Looking for Ideas

It's very difficult for a hermit to maintain a blog. Everything I write about has to come from my memory or my imagination, sometimes both.

So, it's back to the old memory, and the best vacation I ever had. You might think that my once-in-a-lifetime trip to the UK would be at the top of my list, but no. It was a simple little trip to California, many years ago.

My new son-in-law was fresh out of Air Force ROTC, and my daughter had received her degree and they were sent to Sacramento, California for their first post. This was as far away as my daughter had been from my overprotective gaze. So, since they were scheduled to be at Mather AFB for at least two to three years, I started saving for a visit.

It was to be the first vacation I'd had in over ten years. Finally, with what I'd managed to save and a credit card with room on it, Jay and I went to Springfield the night before we were to leave. We had dinner at the Olive Garden. I don't remember what entree I ordered, but I do remember my drink was the best Manhattan I ever tasted. OK, two Manhattans, but who's counting?

We boarded the plan early the next morning, then, after a heart-stopping race to change planes in Denver, for which I was definitely wearing the wrong shoes, we staggered onto the plane, hearts pounding and gasping for breath, to discover that our seats weren't together. Since the plane had waited as long as possible for us, the flight attendant said, "Oh, just sit anywhere." So, we found seats together and I wondered, "If this plane goes down, and they have to sort out the passengers to identify them, and we're not in our assigned seats what then?"

We finally landed safe and sound in Sacramento, and there was Kell, waiting for us. Thus began our whirlwind tour of northern California. We saw San Francisco, with the Bay tour that circled Alcatraz and spent time in the touristy shops on Pier 39, then on to Monterey. We spent four hours in the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and could have stayed at least another four. Next morning, we drove to Carmel, wound down 17 Mile Drive and went to Pebble Beach, where we browsed in the Pro Shop and tried to look like we belonged there, fooling no one. Back in Carmel, we had lunch at Clint Eastwood's restaurant, but he wasn't there. Drat. All the time we were in Monterey and Carmel, I felt like the Joad family must have felt when they reached California.

Another day, we went to Napa Valley for wine tasting. On the way back, Kell and I sat in the back seat and giggled all the way back to Sacramento. Al had to work most week days, so Kell, Jay and I went to Reno alone midweek, and spent one night there. We saw dozens of little old ladies in sneakers zipping back and forth across the street from one casino to another, with their plastic cups full of coins. I told Jay that would be me in ten years.

While we were in Reno, Jay pointed out some hookers and then got embarrassed when I spun around to look at them. What? I had never seen hookers before.

All too soon, it was time to come back to Harrison. And, of course, I embarrassed them once again, when I couldn't hold back the tears at the airport. So sue me. I'm not good at good-byes.

Northern California was a beautiful place, unlike any other. And, the people sure do know how to market it. I must admit, I got just a little tired of hearing about Father Junipero Serra, although I had to admire the way he got around and built all those missions.

But, the thing that impressed me the most, I think, was the way they name their trees and turn them into tourist attractions. The Lone Cypress was impressive. But, here's where their marketing skills came in: They even named one place where a tree used to be, and tourists flocked there to look at an indented place in the ground and read the plaque that gave the history of the tree that was no longer there.

When we got back to Springfield, the weather was hot, humid, oppressive, as always in late spring. I felt as though I was stepping back into reality, and it was a reality I didn't like very much. We started planning, then and there, for the next year's trip out to Lala Land.