Bird’s Eye View of the Salt Lake Valley (Copyright 2024 by Chatterlei)
What I love about where I live is that it is my home town. All three of our children, their spouses, and our six grandchildren live in the same town. For as much as we get together because everyone’s lives are so busy, we might a well live in Timbuktu! Our little (growing) conservative town/city is a great place to raise a family.
We are only 3 hours away from a University hospital where my husband can have surgery on his leg, then lie in a hospital room to heal for a few days and enjoy bird’s eye views, as captured in the image above, taken through the window from his 6th-floor room.
From our home, within a couple of hours’ drive on a Saturday afternoon, we can be on a bench in Yellowstone National Park with other tourists watching in awe as Old Faithful reliably spews it’s steamy water up to 180 feet into the air. We can pick up a souvenir from the nearby shops and eat our packed lunch either in the car or at a picnic table in the area. Then enjoy a drive though the park on our way home, hoping to see buffalo, elk, deer, and maybe even a bear or two in their habitat.
In about the same amount of time, we can drive a different direction and sit at the still glasslike water’s edge of Jenny Lake which is tucked away at the base of the Teton Mountain Range. This is one of the area’s most beautiful and most visited sites. We are fortunate to have Yellowstone and the Tetons in our back yard, so to speak.
Taking a long day’s drive we can be at the Oregon Coast enjoying a cool walk along the beach listening to the waves crash along the shoreline. In the same amount of time, heading in a different direction, our drive could take us to San Diego where we can enjoy the warmth of sunshine and see the beautiful sunsets fade below the horizon of the ocean as it meets the sky in the distance.
I absolutely love the outdoors and I love to travel! Living near the Rockies to the East and not far from the Pacific Ocean to the West we can enjoy a variety of God’s most beautiful creations. These are some of the things I love about where we live.
Leaving San Diego yesterday was not easy. It was the most beautiful day of the entire week. I wanted one more day. It was not to be. We need the extra day for traveling to the UofU on Monday where my husband has a follow-up appointment with the surgeon to check the progress on his knee since surgery.
My husband and I were not in a huge hurry to leave San Diego since our next destination was only six hours away. We awakened early, yawned and stretched, and decided to go on one last morning walk. He was ready before I was. Sitting in his wheelchair with a hoodie on and shorts, which were easier to fit over the leg brace he has had to wear since his knee surgery eight weeks ago, and his Fighting Irish lap blanket over his bare legs. He was ready to go! I hurriedly threw on my black yoga pants, layered on my gray tank top, pink stretchy tee, and black vest. I slipped my Brooks tennis shoes on, tied them, and we were ready to roll.
The morning sun had already crested. We missed the pre-dawn beauty and the feeling of anticipation waiting for the sun’s first sparkling beam to make its brilliant appearance. The full sun was visible and bright against the cloudless blue sky.
Our walk was peaceful. We talked about the possibility of buying a sailboat to habitate off the shoreline of Shelter Island. We met a woman the day before who was doing that very thing, living in one of the catamaran sailboats along the shoreline with several of her sailboat neighbors. She said that she and her husband have been living on their boat for the last eight years. She emphasized that it is a lot of work, but they have enjoyed it. She then carried her few bags of groceries through the misty rain across the sandy beach out to the dinghy that her husband had just rowed from their sailboat. He helped her in, then he rowed through the mist toward the sailboat they call home.
Maybe the sailboat life is not for us, after all.
We finished our walk along the bay, soaking in all the warmth from the sun and smells from the ocean that we could before leaving. On our way back to the hotel, we decided to walk behind the hotel along the marina. It was a cool walk in the morning shade.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it would be less work to park a sailboat in a slip at the marina and call that home. No dinghy needed!
Naaahhh. I like having a home to go to, I suppose. I guess we will take the snowy winters, sipping on hot chocolate by the fireplace after a couple hours of shoveling snow off of the driveway and sidewalks. It is hard work.
We all have to choose our hard in life. It’s all hard. Choose your hard. Then smile and make the best of it!
