A Visit To Vista Canyon Train Station

First off...Happy Halloween, and Happy 33rd Birthday to my Son!

We were making a Costco run on Monday, and so we stopped at our newest Metrolink Station: Vista Canyon.

It was the first day of operation, so we felt pretty special, as we checked it out.

We had some pretty extreme Santa Anas blowing, so it was definitely a test of the facility.

They may have to do some fixes, to give the passengers waiting on the platform some shelter.

Otherwise, it is pretty impressive, and brings our station count to 4.

Ambassador Bridge

My Water Post For Today.

My Son has a visitor from California, today.

I have not heard much about the visit, so far...but I bet he takes his friend over to the bridges over the Detroit River.

I have been in this spot in the recent past, and though I did not post a photo this last trip, here is The Ambassador Bridge.

It is right down the river from the new one that they are building, the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

It is an interesting spot, where you can watch the water move from Lake Erie, to Lake Huron. Never a dull moment there.

I hope you enjoy.

The Sun Breaks Through The Clouds

As I mentioned in a previous post, the sun peaked through the clouds for a few moments, and I managed to get a photo or two.

This one shows off a tree I mentioned about a month ago.

Look how bare it looks now that they did an extreme trim.

With Santa Ana Winds in the forecast for today, that makes me happy.

I have no real tall trees anymore, so no worries at the angel house. In regard to trees, at least.

COVID-19 Injection Is In The Books

I was going to wait until December, for my COVID-19 shot.

The thing that changed it, for me, was the booking of 3 airline flights, and then Amtrak going home.

So, instead of December, it ended up at the end of October.

We did our Flu shot in September, so we think we are good to go, for now.

In great news for us, the pharmacy that gave us the shot, also gave us a 10% off coupon for Vons.

Up to a maximum of $20. We ended up getting close to that, 17 something dollars.

How am I feeling? Yeah, hurting a bit and a little bit of a headache.

In other words, not too bad.

Perfect Moment Blooms Again

It was a cloudy day on Wednesday, and then the sun got under the clouds.

I saw it happen and immediately went outside to shoot the dark clouds.

After finishing that, I went to the side of my house, and saw my rose "Perfect Moment".

It has not been blooming for most of the summer, but here in the cooler weather, it is back.

Very beautiful to see.

Enjoy.

Banana Bread On A Gloomy Day

For the past month or so, the Chiquita Banana Bread "box" at the store, has been calling my name...

In anticipation of me breaking down and buying the box, I have 3 overripe bananas in the freezer. Since I did not buy the box at the store, I made it myself. It was cold in the house the other day, and so I used my own ingredients, to make some bread, and help heat up the house.

I went with the All Recipes Banana Bread, and that was a great choice.

One change, chocolate chips were added to the batter.

In my opinion very yum, and a hoter house, to boot.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs, beaten

2 ⅓ cups mashed overripe bananas (I used 3 bananas)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a separate large bowl until smooth. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

So What Does A Pottery Show Look Like

I don't think I have shown off the location of the pottery show I went to last weekend.

This is the home of Michelle, who I have bought ceramics from in the past.

She is one of the 8 potters showing off their wares.

She has a HUGE house at the end of a cul-de-sac, so it is perfect for this event.

We had a helicopter moving bags of rocks to a location just to the west of the cul-de-sac, which was quite frightening.

To say the least, it was a hopping time.

I almost wanted to go back on Sunday afternoon, but restrained myself.

A Pot For A Former Boss

One of the things I decided to look for, while at the pottery show, was a 62nd Birthday present for my former boss.

We saw each other, later that same day, and I was glad to participate in her month-long birthday celebration.

I thought it was very nice piece, not too big, but lovely.

She said she loved it, so I guess it succeeded.

Horse Thief Lake

My Water Post For Today.

Isn't this a stunning image?

About 10 minutes after we left Mount Rushmore, we came to a parking area by a lake.

Looking at a map, it seems to be Horse Thief Lake.

I have no idea why it is there, in other words, man-made or real.

Looking back toward the Black Hills we had just left, gave us an incredible view.

Unexpected beauty, and I am so glad I pulled over and stopped.

KCETers Get Together

My former boss got a Facebook reunion group going.

Very low key, just whoever wanted to come to a get together down the street from our old stomping grounds...Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles.

It looks like we got 17 of us former KCET employees together.

The group included the man who put us on the air 59 years ago.

On Air Promos, Traffic, Engineering, Development (aka Fundraising), and Office workers.

It was a diverse group spanning 1964 to about 2020.

Lunch was at Chi Dynasty, a local restaurant, on Hillhurst.

The best part...a good time was had by all.

Bead Work

While we were at the Crazy Horse memorial, we went through several museums of artwork created by local Native American tribes.

