A Time To Remember

I just got home from a trip to sunny San Diego! The purpose of the trip, after a disappointing change of plans, finally came down to a simple vacation where I got to visit my son, the Naval Officer, stationed at Point Loma, CA and also to spend ‘alone time’ studying, reading and writing. I could not have asked for better!

The weather was superb, boasting temps of high 70’s to 80 degrees, sunshine every day of my five days with a gentle sea breeze. There were plants in bloom and the birds were chirping. It was glorious to escape the cold, barren, brown and gray of southeast Idaho!

On top of the excellent climate, my stay at the very affordable Travelodge, Downtown Convention Center, was awesome. I had the freedom to smoke in my room, bathe in the Jacuzzi bathtub, take in the view of the Coronado Bridge (especially dazzling with the sun making it glow gold at sunset) and talk to a couple of aging dogs in a dilapidated yard across the alley from my room.

I lost all the dry flaky skin I got from our winter weather. With my ‘alone time’ I was able to finish reading a book I had started but didn’t have time to finish here at home and I began another book. I was able to spend time studying my self-development audios and write. I created a comprehensive plan for my goals for 2014. All in all, it was an extremely satisfying time expenditure.

My time with my son was just as awesome. My first day in San Diego, he took me on a whale-watching cruise! While on the boat, I suddenly realized that I had never actually ever been on an ocean before despite the fact that I grew up only a bay across from the Atlantic! I loved it! Just looking out over the horizon and experiencing the vastness of the earth in fluid motion was simply awe inspiring. 

I had to feel sorry for the half of the passengers that got sick and so very grateful that I was not one of them!

We saw whales; that is for sure! Fortunately for me, my son took gobs of pictures because I had enough to do to stay upright on the deck with all of the ocean swells tossing us around. We were also treated to a couple of dolphins playfully checking out our boat. We saw sea-lions and seals and must have seen at least half a dozen different types of water birds as well. It was an exciting three hours and one of those experiences that you cherish for the rest of your life!

My son and I ate out almost every night at some fairly upper-crust establishments. The food was always excellent, fish was abundant and the ambiance was inviting. He took me on a tour of his submarine, the USS Pasadena, which, for me, was an aerobic exercise! 

He taught me how to play Cribbage one night and the next night I taught him how to play Gin. :-) Fun times.

And we talked...something I’ve dearly missed for the over two years that we’ve lived apart.

But, for some reason, I was not sad at our parting. We had a beautiful time together and I had a beautiful time while alone. I felt a serenity that comes from a deep understanding that my son and I, no matter how far away we live from each other, will always have that special connection...a connection between mother and child that supersedes all time and space.

I look forward to doing it all over again!!