Two of our last three days in California were spent in Pismo Beach, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. There really is no better way to end a vacation, except there. Wendell and Judy treated us to a nice hotel on the beach, and the kids frolicked in the waves while I built sandcastles (the kids helped). There was also good food and, as always, excellent weather.
It was an early morning on Friday to head to Fresno airport and head home. The ride out from Fresno was uneventful, though we were delayed an hour getting out due to fog in San Francisco. And in San Francisco, we had a frustrating repeat of an extra trip through security that had us hustling to the gate, worried we’d missed our flight.
I get that Chicago’s airport needs to clear people arriving from smaller International airports through customs and immigration, so what’s San Francisco’s excuse? Could they not find some way to keep cleared passengers “sterile” as we headed from one terminal to the other? A bus, perhaps, to carry people to the secure area of another terminal? It would save people time, not just overstressed passengers with children, but TSA workers who are essentially doing the same thing twice, now, with hundreds of people.
Not happy about that. Not at all.
Arrival in Toronto was a breeze, by comparison. We got through Immigration quickly, grabbed our bags, and headed to our pre-arranged limo (which, given that there were four of us, was cheaper to take than Airways Transit). We got home as the sun set, exhausted, but glad to be home, and welcomed by Michael and Rosemarie. Nora found peas and tomatoes growing in her garden.
Saturday was very much a recovery day. We all slept in very late, had a quick tea with my parents, and then headed out for a movie: Inside Out, which turns out to be Vivian’s first movie that she saw in the theatre. Believe me when I say that this is a landmark, and the movie was worthy of said landmark. It was my second time seeing the movie, and Pixar made me cry, yet again. Wow.
Next week promises to be much quieter. No camps till next Monday, but I’m sure the kids will find something to do. It’s summer, after all.
For more shots of our day at Pismo, click here
For shots of the kids, Wendell and Judy heading to Kings Canyon for camping, click here
