Overcast and Gloomy in Clairemont

When I awoke at 6:30am, I saw that this day was starting out with gray skies.  Around 7:30am, I ventured out to morning Mass honoring the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  As I started the car, the windshield was covered with little droplets, which I felt as I left the building.  The windshield wipers did their job, but as I drove I realized that I had to continually use them.  Strange for San Diego in August.  As I reached the Mother of Confidence Church, in LaJolla, it was actually raining.  Again, in August?  WOW.

We often have gray clouds early in the morning, but it burns off around 9 or 10 am.  Not this morning.  The temperature remained cool for the whole day.  I chose to skip the pool.

Later in the afternoon, took a walk to Starbucks about one block away.  Haven't been there often, but when I have occasion to go in, I find the people, of all ages, quietly working on their computers. Some seem like students working together.  Older customers might be reading while they enjoy their coffee.  This Starbucks was the reason I pursued a home in this area.  Not because of the store, but the people I saw inside.  I reckoned that if this environment was calm and inviting, the neighborhood might be as well.  After a year of living in Clairemont, I found this to be true.

This cloudy day resulted in accomplishing laundry chores, knitting, etc.  No matter what the situation, what matters is how you use it.  Tomorrow, back to the pool.

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Visit to Famosa Slough

Since my Julian trip, life has been fairly quiet, except for my 8 year old grandson's baseball games.  Today, I walked to the Famosa Slough (San Diego) to see if I could find any migrating birds.  Instead, I was greeted with regulars, which of course are worth seeing.  It was a quiet respite.

When I arrived, the first bird I spotted was a  male Mallard, whose bill looked blue.  The photo of the male and female displays the male's bill as yellow.  The photo shown below on the left shows a bluish tint on the bill.  In every website I checked, experts said the male Mallard's bill is a bright yellow.  Each photo below is of the same male Mallard.  This pair was the only one at the Slough today.  The male Mallard's beautiful colors really stand out.

Male and Female Mallards

American Kestrel

The next bird I found was the American Kestrel, which is a small hawk.  It's head is well defined by two black stripes on each side of its head.  When attending a bird tour at the Slough, others more knowledgeable then I, can spot one faster.  So, today, I was happy it stayed in the same place long enough for me to get a few poses.  The photo to the right is the best.  My camera doesn't have that long a range, so this is what I get.  It's a very striking bird.

As I walked further into the property, there were some sparrows and finches.  I walked along the path and heard the call of a Song Sparrow.  I finally found it, but it was too far from me to get a good photo.


Before I started for home, I decided to cross West Point Loma Boulevard to see what I could see, so to speak.  I was hoping to see a Clapper Rail, a marsh bird that hangs out in the tall reeds.  On one of the tours I attended last fall, I was able to see one, but today, nothing.

As I was intently scanning the reeds with my eyes, I heard the familiar call of a Song Sparrow.  It was so loud it felt like the bird was sitting on my shoulder.  I turned and checked out a small tree behind me. It's flowers had died off for the most part, but there near the top was a Song Sparrow.

Song Sparrow

I did receive an email regarding the sighting of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron at the back of the property near the 8 (Highway).  Since it's far off the main road, I usually only go there when I'm with a bird tour.  It would be great if that bird would spend the month here, but I think it will be on the move.

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Perhaps by Catherine Hall (on Kindle and the Nook) 

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Bully's East

Last night my daughter and I were invited to a party for our friend Marge.  All her friends came together to celebrate her decision to retire from her employment and spend her time on other things.  The party of approximately 15 friends was held at Bully's East in the Mission Valley section of San Diego.  Unfortunately, because of traffic congestion, we were the last to arrive.  One of the other guests advised us that each guest had just shared how they met Marge.  It gave me the opportunity to share how Marge used to give me a ride home from a legal secretarial course at San Diego City College that she taught around 20 years ago.  Many in the room nodded, attesting that Marge's generosity and thoughtfulness was experienced by all.  It seemed to me to be an assent in unison.

