CHRISTMAS DAY IN VISTA, CALIFORNIA
Well, here we are, living in the new house in Vista!
The garage is so full! Every day Rick is working on it. It will be a workshop before you know it. Well, OK -- In time. The living room was also packed high with stuff, but is clearing out some every day. Now the dining room is full of empty boxes!
The garage is so full! Every day Rick is working on it. It will be a workshop before you know it. Well, OK -- In time. The living room was also packed high with stuff, but is clearing out some every day. Now the dining room is full of empty boxes!
But we enjoyed Christmas Day -- inside AND out!
Then later this week I surprised Rick with a special delivery: A "Coney Kit" from National Coney Island in Roseville, Michigan! woo hoo! The freezer pack included 24 dogs & buns, frozen chili, onions, and even mustard! What fun! If you have any idea about how disappointed he has been with California restaurants, you already know he was one very happy fellow to get this!
Fortunately, Vista has a much greater number of Italians and Italian restaurants than Carlsbad! We have many new places to try out. Even my new hair salon is owned by an Italian lady!
Julian's doing a lot of bike riding out here while on 3 weeks of Christmas break from Michigan State University. He likes to ride to and along the coast: he rode 71 miles today!
He keeps his bike in his room -- No place for it in our garage yet!
That's him rolling down our driveway with the ocean in the distance.
And see that rooftop across the street? The family moved here 5 years ago from Farmington Hills, Michigan! The husband works at Ford, and the daughter is a University of Michigan grad! It's a small world after all!
He keeps his bike in his room -- No place for it in our garage yet!
That's him rolling down our driveway with the ocean in the distance. And see that rooftop across the street? The family moved here 5 years ago from Farmington Hills, Michigan! The husband works at Ford, and the daughter is a University of Michigan grad! It's a small world after all!
Julian can "brag" back at school that he got a banana tree (little monkey included) for Christmas! How many kids will be able to say THAT?? Will we find him singing: "On the first day of Christmas my Aunt Ronee gave to me, a little monkey in my own banana tree" Yeah, you're right, no. Ronee & Carolyn also got Rick and I two orange trees, a lemon tree, and an avacado tree!
And, Miss Goldie is adjusting well after the first couple of days excitement. Maybe it was the "Pup-eronis" chew sticks Santa brought her that cheered her up.
We've been pleasantly surprised at the beautiful sunsets out our front yard! From inside the house only Julian's room offers this view. (It will be a great guest room while he's at school!)
Here's another first: I cooked bacon outside on December 31st! ...AND planted Impatients!
I think we still have about 50 boxes to unpack.... someday! The weeds, dust, and laundry etc. are starting to collect and daily chores are beginning to call us.
My physical therapy ended this week, so that should free up some time which, we will use working on the condo fix up among other things.
My physical therapy ended this week, so that should free up some time which, we will use working on the condo fix up among other things.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
AND GO BLUE!!!
AND GO BLUE!!!
here's the link to my old blog with photos of our adventures since retiring in Detroit: http://simioninrj.spaces.live.com/
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I leave for my delayed visit to Michigan and the very first morning there Rick finds "THE House" in California for us! 
I have only seen it online! 
It's very exciting! We will no longer be in Carlsbad, but move inland one city to Vista, California. We'll have an acre of land on the hillside, a single story home with a wonderful pool with hot tub & waterfall, BBQ grill and bar, a distant ocean view, and a big mortgage!!! It's definately set up for entertaining! We'll be about 12 miles from the ocean instead of 2, and it will be a lot hotter and arid inland. We're ready for the new adventure! 
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