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So. Cal trip, 8/27 - 9/2/21
Aunt Gloria 80th BD, and AAOS (ortho) meeting San Diego
We flew out of Albany, and there at the airport was one of Merle's "children" (Filipino nurses who stayed with us), Angelika.
![8 27 Angelica.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_fa53ca9ecfe64901916a754706eb0c56~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_673,h_505,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/8%2027%20Angelica.jpg)
As it turned out, there were a bunch of Merle's college classmates who were having a reunion in L.A. that Saturday, 8/28, including people she hadn't seen in 30 years. I dropped her off early in the morning, and they brought her home at 130am!
![8 28 Merle buds.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_a5f4180c00ce4aa4a77e64d71709cb5b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_656,h_602,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/8%2028%20Merle%20buds.jpg)
Our Aunt Gloria was turning 80, and she wanted just a small family gathering, not a big shindig. My cousin Brian (her son) made a most awesome video for her, which can be seen by clicking this link.
(Merle and I can be seen about the 12:15 mark.)
Here we are in our normal state.
![8 28 family funny face.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_590fcaffb7254aeebf54212154fd6994~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_120,h_87,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2028%20family%20funny%20face.jpg)
Here, we try to act civilized.
![8 28 family no masks.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_512c04e36e304e13ba77b61114c4995d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_119,h_87,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2028%20family%20no%20masks.jpg)
Here, civilized and safe....
![8 28 family w masks.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_b0ec47794d51421cb566e8ab74f5ef1b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_119,h_84,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2028%20family%20w%20masks.jpg)
I think she looks pretty good for 80. :)
![8 28 BD girl.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_09753da33d204cc4b0265ae248fb2148~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_118,h_89,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2028%20BD%20girl.jpg)
Sunday lunch, we got to visit with friends from med school, Eda and Geoff, where here Geoff looks at the yearbook from 35 yrs ago to see if he still recognizes us.
![8 29 Eda and Geoff house.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_b23554af2d474b9f9c6a8d56fd80a621~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_117,h_99,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2029%20Eda%20and%20Geoff%20house.jpg)
Next stop was to see Paula and Salomon in Newport Beach, here visiting at The Beachcomber restaurant in Crystal Cove.
![8 29 Paula and Salomon.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_319ab8726bfb45bb91536f4e20544d4f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_115,h_85,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2029%20Paula%20and%20Salomon.jpg)
We got to enjoy a very pretty sunset.
![8 29 Sunset w MW and MS.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_dae4ab3ed7024f3e89cd62954f6835f1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_116,h_95,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2029%20Sunset%20w%20MW%20and%20MS.jpg)
Monday, my attorney friend Gary Erickson took us to lunch on the Pacific Beach boardwalk. Great visit and dee lish!
![8 30 GE lunch.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_e20922780a32456791bfc462ffc84fa5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_114,h_81,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2030%20GE%20lunch.jpg)
That evening in San Diego, we had a business meeting with Drs. Matthew, Cooper, Shore, and of course Dr. Landon.
![8 30 Fam at Sams.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_79385c5648574daf8d2c8e59a8c13e6f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_113,h_82,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2030%20Fam%20at%20Sams.jpg)
At the AAOS meeting, they must have thought I was very important, as they made me a double MD.
![8 31 AAOS.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_fde78d5af2e145be94c8d5067223995f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_115,h_86,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2031%20AAOS.jpg)
That evening, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant with Eda and Geoff, but also with Serena Young and her husband Peter. I had not seen Serena for about 20 yrs. We still recognized each other!! :)
![8 31 dinner w Eda and Serena.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_3ab07da07a224ae982bc0f3f6b38d9fc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_113,h_79,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8%2031%20dinner%20w%20Eda%20and%20Serena.jpg)
Next day, on way back to L.A., we stopped in Cerritos to see cousins Karen and Timmy, where they fed us corned beef sandwiches during our visit.
![9 1 Karen and TImmy.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_b5a194168c8548cd83d481cbd4e0cfec~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_113,h_68,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/9%201%20Karen%20and%20TImmy.jpg)
After Cerritos, off to Pasadena to see UCLA friend TP (hadn't seen since '92!!) and his wife Mary, and briefly met his daughter. Great visit, and it was the beginning of a campaign for us to move to Pasadena!
![9 1 TP and Mary.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_0110fa3360e94105b14bde1058330450~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_114,h_72,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/9%201%20TP%20and%20Mary.jpg)
Next stop was to visit Marta (nearest to stage) along with Sue and Rich (next to me). Marta brought along two students living with her, both of whom are also online influencers, next to Merle. Marta referred to them as Miss Hong Kong, and Miss Columbia. :)
![9 1 Casa Sanchez.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b57502_5a9d676e980249b783695bbfb5124064~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_114,h_93,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/9%201%20Casa%20Sanchez.jpg)
Then, back to it.
Thanks for looking!
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