St George – A Favorite Stop
We stopped for the night at the Hampton in St George, Utah. The hotel and a gas station sit off the freeway a couple of miles from the border. It feels like it is in the middle of nowhere. Our view is of miles and miles of open sky. It is one of our favorite places to stay.
The view from our hotel room
After settling into the room following a delicious simple meal at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant, we decided to enjoy a soak in the hot tub. It was a welcome covering from the 40-degree temperature outside. Unlike my husband, who could spend hours in the hot water, 30 minutes was long enough for me. I exited the pool to dry off and warm up by the outdoor ring of fire. Despite the chill in the air, the fire was inviting and mesmerizing.
My mind was flooded with feelings of gratitude for this trip with my husband and the many blessings in my life.
We spent Tuesday afternoon walking/hiking around Point Loma area. It was low tide, so we could explore areas of the tide pools that are inaccessible at high tide. Our exploration along the paved and unpaved pathways took us past Bergerocactus plants on our way down to play in and around the tide pools. We saw lichen, little hermit crabs, incredible rock formations and, of course, the ocean. These are beautiful creations that we cannot see in the mountainous region where we live. For us, the beauty of this part of the nation is fascinating and impactful to the creative side of our existence.
At one point we decided to hike up to the old lighthouse at Cabrillo. My sister and I were walking along the path leading directly toward the lighthouse, when to the right and up several steps is a building with a recorded looped presentation about the guns that the military used to have in this place years ago. My sister’s husband came out of that building and said he was going to walk up the next set of stairs up to the lookout at the top of the hill. My sister and I decided to walk up behind him instead of continuing down the path we were on. I made it easily up the first set of stairs and nearly to the top of the next set of stairs, when suddenly I felt out of control and the ground was coming up fast. My husband’s phone went flying, as did my readers. I heard a loud “Ouch!” escape my mouth. Then all I could do, after I realized I could still move my right ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and wrist, was laugh uncontrollably. My sister, who just stood there and watched motionless as my teeth nearly became part of the cement step in front of me, was now bent over laughing with her legs crossed. She said she thought I was joking at first, so she didn’t move to help me.
Joking?! About falling UPSTAIRS, near a cliff?!
Breathless, but not from the hike. Rather, it is from laughing so hard while getting up after falling!
Nope! The pain was proof that I was not kidding around. My knee was becoming the size of a watermelon as we stood there laughing. The remainder of the trek was uneventful, although I did walk with a bit of a limp.
We were able to enjoy the presence of the sun beating down, pouring warmth around us, embracing our feet, and the breeze blowing through our hair while we looked out over San Diego Bay. It was breathtaking, a postcard-worthy moment.
I wish I could have captured the feeling, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the breeze, and the feeling of smallness and largeness, simultaneously, I experienced as I stood there at the edge of Point Loma taking in the map-like view of the Bay, Shelter Island, North Island, and Coronado. From my perspective the area was overall easier to understand. Just like looking at a map, I could see from above, the size and shape of Shelter Island and it’s proximity to North Island, San Diego proper, and Coronado. It was a fun experience to share with my husband, sister, and brother-in-law.
Old Town
This afternoon, we decided to head to Old Town to do some shopping. None of us had ever been there. Old Town is the oldest city in California. It was fun to see all the old buildings, now converted to commercial shops. It was interesting, yet sad, in a way, to see how commercialized it has obviously become.
While we were wandering from shop to shop, my husband spotted a quaint outdoor Mexican Restaurant called Casa de Reyes. He said he wanted to eat lunch there. That was unusual because he usually does not offer opinions about where or what to eat, unless he is asked specifically what he would like to eat. My sister, her husband, and I were not hungry, yet, but we shared an appetizer and of course downed way too many chips with the delicious salsa that came with the chips. We were happy to have stopped there to eat authentic Mexican Food in Old Town because my husband’s chili relleno and our appetizers were very tasty. I recommend stopping there if you are ever in Old Town in San Diego.
After shopping until we dropped, our brother-in-law brought my husband and me back to the hotel while he and my sister drove over to Seaport Village to do more shopping to find the perfect sweatshirt for my niece.
