Relatively Speaking, this was a Family Trip

It's not a trip with family, but turned out to be a trip seeing family. Mainly this report is to let everyone know we are home from the California Triangle - LA, PS, SD, and LA again. We spent the first couple of days with JPW and Naomi in Torrance and got to share a dinner visit with Janet, Chad, and Griffin. Sunday we saw the folks at Redondo CofC, some of whom are like family and many of whom we have known for forty plus years. (So that's Dad, a Mum, a Sister, two nephews, and some "church family".)

Then we headed for Palm Springs, with side-trips enroute to visit "Sister" Joyce in Yorba Linda and eyeball Beaumont/Banning, arriving about the same time the big Sawtooth Fire started just north of town. We always enjoy visiting our wonderful friend "Mother" Ollie, who took mighty fine care of us when we were newlyweds at our first job. (Add another sweet "Sister" and another precious "Mom")

In San Diego we stayed with my ninety three year old Aunt Edith, our favorite "Energizer Bunny" and delight. The highlights she took us to included a Cub Scout Day Camp for 86 boys and a lot of adult leaders and also a Hiker's Club B-B-Q dinner and Swim Party. My cousin David and his wife Mary and their three girls - Nancy, Sara, and Cindy - were present at the second. (Count an awesome aunt, two special cousins, three cracker-jack second cousins.)

We were in San Diego to witness Nephew Joey's wedding. His bride is the lovely Carolina. Of course the groom's parents, Sam and Billie Jo were there, as were Joey's sister and her husband. The Rehearsal Dinner and the Wedding and the Reception Dinner were superbly planned and produced and were certainly the highlights of the entire trip. (OK, let's see. That's a nephew and a new niece, a brother and a sister-in-law, the other niece and nephew-in law, and a host of friends)

We stopped for church services in Escondido Sunday morning where I was able to reconnect with friends from the late 1940s and the 1950s. That's almost family, isn't it? And we spent a few quiet minutes at the cemetery to honor William Elijah and Ida Mae Wyatt, my Dad's parents. (So, put more church family, and my paternal grandparents on the list.)

Back at Dad's we wrapped up the trip with another round of family there and tentative plans for future visits someday, maybe up here - eh?, Janet?? (Encore, more family.)

Many good meals later, some pictures for memories, lives checked out, hugs shared, and contact renewed made this a great trip around the triangle. The anomaly this year was that record hot temperatures were set in LA, Palm Springs, San Diego, and again in Los Angeles - each on the day(s) we were visiting in those towns, Where did that curse come from? And coming home to Washington State, the first weather report here says we will have several days of 100 plus degree heat before the week is over. ARRrrrgh!! Global scorching!!


Let's cool off! This picture taken in San Diego Harbor has nothing to do with family, but it is my favorite of all scenery taken on this trip. I thought, when I saw this scene, that Edwin in particular would like to see that one. Isn't the pattern of light and shadow on the sails neat?