With a big family you don't usually get to go on great vacations. Seven boys can be a bit daunting to lug around with you. During the repairs of the house after the flood apparently my dad thought mom needed a little time away. My Grandparents lived in Palm Desert in a condo with a community pool... although I don't specifically remember this trip, I do remember swimming in this pool on many occasions. I asked Tim, because I knew he would remember, what year it was... and of course, he knew exactly when it was.

Tim wrote...

Chris,
This was in August 1969.  I remember it fairly well.  Obviously, it was very hot.  We were visiting grandma and grandpa in Palm Desert.

That was one of the most fun Summers of my entire life.  First part of that Summer I went to the beach (Miramar, right in front of the Hotel)  We'd body surf and hang out with girls every day with my friend Brad Hall (the other Brad Hall, not the TV writer/actor).  When I got back from this trip (which was around the middle of August), all of my friends were talking about surfing... everyone was trying to learn.  And we were all about 13 or 14 (I just turned 13), so we all learned very quickly.

One other thing I remember is that Sharon Tate (the Charles Manson thing) was murdered on my birthday that year... But I don't think we were in Palm Desert when that happened.

The songs that I really remember that Summer were In the Year 2525 (which they played to death), The Israelites,  A Boy Named Sue, and then... Sugar Sugar -- which was huge!