San Diego was my home for most of my adult life and it is always great to go back. I have been gone now for six years and my feelings are always the same whenever I go back. For the first 48 hours or so I wonder why I ever left, after that I know why I left. It is no longer the sleepy little beach town that I discovered in 1968. You can't get an abalone sandwich anymore, can't drink on the beach, if you visit Tiajuana you better do it in the daytime, there is no parking anywhere, and you can't take a ten dollar bill and go see a Padre game and still have enough left for a cold beer.

Some things never change though. The Padres still stink, the Chargers are still trying to get to the Super Bowl, the sunsets are awesome, and the weather is perfect all the time.

We visited my daughters who still live there. We took our granddaughter to the zoo to see the platypus and there was no platypus. But we still had a great time. We “hit the beach” as the locals say and we also took a tour of the aircraft carrier, Midway.

I did get a chance to spend some time with old friends and for that I was grateful. I lost two friends this last year and it seems time goes by too quickly and then when there is no time left you wonder where it went and why you didn't call your friend, just to say hello.

I must say that being with my granddaughter Samaya was the highlight of my trip back home. She is a delightful little 4 yr old who loves her grandpa with all the innocence of a small child. Too bad you can't bottle that love.