When the server came for our dinner order, I chose a Surf and Turf Roll.  The menu said it contained Prime Rib, avocado, king crab and asparagus.  My daughter ordered a hamburger.  When the food arrived, I looked at the sushi on my plate.  I had not understood that it was exactly what I ordered.  When the server came back into the room, I ordered something else.  The sushi might have been very good, but it is not my 'cup of tea' so to speak.  I then ordered an appetizer of Mussels in Belgium beer flavored with fennel, rosemary, thyme and smoked bacon.  As I waited for my new order, I had one of my daughter's steak fries, which was very tasty.  When my Mussels came, the meal was D-e-e-lish. I would return to this restaurant just for that. 

We had one server, Amanda, for the party.  She gave excellent service.  I would definitely recommend Bully's East and intend to re-visit and enjoy another meal.

And I wish Marge, a wonderful retirement.

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Great Week

After returning from New York in mid-June, I was assailed by a terrible head cold.  I spent three weeks getting over it.  Three quarts of Wonton Soup from the Mandarin Wok in Clairemont helped immensely.

This past Saturday, I attended the birding tour presented by the Friends of Famosa Slough in San Diego.  On this day, there were only three of us with the leader, Barbara.  I try to go every month because I learn something each time.  The tour leaders are very knowledgeable.  Because there were only three people Barbara was able to go into depth for the other guests were attending for the first time.  I reaped the benefits.  Barbara heard a Clapper Rail hiding in the salt marsh, but we couldn't spot it.

The tide was low so we saw Fiddler Crabs and California Horn Snails.  A Snowy Egret was lying low to the ground to feed on something.  Then we saw two young Black-necked Stilts (photo below left).  The adults have a black back with reddish pink legs, but these young birds had a mixture of black and brown backs with very pale pink legs.

Young Black-necked Stilts

Clapper Rail

 The other two ladies had to leave to attend another event, so Barbara and I went to the west side of the Famosa Slough, which is across West Point Loma Boulevard.  We spotted a Clapper Rail (photo right).  The Clapper Rail seemed to be cautiously watching a Western Gull who arrived on the scene.  The Gull then spotted what looked like a dead fish and proceeded to feast.  That photo wasn't appealing.





On Monday, I met a friend, Diane, for lunch at Mimi's in Mission Valley.  We had an enjoyable time conversing as Diane's lunch was a salad with strips of chicken, and mine was a Spinach quiche with a side of fruit. While we choose different restaurants when we meet, Mimi's is convenient and always good. 

That evening, my son-in-law decided to make a "Thanksgiving Dinner" and suggested to my daughter that they invite me.  The table was set as it would be for Thanksgiving day.  The dinner was scrumptious.  I always make a great Sweet Potato Casserole with marshmallows, he one-upped me by adding a little bourbon.  Delish.  It was such a pleasant surprise to have this little celebration on a warm summer night.

On Tuesday evening, my daughter took the children and me to The Palette, the student-run restaurant at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute in San Diego. My daughter enjoyed a Melon soup as an appetizer, followed by Barbecued Short Ribs.  She gave me a tiny taste of each.  Nicely done.  She would have shared more, but then, I'd have no room for my meal, as my children say I eat like a bird.  My granddaughter and I each had a large root beer glazed pork shop with succotash and sweet potatoes with fennel.  My granddaughter was able to eat most of her pork chop.  I could only eat a little.  My grandson relished his chicken fingers, which I believe was really an appetizer. Dessert was a chocolate lava cake.  I skipped it, but the others informed me that it was absolutely delicious.  Everything tasted so good, we took what we couldn't eat home.  It was a very enjoyable meal.

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The Palette

Last Wednesday evening, I accompanied my daughter and her children to The Palette, a restaurant at the Culinary School of the Art Institute of California in San Diego. The meal was delicious. We  ordered two kinds of appetizers. The first was the Charcuterie Board, which included wedges of Bleu and Brie cheese along with small wraps of prosciutto and cheese, as well as some slices of Italian meats.  The second was a plate of calamari that my daughter and granddaughter agreed were delicious.

We were shown an assortment of rolls to accompany our meal.  My daughter and I chose tiny round rolls, which I'd love to know how to make.  Our tiny rolls came with a choice of three dollops flavored butters (jalapeno, herb, and cinnamon).  I tried the jalapeno and the herb butters. They were very good.  My seven year old grandson relished his dinner roll that was larger than his hands.

My daughter and her son shared the Caesar Salad, my granddaughter enjoyed the House Salad, and I had the pumpkin soup which was very flavorful.

