Hi everyone. This is my late issue of the newsletter, and I will have a really nice article about going to the coast. Also, I wrote an article on the last Summer Fun trip, the trip to Great America. School is going to be starting on the 21st so this week’s poll will have to do with school. Also, like the last issue, there will be no Phillip the Fireman. He hasn't been on any calls. There was a fire I think, but we were out of town.
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ODDS-N-ENDS
6063 N. Piedra
Sanger, Ca. 93657
559-787-2831
In This Issue....
Articles and Links....
School Subject Poll
Butterfly Cupcakes
Great America
Our Mini Vacation
Weekly Paul (and Cara) picture
Ewww!
Back Issues
Pour milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Reserve 1 teaspoon pudding mixture. Cut tops off cupcakes. Cut each in half; set aside. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons pudding mixture on to each cupcake; top with sprinkles. For each cupcake, insert 2 top halves of cupcakes, cut sides together, in pudding mixture, raising outside ends slightly to resemble butterfly wings. Lightly dip confetti candies into reserved pudding mixture; arrange on cupcake wings. Insert string licorice in pudding mixture to resemble antennae. Chill until ready to serve.
The trip there took about 3 hours. After getting off the bus, we got our tickets and meal vouchers. We had to choose groups to go with, and luckily, I chose some friends who had a chaperone. That meant I didn’t have to stay with the leaders.
The first ride everyone wanted to go on was called “Invertigo” I chose to stay behind on that ride because it was really scary looking. You went backwards, up side-down, a corkscrew and some other stuff. After that ride I got to go on this cool wooden roller coaster called “The Grizzly”. Our group ended up getting on it 3 times total that day. The weird thing was each time we got on it seemed a little faster. After that, just to be stupid, I went on some little kid rides. The looks I got were really funny, although my group didn’t appreciate me making them wait while I got on little rides. There were also 4 water rides there.
One of my favorites was just like one at Disney Land, just without mechanical singing animals. Another water ride I liked was called the Rain Maze. You walk through this maze, but there’s water coming out of all sorts of pipes and stuff. I got the wettest on that one. Another ride we went on, some people didn’t like either. You sit in the big bucket things and you go really high up on these wires. It was one of my favorites because it didn’t go upside down, you got to rest your feet, and the view was really great for taking pictures.
The bus ride back was pretty bad. We didn’t stop for food, and it had been a couple hours since we had eaten. My feet were very wet and I was cold and I forget a jacket. I was really tired when I got home but my tiredness was instantly forgotten when I discovered my new Harry Potter book had arrived and was sitting on my bed.
Hearst Castle
Mom bought Phillip and me tickets to to Hearst Castle. Mom has been there many times in the past and thought that we would like to see it. She didn't go because she didn't like Paul was sit still for the tour.
To get to the actual house we went on a little bus. While on the bus, we learned some of the history of Hearst Castle and Mr. Hearst. On the way up, we saw a couple of old buildings and some of the cages that once held bears and lions. (Hearst had a zoo on his property)
When we got up to the house, we went up some really cool marble stairs and onto a little patio. From there they explained some rules and then told us some more about Hearst castle. They told us some stuff about the statues around there, and also about how some of the house wasn’t finished. Another place we stopped was the outdoor pool. It had marble on the inside and surrounding it were statues of various gods and goddesses. Phillip took lots of pictures but they haven't been developed yet.
The Beach
We got to go to the beach a couple of times. The first time we went, I took Paul in the water. He seemed to like jumping over the waves. After being in the water for about ten minutes, he started freaking out and trying to get me to hold him. It turned out he was really cold so we went to go get lunch after that.
The second time only mom and Paul went because Phillip and I were at Hearst Castle. Mom took Paul went on the pier at San Simeon then she took him for a walk. Most of the time was spent sitting on the beach playing in the sand.
The last time we went he never went in the water, he just played with his sand toys. He also enjoyed standing in a hole and burying his legs in sand. Another thing he liked was chasing the sea gulls.
Other stuff
We stayed at a motel that had an indoor heated pool. We took Paul swimming and he was freaking out and trying to get out by climbing on my head. We tried to take him again on another day but he just started screaming really loud. He was totally scared of the water.
The last time we went to Morro Bay we all rented a canoe and rowed around the bay a bit. This time when we went near the area where the canoes were (we were planning to rent another)Paul go really scared again so we didn’t get to go.
After trying to rent a canoe, we went to the Garden Gallery; a place were you can buy plants and pots and other garden stuff.
While I was there, I was trying to look at a fountain. When I lifted my head up I hit it on a big, ugly, Metal fish hanging from the ceiling. It was also embarrassing because it made a really loud noise (kind of like a bell) and everyone started to look over to where I was.
While window shopping in Morro Bay, mom and I made a point to eat at the Fish Bowl every chance we got. I usually ate clam chowder, mom ate fish and chips, and Phillip and Paul had sandwiches.
Also, we kept passing a a kiddie fire truck ride so Paul made it a point to ride on it whenever we passed by.
The way home near Shandon there is a huge fountain in front of a winery. The weird thing about the fountain is that it’s a huge metal cluster of grapes, and coming out of the grapes is dark purple water. We took pictures of it and, and it’s really cool and also really tacky.
Taken a split second before Cara let Paul fall face first into the water
Phillip taking a picture (mom finally got Phillip to starting taking pictures again)
Outrunning the waves
Phillip and Paul playing in the sand
Paul in the heated pool
Paul's Fire Truck
The Tacky Grape Fountain
Mom was making me clean my room and when I moved my bed I found a dead dried up baby scorpian. I was really freaked out and almost didn't sleep in my room that night knowing these things can get into the house.
