Through Labor Day - Sep 6, 2010

Thursday, August 26, was my good friend, Joe L's birthday - we agreed to celebrate on the weekend.

Friday, August 27, I did a bike ride and got some sun while I did some writing.

Saturday I went out to a birthday meal with Joe and another friend, Wayne.

The next day, Sunday 29, I fixed the screen sliding door on my patio and in the evening went to the movie, "Inception" with Joe. I had decided not to see this one but it was Joe's birthday choice and I ended up really enjoying it - though as Joe said, "It was a bit of a visual overwhelm."

Monday I supervised my students in the medical clinic in downtown Los Angeles and on Tuesday, August 31, I had to drive out to Artesia to consult a dental doctor on his clinic. He was just back from a trip home to Bulgaria.

Wednesday, September 1, I had no students but Thursday I supervised at the medical clinic downtown again and on Friday drove out to Artisia again to supervise the dentist through the final part of his course - he had not quite been able to complete the course before going to Bulgaria.

That evening, Friday Sept. 3, I packed my wagon and took off up north on the 101 Freeway for Ventura where I had a pleasant dinner and went to see the movie, "The American". Don't bother to see it. It was pointless. Other audience members came out asking, "What was that all about?"

After the movie I drove down to Oxnard's Channel Island Harbor, where there is safe parking, and set up camp in the back of my wagon and had a good night sleep.

Saturday, September 4, I had breakfast, cleaned up and took off further north for Santa Barbara and checked out the roadside/shore-side art swap meet and got some good ideas for art projects (if I ever have the time and inclination). I went out on the pier and than drove around for a bit, took lunch with me and set off back a bit south to Loons Beach where I spent an enjoyable couple of hours baking on the sandy beach in the sun and investigating the rocks.

Then back further south to Ventura again for dinner at "Nature's Grill" (great grilled chicken Cesar salad) and another movie - "Going The Distance". It was quite fun but rather raunchy.

After the movie, back further south again to Channel Islands Harbor and set up camp and another night's sleep. Although the days are sunny and hot, the sea mist comes in for the evening and it gets really cold outside. I had stopped at McDonald's for a hot chocolate to warm me up before bed and although it warmed me up nicely, the sugar and caffeine kept waking me up every 2 hours through the night. No matter I still got plenty of sleep.

Sunday I was up, breakfasted and cleaned up and I then determined to go into Oxnard city and find the "happening" area which I had not previously been able to do due to the huge widely- spread nature of the place. I went to the California Visitor Center and the lady there knew what I was talking about and drew me a map of how to get there. It was very nice but small compared with the equivalent places in Ventura (and San Louis Obispo, which I did not visit this trip) but the movie "Avatar" was showing in 3D. As it is my favorite movie of all time and I hadn't seen it in 3D, I bought a ticket for the 8:00 pm show and then took off for other places in the meantime.

I went to Ventura Harbor and had another good walk around there amongst all the tourist shops and boat-cruise centers and enjoyed the crowds with the little kids having an exciting time. Then I went across the sand duns to see the beach and sea but the sea fog was on its way in and it was getting too cold.

Off I went to Ventura city for dinner at Nature's Grill and then back to Oxnard center for the movie. There are 10 movie auditoriums in the big theater building but until 30 seconds before the movie started I was the only one it the Avatar auditorium and I was afraid they might cancel the showing. Then two ladies turned up and they played the movie for just the three of us.

I put on the 3D glasses and emerged myself into that fantasy world of great beauty and danger (and only ducked once as a canister came hurling at me). It was even more magical in 3D than the first time I had seen it on flat screen.

After the movie I decided not to stay away for Monday September 6, Labor Day, but took off south on the 101 Freeway for home at 11:30 pm. I was quite surprised that the trip took slightly under an hour - glad I missed the Monday night rush home as that would have been a long slow trip.

Today, Labor Day, I went for a bike ride, and got some sun while I did some more writing. Then I went to Trader Joe's for some supplements and when I got home crashed on the bed for a couple of hours sleep, after which I caught up on my email, watered my plants, put away my travel stuff and watched a bit of TV before catching up on this blog for you.

I'll talk to you all again soon.

Love,
Barry