Woke up before the alarm and got the boys up and we were packed and ready to go by 4:30 in the morning. Thankfully the freeways were not too busy and we did good with our time. Dropped off the rental car and headed over to LAX. It was a bit foggy in places but we did manage to find our way to the correct terminal and sent the boys off on their way.
We knew that we had a lot of time to waste before we could check in to our campground to we found a McD and had some breakfast and caught up on emails, Facebook and Twitter. The location we choose had a lot of homeless men who were warming up and having a bite to eat. We also knew that we needed to get some groceries and we came upon a Whole Foods store. It was awesome! Jordan would have loved it. There was all kinds of fresh seafood, fresh meat, marinated meat, wines, everything organic. There was too much to mention, and apparently they were the largest Whole Foods store in the state and rich people liked to shop here. We found lots of good things including soup for lunch. Mine was delicious!
Reached our campground and checked in, did the laundry, watched some TV and just relaxed. Found out that the boys missed their connecting flight in Denver by 5 minutes due to their late departure because of the fog. But they did finally make it home before midnight.
It was still very foggy here so we could not see much. Walked to a local fish restaurant for supper and it was very good. Nice to eat to close that you could see and hear the ocean. Enjoyed our sleep without having to worry about going anywhere the next morning.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Day 30
Last day with Matt and Nick. We took some time to fill the camper with propane and empty the used water and then made pancakes for breakfast. We took a different route this time and it seemed to be faster. Ate pizza for lunch and I was fortunate enough to have my half of the pizza with vegan cheese.
We found our way to the end of Beachwood Drive to begin our hike to the Hollywood sign. There were many cars all trying to find a place to park and the road was quite narrow, places where only one car could pass at a time. Our total hiking time was 2 hours including photo opportunity breaks. We hiked up to the back of the sign first where you could get a good view of the city, of course this day there was a fair amount of smog so that limited our view of the city and the surrounding mountains. Then we walked around to get a close up view from the front of the sign. There were many varied kinds of hikers, from the older to the younger, from families, to guys with packs who did pushups at the top of the hill. The path was wide and most places not too steep although Matt and Nick did find some short cuts through the shrubs. Thankfully the weather was not too hot and there was some shade as well.
After our hike we drove over to the Griffith Observatory and had a look around and managed to be there to watch the sun set. It was a good day and it felt good to get outside and enjoy nature. An hour and a half later we were back home. We stopped at Chickafil for a bite to eat and catch up on emails. Got the boys all packed-they packed themselves, and we all got to bed early as we were planning on leaving here at 4:30 am in order to get to the airport on time.
It was fun having the boys with us and it will also be fun to be on our own. Tomorrow we will be camping in Malibu.
We found our way to the end of Beachwood Drive to begin our hike to the Hollywood sign. There were many cars all trying to find a place to park and the road was quite narrow, places where only one car could pass at a time. Our total hiking time was 2 hours including photo opportunity breaks. We hiked up to the back of the sign first where you could get a good view of the city, of course this day there was a fair amount of smog so that limited our view of the city and the surrounding mountains. Then we walked around to get a close up view from the front of the sign. There were many varied kinds of hikers, from the older to the younger, from families, to guys with packs who did pushups at the top of the hill. The path was wide and most places not too steep although Matt and Nick did find some short cuts through the shrubs. Thankfully the weather was not too hot and there was some shade as well.
After our hike we drove over to the Griffith Observatory and had a look around and managed to be there to watch the sun set. It was a good day and it felt good to get outside and enjoy nature. An hour and a half later we were back home. We stopped at Chickafil for a bite to eat and catch up on emails. Got the boys all packed-they packed themselves, and we all got to bed early as we were planning on leaving here at 4:30 am in order to get to the airport on time.
It was fun having the boys with us and it will also be fun to be on our own. Tomorrow we will be camping in Malibu.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Day 29
Full day planned. Heading to Malibu and Venice Beach. Should I dare mention again that the traffic in LA is horrible, but it is! Oh well, you would think the freeways would be fast but with all the on and off ramps it keeps slowing things down. We made it to Malibu and drove up the coastal highway for a bit, very pretty. Checked out and then decided to book ourselves a campsite for when the boys go home. Drove down to the Santa Monika Pier, the end of route 66. Enjoyed some lunch at Bubba Gumps, our server was quite entertaining.
Chose a bike rental place, although it was quite busy and they seemed rather unorganized but we did manage to get some bikes although our choices were limited. It was busy but not crazy, and it would be easier if the people walking would stick to the walking path instead of the bike path but it was fun nonetheless. The beach was very deep and very long, going on for miles. It did not take very long to reach Venice Beach and it was not what I had expected. Not sure what I thought but what it turned out to be was a place for hippies selling their wares and for homeless people to sleep. Was quite sad to see the situations that some people choose to put themselves in. We peddled as far as the Venice canals and Tim and I walked into the canals for a bit to enjoy the views. We saw an older lady lying on a long surf board wearing a swimsuit floating along in the canal, not sure how clean the water was but she seemed quite content. The canals looked like a neat place to live, very small yards though.
Continuing on our bike ride we stopped to watch some young skateboarders and there was one young lad that was quite good. We biked, we stopped, we walked, we sat on the beach, Nick got his feet wet - it was cool. After returning our bikes we walked to the end of the pier to watch the sun set, we were not alone. We strolled through the mini amusement park and slowly made our way back to the car. The freeways were once again busy, of course. We stopped at a new restaurant, BJ's for supper. The steak that Tim and I had was very good, Nick had to wait a very long time for his Parmesan chicken but due to the wait they did not charge us plus they gave us a free dessert, which tasted delicious. That was very nice of them.
Another day done and only one more to go with the boys.
