Our Christmas Present

Last December we received a wonderful Christmas present from our children. It was all hush-hush and an unexpected surprise.... I believe Judy and Ginger put their heads together and planned a beautiful trip for us. We were given a two night stay at the Old Monterey Inn.
The Inn, a bed and breakfast, was beautiful and a welcome respite from the hot weather here. We had a wonderful breakfast each morning, and gift certificates of wonderful nearby restaurants for dinner.
The room was beautiful and soooo relaxing! An ohsocomfortable feather bed. And a soft couch on which to read and look out the windows.

We spent a lot of time at the Monterey Aquarium. A special Sea Horse exhibit was being shown. These graceful and delicate creatures are fascinating. Did you know that the male seahorse carries the fertilized eggs in a pouch until he gives birth to live young? Quite a sight to see!


We saw many star fish and sleek otters at the aquarium and on the rocky beaches. I saw a seagull eat a star fish whole! Three or four gulps, and its food had disappeared. Reminded me of our teenage boys.... The otters were big and playful. Watching them swim gave one an idea of how powerful these creatures are.

If I ever want to raise an orphaned whale, I found a handy explanation of how much milk to feed it. Which, by the way is an enormous amount of milk! There were no instructions on how to burp the baby whale, though.


We saw these tropical amphibians, also. Can you find the green snakes(3)and the green frogs(4)? Seeing them up close in their enclosure, the frogs looked as if they'd been painted.

What sea creature has eight legs, large eyes, a funny body and likes pretty blondes?


Though the colors look unreal, they are true blue. Aren't these jellies beautiful? These animals have no real brain, nor one central nervous system, but function primarily with nerves found in their skin. They can't eat their food, but rather absorb it. The jellies are very primitive and found all over the world, in both salt and fresh waters. They can also pack excruciating stings!


Your father enjoyed a good conversation with John Steinbeck regarding literature. Do you think someone needs a haircut?


We saw quite a few deer while driving. The coastline is beautiful. We saw otters and other sea life in the waters. Lots of sea birds and inland, hawks. Monterey is a fabulous place to visit any time, but especially when it's so hot at home.