Welcome to Part III of Our JOURNEY
After saying my good byes to youngest daughter and grandchildren I left Santee mid day on Friday Nov. 7, 2003 heading back to Des Moines, Arriving at Barb's Sun. AM Nov. 9, 2003.
Is very good to be back together once again. I am looking forward to seeing just how well I can handle the cold and being in the snow again after 43 years. To my surprise found out the weather is not cooperating, temperatures in Iowa mid Nov. are running about the same as in Ca.
On Nov. 12, 2003 we received word that Jerry's first Great Grandson was born in Mesa, Az. at 2:29am, weighing in at 7 lbs. and 19 inches long Collin
Nov. 21, 2003 we attended Grandparent's Day with Barbara's youngest granddaughter at her school, After a tour of her class room and checking out all the activities we checked her out for the remainder of the day, then we went out for dinner and shopping to complete the day. Jerry, Grandma and Chelsey
Dec. 2nd we went to the Des Moines Botanical Garden for the afternoon, Interesting place and a nice place to visit on a cold winter day,
Then that evening we went to Jerry's High School Class Christmas diner at Gino's, while there the first snow storm of the season hit, Truck is packed and ready to hit the road early in am heading back to Ca.
Here's what I woke up to Dec. 3rd, Snowed on me all the way to Kansas City then clear roads the rest of the way.
Drove to Amarillo Tx. first day then on to Mesa Az. 2nd. day. Got to meet the Great Grandson the first time
Barb spent the Christmas holiday in Iowa with her family and I in Ca. with mine, then she plans to fly out after the holidays and we will drive back to Iowa sometime in Jan.
Barb flew into San Diego New Years Eve arriving at 10:14 PM. We then saw the New Year's arrival at my home. What a wonderful way to start out the New Year
Friday was spent with her doing some Art Work on my dining room wall ___
We added "Our Picture Wall" in the family room alongside my computer desk

Weekend of Jan. 10 - 11 we went up to Rosamond to visit my #3 daughter and 4 out of 5 grandchildren that live in the area, from there down to Anaheim and visited with Barb's neighbors from Des Moines who are out here for winter months., then made a tour throught the shops at Knotts Berry Farm and on to my home in Santee.
Mon. Jan 12th went down to visit the U.S.S. Midway (CV-41) which was just moored Sat. in its final resting spot at the foot of Broadway San Diego and will house the new San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. __

Anyone interested in learning more about the U.S.S. Midway, A highly decorated and the Longest Active Duty Aircraft Carrier in Naval History just click on the smiley sailor below
Tue. Jan. 13th We drove up the mountain to Julian, did some visiting in the shops along main street, then on back through the Luguna mountains looking at some of the fire damage from the wild fires in San Diego County late 2003. This being the worst wild fires in this areas history. You could see fires burning on the horizon to the North, East and West of my house.

Wen. 21st. we visited the SAN DIEGO AEROSPACE MUSEUM Annex at Gillespe Field, located about 3 miles from my house __

We Left Santee Friday morning Jan. 23 and drove over to my oldest daughters in Mesa, Az., had a nice visit with the family and Barb got to meet my new Great Grandson. Spent Fri./Sat. there, and Barb did some of her art work in their dining area. __
While there was able to go with Grandson to his karate tournment __

Took off Sunday AM and headed for Roswell, New Mexico to look for Aliens, did not find any but picked up a few souveniors while there. __
Then Monday we drove to north of Oklahoma City, spending the night in Guthrie Oklahoma and then Tuesday on into Des Moines arriving here about 4 PM. Was a good trip and we managed to miss most of the bad weather the way we went. Did see the results of some of it and was cold all the way. Single digit temperatures were the norm. while traveling. __
Here is some of the "Iowa Winter" that I'm getting re-acquainted with after 43 years __
Tuesday Feb. 3, we went to my high school classes monthly diner at Chuck's Pizza this month.
Wensday Feb. 4th went to the Hilltop tavern to celebrate Barb's oldest grandsons 21st birthday
Have another winter alert and snow for the next 2 days, Actually am enjoying it, is quite beautiful and an entirely different story when you don't have to go and work in it every day, This retirement is great. I think the locals are getting tired of it, keep asking me if I have had enough yet.
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More Iowa Winter Pictures
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I needed to get back out to Ca. and get things done around my place, Take care of business, do taxes, go for my annual Dr.s visit, get prescriptions refills for another year. Lots that needed to be taken care of.
Took off from Des Moines Mon. 1 Mar. at 3:15 am. Drove to Santa Rosa, NM. and stopped for the night, then leaving again the next morning at 2:45 am, driving on to oldest daughters house in Mesa, Az. and arriving there just before noon on the 2nd. Had a good trip across, was some rain and only a little snow flurries in NM. I had a nice visit with the Kids, Grandkids and the new Great Grandson. I left Mesa the morning of the 3rd. and drove on home to Santee, Ca. I did noticed some differences in weather when I got home as is in the 80's during the days here.


Am Closing out Part III of our journey, Part IV will come later in the spring after Barb comes back out to Ca. I have friends coming to visit in early May from Australia that I want her to meet, Will have a breakfast for them with a group of radio operators they have met on previous trips here at a local resturant (Bonny's) Afterwards we plan to head back to Iowa again.

Click here for Part IV of OUR JOURNEY


"If Its Fun Then Do It" - WE ARE