The Great Barrier

Since Tanner's first St. George expedition was such a glowing success, we did it again. And with just as much joy as before. We had new adventures and experiences such as conquering the "great iron barrier", also known as "a typical boundary separating a neighborhood from a ravine". Watch how we overcame this great obstacle.

After passing the first "test of iron", Tanner was guided down a really treacherous sand mountain "the 20ft riverbank of death" to a small steam, aka "the perilous sandbar of satan". He forded the torrent, hand in hand with HaileyThe Brave and then collapsed on the opposite shore to sit in 6 inches of water. Thereafter he threw stones into the water.

Tanner Goes South

I picked Tanner up straight from school and told him we were going on a long ride. He was thrilled. As the drive time lengthened Tanner became increasingly delighted. When we ventured into new territory he was hysterically excited. This was "the real thing".
I haven't taken Tanner anywhere for over five years due to his explosive ability to become a violent mess. He's been mellowing in his old age though, so I figured it was time for an overnight stay in a safe space. The desert house was the perfect solution.
During the 5 hour drive Tanner was ultra alert and super animated. Once we arrived at the house he was in heaven. And even on our adventures he was delightful and curious.

GRAFTON

ZION NP

 VIRGIN RIVER

SAND DUNES/SNOW CANYON

The New California Tradition

When the Hosenfelds go to California we always do it in style. In the past we have rented a beach  house: fully furnished, fabulously decorated, fantastically adjacent to the beach. These vacations have been the highlight of our year; having all the Hosen's living together in harmony. Relative harmony...mostly. Twenty three people in the same house at the same time. Six different mini-families in the same house at the same time.... Everyone in the kitchen of the same house at the same time. This year mom went ALL IN! I mean she took all my dad's money and threw it into the most beautiful beach house I have ever imagined. She rented one of those untouchable movie-star type palaces that I used to stare at in absolute awe! And it was 100yds from our beloved San Clemente beaches. There was a jungle pool. There was a hot tub. There were decks.  The big kids played together, the "littles"got along and the parents were sooo happy and content. Nothing more to say.

We reluctantly pulled ourselves away from paradise for a day trip to San Diego, which turned out to be another success. La Jolla sea lions and tide pools were a great addition to this excellent experience.

JUST LOOK AT US! 

WE ARE SO CHILL!

A Mom's Milestone

Hey! I just reached a milestone in my life, and it came right on time. Disclosure: It's all about ME... I have a daughter who graduated from high school. I didn't have to do ANYTHING. She enrolled in these AP and CE classes? Whatever... turns out she got college credit for stuff and now she's going to some higher education place. She is going ALL-OUT on her future or something? Anyhow, she wore some "rope" around the neck of her graduation gown and stood up when the speaker said "honor student".  I'd like to think that I had a part of her ambition. But I didn't.... I'd like to think that I'm a proud parent of an extraordinary, independent, sassy daughter. And I am! I take credit for that.

Graduating Class 2017 DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL (850 Seniors)

Proud Mom, Proud Dad

THE UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF THIS MILESTONE:  GRANDPARENTS

 The Hosenfeld Grandparents

The Erickson Grandparents

The Treacherous Whale Shark

The biggest fish in the world! Sleek fins, large swishing tail, menacing gills, huge gaping jaws.....but no teeth? Whale sharks are like the old folks of the shark species, they swim slowly and aimlessly around with their mouths open, toothless. Whatever tiny marine life they plow through is drawn into the mouth funnel and filtered. They don't chase prey or rip anything apart. They cruise harmlessly  just below the surface. And when one comes up on you they are massive. You stick your face and mask in the water and watch the spotted beast slowly pass below you like the enormous battleship in Star Wars.

 friends, not food!

Crazy in Cabo

Los Cabos, Mexico is not authentic. It's a hustle.

It's a place where you can buy junk made in China, peddled  by inexhaustible vendors rushing to you all at once..."hey beautiful ladies, 50% off special deal only for you"

It's a place where you need to keep a wad of one dollar bills in your pocket to tip the persistent and pervasive mariachis and table side serenaders.

Also a place to create your poker face in a high stakes game of Hold 'Em.




We also found the beauty that the hustle can't corrupt. The ocean was beautiful and the idyllic rock arch still held it's mystery

We escaped the hustlers and participated in the pursuit of a giant beast of nature that only few see. Somewhere out in the Bay of La Paz swims the whale shark. Barely beneath the surface we catch a glimpse of a dorsal fin and then a large, slowly approaching shadow in the water.  We dive into the bay and try to find this massive creature, and when we find it we swim along side it.

searching for the gentle giants which live in La Paz Bay

UP NEXT!! PICTURES OF US WITH THE BEASTS

Fat Foot Syndrome

It happened to me. After a long sit on a plane for an obscene amount of time, I arrived in Thailand with elephant feet. I could feel them tingling with tumescence. I had to squish them into my flip-flops like meaty sausage. Later, when I took my shoes off there was an indent carved into my skin, like meaty sausage... I've seen this condition before; in old women with circulatory problems and generalized "oldness" symptoms. They are told to wear pressure socks and take diuretics to keep fluid from pooling in their 70 year old feet. But since I had just been sitting for 24 hours with my feet low I figured I would just walk it off.  After three days of walking the streets of Bangkok I still had these bloated stompers. The older women in the group complained of swollen feet but I never once admitted that I too was suffering. That would just be humiliating!

So I went through my whole vacation with inflated balloon feet, elevating them at night, semi-concerned that I may have a persistent condition, like forever. But after arriving back home to the desert my feet mysteriously deflated to normal within a couple of hours.

tropical foot
(my bones and veins and tendons are buried)                                        

dry climate foot: sinuous

The Great Shrinking Lake of Cambodia

Wet season, Dry season It's a big deal! There is a massive yet shallow lake in central Cambodia which provides fish for all of South East Asia. In November, after the rains, it swells up and leaves the trees and roadways submerged. During these times a fisherman might only have to climb 10 steps up to his house which is perched on stilts. His only way of transportation is his fishing boat. Then as the months progress the lake dries up and almost disappears, causing a river to reverse it's flow and  the folks who live in floating houses to seek wetter wet. The stilted houses are on dry land and a fisherman must climb 30 steps up to his house. Now the rice farmers take over. There is a lot of trade going on.

Great Tonle Lake, Cambodia

This fisherman moves his house to where the fish happen to be, soon the lake will be 1/4 this size

Next Up: Why Cambodia is my favorite