Last Days in Hemet

Jill's Journal: Our girls sitting in one of my high school classrooms (W-2, for other fellow former students). I don’t think the desks have changed since I was there! How surreal to see it again.

Our last days in Hemet were so sweet. In fact (I can’t believe I’m about to say this as I couldn’t wait to get out of the town when I was a teenager), the time went too quickly. We came into Hemet with a list of nine people I very much wanted to spend time with and we literally ran out of time. We never had a chance to see two of those nine people at all, including a cousin. But, on the bright side, we really got quality and quantity time with the others. I’m so thankful for that.

We’ve gotten spoiled by wonderful time with my brother over the last month+. First in Yorba Linda and then in Hemet, Adam, Rob, and I have spent many an evening laughing and just hanging out after the girls were in bed. What a gift. The girls have gotten their share of Uncle Adam time during daylight hours too, although they would argue it wasn’t enough. I have to agree – I’m so thankful for Adam and am going to miss him so much. What a blessing to have not one, but two, fantastic siblings whom I absolutely love spending time with.

The girls and I got to spend one last day with Tammy, beloved Tammy. We met for a tour of the school and lunch…and when I first glanced at the clock, I couldn’t believe six hours had already passed. What a blessing to have such a lovely friend where time slips away so effortlessly…I’m thankful for Tammy too and I’m going to miss her also. There is something so special about old friends.

Then there was another entire day with Betty Ann, my early career mentor and self-proclaimed “big sister.” This is a darling, special lady who considers us family. First just she and I met for a long lunch to catch up uninterrupted and then she gathered troops together for a party at her house. She surprised me with people who I hadn’t seen in 20+ years and even produced kids for our girls to play with! Saying goodbye to Betty Ann (and Tammy and Adam) was hard.

I never dreamed our time in Hemet would be so delightful, truly. We are blessed.

Mom's Day Away

While Jill is off in Burbank attending a TV taping (more on that in another post, I'm sure), I have had the rare opportunity to have the kids all to myself for two days. While I'm not used to it, and it is a little taxing on my schedule, I was able to get in a good day of work and still keep the kids educated, entertained and happy. When Jill's not here, the teacher's not here, so I had to find a way to put a little education in this day off. After breakfast I set up the computer and they used a website called starfall.com to play games and sing songs, all aimed at teaching them something. It gave me a good 3 hours of time in front of my own machine.

Then after I made a lunch of pancakes (the girls favorite, and something I may just have been told I'm the best-in-the-world at making), we watched a little PBS (and learned about habitats and what to do if you get separated on the subway) and headed off to the pool for an hour or so. One thing that always strikes me about this park is how friendly everyone is. Granted, it helps that I have just about the only grandkid-aged kids in the place, and that most of the park is full of Seniors snowbirding from Canada, but it is still nice how everyone treats the girls.

They had a big time using the park provided floaties and swimming around in the 80-degree pool. We got a few off stares because there is still the occasional senior that wants it just their way - quiet and non-splashy - but the vast majority of folks were very accomodating. It was nice to see the girls try to practice the stuff they learned from Pendleton again.

After swimming they had some time for sidewalk chalk, another favorite pastime that they don't get to do nearly enough. Erika made a masterpiece-sized painting while the little two tried to cover as much area as possible with colored doodles. All in all, fun for them, and 2 more hours of uninterrupted work for me.

Erika's 4 foot by 2 foot Masterpiece, a girl holding two horses, with the sun
coming through the heart-shaped clouds

We finished up with dinner early enough for some quiet reading time in their beds before lights out and Madelyn completed the full day by losing yet another tooth (I think that's number 172). At the dinner table we discussed how the day was pretty much like camp - no school, time in the pool, an art class and plenty of exercise.

As were wrapping up the day it was heartwarming how much the girls missed their mom. Throughout the day they interjected the occasional "I wish Mommy was here." At the end of the day they told me they couldn't wait for her to come home. I told them she'd be home to see them before morning, and that seemed to ease their minds. I can't wait to have her home too, I'm not sure I could do this for a week. ;)

Childhood Friends Revisited

Jill's Journal: When I was a kid, I wanted a big brother sooooo bad. I never had one of those, but these two guys were pretty able substitutes. Humorously, I didn’t even know they were good friends themselves until recently.

Viddle – or Mike, if you prefer to be more formal -- and I go way, way back. We went to the same tiny school and the same even-tinier church and we both have so many memories that each other are in. School functions, church functions, common friends…we’ve probably spent hundreds – no, thousands – of hours together over the last 30 years. Last time we saw each other was 17 or 18 years ago in Phoenix. I love this guy and his wonderful wife Toni, whom I would like to be my BFF if we lived in Hemet!

Another 30-plus-year-long friend is Gary. We were friends as kids and ran in some of the same circles as teenagers and young adults. Oh, the adventures and fun we’ve had! We haven’t seen each other in 20 years, but it was so easy to pick up right where we left off. Like Viddle, he is just a super, super guy. Congratulations are in order as he just got engaged over the weekend. His fiancé, Kim, is a sweetheart.

After some great time with each Viddle and Gary over the past few days, the guys hunkered down in Viddle’s man cave yesterday…

…while the gals bonded…

…and the kids did too. From left to right is Victoria, Erika, Aidan (Gary & Kim), Joey (Viddle & Toni), Madelyn, and Nick (Viddle & Toni). Not shown is a super-cute 10-month-old, Jordan (Gary & Kim), although I think he would have loved the brownies too.

Unfortunately, our girls now desperately want guinea pigs (as if there weren’t enough other animals they’d like already). Gee thanks, Viddle. We’ll send you the bill.

