Sunday, July 28, 2013

California Road Trip - Part 2

Hi everyone! Did I leave you hanging waiting for the rest of our CA trip photos?  Here are the ones from Monday, July 8th, when we were in Milbrae visiting my Auntie Alice, Uncle John, Cousins Guy and Paul, and my Grandma Marina.   

Sami, Guy and Jake.  Auntie Alice's Living Room.  Guy is sandwiched!

Sami, Guy, Jake, me and Paul.  My cousins Guy and Paul crack me up!

See what I mean?  Look at Paul.  He is very animated. 

The TV crews (whores) hogging the parking lot where we went to walk down at the Bay.

I think Uncle John was going to give them a piece of his mind.  Or Auntie Alice. We had to park outside the area

Jake, Auntie Alice (love her hat!) and Sami - Bay Area walking path

And Uncle John Espinoza!!!!!  See Jake and Sami's sweatshirts?  Santa Cruz, baby.

The three of us. 

The reason for the news crews.  On the left is the Asian flight that crashed on Saturday.  Crazy.  And the planes coming on the runway have to pass it, and see it's burned out carcass.  Two teens, my daughters age, were killed.  So very sad.

Sitting on the dock of the bay..watching time roll away! (LOVE that Song!  Guy?  Do you remember singing it when we were young?)

Visiting Grandma Marina, who will be 101 in November.  That's right.  Sami is looking at family photos. 

I love that we got Grandma to smile, and she got up to hug me when we arrived! 

Grandma, and a photo of her boyfriend on the side table (Grandpa Leonard)

Me and my Grandma

I love this photo...

Me and Grandma! 

Grandma loved Jake's sweatshirt!  She read it out loud, and it must have sparked some great memories for her.  Auntie Alice thinks big signs need to be made for her in the future.

Sunday night, after our Santa Cruz adventure at the boardwalk and the beach, and dropping Brian K.off  in San Carlos (my old stomping grounds when I was a young teen and in my early 20's - before and after my three years of High School in Missouri), we drove a short distance to Millbrae, to stay with my Auntie Alice, Uncle John and cousins Guy and Paul for the evening and a short visit in the morning.

Side Note: Auntie Alice is a very special woman to the majority of the female decedents of the Campos girls (she is my birth mother's older sister - well, she is more mature). She has played the role of surrogate mother to a few of us when our own mother's could not handle the trials that life dealt them - either externally or internally (self inflicted drama or mental illness, depending on your own opinion).   I actually lived with my Aunt and cousins for a brief time while my mom attempted  to get her act together - and unfortunately, she never quite achieved that task, which is her story, not mine.

We loved staying with the Epinoza/Magallanes clan.  Their home is the coziest place on earth.  Jake repeatedly said he liked their family room, so much, I thought he was going to stay!  Sami and Jake and I shared the Master bedroom - even though I am sure the fancy fifth wheel motor-home would have been just as cozy!  We were spoiled rotten.. and loved every single minute of it.

Monday morning my Uncle and I went for a short walk to get my coffee fix - I have to say, this is 'our' tradition on the occasions when I get to visit - only three over the last 14 years - we need to fix that!  I am a very early riser, so he and I take off for a walk.   Millbrae is so beautiful!  Actually, lots of places in the Bay Area are beautiful.  Lots of hidden gems.  Then, after breakfast and the kids finally waking, we went for a walk along the Bay, and then Uncle John dropped us off to visit Grandma Marina, a short walk away from my Auntie's house.

My Grandma did not recognize me the last time I saw her, which was at her 100th birthday party in November. So I was a little worried how our visit with the kids would be. The last time they saw her she lived in Freedom with Auntie Rachel, and , at that time, she was repeating stories, and she cried when it was time for us to leave.  The kids were fairly young, yet compassionate, and understanding.  And they were just as compassionate on this visit.  I am blessed with two beautiful children!  And this visit with Grandma?  It  was heavenly.  It's hard to not get emotional about our visit.  My Grandma stood up to hug me when we came to see her, which took a lot of effort for her.  She smiled the entire time, and she tried to talk as best she could.  My heart was full to see her this way. 

After our visit, we walked to Auntie Alice's home, and said our goodbyes, and started our drive back home around noon.

The rest of the day consisted of  taking the kids to see the ranch their Father grew up on and where we lived for the first 3 years of our marriage (near Willows, CA) and then to Chico, to visit another friend I have known for 30 years, and then from there we drove Burney, CA and stayed the night.  All that was accomplished on this same day, Monday, July 8th. 

I have more photos to share, and I will post them in a third post.
Thanks for visiting!





1 comment:

Karendianne said...

Wonderful. I am so happy you were able to make this trip to spend with everyone and make it so special like you do with just about everything (I must say).

Your description of being with Grandma was salve to my homesick soul. Thank you sharing that experience, the great picture of you and Grandma and all the super family photos. Everyone looks great.

All my love dear cousin Andi! *karendianne.

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