went to rent a golf cart to tour the island. That was so much fun. But we had to have it back by 5 and since we took a wrong turn two or three times and try to turn this very old golf cart around on the narrow streets, (it was so funny and we laughed so hard that is probably why it took so long), we didn’t get to see the whole island on this visit. But it was still fun and really beautiful. After we turned in the golf cart we still had an hour before we needed to board the boat so we went shopping. That was amazing. I got a poncho kind of sweatshirt and Barb bought all of her grandkids and herself t-shirts or sweatshirts. When we had bought out the store and still had time, Barb and I split an ice cream. Now this was not just an ice cream. We got a cherry amaretto gelato with fudge and chocolate chips served in a broiche panini. It was a really fancy ice cream sandwich. We split it because we felt guilty eating one each even though we could have. It was so so good. We took the trip back without the bloody mary and snacks and decided to order pizza on the way back to camp. They wanted to see our camper before they left. Found a place close to our campground and ordered once we hit shore. After picking up the pizza, we got to camp and I realized they didn’t have a sticker to get into the campground. I paid the $9 for them to park at the beach and we walked to camp. Wasn’t very far but Linda doesn’t walk very fast so it took longer that I anticipated. They really liked our camper and the pizza was really good. Well at least one of them was. The chicken goat cheese pizza was dry. They only stayed about an hour. It was late and Linda wasn’t feeling well. It was a good day.
Friday was again supposed to be a museum day. Keith didn’t want to go so he agreed to go to the laundromat and the grocery store for us while I went with the sisters. Now Keith had not really done much this week except take me places and watch the dog, so I felt very guilty that he wasn’t having any fun. But he assured me he wanted to do these things so I could spend time with the sisters so I said ok. I figured we would do things he liked later in the trip. He dropped me off at the museum at 1 and took the dog to do laundry. I programmed in the address to his phone to help him get there without issue. As I walked around the museum though it became obvious that it was still not open. Everyone else got there and we decided it was indeed closed. Diana suggested we do the BBC again. Well now I really felt guilty that Keith was doing laundry and I was drinking in a bar. I shouldn’t have been for the reason I will get into later. We all ordered bloody marys except Linda and a few appetizers to soak up the booze. It was really lovely to sit, drink and talk (not that we hadn’t done that all week). By 3 we decided to transfer the party to Diana’s because I was expecting Keith there at any time. We were going to tell him the museum was fabulous and not tell him about the BBC but I couldn’t do that. By 4:30 however there was no Keith. I texted him but got no response and then I called him. He answered and said he was 5 min away. When he arrived I asked what took so long and if he got the groceries. He said the laundry took longer than he thought it would and no he didn’t get groceries. I wondered why laundry took 3 1/2 hours until he told me he made another stop. At a dispencery. I no longer felt guity about the BBC. But he did do the laundry and folded it so I guess we’re semi even? It was another lovely evening with great food and talk. It was also Barb and Linda’s last night. Some of the talk got kind of heavy but everyone left happy. We agreed to brunch the next day before their plane left and decided on a place close to them called MEEMA’S.
We agreed to meet at 11 and Keith and I were the first to arrive (shocker). I was relieved to see they had outdoor seating otherwise Joey would have had to stay in the car and it was of course hot out. This was a very small restaurant, and when I put our name in for 6 they say they only had one table that could seat large parties and they were about to seat it. So it would be over an hour wait. I asked the for 2 tables figuring I could sit with Keith and Dennis and Barb, Linda and Diana could sit together since it was their last day. They said 20 min. That was much better. Everyone else arrived and I explained what was going on. All was good. After about 10 min I went to the hostess to ask how much longer (it was actually 20 since I had put our name in) and she said we could sit down. We all sat outside, Keith and I at a table for 2 and the rest behind us at a 4 top. I was actually better because we had Joey. Our waitress was awesome. I got fancy avocado taost and Keith got a 2 egg breakfast with ham and a lemon blueberry pancake. Joey got everything. The food was amazing. It was so good even Diana couldn’t complain. That says a lot. Well it was time for Barb and Linda to leave. Goodbyes were said and we headed back to camp with a detour to the grocery. We weremeeting up at Diana’s later in the day. We were tired. After groceries, Keith napped and I read my book. We arrived at Dian’s then at about 5 and had a lovely last evening with them. We talk about politics since Barb and Linda don’t like to and just enjoyed each other company. We leave tomorrow for Nevada and our return home journey.
Family Days 23-26