Well, Mom (me that is) booked the wrong dates for our California vacation so poor Jordan is on her second week off from school after just returning from the sunny state of freeways and sandy beaches. Two weeks of spring break, poor, poor thing!
Among the festivities were a family photo session where all of Cobi's brothers, sisters, nieces, new nephew Kai and Momma and Papa got together at Leo Carillo ranch for the photo shoot. The peacocks that roam the ranch tried to steal the show but we all posed them into the background.
Gioi, Cobi, Momma, Tory, Tawni
there was even an albino peacock
While not practicing for the next top model, we took time to head out as sailors on the wide open waves for some whale watching. It's the tail end (yes, I crack myself up) of the annual Grey Whale migration. First time out of
Dana Point Harbor we saw a bunch of these playful bottle nose dolphins but no whales.
So second time out we ran into more dolphins, Pacific white side dolphins this time and a
Minke whale, (yeah, we had to look it up too). But again, no grey whales. Captain felt sorry for us landlubbers and gave us a 'whale check'- yes they call it that, not me- to come back another time for free.
Minke whale- looks like a big dolphin.
So that we did and the third time's the charm. We found an adorably smaller grey whale right out of the harbor and followed him up the coast a bit. Lost track of the little guy (or girl I suppose) which the Captain stated must be a juvenile to be out here all alone, when all of a sudden two adult Grey's came up on the other side of the boat with baby in tow. It was great to see all three of them rise in the amazingly turquoise water during this sunny spring day.
Little whale tail-
If you think baby whales are cute, you should see our new nephew Kai! We enjoyed meeting this little bugger and tried to steal him by distracting his parents but alas, our plot foiled we settled for some adorable photos to remember him by as I'm sure he'll have grown by the next time we see him.
A vacation isn't complete with whales and cute babies, oh no, there must be music, drinks and debauchery as well of course. Our friend Jer Gontag always puts on a great musical show and we are blessed to have been able to see him at Desi and Friends in
Point Loma while visiting Cali.
My friend Cheri was there as well and it always makes Cobi happy that the two of us live in seperate states, he'd have to bail us out a bit too often otherwise.
Rounding out our adventures, we drove into Palm Desert to visit Aunt Betty. Betty Crocket worked at the first resort here, the
Shadow Mountain Club and led nature hikes as the activities director. Spending the days at her feet listening to stories about the time Frank Sinatra asked if she was available, to tales of long hikes in the desert, one feels blessed to know this amazing cache of history and the time skids by without a breeze.
Cobi and Aunt Betty
Our visit was too short like usual, the sun slipping below the horizon just as the car cleared the tall mountains and we sailed back down to sea level. A fitting end to our week in California visiting family. We also took time out to see Katrina and Alyssa (Cobi's nieces) play in their softball/T ball games, have meals with all 14 of us around a huge table and just to hang out enjoying the company and the weather. It was a lovely cruise.
Alyssa
Katrina
