SoCal

Then on into southern California (SoCal).  We met good friends Bob and Rita in a small town near the border for a great burger!!  We had hooked up with them in Massachusetts back in the fall...  just another great aspect of RETIREMENT!!  Oh did I tell you, I am LOVING RETIREMENT?!?!

Then into the glory of an LA sunset!
















We rendezvoused with Karen's nephew Joey (Austin Jon's brother).  Another great meal, this time at a Vietnamese restaurant!  We also met Joey's best bud Eric.  We shared a bottle of wine and some great political conversation...  Bernie just won the New Hampshire primary!!!

Left to right (but not politically): Nephew Joey, Karen, Eric and Jim

We spent the night next to a park in the Highland neighborhood of LA, then on to two daytime visits. The first was with Eleanor, the daughter of a childhood friend of my mother's.  We figured that we had not seen each other for close to 50 years.  Great to catch up and get a walking tour of Ojai, a small town nestled in the hills just northwest of LA.

Later that day we went to the home of Gerry O'Brien, his wife Susan and daughter Leighanne. Oh and don't forget their pooch Tori (named after Joe Torre, NY Yankees manager).   Another great evening catching up with old friends at poolside.

Left to Right: Gerald O'Brien, his wife Susan, me and daughter Leighanne

Tori...another sweetie pie!

That catches us up to the Present.  Sitting at a Starbucks using their WiFi to blog it, baby!!

I (Karen) have to say...it's a truly amazing experience to reminisce and catch up with friends from a "lifetime" ago. We all change...and yet we remain the same.