Vacation 2023 - Mexico, Southern and Northern California

 12/16/2023 - J.D. and Sue starts their 2023 vacation. Sues sister, and her husband, as well as Sues oldest and youngest arrived in California the day before. Although an early morning start, it was a fairly relaxed day. Sues Sister and her husband met us at LAX and drove out to Harbor City for hotel #1.  Theresa and Sierra spent the day at Knotts Berry Farm. We got arranged, hit a Walmart for stuff we didn't want to transport. 

12/17/2023 - Tourist day for LA. Really great local restaurant for Breakfast. We all went to Santa Monica Pier. For Gloria and Paul this was their first time being a tourist in LA. They loved the pier. For lunch we had to go to the Original Farmers Market. where you can find an amazing variety of food. Everyone could get what they wanted, and it was all good.

Next a trip to the La Brea Tar Pits.. Gloria really wanted a photo of the Hollywood sign so Theresa drove us out to Mullholand Drive and the Hollywood Bowl overlook. We wound up at a Dennys for dinner, not a great experience.

12/18/2023 - Another great breakfast at a local restaurant. Turned in rental car, exchanged it for a ship. Carnival Radiance. We had a nice balcony stateroom. Everyone got settled in. Theresa reserved the Steakhouse for dinner. I had a great Lobster Bisque and two huge Lobster Tails. Everyone really ate too much.

12/19/23 - Members of the group having issues from the rich food last night. Sue, Sierra, Theresa and I took a tender to Avalon, Catalina Island. Fun Beach town. Had a nice time.

Sue had some issues with her new power chair getting back on board ship. Crew did a great job helping.

12/20/23 - Ensenada Mexico. Sue and I went ashore for a short time to see the small market. Sierra and Theresa went on an excursion to a Wine and Cheese cave a rough road hour away from port.  They really enjoyed it. Getting back on board I turned to see Sues feet in the air on the gangplank. the angle of the top ramp tipped her chair over. Helpers were there to get her safely inside.  She was just laughing and holding on to the gangplank rails.

12/21/23 - "Fun day at Sea" Sierra treated Sue to a nice massage.  We all rested up.

12/22/23 - Probably the worst day of the trip.  Had to disembark the ship. Pick up cars to drive to San Francisco. Sue and I got lost and wound up in a onboarding cargo line on Pier 9. Harbor Patrol was nice and escorted us to the Carnival Dock to pick up luggage.  Gloria got a car for her, Paul, Theresa. We tool off for San Francisco.  We had a minor emergency delay.  Got into San Francisco about 10:30. Room Sue and I had was a dump. Had to change rooms to a much nicer one in a different building. Everyone exhausted from the long trek.

1/23/23 - We turned in our one day travel cars for a smaller car to get around town. Another really great local Breakfast and then we were off to Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39. Was really surprisingly cold (December in San Fran right?) Some of us bought some extra warm gear.  Paul and Gloria took a sunset bay cruise. Theresa treated to a dinner at Boudins, She had promised sourdough bread for Mike.

1/24/23 - Drove up to ride the Roaring Camp steam railroad in Felton. Bit of a drive but well worth it. Train ride to the top of Bear Mountain. Lots of Redwoods. Everyone agreed this was one of the highlights for the trip. Ate in an authentic Chinese Restaurant, mixed reviews.  Paul and Gloria really enjoyed the food. The rest of us, not so much.

1/25/23 - Sue and my surprise for Christmas. A brunch cruise around the bay. Good food, great company, wonderful views. Gloria also drove down Lombard street for the first, and last time. We then did the Cable Cars. Sue and Theresa staying behind due to disability issues. Sierra got to hang out on the back platform for part of the trip. On the return Paul got an outside seat and Sierra hung onto the outside pole. Both enjoyed their trip. Nice Dinner at Black Bear Diner.

1/26/23 - Recovery day. Did laundry, pack and just take it easy. Found a great little French bakery and had some wonderful pastries. Stopped by Lucky grocery and got some wonderful deli sandwiches for dinner. Sue and I could only eat half. so that was to be lunch tomorrow.

1/27/23 - Travel day. Paul and Gloria took off very early to get back to Florida. We took our time and arrived at the airport extra early. Turned in the car and went through a rather busy security checkin. Flight was not too bad. I picked up car from parking, Sue, Sierra and I headed to the house for a well deserved rest.

Thanksgiving 2023

 Other than the Pumpkin Pie Sue baked, Sierra cooked the entire feast. I was all good.

