It seems like I've been gone forever! It's just amazing how rejuvenating a week away from the old routine can be. A week ago Saturday my husband Joe, my daughter Tiffany and of course the blog dog Betsy boarded the Catalina Express and journeyed the 26 mile across the Pacific Ocean to our home away from home. Visualize this .... a 60 year old woman with osteoarthritic knees, a man learning to drive an electric scooter (wheelchair) a terrified dog, three large suitcases, two totes and one healthy, overly energetic daughter! She and I wrestled the suitcases and the dog while my husband navigated his way on to the boat as a new scooter driver! Betsy's leash got tangled up in the luggage more then once. By the time we got to the house on the island I for one was exhausted! It was a wonderful week after a quick recuperation.
We spent time putting together a jigsaw puzzle ....
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| A 150 Anniversary of the Civil War puzzle ... |
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| Almost done .... |
Several games of Skip Bo a card game that was really fun, Rummy, solitaire, and of course computer games!!
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| Tiff and I took in a movie at the historic Casino theater. They have recently restored the inside of the theater to it's former Art Deco glory days and it was amazingly beautiful. We saw the movie "Gravity" a bit stressful for this viewer! |
And of course we shopped! The quaint village of Avalon is over run with shops selling clothes, cheap souvenirs, art, jewelry and local Catalina Pottery. This little place that consists of one square mile is loaded with history and beauty. Over the next few days I will share some highlights.
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| A nice, quiet morning on Crescent Ave. the shops have just opened .... |
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| This shop has an Air Catalina plane coming through the storefront! |
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| The same street after the Princess cruise ship arrived. Yikes, there were people everywhere!! |
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| Lloyd's candy shop. It's been on the island for many years, I love their Victorian look and Joe loves their ... |
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| Salt Water Taffy! He is addicted to this sweet, gooey stuff. They have banana on the taffy puller today! |
This year Catalina is celebrating their 100 year anniversary. The island was actually settled in 1887 by a land developer named Shatto, who later sold the island to the Banning Bros. who were instrumental in providing the steam ships and hotels bringing many Angelino's to find refuge from the California heat. By 1913 the tiny village had become a town. In 1919 William Wrigley Jr. from Chicago purchased the island
with the intent of creating an island resort off the Pacific Coast, and that he definitely did! As the owner of the Chicago Cubs, Mr. Wrigley brought his team to the island to enjoy warmer weather as their Spring Training Camp.
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| T-Shirts and other memorabilia were plentiful ... |
To date the island is still owned by the Wrigley family with grandson, William Wrigley the 3rd running the business.
More on the Wrigley's and the island tomorrow.....
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