Until I wrote that sentence, I hadn't made the connection to another unapparent, unrecognized, past-his-prime person who burst on the scene: Jesus of Nazareth. His contemporaries said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Evidently the answer is "Yes."
This post began in my mind as a post on another recent pleasant surprise for me: Oceanside, California! And that's where I'm going now... or where I went... week before last.
In the coming days you'll see a number of coastal shots. They are all from a gem of a city in northern San Diego county, just 60 short miles south of where I live.
My wife and I traded into a timeshare just two blocks from the beach. I was hoping for the best, but expecting less. Two decades ago, my wife's cousin moved from Oceanside to Carlsbad (a neighboring town). This cousin informed me that Oceanside was, well, suspect in comparison to Carlsbad. I had stayed in Carlsbad before and it is a nice resort town.
Oceanside is a beach town: relaxed, a bit weathered, and under-rated!
We could hear and see the surf from several of our second story windows. Yes, we had to look through the telephone wires to see the surf, sunsets, joggers, walkers, and pier in the distance. The sunsets were juxtaposed against the infrastructure of our telephone age. I can live with that. It was beautiful.
The unit was a one bedroom, 850 square foot affair in a small gated complex called Aquamarine Villas. We used the jacuizi, the gas BBQs, and the pool. They had an internet station (not wireless yet), a pool table, air hockey and foosball games, plus an assortment of videos, books, games, and surf "toys."
All this was only an hour away! Who knew?
We hope to go back another time. It was close, quiet, charming, friendly, and slightly aged.
It was a pleasant surprise, like Susan Boyle... or even like the biggest surprise of all time -- Jesus of Nazareth. (He's the one who conquered death... Yes, on Easter. But that was so "last week.")
Some have suggested a bigger surprise is coming... the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!
(And you thought the jaws dropped when the saw and heard Susan Boyle! You ain't seen nothing yet.)
I wonder what else I've been missing? I'm on the look-out for more... pleasant surprises. How about you?
Happy Sunday!
I love that San Diego area! My late maternal grandmother lived in Carlsbad for many years and loved it too! I am happy you had a wonderful vacation so close to home! Continued blessings and best wishes for a peaceful Sunday Don! Lisa
ReplyDeleteMy great grandmother (still kickin, she picked up a new beau after moving to another retirement home this week) used to live in Oceanside, so I have only but fond memories there.
ReplyDeletepleasant surprises are certainly the best kind!
Glad you enjoyed your stay.
Lisa and Chase: Glad I could conjure up some pleasant memories for both of you. Sometimes those grandparent types know about pleasant places, like Carlsbad, Oceanside, and San Diego.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting.
Don
Hmm I think one of my cousins lives in Oceanside...
ReplyDeleteI also think I might have played softball there...I don't know...
Well I have at least been on a car ride through there, andit is very nice!
Oh, Easter is so 'every day'!!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Oceanside, CA. I didn't know Orange County was so (relatively) close to San Diego. I guess that's why they call it Southern California..... :D
Pieces: Thanks for commenting. I think the beaches of Orange and San Diego counties are more tame than Los Angeles, but not all the beaches of LA are Venice Beach! (Zuma is nice?)
ReplyDeleteSaphron: San Diego is about 120 miles south of LA. Oceanside is halfway between. Orange County is nestled between the two. Orange County beaches include Huntington, Newport, Corona del Mar, Laguna, and Dana Point (Doheney). (San Francisco is about a 6 hour drive north from LA. It's a looonnnnggggg state. ;-)