We were beginning to feel very full as the entrees arrived.  My granddaughter and I had the Short Ribs with a parsnip and potato puree and broccolini.  I could not finish it, but my granddaughter polished hers off.  My grandson had the Bistro Burger with lettuce and tomato.  The menu showed that the burger came with smoked Gouda and arugula, but the chef tailored it to my grandson's liking.

To finish off our meal, we shared four different deserts offered on the menu, which were a delicious tiramisu, a layered flavored pudding type desert served in a small mason jar (very creative, as well),  a chocolate mousse, and a bread pudding with cinnamon ice cream.

This restaurant is operated by the students who are ready to graduate.  The waiters, servers, and future chefs all work together under the supervision of Chef Instructors to provide an enjoyable dining experience.  I can attest that ours was fun and delicious.  I recommend it highly.

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Post Office Visit

Yesterday, I went to the Wm Taft Post Office in Clairmont, a section of San Diego.  You might, or you might not remember my blog about my experience in this Post Office, published almost a year ago.  While waiting on line, I watched as one clerk took care of a long line of customers.  When it was my turn in line, I specifically noted that her name was Diane.

While standing on line, waiting my turn, I watched as she took care of two young men who were mailing a package.  This was apparently the first time they did this.  She explained what they needed to do as asked them to step to her right and complete whatever forms they needed.  Then she called the next person, a woman, who was mailing something overnight.  She provided the woman with what she needed and asked her to step to her left and complete the overnight form.  Then she called the next person, a young man, with multiple small packages.  The clerk, Diane, accepted his packages.  When he paid the cost and left, Diane, asked the young men to her right, if they could wait a minute because they needed more attention from her.  There were about eight people on line.  They were very agreeable, so she took care of the woman sending the overnight envelope.  She was pleasant and patient while she helped the customers.

While I was standing there, next on line, a blond man came out from the back and told her that some form she had completed needed changing and then, called out in a loud voice, "Anybody here to pick something up?"  Some people went to his station at the desk. 
Since I recognized this man as the clerk who was so rude to me last year, I determined that under no circumstances would I have him wait on me.  So, I was very happy when Diane called me to her station.  I immediately commended her on her ability to multi-task.  This was the first time I ever saw that in any Post Office.  It was awesome.

In my opinion, that's the way all postal clerks should act.  She was pleasant and most efficient.  I completed a survey, commending Diane and suggested to the people behind this survey that they make a training video of her efficiency for other Postal Clerks.

Kudos to Postal Clerk, Diane, at the Wm Taft Post Office in Clairmont, San Diego (Zip code 92117).

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Perry's Cafe

Late yesterday morning, I received a welcomed call from my San Diego daughter to accompany her family to Perry's Cafe, a 'breakfast' restaurant on Pacific Highway (near Old Town) in San Diego.

It is usually crowded, but since it was just before noon, we didn't wait long to be seated.  They seated the five of us at a semi-circle table near the entrance.  Our waitress, Meghan, was very cordial.  My 7 year old grandson quickly befriended her.  When Meghan delivered the meal, she gave him his meal addressing him by name.  She was not only friendly, but very efficient.

We all chose breakfast items on the menu.  Our choices ranged from sausage or bacon, eggs and fried potatoes to french toast, waffles and pancakes.  My grandson also enjoyed a side of pears.

The cost of a generous breakfast at Perry's Cafe is very reasonable.  The room seemed noisy, but it was a happy customer noise with families enjoying each other's company, good service, and good food.

I recommend this 'breakfast' restaurant when you're in San Diego.

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Cold and Snowy Weekend

 

 

 

This past week with the low temperatures and then, the snowfall on Saturday reminded me of why I love San Diego.  Since I'm not used to the cold weather any more, I have been wearing four layers of clothing.  However, Christmas with the East Coast family makes it all worthwhile.

 

Despite the cold, I ventured out to meet family and friends.  As I drove through Poughkeepsie two days after a light snow storm, I noticed how bleek and dismal everything looked.  Usually, the first snow is glistening and beautiful.  It reminded me again of why I love San Diego....no ice, no snow.  Other than that, I enjoyed the warmth of my Fishkill daughter's home.  On Friday, as a Christmas present, my daughters and granddaughters took me to Carnegie Hall in New York City to hear Handel's Messiah performed by the Cecilia Chorus of New York.  For three years I've wanted to attend the performance.  A wonderful friend is a member of the Chorus.  Even though I've known her for years, I only learned on Friday that she is a soprano.  The Concert was very enjoyable.   The vocalists and the orchestra were excellent and the acoustics of that Hall is quite impressive. Well worth attending a concert there.

