Our first stop today is to go visit my Aunt Katy, my late father's sister-in-law, the lady we stayed with when we lived here. Katy has aged (she is 96) got shorter, just like the rest of us but she was so lovely. Sharp as a pin and so eager to hear about everyone; I'm surprised she remembered them all. It was so cute, she had told everyone about her niece from NZ visiting. Tina and I stayed and had lunch with Katy and then sadly we bid Katy goodbye.
I am amazed by the huge distances we travel to go "just down the road". Wide lovely roads that go on forever through a landscape totally devoid of character or colour, flat as the eye can see and only interrupted by a few pines or eucalyptus trees and the beige house roofs that top the beige houses.
Tina wanted to take me to her favourite place; Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border about two hours drive from Folsom. When we lived here we would go regularly with Katy and my late Uncle Louie; the attraction being the casinos on the Nevada side of the township. The lake is very similar to Lake Taupo with pine trees growing down to the waters edge. By summer it attracts people to the beaches and in winter to the ski slopes (as well as the casinos which are an attraction all year round). I had previously only spent time in the township, a beautiful quaint place with small homely Casinos lining the streets. Of course that has all changed and it is now a busy place with tall glass buildings and the usual modern facelessness. We didn't stay in the village but drove on about another hour to some tiny beaches round the lake. Like Taupo the water is too cold for swimming but we sat on a park bench and watched the people before we headed home again.
We made the most of one of the park benches and rested our feet for a few minutes before heading off on a walk. Gary counted three similar benches and had wanted to try them all but alas no time for that.
Dinner was at a tourist restaurant on the way home where we filled our bellies and had a laugh.
We get home to the news that the Royal Prince had arrived. Bed called and another day closed.
What ever happened to Katy's van that she won in the casino? We saw it on our visit in the 80's. The van was quite something; there was a mural painted on it and there were curtains inside - something that seemed extremely impressive to my 9 year old self!
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