Chose a bike rental place, although it was quite busy and they seemed rather unorganized but we did manage to get some bikes although our choices were limited. It was busy but not crazy, and it would be easier if the people walking would stick to the walking path instead of the bike path but it was fun nonetheless. The beach was very deep and very long, going on for miles. It did not take very long to reach Venice Beach and it was not what I had expected. Not sure what I thought but what it turned out to be was a place for hippies selling their wares and for homeless people to sleep. Was quite sad to see the situations that some people choose to put themselves in. We peddled as far as the Venice canals and Tim and I walked into the canals for a bit to enjoy the views. We saw an older lady lying on a long surf board wearing a swimsuit floating along in the canal, not sure how clean the water was but she seemed quite content. The canals looked like a neat place to live, very small yards though.
Continuing on our bike ride we stopped to watch some young skateboarders and there was one young lad that was quite good. We biked, we stopped, we walked, we sat on the beach, Nick got his feet wet - it was cool. After returning our bikes we walked to the end of the pier to watch the sun set, we were not alone. We strolled through the mini amusement park and slowly made our way back to the car. The freeways were once again busy, of course. We stopped at a new restaurant, BJ's for supper. The steak that Tim and I had was very good, Nick had to wait a very long time for his Parmesan chicken but due to the wait they did not charge us plus they gave us a free dessert, which tasted delicious. That was very nice of them.
Another day done and only one more to go with the boys.
Day 28
Actually slept in till 8:00 am! Wow, have not done that yet this whole adventure. Tim made the boys french toast for breakfast, pancakes was the plan but had no baking soda so we switched the plan. Stopped at a McD's for wifi to plan our day. Drove over to the Fashion Island shopping center so Nick could look for some dress pants and shoes. Macey's did the job on both accounts. Tim actually found a pair of dress shoes as well (not at Maceys) and he found them all by himself. I have been kindly suggesting to him for the last couple of years that maybe it was time to replace his nice but now well worn dress shoes. He did check for my approval before making the final purchase and he made a great choice.
This particular mall, mostly outdoors, had an extremely large completely decorated Christmas tree and according to Tim and Matt, it was a real tree. We found a few nearby car dealerships and went to check out the Ferrari and Aston Martins. We also took a drive on the Balboa peninsula stopping to walk on the beach and along the pier. We drove back to the mall hoping that we might grab a movie in the new fancy theatre but we would have had to wait for 2 hours so we decided instead to grab a snack and head to the theatre that was closer to home. Which worked out well because it was cheap Tuesday. Sherlock was our movie of choice and it was enjoyable. Came back to the camper for night snack and then off to dreamland (we hoped).
This particular mall, mostly outdoors, had an extremely large completely decorated Christmas tree and according to Tim and Matt, it was a real tree. We found a few nearby car dealerships and went to check out the Ferrari and Aston Martins. We also took a drive on the Balboa peninsula stopping to walk on the beach and along the pier. We drove back to the mall hoping that we might grab a movie in the new fancy theatre but we would have had to wait for 2 hours so we decided instead to grab a snack and head to the theatre that was closer to home. Which worked out well because it was cheap Tuesday. Sherlock was our movie of choice and it was enjoyable. Came back to the camper for night snack and then off to dreamland (we hoped).
Day 27
It took awhile to get going in the morning but did manage to get to Hollywood. We caught a glimpse of the Holloywood sign, we walked along the walk of fame, saw Billy Graham's star as well as many others. Enjoyed Madam Trousouds and the many wax stars that were featured in the various rooms. Danced with Patrick Swayze and stood between Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The work that goes into the making of these wax people is amazing and very time consuming.
Drove around the homes of some hollywood stars and saw more of the real LA and not just the freeways. Enjoyed supper at Olive Garden, Nick's choice, and stopped at Target for some groceries before heading home. I still am not feeling well but am making the best of the situation.
Drove around the homes of some hollywood stars and saw more of the real LA and not just the freeways. Enjoyed supper at Olive Garden, Nick's choice, and stopped at Target for some groceries before heading home. I still am not feeling well but am making the best of the situation.
Day 26
Christmas Day and still sick but I never imagined that it would heal itself in a day. So I chose to send Tim and the boys off to San Diego Zoo while I crawled back into bed. I will have to see the zoo another day. So, I rested, read, and rested some more. I did force myself to take a walk through the camp ground and it was actually quite nice with lots of different kinds of trees. The guys came back in time for us to make some supper, most restaurants were closed due to it being Christmas day. We watched the movie "coach carter" before retiring for the night.
Day 25
Woke up to the sun shining but also realizing that I would need to see a doctor today as I was only getting sicker. On the road by 9:00 am. I was indeed getting sicker, so after we found our campground and set up the tent I called the insurance people and after waiting on the phone for what seemed like forever, I finally spoke to someone. He let me know that it did not matter where I went, so we chose the closest ER and checked in.
It only took about 3-4 hours from start to finish but they did bloodwork and gave me a litre of fluid and finally a prescription for my sinus infection, which I knew I had. The boys managed to get some Chinese food while they were waiting for me. Once done we headed to the John Wayne Airport to pick up our rented car. Matt and I took the RV back and only made one small mistake which we quickly corrected by turning around. Dad and Nick somehow managed to get lost and it took them at least another 30 minutes to return during which Matt and I set up camp.
Well, we made it to LA. It is very large with so many freeways that I wished we were back in New York. I preferred the feeling of walking among the people instead of just driving past them. Another day is done and tomorrow I shall try to get better.
It only took about 3-4 hours from start to finish but they did bloodwork and gave me a litre of fluid and finally a prescription for my sinus infection, which I knew I had. The boys managed to get some Chinese food while they were waiting for me. Once done we headed to the John Wayne Airport to pick up our rented car. Matt and I took the RV back and only made one small mistake which we quickly corrected by turning around. Dad and Nick somehow managed to get lost and it took them at least another 30 minutes to return during which Matt and I set up camp.
Well, we made it to LA. It is very large with so many freeways that I wished we were back in New York. I preferred the feeling of walking among the people instead of just driving past them. Another day is done and tomorrow I shall try to get better.
