She Baked Me a Cake!

Cashing in air miles, we spent the first week of November in sunny San Diego, visiting the Girl Child and her Marine hubby and, of course, our Granddog Lola!

Lola was happy to see her Abuela!
(We try to speak to her in her native language as much as possible!)

Rumor had it the weather was unseasonably warm back home (we're happy for our friends we left behind).... it was unseasonably warm and sunny in San Diego as well! Yay!  No marine layer in the mornings--we woke up to bright, sunny, cloudless skies all week long.

Ocean Beach

Our favorite place to go this time was the Dog Beach at Ocean Beach.  If you ever want to witness absolute JOY-- go there and observe all the dogs!  Our little Lola did pretty well holding her own; though she often seemed more intriqued with the dogs' owners than with the dogs themselves.  (She's such a people person!) At one point she became very attached to a spritely young woman jogging down the beach with her little Yorkie.  Apparently Lola figured she'd just go live with them from that point forward; or at least you'd get that impression by the way she never looked back...not even once.  Aside from that, it finally dawned on her that she could RUN....preferably in large, circuitous movements at breakneck speed.  She received compliments on her prowess from other dog "parents." We're so proud of our little Lolabug!

More Ocean Beach (but not the dog part).

Mr. P and I walked out onto the Pier and had lunch--an awesome Mahi Mahi Fish Taco washed down with Iced Tea.  (Wish I could show you some amazing, well-lighted, perfectly proportioned "foodie" photo here....but I only had my iPhone.  As if you'd be getting that otherwise! ha!) The salt air smell made us homesick for Mexico; this was a pretty good substitute.

Our view from the restaurant.

And for the grand finale...the actual reason (excuse) for making this trip..... my birthday!  People were very, very good to me:  Mr. P realized my need for some gold hoop earrings (his lament: "It's not a good time to be buying gold." But he sucked it up anyway!).  Our Marine smoked a leg of lamb using some of the lilac wood we brought along in our suitcases--those puppies are surprisingly heavy. (Bet the baggage handlers wouldn't have guessed "lilac logs"!)

Baaaaahhhhh!

And the Girl Child made this:

Yes, a first....the tables have turned....she made me a cake!!  Hidden beneath that "Tie Dye" exterior was a superb Red Velvet cake. We're so proud of our little Beanie! If this is a reward for getting older, bring it on!

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With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come.

                                         --William Shakespeare