Go Fly a Kite

San Juan Capistrano

Friday, August 25, 2006

San Juan Capistrano, known for its 236-year-old Mission, is a charming village just 20 minutes south of Newport Beach. It's also where my (Thea's) mom's brother lives, my Uncle Bob. Hazel & I visited Bob last year when we visited California, which was the first time in 40+ years that we'd seen him, so it was great fun to catch up with him again so soon. In fact, it was almost a year exactly, which seemed rather fitting since Capistrano is most famous for the annual Return of the Swallows.

I drove the beautiful coast line of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH to the locals) and arrived at Uncle Bobs just in time to be his sous chef and assist in making fabulous chicken quesadillas. Uncle Bob even had a handy dandy quesadilla maker (kind of like a waffle iron but leaves perfect pie-shaped markings!). It was, as usual a perfect day in sunny Southern California and the back porch with the lemon trees in view was the ideal location to enjoy la comida.

After lunch, I thought my uncle told me to go fly a kite...well, he did, literally! He unraveled two colorful gliders with purple, red and yellow tails while asking me when the last time was that I flew a kite. It was 1968. So, the two us stepped outside behind his house along a bike path and spent the rest of our visit flying kites. It was great. I can only tell those reading this, go fly as kite...as soon as you can. You'll thank me, or maybe you should thank my Uncle Bob! Thanks Bob!