Jacqueline’s Jaunts

Thursday, March 30, 2023

2023-03-28 Tuesday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Today was a day of looking for neighborhoods, and homes K & J may want to move to. We went along for the ride to check out the cities and towns around Pismo Beach. We left around 10:30 AM and stopped at Starbucks in Grover Beach on the way to Arroyo Grande. Ken stopped at a real estate office, and Jan went inside to see if she could get any information about neighborhoods and home prices in the area. She did get quite a bit of information from one of the agents. They exchanged contact information, and we were on our way. Jan and the agent texted most of the day. He was immensely accommodating all day.

The first place the agent said to drive through was the neighborhood behind the real estate office. The homes were older homes and well-kept. All the houses had such character; you could tell they were well-maintained. Barry and I loved the area. K & J want a place with some property so they can store their motorhome and pontoon boat on their property, so this neighborhood would not work. When and if we move, that is what we want too.

We drove east per the agent's suggestion. He said to stay on the road the real estate office is on and follow the signs to Lopez Lake. This is still in the city of Arroyo Grande. There was one neighborhood we stopped and drove through. It was a gated community but a UPS driver leaving gave us the gate code....so much for security. These homes were huge, and most had great views. Prices were over $1.2M. No trees, so I was not a fan. We drove around and then headed back down the hill to Lopez Lake.

The lake is full, and the surrounding area is beautiful. It has a great campground and marina. You can waterski and fish. In the summertime, there is an adventure park, zip lines, and a water slide park. It would be an excellent place for our family summer picnic if it was not so far. We may have to check it out in the summer. Here are the links:

Lopez Lake Marina and Campground

Vista Lago Adventure Park and Zip Lines

Mustang Water Park

We also drove through other parts of Arroyo Grande, but honestly, we drove through so many areas I can't remember. We all decided we liked Arroyo Grande, especially the renewed downtown area.

I need to back up here. In yesterday's blog, I mentioned Jan's paternal grandfather was buried somewhere in the area, and I would research FindAGrave.com to see if I could find anything. I found he is buried in Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County, California. I gave Jan the information this morning, and she was off to the races. She was unaware of FindAGrave before, but now she started looking for other family members this morning. I created a monster. The cemetery was only about 42 miles north of our campground. The plan was to go after Arroyo Grande.

After driving around Arroyo Grande and back from Lopez Lake, our next stop was the cemetery in Los Osos (the bears). We headed north, found the cemetery, drove in, and parked at the office. Jan and I went in to get information about where her grandfather was buried. The attendant that helped us was so lovely. She gave Jan a map of the location for the future. Then, she wanted to get out of her office and walk us to the plot. I asked her if it was possible to get any burial or funeral information for Jan's grandfather. She said, of course, and would get everything they had after visiting the gravesite.

Next to Jan's grandfather was her uncle, and Jan had no idea he was buried there. It was an emotional moment for her, and she shared a few stories about her grandfather. I was so happy to be a part of this event. After cleaning off the gravestone and taking photos, we returned to the office. The attendant met us in the lobby and had a folder for Jan. Inside was the card with the burial plot number, the forms filled out by her father for her grandfather's funeral, the funeral service card, and two newspaper obituaries. I was thrilled for Jan. It was everything a person wanted, especially me as a genealogist. With tears in our eyes, we thanked her for everything and for making today a special day.

The next stop was to find the house Jan's grandfather owned in town. He also had a ranch somewhere in the area. We found the home, and she was able to reminisce a bit. You can tell she loved her grandfather. From here, we found another neighborhood to drive through. It was a great one, and we drove around for about ten minutes. The unanimous vote was this neighborhood was the best one of the day.

Stopped for gas at Costco, you must ensure you have a Costco nearby wherever you live. It is just a thing and an unwritten rule. Now home to cook dinner.

I cooked White Bean and Chicken Chili for dinner. My sou chef, Barry, helped with baking the cornbread. It was an excellent meal for a rainy evening. After the four of us spent a few hours talking, it was off to bed. We had another busy day planned, driving through areas again.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

2023-03-27 Monday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Today the four of us headed for REI in SLO. Their sale ended today, and K & J wanted to take advantage of their coupon. We already did, but we can always find something at REI. Ken needed new tennis, and Jan wanted inserts for her hiking boots....getting ready for our Utah trip! All of us bought what we needed and more. LOL!

