Catching up in Ventura 10.19.09

Whew! How quickly 9 days flies by when you’re having fun catching up with friends back ‘home’!! We’re blessed to have such amazing friends, Sue & Dennis, who allowed us to stay with them the whole time. We arrived on Sunday, the day of the Long Beach Marathon which Sue’s daughter was competing in. She did spectacularly well, finishing number 22 among all women runners! Unfortunately, she ended up in the hospital for 3 days, which delayed us getting to spend time with Sue a little bit, but thankfully she is fine now. We spent the first few days just regrouping, re-packing, and doing our best to boost the economy….haha!! We had lots to stuff to buy, little stuff & big, parts we can’t find in Mexico, spares we used up last year (think capacitors for the generator!), and those things we just can’t seem to live without down there….coffee mate, miracle whip, sun-dried tomatoes, good chocolate, etc. Lots of little stuff, at a million different stores! But it was great fun to shop around, stopping at all my favorite stores and looking at all the new fun goodies!! We also tried our best to get around to either see everyone or get in touch with as many as we could.

Lunch with the Sue & Jeanne was at the top of the list as we used to do lunch almost every day when we were working together!



And to spend time with Emma, my friend and ex-boss, at the Saturday Farmers Market!



Nine days sounds like a lot but it sure did fly by!! We managed to get a few people together after a quick e-mail blast the day before down in Channel Islands Harbor on Friday night –



Dave & Sandra and Bunni – sailing friends of ours, Tania, a great friend from Bunco Babes, a monthly dice game gathering I used to belong to, Wally & Linda – some cruising friends who were friends of ours in the harbor before we left (Wally gave us sailing lessons!) who are now down in Mexico too, and even friends of Michael’s who just stopped in for a quick drink. It was a great night.



And then again at Sue & Dennis’ house on Sunday, which was great. Dorothy & her family, who I met at my first job and who found out we have similar roots, and is one of my oldest friends in California



Nancy who I met at my second job….but she already knew Michael!, Kristina, a neighbor of ours and one of those friends you have a very funny story about when you first met! Ellen & Sue, from my last job,



Mark, Dave & Sandra – our great sailing friends! Some of the friends who made it we haven’t seen for a couple years! It was great getting caught up and just enjoying each other’s company. Oh, how we miss everyone. Ventura is where Michael & I moved only four short years after high school and where we lived, worked, owned businesses, & played since 1995 – it is still a form of ‘home’ to me. I miss everyone there….

We used the time at Sue and Dennis' to prepare for the big trek down to Mexico - packing and repacking the van, picking up our mail from the past few months (it's like Christmas!), getting our Mexico insurance in place, and getting everything settled for the trip. It sure does take a lot of planning! It was great being able to spend time with Sue & Dennis, visiting, catching up, & just enjoying each others' company. I miss them a lot.

Onward to Mexico!!
Rene