Chores and a walk with the dog

Our first full day at Anza Borrego State Park has been one of catching up....on sleep, on RV maintenance items, and on eating (?).  Oh yeah, like we haven't had enough to eat over the last week.  Our holiday time with our children (Jeff and Teresa) and their spouses (Jamie and Monte), and their children (Devan and Hanna, and Olivia and Emily) has been particularly sweet this year.  I don't know just why everything seemed to go just right, but it did, and we're so happy.

We took a long walk to the Visitors Center today to look at some new exhibits.  We've been fortunate to "camp" here for several years over the Christmas/New Year holiday, and every year the staff adds something to the visitors center displays.  They do a very nice job of explaining the desert and it's inhabitants.  We also learned the the park is named for a Spaniard named De Anza that trekked through here as the first known european to explore the area.

After the walk, we cleaned the trailer and took care of a few chores.  Donna wanted a magnetic knife rack installed, I needed to check the batteries and tend to the bicycle rack, so we each had some things to do. As we were preparing for dinner, we saw a couple walking slowly by the trailer.  As we looked to see if they were ok, we saw that they were a German couple that we had met here last year.  Eric and Mary Ann are long retired from the commercial bakery business in San Francisco.  They are in their 80's and move a bit slower than last year, but they haven't given up traveling!  Last year Eric made potato pancakes that would knock your socks off....this year he says he'll have to do it the "old fashioned way".  I asked him what that meant, and he said that he had forgotten his "buzz buzz buzz" machine, so he'll have to chop the potatoes by hand.  I can hardly wait! It's so good to see old friends, and to see them active and involved.

One more introduction is in order:  our faithful canine companion "Priscilla":

As you can see, Pris wasn't too excited about the picture routine.  When she's miffed, she turns her head away! She's a 10 year old Boston Terrier that we were fortunate to receive from an elderly lady who could no longer care for her.  We were told that Pris was the grandma of the family, and it's true!  She worries about all of her extended family, and is happy when everyone is in their place and all is quiet (and warm)! Pris is still convinced that she's only a pup, and still loves to chase tennis balls and pull on tug toys.  She's a definite part of the family.

Till later, 

Gary