 

Before the concert, we had dinner at Serafina Broadway on West 55th Street.  For an appetizer we shared Buffalo Mozzarella and the Bruschetta.  Very good options.  My daughters enjoyed Rigatona alla Bolognese.  I ordered Nonna's Mashed Potato.  I needed something to warm me up.  I tasted a small amount of the Rigatona, which was good.  In my opinion though, it just wasn't as good as the mashed potatoes....delish.  I certainly recommend this restaurant.

 

After the concert, we walked across 56th Street to view the store windows along Fifth Avenue.  My younger teenage granddaughter wanted to see The Plaza.  Then we walked down the Avenue to see the Rockefeller Center tree.  The same granddaughter remarked on how crowded the streets were at that time.  The elder teen was accustomed to the City so she wasn't phased by the amount of people.  Christmas in New York can be a wonderful experience.

 

Thankfully, the snow didn't come until Saturday morning.  I elected to stay in the house for the next two days.  We helped my daughter take down her Christmas decorations from the attic and put up her live Christmas tree.  That night,  I was able to sleep on a couch in the living room across from the warm wood stove.    

 

Because I haven't adjusted well to the low temperatures, I am posting only one picture at this time.  I was able to lean out my daughter's back door and snap the picture of the male Northern Cardinal.  Hopefully, a time goes on I'll get more pictures.  Tomorrow we will have 2 to 4 inches of snow.  My Cardiff daughter and her husband sent me walking sticks for the snow, so maybe I'll venture out tomorrow.

 

 

 

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Visits to the Slough

I recently came upon an Osprey sitting atop a telephone pole at the Famosa Slough.
             

                                                                   


                                       

Suddenly, he spotted something in the water.   Now here's a big bird.

The bird shown below is a juvenile Gull seen at the Famosa Slough last month.  It is shown in two different views.  There was a white Gull near it, but I was unable to verify that it was a Western Gull, though I suspect it was.  Interesting that the color and markings on the juvenile Gull would be so different from the adult Gull.    If you remember the pictures of the Black-crowned Night Heron, it's juvenile stage is quite different from how it will look as an adult.

Juvenile Gull

Juvenile Gull

I've found Hummingbirds at the Famosa Slough, but haven't succeeded in getting a good photo.  They are very fast and flit everywhere.  During a Bird Tour at the Famosa Slough, I discovered one sitting on a branch just over my head.  I suspect that it was quietly sitting there until the group of nine or ten left.

I've included the photo of the Hummingbird shown to the left because I thought it's colors were very pretty.  I saw it last summer in my daughter's yard in North Clairmont in San Diego.  

  My neighbor recently created a garden on her side of our joint deck.  Hummingbirds regularly visit.  When I hear the bird's little "chip, chip, chip" I grab my camera.  The photo to the right is about the best I could get so far.  I think it is a female Anna's Hummingbird.

                                                                          

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Update

I'm back in San Diego.  Sixty-eight degrees, 83% humidity and a lovely cool breeze coming through my window.  I'm keeping my shades open to amass as much "coolness" as I can before the sun breaks through.  Yesterday I took a walk to the Famosa Slough.  The clouds were heavy until about 9am.  Then, all of a sudden, there was a complete transformation and immediately, I felt the heat.  So this morning, I may be ahead of the game by letting all the cool breezes in.  We'll see.

The past three months on the East Coast was very enjoyable and very, very busy.  Starting on early April with a trip from New York to South Carolina to attend my eldest grandson's Marine Boot Camp graduation and culminating in June, with the next eldest grandson's graduation from Beacon High School, his party and an enjoyable East Coast family gathering the next day. Actually the last day of my visit was spend driving golf balls at the Fishkill Golf and Driving Range with my 16 year old grandson and almost 16 year old granddaughter.  We quit after two buckets because of the heat (97 degrees with very high humidity).  Even the teenagers were "wiped out."

