Midwest, East Coast, what is the difference? Seriously?!!

   First a disclaimer: I do not wish to offend my CA friends because I know THEY know where WI is.....

So tonight I was in the Trader Joe's parking lot and a woman in her late 50's complimented me on my cute car.  I was thinking this woman is pretty smart because the Mini is a very cute car! Here is how the conversation went after that first statement. W, " Where did you get your car?" Me, " Wisconsin, we moved here in January." W," Oh, Wisconsin! I just saw that that is a great place to live and raise a family. The schools are really good too." Me, " Yes, it was a great place to raise our family." (My, this woman is smart indeed!)  W, "Wisconsin....that is on the East coast right near New York." Me, " Umm, no it is not on the East coast." W, " Where is it?" Me," Do you know where Chicago is?" (Most people can relate to that landmark) W, " No." Me," Do you know where the Great Lakes are?" W, " No."  As I stand there aghast and wondering whether she ever had geography or looked at a map.... she says, " Oh, I grew up here and everything east of Kansas is the East coast to me!" Really!!

Fun,fun,fun!

   We had a wonderful and very busy week. Dave of course did have to work and I did my work too and then we could play.... We have decided that at least once a week we will head to the ocean to walk/bike along it and then have a light supper out and wait for the traffic to diminish before heading home. Tuesday was our day- Dave quit work a little early and we crammed his bike in the Mini Cooper ( one more thing for my list of what will fit in that tiny car). I dropped him off at the bike path and then headed to the coast. I had my walk and he had his ride and then we both had yummy fish tacos. He even agreed to -gasp- clothes shop!
 Special friends came from our WI home to visit her brother and family who have become very dear to us. They graciously shared their company with us. I was included in their day at Sea World.

Friday night they all came over for supper and games

A few days early bday celebration for Jane

Michael is a Settlers addict so fit right in!

Saturday we went to prep day at the new convention grounds. Crazy weather....we drove through snow to get there and the temp on the car read 35 degrees at one point. We were rewarded with a full double rainbow.

The new grounds is a campground in the high desert. Hopefully it will be ready next year- great place for those of us with campers! It was 50 degrees with about 45 mph winds! We had a full blown thunderstorm this week which is a rare occurrence here in S. Cali.

We went to hike the nearby Anza-Borrego State Park on the way home.  

Well it isn't Door County but we think it would be fun to camp here in the winter. We can camp year round out here.

A gorgeous view on the way home.

I was so excited to see "Wisconsin" cows that Dave humored me and  stopped so I could take a photo.
Then Sunday involved meeting of course and then 2 separate potlucks.  We were exhausted but content when we fell into bed Sunday night! 

Pity party is over!

  These roses were given to me by one of our new friends here in Fallbrook. Huge, gorgeous roses from her flower beds.  I know she doesn't read blogs but I won't mention her name for privacy reasons... of course some of you will recognize them... She and her husband are an inspiration to me. Upon thinking of all the loss she has suffered in her life, it snapped me out of my homesick pity party. This friend lost her father when she was 13, her mother when she was 27, her first husband when she was 53,  2 brothers in recent years and a stepson 2 1/2 years ago.  And she is the most positive person I have been around in a very long time! Her second husband is a very upbeat person also and they make a great pair. He lost his first wife within 37 days of her cancer diagnosis and his son who was his farming partner just 2 1/2 years ago. They split their time between CA and ND. We are sad to see them leave us for now to go plant in ND but look forward to their return!
  I believe certain people come into our lives at just the time we need them. I want to have her positive attitude when life throws me some curveballs. So life goes on here in sunny CA (rain comes tomorrow)- off to the produce stand to stock up on all that yummy fruit!

I knew the day would come....

Planted this beautiful calla lily in my yard just because I can!

2 smaller plants are pink or yellow calla lillies

My nearly daily dose of strawberries and mango. 

So there is Los Angeles and San Diego but where is Waukesha? Actually, I took this photo to show a typical  roadside sight- brilliant magenta ice plant and geraniums.

Had lunch at this little cutie's house today! He was "helping" Daddy carve the ham and sampling it too.

A day of quiet splendor at Carlsbad State Park.

Rananculus flowers

Acres of beauty! Fields of flowers at Carlsbad.

   I knew the day would come and I was dreading it.... today was the day that homesickness hit me in a huge wave!  As Dave stated this morning " Okay, this has been fun but isn't it time to pack our bags and go home?" Perhaps it is the 3 month mark or most likely the  fact that Shane and Nikelle came to visit and then left us again! I have been so positive and so adaptable so far that I was shocked when the sickness hit me.  Everyone here in So Cali has been so welcoming and wonderful in adopting us that I feel bad even mentioning how homesick I feel. It is a bit exhausting totally reinventing one's self at such an advanced age!  I guess I can't expect to not feel the pain when I had lived in the same 20 mile radius all of my life! But Wisconsin can't be home really because we have no home there and Cali doesn't feel like home quite yet so.... our status is semi homeless! Oh well, we will survive and bloom here where we have been planted. I just feel a bit wilted right now.

Very special visitors!

We had very special visitors from Waukesha,WI... Shane and Nikelle were here from Thurs- Tues night.  The first day only Nikelle was here and Dave had to work so Nikelle and I went to the beach. This is Nikelle's  (and my) idea of a perfect day. Ocean, a little sun, sand, diet coke, and a good book!

Nikelle on Oceanside Pier. It was a little cloudy but  we still managed to turn Nikelle a little pink!

Surfers at Oceanside

Riley and Cassandra spent Friday night and Saturday with us too.

Goldfish Point in La Jolla

I never get tired of watching these seals at Children's Pool in La Jolla. These are babies born this year.

The family minus the younger son. The day was overcast and our visitors were shocked that it wasn't warmer.... the sun did appear at about 4:30 PM

The visitors

Yes, we tailgate in CA too- at the beach at Torrey Pines State Park

Hiking along the cliffs

Not very sunny but sort of a neat monochromatic scene.

Always happy to be near the ocean!

Nikelle and Shane

Patterns in the sand

Shane and Dave

On the way back from the beach the guys humored us and let N and I take photos of San Luis Rey Mission

A new day. Sunday after lunch we went to the Wild Animal Park in Escondido

10 month old gorilla born at the park

King of the beasts

We saw this cheetah run 100 meters in just over 5 seconds!  Much too fast to get a photo of the run! Amazing! 0- 40 mph in 3 strides. 

We took the tram tour so we could get closer to the big animals. Shane only wanted to see the animals that " could eat me"!

Monday morning's hike a Elfin Recreation area - you have seen this place in prior posts.  That is the ocean in the background.

Saw this little guy along the trail. These are the ones I see on our patio all the time.

Dave insisted we refuel at the best donut shop I have ever been at.  

After donuts we drove up the coast to Crystal Cove State Park

One of many cute little houses you can rent right on the beach. These were built in the 1930's  and are being remodeled and updated.

Beachcomber restaurant right on the beach

Happy Nikelle! The guys were too wimpy but Nikelle and I went in the freezing cold water to cool off.  Pretty much like Lake Michigan cold!

Strolled around Laguna Beach

Supper with special friends Ron and Terri in San Clemente.

My Crate and Barrel patio furniture arrived while the kids were here. I love it!

Centerpiece picked from my yard.

The last day- boo hoo. I took them to Ocean Beach on the way to the airport. Eating super sweet California strawberries while sitting on Crystal Pier watching the surfers.

My boy and my devil's horns hair!

My girl :)

Their visit is done and I head back home through the foothills at sunset.  Wonderful memories will have to sustain us as we wait for Tristan to come visit us in 3 weeks!