And a good time was had by all

I have had several wonderful days with my sister and lovely dinners out with my brothers and their wives, and then on Saturday my younger brother and his wife hosted an early birthday celebration for me…

And yes...

I will be 70 years old next week.

Then early Sunday morning, when there is almost no traffic at all on the Los Angeles freeways, my sister and I leave on an adventure, a short road trip.

It seems like leaving the city behind has lifted a burden on our spirits as well, and we are feeling euphoric as we travel north on the Coastal Highway a couple of hours out of Los Angeles.

I have forgotten how beautiful the central coast of California is.

My sweet sister glances over at me: “Ocean on our left.

 Crosby, Stills & Nash on the speakers



(And we have been singing along with them “Do-do-do-do-do, do, do, do-do-do-do…) . 

“Golden rolling hills on the right.

“Blue sky, 65 degrees. What more could you ask for?”

A restroom?

And yes, here comes a rest stop with its very own El Camino Real bell.

I counted 93 of these bells along the road on the way home.

We visited popular places along the coast. We saw sea otters bobbing in Morro Bay...

 

and  elephant seals sprawled on the beach at San Simeon, near Hearst Castle.

And amazing scarecrows at Cambria.

We went camping near here when I was a kid...

and I remember catching a red snapper off the pier. And for the first time in many years I put my feet in the Pacific.

And then it was time to come home, back to the Ozarks and home.

And then my sister’s husband (who is Italian) leaves one last wonderful memory for us when we walk in the door.