Maria's Fourth of July Party 2016

Above, Fred's Tiki Bar was a popular area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, my cousin Maria and her husband Fred held their annual Fourth of July party at their home in Wildomar, California (near Lake Elsinore).

I decided to go in The Beast and stay over Saturday night. I got home about an hour or so ago. Traffic wasn't too bad.

It was nice to see many family members, some of which I haven't seen for a while, and others that I last saw at my Aunt Rose's funeral in January. It is nice to have a big family gathering at a party instead during sad occasions. Kudos to Maria and her husband Fred for putting on the shindig, I think this was the best one yet!

I was given a lot of hugs and words of encouragement from my family because of the recent turmoil with Denise Santos (ironically, Denise and Aiden were personally invited to this by Maria when we briefly stopped by while heading home from San Diego in February). They understood everything I went through and lifted my spirits.

The party began with a welcome speech by Maria with her husband Fred standing by her. They set up a vinyl white tarp for everyone to sign. They also had a live band, who played throughout the party until ten o'clock that night.

It was well-attended. There must have been at least 100 family members and friends. There were lots of kids, who made good use of the swimming pool throughout the day. The temperatures were in the 90s. Lots of food and drinks were available.

Here's some photos of the party:

Above, cousin Annette with her new grandson. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the gathering at Fred's Tiki Bar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the yard was well-suited for a party.. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Fred's Tiki Bar sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, my Aunt Gloria. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, daughter Amber and boyfriend Neil. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly and Amber.

Above, Fred and Maria's welcome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, cousin Steven Guistina. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, second cousin Brian Correa and his new twins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, 3rd cousin Gunnar gives his thumb's up. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the band. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, cousins Steven Guistina and Jeanette Coutee in The Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, great weather, live music and fun. What more can one ask for? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly clowning with Amber. 

Above, my contribution to the tarp. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Below, is a YouTube video of the party I uploaded:

Norco Car & Truck Wash

Above, The Beast at the Norco Car & Truck Wash. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, my cousin Maria and her husband Fred held their annual Fourth of July party at their home in Wildomar, California (near Lake Elsinore).

I decided to go in The Beast and stay over Saturday night.

While en route to Wildomar, I stopped in Norco to see if I could find a coin-operated car wash to wash The Beast. Lucky for me, I exited where there's a coin-operated car wash, the Norco Car & Truck Wash, that has two stalls for big rigs and RVs. It also has platforms on both sides so that roofs and other higher places of vehicles can get washed.

I had washed the roof of The Beast earlier this year, but it is recommended that it be done at least twice a year. Where the motorhome is parked at home, sap and leaves continually drop from the trees behind it. So it had an accumulation of dirt and sap on the fiberglass roof.

The rub was $15.00 for 15 minutes, plenty of time to wash, wax and rinse The Beast!

So, after waiting for another RVer to finish, I cleaned The Beast from top to bottom. It really came out nice and clean, including the roof!

I'll stop there again when I have The Beast with me in the area.

Norco Car & Truck Wash
2176 Hamner Ave.
Norco, California 92860
Phone (951) 735-5730

Christmas 2015

Above, "Mrs. Claus" and I having a laugh over something I said while Amber seemed contented with Santa.

Christmas Eve and half of Christmas Day were spent down at my cousin Maria's home in Wildomar, California (Lake Elsinore area). I got back home today about and hour ago.

We got to Wildomar at about 6:30 last night as daughter Amber had to work. We left as soon as she got to my place in Tarzana.

Above, the kids greet Santa and Mrs. Claus upon their arrival. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We were greeted by my aunt Gloria, cousins and dinner. Amber and I were famished.

After dinner, we all visited for a while until it was time for Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived to hand out presents to the kids.

After that was over, we relaxed out in the patio and had some rain downpours. For us in California, it wouldn't be Christmas unless it rained. We caught up on life's events as I hadn't been at my cousin's since 2013.

Amber and I had to wait for a downpour to end so we could retire for the night in The Beast. We both slept great. We marveled that we seem to sleep better in the motorhome than at home. Go figure!

