On the way back north to the border, I was in no hurry to leave Mexico.  We stopped at the beach in Tijuana for lunch, which was lovely.  After dropping off Gloria in San Diego, it was already 5 p.m. but I decided to keep driving toward Las Vegas, and stop when I got too tired to continue.  As it turned out I just kept going and arrived at Grey’s house about midnight.  We had a very nice visit for almost two weeks, then I went to the condo in Las Vegas for my last week before returning home to spend the holidays alone.

Grey always loved Halloween, so it was fun to see him decorate the house and enjoy himself so much!

Grey and Lorin seem to have a good life together, and they both love Indian Springs.  It is a quiet little town near Grey’s job, where everybody knows each other and friends always can lend a helping hand.  Of course, Grey fixes cars for other folks almost every day.  Since everyone owes him a favor, he can also get assistance when he needs it.  He has lots of friends, and seems pretty content.  Of course as a Mom I wish he’d quit smoking and drinking so much beer, but mostly I’m glad he’s happy.

With Grey’s encouragement I spent my last week in Las Vegas looking for a motor home.  I had decided to buy a Lazy Daze, the best built Class C, small enough for me to handle as a solo woman traveler.  Of course even after I found one in Claremont, California, buying it was complicated and several times I was ready to give up.  But finally I bought it, a 1997 26.5 foot Mid-bath with only 33,000 miles on the engine and 34 hours on the generator.  It came with new batteries, hydraulic levelers, and was in very good condition.  But the seller delivered it at the same time my plane was leaving for Alaska, so Grey drove it back to his house for storage but I never even got to drive it!  Two months later I flew down with my dog Cheyenne to begin our big new adventure, and that will be the next story…
 

Flash to the Past –

Mom Kristin with the three kids in Hawaii 1984 – Peter (12), Dara (14), Kristin( 37), and Grey (16)
Besides driving and camping trips, this was our first real vacation ever, and it took me two years to pay for it!

In spring 1975, Grey was seven years old and Mom was separated at last, escaped and soon to be divorced!