Escape to CA – day 8!

We start today’s post by revisiting days gone by, briefly, to add some a couple of things I forgot, that TBF mentioned in comments – just to be sure that we have the entire amusing tale down completely.

First up: He said I forgot the SECOND near death experience, but I believe it was the first, because the second will come up later in this post. It was on Sunday, the day we went to LACMA, S’s house and clubbing. TBF was driving, and The Wife was in the back, and they were discussing where we were going in great confusing detail to me, because the names of the streets mean nothing and I was lost anyway. Haha! So, we head across an intersection – and that’s where the story splits three ways:

TBF – *slams breaks* The light was green when I started across!
Me – Whahuh?! Hello mr. dashboard! Breaks work!
The Wife – AUGH, BABE! The light was green FOR THE OTHER GUYS!

It’s ALWAYS an adventure! TBF has awesome reflexes (Though questionable sight according to The Wife. How’s that Lasic treating ya?) and when the other car started to turn in front of us, quick reflexes on their, and TBF’s part, saved us from an LA collision. Whew! That was Near Death Experience Number One.

Secondly: “The Great Mug Kiping of ‘07 (It’s not quite as dramatic as the Great Dachsy Famine of ‘05, but one does what they can)”
While at KFC (Yesterday’s post) we were at a location that has combined with A&W RootBeer, and thus when you ate there, you could get a root beer float in a lovely A&W Glass Mug. Which apparently you are supposed to RETURN to the counter, to be washed and reused. Let’s just say that The Wife was not only very happy with the returned Xbox that allowed us to keep living, but loved her new Mug as well! The Mamoo was a little astounded by TBF’s audacity. I, for one, was unsurprised. (grin)

And Thirdly! I just remembered! As I was sitting at the window seat (yesterday’s entry) in the sun, I glanced up and sent TBF the following email:

Dude. Did that school bus that went by actually really say “Elton John” school district? or was I dreaming? Cuz that’s AWESOME if so. *LMAO*

To which he replied:

*fucking DIES*
El Tejon (tay hone) Unified School District
Close

I think I’m going to be calling it Elton John from now on *TOO amused*

After which I decided:

Dude I will never be able to read it the same way. L* It’ll forever be christened the Elton John School District. So mote it be! *grins*