Another dear, dear friend we snuck in some time with was Tammy. Again, we go back over 30 years. My first-ever slumber party was at her house…she and I went to New York together for two weeks with her family at age 16…we were roommates during our senior class trip to Hawaii…the adventures we’ve had, the secrets we’ve shared…we've just always been a part of each others' childhoods and lives! Last time we saw each other was in 2004, so much more recently than Viddle and Gary, but it was just as sweet to see her again. We’ve got more time planned for later in the week and I can’t wait.

Tammy and David have been together since they were 15 or 16 and he’s like family too. That’s their sweet little daughter, Skylar…

…who my girls would like to have move in with us.

And finally, we’ve gotten more precious time with the girls’ Uncle Adam, including an unprecedented lunch of ice cream. These girls are thinking Hemet is a very wonderful place, indeed.

Dairyland, USA

Jill's Journal: How cute are these guys? I mean, seriously. Baby cows – any baby farm animals, really – are just so stinkin’ adorable.

My parents live far from Hemet these days, but they had some business to take care of in Hemet a few days ago and combined it with a visit to their grandkids. We had a super day, capped by a “field trip” to a dairy farm. Hemet has a rich dairy culture. I grew up around it – so much so that I never knew dairies smelled until this return trip after being away -- and I knew the girls needed an introduction. My Dad sells bull semen to dairies all over Central and Southern California (how’s that for a conversation piece at a cocktail party?) and was kind enough to bring us to Scott Brothers Dairy just outside of Hemet in neighboring San Jacinto. Scott Bros. has been in San Jacinto since the 1970s and milks over 1,000 head of Holsteins daily.

First Grandpa showed the girls a milk barn. Look at Erika’s face…she is fascinated and amazed and enthralled! She desperately wants to learn how to milk a cow.

Then it was off to the calving pen. We just missed a birth. This little one was still wet and the mama hadn’t passed the placenta yet.

Another newborn calf. So cute.

Erika especially adored the calves. Add calves to the long, long list of animals she’d like to have one day. It starts with horses, of course, and runs the gamut from pigs to quail and just about everything in between.

There were plenty to pick from!

No, they’re not bound for veal. This is how calves on dairies are raised.

Victoria latched on to a friendly little calf. Allegedly, I used to let the calves suck on my long braids when I was a child. Victoria offered up her fingers instead. Much wiser. With her blonde hair, she could easily pass for one of the plethora of Dutch dairy kids in the area.

Madelyn found a friend too. She usually prefers smaller animals, but this calf was right up her alley. She doesn’t share her sisters’ extreme love of horses and big dogs, but give her a cat or a little dog and she’s found bliss.

Feeding time!

How these girls loved their moments on a dairy. Thanks so much to my Dad and to the very kind Brad Scott for hosting us.

P.S. Drink milk!

Hemet, California

Jill's Journal: Hemet, California, isn’t exactly a destination for travelers, at least for those under a certain age. It is a huge snowbird destination, quite popular with older folks looking to escape winters. In fact, in the RV park we’re staying in, about 80% of the residents are Canadian (and Rob and I are at least 20, if not 30 or 40, years behind all of them). With the kids, we bring the median age down a bit.

So, why are we here? Hemet is out of the way and off the major freeways that connect all the good-sized towns in California. It’s out in the desert, roughly halfway in between L.A. and San Diego, but it’s inland and not on the coast. There are no major attractions. It’s not a pretty town, although it is in a large valley surrounded by hills.

We’re here because this small town (now medium-sized town: the 1980 census listed its population at just over 22,000 people while the 2010 census noted over 78,000 residents) is where I spent most of my childhood. I was almost eight when my family moved here and I was 19 when I officially left. So although it’s out of the way, although there’s not much to see, and although it’s nothing to write home about as a destination, we’re in Hemet because it used to be home for me. We’re here solely for nostalgia and to visit some of the wonderful people who remain here, including my brother.

It took us one single afternoon to drive by my family’s former homes, my former school, my former church, and all the old hot spots. For kicks, we stopped in at the charming Hemet Museum/Santa Fe Depot to learn a little of the history of the town.

The museum is small, but nicely displays the town’s Native American and agricultural beginnings.

There’s smudge pots, which were used to help protect citrus trees from frost…

…an old scoreboard from the local high school…

…and even a little horse history.

Hemet’s claim to fame is most definitely the Ramona Pageant, held every spring at the Ramona Bowl.

Every Hemet Valley school child, usually around the fourth grade, attends the Ramona Pageant at least once, as do visitors from all over the world. The natural amphitheater and “stage” look exactly like I remember them. How I’d love to take the girls, but it’s still several weeks away and we should be long out of the area by then.

If you’ve never heard of the Ramona Outdoor Play (and chances are you haven’t if you’re not a Southern Californian), it’s the oldest outdoor play in America and California’s official state play. It’s part historical and part fictional, set in Hemet during the 1800s. It’s almost like an American version of Romeo and Juliet, with a wealthy young Mexican ranch girl, Ramona, falling in love with an Indian named Alessandro. Their love is, of course, forbidden. The pageant has been running since 1923, features a cast of over 300 (not counting the live animals), and has had actresses like Raquel Welch and Anne Archer in the lead role.

With our sightseeing officially done for the week, we can concentrate on the people we want to see. First and foremost is my brother. The girls were dying to see his bachelor pad, although they were disappointed it’s a little too cool to swim in his pool. But my goodness, they are happy as clams to be able to see their Uncle Adam regularly. They promptly decorated his refrigerator with their drawings. He, in turn, made a kid-friendly dinner for them (and us) one night! Yes, he’s handsome, a great guy, and he cooks. Sorry, single ladies…he’s got a girlfriend. :)