Love and Friendship Dash

             In 2019 I made a goal to write at least one dash a week and fulfilled that challenge.  I was quite pleased with how much got recorded – or at least what I thought I had posted.  Recently I looked at all the questions and realized I probably have not answered even half of them.  So I decided that maybe I would continue with that starting with Dash LF#6 How does your significant other let you know that you are loved?

       There are several things that Richard does to express his love.  He always tells me.  But he also provides for me.  He doesn’t make excuses about the weather, or his health or what have you.  If something needs to be done, he does it.  He will do it regardless of the weather, or if he is not feeling well – he’ll paint the house or the shed, move heavy items, plant and weed.  He always makes sure there is gas in the car.  That’s a pretty huge deal as I am absent minded and never even look to see where the gas gage needle is.

 

Things We Have In Common

 I still do not know Ally particularly well.  I see she shares her mismatched sock wearing with Jaime.  They also both love to dress up and think of Halloween as the greatest holiday ever.  And they both love stuffed animals and collect more than they know what to do with. Neither of them desire red sauce - they act as though it is poison.

I was surprised to learn that Ally and I actually have something in common.  We both Love the song “Happier” by Marshmallow.

Downtown Ashland: Funky Fresh

           It appears that I did not post last week on the 23^rd. I did have 8 drafts to post.  I was distracted with other things. Richard and I had left the house on Saturday morning.  It had been raining off and on.  Mostly on. Jaime had wanted us to take a walk with her downtown Ashland, but it was too wet and cold and Richard wasn’t willing to leave the car.

        We brought Jaime home for weekend and I became more interested in meeting her needs than posting to my blog.  She spent the night at a friend's house and we got up early Sunday to retrieve her. Spending time with her and the family was pretty nice.  We played several games while she was here.  It was so great having her here – short as it was.

  We were able to park downtown before dropping her off at the dorms on Sunday evening.  Jaime excitedly took us on a tour pointing out her favorite haunts.

The bubbled Lithia water (here) seems inviting – appearing like Perrier water which some people consider “prime”

 

– even the thought of it make my face sour.  Do NOT appreciate Perrier though I would pick it over Lithia water.  It has a taste similar to Alka-Seltzer mixed with rust. Jaime will gag just bending over and taking a whiff. 

There is a fountain of real water to ease the nasty taste of those gutsy (or stupid) enough to experience the Lithia water.  But it is fun to watch.

 We walked down the opposite side that Jaime is used to walking and so had not seen coin press.  I think Richard spotted it first and caused great excitement.  She purchased them all.

Jaime told us the names of some of the characters in this Shakespearean themed sculpture

 

I had fun spending time with her and enjoying her enthusiasm - as always

 

The Heat Was the Villain

        Disneyland was not as decked out as I had expected.  I had asked Jaime if she had seen any Villains.  She had but was disappointed that there hadn’t been more.  But then again it was hot.  Cast members dressed up and photographers available to take pictures.  Lines formed for that.  Oh, no way.  Too hot.  Just wait until I get home and photoshop myself in.

       So from the train I took the back of the entrance that we personally did not use. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy in their Halloween attire.  I don’t know how long they had to be out there for.  Wearing those costumes would be its own challenge in cool weather.  I can’t imagine how much more hot they felt in 107 degree weather.

       Here are some photos taken from both my camera and Richard’s phone. 

this one found on Google images

Disneyland

         Disneyland did not offer the cooling stations that Universal had.  But I think Disneyland park was less crowded than Universal had been. We took the tram from downtown Disneyland to the park.  

        It seems like the very first ride we went on was Jungle Cruise.  Jai had pulled up phrazel so that we could play while we were in line.  There was no line.  Jaime and Sam rode ten rides in less than two hours.  How awesome is that? 

       Richard and I took it easy and rode tame rides such as the Mark Twain and the train.  I didn’t want to be in Fantasy Land or Tomorrow Land.  I think Toon Town was closed as it wasn’t highlighted on the map.  Toon Town is cute, but I have already seen it.  Thankfully it wasn’t a destination. 

