Well, come Sat'day we'll be off to Californee.
Yup, vacation time is nigh. The WSO and Big Time have invited us out to behold the glory of California's San Joaquin Valley. In August.
They live south-southeast of Fresno.
As we're going to be out there for a week, I checked the forecast. The kids have mentioned once or twice that it gets hot out there. Very hot. Here's what wunderground.com had to say -
Oh yeah, it's going to be hot. With a zero percent chance of precipitation. Why do I picture this?
Here's how I picture myself out there in the environs of NAS Lemoore...
Hhhmm, that probably won't work. The kids are all way younger than me. I could probably outrun Little Bit (oldest granddaughter) but she has no money. I know I can outrun the Missus Herself, but she would no doubt refuse to go to the O-Club. So outrunning her would also be, shall we say, non-profitable.
So it'll probably look like this...
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| Where is everybody? |
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| Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery San Diego, CA |
My sense of direction says NAS Lemoore is SSSW. But, I'm just picking nits.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't say they lived on the base.
I could be a real stinker and tell you the San Joaquin Valley was desert until they started taking water from Northern California.
Enjoy your visit.
Hhhmm, sou-sou-sou'west is it?
DeleteActually they don't live on the base, but not far from there. They just built a house. Er, well they didn't build it themselves, they caused it to be built.
I believe you about the valley.
I plan on having a very good time. I usually do when one or more of the progeny are involved.
Are you flyin' into FAT?
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. That is the plan. Unless Mother Nature intervenes.
DeleteSay hello to Lex for me also, please.
ReplyDeleteWill do juvat.
DeleteLemoore in August. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI used to work at the county fire station down the 198 at Harris Ranch, August in that part of the valley can be hellish.
Watch out for the tomato haulers and farm labor vans.
At least it's not foggy!
Thanks for the advice. I plan not to wander too far from the air conditioning.
DeleteThrow a nickle on the grass at Lex's grave for me, Sarge--and for all us AF fighter-types who ever sang the song..
ReplyDeleteRoger that VX.
DeleteBTW, what town are you going to? I had an Aunt who lived/taught in the little town of Dinuba so I know the Tulare Co area well.
ReplyDeleteHanford. Heck, that's not far at all from Dinuba.
DeletePPS: Did you know that Dinuba was the home of the Rutan Brothers? I bumped (physically) into Burt Rutan on a side-walk downtown when he was 17 and I was 16 in 1960! (I didn't realize it was him until I saw a photo of him at 17 holding a model plane and wearing the very same checked short-sleeve shirt in an art in INC magazine in 2006!)
ReplyDeleteWow, awesome. Didn't know they hailed from Dinuba. Of course, I hadn't heard of Dinuba until today.
DeleteGood stuff as always VX!
Don't worry Sarge, it's hot, but it's a dry heat! I had to say it. Have fun in the great San Joaquin Valley, and hey Bob, I used to drive tomato trucks right out of Los Banos, and I never wrecked myself or anybody.
ReplyDeleteHeh. Dry heat. Good one c w, good one.
Delete(FWIW, there is no such thing as a dry heat in New England. Unless you're inside a kiln. And why would I do that?)
A "six degrees of separation" story about Dinuba, Vietnam and me. I was body-surfing at China Beach one afternoon after a particularly rough msn up north and got into a conversation with the Navy seaman Lifeguard. Typical "where you from?" conversation and he said he was from a little town in central Calif but I probably had never heard of it. "Oh, I don't know, " I said. "Try me, I have an Aunt who taught 2nd grade for almost 30 yrs in the little town of Dinuba so I know the area fairly well." "DINUBA!?" he exclaimed. "That's where I'M from! What was her name?" "Elsie Bryant," I replied. "Elsie Bryant!" he repeated, "She taught ME in the 2nd grade!" LOL. Here we were, literally 10,000 miles on the other side of the earth and the only Navy seaman I run into was taught by my Aunt Elsie!
ReplyDeleteSmall world innit?
DeleteGreat story VX.
Sarge, if you visit him, I'd love to join you. Please let me know. He's located here: http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/NGLMap?ID=8572508 It's a beautiful spot- overlooking Sandy Eggo Bay.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be in touch Tuna.
DeleteSay Hi to Lex for the rest of us please. Maybe a little prayer too.
ReplyDeleteYou know I will Mary.
DeleteSome of you will understand.
ReplyDeleteWe DO understand (your understatement for the day).
Have a good time and I hope the Squidly O-clubs are in better shape than their AF counterparts (which are consolidated clubs, these days). Every club I've been in in the past ten years or so has been a veritable dead zone... there have been times when I was the ONLY patron at the bar at 1700 hrs on a duty day. That's enough to make an Old Man cry.
I'll be thinking of all those who couldn't be there but wished they could be.
DeleteKeep in mind that Lemoore is a Master Jet Base, think fighter pilots. But of course, they might be kind of sedate on their home turf. Away from home? Whole 'nother story.
But yeah, the Air Force club system was dying while I was still on active duty. Especially in the States. Best club at Offutt was off base, run by a retired guy. We went there more than on base. On base, too damned PC!