Once I woke up at around 7:00, I heated up some water to make some instant coffee. Amber slept for about another hour. We were greeted by blue skies, clean air and 41­­° temperature.

Above, The Beast on Christmas morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After a while, we joined the rest of the family in the house for breakfast.

After breakfast, I gave everyone (who was up) a tour of The Beast, as this was their first time seeing it.

Then, Amber and I headed off to the San Fernando Valley. It was a very enjoyable Christmas.

Christmas Eve Camping

Above, with my cousin Maria Christmas Eve in 2012.

This year has zoomed by so fast that it is hard to believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It seems like only yesterday that we were in Yellowstone National Park and, later, Lake Havasu.

It will be nice to get out of L.A. tomorrow for an overnighter in Wildomar, California (the Lake Elsinore area) at my cousin's. Amber and I will be "camping" at my cousin's Christmas Eve night in The Beast. That way, we won't have to deal with fighting traffic that night while going back to the San Fernando Valley. She has a big lot with plenty of room for The Beast.

[One side note, there is a vacant lot next to her property (thankfully on the opposite end from where we will be parked) and there was (maybe he's still there) some old guy in his 80s or 90s who lives in an RV (I think he's a squatter or some family member owns the land) who occasionally goes outside of his RV in his "birthday suit". As my daughter would say, "Ewww!"]

It will be nice going to Wildomar to hang out with the family. I was last there for Christmas Eve in 2012 and the calendar worked against me in 2013 and 2014 and I had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If I were still working, the same would happen again this year. Now that I'm retired, I don't have to worry about that anymore. My time now belongs to me.

I was thinking on stopping at Riverside National Cemetery on the way home to visit my parents' grave, but the cemetery is closed Christmas Day as a national holiday. Maybe, if we get out of town quick enough, we may be able go there tomorrow on the way to Wildomar. We'll see.

Christmas Eve

Above, yours truly and cousin Maria on Christmas Eve.

The rainy weather we've been having for the past few days broke yesterday, which made for a fine Christmas Eve at my cousin Maria's in Wildomar in the Lake Elsinore area.

The drive, to and from, was one of the easiest.  It took an hour and a half to get to Maria's.  The same goes for the drive home in the San Fernando Valley.

The Lindbergh Beacon atop Los Angeles City Hall was lit up last night, although I almost missed it as fog set in at the L.A. Civic Center.

Tornado In Lake Elsinore? My Cousin's Five Minutes of Fame

My cousin, Ashley Kerr got some airtime on KABC-Channel 7 on a story about a funnel cloud that touched down at her home in the Lake Elsinore area.

The funnel cloud caused some minor damage when it touched down yesterday.

Here's the KABC video of my cousin:



From the KABC website:

Residents said the strong winds were frightening. Ashley Kerr and her children were in their home near Lake Elsinore when the powerful winds tore through, knocking down patio furniture.

"We were all swimming in the pool and we look up and we just see dirt and like leaves and trees and tumbleweeds flying through the air. I just yelled, 'Get out of the pool, get out of the pool," said Kerr.

July Already

Above, sunset in Malibu.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Independence Day is already upon us. It seems like only yesterday that it was January and I was at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention.

I have to work tomorrow (good ol' holiday pay) but the family will be gathering this Saturday in Lake Elsinore, so we'll celebrate then.

Another payment is on the way from ComiXpress for sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. I generally wait and let the amount build up before requesting payment. This'll be the third for this year.

Have a safe and sane Fourth of July!

Christmas Eve

After a drive of an hour and a half (95 miles) from Tarzana to the Lake Elsinore area, we had an enjoyable Christmas Eve party at my cousin's in Wildomar.

On the menu was many varieties of Mexican food including tamales and chili verde, along with some good Blue Moon ale.

The traffic was easier than usual. It got heavy at times, but at least it moved.

The drive home was also lighter than usual. The L.A. civic center greeted us with the Lindbergh Beacon lit up on top of City Hall.

A good time was had by all!

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas Eve was spent down in Wildomar, California (near Lake Elsinore) at my cousin's.

