We were up with the birds on Tuesday morning...time change! I think it was 4:00 AM Cali time that saw the clock. Ugh! So up and at em and off to Visalia. Actually, Tulare and more specifically Riverbend Dairy. Doc spent the morning going over figures and strategies with Bud and Lance Mouw as they start ground work on the calf ranch in Kirkman. ((Note to self: take rental car keys and leave next time!!)) After a few long walks around the dairy with the Mouw's dog, Sawyer, we finally headed to Visalia.
As we drove down Caldwell and towards our home, we kept oohing and aahing over the mountains. The day was very clear and the mountains were calling but time was not our friend and we had people/cows waiting for us. I will add this disclaimer...we were using Doc's iphone camera as I purposely left my camera at home. These pics are in a moving car with no zoom of great quality. The mountains were so close and thankfully the air was clear so we could enjoy them!
Green Oaks Drive...our home for almost 5 years and my heart was broken. Thankfully in this picture the shade from the house covered the landscaping that hadn't had a trim since my hands held the trimmer. She was completely ignored and begging for me to return...all our hard work was gone and the house was really missing us. Dayle asked me if I went inside. I promptly replied, "NO WAY!" My heart couldn't handle the sight of the outside there was no way I could handle even thinking of what was beyond that brown double front door.
We did surprise my neighbor/friend/sister Christine Schaap. I had contacted John (her hubby) to guarantee me that she would be home before noon on Tuesday. Regrettably I forgot to take a picture with her but it was fun to catch up and again, upon leaving I choked up. There are some things in life that are not fair. I really miss my friend...
We left Christine's & Green Oaks Drive with a heavy heart & a hungry stomach. So we called Me & Ed's pizza parlor to order a small Tuscan Harvest pizza. There is NOTHING like it! We bbq pizza at home and try to duplicate it but have yet to figure it out. It is a family favorite and we will keep trying. While we waited for the pizza we drove around Mooney and some of the streets we knew so well. It was surreal. After 10 minutes, we ended up at In & Out and ordered one meal...double double with grilled onions, french fries and a Neapolitan shake. We shared it! Too crazy! We headed back to Riverbend Dairy as we finished off the burger & fries and ate only one piece of pizza each. It would taste great later as a snack and even as breakfast the next morning. As for now, we were full!
The morning flew by and we still had a few miles to put on. We were heading to Bakersfield. Doc had done some work with the dairies down there and he has kept in touch with the guys as they travel to the Midwest for various events including College Volleyball in Sioux City for their daughter or Dairy tours throughout the region. It was fun to see a few more familiar faces and to catch up!
We returned to Fresno late that night and drove the rental car back to the airport. Our one day of having our own schedule was done. The dairy tour was to start in the morning. Think...5 charter buses holding 350 people...me hiding in the hotel one day ALONE :)...time with Doc...good food on Alta's tab and great laughs with a lot of dairymen talking cows. I can say I learned a lot and had fun but was ready for my kids, my bed and my own vehicle. Below you will see what I looked at for 2 days and what I hope to not see for a while...lol
Disclaimer: I found many many pics on Doc's iphone and thought you might all be interested in what diary men get to look at and study everyday...makes for some interesting conversations when the company that hosted the trip was Alta Genetics aka a semen company. Keep it G boys! Keep it clean!! I was the person scoping out the landscape and trying to stay in the sunshine for my CA tan. Again, these pics are Doc's handywork. (lol)
We flew out of San Fransisco on late Friday afternoon landing in Omaha at midnight. Not even getting a chance to return to Fisherman's wharf or the Pier or the ocean...trust me, it was calling my name! If anything, the trip made us realize that we need to get the kids out here again...and soon. As we approach our busiest time of the year...soccer and track, the trip was just what the Doc ordered. A few days away on someone else's tab (He is Dutch! lol) and now we hit the ground running. But I am brainstorming how we can travel to CA in the next few years...just not in July, August or September!
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