danish family mission launches holiday plumber
“Tell me more. Maybe you’re right.” Nazy replied. “Maybe - but unlikely.” Nazy thought.
I thought of following normal corporate procedure to develop a single sentence that described the purpose of The Martin Family. However, in the end, we simplified the process.
“Agreement at last!” Nazy exclaimed. “We will take photos of all 21 California Missions.”
“That’s not my definition of Mission Statement,” I thought. “Yes dear.” I said.
For us, the easiest Old Mission is Mission Santa Barbara - about 400 meters from our home. And we had already photographed the Ventura Mission. On the weekend we wanted to see missions in Lompoc and Solvang. The weather was beautiful (we live in California).
Santa Barbara Mission
Mission Venura
The Lompoc mission was in really good shape...
“.. because it was moved in 1813 and then restored in this very location in the 1940’s,” Nazy explained as she read the guide book. (In fact, the Mission was dedicated as a California Park on Pearl Harbor Day: December 7, 1941.)
“The original Mission, destroyed by an earthquake in 1813 was in the city center about 5 miles away.”
After consultation, Nazy and I decided to supplement our view of the restoration with a trip to the original site. (That wasn’t an impressive site: it featured a railroad track and a commemorative plaque). The restoration grounds and the restored mission are a California state park. (It is the only California Mission that is not part of the Catholic Church.)The grounds illustrated life at the time the Mission was in use. (There was also a collection of animals and poison oak.)
I asked a Chumash Indian guide what they called the country before the Spanish came. His reply was simple:
“Ours.”
The Missions were not just churches, they were homes, businesses (weaving, leather) and farms. The missions are on the coast from San Diego to San Francisco.
La Purisima Mission (Lompoc)
Lompoc is close to Vandenberg Air Force Base. The day after we left a Delta heavy lift rocket launched from there sent a secret satellite into orbit. (What the satellite does is secret, they couldn’t make the launch secret - it could be heard from 50 miles away.)
From Lompoc, we drove to Solvang, a Danish-motif village. It was time for lunch. I got a “Danish Hot Dog” and...
“I should have gotten pastry first,” I thought. “Now Nazy will (accurately) claim that we’ve already eaten. She’ll conclude that any Pastry Purchase is Pointless.”
“Nevertheless, the hot dog was very good. However, I don’t remember my Danish Mother touting Danish Hot Dogs. I do remember pastries: stolen bread, sugar cookies, cinnamon buns and home-baked bread. (P.S.Nazy got a salad.)
The Solvang Mission (Santa Inés) was an easy, but obstacle-filled walk from the city center. (The obstacles were shops.)
This Catholic mission was being used for church services when we arrived.
The next morning, having crossed two additional missions off of our list, Nazy and I were having breakfast outdoors. It was clear that Sparky the Spider (our pet Arachnid) had taken advantage of our absence to construct an enormous web in the front garden. Nazy wanted action.
“He’s going to catch the white butterfly that likes the window box Alyssum, Dan. You have to do something.”
“I believe that the web targets larger prey,” I replied.
“Like..”
“Like bald eagles and commuter aircraft.”
“Well do something.”
“Yes dear,” I replied. “What if Sparky wants me?” I thought. “Our chain saw is in storage, Nazy,” I continued. “So, without proper tools, I’m afraid..”
“Afraid is the right word.”
We prudently left the web alone. I convinced Nazy that: ‘the butterfly is smart enough to avoid the trap’.
I also had mechanical problems this week A ‘check engine’ light on the dashboard resulted in a trip to service. (The problem? Someone didn’t tighten the gas tank lid securely) The car service department conveyed ill-disguised scorn. I thought about pointing out that the manual recommended a trip to the service department when the check engine light appeared. (“But they’ll laugh to hear that I read the manual,” I thought.)
In addition, Nazy challenged the garbage disposal with basil leaves. We have now added basil to the “do not grind” list that also includes celery and artichoke. Prepared and eager to help, I expertly assaulted the drain with an industrial strength plunger. Immediately dirty water began squirting out of every orifice in the..
“You exaggerate, Dan. No water came out of the electrical sockets.” Nazy interrupts.
I stand corrected: out of every orifice connected in any manner to either water supply or discharge pipes. Some of the places from which squirts appeared were:
“Troubling, Nazy,” I explained. “Plunger-generated squirts coming out of the spigot, indicate that inflow and outflow are somehow connected.” “And,” I thought, “I don’t want garbage disposal outflow to be connected to drinking water inflow.”
I conceded defeat. Nazy called a plumber - and left me at home to work ‘with him’.The plumber arrived. He surveyed the sink gull of undrained water. He switched the disposal unit to “on”. the water, which had ignored my switching activity, drained immediately.
“You should have tried that,” the plumber noted.
“Did you know that garbage disposals are illegal in Switzerland?” I replied.
“Did you know that you’re living in California?”
Finally, this is a long holiday weekend. Mitra and Stefan are on their way to aTango Festival in Denver. (I’m shocked. Shocked!) Then they’re going camping in the Sequoias. Melika and Tom are on their way to ‘Burning Man’, a festival, party, event, happening in a Nevada desert. (They are traveling in a Luxury RV with a professional driver and two cooks.) Darius practiced his Beirut evacuation plan by traveling (on short notice) to Cyprus. Unfortunately, ‘short notice’ meant that he didn’t realize that it was the ‘high season’ - no hotels were available. He is back in Beirut.