The Hotel Balcony: My Place of Peaceful Reflection (or not so peaceful with all of the helicopter movement)
I am currently sitting on the balcony outside of our hotel room before sundown, watching and listening to the noise of the military helicopters land on North Island. The sky is gray with cloud cover, the November air, cool and crisp. Most of the people that are walking along the Bay are warmly dressed in long pants and sweatshirts or jackets. I am typing on my laptop in my short sleeves, long pants and flip flops. The speed of my typing is slowing down with the reduction in temperature of my fingers, however. It is getting darker outside. The streetlamps have turned on, the skyscraper buildings across the Bay are beginning to light up and the passing cars on the road in front of our hotel have their headlights on. I can feel the temperature dropping.
Before I head into my hotel room for the night, I will share a few photos from the day… Wait… There goes the Disney Magic Cruise Ship heading out of the Bay toward the ocean. I can’t help but wonder what unique experiences they will have on the ship and at each of their destination stops. We can only guess.
What a beautiful morning for a sidewalk-stroll in the park across from our hotel on Shelter Island! Beams of sunshine from the rising sun dance and sparkle on the calm waters of San Diego Bay. The clear blue skies contradict the forecast of cloudy days the entire week of our stay. Feeling the warmth of the sunshine on my face is refreshing. Breaking through the crispness of the air, which envelopes my body as I push my husband in his wheelchair effortlessly, on our morning walk is invigorating.
This would be a lovely place to live and the tepid weather far healthier for our physical condition. We dream. However, all of our family lives up north in snow country where we are from. My parents, siblings, our children, and our grandchildren surround us. How could we leave? My wandering soul would love to experience all there is to experience in life. Yet, I feel a necessary tethering to those near and dear to my heart. As long as they need us nearby, we will stay up north, and our get-aways will bring us here to southern California for a rejuvenation of our minds and bodies. We can live with that. For now.
After a day of battling traffic on the freeway, following behind my brother-in-law and sister, who were nearly taken out by a pickup pulling a trailer of dune buggies and four-wheelers, and reaching speeds over 100mph, it was a welcome relief when we arrived at our destination in Southern California. My sister, her head leaning out of the car window, stated, “Never traveling here on a Sunday after Thanksgiving ever again. That traffic was horrendous!” I agreed. It felt good to stretch my legs and back, stiff from sitting in the pickup truck so long. Our arrival was about two hours before check-in time, but we were told at the desk one of the rooms would be ready in about 45 mins.
We parked in the same spot as last year. The first slot was available nearest the entrance to our hotel building. Pulling the wheelchair from the back of the truck was a fairly easy feat. The four of us took our first walk across the road over to the pier. I was surprised at how crowded it was with people fishing from the pier, eating at the at the outdoor bistro, walking their animals, etc. Last year there was hardly anyone on the pier when we arrived. The difference probably was the day of the week. This year was a Sunday afternoon. Last year was a Monday evening.
While on the pier, we met a man walking a very spoiled and friendly dog named Spud. His owner, whose name I neglected to ask, was very friendly himself. He offered to let us pet Spud, stating the dog is very friendly and likes to be loved on. I declined due to allergic reactions to animals that have increased over the years. My sister happily pet the pooch, though. Spud was then joyfully on his merry way.
One thing that stands out about this area is how relaxed and friendly everyone is. Is it like that everywhere in San Diego? Or just in the park along the Bay?
Memories / Ghosts of the past
My mind was flooded with memories from our stay here last year. The first impressions are always the strongest when in a new place or meeting someone for the first time or experiencing things not experienced prior to that moment. It was like that for me when searching for seashells on the beach in Corpus Christi, or eating authentic tacos under the hut on the beach in Cozumel, Mexico, or on the sunset whale-watching cruise in San Diego, last year. Have you ever had beef wellington on the Queen Mary off the coast of Los Angeles? Or have you experienced seeing the birth of a grandchild and holding that sweet grandchild when only a few hours old? That is an unforgettable experience for sure. I could go on and on.