Next on the agenda was to go visit K & J's friend's (from the other night) new house they are still moving into. It's a new subdivision in SLO. Beautiful homes and a lot of building still happening. They were on the waiting list for this subdivision. Great dog, Finley. He is two years old and loves Barry. Great view from their upstairs balcony. They still had a lot to unpack, so we only stayed about an hour.

By this time, of course, we were hungry. We decided to go to Central Coast Brewery. We passed it earlier today. Great looking brewery outside and inside. In the outdoor seating area was a vast carved-out redwood log made into a fire pit; see the photo below. Guess what we ordered? Of course, you got it, fries, onion rings, and this time we added a pizza. The weather today was perfect, and eating outside was a no-brainer.

I would love one of these in my backyard.

Great Sign

Beautiful Bar

Since Jan could not get a cobbler yesterday, we headed back to The Barn. This time she had her pick, cherry, peach, olallieberry, and mixed berry. She ended up with a cherry. It did not matter what she chose; they all sounded tasty! We also bought bananas, avocados, and pickled eggs. I saw the pickled eggs yesterday and did not purchase them. I thought about those darn eggs all day. It has been years since I have had pickled eggs.

For my friend Renee

Ice Cream to go with the cobble

Two rams sparing over lettuce

I can't wait to bite into these!

We decided it was getting a bit late, and Jan was baking a lasagne tonight. It would likely take an hour or more to cook since it was in the fridge all day. Once the lasagne was in the oven, we just sat around conversing about different subjects. Jan was telling us about her paternal grandfather from this area. She was not sure where he was buried. I told her I would check Find A Grave in the morning and see what I could find. I had to explain what Find A Grave is. Before we knew it, the lasagne was done. She made it extra cheesy, which made it gooey. It was piping hot and delicious. Better than any bought lasagne or restaurant version.

After dinner, Barry and I returned to our RV so he could build a fire. Then, we wanted to eat our cobbler and ice cream by the fire. It was chilly outside but still great weather to sit by a fire. And eating cobbler with ice cream made it even better. Jan was such a happy camper she finally got her cobbler. She said she has been dreaming of one of these cobblers since we camped in the KOA across the street last year. That is one heck of a long wait!

Again, we ate and conversed for a few hours before the weather turned really chilly. At that point, we headed into our nice warm RVs and our warm beds.

2023-03-26 Sunday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Steps Today - 4,508

Not many steps today. We mainly drove.

We drove to the fish market in the town of Grover Beach. Only about a mile from here, if that. We purchased huge Prawns for dinner tonight and a piece of halibut for me. Later in the week, the other three are doing steaks. I'm not a beef eater, so we bought a halibut steak for me and frozen scallops. Then, we returned to camp to put the fish in the fridge.

Then we decided to head to The Barn in Avila Beach. It's by the Avila KOA we stayed at last year. It's a huge fruit and veggie stand with fresh corn you can buy and eat, a stand that cooks fried chicken, lots of goats and chickens, and a separate building you can buy ice cream, salt water, taffy, and other candy. You can purchase Romaine lettuce from The Barn and feed the goats. They only want you to provide the goats Romaine, for some reason. There are other animals too.

The whole reason for going was because Jan wanted a cobbler. When we arrived, the cobblers were sold out, and the power was out. Jan was so disappointed. Some areas were closed off to keep the refrigerators as cold as possible until they could figure out the problem. We still found plenty to purchase and take back with us.

From here, we decided to head down to the beach and have a beer and fries at Mr. Rick's. We've been there before and enjoy sitting outside under the umbrellas. Amazingly enough, we were able to find a parking spot. The weather was beautiful, and being on the beach was always excellent. We walked up a small hill to the area where all the restaurants and shops were. There was a group of about 20–30 people dancing the Salsa. They all looked like they were having so much fun. They danced all kinds of dances: line dancing, break dancing, and so much fun to watch. Oh, to be able to move like that again.

