We got up early, that is, 6:30 am, so we could leave by 7:30 am to give us time to stop at Starbucks and get to El Centro around 9:00 am.  Jerry was driving so we got there in good time.  Benny had to work but we got time to have some eggs and chorizo for breakfast…Benny’s specialty…together with some good coffee and then we took Benny to work.  We saw about two dozen F18s rev up their engines and take off…it was so loud but so fun to watch.  Chela wasn’t too happy with all the noise but was entertained by running around in the big parking lot.  We then headed back to Tamara’s where we checked out Tamara’s garden which is growing amazingly…peas, onions, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, zucchinni, tomatoes and pots with flowers she planted.  Everything is growing and Joanne ate a couple of the peas.  Laila was so excited to get so much attention and she loved all the fuss given her.

Chela went down for a nap and I decided to stay with her while the rest of the troop headed out to the Base runway to see the practice run being done by the Blue Angels as they practiced for their upcoming airshows.  They gave the troop 45 minutes of uninterrupted show of all the maneuvers she would be doing in their upcoming airshows…absolutely amazing…Joanne’s best moment was when Tamara said to her “Watch out Aunti Joanne” and this jet came roaring from behind them going at full speed about 50 feet off the ground…nearly scared the “blank” out of her.  I couldn’t believe that Chela could sleep through all the jet noise, but it didn’t seem to bother her at all.

When Benny was done work, we all hopped in the Pilot and did the grand tour for Dwight and Joanne.  We showed them the fence between Mexico and USA…we went to Calexico and drove right up to the fence where you could be Mexicali on the other side.  They saw all the Border Control vehicles and the sand that goes up to the fence.  We saw downtown El Centro and the headed out to Imperial to our favorite Mexican restaurant where we totally sufficed our appetites with the great food we ate.  We headed back to Benny and Tamara’s and decided we needed dessert so stopped to pick up a peach pie and ice cream…which we ate before we headed back to Palm Desert.  Chela entertained us with her acrobats and dancing and was not a happy camper when we left.  All in all it was a great day.  Lots of fun with the Benavides family and a great airshow put on especially for us…you couldn’t ask for anything better.

Today, being Sunday, Jerry went back to the car show and Dwight, Joanne and I went to the flea market to check out the sales and we came away with some amazing jewellery.  We then headed out to pick up Jerry from his car show and realized that the Canada USA hockey game was on.

We watched the hockey game…Joanne nearly needed to be resuscitate a couple of times…but we did win in the end and we were shouting and yelling…proud to be Canadian.  Then we headed out to the pool and caught up on a little of the sun…went for a walk…and then were excited to be watch the Closing Ceremonies….but we now realize that here in the USofA they did not broadcast these kinds of events live…so we are waiting patiently until 8:00 pm to see…probably…only a snippet of the Closing Ceremonies…very frustrating being here as when it comes to the Olympics…they don’t get it!!  It was a great weekend!