Memories from last year are like that for me. It is best described as ghosts floating in and out of my vision and mind with every step I take on these walkways around the hotel and on the island. This year I will add new memories to ones of last year. The activities of today, which will become memories of tomorrow, are important. My husband is planning to show me where he lived and share his memories of time he spent in San Diego while stationed here in the Navy. The view from our hotel balcony is of North Island Naval Base. Watching the naval ships cruise in and out of San Diego Bay, seeing the fighter jets take off, and hearing the noise of the afterburners, awakens the ghosts of his past for my husband. We are looking forward to revisiting and sharing his memories in the coming days.
It has been nearly a year since our stay on beautiful Shelter Island in San Diego, CA. It is not an island, but more like a peninsula with the harbor on one side and the bay between the peninsula and North Island Naval Air Station on the other. Shelter Island is just over a mile long and a few hundred feet wide. There is a walkway from one end of the island to the other, and one road connecting the peninsula to the mainland. Morning and evening walks are peaceful and serene with a beautiful view of the City lights of San Diego in the distance. Until the jets take off from the Naval Air Base. Those are loud! The afterburners are amazingly bright red like hot burners on an old-style electric stove. The sound of the jets taking off after sundown were one of my favorite things to hear, causing my immediate rush from wherever I was in the hotel room to get a glimpse of those red hot afterburners from our bayside balcony in the dark.
I did not research the history of Shelter Island in San Diego while we were there last year. This is what I just found on Wikipedia:
Shelter Island is a neighborhood of Point Loma in San Diego, California, United States. It is actually not an island but is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. It was originally a sandbank in San Diego Bay, visible only at low tide. It was built up into dry land using material dredged from the bay in 1934.[1] It was developed in the 1950s[2] and contains hotels, restaurants, marinas, and public parkland.
The “island” is 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long and only a few hundred feet wide. A single street, Shelter Island Drive, runs the length of Shelter Island and also connects it to the mainland via a causeway lined with marine-related businesses.
Walking around the island every day felt surreal and like a place I would like to visit again and again. It is a magical place, especially at night, next to the marina crowded with sailboats floating in the dark, showing off all of that richness in the water next to the reflection of the moon dancing across the small waves splashing under the stars, barely visible next to the brightness of the moon.
We are going back! We reserved the same room as last year on Shelter Island. Then my husband had a surgery about 4 weeks ago, so we canceled our reservations. He is doing so well, however, we decided to go after all. Hopefully, the room is still available.
I can’t wait to go back! The palm trees are so beautiful. The benches along the walkways beckon one to sit down for a minute and take time to enjoy the surrounding beauty of the trees, grass and, of course, the water in the bay moving along, taking every little drop of memory with it, never to be seen the same way again.
People are friendly on the island. There is a sense of safety. Most of the people my husband and I spoke to last year were also visiting California. They were enjoying their walks along the bay. You could see in their eyes how relaxed they were, how present they were, not in a hurry to go anywhere, just taking in the quiet moments and beautiful surroundings, not wanting the time to pass too quickly.
No two trips are the same. Even to the same place. Our last trip to San Diego was life changing in many ways. There was a lot of time to walk, sit, listen, observe, feel and ponder. I suspect this trip will be filled with reminiscings of some of the memories of last year and, importantly, spending time by my husband’s side as he takes me with him on a ride down memory lane, pointing out where he lived, worked, and spent time as a young sailor in the Navy stationed in San Diego. I am looking forward to visualizing his memories as he shares them with me.
My husband likes to coin hunt with his metal detector. Last year, he found, among other things, a couple of rings on the beach. We are looking forward to spending time searching for “buried treasures” along the ocean front, again, this year.
While in San Diego, we went to Sea World and San Diego Zoo. We took a beautiful sunset dolphin and whale watching cruise and a fun little seal cruise on the bus boat. I love to be out on the water. It reminds me of wonderful family time, fishing with my parents, brother and sister when we were younger. That is a blog post for another day.
So, if you have visited San Diego or live in the area, what are some of the “must dos” we can participate in this year? What are some of your favorite restaurants or other places to eat? Tell me about anything we should not miss while we are there.
ChatterLei 