a weekend with an old friend

ah, how good it feels! the hand of an old friend.

~henry wadsworth longfellow 

my longtime friend karen and her family visited from orlando this past weekend. 
it was a whirlwind - packed full of activities and fun. our time together should carry us 
over until the next time we see each other again. somehow through the years and across the miles, 
we've remained friends, and i realize how rare and special that is anymore.

i must mention her husband, the amazing chef and grill master. 
he prepared a delicious meal of grilled salmon, chicken and veggies the last night of their stay. 
it was truly scrumptious! 

c and I grill, but our food has never tasted as good. chef don shared a few of his secrets - i just hope i can remember them. it's no secret c and i aren't big cooks so any 'tips' i get are welcome. 
i joke that it's the blind leading the blind in our kitchen. 

karen and i with our boys: shad and scout

boys' backsides: shad, scout and finn

for visitors to san diego, a great way to see the city without renting a car is to take a tour. 
karen's husband was new to san diego so this was the perfect way for him to see the city without 
having to rent a car and worry about parking. 

the trolley goes to all the best places - downtown, seaport village, little italy, balboa park, coronado and old town. 
riders can jump on and off and catch the next trolley after they've seen what they want to see. it's perfect.
i'll be recommending this to everyone who visits for their first time.