Mom's First Mother's Day

After a satisfying breakfast at Escondido's "Home Sweet Home" Reef Indy's Mom, Dad, Opa and Oma set-off for a four and a half mile walk of the San Diego Safari Park.  It is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of downtown San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley near Escondido, California.

This 1,800 acre zoo is open every day of the year, including all holidays!  While were not sure that Reef would be aware enough to enjoy the park; Oma and Opa had a zoo membership including free guest passes and free parking, so the adventure bounded forward.

The Safari Park is an expansive wildlife sanctuary that is home to more than 2,600 animals representing more than 300 species. Its renowned botanical collection represents 3,500 species and 1.5 million specimens. Over half of the Park’s 1,800 acres (730 hectares) have been set aside as protected native species habitat.  Reef Indy was definitely ready for the zoo.  He enjoyed all the shows and exhibits. 

This beautiful yellow butterfly greeted us upon our entrance into the San Diego Safari Park.

New Mommy Amanda was in charge of the map as we started our San Diego Safari Park Mother's Day stroll.

Oma loves taking photos of the beautiful San Diego Safari Park landscape.

Meerkats may look like prairie dogs on a diet, but they are really related to the mongoose. You might see them busily digging in the dirt looking for insects to eat or adding on to their extensive underground burrows. These little carnivores live and work together in a group called a gang or a mob for the common good, whether it's helping to care for youngsters or keeping a lookout for danger. 

The San Diego Safari Park’s Flamingo Lagoon is striking but oh so smelly! — at San Diego Safari Park. aka Wild Animal Park.

Opa doing his impression of the Lorikeet whisper! Reef Indy was pensive but impressed.

Reef Indy takes time for a quick nap.

The Frequent Flyers Bird Show caught Reef's attention. He wasn't really sure he liked the flying animals - but all was well as long as he was in the arms of his Daddy.

Thanks Dad for the Mamma Chia “Chia Squeeze Drink.” I needed a little boost in this busy day.

Oma's version of the iconic Mother’s Day photo – Mom and Baby Elephant.

We took a little break as the moms enjoyed a refreshing margarita at the Zip-line Landing.

What a wonderfully fun and healthy day at San Diego Safari Park aka Wild Animal Park.

Love this father and son shoot taken during the elephant show.

Time to go home - 'lil man' Reef Indy has had enough. Thank you to the  San Diego Safari Park for this fun and healthy Mother's Day.

Look Who Is Eight Months Old!

Happy Eight Month Birthday Reef Indy

Adovia Dead Sea Mud Mask Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

For Acne, Oily Skin, Blackheads, Eczema, Psoriasis

Product Description

• Facial Mask Tightens and Purifies Pores leaving Clear, Younger Complexion;
• Dead Sea Mud Quickly Reduces Acne and Pimples;
• Over 21 Minerals Present in Dead Sea Mud Mask help to keep skin healthier and act as acne treatment;

A Facial Dead Sea Mud Mask Facial Treatment in Spas cost from $70-120. This Mask contains 30 Sessions and cost $30 per 5.1 fl.oz. tube;

This Dead Sea Mud Mask contains approximately thirty treatments and should last the average user for over three months. Each treatment provides the ingredients and results of a costly facial at a high-end dermatology spa!

This product is made with Pure Dead Sea Mud with the highest concentration of minerals - vital for facial skin treatment glow. Made in Israel - by the Dead Sea experts, it contains the highest and freshest concentration of Dead Sea Mud.

Oma applied a thin layer to her clean, dry skin. It was surprisingly easy to apply; with no clumps like other masks I have tried. This mask has a pleasant clean odor and as it dried, Oma experienced a slight tingle. 

After twenty minutes, Oma rinsed the mask off with lukewarm water and was pleasingly surprised by the healthy clean skin underneath. Oma recommends the Adovia Mineral Skin Care Purifying Mud Mask. It leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturized. 

Further, considering the amount of uses each tube delivers, the $30 cost is very reasonable.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Swimming in High Winds

Fierce winds have been blowing across San Diego.  A high wind warning was in effect for local valley and mountain areas for the second consecutive day today. The National Weather Service issued the warning until 5 p.m. Thursday, saying peak wind gusts of 60-80 miles per hour were likely Wednesday.

However, we still found a little time for swimming with Reef Indy.  The water was warm and Reef enjoyed the splashing fun.

 

SDPD’s Groundswell of Humiliations

Oma tries to stay as nonaligned as possible; however some things just leave her scratching her head in stupefaction and screaming for editorial.

Chief Shelley Zimmerman was just promoted to Chief of Police on March 4, 2014

 

Current Situation

Since 2005, more than 800 experienced and qualified San Diego Police Officers have left the department. It was also 2005 when the city started requiring police officers to pay more for their pensions.(Hummmmmmm - a clue mayhaps)

Officer salaries have not increased since 2008; further under the current labor agreement, officers are slated to go a full 10 years without increases . . . . . . . (however, they want to raise the minimum wage from $8 per hour to $13.09?)

