San Diego: part 1.

**WARNING*** Vacation photos ahead...enter at your own risk!!


We flew out last Saturday morning bright and early. Blonde rascal has not flown since he was a baby, which he naturally does not remember. Check out the WIDE eyes and lip biting as the wheels lifted off the ground.....
I was probably in violation of numerous F.A.A. codes by leaning forward in my seat and taking pictures during take-off. That's how I roll.

The excitement continued when we changed planes in Phoenix. There was a "security breach" and they would not let planes load or unload. While we sat in the airport the TSA wandered around looking at people. A few gnarly looking german shepherds made the rounds, then after about 30 minutes they let us board the plane. Nothing like sitting hostage in the airport wondering if the whole place might blow up...or if a nut job slipped by and was getting on our plane.


We arrive in freakin' gorgeous San Diego and go to lunch at a restaurant right on the bay overlooking the Coronado bridge.It was never above 70 degrees the whole week. You can just smell the flowers in the air. I am in love. We could not see the Marine until Thursday, which was family day, so we had most of the week to kill.


We piddled around after lunch and then drove to a beach. Here are hubs and b.r. frolicking in the ice water ocean.
B.R. was feeling a little triumphant about finally being on the beach.


Hubs was walking back up to where I was sitting and he stopped dead in his tracks. He said "My wedding ring just flew off and dropped in the sand." So we spent the next glorious 45 minutes digging in the sand.
"I said dig boy, DIG!!

Amazingly we found the ring, and just in time to see this....
On Sunday we went to....Yes we sure did. Did you know a day at Legoland about depleted blonde rascal's college fund? Holy smoke it was pricey...but fun. EVERY thing is made of Lego's.B.R. loved it.

The rock-n-roll marathon was also Sunday. The finish line was at the Marine base. That really bummed me out because had I known that 6 months ago, I probably would have done it.
We drove past a couple of spots on the route and saw people running. I was jealous.


On Monday we took a trolley tour of San Diego. Here is the hill where in "Top Gun" Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis raced up, he on his motorcycle and she in her Porche. After the trolley tour, we toured the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Midway.
I think blonde rascal was on the phone with the president calling in an air raid or something.


Tuesday morning bright and early the U.S.S. Nimitz was coming in from like 20 years of service in Japan and being de-commissioned or retiring or whatever you call it. It was way cool watching it come in to the bay.
All the sailors were lined around the edge of the deck in their white uniforms. It was so neat to see.

Tuesday afternoon my pesky brother-in-law Mark and his family arrived, as did MIL. We immediately headed to the beach on Coronado Island. Which, by the by, is not actually an island but a penisula. Who is the bozo who named it island, I wonder?

By the way if I ever win the lottery (which means I will have to at least start playing it) I will buy a house on Coronado. Something like this will do...

Blonde rascal was in hog heaven with his sweet cousin Madi to play with.
We found live Sand Dollars, which I can say I have never seen before.
This is the only effective way to stay warm on the beach....Blonde rascal and his cousin, who could be appropriately named red rascal!!!


On Weds. we spent the day with this big guy..."It never rains in southern Cal" is what they say. Unless you go to Sea World! It was like 63 degrees and misted off and on. We of course added to our misery by riding some white water rapid ride that totally soaked us! We were Popsicles.

In between all these photos we ate some wicked good seafood...and lots of ice cream too! It is what vacation is all about really.

Tomorrow I finish up with Thurs. and Friday on the base. It was the best part. Of course there are some things I could tell you, but I would have to kill you. Yes, I was privy to lots of military secrets while there.