April 16 Day 40 Richard M. Nixon’s Library
My day is always refreshing when it starts out at the gym. I am so thankful for my guest passes for this week. When I arrived home from the gym Betts was waiting for me at Linda’s house with a big bag of freshly picked oranges off her tree. Each orange is large and beautiful! Of course I ate one as soon as she left. It was big in flavor too. Oh so delicious!!! Never take for granted the beautiful, flavorful foods that God has designed for our pleasure. As I travel the country and see the great crowds of people (mostly in cars on the jam packed freeways) and go into so many grocery stores I am amazed that our world produces enough food for this country to eat. So many other places in this world are not so fortunate.
I did something today I should not have done. I went to a library and found they had a used bookstore there. Hmm…well of course I bought a few (MORE) books. Books are my downfall. All non-fiction, Christian related topics. Some I will actually give away because I already own them and just know that someone else will surely love the book as I do. Some I’ll keep. But the bottom line is that I have already bought too many other books that I do want to keep. I really go into the used book stores with one intention. I’m looking for all the books written by Norman Vincent Peale. Most are out of print and they are becoming more difficult to find. I already have several but would like to keep searching for more. If you haven’t read any of his books you might find him interesting to read. THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING was his first and most famous title. My favorite title that I have read by him is LIVE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. His books actually gave me the courage to contemplate this trip I am on. One of Peale’s favorite verses is “I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me.” Phil 3:14. I have adopted that verse as my travel motto.
I met a friend from over 32 years go for lunch at Chili’s in Yorba Linda. It was so good to see a familiar face from the past and get caught up on our lives. After we moved from Southern California in 1983 the friend Cathy that I met today traded homes with us for vacation one year. She stayed in our home in the San Francisco area and we stayed in her family home in Yorba Linda. Cathy loves the Lord and it was so wonderful to be able to just talk about the amazing grace of God in our lives and pray with one another.
We had the opportunity to meet a special lady in a booth across the aisle. She was eating a delicious looking lunch alone and I just felt I was supposed to hear her story. So when I saw she was ready to go I just started talking to her, and soon Cathy joined me and what a beautiful story she had. Her name is Lucille and she is 85 years old. She sounded and moved more like a 45 or 50 year old in good health. She was so interesting to talk to. I asked her if she would tell me her story. She opened up like a morning blossom and just radiated as she shared her life with her husband and children. She has been a widow for 8 years and had been married since she was 15 years old. She told how she and her husband built a garage on their property and for the next two years lived there with her husband and children as she and her husband physically built the house attached to the garage. She made a statement that took on a very deep meaning for me. She said “we lived in the house we built”. I heard that on a much greater scale. I saw the comparison to our lives. “We live in the house we built” meaning we live in the life we build around ourselves. I have experienced other’s lifestyles that are so different than my own and realize we all choose to live in different ways by the choices we make, by what we nurture and grow around us. We take it upon ourselves to “build” what we want around ourselves. We choose how we want to live, where we live, with whom we want to live and then wonder why life turns out like it does. Perhaps it would be better to live in the “garage” for a while and slowly with God’s direction allow God to fashion our house. As time passes our house would take shape, built on the foundation of God’s word. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” Psalm 127:1. “We live in the house we built”. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather live in the house that the Lord built, even if I find myself living in the garage for a while.
Yorba Linda is where we lived when both our children were born. We owned our house there for about 8 years. That was location where we had a mudslide that took all the hill below us right up to our yard. It actually sounded like a freight train going through our house as the hills above and below us gave way. Our next door neighbor lost his yard right up to his pool. That was an amazing and dark night! At one point that night Dave was trying to help the neighbor who lived in the house one street below us and became mired in the wet earth up to his thighs and could not get out. Well, eventually he did escape by lying prostrate and wriggling his way through the heavy wet mud. It was a frightening experience. We also had to be evacuated two times because of threat of fire. The homes in our neighborhood survived more than once because they were all stucco and had tile roofs. The homes in close proximity that had shake roofs burned. When I look back I realize it really was not a fun place to live. There have been a lot of changes in the “little town” of Yorba Linda in the last 32 years. It was way out of the way back then and we were there when the first four lane Highway was built. Now that same highway has 8 lanes. 5 lanes going one direction and 3 going the opposite direction. And that doesn’t include the turn lanes.
