DUST STORMS, FAST AND FURIOUS, ARRIVED AT OUR GOAL!

Thursday, we left Tuscon, Arizona and headed in the direction of Yuma.  An easy pace was planned.  We were looking forward to cruising down the road and enjoying the scenery.     

Wellll, much of the time the the scenery was left in the dust.  Not only the scenery, but also, the road was not easily visible at times. 

We spent an uneventful night in Yuma, taking our time getting back on the road since the final leg to San Diego / Oceanside was to be a short, uneventful ride.  

Our first obstacle was the Border Patrol.  Just like cattle leaving the feed lot, we were being directed into a small chute (one lane), having our health evaluated, (ahh..."do you have any fruit on board?" "are you U.S. citizens?" So we took our place in line to meet the "fruit police" and border patrol.  

I had two oranges and some Cuties in a basket.  The Cuties were origonally from California.  I knew we were safe there.  But, I had two oranges that I was hoarding to use in the cranberry salad for Christmas dinner and I had no idea where they came from.  

Mr. Fruit Police enters the motorhome. I show him the basket.  He confiscated my cranberry salad oranges!  I bet he just wanted a snack.  

He sure looks too nice to be an orange-naper doesn't he.  I should have hidden those oranges under my pillow.  Then I would still have them since I have yet to fix our Christmas dinner.

I just did not want to take a ride into the desert in this SUV!  He probably would have just pushed me out of the SUV by some sticky ole cactus and said, "find your own way, you fruit smuggler!"

But he did not and we, with no illegal fruit, continued our way toward Guajome Regional Park in Oceanside,   San Diego County, California.  

Ahhh, this is the sign we had been anticipating since our excape from the Border Patrol!  Time to settle in for ten days!  No more PDS for us, by George oops! by Paul.  

A little later, after we had settled in, we were delighted to have our daughter Jojo welcome us.  

No, she is not Apache or from any other Native American tribe.  She is wearing her Cyclops headlight that she uses to walk her fur kid. 

The next morning, very bright and very early, our fur kids, Oliver and Olivia took me out for a walk.  It was time to explore!  Yippee!  

I think Olivia found some kink of Eucalyptus, at least that is what it smells like.  I really do not think she was smelling the plant, but for a creature under the plant.

 They led me to this beautiful lake.  We walked around the entire lake and what to our wondering surprise, we found.....a Chirstmas goose?  Whatcha think?  

I told Oliver and Olivia that  we needed to pass on the goose since we are on the plant based way of eating.  Sadly, they left and continued their explorations of the foothill in San Diego county.  

Soon they were distracted by new sights and smells. They found some creatures picnic area under a Date Palm tree.  They also found many holes in the ground.  Holes of various sizes and once under the surface, they went right, left or straight ahead....Hum, a well fed underground city for creatures.  

 Even I found something I like and remember from our trip out here two years ago.  I am going to show you the trunk at ground level since that is what I love.  

 This is the root system and trunk of an olive tree.  I love the shapes the trunk and roots take at ground level.  This makes me think of the claw-like feet of a very long legged bird.  Okay, I'm kinda strange, I know, but that's the artist in me.  I will recreate this in one of my paintings.  

That evening, Jojo invited us to her camper.  Oh my, did I have a surprise in store for me.  I was greeted at the door by said daughter with my birthday crown!    As you can see, John got a kick out of this.  I was just in shock.  

 Jojo is not a follower of the plant based way of eating, but thoughtfully prepared potato-leek soup with no animal fat!  It was sooo good!  What a thoughtful daughter.  

Dinner was followed by a delish chocolate bundt cake.  Oh my, the first cake I have had, welllll in a long, long time.  

Then we played the funniest game called Apples to Apples.  We had five players:  Jojo, Jojo's friend, Cathie, Cathies daughter, Becca, John and I.  We will be getting this game to play with friends as we travel.  

Again, our day left us with another breathtaking sunset.  


Have we ever told you that we REALLY, really, enjoy fulltime living and travel?  

We are so thankful for doctors, nurses, therapists..... anyone who had a hand in making John well enough to live our dream of traveling the U.S.A!  Most of all, we are thankful to God, who gave these health care professionals the talent and the desire to make their patients lives better.  

We are also thankful to yo all for your kind thoughts, words and prayers during these last nine months.  

God Bless, travel safely!