Unfortunately, the pier was closed due to storm damage. You could see all the wood placed on the pier to replace the damage. Sad, since we wanted to walk to the end of the pier.

We ordered our beers and some munchies and found a table outside. Enjoyed the gorgeous weather and listening to the music from the dancing area. We shared the table with a couple, and Jan talked with them about jobs in the area, housing, and businesses. They live locally and love the area. So much fun to meet new people that are enjoying life and love sharing their experiences.

We finished our munchies, and Jan and I headed to the shop next door. Then down to another shop where a style of pants is sold that Jan and I love. She could find her size in new colors, but I was not so lucky. She had a few things to try on, and I headed to the hat store a few doors down. I love hats and this store. The prices are very reasonable, and I found one I loved and purchased. Found the rest of the gang in front of one of the many ice cream stores. I was surprised they did not have an ice cream cone in their hand.

We headed back to camp for dinner. Can't believe we are actually eating at camp. Barry was making his famous Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with real maple syrup basting. Jan and Ken came over for cocktails with guacamole and chips while Barry cooked the shrimp on the BBQ. We also had a caesar salad. Everything was so yummy!!!!! This is one of my favorite dishes Barry cooks. I'm fortunate to be married to a man who loves cooking.

After a bit, Jan and Ken left; we cleaned up the kitchen, Barry went to bed, and I was up until 2:00 PM. Go figure.

All images are owned by the author.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

2023-03-25 Saturday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

My Man!

Steps today - 14,442

Saturday, and so much for sleeping in. The Reynolds daughter Brook, son-in-law Aaron, granddaughter Kensley, and grandson Arik arrived this morning. Soon we heard Kensley and Arik at our door to say hello. They seemed excited to see us, and they gave big hugs to both of us. Then, they told us about school, and everything they have been doing, as much as an 8 and 10-year-old can say to you. Then back over to abuela and papa's RV.

Soon after, we were off to Pismo Beach. We drove to the left, went as far as we could, then turned around and headed toward the far-end gate. The part of the beach you can drive on was so short compared to before, but it was due to the recent storms. The Reynolds were ahead of us, and as we passed the first gate, a guy flagged us down. His truck was stuck, and he needed a tow to get out of the hole he was in. Barry said sure, and I texted the others to let them know what was happening. They pulled off of the beach highway and waited for us.

Barry got out his brand-new tow rope and hooked the guy up. He told the guy to put his truck in reverse, but he did not understand that and had it in neutral. I had to say to him a few times, "no, you have to be in reverse." But, once he did that, pulling him out was no problem. Below is a video I took of the process.

Done with that, we headed up the beach to find the Reynolds. Kensley and Jan were in the middle of the sand highway, crazily waving us down. They were obviously having too much fun. We headed to the gate and off to downtown.

Kensley and Jan

Downtown was bustling, and we drove around looking for parking. We ended up parking apart from each other. I wanted to go to the kite store, so Barry and I headed that way. The rest of the party headed toward the beach. I picked out a kite with the help of the store owner. I also bought a mini Easter flag. It matches the pillows I have for the front porch. I saw it on display outside the store when we drove through town on Thursday on our way to the campground.

We hooked up with the group on the Pismo pier and decided to walk to the end. We watched the surfers try to navigate the waves, but they could have done better. Many people fish off the pier, which does not require a license. I am trying to remember that from last time. We did not see anyone hauling in any fish. The weather was excellent, with a slight breeze, but I did not mind. I run hot most of the time now.

There is a massive shark in a playground off the side of the pier, and we watched the kids play on it for a bit. Arik acted like the shark was eating him and being swallowed; he can be very entertaining.

We decided we wanted to have some drinks and munchies, so we ended up at Wooly's Beach Bar and Grill right on the beach. Busy place, but we did not wait too long for our food. We each had drinks, and the food consisted of tacos, onion rings, deep-fried calamari, and fries. The kids had kid burgers. This is the second day we have had fried food, which is abnormal. Oh boy! So much for keeping our weight in check before our Utah trip in May. Aaaagggg!

