SoCal Weekend

The weekend would be full; test driving a Tesla, attending a birthday party at the pool, enjoying a pumpkin festival at the Irvine Park Railroad, and babysitting during a dinner out for the toddler-weary parents.

Saturday
Saturday morning Dan brought Vivian downstairs while her mom took advantage of the luxury of being able to get up at a leisurely pace. I was pleased to see Vivian dragging around a blanket I'd knit for Dan to replace one he'd lost as a toddler. I have a couple posts about it in myDianeLoves2Quilt blog for October 7, 2015 and December 26, 2013. I think this next pensive mood shot deserves to be on the cover of a knitting magazine.

Here is Vivian quite pleased with herself snuggled in her blankie.

We'd brought her a few toys, selected because I thought they were just the ideal amount of soft, fuzzy, or smooth, perfect for little toddler hands. This plush cuddly teddy bear can be clutched easily in several locations right around her plump tummy. Vivian entwined her fingers in that pink fleecy mid-section right away when I handed it to her. Sorry, I have no picture of that. Sometimes I just enjoy the moment real time.

These rounded critters that go with their stacking homes are sized to nestle right in a chubby little fist. I even liked playing with them with Vivian ... hop, oink, meow, woof, cock-a-doodle-doo, moo.

Late morning, Dan convinced Frank to go out and test drive a Tesla at a nearby dealership. A Tesla is an innovative, entrepreneurial, all-electric vehicle. A Tesla is very, very, pricy but each is loaded with technologically wondrous bells and whistles. The perk that the sale person was a tall, slender, Swedish blond helped convince Frank to give it a whirl – the car, that is.

Frank was curious where the batteries were. He explored beneath the chassis.

A large screen on the dashboard displays a wealth of information.

A sensor warns if the Tesla is approaching too close to a vehicle or obstacle in front of it. Frank asked about the automated features of the proximity sensor during his test drive. Was there feedback that automatically slowed the vehicle? The sales clerk was quick to tell him to hit the brakes before crashing into the wall he was approaching. It is still up to the driver to apply the brakes manually! Shifting is neither manual nor automatic. In an all-electric vehicle, it is non-existent. There are no audible transitionary steps with their tell-tale rise in pitch as there are with a geared motor.

After Frank and Dan returned from their adventure with the Tesla, all five of us set off to the birthday party of a neighborhood toddler. It was at the pool and Vivian got go to swimming.

She romped in the water with her daddy and grandpa. I stayed dry except for when Dan got me good in the seat of my pants with a far range water blast from that super shooter Vivian is (was) holding.

Sunday
Sunday we went to the Irvine Park railroad where, in addition to the train that would spark Frank's interest, there was also a fall pumpkin festival.

We had our priorities straight and rode on the train first thing. Dan, Carrie, and Vivian had seats directly behind Frank and me.

The views from the train were very fall-inspirational and in my mind did a fairly job of conveying the feeling of a New England autumn out west. There were pumpkins abounding everywhere,

falling leaves about a lakeside park bench,

and another view of a pastoral pond complete with waterfall and scenic foot bridge.

Aside from the young boy paddling away in the boat, I thought the jumbled storage and colorful wheels of boats in the docking area made for a jolly picture. I'd like to see that as a jigsaw puzzle.

Here is a nice angle view of the engine as we round the bend near the end of the ride. Some of the trees with massive trunk diameters were quite impressive.

After we detrained, Frank posed at the engine.

Then we were on to the pumpkin patch part of the day's activities. Dan and Vivian posed for some cameo shots and then we made our way through a maze of hay bales.

Here is my handsome son with a grin to match that of the jack o' lantern behind him.

Here is my debonaire husband wearing a rakish expression like that of the rake decor behind him.

And here is the whole brood pausing for photographs while negotiating their way through the maze.

At the exit to the maze was an assortment of pumpkins and Vivian picked her favorite. It was a pretty good size for her to carry and she rose to the occasion.

Dan wanted to see if he measured up, too.

Next stop was cookie decorating and Vivian really got into it. Like mother, like daughter.

She was studiously intent on icing,

and she sprinkled on the purple sugar with care.

She ate with abandon and held on to that cookie determinedly throughout the rest of the day at the park and all the way home in the car. As tiny holes in the bag occurred, the sweet smell of that icing permeated the car. Fortunately, the crumbled remains did not escape the bag clutched in her fists.

Before we got into the car it began to rain lightly but we stayed on to finish off what else Irvine Park Railroad had to offer. We walked through the haunted house. It was not too scary but it was dark!

We rode a hay ride. There were some brownie scouts on board who sat astride the central hay bales and waved an arm above their head like they were swinging a lasso. It was cute when Vivian tried to imitate them.

They cheered every time we went over a bump. It was a merry crew.

We came home and Vivian took a l-o-o-o-ng nap. She was tuckered out. Frank and I were a bit nervous because she was still asleep when Dan and Carrie left for their dinner out, just the two of them. She woke up a bit groggy but did not fuss. She snuggled with Grandpa as she finished waking up. Baby sitting Sunday evening went off without a hitch. Vivian ate well and played well with us. We gave her a bath and were reading to her when he mom and dad returned.

Our flight left late morning the next day. All our luggage made it this time. As we drove home and were making the final turns, we noticed we were behind a Tesla. I texted Dan and he replied that it was a sign! I don't think so...