Christmas 2011

We woke early and started to make our phone calls to friends and family. Then around noon we joined the Mossman’s as they drove across to El Centro, CA to the Naval Facility. 

Along the way west we passed the large Colorado River water supply cross the desert on it’s way to California.

Next we came to the sand dune that get populated with ATVs during the weekends.

We arrived at the Naval Facility in El Centro, with a very pretty grouping of jets at the entrance.

Scott and Diane met us at the gate and as we drove to the RV Park on base, we noticed how deserted the base looked. No cars to be seen, no one outside, just empty streets.  Scott said this was a training base and there weren’t any squadrons on base at this time.  This is the base that the Blue Angels train at.  There are also some Canadian squads that come there to train. 

Scott pointed out the RV Parks club house and mentioned they had a nice lemon tree there.  Would we like to take some lemons home?  You betcha…. They were so huge.  Oh, how fragrant these lemons make the house.

We joined Scott and Diane, and Jim and Linda Mossman for dinner at the base’s mess hall. Oh, my, what a spread!!! You walked in and paid your $7 and for that you received prime rib, 8 oz. lobster tail, rice, baked potato, stalks of fresh broccoli, corn on the cob, dishes of large shrimp cocktail,then came a full salad bar including a lot of cut up fresh fruit.  Here is a photo of my plate….note the size of that lobster tail!

After you finished dinner and you had room there was a full array of pies and soft serve ice cream.  Oh, my goodness we were all stuffed!!!

Next we went to a neighbor of the Howey’s for after dinner drinks….Crown Royale Black Label on the rocks.  Perfect ending to a perfect dinner.  Take a look at the cute Christmas decorations they had.

Linda was our designated driver and it was about 7 p.m. when we got back to our rigs.

It was a wonderful holiday for us, a bit unusual being on a naval base and eating lobster tail, but every bit as enjoyable as ever. We were with people we loved and who loved us….what more can we asked for???

Remember, you are loved.