PETRA’S VISIT

1972

We were back to normal for a little while, when Dorrie wrote in April1972 that she and Petra, Michael’s sister would be coming to California.  So off, we went with the trailer again.  We thought that she would like to see the desert, so we went to Borrego Spring.  We took tours in the truck to show her all the places that were very interesting to see and she couldn’t believe how the scenery was so different.  They also went down the trail to the Palm Trees were there was a pool and other vegetation especially after the mile hike or so over rough ground and sand and very barren.  We stayed a couple of days, then came back home.

The one thing that Petra wanted to see and all visitors from the east coast ask to see also is the Pacific Ocean.  They all want to walk in the water and they find it very cold.  I was used to seeing the Atlantic Ocean with its warm water all my growing years, so the Pacific did not make any impression on me.  But Carl had a buddy visiting from Boston and that was the only thing he wanted to see too.  Dorrie and Petra stayed about two weeks and really toured San Diego.

Dorrie, Petra, and Sandy in Borrego

Dorrie wanted to know when we would be coming over to Germany.  We thought we’d like to go over for Christmas.  I was still working and had some vacation time coming and Dad wasn’t driving the school bus for Lakeside any more.  He loved driving for the little kids.  They were all so cute and well behaved but the older ones were rough and rowdy.  In fact, what really decided him to quit, one boy threw a golf ball at him while driving down Lakeside Main Street.    He was beginning to have terrible pains in both hips and thought it might be from driving the bus.  So, we told Dorrie that if everything worked out okay, we’d be there for Christmas 1972.