Thursday November 13, 2014 Carlsbad, CA

Not as much excitement and anticipation around here today.  No special occasions except lunch.

We had our coffee and caught up on computer stuff.  We spent most of the morning lounging around and reading.

In the afternoon we got ready and drove to Carlsbad Village.  We were to meet one of Gerri's high school classmates, Diane Bowen, for lunch at Norte Mexican Restaurant for lunch at two.  Gerri found a parking spot right in front of the restaurant.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Norte-Mexican-Food-Cocktail/144672778909485

Gerri and Neva went in and I went to find a nearby cache.  The container was hidden in an old English style iron phone booth.  It has a functioning pay phone inside.  I found the container quickly but had trouble getting the log out to sign.  A previous cacher had noted that tweezers were needed.  In preparation for that I had borrowed a small Swiss Army Knife with tweezers from Neva.   The log was damp and tightly wrapped to fit the container and it took me awhile to extract it.  I had done a cache in this same phone booth a few years ago.  Often caches are archived for some reason and later a new one springs up in the same location

The funny thing was that while I was in the phone booth my phone rang.  Thinking it was Gerri, and without looking, I answered with, "I'll be right there."  The thing was it wasn't Gerri.  It was my eye surgeon's office. The caller said it was Dr. Wellish's office.  She was calling to collect the fee for my operation on Tuesday and wondered why I was coming to the office today.  We finally got on the same page and I gave her the payment information.  I probably looked curious standing in a phone booth talking on my cell phone. 

Diane, Neva and Gerri

By the time I got to the restaurant Diane had arrived and the ladies were already seated.  We had chips and dip along with conversation before our meal.  Gerri and I had met with Diane a year or so ago, but Neva hadn't seen her since the families lived in Mississippi where Gerri went to high school.  We had a good meal and good conversation and then took a few pictures with the Carlsbad Inn and Norte's as the backdrop. 

High school friends

Yesterday Gerri got an email message asking her to call Sheriff Lamb.  She called him after we got back to the resort.  We both spoke to him for awhile.  We talked a little about old times and friends. Ralph lamented on the fact so many old friends are gone and he doesn't know many people around town any more.  Just what I needed after my 73rd birthday, a reminder that we are aging and that old friends have passed on.  On the other hand it was a good reminder to stay connected to old friends. Occasionally there is an "Old Timers" luncheon for retired cops.  Often we are out of town and I miss them.  Danny Rivers usually announces the dates and times.  I plan to remind him to invite the Sheriff.  It seems sad to me that the once most powerful man in Nevada is now without his old cronies that used to meet at Rosie's or Papa Gar's.

Neva had walked out to see the sunset.  After the phone call I went out to join her on the walk overlooking the flower fields to see the sunset.  The flower fields slope away from the resort and there is a walk way along the top which normally give a good view of the ocean.  The fields are being prepared for planting.  The fields are part of  nursery that raises flowers for bulbs and seed. When planted and in bloom they are quite artistic. We are seldom here when the flowers are in bloom, but it is a beautiful sight.  http://www.theflowerfields.com/

There were murky clouds and the marine layer was heavy.  We couldn't see the sun go down beyond the horizon because of the marine layer.


We played a game of Mexican Train.  Neva and I struggled and Gerri trounced us soundly.

After dominos we read. I made microwave popcorn, which Neva and I shared.  Gerri can't eat popcorn or nuts.  I made coffee for Neva and we shared two of the cookies that Curtis and Dana had sent for my birthday. 

Reading and a little TV news finished the evening.