       I hadn’t cared about New Orleans either.  I can no longer do the Pirates of Carrabin as squatting down just to sit in the boat is uncomfortable.  Nor did I have the desire for the haunted mansion – which is the only outside line that I had seen.  But we must have ended up there as Richard and I had ordered food.  He got jambalaya – which I was totally NOT in the mood for.  I ended up with a corn chowder in a bread bowl.  It was delicious.  Unfortunately my choice of lunch and the 107 degree heat (still cooler than Universal by eight degrees – but somehow felt warmer) was not a good combination.  We rode the train around three times I believe before I decided I could stand without being queasy about it.

       We did not have the option of taking the Monorail back to downtown as the heat was too drastic for it to run.  Go figure.  It’s a different monorail than the one offered several decades ago – a different monorail that ran the length of the park. There were tracks running through the hotel – I remember seeing that when I was a kid.  How cool would that be? 

for monorail history see this post 

       The hotel is not even the same as what I had seen as a kid – not that we ever stayed there.  It is now a resort made up of at least three different buildings for lodging and a plaza (where we had done laundry) and restaurants maybe?  I think there were six buildings in all – though I know I did not take the time to go inside of all of them.    Even downtown is not the same.  Not a disappointment exactly, but definitely not what I had imagined.

       The pool is awesomely large – the largest I have ever seen.  We never took advantage of it though as there were always more people than water.  Guests trying to cool off.  Too many people in my opinion. 

       Once again I was so grateful that Sam had come with us.  This may be the last year of Disneyland for me.  What a whimp I have turned out to be.      

Disneyland Hotel

At the time we checked in the staff had asked if it was a special occasion.  We told about late grad/college hoorah and they asked Jaime if she would like a pin.  She had declined but as she thought about it wished to change her answer.  But later when another staff member asked, I said that Richard and I had an anniversary coming up and they gave us anniversary pins which we had given to Jaime and Sam.

I had always wanted to do an anniversary in Disneyland – perhaps with my sister and her husband as they were married in September also. I had planned on buying the white Minnie Mouse band with ears and a veil.  But omigosh – it was weigh too hot for me to want a veil weighing at the back on my neck.

We really did pack enough clothes to change each day – not two or three times a day.  But our clothes were so drenched with perspiration that they had to be washed.  Shortly after we checked in Jai and I went in search for the laundry room which was in another building. We took some pictures on the way.  The plaza offered the only non-crowded feel.

While our laundry was washing, Jai and I played some card games.  It was fun just to relax. 

Here are some shots we took of the hotel:

Who Are Jack and Louisa?

         So here is a family history find.  Jack Day Prather was born in Nicaragua to a single mother who had mentioned Jack’s father to him.  The name of his father is Ralph Prather – the same Ralph Prather that had married my Grandma Mary when my mom was sixteen.

 At age eighteen Jack decided he wanted to go to the states and needed proof of his birth.  His birth certificate had him listed as Jack Day Garcia – no mention of a father or even his last name.  Thus when Jack arrived in the states he dropped the Prather/Garcia and passed himself off as Jack Day and has gone by that name ever since.

Eventually Jack did have the desire to know his father – or the man he was told was his father and has been on a mission for many decades.  It’s too bad facebook and Google didn’t exist in the 70’s for both he and Ralph were living in California – though different parts.  He missed finding him.

He did find Richard through Ancestry.  The name “Ralph Prather” came up in Richard’s profile and in April 2021 Jack sent him a message which Richard passed on to me.  I knew that my brother Steven had been in contact with some of Ralph’s descendants and so I passed Jack’s name onto Steven (here). 

We have all become good friends with Jack and his wife Louisa.  Steven wrote his own post about them here.

 Their home is on the list of airbnb.  This is where we stayed on Saturday night.

On Sunday we went with them to Maddalena Restaurant at Antonio Winery – which we were supposed to tour.  Unfortunately we forgot and had not made the time.  Again fried brain. I think Jack was hoping we would return to the bed and breakfast but we parted ways at the restaurant. So good to visit with them.