Halloween 2023

 As we have since Covid, we set up a Candy Chute to deliver goodies. Everyone gets a kick out of it. This year we gave out full size candy bars. We were rather taken aback at how many parents thanked us for participating and making it fun for the kids.

New Baubles in the Garden July 10 2023

 

Fourth of July decorations

 

Flagstaff Trip June 18 2023

 

June 26, 2023 Garden Pasta Sauce

 Made from the San Marzano Tomatoes and Basil from the Garden.  Is a great pasta sauce, so fresh!

2023 Garden at Night Video

 

2023 Summer Garden Tour

 

April 18 2023 Trip to Flagstaff

 Drove up to Flagstaff on April 16. Took up Birthday and late Christmas gifts for Sierra.

Her Smart car battery finally died after six years. Sierra pulled the battery, bought a new one, then installed it.  All I did was mentor and supply metric tools. Had a nice family dinner. Got together with some friends, had lunch with them.  

Had to go check out Upper and Lower Lake Mary.  With all the snow it was completely full. Something I don't think I have ever seen. Meadows just last year were completely submerged, as were parts of some picnic areas.

Snowy Year For Flagstaff

 It has been a record year for snowfall in Flagstaff. 

Sierra has not been able to get her car dug out for a few storms now.

When the temperatures final started trending warmer, her friends came over and dug the car out.

The Garden in early February

 

Hawaii Cruise - December 17 - 24, 2022

 

Video links below.

It was quite the trip. We were late to the airport. Got through TSA and to the plane during mid board (no early help getting to our seats before anyone else) TSA forgot to give Sue her cane back so it was a VERY BAD start. We didn't have the time I wanted to charge all the Oxygen concentrators batteries. We managed. Thankfully the 787 has power outlets at each seat.

The plane to Hawaii after us hit bad turbulence and people were injured. So, we did luck out there.

Hate Honolulu airport with a passion. Crappy design and signage.

Got to the ship later, but that meant no lines, so yeah, we missed muster, but, no lines!

Settled in.

 

Monday 19, Went to Maui. Excursion was bus trip to other side of Island. Sue wanted to see largest Banyan tree in Hawaii, checked that off. Storm came up and lightning hit a ship in port a few hundred yards from us. Torrential rain, high winds. But we got around.  Had lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise.  I had a Cheeseburger in Paradise. Sue got some Dole Whip (turned out the ONLY one she was able to get). Got back on the bus and to the ship.  Next day there was a brief window of good weather and we went into town to Christmas shop. Then back on the Ship.

 

 

Tuesday 20, Went to Hilo. Took Bus excursion and saw beautiful gardens and waterfalls.  A really great day. 

Wednesday 21. Suppose to go to Kona, but storms damaged the dock the Tenders would have used, which also cancelled our Glass Bottom Boat trip. So instead the ship sailed around islands and we got to see a Humpback Whale pod.  Was a big hit!  I even got a video of a whale fully breaching.

 

Thursday 22, Went to Kauai. We went into town had a picnic lunch by the beach. In PM went to a plantation and rode a Plantation Train, then the Luau. Disappointing food. Our local Ono Hawaiian was LOTS better. But the show afterwards made up for it, was spectacular.

 

 

 

Friday 23. Went to the beach again, Sue got some beach time, I tried to go snorkeling but saw nothing except sand and rocks. Then I started having breathing issues with the snorkel, not getting enough air, so, that was that.  We got back to the ship before the next rain storm showed up.

 

Saturday 24. Back to Honolulu, Our flight was not until 11:30PM so we rented a car and went to the swap meet marketplace at the Hula Bowl stadium.  Did a LOT more Christmas shopping. Great cheap local food.  Good time.  Then drove down to Waikiki Beach, half way up Diamond Head, circled a park three times to find parking for a Waikiki beach shack restaurant. Glad we did, some of the best food on the trip, live music, and a killer sunset.  I had really bad time trying to get back to the Rental office at the airport. (see above opinion on Honolulu airport.), TSA was not too bad.  We waited for the flight and had enough time to charge all the batteries. Was a full plane this time but not a bad flight.

Got back in PHX about 7:00 AM picked up car, went home and crashed for awhile.

All in all a great adventure.  Enough challenges to keep things interesting.

 

 

 

VIDEOS

 

Departing Honolulu

In Maui

 

 In Hilo

At Sea

 

In Kauai

Back in Honolulu