WARNING: Long post below!
Chula Vista, California: If there is anyone wondering why it is so quiet over here, it is because we have been traveling like it is our job. After the water pressure issue was settled, we have been working to reupholster our ten 40-year-old dining chairs while the table and chairs are off to be refinished. I had planned to reupholster the chairs myself. I have the equipment, the fabric, the fancy staple gun... but even with my fancy staple remover (used on my needlepoint canvases), it took about 30 minutes to remove the old fabric from each cushion.
Meanwhile, we were having our patio furniture cushions reupholstered at a popular nearby shop in Indio. They do a great job and when I took one of the dining chairs in (as an example) they said if I would remove all the fabric from the original upholstery - and since I had the fabric - they would wrap the chairs for $35 each. SOLD! It was a good six hours work for me to remove the fabric and backing from the ten chairs. Seriously sore and tired.
On Thursday (8th of October), Dave and I flew up to Eugene to attend the festivities for our friend, Vin, who was being inducted into the University of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame. There was a reception Thursday evening at Historic Hayward Field where we caught-up with our TrackTown posse and told the same old stories.
Thursday evening we had a perfect meal at our favorite restaurant in Eugene - Marché:
Friday was the 2026 Bill Dellinger Invitational Cross Country meet at Pine Ridge Golf Club (previously known as Springfield Country Club). Dellinger was Dave's college coach and Dellinger was a member at the Springfield Country Club and the club is very happy to host this annual event.
won the 8000m race in 23:05.5
Both Oregon teams (men and women) won their races! (Not a surprise, for sure, but still amazing.) Many of the invited teams were staying in our hotel, and we met and talked with several racers over the weekend. They were all so excited to be racing on such hallowed ground and were honored to be racing the Dellinger Invitational. Clout!
The weather was not cooperating with out plans Friday. We had all day free before the Hall of Fame Induction in the evening, and it was chilly, cloudy and blustery. We hit-up our usual favorite spots: 5th Street Public Market, and the Duck Shop at the football stadium.
There is a majorly huge construction project happening at the football stadium (aka Autzen Stadium). Apparently the current indoor practice facility isn't good enough for the Mighty (3-2) Ducks, so they are getting a new facility.
The Hall of Fame Induction ceremony was held in the Club Room at Autzen Stadium (previously mentioned football stadium. One of the rare occasions one can enter the Club Room without popcorn strewn all over the floor. There was a lovely meal, heartfelt speeches, and another class of amazing Oregon athletes entered the Hall of Fame.
Six in all. Jillian Alleyne (women's basketball), Liz Brenner (women's volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, softball, track & field - AMAZING), Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (football), Cheridan Hawkins (softball), Vin Lananna (track & field), 2016 Men's Golf Team for winning the NCAA Championship.
Vin Lananna won 6 NCAA titles and 13 conference titles while coaching the Duck men/women teams, and in his spare time founded TrackTown USA which hosted the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials. Not to mention Hayward Field hosting the 2022 Athletics World Championships. Vin's family and all his grandchildren were in attendance.
The Leo Harris Award winner was also announced this evening. Allan Amundson (football AND track) won for his community service through his work with the local police force and the city of Springfield. It's a big fancy trophy, people! (DT was the Leo Harris Award winner in 1997 - and is also in the Hall of Fame as a member of 1973 and 1974 NCAA Cross Country Championship team.)
And, well, if you are at a party honoring Vin, you know there is going to be an after-party. Back to The Gordon Hotel, where there isn't so much a doorman, but a llama.
One more thing. I know you can't have me in Oregon for fifteen minutes without having a Yumm! Bowl from Cafe Yumm! Not to disappoint, I had a bowl for lunch Thursday, a bowl for lunch Friday and a bowl for lunch Saturday before flying back to Palm Springs.
Exact same Hot & Jazzy with tofu. Every dang day. I was a very happy girl. (My Driver had a Yumm! bowl every day as well.)
The dang Ducks lost to the UCLA Bruins Saturday afternoon (football). We watched on my phone and listened on the rental car radio. The sunset on our flight south was extraordinary, but a storm was brewing and we landed in Palm Springs minutes before they shutdown the airport due to lightning. Our drive home was rainy. Such a rare thing in the desert. Though pretty tired after our two-night trip, we were up most of the night checking on the rain accumulating around our property. 1.8 inches fell in five hours! I thought our pool was going to overflow (but apparently there is an automatic fix for that, but the fix was having a tough time keeping up with Mother Nature.) There was a big mess to deal with in the morning!
Living in the desert, puddles disappear quickly, but Dave was out cleaning downed branches for a while Sunday morning before we drove over to Los Angeles (wait - another trip?). Lisa and Lenny were hosting a small dinner for my 71st birthday and Dave and I were attending (our last-ever) Grandparents Day at the kid's school Monday. Lucy is in 7th grade and Leo is in high school (9th grade) and 7th grade is the last grade the school host a Grandparents Day. (Insert sad face here.) It was a lovely program with a performance by the middle school choir and orchestra, and a dance performance. They served us luncheon and then Lucile gave us a tour of her middle school and her dance studio. So interesting.
Lenny grilled steaks, Lisa roasted salmon and broccolini and served my favorite roast potato and arugula salad.
Gabe brought a chocolate chocolate chocolate cake - with chocolate!
And just so you won't think we are slackers, we drove back to our house Monday afternoon after Grandparents Day and loaded up the Petit Peregrinus to reach the beach in time to celebrate my 71st on the actual day (October 14th). Yes, it is a trip for my birthday. but the golf course has been scalped and grass clippings are flying around in the wind, so we can't use our pool or patio. Good time to be away. The course was scheduled to reopen November 12th, but with all the rain Saturday night, all bets are off.
As we were pulling away from our house, a florist van stopped to deliver the most amazing arrangement from our Blonde Daughter, Angela!
Bet this arrangement didn't know it would be taking a trip to San Diego! How fun. The flowers rode in the kitchen sink all the way to the beach and take up at least 1/3 of the dining table. Fantastic!
I made a chicken alfredo lasagna situation for my (actual) birthday dinner, but those Dang Dodgers did not give me a gift - losing again to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Rat farts.
Gonna take a few days of relaxation in sunny SoCal - temperatures are predicted in the low 80s all week. Until my next update, I remain, your 71-year-old correspondent.
Campsite Information: Sun Outdoor Resorts San Diego Bay.