Saturday, April 6, 2013

4-6-13

Onbaord msWesterdam and pointed, well, uhhh...West.  2200+ nautical miles to the next port. I must say the food is good and the decor is more to my taste.  Everyone so far seems nice and pleasant.  Sarah is visibly excited to be aboard and the kids are too after they found out there will be Club HAL after all.  It won't be as awesome perhaps as last time because there is only one other kids their age on the ship, but they will get some kid's club action. 

We were moored at the pier in San Diego.  This brought back some memories.  I think for Dad too.  He seemed excited to be around a ship again and sad that we couldn't get him aboard.  I didn't know what the process was to get a visitor onboard.  I will next time though.  Sorry Dad. 

As I looked around the bay, I could see a ship almost identical to the one I was aboard when I was in the Navy.  They have all been decommisioned now and are USNS ships.  Talk about deja vu.  Kind of cool in a way.

The captain got on the loudspeaker for a weather and course report and stated that it will be a little heavy in the next few days with 9-12 foot swells and some higher winds due to a front moving through.  That caused a small surge in motion sickenss pill procurement by the more forward thinking passengers. 

Well, I am first call tomorrow and will be up and at it early. So I think it is about bedtime. 

Thanks again to Dad and Julia for their wonderful hospitality.  Good night. 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Calico Ghost Town

The little diversion we made on the last leg of the drive in was to a little silver mining ghost town called Calico.  It is a bit Disneyfied as it was purchased and renovated by the creator of Knott's Berry Farm and then donated to the San Bernardino county parks.  It was a nice little place and interesting in a slightly over sanitized way. 

Michael trying his hand at the great old mining tradition of lassoing.


Scene setting shot.


 Caption contest...GO!
"Dude, I forgot my wallet."




4/4/13

Woke up this morning snugly tucked away in a very comfortable bed in San Marcos, CA.  I was generously offered a day of leisure and recovery.  Of course, I am doing my best to do as little as possible. 

It is very nice. 

Dad and Julia have offered to rent a van to take us to the ship.  It will be nice to share some of that with them and I hope even to take them on a quick tour.  Should be nice.  In the meantime, there is good food, good wine and very good conversation.  Somehow I feel less grumpy.


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

4/2/13

Ma' butt hurts!

Man, I need to get the seats in Hondo redone. 

I was thinking today about how lucky I am that Sarah got a great car 14 years ago.  I mean, 14 years and 170k miles and we are still taking a family of 4 across country with some regularity.  I saw a cute little California chick (license plate, not stereotype made the determination of California chick.)  She was tooling along in her late model Mustang ragtop and I thought it probably won't be as good when it is 14 as good old Hondo.  Especially after everything we have put that poor car through.  So, if you are looking for a car, it is hard to go wrong with a Honda Civic. 

My butt still hurts though.

Another day of driving will get us to Mi Familia in San Marcos.  Can't wait.  It will be awesome to see Dad and Julia again.  Since it is the shortest driving day of the trip, we have scheduled a short side trip.  Perhaps some pictures tomorrow. 

Monday, April 1, 2013

4/1/13

Back on the road.  10 hours or so today finds us in Moriarity, NM and one of the worst meals we have ever had the misfortune of consuming.  That is, assuming it doesn't make us violently ill, which would catapult it into the number one spot.  Don't stop at the Breezy Rains Cafe, it won't end well. 

We packed up the RV, or in the wise words of Michelle, made Irv 'skinny'.  Then we drove away.  Sigh.  I miss my comfy bed already.  Not to mention the excellent company. And the bottle of rum I left, can't forget that. 

It is much nicer to have the family with me though.  That makes life more bearable.  Also good to have the laptop.  It is helping us try to make plans for the semi-distant future.  Don't laugh, we do make plans. 

There was a fair amount I thought of writing while I was driving today.  Somehow the road erased all that though.  I'm going to bed.