I haven’t posted for an alarming amount of time. . . or at least long enough for family members to take note and call to see if we are okay. Yes, we are fine. Bob is getting over a cold and everyone knows that the bug that is floating around this year loves to hang on and on.

I contribute this lack of writing to January Blahs. I have been busy with cooking, baking, and freezing dinners and breakfast breads. I have also upped the number of classes I take at the Gym to four a week. One each day Monday through Thursday. So now that the pantry or rather freezers are full, my muscles pumped, and the washer and dryer humming away, I will take a moment to let the world know that we are still among the living.

Lucky and LuAnn seem to have had the most going on. They had a play-date with Whitney (10 week old Labradoodle puppy). It was a disaster because neither Lucky or LuAnn behaved in an acceptable manner. Worst yet, I lost my ability to effectively control them. This resulted in lots of barking, snapping (Luann) and an intimidated puppy.

It also resulted in LuAnn spending time at the Animal Shelter. NO, I was not trying to turn her in although, I must admit for a fleeting moment it crossed my mind. Our dog training class started again last Saturday and the Officer from the Animal Shelter was there to lend a hand. When I mentioned LuAnn’s problem with aggression (Most definitely a Napoleonic complex since she weighs less than ten pounds soaking wet,) Mary suggested I stay after class and she would work with her. Watching Mary introduce LuAnn to other dogs, made me realize how much I still had to learn about dog behavior. I had handled the situation with the Labradoodle puppy all wrong.

At the end of that session, Mary offered me the opportunity to bring LuAnn to the Shelter where she would introduce her to a few more dogs. So on Wednesday, I loaded LuAnn into her carrier and headed out for the Shelter. It was a wonderful experience. Mary worked for about 45 minutes with her. Introducing her first to a very calm Yorky. (Yes, they do exist.) and then a magnificent large police dog. By the time socialization was over, LuAnn was ready to head back to the car and didn’t even take the time for a parting butt sniff.

Tonight was training class again and I lined up two willing owners and unsuspecting dogs to help me put into practice the methods learned this past week. I can only say that our little LuAnn came through with flying colors. She was so interested in getting her share of the treats that she didn’t even care that she was nose to nose with another dog. She also weaved her way around a circle of dogs without a sound. There is still a long way to go with socializing, but I am very optimistic that both dogs will improve their social skills.

Maybe my friend Cathy will even consider bringing the puppy around for a second play date. Perhaps if I promise coffee and freshly baked cinnamon rolls . . . well when it comes to Lucky and LuAnn, I am not above bribery.

There is something special about those first few days at home after a trip and I was looking forward to doing some cooking and maybe even tackling a closet or two. However, we came home to a cold house and a furnace that wouldn’t heat.

We immediately called the repairman, but it took two days before we could get on the appointment list. After he climbed on the roof to do a “look-see”, he brought down the culprit non-working part and announced that it would be about a week before he could get a replacement for it.

Now this would really be a dilemna, if we lived somewhere where Winter reigns supreme. Here it is only a minor inconvienence. We have dragged out the room heaters, found our sweatshirts, and are not that uncomfortable.

Today, we had lunch with Dan, Lidia, and their son Mitchell who was home from college. These warm and wonderful friends are part of our extended family and it was a very special time together.

We have been friends for many years and I suddenly realized that Dan met my son, John thirty three years ago when John was 19. (The age Mitchell is now.) The two of them worked for a small computer firm in San Diego. John was a freshman at San Diego State.

Later, Dan and Lidia moved here and John called to say, “I have friends moving to Ridgecrest, I know you will really like them.” And I did. Lidia taught with me at the little school in Inyokern and Dan worked on our base.

From the day, Mitchell was born, I was an honorary Aunt and I could not have been prouder as I watched him pass through the many time honored events in a young boy’s life. Seeing him today, I could not help but marvel at so much sophistication, confidence, and intelligence in a nineteen year old.

Remember when the oldsters use to say, “Oh to be that young again.” ? Now that I am one . . . oldster that is, I know fully the wistifullness and longing of those words, and with a sigh, I too say “Oh to be that young again.”

Our two additional days have flown past and tomorrow morning will see us hooking back up the Smartcar and setting out on the trip home. In spite of the poor start and its foggy days, this has been a wonderful time and I am looking forward to more trips in the Pulse.

Yesterday, we went back to Mustard’s for more of those delicious hot dogs. Today, we drove over to the Navy’s Golf Course and had lunch at the Restaurant there. It was really a beautiful place and a delightful surprise.

Whenever we have the Smartcar out, we get lots of questions. “Yes, we get 44 miles to the gallon.” “Yes, you can take it on the freeway.” “No, you don’t feel crowded in it.” Actually, it is kind of fun being the center of so much attention.

The dogs are telling me that it nears 4:00 PM and they are looking forward to a long walk along the Bird Reserve area. What they don’t realize is that it will be the last long walk here at Seabreeze. What I do know is that they love camping as much as Sammi and the birds. I think it is the family closeness and all the time together.

I will leave you with some more photos and will post soon after we are safely home.

Of all the photos that I took here at Seabreeze the above is my favorite.

With a sunrise like this, it is no surprise that we decided to stay here at Seal Beach rather than head home. We have often said, “We do not have to follow a schedule.”, but we have seldom acted on it. This time we will. The office is closed today, but tomorrow Bob will ask for three more days.

We took the Smartcar and headed down Seal Beach Boulevard to find a little restaurant I spotted yesterday while we were out touring the town. It caught my eye because it was called Chicago Hot Dog and since Bob and I love a good hot dog, we simply had to go back at noon today for a hot dog. My intuition that this was going to be a great place was right on. The hot dogs were the best I have had outside of our trip to Chicago a couple of years ago.

Since we made the decision to stay a little longer, I did laundry this afternoon. The laundry room here is large, bright, and FREE! which is a first in our RV experience.

This is a bird watcher’s paradise. We are on the edge of a Wildlife marsh area and I wish I had brought along my bird guide and binoculars. Geese and ducks call loudly overhead, while small shore birds can be seen in the distance. The egrets and ospreys particularly fascinate me as well as, Lucky and LuAnn who if they had their way would become fierce chasers of the big birds. Hard to convince my little guys that they are not hunters.

Dinner time and then a quick walk with dogs before I curl up with a good book or TV progam. Ahhhh this is the life.