Category: United States
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Long overdue – The Great American Road Trip
For the first time in nearly a year and a half, I have not posted every week. I have good reason – I have been traveling, with kids. Two weeks ago we packed up the house and embarked upon the Great American Road Trip. We have covered 3,000 miles and seven states so far – California, Oregon,…
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Unexpected bit of Hollywood legend at the San Diego zoo
Meet Winston, a large Galapagos tortoise with a small “2b” painted on his shell. Does his face look familiar? Though you may not have met him in person, the first time you saw his likeness was probably in 1982, or whenever you finally watched the Spielberg film classic E.T. According to the zoo volunteer who was…
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A benefit of being taxed
The IRS is under fire this week, and rightly so. But every time people complain about paying taxes and dealing with the IRS, particularly during tax season, I am reminded of what a blessing it is to live in a country that can collect revenue from its citizens. It does so in a generally effective…
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The luxury of safety
We piled into the minivan (or “mini”, as we affectionately call it, dreaming it’s actually a mini Cooper). I couldn’t tell my Burmese friend no. No, I can’t take you to the hospital because your daughter is too large for that infant carseat and I can’t install it properly. When I showed up at their…
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The fruit of too much lemon – Moroccan preserved lemons
The dwarf lemon tree in my backyard bears too much fruit for its size. Doesn’t it have a season of not bearing fruit? It bears so much I can’t even give them all away. A few months ago I decided I couldn’t just let the fruit rot. I juiced some and froze the liquid…
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Looking beyond the “best” cup of coffee
I have more coffee paraphernalia than I need. Six stove top espresso makers (thank you estate sales and thrift stores), French presses, two different types of grinders, a roaster, canisters with various blends and grinds, frothers. . . We like our coffee and we like it good. I guess you can say we’re coffee snobs.…
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San Diego goat makes a tasty meal (yes, even you could make this at home)
{Warning: Graphic photos of raw goat meat contained in this article} We don’t try to recreate Grandma’s perfect holiday feast for our family festivities. We’re certainly not opposed to eating a traditional American feast, but we often just go with something we really like for a meal because we like it, not because it’s tradition. My youngest brother,…
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A statue’s view of San Diego – the best panorama
It’s all laid out before you, from left to right. The submarine base in Point Loma hundreds of feet below. The bay surrounded by San Diego villages and suburbs. From this height, one can see the mountains in the distant east and follow them south into Mexico. The Coronado Bridge in the foreground, which looks…
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Sand sculpture aspirations
Come February, northern Hemisphere dwellers start longing for spring and what follows – a warm, sun-soaked summer. In Southern California summer includes obligatory trips to the beach for fun in the sand, but not necessarily a desire to frolick in the water. The Pacific Ocean this far north of the equator is not warm. In…
will travel with kids 