I ended up waking up around 7:00 VERY hungry. I got in the car and traveled down Sepulveda Blvd., just looking around. It had been since 2003 for Kim’s wedding that I had been here last. I got down a ways and didn’t find anything and so I just came back after stopping by a bank and picking up a little cash. Watched a little tv and then tried to go back to sleep. Off and on I slept till about 5:00 in the morning and then I couldn’t go to sleep any more. I woke up and tried to see what was on tv. Amazingly “Coach” was on. I hadn’t see that in forever and I really enjoyed it. I waited a bit. I told Grace that I would pick her up around 8:30 and so I took a timed shower and then just relaxed until about 8:00. I got in the car and then tried to remember how to get back to her brothers house. This was Friday and the traffic getting onto the 5 freeway was crazy. Since this was a rental car and I didn’t want to trash it I had to be very careful. I pulled into her brothers’ apartment right at 8:30. I walked down the walkway to the last set of apartments and knocked on the door. Wow it was great to see Grace. But right away she seemed a little upset. She said that she was a little upset because I told her to be ready at 8:30. I looked at the clock on the wall in her brothers’ place and it said 9:05. My mind went a little crazy because I didn’t think traffic was THAT bad. She took me into the kitchen and looked at the clock on that wall to double check the clock on the wall in the family room, and it was the same. I then looked at my watch and it said 8:30. I was lost. We then picked up Matthew’s cell phone and opened it and in bright numbers it said 8:30. I was thinking I was in a twilight zone episode. But we found out later that Matthew turns his clocks forward about a half hour to stay on time.
We left Matthew’s apartment and headed back towards Simi Valley. We got off the 118 freeway at Sycamore and went down to the Park District. Suzanne was there in the front office and was working with someone else and then we waited until she was finished. She came around the counter and gave me a hug. I also introduced her to Grace…”and here’s my girlfriend, Grace”. After talking for just a bit we went to see Dale Long and Doug Gale. I introduced Grace to all the people in Dale’s building. We talked to Dale for a lot longer. Joni Chavez and Dianne came into Dale’s office while we were sitting there talking. We left his office after about an hour and got in our car and I took her past were we used to live,
on the way to a place that I had told her about, Doughnut Plus. This place has the most amazing doughnuts. They are huge and so good. We got about eight or nine and nibbled on them as we headed through the rest of the valley. I took her past a few parks and then took her up to the Ronald Regan Presidential Library. 
The building sits atop a mountain.
on the way to a place that I had told her about, Doughnut Plus. This place has the most amazing doughnuts. They are huge and so good. We got about eight or nine and nibbled on them as we headed through the rest of the valley. I took her past a few parks and then took her up to the Ronald Regan Presidential Library. The building sits atop a mountain. 
We took the tour which also included something new that I had never done before. They had actually taken and put a real Air Force One plane in a building there. They took our picture as we got onto the plane. 
It was really a treat walking through the plane and actually being able to look around and see where the last five presidents rode. They told us that even current president George W. Bush rode on that particular plane. I got a shirt and couple of shot glasses. I got one for Matthew’s girlfriend, she collects them and I thought it would be nice, and maybe earn me a few extra bonus points with her brother. After leaving the library we went up and tried to see the new mall that I thought was built on the other side of the 118. It turned out just to be a strip mall. We were just about at the time that we needed to head out to Saugus to have dinner with my sister Kim. We were a little early and so I thought we could stop by her office, because I had no idea where she lived, since the directions that I needed were on my laptop which just so happened to be out of battery power. We went to Wal-mart and Grace looked at a few clothes as I tried to call Kim. Her office wasn’t where I remembered. I couldn’t get a hold of her or mom and dad. Then it hit me that I could get a car adaptor to plug into the laptop. At least long enough to get the directions to Kim’s house. By the way I want to take a second and tell you that Grace is an amazing navigator. As a guy you would think that there would be problems with you know who’s right and which is the REAL right way, but Grace and I worked together and it turned out to be great teamwork. We pulled into Kim’s place around 6:30 and had a nice dinner of lasagna. We then watched a few videos of when Kim and I were little kids. Grace actually watched them. I didn’t think that she would want to, but she seemed to even enjoy them as she laughed several times. Mainly at the times when I was running around as a little kid...I didn't un that manly. We left their house after loosing the keys to the car. We looked everywhere for them. I had to get my backpack out of the trunk to give Bethany a stuffed pig that when you unstrapped the velcro between the legs it turns into a pillow. So I thought that maybe I locked the keys in the trunk. I was shocked that the drivers door was unlocked, but that helped since I was able to pop the trunk from the inside. We didn’t see the keys in the trunk, but when we went to close the trunk I saw them laying along the top of the rubber liner. Whew, that was a huge relief. Richard (my brother-in-law) gave me directions on how to get back to the freeway. I followed as best I could, but didn’t catch the last couple of turns, thankfully I had the most amazing co-pilot with me. She caught the rest. We dove by a Carl’s Junior and I picked up my favorite “Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger”. I had Grace try a bite and she said she liked it. We found the freeway and I drove Grace back to her brothers’ house. After dropping her off, I turned the car around and drove back to my hotel. I pulled in pretty late and then I just crashed. This ended Friday.
It was really a treat walking through the plane and actually being able to look around and see where the last five presidents rode. They told us that even current president George W. Bush rode on that particular plane. I got a shirt and couple of shot glasses. I got one for Matthew’s girlfriend, she collects them and I thought it would be nice, and maybe earn me a few extra bonus points with her brother. After leaving the library we went up and tried to see the new mall that I thought was built on the other side of the 118. It turned out just to be a strip mall. We were just about at the time that we needed to head out to Saugus to have dinner with my sister Kim. We were a little early and so I thought we could stop by her office, because I had no idea where she lived, since the directions that I needed were on my laptop which just so happened to be out of battery power. We went to Wal-mart and Grace looked at a few clothes as I tried to call Kim. Her office wasn’t where I remembered. I couldn’t get a hold of her or mom and dad. Then it hit me that I could get a car adaptor to plug into the laptop. At least long enough to get the directions to Kim’s house. By the way I want to take a second and tell you that Grace is an amazing navigator. As a guy you would think that there would be problems with you know who’s right and which is the REAL right way, but Grace and I worked together and it turned out to be great teamwork. We pulled into Kim’s place around 6:30 and had a nice dinner of lasagna. We then watched a few videos of when Kim and I were little kids. Grace actually watched them. I didn’t think that she would want to, but she seemed to even enjoy them as she laughed several times. Mainly at the times when I was running around as a little kid...I didn't un that manly. We left their house after loosing the keys to the car. We looked everywhere for them. I had to get my backpack out of the trunk to give Bethany a stuffed pig that when you unstrapped the velcro between the legs it turns into a pillow. So I thought that maybe I locked the keys in the trunk. I was shocked that the drivers door was unlocked, but that helped since I was able to pop the trunk from the inside. We didn’t see the keys in the trunk, but when we went to close the trunk I saw them laying along the top of the rubber liner. Whew, that was a huge relief. Richard (my brother-in-law) gave me directions on how to get back to the freeway. I followed as best I could, but didn’t catch the last couple of turns, thankfully I had the most amazing co-pilot with me. She caught the rest. We dove by a Carl’s Junior and I picked up my favorite “Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger”. I had Grace try a bite and she said she liked it. We found the freeway and I drove Grace back to her brothers’ house. After dropping her off, I turned the car around and drove back to my hotel. I pulled in pretty late and then I just crashed. This ended Friday. 