After Jan, Brook and I walked up to a shop we liked. Jan and I bought a pair of flip-flops, and Brook bought a few cute clothes. After I purchased my fit flops and told Jan the guys texted they were at Harry's Night Club and Beach Bar, I decided to meet up with Barry and Ken. Brook was still trying on clothes. The bouncers were carding everyone. Once they checked my ID, they put a wristband on me and stamped the inside of my wrist. A band played, and I found the guys sitting at the bar. I ordered a Midori Sour after I saw the bartender make one. It was the best Midori Sour I have had. This place was hopping, and a lot of regulars frequented here.

We kept waiting for Jan and Brook to show up. Ken finally texted them, and they walked right by the Harry's. We found them up the street on the corner waiting for us. Sometimes coordinating this group is challenging, but we always have a great time.

We headed back to camp. Kensley and Arik wanted to go to the beach, and even though it was about an hour before sundown, they put on their swimsuits. Ken and Jan, Us, and their grandkids headed to the beach. It was chilly, but the kids stripped to their swimsuits and played on the beach. We sat on the beach, waited for the sunset, took photos, and enjoyed watching the kids play. Sunset was around 7:15 PM. I could not believe how the kids played in the chilly wind. All of us were getting chilly, but the kids were running around like it was 80 degrees. Finally, we saw the sunset and headed back. Arik was whining about how he could not feel his feet or hands and had frostbite, LOL! Poor guy, he was freezing.

My boots and a jeep very
similar to ours

Mine and Jan's twin boots in the sand

Once we got back and warmed up, Barry built a fire, and he and I made s'mores. The kids were wiped out and already asleep. We enjoyed the fire for a bit, and then we hit the hay. Hectic day, and we were also wiped out.

All photos are owned by the author, with the exception of "My Man" by Jan Reynolds. Thank you, Jan, for sharing this photo.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

2023-03-24 Friday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Steps Today - 5,532

We slept great last night. Barry was up early and made coffee and tea. I got up around 9:00 AM and sat on the sofa with my yummy hot cup of tea! I planned to read the handout for my 4:30 PM class today with Tom Jones, Advanced Genealogical Writing Skills Using Word.

About an hour later, Jan came over and said there was an Italian market on the other side of Pismo, and she wanted to go check it out. She needed to buy gnocchi for a dish she is cooking in the next few nights. So, we hopped in their jeep, and off we went.

Our first stop was the RV dealer down the street. We wanted to walk through the Newmar's we saw as we drove in yesterday. A few new models were right up front. We spent about an hour there, but the person helping us was not pushy and answered all our questions. They have five models we walked through, including a Tiffin Phaeton. All were beautiful, and I thought they were reasonably priced, but Barry thought they were a bit high. Jan loved the most expensive Newmar model. I am trying to remember the model, but it might have been the Dutch Star which is Newmar's top-of-the-line. Barry liked the Canyon Star. Newmar makes an excellent coach, and the Phaeton was used but only had 24,000 miles on it. It was beautiful. Dream, Dream, Dream...

The next stop was the Pismo RV Resort. We are staying there in July for fireworks. Jan and Ken wanted to ask about the membership pricing and get an idea of where our sites will be in July. No such luck with the sites. They are tight-lipped with that information. However, K & J got all their questions answered about buying into the membership.

Now off to the Italian market. It was about a 10-minute drive to the other side of Pismo. What a great little shop. Fresh fruit outside in little baskets, oranges, cumquats, lemons, and strawberries. On the inside, they have many varieties of pasta, multiple types of olives, pickled veggies, spices, wines, and a small bakery up front. I wanted to buy everything but settled on nutmeg cookies and two types of mousses for dessert later in the week.

Well, once again, we decided to eat lunch out. We stopped at the Beer Blast for lunch on our way back. So much for reading the handout to prepare for my class. We had to wait about 15 minutes. They had many empty seats, but they needed more servers. We were seated at a window seat with a beautiful ocean view. The bar was all wood and nice looking. Everyone ordered a beer except me. I ordered an Ace Pineapple cider on tap. It was delicious. My favorite brand of cider.

