California

 Quinn asked me how I wanted to spend our first (and last) full day in California.  "I want to swim in the ocean and see a sea lion."  Sounds easy enough, given the 3,247 miles of coastline this state boasts.  "San Diego", Quinn declared.  A quick search found that San Diego is 112 miles from Long Beach, a drive that should take about 1.75 hours. Piece of cake after the distance we had travelled to get here.  "Let's do it!"

We quickly learned that distance is not measured by miles in California.  It is measured by TRAFFIC.  After travelling for an hour on the Pacific Coast Highway in bumper to bumper traffic, I checked my phone to see how much longer it would be to San Diego.  "2.5 hours away."  WHAT??  How can we drive closer and have MORE time left than when we started?  ANOTHER hour, and our destination was THREE HOURS away, by Google Maps.  What the what???  Were the tectonic plates moving San Diego farther away from us? Nope.  Just traffic on a Saturday, getting worse by the second.  DANG TRAFFIC.  No Sea Lion was worth this stress. 

"There are beaches everywhere, Quinn," says I.  "Just pick one and pull over.  I don't care.  Get me off this highway.

We found a park overlooking a bay (and happened to witness a surprise proposal!) and then hiked down to the beach.  

It was a lovely beach but SUPER crowded.  And the waves were really getting out of control.  There was a rip-current that was knocking me over with every wave, and two overly-stressed lifeguards were patrolling the beach very carefully.  I overheard them say that they had called for reinforcements because the waves were way too big, and there were far too many people, for it to be safe in the water... and yet they didn't have the authority to close the beach.  It was that bad.  After being drug under one too many times, I decided to just relax on the sand, but kept a close eye on Quinn -  my fearless, danger-loving son.  He's a grown man.  When does that mama-bear instinct go away?  Apparently never.  The funny thing was, he kept checking on ME, to make sure I wasn't drowning.  "Stay out of this middle section, Mom.  The rip-current is really bad right there."  Hard to really relax with the threat of death so imminent, so we decided to pack up and try a different beach.

Beach #2 was bigger so not quite as crowded, and the waves a bit more tame.  Thank goodness.  No sea lions, unfortunately, but we got plenty of sand in our swimsuits.

I really could get used to life as a beach bum.

Before heading back to the apartment, we stopped to visit Uncle Dick and Aunt Barb, Grandma LaVerne's older brother who live 10 minutes away from Quinn.  They are 92 and 88 respectively, and are a kick in the pants.   They were THRILLED to learn that they have a young relative nearby, and methinks they would spoil Quinn rotten if he let them.  Aunt Barb insisted on taking us out to dinner, and we had a fabulous time.  It was good seeing them! So glad Quinn has family close by!