I guess that is enough of my history. Let’s go to today.
I actually went to two libraries today. The second one, also in Yorba Linda is President Richard M. Nixon’s library built next to his birthplace. The actual house and bed he was born in is on display on the grounds. Also the helicopter he flew in is on the grounds and we were allowed to go through it. A lot of famous people both from the United States and around the world at one time sat in those seats.
The library was beautifully designed and had interesting and informative displays both about his political career before his presidency, during, as well as a comprehensive coverage on the circumstances that led up to his resignation. Very interesting reading. I did not have the opportunity to see all of the library as my time was limited due to my overscheduled day. Days are never long enough for me. There is too much living to fit into my daylight hours. I thoroughly enjoyed the self-guided tour. I recommend seeing as many Presidential libraries as you have opportunity to do so. I always learn so much. Tomorrow Linda and I are going to President Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Library. I am really interested in going to his. The one thing I am going to try to do is to remember to take more pictures on my IPhone so I can blog more. When I take them on my camera I cannot put them on the blog. I did have one taken by my phone today and I have already put it on for you to see.
In the room behind me there is a home Bible Study taking place. It is on I Corinthians 13. I’m half listening and it is a very interesting discussion. My friends attend a Lutheran Church here in their “little town” of 137,000 people surrounded by millions. The city of Orange covers 25.2 square miles. In Orange County California you cannot tell where one city begins and another ends. The homes just keep going on and on and on…The area is laid out in square grids on the flatlands. Very easy to navigate. All you have to know is North and South and East and West. The highest recorded temperature is 110 degrees and the coolest recorded temperature is 22 degrees. When we lived in Orange County we often experienced 90 degrees on Christmas day. I would not recommend retiring here. There are just too many people. Wisconsin is looking better and better. I’ll take the snow.
Well, this is an overview of my day. It has been a fun one. And the good part is that it is not even 9:00 p.m. yet and I am finished with my blog.
Good night
16 April, 2015 20:18
Oranges fresh from Betts’ tree. Avocados are from Bill and Lisa’s tree to show comparison size of oranges.
April 15 Day 39 THE EXPERIENCE
At he end of every day it seems I want to start my blog with “OH WOW”. It seems like every one of my days are “oh wow” days. And today was no exception. Just knowing I had a gym to get up and go to made this one start out with an “oh wow”. Up early, left early, and arrived back home a little after 8:00 a.m. Ate some more food and then freshened up and changed to go someplace very special. This special place was to see some long loved friends. Chuck and Ruby are those friends. People I have known and cherished all these years past. Chuck was my first spiritual mentor as I became an adult. He instilled in me a love for the scriptures and a desire to study and learn more. Ruby influence me in ways I am she was sure was totally unaware. She taught me hospitality, and how to be a gracious host. Both she and Chuck always had room to help those who needed help. I was the recipient of so much of their selfless giving in so many ways. Both are retired now, Chuck from his law practice and Ruby from teaching elementary school. Chuck has a twinkle in his eyes, short term memory loss and more and more love for Ruby as time tolls on.
It was so good to see them this morning for a few hours. As I left the tears rolled down my cheeks as I thought this might possibly be the last time I see him on earth. I do not know if I’ll pass t his way again. Chuck and Ruby were two of the reasons I wanted to come this way.
After leaving their home I drove to another very important destination. Another person whom I have always been so much indebted to is Jeannie Jones. Jeannie was the first care providers for my children I am ever grateful for their home daycare they provided way back in 1973 for our daughter and then three years later for our son. Again I spent a few hours getting caught up with what was going on with their children and grandchildren. Just as most of the rest of us they have had their tragedy and their triumphs through life. It was just good to see them. Our friends are aging, as so are we, and to touch basis again with those who played important roles in my life has been a great EXPERIENCE for me on my journey. Everywhere I go God is teaching me something profound. I am so grateful!
