Bracing against the ocean wind, we four fun-loving friends pose on the beach in front of the Hotel del Coronado. Despite the weather, we walked barefoot in the sand and waded in the Pacific. Photo credit: A kind anonymous vacationer
When the Pineapple Express jet stream from Hawaii turned warm, sunny California into a raging wet mess, it would have been easy to gripe about nasty weather during the holidays. But we discovered the magic ingredient to having fun in lousy weather — playful friends who make the best of any situation.
Plans scheduled months earlier to connect with our dear out-of-state friends, Bob and Donna, motivated me to rediscover the kid in me who used to giggle while stomping through puddles. The weather may have squelched our plans to have lunch al fresco on the waterfront or take a leisurely stroll on the beach, wiggle our toes in fluffy sand and wade in the Pacific.
But we’d do the next best thing! And we did!
Chilling winds nipped at us as we dashed into The Fish Market. The hostess seated us in a room enclosed with glass walls and ceiling, which created the sense of being outdoors. (At first, we actually thought she was leading us out to an open deck!) From our waterfront table, we watched a seal swimming, cormorants diving for fish and sailboats zipping across San Diego Harbor. Everything from the dynamic view, delicious food, attentive service and relaxing setting to our fun conversation made for a great lunch together. And with the glass enclosure, we didn’t have to shoo off gulls trying to snatch food!
Next, we drove to Coronado Island where we could admire the eclectic mix of houses and kick back in the historic Hotel del Coronado. The rain eased up long enough to embolden the guys to search for street parking after they dropped us off. They got fooled! The rain clouds burst open on their way back to the hotel. They arrived drenched but smiling. As we warmed up with steaming coffee, a parade of holiday vacationers entertained us.
Bob watched the sky intently and when he gave the “all clear,” we set out to the beach. From the guys’ earlier experience, we knew the weather could change rapidly. Donna and I wanted to get our feet wet, but not the rest of our bodies! We walked barefoot in the sand. I splashed my feet in the cold Pacific. And while we had the chance, we got a picture of the four of us.
The magic ingredient for having fun in lousy weather was our resilient, fun-loving friends, Donna and Bob. They’re the extraordinary kind of people who find — and enjoy — the best in “what is.” Hopefully their magic rubbed off on us.
