West Coast Road Trip Report -- edited, enhanced and ellustrated by ME.

You will remember Polly's well-written recent account of our grand adventure in italics.  I've added my annotations and additional photos. 

We got back from our road trip Sunday night.  It turned out to be 4735 miles and 21 days.  The hottest place was probably our first night in St. George at 108 degrees. 

It was so hot in the tent I moved outside to the sand in the early morning hours.

We met Cal and Jan for dinner at Cafe Rio.  Margaret wasn't feeling well so we missed her.

First of fam fotos.  Before leaving town we stopped by the temple where my sisters and me were sealed to our parents in 1952--later than I had remembered.  I was 15.

Snow Canyon, the first of almost daily hikes. 

 We enjoyed seeing Hoover Dam . . . and survived the long, slow desert crossing.  

Great beginning to a continuing influence of art deco in buildings and bridges along our way, "Wings of the Republic".  These bronzes eminded me of my neighborhood Academy movie theater decor.  The dam was finished the year before my birth--round the clock construction.

The approach to the dam and visitor center. 

The rest of the trip was on the coastal highway as much as possible, and covered most of the western edge of the U.S.:
San Diego:  camped at Dos Picos, . . .

Lovely solitude in this little cabin--beds and bathroom. Sweet moments sitting at the table in the early morning contemplating.   Polly and I did a little hike in the foothills till the boys awoke. 

visited temple (stunning) . . .

It really is a stunning building.  The sky-blue glass of the towers links to the heavens.

and zoo (rare panda, playful other bears) . . .

Love giraffes, ungainly in appearance and graceful in their motion and engaging faces.

There were a couple of bears playing chase between two sections of their quarters.

This guy had such a crowd it was hard to get a glimpse of him.

The one thing I remembered from our early 70's visit was this people mover and Polly was a little girl. 

Isn't this guy funny.  It appears he's considering or about to ignore the sign on the street.

Carlsbad:  fun riding the waves at beach until dark, first of many fish & chips and clam chowder
Carlsbad:  one Legoland day of rides, some afternoon beach time, back to Legoland to admire mini cities,  . . .

The unbelievable variety of use of Legos was captivating--everything Lego.

Polly in Paris.

The miniature buildings reminded me of Maduradum miniature village of our 1970 Europe camping trip.

The mini-landscaping was remarkable.

Interactive instruments.  Step on the disk and your instrument plays.

This was from a 2-person boat ride on a canal.  Great variety of rides--the only place I could handle consecutive rides on the roller coaster.

LA:  temple where Mom &; Dad were married, great visitors center, . . .

The visitor center has a Jerusalem model and supportive vignettes at the time of Jesus that were inspiring.

Mum’s old homes, . . .

My recollection has always been of everything larger than reality--the high living room ceiling that I painted on scaffolding is not cathedral high!  Nice to see my home for 18 years well-cared for.

 school, . . .

Morningside Park's Warren Lane Elementary, my sixth-grade class room on the left.  Prior to 6th we had WWII army barrack buildings.  I was surprised to see that the long walk to school was only .3 mi.--shorter when we walked through the bean field before houses were built.

church, . . .

San Pedro Ward was unique with stained-glass chapel windows.  Lots happened here.  Grandpa Watson began to attend church again and never stopped.  Bishop Cowser suggested I serve a mission.  Met Jim and Polly Beatty here.  David bore his testimony after his mission, commenting "the Scots are the salt of the earth"--hooking my father.  I was president of M-Men and Gleaners here for the stake planning fun activities for our young single adult age group--David asked me to "South Pacific" in Anaheim theater-in-the-round activity, our first date.  David was in a play.  Site of our wedding reception. Our home neighborhood on Pescadores Dr. still has the beautiful views we loved of the LA Harbor.  It was a beautiful place to live and still is beautiful to visit.

and places she and Dad went on dates, . . .

Peck Park.  There is a little pond where David introduced me to crawdads when we picnicked.  We also passed Griffith Park in our LA driving where Dad and I  had our last picnic before he went back to BYU after our engagement.  Dad made a point of planning a variety of dates in a variety of settings--theater, movie, picnic, pro-baseball game, beach, . . . . 

 Granny Hunter’s gravesite, . . .

I don't believe I ever visited Granny's grave.  It took a lot of searching even with the location numbers.  Mary Preston Hunter died while I was in Brazil.  Being an immigrant family we didn't have the tradition of visiting family graves.  When I became a Parkinson I learned the value.

 family memories, met her high school friends.

Capistrano Coco's lunch near I-101 exit hosted by Sharon who had rearranged her day, drove over from Torrance.  Loretta lives nearby.  An opportunity to tell them and my family of their influence--Loretta introduced me to reading great books, stage plays and the Hollywood Bowl seeing Nat King Cole, Jascha Heifetz, LA Symphony, etc. ; Greek Theater where we saw Harry Belafonte.  Sharon suggested I run for Senior VP our senior and I won adding much more to high school life and leadership experience.  We three went to UCLA the semester I took a break from BYU.  Lots of memories.  Much has happened in our lives since.  They are still an inspiration.