I left Jeannie and Eugene’s place with just enough time to get back to my home destination, change clothes again and leave for the EXPERIENCE of a lifetime. And that is just what it was.
I mentioned previously about the awards my host family’s sons were awarded in regards to culinary expertise and skills. Well tonight was the true EXPERIENCE for me as I was a guest at THE RANCH RESTAURANT AND SALOON where one is the chief executive chef and the other is chief pastry chef. Oh my! When I left there I was a believer in their culinary skills and presentation. Not only was it beautiful but it tasted good too. I’m paying for it now however. I had a salmon creation that was out of this world. Along with the salmon the kitchen just kept sending us little taste goodies. One such plate was a beet salad recipe. Oh so delicious. We also tasted a whole artichoke cooked to perfection and seasoned delicately. Oh…how good good food is!
The Ranch actually has a ranch locally where they grow most of all that is served fresh in the restaurant. The fruits and vegetables were delicious. And the desserts were heavenly. One was “Popcorn ice cream“. Try to figure that one out! Truly it was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Another dessert was a Peach crostata with a blueberry sauce and fresh blueberries. The last desert was Ice cream popcorn with a twist garnished with crumbled chocolate cookies. I did take pictures on my IPhone so I can post pics of the desserts. Forgot to take pics of the entrees.
And again today I was made aware that some lives truly are more busy than mine. As of yet tomorrow is unplanned. The rest of my days here in Orange County however and scheduled to the hilt. I shall sign off as I am ready to fall asleep here at the dining room table.
Goodnight!
April 14 Day 38 Life is different here
Everyday is so different. When you walk into someones life, their life must go on. So today I lived in the shadow of my friend. When we say we are busy what does that mean to each individual? My busy is different than the next persons busy and the next person’s busy is different than the next and so on…It was a busy, lovely shadow to live in because I was not the one that had to do all planning and work and schedule or deal with the traffic and rushing not to be late. So I just sat in the back seat during California rush hour traffic as Linda was busy maneuvering in and out between cars and constantly being certain that the exit she was taking was the right one. We left the house at 6:50 a.m. and arrived SAFELY (whew!) at 7:30 a.m. to the school where she drove her granddaughter so she could attend a class many miles away.
Today is Linda’s birthday and her driver’s licence is now expired. So…we drove down to San Clemente (where the crowds would be smaller) to go to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles so she could renew her expired licence. We stood in a long, long line for quite awhile (and that was before we got into the building) and by the time we got into the building, where the line was about three times as long as the line outside, it was time to leave so we could pick up granddaughter because her class would be over by the time we arrived back to the school. So no licence renewal today. Picked up granddaughter and then made a potty stop at McDonalds and drove to another school for another class. We drove around looking at multi-million dollar houses until time to pick up granddaughter at school number 2. It doesn’t take much to make a house be a million dollar house in this area. A normal three bedroom ranch in a nice neighborhood, probably 1800 to 2000 square feet will sell for about $500,000 plus. It is crazy!
Back to the busy day. Granddaughter was picked up after the second class and then we were off to do some birthday shopping for the birthday girl. The item she was looking for was not there so we left and drove back toward home to meet Linda’s daughter, (mother of the granddaughter) for lunch. Had a delicious Mexican lunch and left. I was dropped off at home because I needed to go and pick up another friend so we could continue to have a busy day.