Day 24
We left Casa de Esperanza around 8:38 am, it was sad to leave but we were also looking forward to the next part of our adventure. I still was not feeling well but as long as I took a decongestant and a pain pill I was surviving. The border crossing was super quick and easy, from the time we stopped in line until we got going again was only 30 minutes. We were in the USA by 3:45 pm. We stopped in Green Valley for some groceries (grabbing some subs along the way) and continued on. We were able to reach Saddle Mountain RV Park in Tonopah, AZ and spend the night. The boys were a little cool in their tent but managed alright. The sites were gravel and lined with Palm Trees. From the descriptions of the activities here I would say this is mostly for "old" people of which we do not belong.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Day 23
Wow! The last full day here at Casa de Esperanza and I am finally feeling better. Praise the Lord!
This morning we went to San Josea and rounded up some children to play soccer and duck, duck, goose for the younger ones. After and enjoyable time of playing the pastor from the Spanish church on San Carlos led the children in a song and told them a short bible story. The sun was warm and I soon realized that I should have not worn jeans. I was not the only one feeling this way. The crowd seemed to be getting bigger and bigger and we quickly found out that we would not have enough back packs for all the kids that were coming out of no where. So we make the best of it and handed out what we had then had to say we were sorry that there was no more. We felt bad but there was nothing we could do but head back to to San Carlos.
I have to go cut Tim's hair now so I will write more later. Ok, I'm back, hair is cut, clothes are drying and we are getting ready to go to the Spanish church here in San Carlos to hand out back packs and bags of candy.
Backpacks given out, soon it will be time to eat quesadillas. Supper was delicious and now just hanging out till bedtime.
Last night here, we will be sad to go but know that we can come back if we wish.
This morning we went to San Josea and rounded up some children to play soccer and duck, duck, goose for the younger ones. After and enjoyable time of playing the pastor from the Spanish church on San Carlos led the children in a song and told them a short bible story. The sun was warm and I soon realized that I should have not worn jeans. I was not the only one feeling this way. The crowd seemed to be getting bigger and bigger and we quickly found out that we would not have enough back packs for all the kids that were coming out of no where. So we make the best of it and handed out what we had then had to say we were sorry that there was no more. We felt bad but there was nothing we could do but head back to to San Carlos.
I have to go cut Tim's hair now so I will write more later. Ok, I'm back, hair is cut, clothes are drying and we are getting ready to go to the Spanish church here in San Carlos to hand out back packs and bags of candy.
Backpacks given out, soon it will be time to eat quesadillas. Supper was delicious and now just hanging out till bedtime.
Last night here, we will be sad to go but know that we can come back if we wish.
Day 22
Today I was feeling better than yesterday but still not very good and not wanting to be too far from the bano. So once again I rested and read. Matt was feeling the same so the two of us stayed behind while the others went to hand out backpacks.
Quiet, quiet day with everyone gone. Was feeling well enough in the evening to play a game of styks. Not much to say when all you want to do is feel better. Will see what tomorrow brings.
Quiet, quiet day with everyone gone. Was feeling well enough in the evening to play a game of styks. Not much to say when all you want to do is feel better. Will see what tomorrow brings.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Day 21
Had a rough night, was up many times and felt icky all over in the morning. It lasted all day, so needless to say I spent almost all day in bed although I did manage to cut Matt's hair after lunch and after a rest cut Nick's hair in the afternoon. Nick was not feeling too well either so he had stayed back with me while the rest of the group headed out to distribute more backpacks.
Just before supper my body decided to heat up. I had come in with 3 jackets on but quickly peeled them all off.
Big crowd of extra people here for supper tonight, currenty being entertained with piano, guitar and base guitar. Loving it! They are playing praise and worship songs.
Just before supper my body decided to heat up. I had come in with 3 jackets on but quickly peeled them all off.
Big crowd of extra people here for supper tonight, currenty being entertained with piano, guitar and base guitar. Loving it! They are playing praise and worship songs.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Day 20
Monday morning. I thought it was just me feeling a little off but discovered there were other non-mexicans feeling the same queasy intestines. Hopefully we all recover soon.
Tim and the boys continued to work in the back adding water lines and electrical service for the new camper sites. Some of us were in need of a massage so Brenda called "Lucy" to the rescue. Four of us where blessed by her services, including me.
After supper I was starting to feel sick again, and then Nick said he was sick and went to bed at 7:30 p.m. And I am thinking I should get to bed soon too. This sickness was more flu like.
Tim and the boys continued to work in the back adding water lines and electrical service for the new camper sites. Some of us were in need of a massage so Brenda called "Lucy" to the rescue. Four of us where blessed by her services, including me.
After supper I was starting to feel sick again, and then Nick said he was sick and went to bed at 7:30 p.m. And I am thinking I should get to bed soon too. This sickness was more flu like.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Day 19
Wow, this took a bit before I could blog today. I guess since I am traveling in Mexico google thinks I would like the headings on my blog to be in Spanish but I cannot read everything in Spanish. Oh well I finally got here.
Had a rough night constantly waking up thinking it was morning and finally got up at 6:30 am and took a shower and was feeling good then started feeling bad. Took some pills and once they kicked it I felt good enough to walk to church with my family and felt good through most of church and then started feeling bad again. Pastor Rich has a challenging message from Romans. Did manage to walk back and tried to nap before lunch but was unsuccessful. After lunch we loaded up on the bus and drove over to the American church to pick up the backpacks and two other couples that would be coming along as we distributed the bags.
Our first stop was a small church on the outskirts of Guaymas where we waited until the pastor was finished his message before we could hand out the bags. It was a short stop as we needed to get going to the little fishing village - Chuyodo, which was almost a 2 hour drive away. Tim and I had gone there on Thursday to distribute clothing and make arrangements for the backpack delivery. This time we took a more scenic route and I was feeling alright until we got there so I took a couple more tylenol and then I was alright for a few hours.
