Music Fest, Baseball game, birthday presents, and a great hike

I went to a music fest last week in downtown San Diego.

It was great.  The venue was a street and groups were playing behind coffee shops,

in empty lots, in a park and a church.

These guys were great.  Spanish and something else - it was a rich beautiful sound.

I purchased a CD - what a bargain for 8 bucks.

I've been listening to it all week.

My MFLC friend Kaye, loves cheese cake.

She insisted on stopping at dessert shop that specialized in cheesecake.

 I was cooperative and just out of politeness

ate this gigantic piece of coffee, kahlua cheesecake.

It was ridiculously delicious.

I am so darn polite.

This was one funky barbershop. 

These madras outfits were so cute - I had to get matching outfits for the 

birthday boys who will be 3 this coming week.

I will have to include some little cars or something because I think their mothers will like these outfits more than the boys.

What can I say???

This was one late afternoon last week when I went to the beach after work.

aaaaahhhhhhhh

There are lots of funky old hotels along the beach in all of the towns.

This is one in Oceanside - I stayed here several years ago.

This is sunset from Oceanside 

pretty.

I coerced one of my co workers to go to a Dbacks baseball game with me.

It was a GREAT night.

I chose these seats because they were cheap - 20 bucks and 

we even got a senior discount of 3.00 so they were only 17.00

(funny how I have NO problem accepting senior discounts)

(weird, though)

anyway the seats were directly over home plate 

only 

waaaaaayyyy up high in the bleachers.

But they were great seats.

I was the only Diamondback fan around me.  I kept yelling and cheering every time the Dbacks made a great play - and they made plenty.

I told the people around me to take pity on the Dbacks and they needed to win a game keep their morale going.

A few people laughed but most of them ignored me.

It was 6 - 0 at the end of the second inning and they won 8 -1.

Yeay.  

They lost the other two games so I was glad I went to the winning game.

It was great.

Sundays are the most challenging day of the week for me while I am here.

I think it is because I almost always have all of my kiddos and all of their kiddos

over for Sunday dinner.  I look forward to those dinners.

Anyway, while I am here, I find that I need to do something to take my mind off of missing being home.

So, today I went to Julian - which is a town up in the mountains.

It was founded in 1869 - ish and is known for its' pies.

There are lots of apple orchards up there and about 5 pie stores in the main drag.

I am fortunate to find other mflcs who are hiking enthusiasts!

Volcan Mountain is 5,719 ft. in elevation.

The above photo is the entrance to the hike - somebody put a lot of work into this trailhead.

The town of Julian is 4,235 ft.

So we had quite a climb the but the views were truly spectacular.

This way to the summit.......

It got really windy and cold up toward the top.

There was this bench just waiting for tired hikers to rest for a while.

This was the view from the bench.

The mountains are really amazing in California.

There are ranges and ranges and ranges of mountains.

Lots of scrub oak, manzanita, sage

magnificent old enormous trees.

After wards we had bar b cue, cole slaw, and locally brewed beers.

I still miss all my kiddos and can't wait to go home next weekend.