Maliboozed

Day nine on the road enjoying a three-night stay at the Malibu Beach RV Park above the Pacific Coast Highway overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We would like to make some smart-ass comment about the place but in fact it's high end and far above our usual lowlife layovers. But at $80-$140 a night you get what you pay for. We're used to either free parks or paying no more than $30 a night.

We thought Malibu a nice place to introduce Daisy to beer but she's sticking to wine. That's our girl!

The only negative we might have about this park is that the owners cram sixty pounds of you-know-what into a ten-pound sack. Trailers are packed in here like sardines. But it's quiet, comfortable and populated by lots of Europeans running around half naked. Always worth a peek or two.

We think Daisy's not so much disinterested in beer as she is distracted by a passing naked Swede. Woops...there goes Paul sneekin' a peek.

I've made an important discovery. You can get more wine into one of those blue plastic cups than you can in a conventional wine glass. You have to make fewer trips to the tap. It might look small in my hand from a distance, but it actually holds half a gallon.

Sunday was a mostly relaxing day. Starting with a "Daisy walk" trying to get her to unload the Fritos, Cheetos, pork rinds and pub mix we've been feeding her.

One other negative: we didn't pay for an ocean view. We have to look through a couple of rows of trailers to see a little of the Pacific.

We booked what is called a "mountain view". Sounded good but in fact it's a hill directly behind us with a few snaggy ice plants clinging to the dirt. Daisy couldn't care less.

For Daisy the day quickly turned downhill when Paul threw her into the tub for her weekly bath because she was about to visit her relatives up the coast.

Every summer our friends Brian and Denise lease a beach house here in Malibu to escape the oppressive Florida heat and humidity. It's always great to see them and at the same time escape the confines of our 140-square-foot walk-in closet. Today we enjoyed their generous hospitality in this 4,000 square-foot beach house. More important, that's Paul's Tundra with his new camper shell. You can throw all kinds of crap in it.

This summer house even has a pedigree as it's owned by Malibu's Pepperdine University. It was bequeathed to the school some years ago by a wealthy benefactor who was a member of the Wells Fargo family. Love them benefactors.

And love our friends Brian and Denise because to be welcome here is always a special treat.

Daisy had the full run of the place and only threw up once on the expensive carpet. Good dog.

Suppose the only downside here aside from some morning fog is the heavy surf eating away at the coastline. This property takes on an almost Normandy Beach-like flavor with sandbags piled high to stem the erosion. But again, Daisy couldn't care less. She's too busy fighting Denise for the wine opener.

A good thing we recovered the wine opener because friends showed up--folks in the television and movie industry down here. Great people and enjoyable company. We had a wonderful day with a top-notch catered lunch, superb wine and champagne then sent out for pizzas for dinner. So much for the diet. After this trip I'm having my jaws wired shut.

Paul took a quick break to check out the chicks on the beach.

And Denise is wondering, "Where's Daisy? Here's the leash. Where's the dog? Oh, behind me."

Ever vigilant Daisy atop the sandbags, watching for any great whites or Al Queda coming ashore.

The twelve-hour visit with friends wrapped up around the fire pit with more wine and conversation. Daisy has collapsed on Paul's lap. She's ready to go home.

This is home. Our little walk-in closet and Daisy taking over the bed. She is sacked.

Today we're going back to Brian and Denise's for a barbeque. Paul will buy salmon, fish and one steak. That's just for Daisy. Tomorrow, it's on up the coast to an RV park in the mountains above Santa Barbara near Neverland Ranch. Does anyone know where Michael Jackson's body is?