Since we arrived a bit early we took a very short hike up a small hill to get a good view of the village afterwards we headed down to the beach and were privileged to see some ladies filleting sting rays and a gentleman shucking oysters (this is not correct but when I remember what they were I will correct it). Then some of us walked around the village inviting more children to come for the evening. Some of the guys played soccer with the young teenaged boys while I discovered later that Tim and some of the men went to a local restaurant for shrimp that was marinated in lime juice and tomato sauce. Tim said it was good.
Just as the sun was setting we began to line up the nino's (children) and hand out the back packs according to age. Not sure how many there were but at least 50 and maybe up to 100. After they received their bags they were treated to a film. I was getting too cold and starting to feel sick again so I headed back to the pastors house to get warm. Once the film was over our crew came back and we enjoyed some delicious chili that Brenda had made that morning. It was great and warmed me up. I still was not feeling very good but for some reason could not sleep either at the pastors home or on the bus and when we got back, after I finally figured out how to get this blog working, I did not feel tired. My throat/ears still hurt but not sure how to make them instantly get better.
Hopefully Health wise tomorrow will be a better day.
Had a rough night constantly waking up thinking it was morning and finally got up at 6:30 am and took a shower and was feeling good then started feeling bad. Took some pills and once they kicked it I felt good enough to walk to church with my family and felt good through most of church and then started feeling bad again. Pastor Rich has a challenging message from Romans. Did manage to walk back and tried to nap before lunch but was unsuccessful. After lunch we loaded up on the bus and drove over to the American church to pick up the backpacks and two other couples that would be coming along as we distributed the bags.
Our first stop was a small church on the outskirts of Guaymas where we waited until the pastor was finished his message before we could hand out the bags. It was a short stop as we needed to get going to the little fishing village - Chuyodo, which was almost a 2 hour drive away. Tim and I had gone there on Thursday to distribute clothing and make arrangements for the backpack delivery. This time we took a more scenic route and I was feeling alright until we got there so I took a couple more tylenol and then I was alright for a few hours.
Since we arrived a bit early we took a very short hike up a small hill to get a good view of the village afterwards we headed down to the beach and were privileged to see some ladies filleting sting rays and a gentleman shucking oysters (this is not correct but when I remember what they were I will correct it). Then some of us walked around the village inviting more children to come for the evening. Some of the guys played soccer with the young teenaged boys while I discovered later that Tim and some of the men went to a local restaurant for shrimp that was marinated in lime juice and tomato sauce. Tim said it was good.
Just as the sun was setting we began to line up the nino's (children) and hand out the back packs according to age. Not sure how many there were but at least 50 and maybe up to 100. After they received their bags they were treated to a film. I was getting too cold and starting to feel sick again so I headed back to the pastors house to get warm. Once the film was over our crew came back and we enjoyed some delicious chili that Brenda had made that morning. It was great and warmed me up. I still was not feeling very good but for some reason could not sleep either at the pastors home or on the bus and when we got back, after I finally figured out how to get this blog working, I did not feel tired. My throat/ears still hurt but not sure how to make them instantly get better.
Hopefully Health wise tomorrow will be a better day.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Day 18
Saturday we woke early to head to Guaymas to help serve at the men's ministry. Songs were song, a message was presented and three people came to the front for the alter call. Soup was served with cabbage, onions and a bun plus hot chocolate to drink. Since it was Christmas the mostly men each received a bag with toiletries and a cap. After dropping off the containers at the church in town we headed back to the center for fish tacos which were great.
In the afternoon some of us decided to climb the "goat mountain" only Matt and Dawson made it to the very top and Nick was almost at the very top. Ron, Naomi and Agustin made it quite far while Tim and I did not go very far. Our legs were not used to climbing almost straight up and coming down was not that easy either.
Mexican hot dogs for supper again! Then played another game of "sticks" and Tim won. Visited a bit more before heading off to bed. Feeling much better than I did this morning and last night.
Church tomorrow and then handing out back packs in two different places. Will be a long day.
In the afternoon some of us decided to climb the "goat mountain" only Matt and Dawson made it to the very top and Nick was almost at the very top. Ron, Naomi and Agustin made it quite far while Tim and I did not go very far. Our legs were not used to climbing almost straight up and coming down was not that easy either.
Mexican hot dogs for supper again! Then played another game of "sticks" and Tim won. Visited a bit more before heading off to bed. Feeling much better than I did this morning and last night.
Church tomorrow and then handing out back packs in two different places. Will be a long day.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Day 17
Vic & Kim and Victoria left this morning and we were sad to see them go and wishing them well on their journey. Brenda, Itzky and I made 200+ cupcakes this morning as well as empanadas, a Mexican sweet treat. The cupcakes are for the men's program tomorrow. We met the guys in Guaymas for rotisserie chicken with roasted potatoes and onions. It was delicious! The afternoon was spent shopping with Brenda for groceries and both of us were rather tired when we got back. I knew that I was starting to get sick so I have been taking extra vitamin C and praying that it will not get too bad.
Ron, Charlene and their kids and our boys showed up just after 4 pm and it was great to see that they had arrived safe and sound. We had another wonderful supper of enchilada with red pepper sauce and had a relaxing evening. Planning to get to bed very soon. Tomorrow is going to be early.
Ron, Charlene and their kids and our boys showed up just after 4 pm and it was great to see that they had arrived safe and sound. We had another wonderful supper of enchilada with red pepper sauce and had a relaxing evening. Planning to get to bed very soon. Tomorrow is going to be early.
Day 16
What a privilege to be able to wake up to the sunshine and the roosters crowing and to take in all of God's beautiful creation. Kim and I cleaned up the flower beds and enjoyed working outside and soaking up the sun. Our men continued to work on the new plumbing (sewage pipe) and things are progressing nicely.
After a delicious hamburger, fries and onions rings lunch we took a drive, about an hour and a half away to a little fishing village to bring them some clothes. The pastor, Guialliamo?, informed us afterwards that clothing is very expensive in their small remote village so this gift of clothing was a real blessing to them. Some of the ladies came and thanked us afterwards. This young pastor, with his wife and two young children, has a passion for the people of his village and wants them all to know of God's love. We pray that he will be strengthened and encouraged to continue to his work for the Lord.