Had a great time with family. A few photos:

Memorial Day

Had a very nice Memorial Day today.

Started off sleeping a little later than usual. I actually got more sleep hours in by going to bed earlier than usual and getting up later than usual.

After breakfast and tinkering around, headed out to Lake Elsinore (actually Wildomar) to my cousin's, with a stop en route to visit a friend.

I had considered going to Riverside National Cemetery to visit my parents' grave, but the day was getting late and the traffic at the cemetery might be horrendous. So I decided against it.

I got to Lake Elsinore in little over an hour and a half (I was hitting 85 m.p.h. without even realizing it at times). Traffic going to and coming from Lake Elsinore was relatively light. It made for a faster and enjoyable ride. It took me only an hour and a half to get home as well.



Had a relaxing day visiting with family (poor Amber had to work today). My cousin's husband Fred built a nice waterfall fountain in the pool area, it took him about a year or so to get it done. My cousin Maria almost destroyed it in seconds while driving a little utility vehicle (sort of like a golf cart). She plowed it into the fence just behind the fountain. No injuries, just minor damage to the vehicle and an embarrassed cousin.

Fred is getting ready to convert an old jacuzzi into a fire pit.



The family was treated to bar-b-cue (steaks) and for dessert, lemon merangue pie (no, not Margie's pie that was taken to Alaska by Sylvester J. Superman (Chuck Connors)).



A nice relaxing day.

A Relaxing Weekend

Above, The Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon in Lake Elsinore.

A Relaxing Weekend

After weeks of stress from my mom’s final illness and passing in December-January, I was able to kick back and relax this weekend at my cousin Maria’s in Wildomar (near Lake Elsinore). Amber couldn't get the weekend off from work to also come down.

The order of the weekend was just to relax and do nothing. The drive from the San Fernando Valley to Wildomar was generally easy, if you want to call driving in a rainstorm “easy.” For the most part it was a good drive with only one snarl in the Pomona area where a few people collectively had a fender-bender. I took eastbound California Route 60 for the majority of the drive. There were several accidents on the westbound side of the freeway, proving once again that Southern California drivers can’t seem to master driving in the rain. As I always caution my daughter, watch your speed and distance between vehicles and all will be okay.

Once getting into Wildomar, the skies cleared a little, although occasional cloudbursts would still pass through.



I spent most of the day talking, reading and napping. That night, I was treated to a birthday dinner with my cousin, her husband Fred and my aunt Gloria at The Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon (above) in Lake Elsinore. I had the best steak in ages there. The Lone Star is a fun place to eat. Every hour, the waitresses and waiters would stop what they’re doing and put on a Texas-style dance show for the customers.

Above, Maria and me.

I was wondering if there’s a Lone Star Steakhouse in the San Fernando Valley, but there isn’t. The nearest one is in Long Beach.

Speaking of birthdays, Maria’s birthday is today (she’s only three days younger than me). When possible, we try to celebrate our birthdays together in some fashion.

Above, one of my mom's gnomes at his new home in Wildomar.

After dinner, we headed back to Maria’s house and watched the L.A. Lakers beat Portland. After the game, we watched a DVD of the relatively new 2012 end-of-the-world disaster flick by the director of Independence Day. It was entertaining, although I liked ID4’s characters much better. The special effects were spectacular, which were primarily computer-generated. I would have preferred miniatures. CGI can look good if used sparingly, but still seems too phony or cartoony to me after a while.

Of the Roland Emmerich movies I’ve seen, I would list Independence Day as the best, with 2012 a close second and Godzilla at the bottom.

Above, as I am an early riser, my cousin's four cats volunteered me into feeding them. Here's three of them.

Today, we all had a big breakfast at a local Wildomar eatery, Big Jim's.

Above, Maria's daughter Ashley and her daughter Crista at Big Jim's.

Before heading for home, I stopped at Ashley's house to see my mom's parakeet "Baby" (below) to see how he's doing at his new home. He is doing very well and Ashley's husband Tony has already trained him to sit on his finger, and he's only been there two weeks. Mom would be very pleased.



After this, I had to head back home. I’ve two hungry kitties to feed.