From our weekly issue dated July 30, 2008

As threatened last issue, here is a continuation of our recent adventures in and around the north coastal areas of San Diego County.

About that embarrassing 112 score at Surf Bowl in Oceanside: I had not bowled for a long time, and I had the sore muscles and fingers to prove it afterward. Granddaughters Natalie and Ella were invited to a birthday party at the lanes, and I got to go along with daughter Vicki, and Cave Junction granddaughter Kim, who took the trip with Jan and me. It was fun, especially for the party host, who had Surf Bowl provide the pizza and soft drinks; then got to leave without cleaning the mess.

Speaking of pizza, we went to That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, which apparently has been in the same location for 35 years. Good pizza and a great place for kids. Plenty of noise, lots of video games, TVs blaring, and no one minds.

Another outing, to help Matt & Vicki clear out their garage, involved a trip to a recycling center. Natalie and I, with Kim, took large bags of aluminum cans, glass and plastic to a Carlsbad site. The attendant got real excited when I unloaded the glass. He began shouting, “No more glass! Maybe next week!” He was kind of unstable. Anyway, we managed to not get stuck to the parking lot, which was quite sticky. Natalie collected $4.84 for the recyclables. Then at a drug store she “really, really” wanted to buy a stuffed toy dog, as she only has 398 of them at home. I talked her out of it.

Another day, the three of us went to see the movie, Wall-E. We all enjoyed it, although Nat got a bit restless during the final 20 minutes or so, when the people characters begin talking. It’s an entertaining film, especially because of the “cuteness” of the robots. Much of the flick has no dialogue; the story is carried by the two main robots making robotty noises. As for the plot, I’ve seen it through the years in other movies, books and short stories: We trash and pollute the Earth; we have to do better or face the consequences. Wall-E, a rubbish collector and salvager, and Eve, a recon robot come to check the scene, make a good connection.

Vicki and her friend, Heather, are run nuts. One day they ran 7.5 miles, ending at a coffee house that used to be a train station in Encinitas. The girls and I went to pick them up as planned, because after extending themselves that much, they knew they’d want a ride. Somehow, I almost got lost on Hwy. 101, but managed to survive. Heather, by the way, is married to a guy who works for Eli Lilly & Co. Their children are named Eli and Lily. I find that interesting.

We didn’t do any touristy type stuff on this trip. Instead we had fun with the fam, like taking Nat to her swimming lessons at a YMCA pool. At almost 6 years of age, she was the youngest and smallest of the kids, but she did great. Swims like a fish.

We also went to a children’s dentist for an exam and X-rays for 3-year-old Ella. Afterward, we went to a self-serve yogurt store. Good idea, I think, as you get what you want, including toppings, and then pay by weight (the yogurt, not yours). After we returned to Oregon, Vicki took Ella back for some work, and the dentist “got her drunk” with a concoction so he could drill. Worked well, but she bit her tongue after she got home, and is still having a problem because of the gouge.

What else can I tell you about the trip? OK: Charlie the cat, formerly of Cave Junction, kept us up a lot during our second night. He was glad to see us again, and enjoyed checking us out in bed. Several times. He likes Matt & Vicki’s new house, although when they first let him out of the house, he was entirely confused and dismayed. Like Jan says, his familiar lawn and neighborhood were gone. But he’s adjusted, and now roams about, bringing home a field mouse almost every night. Most of them run off when he drops them.

To the credit of Carlsbad, with its green belt planning, there are lots of trees, lawns, flowers and open spaces. Also, real close to Matt & Vicki’s place, a 100-acre veterans memorial park is staked out. That’ll be nice for hiking and “stuff” like that.

Once more, I’m running out of space, so there will be one more installment of The Trip. It will include: Natalie’s joke, beeping bleeping carts at Seattle, and the editor decorating his shirt with salad dressing. But no more bowling scores.