Our delicious tostito supper was difficult not to over eat. I love Mexican food! Tonight was a cantata called "When love was born" held at the American Church. Ryan, one of the full time workers here was the piano player. Not only did he do an excellent job but the choir (all seniors)did a wonderful job as well. The sweets table after the cantata not only looked beautiful but tasted delicious as well. Of course we had to come back to the house for another game of Rook.
For Vic & Kim and Victoria this was their last night, and I do believe they all had a wonderful time. They might even decide to come back some day. It was too bad that Vic had a bad sinus cold for a number of days but seems to be feeling better now.
After a delicious hamburger, fries and onions rings lunch we took a drive, about an hour and a half away to a little fishing village to bring them some clothes. The pastor, Guialliamo?, informed us afterwards that clothing is very expensive in their small remote village so this gift of clothing was a real blessing to them. Some of the ladies came and thanked us afterwards. This young pastor, with his wife and two young children, has a passion for the people of his village and wants them all to know of God's love. We pray that he will be strengthened and encouraged to continue to his work for the Lord.
Our delicious tostito supper was difficult not to over eat. I love Mexican food! Tonight was a cantata called "When love was born" held at the American Church. Ryan, one of the full time workers here was the piano player. Not only did he do an excellent job but the choir (all seniors)did a wonderful job as well. The sweets table after the cantata not only looked beautiful but tasted delicious as well. Of course we had to come back to the house for another game of Rook.
For Vic & Kim and Victoria this was their last night, and I do believe they all had a wonderful time. They might even decide to come back some day. It was too bad that Vic had a bad sinus cold for a number of days but seems to be feeling better now.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Day 15
Wednesday the sun was shining and the day went well. Kim, Tori and I went over to the American church in the morning to finish up some of the bags for the younger children. In the afternoon we filled over 200 bags of candy to be handed out at a later date, then we helped with more baking.
The guys completed the benches then began work on the short wall for the patio above the kitchen/dining area. The hired men continued their cement work on the stairs. Tim and Vic also worked on welding a lid cover for the new septic tank and dug a trench and installed the plumbing pipes from the new building to the new septic tank. Work will continue on this tomorrow.
After supper which consisted of Marilyn's stuffed peppers, which were delicious once again (although I only had one bite because they are filled with cheese) we played a game of Rook and then went out to a movie. It was fun all of us piling into the van and driving to Guaymas.
Looking forward to tomorrow. Matt & Nick made it safely to Grand Forks and will be heading to Phoenix tomorrow. Will be great to have them here.
The guys completed the benches then began work on the short wall for the patio above the kitchen/dining area. The hired men continued their cement work on the stairs. Tim and Vic also worked on welding a lid cover for the new septic tank and dug a trench and installed the plumbing pipes from the new building to the new septic tank. Work will continue on this tomorrow.
After supper which consisted of Marilyn's stuffed peppers, which were delicious once again (although I only had one bite because they are filled with cheese) we played a game of Rook and then went out to a movie. It was fun all of us piling into the van and driving to Guaymas.
Looking forward to tomorrow. Matt & Nick made it safely to Grand Forks and will be heading to Phoenix tomorrow. Will be great to have them here.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day 14
Tuesday, December 14 started out and continued to be a beautiful day. Us ladies spent the morning baking for Christmas. We made Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookies, pinwheel cookies, shortbread cookies and matrimonial cake. It makes getting ready for Christmas much easier with lots of hands, large cookie sheets and large oven.
Tim and the guys got the benches all painted, the wood varnished and tomorrow they will screw them together. Some of us went to Guaymas to pick up candy to make bags to hand out. I have never been in a store with so much candy and the largest bags of Cheetos I have ever seen, they looked like a 50 lb bag of potatoes (size wise).
Supper was barbequed shrimp and chicken with rice, carrots and zucchini and garlic toast. I was feeling a little chilled so decided to come inside and warm up. Sure could use my hot tub about now although Tim is still sitting outside and he thinks it is just fine so it is probably just me.
Tomorrow is another day, with other challenges and rewards to come.
Tim and the guys got the benches all painted, the wood varnished and tomorrow they will screw them together. Some of us went to Guaymas to pick up candy to make bags to hand out. I have never been in a store with so much candy and the largest bags of Cheetos I have ever seen, they looked like a 50 lb bag of potatoes (size wise).
Supper was barbequed shrimp and chicken with rice, carrots and zucchini and garlic toast. I was feeling a little chilled so decided to come inside and warm up. Sure could use my hot tub about now although Tim is still sitting outside and he thinks it is just fine so it is probably just me.
Tomorrow is another day, with other challenges and rewards to come.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Day 13
Thought that I was sleeping in, at least it felt that way but it was not even 7:30 am yet. It rained a bit during the night and it was still drizling a bit in the morning, but by time I headed for breakfast it had stopped raining.
This morning our job was to make juice from oranges, which we did. I ended up just cutting them in half, Tory and Kim did all the juicing. Only one electric juicer was working so Kim had to juice a bunch manually. So to keep myself busy I did some laundry, swept and mopped the main room floors. Marilyn once again made a delicious lunch with pork chops and potatoes and pepper sauce. The weather was cooler and cloudy which made it perfect for working outside. The guys were busy welding benches for the children's program in Fatima and almost finished the 10 benches today. They are planning to finish up in the morning. Us girls worked on cleaning up the back yard and now the fruit tree garden is looking pretty sweet. It felt good to be able to get something accomplished.
The guys also has a bit of fun this afternoon making Mexican bombs. They consist of a pop bottle, Drano (which they did not have so they used mercuric acid instead) and tin foil. Kids do not try this at home! I will not give clear instructions here for that reason. The Drano works extremely fast, so you need to be careful. The guys had a bit of fun setting off a "bomb" later that evening when Art & Brenda had gone to their room. They all had a good laugh.
