from Newport Beach, CA

We'll be here tonight and then on home tomorrow morning.  A quick drive from lovely Gila Bend to Yuma where we stopped for our annual visit to Denny's for breakfast and our first tank of US gas, then on to San Diego and up the coast to the Extended Stay hotel at the John Wayne airport.  This is the Ritz Carlton of the Extended Stay chain and we're always happy to be here.  Big room, big bathroom, big fridge.  We took our first trip to the local Trader Joe's and got some of the Tomato Red Pepper soup we like so much and heated it up for dinner.  Watched the news ~ nothing much has changed since we left in December ~ and now it's time to go to bed.  One more early morning, one more long day on the road and we'll be home.  The whole trip has been blessedly easy and safe, just the way we like it.