We met Jo and Don Richardson the summer of 2018 at what was known then as the adult pool at Pio Pico Thousand Trails. We had lots of good times out there swimming and playing cornhole, going places locally, and having dinner followed with playing Mexican Train or Uno at their house. We became good friends, and stayed in touch. We always got together when we were back in the San Diego area. We were there fairly often 2018-2020 since Pio was so close to our grandkids.
The fall/winter of 2020, we started having our home-base in Yuma instead, and the Richardsons traveled frequently especially to Hawaii, Mexico. Our retirement schedules have not coincided till this visit. We saw them briefly in May at Pio. They came over for heavy hors d’oeuvres when their grandson, Blaine, was visiting from Tennessee. It was a great couple of hours being able to finally see each other, but also to meet Blaine before he headed back. What an amazing young man! It would be awesome if Isaac and Mona would visit us like that when they grow up!
Luckily, before we left San Diego we got together-just the four of us. They introduced us to Mike Hess Brewing Company in Imperial Beach (IB). It was a fun outdoor place at the beach, but BOY was it crowded that night. We planned to have tacos and play some cornhole, but cornhole never opened up to others with the celebration parties taking place that night. (A weeknight would have been better.) The tacos, however, were great! They were not your typical tacos that’s for sure! I had one with scallops, and one with beef.
It was a gorgeous evening, so we decided to walk out on the IB pier before heading back to their place. Jo and I were a good ways ahead of Don and Barry, so they missed this next part completely. Fishermen pretty much lined both sides of the pier. One of them caught something! OMG…it was a stingray! One of the guys helped me get a few pictures before they helped it back to the ocean.
Getting the stingray back into the ocean below the pier…
When we got back to the house, Jo had strawberry pie for dessert. She and I played Quarto while the guys watched the Padre game. No introducing them to the card game “TENS” tonight. Maybe when they come visit us in Yuma. 🙂
A couple days later, Jo called me–I had left my new ball cap in her car! She and Don graciously drove over after dinner to bring it to me. This timing also let them see our grandkids since they were with us.
Don found “magic” rocks for both Isaac and Mona, and told them if they put them under their pillow tonight that they would find $1 under the pillow! Well, Jo ended up giving Don money to give the kids instead. He then told them that maybe they could buy one piece of candy with the $2 he gave each of them.
I happened to have two little individual packets of fruit snacks, so I figured that would be perfect to put under their pillow since they still put the money and the rocks there. They were so excited when they woke up and found the treats. Isaac quickly said, “You were wrong, Nana! They really were magic rocks!” Then Isaac looked at me and asked quietly–“Or did you put them there?” I pointed out that they got up before I did, so I couldn’t have put them under the pillows. “Yeah, you’re right. Plus you don’t have any fruit snacks here.” I did let them know that the magic only works once. 🙂
