Jo From This Side of the Pond has some beachy questions for us today.
1. Do you like the beach?
Yes, I like the beach. I like to walk at the beach, especially in the winter. I’m not a fan of heat and being overheated. I like to walk the pier, watch the waves and enjoy the cool breezes. We lived in Huntington Beach from 1975-1984. We lived in Ventura (which is a beach town) from 1984-1988. We lived in Camarillo, 8 miles from the beach from 2006-2010. While we lived in Camarillo we drove to Emma Wood State Beach most every Saturday morning to walk the beach at dawn. The collage at the top of this post include photos from Emma Wood.
How far do you have to drive to get to the nearest beach?
Since my definition of beach is related to an ocean we would have to drive over 450 miles to get to the Pacific Ocean.
If you are talking about a sandy or pebbly shore we could get to one of those in under 10 miles. We live close to the Columbia River, Lake Roosevelt and other lakes and rivers.
Your least favorite thing about the beach?
Getting sandy or sunburned.
Last beach trip you took?
I flew to Southern California in June and stayed with my sister in Huntington Beach and enjoyed walking at Corona Del Mar and Huntington Beach.
2. Are you known for making waves or are you more of a ‘go along to get along’ kind of person? Explain.
Hmm, if I have to make waves I will but it’s not my first choice. When something goes against my beliefs I won’t compromise. I don’t nod my head or keep silent when someone presumes to speak on my behalf and what is said is not part of my convictions. I will challenge things said that aren’t the truth in proper settings, when it’s within my boundaries to say something and could make a difference.
3. A favorite song that in some way references the beach?
I’ll give the beach nod to our Marine son-in-law and all Marines!
A favorite book and/or movie with a beach-y setting?
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
4. Tuesday is National Simplicity Day…what’s a simple pleasure you’ve enjoyed this week?
The simple pleasure of enjoying my cup of coffee each morning and the pleasure of the morning unfolding.
What’s something you could eliminate from your life to make things simpler?
Extra weight on my body. My current clothes would fit better and my movements would be easier. It’s harder to move excess weight around,
5. What’s something you love to do? Do you do it often? Why or why not?
I love to plan a trip. I don’t do it often, maybe once a year or every two years. It’s fun to anticipate a journey or a destination that will be fun to experience. I find the more I research the destination the more enjoyment it gives me when we get there.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Two months from today, Lord willing, me and Dear will be in Oxford, England for about 12 days. I’m doing what I love and making plans for our days there. We will be staying in an apartment in Oxford (central) for 9 of the nights, 2 nights in a hotel in Woodstock, and our last night back in Oxford in a hotel. When we had our trip planned in 2020 that got cancelled for obvious reasons, we were reimbursed for everything but a day tour we had booked with Go Cotswolds, a small touring company. We asked them to keep our money just in case we were able to return to England in the future. They were appreciative as they had to cancel so many tours and the more people that kept their reservations on hold allowed them to stay in business during the tough season everyone was in. We contacted them and they were so gracious to honor our two year deposit for a day tour. They are flourishing again in their business. We will hop on the train in Oxford to Moreton in Marsh and get picked up for a day in the small villages of the Cotswolds. Another tour we have on the books is The Kilns, the home of C.S. Lewis just outside Oxford. We will ride a bus to Headington for that tour. We are not renting a vehicle for this trip but depending solely on public transportation and our own two feet . Most of our sight seeing will be right in Oxford. There is so much to see in this compact city that we will be able to enjoy on foot from our apartment.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Love all the pictures. You mentioned Ventura Beach and so the song came to mind right away was Ventura Highway by America. Have a blessed week.
Thank you! Erika. Hope you have a blessed week, too.
…when I visited Oregon years ago they talked about the “Wet Coast!”
Oregon and Washington coasts can be described in that way, Tom.
The trip to Oxford sounds wonderful…my son lived in London for five years and I visited as often as I could… loved Oxford and the Cotswolds!
Will you fly in and out of Heathrow Airport?
Godspeed and enjoy…so good.
All the best,
Marcia Lynch
Hi Marcia, we are flying into Heathrow. Hoping our flights aren’t canceled or that anything else comes up. We are planning on taking a bus to Oxford. How fun to have your son in London for 5 years. Thanks for leaving a comment!
I similarly said drinking my morning coffee. I try to wake up early enough I can do it alone, too.
OOoh, so jealous! My hubs worked in Oxford for six years so we know it well. The Cotswolds are one of my favorite parts of the UK. We’re going to a wedding in Half Moon Bay in late September and have just figured out a trek along the coast to get there. Driving from San Diego up with plans for stops along the way. I’m looking forward to it. It feels like a long while since we’ve had a holiday.
Jo, that sounds like a nice trek. Have you ever been to the Getty Villa in Pacific Pallisades? There are a lot of great stops along the way. We are just hoping now that things won’t go poorly with flights, etc. to the UK!
Oh…may I come and go with you and your husband to Oxford? I watch a program called Escape to the Country on YouTube and they are often showing properties in the Cotswolds. It’s so beautiful. I would also enjoy visiting the home of C.S. Lewis….and Oxford for obvious reasons. I hope you have a wonderful time!
Thanks Dianna. We enjoy that show, too. We’ve been to Oxford for a day on previous trips and wanted to be able to explore it more at our leisure. We hope the trip becomes a reality.
I do feel the same about morning coffee. If it is enjoyed at our little camp with a side of summer breezes and Bible study, even better.
Your upcoming trip to Oxford sounds just wonderful. Enjoy every moment!
Your cabin coffee time sounds very sweet.
Yes, it is nice to walk the beach winter. How wonderful that you were able to walk those two beaches. I love the ocean. Thanks for the video. It felt good to listen to that song. Yes, coffee in the morning is a simple pleasure. Your trip sounds amazing. How exciting for you!!!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.
Not a beach fan myself except to walk along the shore line when on one else is around. 🙂
Beautiful pictures.
Your Oxford holiday sounds fantastic. What a great opportunity for you.
Karen, time will tell if that trip will become a reality. Thanks for stopping by…
I would like to acknowledge your son-in-law and thank him for his service. Your hodgepodge always makes an enjoyable read. Thank you Ellen 🙂
Thank you, Denise.
Ellen that trip sounds amazing!! You’re like my husband, he really loves planning trips and has done some pretty big ones for us over the years. Those ocean pictures are stunning. And yes, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, a great beach book!
Cindy, glad you have a great trip planner! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Thanks for visiting me! Hope you have a great time on your trip!
So excited for you on your coming trip! Loved reading this. That’s really neat how you left the deposit with that small company … I would never have thought of how much that would (and did) mean to the owners.
Sallie, the other thing small business owners have also mentioned is how they appreciate cash sales since they are charged a small fee for every swipe of a card. Take care…
I appreciate your response to question #2. Well put, without creating waves. =)
My family used to camp at Lake Roosevelt. I always thought it would be fun to rent a houseboat. I also remember getting bit by sand fleas and losing my fishing rod “jonah” in the lake…haha. Loved your answers and how exciting about going to england. My dad was in the military right after he and my mom married and I was born there.