One weekend, my daughters treated me to a facial at Buttermilk Spa in Milton NY.  The pool area has floor to ceiling windows that open out so you get the feeling of being outside....very relaxing.  After a healthy gourmet lunch by the pool, we sat on chaise lounge type chairs and just enjoyed the ambiance and lovely views.

From seeing a deer just walking across the lawns around 9:30am to being able to climb Mount Beacon and to seeing Bob the Cicada, it was an interesting visit.  It is not uncommon for deer to run through the suburban neighborhoods early in the morning, but at 9:30am?  The photo below was taken by my eldest daughter in La Grange.  Great....as I was editing, I deleted two photos of the tree, not noticing the deer and wondering why she had taken a picture of the tree.   Too bad, they might have been great photos if I had a little more patience in examining them more closely.

With three daughters and the families in a 20 mile radius, I spread out my visits staying two to three weeks with each.  This enabled me to immerse myself in their everyday lives.  I was able to spend time with each child from the youngest (10 months) to the eldest (18).   I was so busy I didn't get to contact my friends until half-way through my stay.  Everyone was very gracious in making the time to see me.  I''ll most likely have more to write about this trip, but that's all for now.  Have a very "Blessed" day.

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Clairmont Post Office

Yesterday, I went to the Post Office for more stamps.  I know, I know....I should have purchased more on Tuesday.  However, I don't usually use more than three a month.  Writing my grandson once a week has expanded my need.

However, this time I visited the Post Office in the North Clairmont section of San Diego.  This is a very nice community.  This Post Office is a very busy place, but the line moves quickly.  When I reached the Postal clerk, I requested three stamps.  He quickly pulled a sheet over with some square stamps with some nondescript pale-colored drawing on them.  I said I didn't want them.  His retort was - that was what he was selling.  I presume that they have to sell stamps left over from sheets.  Anyway, he wouldn't budge.  So, I asked him if that was what the other clerks were selling.  He shrugged his shoulders giving me the impression that he just didn't care.

So, as a customer left the postal clerk next to him, I just moved over to this man's station.  I told him I needed three stamps and then I asked if he could sell me the Purple Heart stamps.  He politely told me that he would check in the back.  He quickly returned to his station with a sheet of Purple Heart stamps and presented me with three.  I told him that I really appreciated his help.  His name was Alex.  I think he should be commended for great customer service.

Since I have some birthdays coming up, I guess I'll give in and purchase a small book of stamps.  Maybe this time I'll buy the "Forever Stamps."

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Mimi's, Mission Valley

I planned to meet a friend, Diane, at 1pm on Tuesday for coffee at Starbucks in Mission Valley.  I arrived about one-half hour early and found every table and chair taken.  Since I was early, I did a little window shopping at a furniture store.  I checked back at Starbucks about 15 minutes later and found that the same people were sitting at the same tables, as best as I could recall.  It reminded me of my younger days when lunchtime at a place (in New York) was so busy, you had to literally stand behind the person sitting on a stool eating their lunch.

When Diane arrived, I flagged her down, related the situation, and asked if we could go to Mimi's instead.  As we drove to Mimi's (just a short distance away), I voiced my opinion, "What's with these people?  They are prolonging their time in Starbucks just because it is cold, windy and raining outside."  Diane asked me, "Weren't we going to do the same thing?"  I'm paraphrasing but you get the point.

Mimi's is a very nice comfortable restaurant serving good food.  When we arrived, we had a short wait and then, were seated.  Not bad for such a cold day.  I had not eaten lunch so I perused the menu and could not decide.  Diane was so gracious as she offered to share a soup and 1/2 sandwich lunch (for $6.99), as she had already eaten lunch earlier.  So, I had the half-sandwich and she enjoyed a small cup of tomato bisque soup.  Diane said the soup was good, though a little salty.  I enjoyed a the half of a Bacon Lettuce and Tomato sandwich on wheat toast.  The waiter was very gracious about our sharing lunch.

We enjoyed catching up on each other's activities and family news.  Although I like Starbucks, I think our move provided a more comfortable environment to spend our hour or so in conversation.  I think you would enjoy Mimi's in Mission Valley.