This particular one caught the eye of both my Husband and myself.

Look at the intricate beadwork that makes this cover.

I can't even imagine how many people worked on it, to create this masterful work.

I am not too sure about the horse liking it, though. :-)

A Tale Of Two Houses

First, an update from yesterday. Rain came, so no painting went on to finish the job on my Son's house.

A quick look at these two houses.

What do they have in common?

The color blue, of course.

When he sent a photo of the house with the color paint he was choosing, I laughed.

I heartily approve the choice, by the way.

The apple did not fall far from the tree.

He says he likes blue, though you can see that it leans toward grey, which is fine.

I assume the stones will stay the grey color, that they are right now.

Hopefully the neighbors approve, but since he does not really have much of an HOA, I think it is fine.

Airline Prices Are Low Right Now

The flights are booked!

I had heard on the news that airlines were hurting for passengers, pre-holiday.

So I struck, and succeded in booking small flights from LA, to Phoenix, to then on to Nashville the next day.

We will visit with our friends from Phoenix, during the 24 hours we are in town.

Being that Nashville, Tennessee is not that far from my Son, we asked him if we could visit him, too. He is currently having his house painted, and it would be great to see it all finished.

He was OK with that, and so I found a direct flight from Nashville to Detroit. Again, not very expensive.

The flight home would have been more expensive, but my Husband wanted the train, so that is booked, too.

I get finished with everything before the holidays, and can sit back and watch them happen, without having to travel.

Yay! Photo is of my Son's house, painting in progress.

Charlotte's Web

I don't remember a whole lot about my schooling, but one thing I remember clearly is the fact that I did not speak much in class.

I was shy, but one day my 3rd Grade teacher read us a bit of Charlotte's Web, and I actually went to the front of the class and asked her if I could bring it home with me.

She looked at me and said, "You can't read at that level". I insisted that I could read, and so she allowed me to take the book home.

I read the book, brought it back, and she said "Prove to me that you read this". So I read a passage to her.

She upped my reading group immediately.

I never looked back.

Nashville?

I am at it again, looking at travel info for the very end of the year. Years ago, I mentioned that I visited Nashville in 1979, on my way to Los Angeles. You can read that post HERE.

Though Opryland theme park no longer exists, it is right next to The Grand Ole Opry, and I am sure that if we visit this town, I will need to bring my Husband there. I will probably cry when I see what little is left of that amazing theme park. Sigh...

Tennessee is my Husband's last state to visit, so I want to get it out of my life in 2023.

Next year, I hope to visit with family. Let's hope I get the chance to do that.

I also don't want to visit the South in prime tornado time, so that is the other reason I am looking to book something before Thanksgiving.

Wish me luck.

A Pedestrian Bridge In Montréal, Canada

My Water Post For Today.

When we visited Montréal, Canada back in 2018, we walked around the city.

We walked through a park that had this lovely pathway with a water feature.

Similar to the one we saw at Crazy Horse, last month.

I love having bridges to walk over. You get a different perspective that way.

Document Shredding Event

Back in April, I noticed a Document Shredding Event hosted by the City of Santa Clarita.

You are limited to 5 boxes, and must pre-register for it.

I waited too long the first time, and so I could not register.

When I saw it come up for October, I was right on it, and got a time a half hour after gym class.

We got there about 10 minutes before our scheduled appointment, and got done right away.

The truck shreds the documents immediately, so you don't have to worry about anyone stealing your identity.

A seriously great service.

Halloween Has Arrived At The Angel House

I finally got my Halloween decorating going, here at the angel house.

The pumpkin is now looking out the front window.

I have, since this photo was taken, put my Halloween decoration by the front door.

I admit that I have been very lax in regard to changing them, for the seasons.

I totally missed Fall leaves this past month. Maybe I will put them up for a few weeks, after Halloween.

Anyway, it feels good to decorate a bit for the Fall. It was my houses' first season, back in 1985.

The Last Donut From Wall Drug

This is my last donut, from our trip to Wall Drug in South Dakota.

I have been cutting them in half, to make them last longer.

It helps me eat less of them, but I knew that sometime, I would finally run out.

It looks like today's the day.

They were excellent, even day old, and they froze well.

Too bad I can't buy them online.

Who knew there might be a reason to go back someday.

Pumpkins Abound

I don't get out much, so I took full advantage of our visit to Knott's Berry Farm.

Most of their decorations were cobwebs, but once in a while we had a nice pumpkin/Fall display.

This was one of them.

I love the corn stalks added to the plants, that spend their time in the planter box.

Nice elevation, for the pumpkins themselves.

I am glad we spent some time there, because I just heard that Disney is upping their prices by a lot (to make up some of their losses on the streaming side of business).