Newport Beach Temple was on our way north.  A remarkably beautiful temple in the Spanish mission style with Angel Moroni on the spire.  These photos don't capture the impact upon first seeing the whole building.

 LA: stayed in Ventura with my friend Mayla from Charter Hospital, . . .

 Mayla and her family were wonderfully welcoming.  It was fun to reconnect with Polly's earlier years.

. . . spent the day at the Huntington Library—a collection of science and nature books, art collection, botanical gardens, and two restaurants (everything we love in one spot:  books, art, nature, food)

Mid-day tea was a delight.  Many really good things to eat from the buffet. 

Loved the Japanese Garden.

"Breakfast in Bed", Mary Cassatt.

Loved this hall window.

"Pinkie" not by Gainsborough, but Lawerence. Strikingly beautiful light.

"Blue Boy", by Gainsborough.  I've always thought of these two together and here they are, not the same painter after all. 

The first five days and time for a break. 

A Memorable Day

This was a very memorable day to be together with my missionary companion Norma Mills Shiner and her husband, Craig, at the setting apart of Mauricio and Claudia Gonzaga prior to their returning to Brazil to preside over the mission in Maceio.  The video posted in June is the result of their request to document the conversion of his parents 50 years ago in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Elder Costa is from Santos and joined the church a few years after the Gonzagas.  Elder Andersen learned to speak Portuguese when he was assigned to supervise the Brazilian missions.  He speaks well and comfortably.  His mission as a youth was in France where he later presided before his call to the Quorum of the Twelve.

President Andersen was very welcoming in chatting of things Brazilian and then gave President and Sister Gonzaga  the authority and blessings they will need in the coming three years to serve well and make a difference in one of the 27 missions of Brazil, one of the rising nations of the world.  They will become very close to about 700 elders and sisters who will serve under his leadership.   So much has happened in these 50 years.

Back row:  Craig and Norma Shiner, ME, the elder that baptized Claudia's parents with his wife; Marcia Jumot, Mauricio's sister.  Front Row:  Elder Costa of the Seventy, Claudia and Mauricio, Elder Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve and Suellen Jumot.

March 12, 1961.  Sister Watson, Suelena and Justino Gonzaga, Saul Messias de Oliveira, branch president; Sister Mills.

The small personal card they gave to me.

This is the clue that led Mauricio to begin his search for Norma and me. 

Kentucky Fun and Games while Mom and Dad Are Away

I-278 W is my new neighborhood for a week, I-278 brought us home.  Some things are important to remember.  I appreciated Alice's and Myra's quiet confidence that I would in fact find our way to dance, swimming, gymnastics, the Baker's, Kroger's, . . . .    Anna Baker was a dear to invite us to dinner Sunday evening and to play with Miles.  We all had a good time.  The girls love to help cook so they often helped with dinner as well as Snickerdoodles and finally doughnuts when we found a way to cut the center hole -- a basting tube, removed the bulb and we were in business.  It was fun to share the fruits of our efforts.

Some of the photo highlights:

Alice art from school.  A real keeper.

Myra art from pre-school. Another great keeper.

This very long black racer made its way through the yard as Bruce was showing me his garden.

Quincy Boy ready to travel.

Alice and Faith training for their 5K.

Snacks at Golf Ball Woods creek.

Water gliders on the waters, minnows under the water.

Fossil specimen for Clay.

Bruce disassembled this play set from Craig's List, loaded it, sanded it and put it back together to stain it.  Super great climbing.

Every dry day the girls biked to the nearby cul de sac to ride and ride.  Venting the hydrants added to the fun one morning.

Snickerdoodle fun.

Potter's Otterville.  A great place to belong to.

Sunday evening with  Matt, Anna, Miles and Mia Baker.

Miles Baker Jazz Band -- doesn't that sound promising.

"Happy Unbirthday to you, happy unbirthday to you, . . . ."

The Bakers on Mia's blessing day in the spring. 

Me and my buddies at the Cincinnati Museums.

This was the big day when Alice jumped in.  Very exciting!

In goes Myra.

Tap class.

Performing for the residents at an assisted living.  Really sweet.  Aren't they lovely. 

Welcome home Mommy, Daddy and Quincy flags.

The girls really, really missed Quincy. 

Heather and Lily knitted this little grey horsey.

Alice's first 5K with Faith.

Alice's friend and her mom ran also.

The home-stretch.

Great finish!!!

Great finish for a medal.

Father's Day for Bruce.

The beginnings of "A Hike to Golf Ball Woods."  Our grand beginning of the week with two darling girls.