We played another game of Rook while waiting for the timing for their little "joke".
Tim went off to bed while I stayed and worked on my journaling and helping Agustin with his new iPhone. Tory was helping as well, actually she was doing most of the helping and I was just there for moral support.
Talked to Nick on a Vonage phone and found out he got the job at Canad Inn and will start when he gets back from his holiday. Hooray!
This morning our job was to make juice from oranges, which we did. I ended up just cutting them in half, Tory and Kim did all the juicing. Only one electric juicer was working so Kim had to juice a bunch manually. So to keep myself busy I did some laundry, swept and mopped the main room floors. Marilyn once again made a delicious lunch with pork chops and potatoes and pepper sauce. The weather was cooler and cloudy which made it perfect for working outside. The guys were busy welding benches for the children's program in Fatima and almost finished the 10 benches today. They are planning to finish up in the morning. Us girls worked on cleaning up the back yard and now the fruit tree garden is looking pretty sweet. It felt good to be able to get something accomplished.
The guys also has a bit of fun this afternoon making Mexican bombs. They consist of a pop bottle, Drano (which they did not have so they used mercuric acid instead) and tin foil. Kids do not try this at home! I will not give clear instructions here for that reason. The Drano works extremely fast, so you need to be careful. The guys had a bit of fun setting off a "bomb" later that evening when Art & Brenda had gone to their room. They all had a good laugh.
We played another game of Rook while waiting for the timing for their little "joke".
Tim went off to bed while I stayed and worked on my journaling and helping Agustin with his new iPhone. Tory was helping as well, actually she was doing most of the helping and I was just there for moral support.
Talked to Nick on a Vonage phone and found out he got the job at Canad Inn and will start when he gets back from his holiday. Hooray!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Day 12
Sunday morning we went to the American church to worship. It was a good service and once again pastor Rich had a great message. Lunch was eaten at a local restaurant and relaxation was taken there as well. We enjoyed our time soaking up some vitamin D and getting to know each other better. Many stones of all different colors were collected to be treasured at a later date. Realizing that we had not yet had enough of the beach we drove a little further west to another beach (the same one we went to last year) where sea shells were collected and views enjoyed. We also took a ride up to the lookout and enjoyed the views from there as well.
Supper was Mexican hotdogs which means a large, bacon wrapped wiener in a bun loaded with many different choices of toppings. Tim's hotdog had onions, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, mayo, cheese and then he also added more cheese and sauce plus pickles on the side. All eaten and enjoyed together with a cold bottle of coke.
After such a long day soaking up the sun everyone was tired and ready to hit the hay. Looking forward to tomorrow. Buenos noches.
Supper was Mexican hotdogs which means a large, bacon wrapped wiener in a bun loaded with many different choices of toppings. Tim's hotdog had onions, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, mayo, cheese and then he also added more cheese and sauce plus pickles on the side. All eaten and enjoyed together with a cold bottle of coke.
After such a long day soaking up the sun everyone was tired and ready to hit the hay. Looking forward to tomorrow. Buenos noches.
Day 11
Saturday, our first day began bright and early. After breakfast we drove over to Fatima and spent time with the children at the kids program. Played some games, sang some songs, listened in while they had bible story time. Then "helped" with the lunch. It was a bit difficult with the language barrier but somehow we managed. Work has begun our the church and it is great to see it coming along, hopefully more money will come in to complete what has begun.
The afternoon was relaxing, although the guys decided to get a start on Monday's project of making benches for the kids program in Fatima.
Supper was a treat as we headed over to the special Christmas supper at the Spanish Church. I enjoyed last year's program better but it was good to hear of how the church is reaching out to their community and around the world.
Back at Casa de Esperanza we pulled out the Rook cards and had a great game, after we taught them how to play.
I failed to mention that this morning Art, Brenda, Issy, Juan & Ryan left to go to Tuscon for some Christmas shopping and also to pick up AJ. Which meant that we were on our own, just our little group and Brian and Clarissa and their two boys Cole and Mason. Not only for today but also Sunday and most of Monday.
The afternoon was relaxing, although the guys decided to get a start on Monday's project of making benches for the kids program in Fatima.
Supper was a treat as we headed over to the special Christmas supper at the Spanish Church. I enjoyed last year's program better but it was good to hear of how the church is reaching out to their community and around the world.
Back at Casa de Esperanza we pulled out the Rook cards and had a great game, after we taught them how to play.
I failed to mention that this morning Art, Brenda, Issy, Juan & Ryan left to go to Tuscon for some Christmas shopping and also to pick up AJ. Which meant that we were on our own, just our little group and Brian and Clarissa and their two boys Cole and Mason. Not only for today but also Sunday and most of Monday.
Days 9 & 10
Had a good night sleep and made a good breakfast and headed over to the Pima Air and Space Museum. There were so many planes and so much too see, the hangers were freezing cold even though it was relatively warm outside. Spent the whole morning there and once we had our lunch we began our drive over to Green Valley.
We made a pit stop at a Dollar store in Tuscon and picked up some things to give away and then drove around Green Valley before meeting up with Vic, Kim & Victoria at the Walmart. After checking with Mr. G we decided on the Quail Creek restaurant for supper. Little did we know that it was located inside a gated community. It had good ambiance and the food was good, and the conversation was very enjoyable.
Spent the night in the parking lot close to the Walmart and was thankful that the weather the warmest it had been so far.
Day 10 we began our journey to San Carlos, the weather was great and driving went smoothly. Obviously when you read instructions you need to follow them. When Brenda's note says stay in the left lane you NEED to stay in the left lane instead of trying to follow the road signs. Well, even the Mexicans got mixed up and went in the "wrong" lane. We were only delayed about an hour till we were back on the road. Due to the size of our camper we were moved to another lane thereby bypassing the red light green lights. We stopped along the way to eat our prepurchased lunch, enjoying the heat of the sun.
