California Love...and a Hoppy Easter

California Love...by Mr. Tupac Shakur

I have always loved this song...and the state (I always enjoy my time there).

Moving on.

Sooooooooooooo I got back lateish Friday night from my awesome trip to California (I was in San Francisco to see a good friend of many years and then just outside San Jose visiting my aunt and uncle). It was a great trip! I WALKED OUT ON THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE! It was kind of awesome and intimidating at the same time...and I think it's possible as I get older I'm starting to have a fear of heights? Or a fear of heights over water? Hmm. That's lame. Anyway. We didn't walk across the entire bridge, but later we drove across it, twice. Very nice. Also while in San Fran we checked out Ghiradelli Square and got some free chocolate. (It was very yummy...very yummy...and I think it tasted better there than it does in Texas, but whatever...that's totally got be a trick my mind plays on me.) Also saw Alcatraz from a couple of different places, but didn't actually get to take the tour. (I sooooooo wanted to, and I wanted it to be the night one! Ah well!) In fact, this time last week, I was rolling around San Fran with my friend Kenny just having a grand ole time. We saw a lot (he's lived there for 10+ years so he's got his tour down) and on Monday we checked out Chinatown and that was pretty cool. It was slightly chillier, windier and rainier than I thought it would be, but it wasn't awful. It would've been great if I'd had acceptable shoes instead of my flip flops, but whatever! Hee hee.

From Monday on I was with my aunt and uncle, and I was a little nervous about spending so much time with them (I stayed until Friday). I've never spent any time with just the two of them, there's always a bunch of other family around (my grandparents when they were living, my mom and dad, brother, assorted cousins, other aunt and uncle, etc...). I have to say, it was really great. My aunt and I are a lot alike, when people ask me who I take after, I really should say her (personality wise I mean...we're both loud although she's a bit more take no crap from anyone than I am) but that might freak her out ;) Just kidding. We did silly things like go to Trader Joe's two times so I could stock up on soap (and other assorted goodies). I know what you're thinking, "Soap? Really? Because they don't have soap in Texas?" Of course we have soap in Texas but we don't have the amazingness that is known as Trader Joe's Ginger-Almond-Oatmeal-Shea Butter-Exfoliant soap. It.is.amazing. I think it's what heaven will smell like, for the realz! Anywho. My TJ's soap was a big hit with the TSA on my flight home...they checked my carry-on (which had three bars) and they checked my checked baggage (which had about 10 bars or so maybe??) and even left my a nice little note. Thanks TSA! The guy who went through my carry-on (in front of me) was kind of surprised that it was just soap, and that when he swiped with with some special pad to see if it had trace amounts of drugs or whatever on it, it was negative. Sorry dude, just soap!

We also saw Arthur, and I was kind of surprised at how much I liked it (for various reasons). However, I'm convinced I liked it because I had such low expectations for it. Ha! We also went on a super long walk (which I totally need to start doing, oh, everydayfromnowuntiltheendoftime) and mailed a million postcards. Well, not a million. But you know what I mean. Oh, and I changed my flight so I could see a cousin(ish) whom I never get to. We also shared a lot of laughs, A LOT. That's always super enjoyable. OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH AAAAAND!!!! I went to my first ever wine tasting here. It was a pretty good experience, and fyi? Almond champagne? Fantastic! I bought a bottle and will be saving that for an occasion. Notice I didn't say special occasion, just an occasion. Ha. My aunt and uncle actually had a bottle of the apricot wine that my uncle used to make a sauce for some chicken (that was fabulous, of course) and he saved a glass of it for me to drink. YUMO! Aaaaaaand I was introduced to steel cut oats. Can I just say...yum?! Why didn't my own mother ever introduce me to these? Ah, I know why...because we are always running late and those steel cute babies can't be rushed. No worries Ma, I still love ya ;)

Anywho. I really need to go to bed, but I needed to update the blog before doing so.

One last thing...hee hee...on Friday's flight from LA to Austin and then Austin to Dallas, Mr. Mark Salling was on my plane! Don't know who he is? Puck (my favorite character) from Glee! Yay! Apparently he's from Dallas...and he's just as dreamy in person as is he is on tv. Because I didn't want to be a superannoying fan, I simply walked over to him, told him I recognized him but didn't want to be super annoying, and gave him a note. Hahaha. Love it. No, it wasn't my number (why would I do that???) or a proposition or anything like that, just a simple little note. I hope Mr. Salling had a good time with his family this Easter (I'm guessing that's why he was headed to Dallas). OH! AND! I could've sworn that Morgan Spurlock was in one of the Starbuck's inside LAX while I was eating lunch. Craziness because my aunt and I had been talking about him just the day before. So much excitement ;)

All in all, a great trip.

Btw, Happy Easter people! I failed to watch "The Ten Commandments" today, but that's ok....I did make it to a sunrise service (for the second year in a row). He is risen, He is risen indeed!