This friend is a woman I first met almost 40 years ago. As I briefly mentioned in a previous blog post, our daughter Rebecca is adopted. This friend I speak of now is our daughter’s birth mother’s mother. My husband I first met her when we were interviewed by her daughter as possible parents for her unborn child. We found out later that no other couples were interviewed because once they (Carole and her mother) met us it was decided that we would be offered the position as parents to Carole’s unborn child. Well, to fast forward 30 years later we located both Carole and her mom, Betts. Through an amazing work of God our lives were reconnected. The entire story is awesome so if any of you who read this blog is interested in knowing more just let me know and I’ll write up the whole story. Well since we found Rebecca’s birth family, her maternal grandmother has come to our home every year in the summer to visit us for a short while. Needless to say we have become good friends. Betts is an amazing woman! She has given me much encouragement and inspiration in many areas of my life, one being the writing of my memoirs and the other, regaining my health so that I could be healthy and vital going into my later season of my life. She is true inspiration not only me, but to many others whose lives she’s touched. Betts is a published author and has accomplished many awards in her life for her outstanding works. She received the most prestigious award from China that is given to a non- citizen. I read a quote once that went something like this: “To inspire someone actually means to blow new breath of life into them”. That is what she did for me.
Well, I picked up Betts and we had a wonderful afternoon together. First we got lost in a construction zone and turned around and went the wrong way on a street that only went the other way. But we wove ourselves out of that mess and ended up where I intended we should go. We visited the first home my husband and I purchased 6 months after we married. Next we drove by the next house we bought 3 years later. The first house we purchase was $33,000. Now it would sell in the ballpark of about $600 to $700 thousand dollars. Yes, you read that right.
The second house sits on a high hill that overlooks the Anaheim valley area. When I say “overlooks” I mean it only overlooks the valley when you can see through the smog.” It was sunshine and hazy today. I could actually see the Anaheim hills a few miles away. While at the last house I introduced myself, explaining that we were previous owners of the house. We were invited into the back yard so we could see some footprints we made of our daughters feet in 1977 when my husband poured a concrete piece covering a drainage area in the back yard. There they were, little footprints and the date still clearly marking the slab. I’ll post a photo.
After leaving the Yorba Linda Hills we drove to Anytime Fitness where my friend works out. She was able to sponsor me for a guest past. When they heard the story of my trip and my 80 pound weight loss they offered me a pass for the days I would be in town. I thank you Anytime Fitness for your generous gift to me. And what a gym! Never was I so impressed. It is in a large mall. You enter on the main level and then go downstairs into a massive group of rooms filled with up to date exercise equipment of all varieties. After having the rapid heart episode in the mile high cities of Denver and Albuquerque and not being able to exert myself, this workup was my first true equipment work out in a couple of weeks. It felt good and I pushed hard. Hope to be able to attend each day I am here.
I took Betts home and then came back to my current place of residence and freshened up and changed clothes so I could attend a family birthday party for Linda. Pizza and salad. Very delicious salad. I took a bite of pizza but was too full to eat more. Now the party is over and I am tired after that one and a half hour workout without a hydro-massage afterwards. Bed beckons. There is always so much more I would like to write but must turn in as I want to get up very early tomorrow to work out, come back to the house and leave by 9:00 a.m. I’ll be off to see some more very important people in my life. Tell you more tomorrow evening if the Good Lord wills.
Goodnight.
p.s. Posting a photo of a quilt that Carole made for her mother. All the photos on the quilt are of Betts and family throughout her life. I even took a couple of them when they came to see me in Wisconsin.
15 April, 2015 00:39
Selected photos
High school graduation.
I took this one
Rebecca and half siblings.
April 13 Day 37 Goodbye avocado country…hello Orange County!
Wow! What a difference. During the last three days I have been on top of the world located about a half hour from San Diego. Oh my goodness, how beautiful it is there. From the top of the mountain I could actually see some of the ocean when it was clear. Hills and hills, and more hills. Palms and avocado trees, mango trees and persimmon trees on the property of where I was staying. It was like a paradise. No traffic noise or sirens, no city lights, no people. Well I guess there were some people because on Sunday I was awakened to a crew of pickers reaching tall poles up into the avocado trees with little baskets at the end to catch the avocados as they were snipped. Today a huge truck drove off the mountain laden with fresh beautiful avocados fresh from the trees. I wonder where they will end up. I would have taken a photo but I was not dressed and we had to leave for church after we dressed. I watched from the window.
