Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Spring in Paradise

Yesterday we rode our bikes along the ocean trail.  These flowers were beautiful.


I love daisies!

These are the hills driving from Santa Barbara to Ventura.

This morning, 3/29/16, we went hiking at Arroyo Verde Park.  The purple and yellow are a favorite color combination.


Monday, March 21, 2016

The Stewarts

The Stewarts arrived in Paradise on Thursday evening.  We finished up zone conferences in Thousand Oaks and met them at the mission home.  They flew into Long Beach and rented a car.  
We were so excited to see them!

Friday morning we went to the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley.  
The original plan was for them to come the weekend before.  So glad they waited as the library was closed that weekend because of Nancy's viewing and funeral.
This man is 92 years old.  He's engraving in stone a name of a benefactor.  After doing the name he paints the lettering in gold.  He had a very steady hand.

Who would you vote for?
I think Deeners made the best point.

Air Force One is big and to see it on display was pretty incredible.  To get it into the structure it was disassembled over a nine-week period by a nine-person crew from The Boeing Company.  It was transported to the Library by truck on a specially designed trailer traveling 104 miles from San Bernardino at 11:00 p.m. to the library at 5:00 a.m.  The roof and 2 1/2 walls of the Pavilion were constructed and the plane was towed inside.  The remaining walls were built around the aircraft and The Boeing Company reassembled the plane in ten weeks.  It was then hoisted onto its pedestals and secured by its landing gear.  The painting and polishing of the plane took 5 months.  
The wingspan is 145'9"and length is 152'11".


The plane seats 52 passengers plus the Air Force crew.

We got lunch at the cafe and ate outside in the beautiful sunshine.
The memorial sight was ready for vewing and Nancy was buried just a week before.



The special exhibit.
I wondered what Catholics believed as we went through the exhibit.  There wasn't any info telling us.
  Diane and I thought we should google it but never did.

A replica of Micahelangelo's Sistine Chapel .
These flowers were so bright!

Saturday we went golfing at River Ridge in Oxnard.  Deeners was such a good sport to come and ride through the course.  I don't think her knees would have made it; although she did do some putting.  I would get the ball to the green and she did some of the putts.

I'll let you be the judge as to if the ball went in or not.

My selfie didn't show the flowers very well.

Fish tacos were on the menu for a late lunch.  We got back to the mission home and rested for a bit (well D had to still read emails) before the Utah game was on. 
It was so great they came to visit as it made us take some time away from the daily duties (except still emails).
We went to church in Oxnard and after lunch we drove to Ojai and down through Santa Paula.  Everything is so green and beautiful.
It was sad to have Rich and Diane leave this afternoon (Monday) but it's transfer planning time now and that's where our attention has to be.  We love you Stewarts!  Thanks for taking the time to visit and cause us to have some good laughs!

Monday, March 14, 2016

The Iversons 3/11/16

We've been looking forward to meeting the Iversons from Logan, Utah.  I've enjoyed corresponding with Sister Iverson through email.  Elder Iverson will be the fleet coordinator and Sister Iverson will be the mission secretary.  I can tell she is organized so I hope I can keep up with her.
We invited the office couples to dinner so that we could welcome the Iversons. Our menu for dinner was a turkey roll, a rice dish, vegetable medley in soup and sour cream topped with stove top stuffing, "lion house rolls," and crepes with lemon curd, blueberries and whip cream.   We were grateful the meal was enjoyed. 




Friday, March 4, 2016

Hearst Castle

Wednesday, March 2 we drove up north.  We stopped in Pismo Beach to meet a couple of Elders then onto Atascadero where President did a baptismal interview.  We visited with two sisters that evening and then stayed at the Springhill Suites.
Thursday morning we drove to the Hearst Castle.  We couldn't stop raving how beautiful and green the landscape was.


We had to pull over for this shot.  In the back sticking out of the ocean is Morro rock.
William Randolph Hearst was a wealthy newspaper publisher.  He hired Julia Morgan to design and also decorate the castle.  They worked on the project from 1919 to 1947.
We parked at the visitor's center and then a bus drove us up to the castle.
This is at the top looking down.
The Neptune Pool was drained due to the drought.


Tile on the ground.
Casa Grande



Assembly Room.  All of the fireplaces were huge.

This statue reminded me of a smaller statue that my mother had.
This is the table they would dine at.  The Hogwarts dining room was fashioned after this room and it was Dell's favorite part of the tour.  The flags are silk.

I wanted a picture of the candle sticks.
Two tables in the Billiard Room.
This statue was one of many on the side walls of the Theater Room.
My favorite part of the tour was walking around outside.
Pretend there is a discus in his hand.


Indoor Roman Pool, so beautiful!
The bottom of the pool.
The elephant seals were about 5 miles from the castle so we had to go see them again.  This time of year there are not many.
We had a great P-day.  We don't take very many and this was very much enjoyed.