Down the Road: August 2019

San Jose, CA
San Jose Elks Lodge

Our oldest son, Ryan's, wedding to Diana was beautiful! It was such a wonderful feeling to see so many people that truly love your kids come together to celebrate them. I can't convey how happy we were.

Brennan, Kaylee, Steve, Me, Ryan, my Mom & Dad and Shane.

I just love when our kids are together for pictures.

Shane, Kaylee, Ryan & Brennan

Going down the isle.

Ryan's beautiful bride, Diana.

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan & Diana McCormack

So happy!!

The wedding was at the top of a hill at a The Boulder Ridge Golf Resort with a view of the valley below. Perfect sunset!

I love that our kids are such goofballs. The looks on their faces are a crack up.

Siblings and some of their cousins.

The views at night.

One thing I hadn't mentioned is that for several months I had a strange hard, blister-growth on my finger. It had started to get bigger in Idaho so I had gone to a dermatologist to have it looked at as I wanted it removed before the wedding. (this was in 7/2019). I thought it would just need to be cut off but the doctor said it was a problem with fluid leaking out of my finger joint and it was going to require surgery and would be a few weeks of recovery. Whaaa? I knew I'd be shaking a lot of hands at the wedding and was bummed that I'd have to wear special tape to cover it until after the wedding was over when I'd have to have a hand specialist perform the surgery. It didn't hurt unless it was bumped. I just didn't like how it looked.

So a few days after the wedding I had surgery in Placerville. It was quite a deal for a little bump. I asked to just have a local anesthetic and the doctor figured I could handle that and it went smoothly. He blasted some Tom Petty for me and I watched the operation. An hour later I was out. It was a type of cyst that funnels directly out of your knuckle joint and it had to be cut out and sown up. Gotta love that bandaging!

A week later and I could remove the heavy bandaging and just use a regular band aide. Another week and the stitches came out. The last picture is 3 weeks later. It healed amazingly well!

While we had our dental cleanings and waited to have my hand surgery cleared, we decided to redecorate the trailer and change colors. We loved our Tuscan Reds & Greens, but wanted something much brighter now.

Out with the muted reds and greens and in with the bright blues, espresso and tangerine.

We also had to wait for our insurance and warranty companies to agree on who was paying for the new refrigerator (not us!) We were without it for 6 weeks. Our very nice RV repair person dropped off a small college fridge he had in his shop for us to use. Funny how you can make do with such a small space. Only 3 days worth of fresh meats and veggies. It really wasn't a problem. I didn't get a picture of the small fridge in the open space or the repaired one though. If you ever need RV repair work done in the Placerville area, give Jim at Kamper Kulture Moble Repair a call. He's done a couple of things for us over the last couple years and he's great!

This guy pulled into the Placerville Elks where we moved after the wedding. Cute set up.

The reception will be at the Forest House Lodge.

Since we had some extra time to kill, we took a drive up to the tiny town of Foresthill, about an hour north of Placerville to check out the venue where our 3rd son, Brennan, and Alex will have their outdoor wedding. It's out in a secluded area with a great view of the American River down below. It will be in May of 2020. (Yes, the Corona Virus cancelled out the wedding and it is postponed until Dec of 2020).

Gorgeous view!

What a cool ride!
We had a great lunch at Makers Mountain Eatery & Brew Pub and we're considering having the Rehearsal Dinner here. Great food and atmosphere. It is owned and operated by a local Veteran. He is very proud of his BBQ and it shows!

Whew, so much going on! Time for one of my favorite hikes at Sly Park. I love this 7 mile hike around one side of the lake to the waterfall.

There were a few people on the water, including this family and a fisherman, but no one on the trail.

Always cool here at the lake when it's hot in Placerville. This is only 9 miles "up the hill", but 2000 feet higher in elevation.

I met my parents and Uncle/Godfather for breakfast at the local casino. It was just after 9/11 and folks in these small mountain towns are very patriotic. The flags are always flying over Main Street.

Me and my Uncle Danny. We always have cooked sauce together since I was very small.

My parents. We were celebrating my Dad's 82nd birthday.

The next night we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary on 9/15 and had a very nice dinner out at a new to us place called, CKnights. Great steaks. We loved the personal touch they gave us by announcing our anniversary on the printed menu. We were also given some delicious champagne cocktails and a cheesecake made with Luxardo cherries. WOW. If you've never had them, check them out. Great in cocktails or desserts!

One more event and then we'll head out for some rest and fun at my sisters.

We met Brennan and Alex for some Frisbee golf and lunch where they live in downtown Walnut Creek.

The next day they had an Engagement BBQ for Brennan & Alex's sides of the families. Some of us know each other but not all the extended family. It was a lot of fun!

Dad, Mom, Me, Alex, Brennan, Kaylee, Steve, Diana, Ryan, Shane and Lindsay.

Crazy, busy 3 weeks time!! Now we're off to spend a little down time at my sisters place, then on to our favorite boondocking in Hope Valley before heading to new places in Nevada and then our usual October in Arizona.

Elks Lodge
Gilroy, CA

The days before the wedding were a whirlwind of visiting old friends and some hiking to clear our heads.

First off I met up with an old high school friend, Kathy, that I had only seen maybe once in 30 years. We were Maid of Honor in each others weddings. It was great to see her again. Even though it's been so many years, we can always pick up right where we left off. We have some crazy stories back then!!

Me, Steve, Kathy and John

We had such a great time having lunch we met back up for dinner with our husbands after they got off work. Again, we talked and talked. Sure hope we get together sooner than another 30 years!

This is the Elks Lodge in Morgan Hill, CA. One of the best we've stayed at. It sits on a golf course, far away from any noisy highways and just a few miles from Mt. Madonna County Park.

We settled in and then went into the lodge to have a drink and say Hello.

The next day we took a hike up the Sprig Lake Trail that leads through the county park.

We started out on a warm day but at least we were mostly shaded by oaks at the lower elevation and then Redwoods higher up.

Big, big trees!

X marks the spot.

We took the connector trail that led to Ridge Trail and took that down the other side. It was about 7 miles total. It was great to get on the trail again before the wedding.

These Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world growing 300 - 350 feet tall. They only grown in the cool, coastal mountains of California.

Lots of mossy green rocks as the canopy doesn't let much sunlight through.

Back down we go.

We met another school friend of mine, Debbie and her husband Rooty for drinks at Uproar Brewery in downtown San Jose. Debbie and I grew up around the corner from each other and I have known her since I was 2 years old!

Another day I met my other high school friend and Cross Country teammate, Christie for breakfast but forgot to get a picture.

After a few days in Gilroy, we moved about 20 miles to the Elks Lodge in San Jose as it would only be a few miles to the wedding venue. Certainly not as nice as the lodge in Gilroy. The sites are super close to each other, parking lot style. That wall you see behind the rigs in the picture below is Hwy 87. So there is noise from that as well as airplanes from the nearby airport. Since there are almost no places to camp in or near San Jose, it was still a great fit for us.

They do have a really nice pool and gym here.

Inside the large lodge though, it's still very 1950s looking.

We did attend one of their great dinners that they are known for.

Then it was time for the wedding rehearsal. Ryan (our oldest) and Diana would be married outside atop the beautiful Boulder Ridge Golf Club with a view of the Bay Area below.