Polished.

Had a very nice weekend with the family.

Poppy managed to negotiate his way to my work with just a few quirks. We then headed out for a superb drive down highway One. We met up with the rest of the gang at a restaurant in Pescadero. A-man was, per the usual, being very cute and charming the WHOLE place. After too much food and some good family communing we headed back to the Lodge. The lodge was a nice spot with views of the ocean, and some cute cabins/tents that we might try if we return. It is settled in a very nice spot, and they have worked hard at making some nice spots to sit outside and enjoy the environs. The next morning the breakfast (and lunch) food at the “General Store” was mediocre at best, but was filling enough. We took a nice hike from the lodge down to and along the coast. It was a bit overcast, but turned into lovely sunny weather as the day progressed. The path went through a mass of poison oak, so a Technu party ensued.

A-man liked the beach. When the weather is warmer we might introduce him to the water. He is saying so many things these days (often at high volume). There was lots of “O-C-AN”, etc., and when he saw the lighthouse near by “LIGHT house” was repeated A LOT!! He understands many opposites, and only confuses them a little bit. He answered, “No!” several times, and a couple of seconds later would say, “Yes!” when he realized he did want whatever it was he had been asked about. The same thing happened with “big” and “little”, etc..

In the afternoon, while Mammy, Poppy, and A-man napped, us young ‘uns went for a quick drive. I had heard about a store called Made In Pescadero, and wanted to check it out. They had some BEAUTIFULLY made wooden furniture…for when I win the lottery! We then went on to pebble beach, which did indeed have a lot of highly polished beach pebbles (and a cool rotting fish head). There were awesome rock formations and nice tide pools with purple sea urchins. I hope the pictures (of which I took too many) came out.

Sunday we took A-man back to pebble beach and he had a long play with a “DUMP!”, a “DIGGA!”, and a “JEEP!” Mammy and Poppy had brought for him. (That is a dump truck, front loader, and a jeep to the rest of us.) We then hauled him off to the Dream Machine Show. We were there for several hours and only saw a fraction of what they had on show. The highlights for me were several 40’s-50’s military planes, which we saw on the ground and then they did some flying maneuvers (it was at an airfield), and someone’s nice Austin Healy 3000. We all got a real kick (and unfortunately, a real sunburn) out of it.

I took the train back in this morning, and on my walk to the gym, I passed a bunch of catering trucks and film crew trucks. It was all I could do not to go see if I could sneak a peek at the action and find out what was being filmed. If I hadn’t had my luggage in tow, I’m sure I would have.

Family (including the non-blood related folk) is very special to me, and when I spend time with them I wonder why I’m not spending more time with them. I have fun with them, ya know? It makes me want to be building my own branch of the tree. ;-)

Now, you know I don’t like to bring up negative things at all, but I saw my first human in a bodybag on the side of the road this weekend, and it is lingering in my head. My thoughts are these: 1. That was someone’s life and it just ended, poof, like that, probably because someone couldn’t slow down or go five more minutes without talking on the phone or take a day out and get a new tire. (All of which are things I do), 2. It wasn’t just that person’s life which stopped, it was all their people’s lives. 3. That I have lost most of my romance with driving. I was more than happy to take the train back this morning if it kept me and mine off the road. (This, despite seeing the news about the commuter train wreck in Japan minutes before I got on the train) 4. Please, please be careful when you are out driving, and I love you all.

Just looked up an article about the accident. It sounds like the girl that died didn’t have her seat belt on, so wear your dang seat belts!!

Also, forgot to say that if you get a chance to come to the coast of California, try to visit the little Pebble Beach, just south of Half Moon Bay. It has super polished pebbles…BEAUTIFUL!