Bill and Lisa and I had a leisurely morning, a leftover lunch from yesterday’s restaurant meal and I left about 1:45. About 45 minutes later going up I-5 toward Anaheim the cars on the freeway stopped. Total traffic jam! I could just see the next 50 miles taking about 5 hours. Well, fortunately I beat the rush hour traffic and the freeway stall was the inspection of all cars because of being so close to the border. Well, I must not have looked too suspicious because they just waved me through. I also had to stop like that coming in from Arizona as I crossed the California state line. I was waved through at that time also.
Only made one wrong turn on the way to my friends, Bob and Linda. Linda came to the aid and talked me “home” on my car phone. Home for the week at least. This is a busy household. One grandma, one grandpa (who are Bob and Linda) and two granddaughters, Madison and Alex and one very sweet boy dog named Bruno all live here! Also, Bob and Linda’s son, whom I have known since he was a toddler is here. His two boys are here and his wife will show up later. Linda is creating a dinner that will be a work of art to the taste buds. She is making my favorite dish that she used to make me over 40 years ago. What a friend! Her 1st son Michael is an Executive Chef at theranch.com. Though I have not yet been there I do know that there are 50 people who work in the kitchen and “The Ranch” is in the top 10 best new restaurants in the country. Mike won the award as Best Chef of the Year by the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association for 2015. His brother David won the same award for Best Pastry Chef of the Year at the same restaurant in 2012. They both won BEST CHEF and BEST PASTRY CHEF for 2014. The restaurant is called THE RANCH RESTAURANT & SALOON. I have been informed that I will be eating at The Ranch with my friends on Wednesday evening! Oh my, that sounds just great to me! I’ll let you know how I like it! Check it out online. The pictures and menu alone make my mouth water.
On Mother’s day my friend Linda will be featured in the Orange County Register regarding her two sons accomplishments in the culinary arts. She will be cooking each sons favorite meal. The interview and cooking takes place on Monday. That is the day I am to leave. I just might have to rearrange my take -ff day so I can stay and eat these two meals. I remember both meals because I have have eaten them before cooked by her hands and loving heart, meatloaf and taco salad. Easy words to say but they are truly the best meatloaf and taco salad I have ever eaten. The taco salad is my favorite!
Dinner is almost ready and I am sitting at the dining room table so I will have to close down. Tonight will be a time of family and friends, reminiscing and good food. After all, this is an Italian family!
See my new hat in the “Selfie” I took today. Lisa’s neighbor gave it to me before I left the mountain. I love it! Everywhere I go people have been so generous to me. My friend in Mesa gave me a selection of beautiful earrings, my friend in Willow Springs took the most beautiful stone necklace off her neck and gave it to me. And there are other gifts I can’t even remember right this moment because I am being shewed away from the table.
6:50 p.m. California time, bright and sunny and about 80 degrees. Most of you back home and out east have probably already settled down for the night. My day is still going!
By the way, I am in Orange CA
April 12 Day 36 Sunday Sabbath
Several Months ago my friend Lisa, with whom I am currently staying, told me of her church and the excellent spiritual teaching from her Pastors. I have been listening to the Senior Pastor, Bob Botsford, on my I phone for several months and have really enjoyed his teaching. Lisa and her husband attend the church where he is Pastor. The church, Horizon Christian Fellowship North County is about 1/2 hour from their home in San Diego area. It is a large church with an amazing campus and building. Before leaving home I had hoped that when I visited Horizon church I would be able to meet Pastor Bob Botsford. Lisa didn’t know if that would be possible as he was not usually available before or between service. Well we walked into the courtyard at the church’s entrance and there he was just standing there with a couple of other people. Lisa walked up to him and introduced me to him. It was my pleasure to meet him.
It seems as if everywhere I go I meet the nicest people. Today at Horizon Fellowship I met a lady named Kim. It is always delightful to meet and talk with somebody and hear a bit of their story. We first spoke in the ladies room and continued out into the foyer. Thank you Kim for your conversation and being so kind to me. When I am on the road there are times when I don’t talk to people for hours. I know that seems impossible coming from me.