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Transitions

Since I returned from my New York visit, I've been walking/jogging 3 miles a day, as well as occasionally walking up long hills in neighboring Ocean Beach.  The long hills are preparing me to reach the top of Mt Beacon in New York on my next visit.  To improve my daily diet, I've been using the Nutribullet since July of this year.  Although I always ate my vegetables and some fruit, I never had a great amount.  I was intrigued by the Nutribullet ads on TV, so I decided to try it.  I'm providing a link to the Nutribullet because I believe so much in this product.   Every day now, I have a drink made with fresh veggies, such as kale, spinach, and/or carrots, as well as fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, or cherries, and 1/2 a banana.  To this I add almonds, walnuts and flax seeds.  I use a 24 oz container supplied with the Nutribullet, varying the fruits.  I think it's great.   Nutribullet Superfood Nutrition Extractor (Google Affiliate Ad) 

On one of my recent walks, I noticed some fresh green blossoms dropping from some of the trees I pass on my daily trek.   At first, I thought that some small birds were causing them to drop.  At any rate, the falling of these blossoms made me think of spring.  On another block, I have to do a hop, skip and a jump to avoid dried up leaves (of a different kind of tree) on the sidewalk.  Then, one day at my daughter's house, I noticed birds in nests previously populated by other birds all summer.  The original inhabitants had moved out after their babies were ready to leave the nest.  The silence was deafening.  Now the yard is again a harbor for song.  Possibly, the new birds have just migrated for the winter.  However, the changes in the trees got me wondering if this year, San Diego has such a good climate that it may have two spring seasons.  Some years, we have cold days with heavy rains between November and February.  Thankfully for me and my exercise, this is a pleasant winter.

On my recent walk to the Famosa Slough, there were some migrating ducks.  I was looking for a bird I had not seen before.  After looking at the "regulars" I was ready to leave the property.  Then, I spotted just such a bird.  After I took the photo, I left the property.   A computer search for the name of the bird got me nowhere, so I sent an e-mail to someone I believed could identify it.  He responded that it was a "Say's Phoebe."   Thanks, Ray.

Say's Phoebe

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Famosa Slough Visit

I visited the Famosa Slough here in San Diego last week.  Since it's a wetlands frequented by resident and migratory birds, I like to check out any new birds that might stop by.  I've photographed the Snowy Egret a number of times, but to have seen it getting its meal was quite a coup.

Snowy Egret Fishing for Lunch

Snowy Egret Owns the Place

Little Blue Heron with Lunch

A Little Blue Heron came by for his lunch but he had to work harder.  Apparently after the Little Blue Heron succeeded in getting lunch, the Snowy Egret came to remind him whose yard it was.

A Great Blue Heron was quite a distance from me, but I was able to get a picture as it took off.

Great Blue Heron Taking off for the Day

In an earlier article about the Cabrillo National Monument, I identified a little bird as a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.  I compare my pictures with whatbird.com since I'm learning.  Later, I decided to re-check with the Friends of Famosa Slough. An e-mail with my photograph was sent to other birders and they responded that it looked more like a Lesser Goldfinch.  These people are very gracious and helpful to a newbie. 

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Famosa Slough

Female Belted Kingfisher

This past Thursday I walked to the Famosa Slough, a bird refuge not far from my home in San Diego.  I've occasionally visited there to check out the shore birds, but it had been several months.  That afternoon, I was fortunate to spot a colorful bird, Female Belted Kingfisher, pictured above.

Little Blue Heron

On Saturday morning, I went back to see if I could get a better picture.  There was no Belted Kingfisher to be seen.  However, I did find a Little Blue Heron.

I picked up a flyer at the kiosk and found that a walking tour would be held at 1pm.  I usually take pictures and compare pictures on the Internet to identify a bird I don't know.  A walking tour would be so much better since I can show a picture and have an experienced birdwatcher identify it. So, I returned to the Slough at 1pm and joined the tour.  The leader had a scope on a tripod and invited the attendees to view various birds that she identified.  Some birds were regulars, but others just passing through.  Some of the attendees were speaking with the tour leader about San Diego having the most birds in the country.  She agreed, but then added that the expansiveness of San Diego County plays a part since if covers the shoreline all the way to the inland mountains.