Arrived in San Carlos just before supper and were greated by our "family". Had an wonderful supper and settled in for the night. Relieved to be at our home away from home for the next two weeks. Looking forward to whatever comes our way.
We made a pit stop at a Dollar store in Tuscon and picked up some things to give away and then drove around Green Valley before meeting up with Vic, Kim & Victoria at the Walmart. After checking with Mr. G we decided on the Quail Creek restaurant for supper. Little did we know that it was located inside a gated community. It had good ambiance and the food was good, and the conversation was very enjoyable.
Spent the night in the parking lot close to the Walmart and was thankful that the weather the warmest it had been so far.
Day 10 we began our journey to San Carlos, the weather was great and driving went smoothly. Obviously when you read instructions you need to follow them. When Brenda's note says stay in the left lane you NEED to stay in the left lane instead of trying to follow the road signs. Well, even the Mexicans got mixed up and went in the "wrong" lane. We were only delayed about an hour till we were back on the road. Due to the size of our camper we were moved to another lane thereby bypassing the red light green lights. We stopped along the way to eat our prepurchased lunch, enjoying the heat of the sun.
Arrived in San Carlos just before supper and were greated by our "family". Had an wonderful supper and settled in for the night. Relieved to be at our home away from home for the next two weeks. Looking forward to whatever comes our way.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Days 7 & 8
Well the weather cleared and we were able to get on the road. Very grateful to Charles & Kendra for our extended stay and for their gracious hospitality and for the fantastic meals. Thank you so much. We also were very grateful to be able to use their computer to properly update our Garmin as it had only updated Canada and the border states, do after much ado we finally uploaded the lower SW states which should be enough for our current trip.
The roads were good till Soccorro where they were snow packed but it did not last long. Saw 4 fighter jets fly by just east of Lordsburg which was pretty cool to see. Still not warming up too much only 6c so far. Decided to stay in Benson for the night at a Walmart parking lot. Our supper was in an old train car consisting of beef brisketf and fries for me and chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, corn and gravy for Tim. Had a good night.
Day eight was a fun filled day. Breakfast in the camper, wifi at McD's,a tour of the Kartchman Caverns and a hike around the foothills of the cavern. Our tour was in the Big Room, as they have three rooms that yosu can tour, and we found it very facinating. The ribbon formations were my favorite, especially the bacon ones. The Doscovery Center provided more information regarding the discovery of the caves and regarding the formations inside. It felt good to be able to get out and walk and even feel some heat (close to 14c). We headed for Tuscon stopping to have all the sand (from the snow packed roads) removed. We also found a place to fill the camper with water and empty the "yucky stuff".
Supper was delicious and for pics you can check it out on Twitter. Thanks to Starbucks I can sit and enjoy a cup of tea while I journal our adventure. Guess I better hurry up and finish as my iPad is losing battery life.
Hoping we can find more fascinating things to do on our adventure. God is good.
The roads were good till Soccorro where they were snow packed but it did not last long. Saw 4 fighter jets fly by just east of Lordsburg which was pretty cool to see. Still not warming up too much only 6c so far. Decided to stay in Benson for the night at a Walmart parking lot. Our supper was in an old train car consisting of beef brisketf and fries for me and chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, corn and gravy for Tim. Had a good night.
Day eight was a fun filled day. Breakfast in the camper, wifi at McD's,a tour of the Kartchman Caverns and a hike around the foothills of the cavern. Our tour was in the Big Room, as they have three rooms that yosu can tour, and we found it very facinating. The ribbon formations were my favorite, especially the bacon ones. The Doscovery Center provided more information regarding the discovery of the caves and regarding the formations inside. It felt good to be able to get out and walk and even feel some heat (close to 14c). We headed for Tuscon stopping to have all the sand (from the snow packed roads) removed. We also found a place to fill the camper with water and empty the "yucky stuff".
Supper was delicious and for pics you can check it out on Twitter. Thanks to Starbucks I can sit and enjoy a cup of tea while I journal our adventure. Guess I better hurry up and finish as my iPad is losing battery life.
Hoping we can find more fascinating things to do on our adventure. God is good.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Days 5 & 6
Sunday was a ok day weather wise, still cold, still snow on the ground but managed to go to a shopping center where some of the stores leave their doors open to the outside ( I thought that was a little crazy and a waste of electricity). We enjoyed some appetizers at the Elephant Restaurant and even picked up a few groceries for our adventure back on the road.
We enjoyed a relaxing day at the Rempel home and were looking forward to heading for warmer weather in the morning. We were not so lucky as the wind picked up, the temperature dipped down, and the snow piled up. Guess we were spending another day in New Mexico. School closed today due to the weather. It was very, very windy during the night and it was -12 degrees celcius. Nevertheless we stayed warm in the camper.
Tim and I both strarted our books and did some things (including journalling here). Hopefully our RV does not freeze things up and the roads clear and we can get on the road again. Praying that God will grant us safe travels.
We enjoyed a relaxing day at the Rempel home and were looking forward to heading for warmer weather in the morning. We were not so lucky as the wind picked up, the temperature dipped down, and the snow piled up. Guess we were spending another day in New Mexico. School closed today due to the weather. It was very, very windy during the night and it was -12 degrees celcius. Nevertheless we stayed warm in the camper.
Tim and I both strarted our books and did some things (including journalling here). Hopefully our RV does not freeze things up and the roads clear and we can get on the road again. Praying that God will grant us safe travels.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Days 1-4
Our first day began bright and early, the sun was shining and we were eager to get on the road. As we were pulling out of the driveway we both felt a touch of emotion, not sure what caused us to feel it but it was most likely a result of many things.
What are we driving? Well, together with Dan & Sandra (brother-in-law, and sister-in-law) we purchased a 2012 Unity Leisure Travel Van, with a length of 24 feet.
The weather was cooperating, the highways were clear and the driving went very well. We drove as far as Sioux Falls and spent the night in the camper at a Fying J parking lot.