And there you have a glimpse of what our emails are like while he is at work. *L*

~~~

So! Now that we’re caught up on the things I missed… (so far – TBF and I are notorious for forgetting things then going OH! HEY! for weeks later.) (Ok, to be honest _I_ forget things and _He_ goes HEY! You forgot…! for weeks later.) (It’s ok, after 10 years? I’m totally used to it.) (grin) (We must quit using paranthetical asides now.) … that brings us to day 8 – otherwise known as Lessa Transfer Wednesday. (Time to make the donuts – er, move the lessa – er… ok. this is getting rediculous. Writing these at 1am has it’s disadvantages. ha!)

We got up nice and early, though not exactly nicely because hello, 9am? Ugh. And I was on VACATION! But got up we did, and made the morning coffee run for TBF’s iced latte, my mocha, and breakfast bagels. TBF took his to go, and I sat down at the same uncomfortable table I had the day before – until the gentleman camped out at the good table? LEFT. And I totally made my move and stole the big table with the comfy chairs. Oh lordy, they were comfortable! And then I smiled oh so sweetly at the loud man from the day before as he had to take my old table with the chairs that pinched the butt and not in a good way…

Then, even better? After I stretched out in the comfortable chair, not only did they open the door beside me, but they TURNED ON THE FAN! Ohdalolly, a fan never felt so good! It was loud, but totally worth it.

Shortly after that, I also got a conversation partner, in the form of the 3 year old daughter of one of the employees. (Yes, I blurred her face on purpose – she’s not my little girl, after all. Dig the interior of the Cantina though!) She told me her name was Angelie, and I learned a LOT about her as she climbed on the table to choose her crayons, and show me her favorite colors, then sat in the chair to color her my little pony coloring book pages. I learned about rainbows, and that they don’t HAVE to be the same colors as in the sky – I learned that she can run REALLY fast, and I learned that sometimes, her daddy forgets to help her wash her hands, so would I do that for her? (The answer – of course, I’ll help! And I did.)

Then she told her daddy that she ate all the grapes he’d given her. When she came back to the table, I asked her what was left in the bowl… and I was told those are ORANGES, not grapes, they’re SPECIAL ORANGES and grow red and all together in bunches. See! I learn something every day!

I also had a couple conversations with the locals, about living in Alaska, and what it’s really like, and why I was in CA and if I loved it as much as my sunburned nose said I did (Yes, of course, just call me Rudolf!). I got caught watching TV by TBF when he arrived, which made me laugh. I hadn’t gotten to see a couple shows, so in between working, I caught up on those that stream online, so my kids could clear out the DVR here at home, and record more, of course! (Hush. I get paid to watch bad tv!) We didn’t get out of town as early as we hoped, as things were not all going well at work. But finally, TBF arrived to pick me up, and we headed out to the house to get the Wife, the Suitcase, and say goodbye to the Animals.

(Yes, I only got photographs of these two. Yes, I suck.)

So – round about 6pm, and only 3 hours later then we hoped, we aired up the tires – and by ‘we’ I mean ‘TBF’ – and we were off. It had gotten dark, as it does there with alarming regularity at the SAME TIME EVERY DAY – freaky! and I was introduced to the fact that CA has roads JUST LIKE HOME. Twisty turns and drop offs and long sections of no lights, and no traffic and occasional stops alongside the road for bathroom breaks ..not me. I don’t GO outside unless it’s an emergency. Which, of course, means I ALMOST HAD TOO, because of yet another Near Death Experience.

We were bopping along at a good 10mph above the speed limit, talking and generally watching out for Bad Bambis! who tend to get too close to the road – we’d already seen 3 of them. There was a truck a ways up, and a smaller set of lights. As we come barreling around the corner, we all kind of realize at once that the smaller set of lights was SEPARATING and thus TURNING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. Again, TBF’s fast and fancy breakwork saved the day. And we made a pitstop shortly thereafter so TBF could relieve himself of excess of coffee, just in case such a thing happened again because two such shocks his bladder couldn’t take. Mine either – but I simply suggested that he NOT LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN. Very calmly, of course. All of us have the same story for that one though, as there were no traffic lights to be debated, just an asshole turning right in front of an oncoming car. Whew.

Then there was the left turn at Albuquerque. Which simply means that through a discussion of which direction TBF should go, resulted in us turning the wrong way for a few miles, before turning around and heading back. It meant I got to see a teeny tiny little CA town that I would not have seen otherwise, and almost missed when I blinked, anyway. We’re all about the adventures, we are!

I was in pretty constant phone contact with the SIL by this point, because she had left early and was waiting for us at the Pierside Restaurant. TBF had promised to take me to a beach, see – and so we’d chosen that location in Pismo to make the Great Lessa Transfer. There were some shady characters around there that made Roxan a little nervous, and though the restaurant closed before we arrived, the employees were nice and let her stay inside to wait for us to arrive – and arrive we finally did at about 9:30 or so. At which point in time, TBF gestured grandly toward the dark fog, and said “Voila! you can’t see it, but there’s TOTALLY a beach there! I have done as I promised!” At which point I inhaled deeply of the fish-scented air and let at a content “…smells like money!” as that’s what large bodies of water smell like to anyone who lives in a fishing town.
Then I got the joy of introducing my BF to my SIL and having him agree with me that Roxan is INDEED the coolest person around. We stood there in the parking lot and laughed and talked and told stories, and laughed some more (“SHUT the FRONT DOOR! THAT’s who you remind me of!”) until we knew we just couldn’t wait any longer, and had to part ways. If TBF hadn’t had to work, they would have just followed us to Santa Cruz, which would have been AWESOME. Next time, we’re totally going to spend more time together, all of us. Two words: Joint Vacations! Alrighty then.

So, we got my bag put into Roxan’s car, said our goodbyes – and I did REALLY GOOD and totally didn’t cry, though TBF knew exactly why I didn’t actually SAY anything while we hugged, cuz if I did, I totally would have sniffled, and we can’t have THAT. I’d already almost sniffled when I first hugged Roxan as it was. So. No sniffling. Dammit. (sniffles). TBF and The Wife headed toward Denny’s for something to eat before heading back, and Roxan and I were off to Santa Cruz.

During the drive there was a lot of conversation, and laughter as I told her of the adventures I had already had during my vacation, and I got to listen to her talk about Klem (her bf) and shake my head at how giddy and girly she sounded talking about him. I’d never seen her that way, see, and it was the best thing in the world to see her happy.

We of course had to make at least ONE wrong turn, though we got switched around pretty quickly again, we made a McD’s run for some fries and a milk shake to hold us over till we got back to the house.

And then – then I saw the house. Even in the dark, I knew I adored this house.

I am in LOVE with this house. It is a happy house, and one of the historical landmarks of Santa Cruz. It was a house that she and Klem were meant to have, and I love every nook and crannie of it. Tell me this is not the most beautiful old house? You can’t, can you! I didn’t think so.

Its a beautiful Victorian, that needs some tender love and care, which it definitely will get from Roxan and Klem. It’s on the prettiest street in all of Santa Cruz, surrounded by old houses that are all unique yet still have the same Victorian feel, all having been built in the same era. The windows let in a ton of sunshine, and the tree lined Walnut Avenue is the prettiest street I think I’ve ever seen.

That window right in the front of the second story there was my room, the window of which I kept open the whole time to keep cool, and also to listen to the people as they walked by on the sidewalk below.

And I spent the rest of my time there trying to figure out how to get that bathtub in my suitcase and bring it home. That beautiful tile job, btw, was done by Lex, of Survivor Africa and All-Star fame. No, I’m not kidding. And no, I didn’t get to meet him – but he does BEAUTIFUL tile work, no? (grin)

As we were exhausted by the time we got there, Roxan showed me to my room, promised I’d get to meet Klem the next day, and I gave her an Ulu and a Rachael Ray Cookbook, as she’s learning how to cook. Then, after a hug, and a promise that YES the bed was fine and YES I’d be comfortable and STOP WORRYING darlin, I’ll be FINE, and letting her mother me a bit (…which was QUITE the switch in roles with us and almost disconcerting! *L*) and place an extra blanket on the end of the bed – we said goodnight, and thus ended a very long Wednesday. WHEW!

Tomorrow’s tale includes a Clown, a Nephew and a moose in a noose, cooking, fog, and Their Tree. Oh, and? getting hit on by a WHITE GUY! You know you don’t want to miss THAT story….