The leader pointed out the different species of ducks, as well as the American Avocets and the Black-necked Stilt.  I was familiar with them, but some of the ducks were new to me.  They traveled so fast, I just couldn't get a good picture of them.  I did succeed with a striking black and white duck I had seen on Thursday, but had not been able to get close enough for a good picture.  The tour leader told us it was a Bufflehead,  not a regular at the slough.  The picture I took during the tour is below.

Bufflehead

The tour leader also pointed out an American Kestrel and some killdeer.  We looked at them through the scope.  The killdeer is the cutest bird with stripes around its neck and chest making it look like it's wearing a sweater.  I wasn't close enough to get pictures, but I'll work on that.  The walking tour, covering 37 acres, with the opportunity to ask questions, look in the scope, and take pictures, lasted two hours.  The free tour is held monthly by the Friends of Famosa Slough and is definitely worth it thanks to a excellent leader and beautiful birds. 

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A 5 Year Old's Birthday Weekend

On December 1, my youngest grandson turned 5.  That evening, his mother and father took him and his sister to the Corvette Diner in San Diego.  They had a wonderful time.  He played games and ate dinner in the Neon room.  There, if you place your hand on the table and then pick it up, a neon imprint of your hand is left on the table.  Cool.  Then, as he was eating his ice cream, he heard an announcement wishing him, by name, "Happy Birthday."  He was so excited.  After that, the wait staff came over and sang to him.  All this, together with a pirate hat made of balloons, made for a memorable birthday. 

On Friday, his kindergarten class celebrated with Rice Krispy Treats (his choice).  On Saturday, he had a "friends" party.  It was an old-fashioned ice cream and cupcake party (no bouncy house, no crafts, no clowns, no pony).  The ice cream was served in prepackaged cups from Smart and Final, the type that was sold with wooden spoons....popular years ago.  Seven friends attended and had fun running around the yard, playing with simple balsa planes and other toys, as well as writing on the patio cement with chalk.  The children had a simply wonderful time.

Sunday was the "family" party.  It was somewhat of a replay of Saturday except that the family stayed for dinner. After cupcakes and ice cream, the six children sat on the living room floor as the birthday boy opened his gifts.  It is always funny to see little children so interested in the gifts that they inch up closer and closer until they are surrounding the birthday child.  Then, someone takes initiative and tells the children to give the honoree space, which they do.  Their demeanor was very polite.  Then, little by little, they again slowly inch up closer to the child opening the birthday gifts.  It is cute to watch.

This past weekend will stay in the birthday boy's memory for quite some time, considering how many times he celebrated.  As for me, I will center on how much fun a simple old-fashioned birthday party can be.

Please feel free to share your comments.

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Travel Costs

Next month I will be visiting New York for my fourteen year old granddaughter’s Confirmation.  I plan to stay long enough to celebrate my youngest granddaughter’s first birthday.

Many people remark that they don’t understand how I can fly to the East Coast so frequently.  Actually, I visit there about two to three times a year.  Since I have children and grandchildren on both the East and West Coasts, I make it my business to see them all as much as possible.

The website, Wikipedia, states, “San Diego has on average 146 sunny days and 117 partly cloudy days a year. “  To avail myself of this good weather (no ice, no snow), I live in San Diego, California.  Thus, I unfortunately forgo the children’s birthdays, concerts, moving up ceremonies, and this year, my eldest grandson’s graduation from high school....sounds heartless, doesn’t it?  But I believe it’s better to have a grandma in good health, than not.

So far, I have been able to visit at least twice a year.  In order to accomplish this, I comb the Internet for good airline prices.  This year I joined Airfarewatchdog (http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/).  There was no fee to join.  However, this website is usually for someone who can pounce on the opportunity and buy immediately, or someone who has very fluid travel plans.  Since I plan my visits around an event in the family, it hasn’t proved useful to me.  I usually check out:
Cheapoair ( http://www.cheapoair.com/),
Orbitz ( http://www.orbitz.com ),
Travelocity ( http://www.travelocity.com ), and
Expedia ( http://www.expedia.com ), as well as the airlines’ websites.
Over the years, I’ve used them all.  And, I select flights with the most reasonable cost; that is, the most reasonable cost in my estimation.  I have never, so far, encountered any problems using these services. Though sometimes I have to fly into JFK, Albany, or North White Plains to get the lowest price.  My quest is to keep my ticket cost under $300.  My daughter in Queens, NY would love it if I flew into LaGuardia Airport (near her home), but flights into that airport are usually much more expensive.   Earlier this year, I used Southwest.  For an extra $10, you can get a “priority” number for boarding.  On Southwest, this is important since this airline doesn’t assign seats.  It was worth the $10.

