V4N4B

492 or 449?

While we were in Desert Hot Springs, CA this year we decided to take a little side trip to Manteca to see my brother Ed and his wife Maxine. We were also hoping to see my niece Sheri but that didn't pan out because of sickness, and the short time we were there. We had planned to drive up on one day, stay for one day, and then drive back on the third day.

We had our usual excellent meals while we were there. I've always said that, "If you leave their house hungry, it's because there's something wrong with your mouth." They also treated us to lunch at a Chinese Restaurant.......one of our favorites.

There was one troubling aspect of the trip. We got a late start the morning we left because we waited for our mail which was being forwarded from home by way of our mail forwarding service in Cincinatti, OH. We drove 492 miles and we didn't get to Manteca until 6pm. On the way back we only drove 449 miles and we got home at 4:30.

Wanting to know why there was a discrepancy in the time and mileage, I quizzed my Navigator. She said it had to do with our getting lost on the way there.

"CHECKPOINT PANCHO"

After having concluded our third stay in Mexico, we'd like to share some of our thoughts. We have heard horror stories of people entering Mexico and being detained without cause. Perhaps some people have, but we have not seen or experienced it. We have not heard the stories from people in Mexico, but from people "who would never go there because they heard........." and they then reiterate the story. They also have a story of the nightmare dealing with the US Customs at the border.

Suffice it to say that we have encountered US Customs dozens of times at the border, without problems, including an Agriculture Inspection this time. And we have been through the Mexican Military checkpoints on 8 occasions being inspected once. The "inspection" consisted of the 3 soldiers politely stamping the dirt off their boots before entering, and opening and looking into about 6 doors and drawers.

We got the impression that they were "looking" and not "Inspecting." Intimidated by their weapons and looks, but not by their manner, they spent about 3 minutes inside. The Werdens on their first trip, were relieved when they just waved them through.

Ronald Wilson Reagan

From Desert Hot Springs, Simi Valley is a little Northwest, and the home of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It is located on the top of a mountain overlooking the valley below. The structure resembles a ranch-type building with several gardens encircling the complex.

Our first stop of the day was the Country Cafe to tame the hunger built up from a 3 hour trip. The cafe is a tiny little building which can handle about 30 people at one time. The food was very good and served very quickly.

The library itself is a 2 story building accessible only on the first floor, except for researchers rooting out the truths of the age. It's a modern building capable of encompassing the entire lives of the Reagans.

The early years of Broadcasting are here, along with the years and the movies he starred in. The old movie posters were fun to see because of the young rising stars who acted with him. The Gubernatorial artifacts collected over the eight years he served as Governor are here. And of course the Presidential memorabilia brings back the memories of a man who cannot enjoy them in his waning years.

Good News Week?

We opted to stay at our homepark here in Desert Hot Springs, CA for 2 weeks, and after this week we will surely do it again. Along with the weather finally turning to warm and desirable, the news from this week was as good as we've had all winter.

First of all, Granny Rocheleau, dismayed with her doctors in Iron Mountain, opted to go to Chicago and get a second opinion on her last surgery. The clean bill of health is exactly what we were all hoping for, and got.

Secondly, we heard on our Message Service that our friends Bob and Jayce Dale have purchased another motorhome. Bob rarely sells a vehicle, even when he's done with it, so we're assuming that they will have 2 motorhomes now.

And lastly, but certainly not leastly, our youngest daughter Jessica has announced her engagement to Michael Mindok, her longtime beau. An event that certainly merits a paragraph in the "now-famous" Newsletter. The scream from the phone, at the Ronald Reagan Library meant that we were VERY happy for them.

Coincidence? Maybe. But we'll always go and stay where the news is THIS good.