Wed.-Sun., May 19-23, 2021
Our first few days home from Maui were not too hectic which was good for both of us.
We arrived at LAX at about
6:30 a.m. on Wednesday
Our redeye flight from Maui was smooth but we both needed a little extra shut eye time later in the day.
The biggest positive, healthy takeaway from our Hawaiian vacation was getting back on to walking daily thanks to Mark Johnson's example.
I continued attaining the 10,000+ step level daily in Camarillo.
You see lots of interesting things on these local walks.
Jelly Beans?
During the pandemic people started
leaving painted stones along Camarillo's
Arroyo Las Posas . . .
. . . most were really splendid
On Saturday night we revisited
our new post-pandemic tradition,
our monthly dinner meeting
with our UW Friends
Each month one of our three couples picks a restaurant near their home and we all meet there for what has turned out to be a grand time.
Last month, Mike and Susan D'Antuono picked a corker of a spot in Pasadena.
This month it was our turn to pick a spot.
We opted for the highly acclaimed Casa Nostra Ristorante in Westlake Village for some amazing Italian dishes.
While we had never dined here, several members of my Italian Conversation classes over the years spoke highly about this hidden gem oddly located in an industrial complex.
With the Casa Nostra's owner,
the outgoing Giovanni
We struck up a conversation before the others arrived and he complimented me on my Italian language skills (?) and asked where I learned La Bella Lingua?
I said that I lived for two years in Catania, Sicily and three years near Milano.
He asked me where near Milano and I told him about the smaller town of Varese. Giovanni broke out in a big smile and proclaimed that he was originally from Busto Arsizio which is just a stone's throw from Varese.
Small world . . .
Giovanni gave our table a wonderful
complimentary plate of
fabulous bruschetta
It was all as delicious and friendly as people said it would be, what a fun Saturday night!
Next month will be Paul and Joanne Sabolic's month to pick the spot somewhere in the San Fernando Valley for our next reunion.
Can't wait to do it again!
On Sunday morning, I joined son Michael for a hike to burn off some of those rich Italian pasta calories.
CAUTION! Rattle Snake Habitat
WONDERFUL . . .
Who brings wood chips to add
to the park's parking lot?
First it was rattle snakes,
now we have to watch out for
pre-historic lizards and ninjas
We got to the fork in the road
so we took it
Skunk Hollow?
Paradise Falls here we come!
Dense vegetation on the way
to Paradise Falls
We had to cross this
dangerous, raging river . . .
. . . to get to Paradise Falls
Michael sporting his new t-shirt
from Maui's Seabury Hall in
Makawao
Danger was everywhere we looked
Remnants of a tree ravaged
by a recent wildfire
Two Hikers, One Mirror
Some of Santa Rosa Valley Park's
rugged bluffs
That was a solid 6.2 mile hike!
I was already way over my 10,000+ step goal for the day and it was only 10:39 a.m.
I'm loving this new physical fitness phase of my life!
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