Also, it pays to enlist help from people who are adept at finding good fares.  My daughters always notify their Queens NY sister when they are looking for flights because she is very good at it.  She has helped me a number of times.  Though in all fairness, my other daughters are getting much more adept at it. 

This time I picked Expedia because it advertised a $266 fare from San Diego to Newburgh, NY (an airport usually out of my price range).   After taxes, the complete cost is $328.80.  I’ll let you know how I make out.

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Sammy's Woodfire Pizza

My daughter took me to Sammy's Woodfire Pizza in Liberty Station, Point Loma.
While I've been to three of the twelve Sammy's locations, this is by far my favorite. On my first visit a few years ago, I took the time to look around. The building was constructed sometime in the 1930's and 40's as part of the Naval Training Center in San Diego. When the Navy scaled down their training operation in San Diego during the late 1990's, the City of San Diego transformed the buildings for restaurants, stores, etc. As I looked around, I saw that they used the original structure, showing the bare wood of the roof and draping it with sails. I thought how appropriate....reminiscent of its former use.

When we go to Sammy's, we usually share a Five Cheese pizza ($12.50) and a small Balsamic Grilled Chicken ($9.95). This time we added shrimp ($4.00) to the salad because I like that, while my daughter likes the chicken. The small salad is the size of a dinner plate. We both agreed that every thing was very delicious.

Then came dessert. We decided to share Apple Empanadas ($7.50). As we were ordering it, I mentioned to the waitress that we were celebrating birthdays. She said, "Oh, for birthdays, the dessert is on us." What great news.

I really love this place, so you are reading about it in detail. When in San Diego, this restaurant is worth your visit.

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I'm Back in San Diego

This past winter has been quite eventful for me. I was a "Grandma/Nanny" for 10 weeks in New York City as my daughter settled on daycare for her baby. I watched my youngest granddaughter (3 months old) for four days a week, and then on Thursday nights (sometimes Friday morning) I became a commuter to Dutchess County on Metro North, returning to Queens on Sunday. I no sooner arrived in New York, when I found myself with a cold. Coupled with the nineteen (or so) winter storms, I think I bit off more than I could chew.

The baby, on the other hand, was an absolute joy. It was a privilege to watch her grow and emerge as a beautiful, alert little person. The weekends afforded me time with my other New York grandchildren also. Now that I'm back in San Diego, I do miss the New York family. They put up with me saying, "I'm not going outside." They raised their heat so I would be warm. They made sure that their sidewalks and driveways were properly salted so their grandma would not slip. Since all the children ski, it was most likely a stretch to understand their "hot-house" grandma.

As the weather improved toward Spring, I was able to see friends on the weekends. The ice and snow only served to remind me why I live in San Diego. It is my quest to be able to visit both coasts at will, just not New York in dead of the winter.

Weathering the New York Cold

Yesterday, I was in Beacon, NY. The weather was -11 degrees when I woke up. My grandchildren went off to school like hardy souls. I cowered under the covers in a warm family room.

Closer to noon, I braved this cold, cold air and went to the Yankee Clipper Diner in Beacon to prepare for my trip to New York City. After a hearty breakfast meal (even though it was now afternoon), I proceeded to the Metro North station long the Hudson River. Fortified by a good meal, I was beginning to adapt to the cold air and before long the warm train came. I spent the time doing a few crossword puzzles and about an hour and twenty minutes later, arrived at Grand Central Station in New York City. When I got off the train, I stopped by Starbucks for a tall Cafe Mocha to fortify myself against the cold air. Remember, I live in San Diego, CA, where the weather is much nicer.

Then, came the trek to Jackson Heights in Queens, just about a twenty-minute ride on the No. 7 subway (mostly above ground). It gave me a view of the neighborhoods and I was pleased to see that some of the high mounds of snow had lessened. Just in time for some snow showers which fell today, followed by another snow storm coming on Wednesday. Thankfully, I'll be gleefully staying indoors for a few days, playing with my granddaughter.

By the way, did I mention that the words "cold" and "snow" enough?