Initially crawling into bed was a tad chilly but it quickly warmed up and sleep came quickly (at 9:00 p.m.). We were very tired. We woke to the sound of a refer from a tour bus parked next to us, but chose to sleep a little longer. Got up and ate our breakfast, in the camper, and headed back out on the highway.
We chose to stay on the Interstate Hwy in order to get as far as we could in as little time as possible. Breakfast and lunch we ate on our own but chose to eat our suppers out. Our first supper, at Applebees was interesting. Due to my food allergies I am restricted as to my choices so I chose to order ribs. The first ribs I got were extremely dry and so were the second ones, but the manager was very helpful and accommodating and the riblets I ended up eating were very tender indeed and there was no charge for my meal. Our third supper was at the Big Texan, home of the 72 oz steak. The large steak was free IF you could eat it in one hour. The current record holder ate it in 8 minutes and ? Seconds. We even had some musicians come and play for us at our table. We were not so brave as to try the large steak but instead shared a 14 oz steak meal.
Our second night was in a Kmart parking lot, in Wichata, Kansas, close to a McDonalds. We are very thankful for modern technology and free wifi in the McD's. This evening meal was at a Mexican restaurant called "Cotijas Mexican Restaurant". At first I was not sure if I wanted to eat there because the decor did not look too appealing but then I saw people going in that appeared to be Mexican and said if they are eating here it must be authentic Mexican food. I was right! It was delicious and we even brought a small container of their green sauce with us.
I realize that I have recorded my meals in the wrong order as the Texan meal came after the Mexican meal (in case you wonder the purpose for all this food talk, I know that a certain son of mine would be interested). We chose to see a movie, at the cheap theatre and very much enjoyed "The Help". Hopefully I can find the book somewhere to read the stories for myself. This third night it rained, with thunder and lighting and with a touch of snow on the ground. (we were parked in a mall parking lot in Amarillo Texas).
There has not been much to see along the way just flat open empty fields. Our drive, after the storm started out sunny and with the roads just being wet but after Tucumcari, Mew Mexico the roads became snow packed. Obviously they received much more snow in this area. The roads continued to be bad all the way to Santa Rosa and we were driving quite slow. We saw numerous semi's in the ditch and had to wait one time while one was being pulled out by a tow truck. Luckily we were heading West instead of East as that direction ended up being backed up for miles and miles. Never have I seen so many trucks in one place at the same time. Thankfully we made it safe and sound to the home of our dear friends in Albuquerque New Mexico.
We were hoping for warmer weather but it seems that every time we come here it is always colder than normal. Oh well hopefully we reach warmer weather soon. Looking forward to our day here and then back on the road tomorrow.
Not sure how to post pictures here using my iPad but hopefully I can get some posted later. For any of you who choose to read my words written here I hope you find them informative either way at least for myself I will have a journal of our adventure.
What are we driving? Well, together with Dan & Sandra (brother-in-law, and sister-in-law) we purchased a 2012 Unity Leisure Travel Van, with a length of 24 feet.
The weather was cooperating, the highways were clear and the driving went very well. We drove as far as Sioux Falls and spent the night in the camper at a Fying J parking lot.
Initially crawling into bed was a tad chilly but it quickly warmed up and sleep came quickly (at 9:00 p.m.). We were very tired. We woke to the sound of a refer from a tour bus parked next to us, but chose to sleep a little longer. Got up and ate our breakfast, in the camper, and headed back out on the highway.
We chose to stay on the Interstate Hwy in order to get as far as we could in as little time as possible. Breakfast and lunch we ate on our own but chose to eat our suppers out. Our first supper, at Applebees was interesting. Due to my food allergies I am restricted as to my choices so I chose to order ribs. The first ribs I got were extremely dry and so were the second ones, but the manager was very helpful and accommodating and the riblets I ended up eating were very tender indeed and there was no charge for my meal. Our third supper was at the Big Texan, home of the 72 oz steak. The large steak was free IF you could eat it in one hour. The current record holder ate it in 8 minutes and ? Seconds. We even had some musicians come and play for us at our table. We were not so brave as to try the large steak but instead shared a 14 oz steak meal.
Our second night was in a Kmart parking lot, in Wichata, Kansas, close to a McDonalds. We are very thankful for modern technology and free wifi in the McD's. This evening meal was at a Mexican restaurant called "Cotijas Mexican Restaurant". At first I was not sure if I wanted to eat there because the decor did not look too appealing but then I saw people going in that appeared to be Mexican and said if they are eating here it must be authentic Mexican food. I was right! It was delicious and we even brought a small container of their green sauce with us.
I realize that I have recorded my meals in the wrong order as the Texan meal came after the Mexican meal (in case you wonder the purpose for all this food talk, I know that a certain son of mine would be interested). We chose to see a movie, at the cheap theatre and very much enjoyed "The Help". Hopefully I can find the book somewhere to read the stories for myself. This third night it rained, with thunder and lighting and with a touch of snow on the ground. (we were parked in a mall parking lot in Amarillo Texas).
There has not been much to see along the way just flat open empty fields. Our drive, after the storm started out sunny and with the roads just being wet but after Tucumcari, Mew Mexico the roads became snow packed. Obviously they received much more snow in this area. The roads continued to be bad all the way to Santa Rosa and we were driving quite slow. We saw numerous semi's in the ditch and had to wait one time while one was being pulled out by a tow truck. Luckily we were heading West instead of East as that direction ended up being backed up for miles and miles. Never have I seen so many trucks in one place at the same time. Thankfully we made it safe and sound to the home of our dear friends in Albuquerque New Mexico.
We were hoping for warmer weather but it seems that every time we come here it is always colder than normal. Oh well hopefully we reach warmer weather soon. Looking forward to our day here and then back on the road tomorrow.
Not sure how to post pictures here using my iPad but hopefully I can get some posted later. For any of you who choose to read my words written here I hope you find them informative either way at least for myself I will have a journal of our adventure.
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