At the peak of the San Diego Police Officer exodus, 264 officers, or just over one-tenth of the police force, left in 2009. Many retired that year to avoid a significant cut to their retirement benefits.

Requirements for Employment as a San Diego Police Officers
($26.04 to $28.59 hourly)

General

U.S. citizenship or permanent resident who is eligible and has applied for U.S. citizenship prior to application for employment.

Minimum Age

20 years of age on the day you take the Written Test; 21 at time of Academy graduation (No maximum age limit).

Education

Graduation from a high school located within the United States or a U.S. territory OR passage of the California High School Proficiency Examination OR G.E.D. with scores that meet the California standard established by the American Council on Education OR possession of a two or four year degree from an accredited college or university. (Source)

As a comparison the Requirements for Employment as a San Diego
Probation Officer  ($25.98 - $31.57 Hourly)

General Applicants must be 21 years of age by the time of appointment; AND, Must be a U.S. citizen or in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen; AND, A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency; AND, One (1) year of full-time experience as a Correctional Deputy Probation Officer, or in an equivalent position in the criminal justice system; OR, One (1) year of full-time, paid experience providing functions of treatment counseling, criminal investigation, or as a school teacher (grades K-12) or first-line supervisor in the U.S. military.

Is it really such an astonishment that the San Diego Police Department is suffering through such a groundswell of humiliations?

On a side note - the manner in which the New San Diego Police Chief, Shelley Zimmerman dealt with the latest “alleged” misconduct by one of their officer does not instill confidence in this observer.

“We received the information early yesterday afternoon,” Zimmerman said. “We immediately contacted La Mesa Police Department, because it occurred in their city, and within just several hours after that, I revoked his (the SDPD officer’s) police powers and suspended him without pay. He was booked into jail.”

I am assuming that waiting for the facts was just out of the question!  Does the Police Chief even possess the power to revoke an officer's police powers without any due process?

Chief Shelley Zimmerman - How about we recruit the best, pay enough to keep experienced officers, and show our workforce some respect.

"The Show Us Your Heinz" Sweepstakes Winner!

Heinz gave away more than $400,000 in prizes in its “Show Us Your Heinz” sweepstakes this past winter.

Oma entered by visiting www.showusyourheinz.com between Dec. 30, 2013 and Feb. 23, 2014, and submitting a photo showing "my love for Heinz."


Each Grand Prize winner  received a trip for winner and one guest to five (5) major sporting events, in the U.S., of their choice.

Oma won the First Prize:  my choice of either a gas grill BBQ or a 12-piece stainless steel cookware set and Sponsor specified kitchen utensils.  Oma chose the cookware!

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Oma loved the generous prize:

• Le Creuset® Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set ($750); 
• Le Creuset Utensil Sets ($75); 
• Le Creuset VS303 Stainless Steel Revolution Slotted Cooking Spoon ($35); 
•  Le Creuset VS302 Stainless Steel Revolution Cooking Spoon ($35.00); 
• Le Creuset VS304 Stainless Steel Revolution Ladle ($35) 

Thanks so much Heinz!

Scam from "David Jones"

Oma just received a call from "David Jones;" kind of a weird name for someone with such a heavy Indian Accent. 

He stated he was from Windows and that they had received error messages from my Windows computer. I told him I had fourteen Windows computers that I was using (a white lie) and inquired which computer was sending the messages. 

His response was that it did not matter - just pick a computer and he would help me fix my issues. 

Can you say scam?!? Caller Id showed his number as 888-888-8888.   "David Jones" gave his call back number as 888-732-3037. 

Be careful my friends - googled these numbers and they have been reported as costing people $200 to get control of their data back. 

Examples found on internet*

 I too received a call from "Microsoft Windows Technical Support." The caller fit the same profile as the other calls allegedly from this 800 number. The caller claimed my computer was hacked. Since I had dealt with a company with the same call back number in the past, I trusted the caller to take over my machine and demonstrate the problem. He showed me the hacker's IP address--which turned out to be the looping IPA that appears on every Windows computer. Then he showed me a Trojan spyware--which turned out to be the ubiquitous CSRSS graphics module that Microsoft installs on every Windows computer. I did uninstall the team viewer after the call and searched my system for problems. I found a very bad Trojan, CVE 2013 3598, which likely was not on my machine before this call. Beware folks, these people may be up to more mischief than just running a scam. Anthony 10 Mar 2014 

Received a call with ID 888-888-8888 just now. Same experience as described above, with the guy telling me he was from Windows support and my computer had errors. Very heavy accent and said his call back was 888-732-3037 Ethan Hunt, x1010. Told me he needed to access my computer to fix and I said I'd call him back. I told him to take me off his list and he said if he did that he'd revoke my Windows license permanently! Do NOT allow access or even answer calls with blocked ID's like this. Total scam and maybe worse. G 14 Mar 2014 

*Source