K & Jan were meeting some friends at a restaurant tonight, and we were invited to join them. I stayed behind, so I could attend my class, and Barry went with them. Jan dropped off the chicken broccoli casserole for dinner later when they returned. She would text me later about when to put it in the oven and what temperature to bake it. It looked yummy, but I was still full from Beer Blast.

They took off at about 4:30 PM, and I got on my zoom call for my Microsoft Word class. Great class, and I learned a few new things about Word. I'm glad I took this class. It has helped me a lot. Text received, casserole in the oven, word class done. I called Lisa right after the class to discuss a few things about Word. Once we finished our discussion, I decided to walk around the campground. It was getting cold, and I could not wait to get back into the warm RV.

The others returned, and there was some discussion about cooking the casserole at 325° or 350°. I had two different directions from Jan and Barry. I did 325°, but it should have been 350°. We all laughed about it, and I cranked it to 350°. It was hot and ready in 15 minutes. We each had a small scoop, and I do not know why because I was still full, and they had munchies while out with K & J's friends. Barry and I loved the casserole, and I asked Jan for the recipe. The great thing is you can freeze what you do not eat.

Ken and Jan had a great time catching up with their friends. Apparently, there was a band who ended up playing K & J's song, so they hit the dance floor. Barry talked so much that his throat was somewhat hoarse.

It was a very busy day for all, and only the second day. Oh boy! And tomorrow, K & J's daughter, son-in-law, and two grandkids will be here. The last time we saw them was almost a year ago, and looking forward to seeing them. So we know it will be a crazy day tomorrow.

Good night from Pismo Beach!

Ken & Jan having a great time

Barry also having a great time

Restaurant the three went to.
Polaroid photos everywhere

I think this is the most giant Hawk
I have ever seen!!

All photos are courtesy of the author.

2023-03-23 Arrival Day Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Steps Today - 5,048

We left around 10:30 AM and headed to Pismo Beach, California. One of our favorite spots. It is a five-hour drive for us but a pretty easy and picturesque one. We are spending the next ten days with our friends, Ken and Jan Reynolds. We are staying at the Oceano State Park campground. Great location because it’s only about a 10-minute walk to the beach.

We arrived at about 3:00 PM and set up camp. This campground is full of eucalyptus trees, and watching the gentle winds carry the eucalyptus fuzzy flowers everywhere was hypnotizing.

We took a picture of the campsite the Reynolds will be in and sent it to them. As I finished texting them, they pulled into the campground. As they pulled into their campsite, we said “hi” and let them set up.

In about a half-hour, we checked on dinner plans, and Jan really didn’t want to cook. We decided to go down the street to Old Juan’s Cantina. We have eaten there before, and they have the best huge margaritas. Great drinks and dinner.

Back to camp, we recapped the day and crawled into our cozy bed.

Friday, November 11, 2022

Accomplishments for Week of 10-31-22 through 11-06-22

HALLOWEEN

Monday was Halloween and our front yard looked terrific. Many people stopped by to talk to Barry or honk as they drove by. Most telling him what a great front yard we have for Halloween. We were expecting 500+ kids but I think it was only 350-400. The little ones are always the best. The most popular costume this year was a fireman or spiderman. Not many fairies or Disney princesses.

JAUNTS

No jaunts this week.

CLASSES

Tuesday I attended the second week of my AppGen class, Overwhelmed by Ancestry DNA classes. I hosted a CGS education class titled Voting Records with Pam Vestal.

Worked on AppGen homework all week between packing away Halloween directions.

Friday evening attended an Ancestral Souls session with Jennifer Holik and a few other individuals. I think we laughed more than anything else. It felt good.

VOLUNTEER WORK

This was the week I volunteered at the FHL on Wednesday evenings. I was expecting a patron to come in that needed help with a civil war ancestor but he never showed up.

MEETINGS

CGS Membership Sub-Committee

FHL Volunteer Mtg.

OTHER STUFF

Dentist's appointment on Tuesday for my new crown. I had a wonderful massage on Friday and it helped loosen up my hips

Submitted my CGS board report on time.

Daily savings time ended on Saturday night.

Some of our neighbors and kids

Me and Barry