EVENT DATES -- April 15-16,2016
Cap' n Baldy here!
Goldilocks and I have often mused about how very cool it would be to live in Coronado. Of course, the realization of this lovely dream would require a cataclysmic change in our financial status. In short, we'd have to win the Lottery! A 1000 sq. ft. 2 bedroom home will cost about 2 1/2 million dollars! After all, there's no need for us to move here ... a 30-minute drive from home will bring to this truly charming resort city across the bay from San Diego!
The Flag of the City of Coronado
The word "Coronado" in Spanish means "the crowned one". Hence, this inviting city of 25,000 received its nickname "The Crown City". It's also called "Emerald City" because of its long association with the color of green...as is evident, of course, in the city flag and high school colors!
I had always thought of Coronado as being a peninsula separating San Diego Bay from the Pacific Ocean. I learned today, from my cyber-guru Wikipedia, that this ain't so! I'm here to tell all y'all that Coronado is, indeed, an island connected to the mainland by a "tombolo" ... a skinny mound of sand. In this case, the "tombolo" is known as the Silver Strand ... one of our favorite biking routes of years past!
This city is the scene of more of our communal history than we can possibly relate in this blog! It has been the scene of our bike rides, boat rides, half-marathons, anniversary meals and many excursions to one of the finest beaches in the world! We live with the distant memory of overnight stays at the quirky-majestic Hotel Del Coronado for about 50 bucks a night. I remember awesome fireworks displays, warm poppy-seed muffins and a memorable July 4th parade! We brought our "kids", now in their mid-40's, here as infants and small children!
The Hotel Del Coronado...affectionately known as "The Del"
The Leow's Coronado Bay Hotel sits on the Silver Strand, about halfway between Coronado and the city of imperial Beach. This is one of our favorite places, one we discovered while on a bike ride along the Silver Strand. We have chosen it now as the retreat where we shall spend the actual day and hour of our 50th wedding anniversary . This is the place of the present time and I shall therefore use the present tense in this blog post ...
Leow's Coronado Bay Resort Hotel
It is Friday noon ... we arrive at our hotel ... a major convention of architects and real estate developers is in full fury here...the lobby is a swirl of suits, heels, omnipresent smart phones, edgy conversation ... everyone is striding the Power Walk of high ambition...
Cap' n Baldy doing what he does supremely well ...paying for lunch!
Our upgraded room is a true sanctuary ... an enormous king-size bed, a man-eating chair, a clear view across San Diego Bay...Goldilocks watches an auto carrier ship unload cars across the bay in Chula Vista ...
The Coronado Flower Show is a major happening now! We stroll by lovely old homes decorated with gorgeous flowers ...
Goldilocks has told me of her concern that our blog may be too SWEET-sounding...that is, it doesn't portray the true gritty reality of two people living together for as long as we have! Don't y'all worry yer pretty heads about THAT, little darlin's! We'll give y'all the grit as it shows up from time to time! Stay tuned in! Next week, we'll be in New York City which is MUCH more stressful than Coronado...
We stroll through downtown, stopping for a light dinner. It's an affable place. The Greenpeace folks are drumming up support on Orange Avenue...a bunch of old guys are discussing their golf game...teen-age girls chatter continuously at a table behind us ...
Goldilocks takes a Grand Self-Portrait at poolside as poor ole Baldy struggles at taking our luggage to our room ...
Sunset ... that spectacular moment that eclipses the strident aggressive hum of conventioneers at the hotel bar ...
A warm fire cuts the evening chill ... Goldilocks is happy ... across from us, a friendly pair of young doggy-mommies dote on their miniature charges ... little white something-or-others ... night affectionately settles in upon us ...
It is dawn...the rising sun casts a sublime gold shimmer on the surface of the bay. Starbucks in hand, Baldy is attired in his Anniversary Day garment... his often-worn tee shirt from Saint Petersburg, Russia ... faded black-gray...rumpled...the Queen is not amused ...this is not good! Goldilocks casts a cold imperious eye on my clueless fashion sense ... a change is needed ... now!
Granddaughter Laurel, Daughter Sue and Son Dan indulging
in a bit of flagrant excess -- Molten Lava Cake at Peohe's after a spectacular bayside lunch...
Two of my favorite Beauties enjoying life...
A late morning stroll at Leow's Coronado Bay Resort ...
After lunch at Peohe's with the San Diego skyline behind us!
Here's a bit of family PERSPECTIVE for all of us to be AWARE of....
Susan, Bob, Barbara, Dan...THEN...
Susan, Bob, Barbara, Dan ...NOW ...
Ya gotta have a sense of HUMOR as you grow old! We used to be in CHARGE! Now, look at us!
Goldilocks and I will be in church tomorrow morning...we are singing in the choir and the word is out that the Flower Guild has created a stupendous floral arrangement in honor of our 50th anniversary...
Here 'tis!
And so ... 50 years ago today ... it all began ...
Thus pass the hours and the day of our 50th wedding anniversary! The words that sum up this experience for me rest in this short line by e.e. cummings ... "i thank YOU GOD for this most Amazing Day!"
In the words of "The Parting Glass", my favorite Irish Song ... Good Night and Joy be with you all!
POST-SCRIPTS--Dated April 17th, 2016 :
Our 13-year-old fire-in-the-belly granddaughter Ella and daughter-in-law Teri could not join us for our Coronado celebration. They were up in Ventura, where Ella participated in Olympic Development Program soccer tryouts. On Tuesday, April 19th, Laurel will undergo knee surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament...good thoughts and prayers are most appreciated!
Here are a pair of THEN and NOW shots we have added because they are ... well ... cute...
Ella, Bob and Laurel THEN ...
Ella, Bob and Laurel NOW ...
Teri and Ella ...
Goldilocks was OBSESSED about adding this cute picture of Ella and Frankie ... stressing to me that Frankie is also a part of our family!
Until the next journey ... in New York City!
Stay well, beloveds, and know you are loved ....
Affectionately,
Baldy
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