California, Part 2
We left Huntington Beach on Monday and drove out into the desert. First we visited my dad’s sister-in-law, Elsie, in Yucca Valley. She’s in her eighties, a bit frail but mentally as sharp as anyone her age could hope to be. We took her out to lunch. Then we headed over to Indio to see one of my dad’s closest friends from childhood, Lester, and his wife. We spent the night at their house. Geez, I’ve been reminded on this trip that older folks spend a lot of time talking about their ailments, their friends’ and family’s ailments, and all the people they know who’ve recently died. But I suppose we all get that way as we get older…
On the way back on Tuesday, we stopped at these old dinosaur statues near Cabazon (?) that my mom says have been there forever. She said they were the landmark that let you know you were officially entering the desert. They had a little gift shop and I was sickened and disgusted to find that it was full of creationist garbage. I told my mom not to buy anything and went to wait outside. I hope she took my advice.
Closer to LA, we stopped for lunch at a hamburger place in Anaheim Hills called Knowlwood. They claim to serve the world’s best hamburgers. Apparently, we used to stop there on our way up to vacations in the mountains. I don’t really remember it, but it’s fun to hear my parents talk about these things.
Today, Wednesday, we drove up to Long Beach to have lunch with some other friends of my parents, Art and Harlean. Their family was often with us on those mountain vacations. On the way back, we went to the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. I’ve been interested in visiting it for a long time, after seeing lots of pics online that people have taken of all the birds there. We had a nice walk on the trails and saw some egrets (as evidenced here) and some terns.
Tomorrow is my brother’s birthday and we will visit him at the cemetery, to remember and celebrate his life.