Bill, Lisa, and I enjoyed a delicious lunch out and an entertaining afternoon looking at new homes in the area. This entire area is built on little mountains or maybe I should say on big hills. I don’t know which. All I know is I’ve never experience so many winding, climbing roads. It is so lovely to look out over the mountains and see the valley below. Right now you might say that I am on the mountain top of life. I love the views. Tomorrow I leave for Orange County which is less than two hours away (for most people). Let’s see if I can get there without getting lost.
What I haven’t told you about this trip is the fact that rarely is there a trip I take that I don’t get lost, turned around, or doubtful as to my correct destination at some time or another during the drive. God has bailed me out a few times and just so you know He is the best GPS ever. I actually have a mapquest direction sheet, a GPS, an Iphone google maps, state maps and God. I’ve turned the GPS off as she interrupts too often, I don’t use the Iphone because it is too small and too dangerous to operate while driving, the map is too cumbersome and doesn’t not cooperate. So…being a woman I just stop and ask. So far I’ve always made it.
We watched another movie tonight, “God is Not Dead” . If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. It was about putting God on Trial. I thought the movie was well done.
Very sleepy again, must go before I nod off.
Good night
April 11 Day 36 San Diego County
75 degrees, clear weather, blue skies, traffic jammed roads, and wall to wall people. But…I enjoyed every moment of it. Today Bill and Lisa took me to Old Town Temecula. Temecula is know for it’s wineries, old classic cars which is called the Temecula Rod Run, and Old Town Temecula. Lots of tourists, lots of restaurants, lots of places to buy things. I had a wonderful car tour of the area, viewed beautiful homes that Bill and Lisa designed and Bill built. Amazing structures of art and beauty, fully landscaped with exotic plants and palms and lots of flowering vegetation. My brain is still thinking about snow in Wisconsin. I know 5 weeks has probably made a big difference in the landscape there but in my mind it will perpetually be winter there until I return. I have been in a perpetual spring the last five weeks. It seems that every place I’ve been spring was just beginning and now in San Diego county it seems that summer is in full bloom. Fence rows of bougainvillea in crimson pinks and white and reds, Lily of the Nile, geraniums, nasturtiums, roses and bird of paradise. Up close and person I could see orange trees full of oranges, grapefruits hanging on trees the size of melons, lemon trees loaded with bright yellow fruit and avocado trees in the thousands, each laden full of avocados. Our main staple for breakfast lunch and dinner is fresh avocados. Literally!
Just thought I’d let you know that I was applauded today. Lisa and I were walking across a side street at Old Town Temecula and a biker was stopped at the cross walk with loud pulsing music blaring from his Harley. Lisa and I started putting a little rhythm in our step in time to the music as we walked across the street. When we got across the street one of the cars full of young men inching its way down main street right beside us whistled, hooted at us, and applauded. Well actually I think it was me they were clapping for! I was doing most of the dancing. Maybe it was my big yellow glasses that caught their eye.
Bill, Lisa, and I had a wonderful afternoon of reminiscing, looking at old pictures of ourselves when we were young, eating a delicious dinner of wild Alaskan salmon, and watching the movie “What If”. Enjoyed the movie as I rarely watch any TV or movies. We just had a good old fashioned time of visiting, an art that is almost lost. It is midnight now and my hosts are finally turning in. I’ll finish writing this short blog and then turn in. My blow up bed is all blown up ready for me to jump into. I’m glad. Visiting takes a lot of energy. I think I could get used to being retired.
Tomorrow I will be attending the Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego North County. I like listening to this minister on my IPhone when I exercise so it will be fun to be able to hear him in person. I really enjoy the way He teaches the Bible.
Today was a fun day: lazy, slow paced, interesting,enjoyable and best of all another day to spend with my precious Lisa. There was quite awhile that I did not know if I would ever see Lisa again on earth. She has beat some serious odds against her survival of this awful cancer. Her story of the past 3 years is incredible. Please continue to pray for Lisa’s complete healing.
Good night. I pray you will have a wonderful Sabbath Sunday.
Visions of Poetry 