Thursday, December 28, 2006
Holiday Recap (with photos!)
A week ago we loaded up the rental Taurus and headed for California. Nine hours later we arrived at my parents' house in Los Banos. After a few hours of sleep we headed down to Dina's folks. Six hours later we arrived in Ventura.
Among the many activities Phil enjoyed were playing with Poppa's train set (1, 2, 3) and playing miniature golf:Phil got way too much stuff for Christmas, including a 400-piece K'nex set, Magnetix, the Han Solo/Chewbacca-Millennium Falcon Transformer, the Darth Vader Voice Changer (talk about your buyer's remorse), Tinkertoys, Hot Wheels, digital camera and Pen/FM Radio.
At the big family lunch Phil got more goodies: summer clothes and a 15-in-1 game set (anyone know how to a) play or b) pronounce Mancala?). And we all had way too much food.
Boxing day found us loading up the car (again) and heading to my folks' (again). We dropped Phil there for an hour and a half while we hit a few stores to see if anything was left on their Christmas Closeout shelves. At least it was a break from the Darth Vader Voice Changer...
Next day (what comes after Boxing? Wrestling? Kung-Fu?) we headed home. (Got a picture of Phil and Grandma & Grandpa before we left and Grandpa headed off to work.) We spent way too long in Redding trying to figure out how to put on snow chains and then at Barnes & Noble checking ODOT roadcams to see if the Siskiyou Pass was clear. Then we spent not-long-enough with writing friend Katy Popa in Yreka. Got through the pass no chains/no problem and home about 15 hours after we left Los Banos.
You know the old saying: "Good to get away, good to get home, good to put 2,000+ miles on someone-else's car"? It's really true.
Don't forget: Barnes & Noble's free wi-fi is only available for a few more days.
Travel Tip: Always make sure you double-check your six-year-old's suitcase to see if he packed underwear. Otherwise you may find yourself at Kmart the Friday before Christmas in line behind a woman who has neglected to check the cigarette cabinet display to see if the store even stocks her brand.A half hour and several spankin-new SpongeBob briefs later we arrived at Dina's folks' door.
Shopping Tip: If you're buying smokes the Friday before Christmas, check the cigarette cabinet display before you get in line to see if your brand is in stock. The customers behind you won't appreciate the five minutes it takes the clerk to discover they don't, or the next five minutes you spend with the cashier over at the cig cabinet discovering it for yourself.
Among the many activities Phil enjoyed were playing with Poppa's train set (1, 2, 3) and playing miniature golf:Phil got way too much stuff for Christmas, including a 400-piece K'nex set, Magnetix, the Han Solo/Chewbacca-Millennium Falcon Transformer, the Darth Vader Voice Changer (talk about your buyer's remorse), Tinkertoys, Hot Wheels, digital camera and Pen/FM Radio.
At the big family lunch Phil got more goodies: summer clothes and a 15-in-1 game set (anyone know how to a) play or b) pronounce Mancala?). And we all had way too much food.
Boxing day found us loading up the car (again) and heading to my folks' (again). We dropped Phil there for an hour and a half while we hit a few stores to see if anything was left on their Christmas Closeout shelves. At least it was a break from the Darth Vader Voice Changer...
Next day (what comes after Boxing? Wrestling? Kung-Fu?) we headed home. (Got a picture of Phil and Grandma & Grandpa before we left and Grandpa headed off to work.) We spent way too long in Redding trying to figure out how to put on snow chains and then at Barnes & Noble checking ODOT roadcams to see if the Siskiyou Pass was clear. Then we spent not-long-enough with writing friend Katy Popa in Yreka. Got through the pass no chains/no problem and home about 15 hours after we left Los Banos.
You know the old saying: "Good to get away, good to get home, good to put 2,000+ miles on someone-else's car"? It's really true.
Don't forget: Barnes & Noble's free wi-fi is only available for a few more days.
Mikesell
1 Snarky Remarks:
Unknown, at 8:48 AM
Though one time, it was a parent--not saying who--who forgot shoes for the kids. So we stood in line at KMart at 7 AM behind a woman who wanted cigarettes and the clerk couldn't unlock the case.