Thompsons' Visit -- November 2011

Soooo....I thought we published this post weeks ago, but it looks like that didn't happen. Sorry, Thompsons!!

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Justin's parents came to visit in mid-November. They hadn't been to visit since May 2009, so it was great fun to have them in town for a bit and to show them our new San Jose digs.

Justin took us all to dinner Friday at a delicious little Italian restaurant in Campbell:

Saturday we lounged around in the morning and then headed south with the intention of perusing Monterey and then hitting up the 17-Mile-Drive. We didn't quite make it to the 17-Mile-Drive because of something very nostalgic just north of Monterey: Fort Ord!

Lee trained at Fort Ord for a few months in the National Guard. That was, of course, before Fort Ord looked like this:

It seems the salty sea air proved too much for the wooden buildings, and the fort closed this portion a few years back. However, the abandoned barracks served as a great place for wandering and exploring that afternoon.

If we're being honest here...and if you can't be honest on your own blog, where can you...army bases don't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling. And we all know why. Turning into the base brought that ol' achy heart, icky feeling for me; the one that creeps up from behind and attacks me from time to time, like at large family gatherings. Luckily (?) I'm getting better at shoving Mr. Creeper aside; try as he might, he didn't bring me all the way down that day, especially because it was so neat to watch Lee exploring and remembering that afternoon!

We walked among the buildings, each mirrored the other, except for a few marked Arms or the like. Lee looked for little memory triggers and took lots of pictures to send to his brother. We felt like trespassers, but no one came by to shake their finger at us and tell us to leave, so we spent as much time as we wanted just wandering.


I can't imagine what it would be like to come across just a formative place from my history and find it abandoned. It might be like going back to Australia and finding Bond University abandoned and overgrown. However, no matter its fate, I know it would be special to get an opportunity to explore something like old Fort Ord, and I'm glad we stopped for Lee to spend some time there.


After a stroll up and down the hill at Fort Ord, we crossed the freeway to check out the old shooting range. It's now being restored to nurture the growth of native plants, but the dunes and hills still held plenty of memories for Lee. We also wandered down to the seaside to take in the view.

 

 

 

We worked up an appetite with all the exploring, so we drove down to Monterey for a late lunch and to check out the treasures along Cannery Row.

Sunday we went to church and brunched at Bill's Cafe down the street from our place. Afterward, Justin, Karen and Lee went on an afternoon hike while I stayed back to do a quick babysitting job for some buddies. We dined at home that night, enjoying some homemade lasagna. Then I kicked everyone's bootie at Apples to Apples.

The Thompsons headed back to Washington on Monday after spending a bit more time with Justin before he took them to the airport. We had a great time during your visit, Lee and Karen!! We hope you are able to come back for a visit before another two and a half years go by!