I had never been to the San Diego area and I was expecting a brisk ocean breeze and sunny skies but when I emerged from the airport the weather hit me like a fist! Heavy, humid and hot, the air got right up in my face. Wow! I thought, are we in Panama? It stayed like that for two days, raining all one day. It turns out it was the tail end of a Pacific hurricane. By day three the weather had become what I had thought of as typical beach weather, warm, breezy and clear.
I was eager to see Susie and Martin’s new house in Carlsbad. We wound around and around through a large development called Carillo Ranch, Quintera until they stopped in front of a very charming, Spanish style (what else?) bungalow with tile roof and tropical landscaping. Sue tells me this was all part of a massive ranch owned by the old movie actor, Leo Carillo. It was sold and developed into a beautiful planned community, complete with park, swimming pool and visitor’s center.
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| Carillo, Quintara Clubhouse & Pool area |
Their new house is quite a departure from the quirky, unique, water tower house they lived in for 25 years in the Santa Cruz Mountains. For some reason, their furniture looks even better in the new house. It all fits perfectly as if it were specifically bought for this house. The interior is bright and airy with lots of light and high ceilings and the back yard, although not large, is a delight. The previous owner loved Hawaii so he planted Plumeria, Hibiscus, and palms. Martin has put up his bird feeders and is waiting for the local birds to discover them.
Sue’s beloved horses, Punkin’ and Baby were professionally moved to a nearby stables so we spent one afternoon feeding them and making sure they were comfortable in their new surroundings. The stables is in a small valley surrounded by little hills. Huge Eucalyptus trees tower over the paddocks and corrals. There’s a sharp herbal scent under the usual horsey smells. Due to Sue’s ALS, she can’t ride anymore but she can sure enjoy feeding, currying and just being with her “babies.”
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| Punkin' and Baby's new home |
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| Baby |
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| Punkin' wearing her fly mask |
One day we drove the scenic route out to Escondido to visit the small but lovely Orfila winery. We passed mansion after huge mansion on the way. Miles of telltale white fences surrounding them made it obvious it was horse country. We bought sandwiches on the way for a picnic under the shade of the grape arbor at the winery. It was a lovely day.
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| Orfila Winery arbor |
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| Picnic with my sister Sue |
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| Martin |
I have to say how surprised I was at the geology of the area surrounding Carlsbad. I always thought of it as near the beach so naturally it would be cool, damp and lush. Not so. There is a ridge of land between the beach and the inland area and east that ridge the land is an arid desert. As one drives down Highway 5 you can see how the ocean pushes inland every few miles creating wide, brackish lagoons or estuaries. On either side of these estuaries are high ridges, dotted with homes with spectacular views.
Once we had unpacked and sorted the art work it was time to figure out where to hang it all. After much discussion and carrying pictures from room to room we thought we had it handled. Time for trip to the beach.
The beach state park at Cardiff was perfect. We could park right next to a long ramp over the sand that Sue could navigate down to the water. I couldn’t resist. I had to wade into the surf to check out the temperature. It was almost warm. No wonder the surfers weren’t wearing wetsuits! We saw a small plane trailing a Coors Beer sign and a guy whirring along above our heads, sitting in a makeshift contraption that looked like an old aluminum folding chair under para sail with a little motor keeping him aloft. A lunch of tacos at Bull Taco in downtown Encinitas then back to the house for a rest.
On Thursday Sue and I picked up her two grandsons, West and Marlow, at their charter school, brought them back to the house for snacks and then on to Marlow’s swimming class where we met Kristinha, Sue’s daughter-in-law. That night we joined Kristinha and Pat and the boys for dinner. Their house is only about 10 minutes away (across one of those estuaries) from Sue and Martin’s place.
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| Sue and West |
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| Marlow |
Friday night Sue, Martin and I had dinner at the restaurant Pat and Kristnha had recommended, Casa Qero, a Peruvian restaurant in Encinitas. From the moment we walked in, passing a display of Peruvian folk art, to the moment we sat down and admired the gorgeous hand painted ceiling, we knew it was a special place. The atmosphere was intimate, friendly and festive. Even the menus were works of art. Our waiter entertained us with corny jokes and the manager came by our table to make sure we were well taken care of. The food was wonderful. I did make a small mistake in ordering the braised pork, however. When it came to the table I nearly fainted. It was as big as my head! Martin’s scallops would have been a better choice. At least he could finish them. Mine was delicious but I could only eat about a quarter of it. Sue had the braised beef and she could only manage about half. Naturally, there were leftovers enough for a couple of lunches at home.
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| Braised Pork shoulder "as big as my head!" |
Saturday morning was time for me to fly back home. I was sad to go but was glad to see my sister and Martin settling in to their new life. Now they’re close to their only child, Pat and his family. No more worries about electricity failures, falling trees, or fires, as they did in the mountains. They can relax and enjoy the lovely weather and spend time with their beloved grandsons. How cool is that.
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