California Christmas 2005

On December 6, Joan and I left cold (negative 8 F) for still cool but not as cold (negative 2) Denver and a short visit with the Wallaces. We stayed a day before heading for Indio, CA where we rented a time share on a golf course with our friends, Russ and Rita Northup. Zachary is very interested in the Life section of the USA Today!

Before heading off, Zach opened one Christmas present. The old folks will celebrate the present part of Christmas after we return to Denver for Kjirsten's birthday on January 4, 2006.

We stayed in Indio from the 10th to 17th of December. Joan's birthday was on December 13 so we celebrated by traveling to Mexicali, Mexico for the day. (Joan had never been to Mexico before.) Here Rita, Paul and Russ are eating corn soup made right at the little stand behind us.
Joan played golf a couple of days, but Russ and Paul managed to get in five rounds during the week. The weather cooperated very nicely, thank you, while we were there. Locals said it was one of the warmest and driest periods for this time of year in a long time.
We left Indio on the 17th and stopped at Joan's cousins' on our way to sister Deb's. Here is the Paul Johnson family in Riverside, CA.
We left Riverside and stopped at Jim and Paula Johnson's, and friends from Moscow days, the Wings, before arriving in Santa Paula about 9 pm. Pics of this part of the trip will follow. Kjirsten helped us "remember" how to add the pics tonight and it is late. We are leaving Denver early tomorrow am and will drive straight through to Chaska tomorrow. Should be home around 11 pm.