Bet the other ones will follow.

Pony Express - The Ride

There are several new rides at Knott's Berry Farm.

This one attracted the younger members of our 11 person entourage.

It is called Pony Express - The Ride.

It's a fast ride, and very short.

From what I heard, it was worth another go round (and so they did).

Unfortunately, I am too old for those kinds of things.

So sad. :-(

Welcome To Bluesky

The past 3 days have been horrid on Twitter (now known as X).

In a desparate move, for me, I asked a friend for an invite to a platform called Bluesky.

So I set up shop there, and we will see how I like it.

Being you need a person who is on the platform, to get that invite, it (for now) keeps the fake Russian bots off of Bluesky.

It does look a lot like Twitter, because it was made by someone who worked at Twitter.

I will let you know how it goes.

Rafting At Knott's

My Water Post For Today.

My Husband and our friends from Phoenix love the raft ride at Knott's.

I, on the other hand, do not.

So while they rode it, I took photos of the rapids.

It was fun to watch the roaring rapids in action, but not get wet.

I hope you enjoy.

Fresno High And Us

Last time we passed the High School, it looked so much better than it had back in the old days.

They had put two buildings in front of it, which hid the high school itself.

Now days, it stands proud, and I like the clean lines it has.

Old but well kept up.

The second photo is the one they took of us, when we arrived.

I love the Mickey tie on my Husband. :-)

A Trip To El Coyote For East Coast Friends

The last time I was at El Coyote, was for my retirement party. It was good to be back.

The time before, we met these same East Coast Friends for dinner. So it has become a thing with us.

At one time or another, all of us have worked for a PBS station, or for PBS.

Yes, even my Husband. He worked in the tape library for a time, when our Son was small.

The three others spent 2 hours at Tiki Ti, the bar next to the old KCET lot.

Being I had to drive, we skipped that part of the evening and met up with them at El Coyote.

We had dinner around 7:30PM and they made it by 8:30PM, so they managed to get served a late dinner.

El Coyote stops serving at 9PM, but they let us talk until almost 10PM.

It was good to see them, and worth the trip down to the old neighborhood.

Photo: Us with a Halloween decoration.

Knott's Scary Farm

We connected with our friends from Phoenix, on Tuesday.

They had free passes to Knott's Berry Farm, and decided to use them for the Knott's Scary Farm.

We made a date for Tuesday, and there were 11 of us spending the day, doing rides, and eating food.

The place is all decorated in Halloween Finery, some of which were quite cute.

Many of the rides that I used to go on, were no longer there, or no longer operational.

Which was a sad note to the day.

A Sleeping Cat

After a bit of an unstable weekend, we left the cat alone again on Tuesday.

My gut feeling is she was so happy to have us back in the house, that she stayed with us, in the afternoon.

This photo was taken just after I finished talking on the phone with my sister and brother-in-law.

She looks quite comfortable, especially since she has not been sitting on the couch, for the past few months.

I think the shots are helping her, in that regard.

Welcome back healthy kitty.

Cedar Viaduct In Fresno

We did get to see a small piece of the High Speed Rail, while visiting Fresno.

This is the Cedar Viaduct, which crosses over Hwy 99 just south of Downtown Fresno.

I remembered to alert my Husband to get a photo or two, as we passed it.

It is difficult to see, for the most part, except where they had to build bridges.

As we know from National News, it has taken forever to build.

Reunion Thoughts

I have other photos, but these two are a bit special.

The first one is my Husband, with his long-time friend and his wife.

They are a lovely couple, who are also trying to get to all 50 States.

We didn't gloat about where we are in that process. :-)

The second photo was taken at Fresno High School. I had the car running, so this was the best I could get.

I thought it came out OK.

We drove by the old neighborhood, so we saw Fresno City College and also Fresno State.

Glad to be back home.

Fort Washington Country Club And Golf Course

My Water Post For Today.

Yes, I am back from Fresno. Glad to be home.

One of the cool things about the reunion, is that it takes place at the Fort Washington Country Club and Golf Course. I wrote about it back in 2011, which you can see HERE.

That gives us quite a nice view, when looking outside the windows.

I love water, as you know, and this part of the golf course, gave the entire building a feeling of serenity.

I hope you enjoy.

A Friend In Fresno Who Is A Friend Indeed

62 Years is a long time to be friends, and the two of them keep in touch via email, and holiday cards.

I personally think that we are going to this reunion just because the two of them enjoy each others company so much.

It will be good to see Richard, once again.

He is a nice person, who was into things like heating water with solar power, burning wood instead of using gas, back in the 80's.

Way ahead of the crowd, in that regard.

Looking forward to seeing him, and others, at the reunion.