Whales Tales

Not sharks this time, but Dana and I saw lots of Humpback Whales' tails off Morro Bay last week. And sea lions by the hundreds. A few sea otters, floating on their backs.

But to start. Dana took a much needed weeks' vacation and spent it here, with her mommy (and Patrick, her step dad). For a girls' trip she and I went about 2 hours up the coast to Morro Bay and checked into the Inn at Morro Bay for 2 days.

First night -- a thunder and lightening storm, the edge of one of the Mexican hurricanes. Spectacular! From our room overlooking the bay we were in an audience seat viewing the show on the other side of the sand spit, toward open ocean. Jagged, bright lightening bolts followed by deafening cracks of thunder. Went on for hours.

The next morning it was raining fat drops and there was residual thunder. At each clap the seabirds that had been nesting in the trees and on the water all bolted into the air at once, frantic and sure they were being shot at. (We very rarely have such storms in CA.) We postponed the whale watching trip we had scheduled. We didn't want to represent lightening rods on the open boat. Went the next day instead.

As usual, when Dana and I travel together, everything becomes magical. The universe seems to provide the timing and we just participate. On our second night at the hotel we happened upon a lounge show that featured a quintet plus a ravishing red-headed vocalist. They specialized in bossanova jazz -- my favorite. They were so very good that at one point Dana and I got up and danced.

"Diana" told us during a break that she really got a kick out of our dancing. We praised her talent, told her she could make it in the Big Time. She could. Two different ladies complimented me on my blouse, which is frilly and feminine and not my usual style. What fun.

During Dana's week here we went shopping (we always find stuff to buy); had a ladies lunch w/4 of my favorite friends; hosted a cocktail party with our friends "JacknBob" and Sue; took 2 long, amazing beach walks; thoroughly enjoyed Patrick's chef skills on our plates; had a delicious BBQ at Sue's; and Dana made over our front porch.

It's always hard putting her on the plane. We did get a treat, tho. As we were standing, saying goodbye where everyone goes thru security, the woman on duty removed a jar of cheddar cheese from a passenger's hand and, telling them she couldn't accept it as a gift as they suggested, turned and gave it to us. It is from Solvang and it is the BEST.

Also got a bottle of water from some woman. We kidded that we should do this more often and maybe some day get dinner out of it.

Dana and I had decided against "water works" at the airport, telling each other that we'd get together again soon. My Dana-Banayna...