The day of pretty pictures . . .

[January 10.  After two days in the desert we were anxious to get back to the water.  Rita was feeling much better – probably just needed two days of rest, free from her annoying relatives.  Here The Biddies frolic on the jetty at South Carlsbad State Beach, a/k/a/, Ponto Beach.]

[Shooting back at the Pacific Coast Highway, and a light rail train.]

[The supervisor works on her foot work.  Reetz hangs back displaying a reasonable caution.]

[Proto-typical Midwestern tourist.]

[Someone shouted, “Surf’s up!”  So he looked at the sky?]

[Couldn’t miss an opportunity to display his beautiful smile.]

[The plight of the lonesome surfer.]

[Beach volleyball . . . well, it is California.]

[Having once been caught in one, I now appreciate oceans from afar.]

[Practicing the avocation of mature women everywhere . . . shelling!  😉  ]

[Beautiful Lake Darling?]

[Goofy-footer waves?]

[Here’s where we practiced our Midwestern charm.  Beach access, with views, are at a premium.  We turned in here for some photo ops only to discover it was a “pay for the day” kinda place.  We schmoozed the nice lady ticket-taker into letting us park there for 20 minutes to run and take some pictures.]

[Hi, Reetz!]

[The Biddies just love beaching.]

[House with a view.  Or maybe a resort?]

[Can’t tell?]

[A nice spot to catch some surfing.]

[Wet suits are a necessary in the cool Pacific.]

[Beach walking is an addiction.]

[We have numbers . . . mid-week, morning?]

[I count 15 in this shot.]

[24?]

[Surfer Dude?]

[Then it was on to Torrey Pines Golf Club in La Jolla.]

[The Biddies and I had lunch here in 2009.]

[A public course that hosts many PGA events.]

[In fact, they were putting up stands for the PGA tournament that would be there in two weeks.]

[Pro shop and putting green.]

[Best displayed with a male model.]

[I suggested dining here again, for old times sake.  The Biddies would have none of it!]

[So we were on the road again, and this is across the street from the U of C San Diego campus where Reetz’s daughter Beth professes.]

[It’s the Torrey Pines Gliderport, which I believe is part of the university.]

[It was nice to re-visit here again, too.  I believe there is a clothing optional beach down there some where, but, again, I didn’t feel like trying to find out.  😉 ]

[The way down?]

[Venturing to the edge, outside the roped bounds.]

[Nice view, and about as close I was going to venture to the edge.]

[I suggested dining here.  Shot down again by The Biddies!]

[The “Gliderport” was closed while we were there – no hang gliders taking off.  😦   ]

[OK, not great food but an unmatched view!  The Biddies are such gourmets!]

[So, we say adios to the Gliderport.]

[And on to downtown La Jolla (pronounced: lah-jaw-lah (OK, the same as Georgetown University’s nickname).  A classic “woodie!”  (Sometimes “woody,” the symbol of California beaches.)    ]

[Driving around La Jolla looking for an eatery to satisfy The Biddies’ exquisite tastes.  I believe at the base of the park below is Children’s Beach, which has been taken over by sea lions, much to the consternation of the locals who don’t know what to do about it?]

[OK, I called this one.  We all liked the location, outside with view, but they would have preferred the Italian restaurant above us.]

[We can get Italian anywhere – this was Thai, and I was aching to have my mouth set on fire.  I remember I had “naked salmon” (memorable name) and it was fire engine hot.  I don’t usually care for REALLY hot, but I want a good tingle.  An extinguisher would have been nice when I finished – and I did – and loved every minute of it. The Biddies each dipped their fork tines in my sauce and proclaimed it inedible!  🙂  ]

[La Jolla-ish.]

[Parking is always at a premium – you just drive around and hope.]

[Oy!]

[Where we are in relation to where we’ve been.]

[The U of C San Diego campus.]

[Where we are in relation to where we’ve been.]

[I got a little excited when I first saw this . . . ]

[Later research indicated this is a space rental company.]

[Don’t know where the “Alexandria” came from?]

[Where we are in relation to where we were.]

[“The 5” paralleling the Pacific Coast Highway.]

[We’re heading north and back “home” to San Marcos.]

[Once home, we thought a good night to catch the sunset from Double Peak Park.  I guess what is a usual crowd for this daily event was gathering.]

[Bit of a haze this evening, but we’re looking at the ocean.]

[Two hot air balloons!]

[A closer-upper view.]

[And a solo.]

[San Marcos]

[Any event such as this is just an excuse to pack food and beverage.  Nobody does that better than The Biddies!  🙂  ]

 [Where’s the cream cheese?]

[Tom, are you going to open the wine?]

[Coming down.]

[I believe that’s called the moon?]

[The Backlit Biddies!  😉  ]

[Reetz soaking up some vitamin D . . .]

[And squeezing the last bit of it out of the sun.]

[The Backlit Supervisor.]

[The Biddies, contemplating life on the grandest scale.]

[I think there really is a Macy’s.]

[Snapping the supervisor snapping.]

[And as the sun sinks slowly in the West . . . ]

[The supervisor reaches for one last shot . . . ]

[For who knows when such will happen again?]

[Going . . . .]

[Going . . .]

[Gone!]

Women speak because they wish to speak, whereas a man speaks only when driven to speech by something outside himself – like, for instance, he can’t find any clean socks.  ~  Jean Kerr