by Barbara Taylor & Homer S. Sewell III
We are still in sunny California in the San Francisco Bay area this weekend. We will be in this expensive state for two more weeks. I have never seen grocery or gas prices so high! We stopped to fill up the AbeMobile the other day and when Homer went back to turn off the pump it had stopped at $127.50 for 76 gallons of gas at $1.68 a gallon!! There is NO EXCUSE in ripping off the public at those prices. The oil companies are making a killing off not only the locals but those of us who are visiting. There is talk all over the state of a boycott on April 30 to protest the high prices. The scenery here is beautiful with all the rolling hills, mountains, ocean views, etc. but the people are not as friendly as we've encountered in other states and their high prices are not fun. We are spending close to $500 a week for gas. We cant wait to head to Arizona in two weeks and hopefully lower prices.
Two weeks ago while we were in the Ukiah area Homer drove over to the Pacific coast to Mendocino and had dinner with a long-lost cousin, Dalen and her husband Paul and children, Moshe and Zoe. Homer had not seen them since Dalen was about four years old and he was about fourteen. They had come east to Blackshear, Georgia to visit grandparents. Homer came back telling me about what a beautiful area it was and we decided to go spend the following weekend there. We did and walked on the beach, saw some beautiful sunsets, did some shopping in some really neat shops and just relaxed. On Saturday evening we went to a cancer fund raising concert and heard a really good trio who played Charleston era Swing music. It was different but enjoyable. We spent the weekend at the Pomo RV Park in Fort Bragg. It was one of the most beautiful campgrounds we've ever stayed at. Each site had its own privacy screen of trees and bushes. We also took a walk through a 47-acre botanical garden right on the Pacific Ocean. There were dozen of hummingbirds buzzing around and all the flowers were in full bloom. What a treat that was!
We left Ukiah and drove south to Petaluma and then on to Newark. Homer got a haircut in Newark and got scalped! The lady from Hong Kong who cut it took off too much. He hadn't had hair that short since leaving the Army 32 years ago. While in Newark one of Homer's cousins, SuZ, came from across the bay to see his show and to meet him for the first time. We then drove over to Linden, Fairfield and back north to olive country, Corning. It is the olive capital of the world. The school he spoke to there was 22 miles out of town out in the middle of nowhere. One of those places....You can't get there from here.
On Friday we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge again and took a boat ride with SuZ. This was the first time I've ever been on a boat of any size. We were out on the San Francisco Bay for about an hour. We drove under the bridge and around the island where Alcatraz Prison is located. We had wanted to take the tour of the old prison but that tour was sold out for several days ahead. We enjoyed the ride and the scenery and I didn't even get seasick!
This week was a slow week for Homer since most of the schools were out for Easter vacation. We hope you and your family have had a nice holiday. Homer spoke in Newark again and a few miles away in Fremont. We spent the weekend again back at the Solano County Fairgrounds RV Park because it was the cheapest place to spend some time....only $15 a night there for full hookups when most other parks in the area would be $30 to $50 a night. We had the whole place to ourselves. Homer did visit a computer show on Saturday and bought some software to try to get his web pages up and running.
I am anxious to get back to Jasper sometime in May so I can visit my daughters and grandchildren. Homer is also ready for a visit with his three children. Until next time.....Barbara and Homer signing off from the AbeMobile in California. If you have e-mail let us hear from you at AbeUsa16@AOL.com.