A moment to breathe

Today was the first day in 2 weeks that I had a moment to slow down. And it was nice. Aside from the busy holidays, there is nothing else on my plate till March. But knowing me and how my life tends to flow, some adventure will come up that I will not be able to resist.

The trip to Pismo was good. It was a weekend more of reflection and remembrances rather than a playful weekend, but it was good to be there with and for my dearest friend.
Saturday morning we took a short walk on the beach.Enjoying the warmth of the sun. Reflecting on friendships. Looking for sand dollars to bring back to her beautiful daughter.

Later in the early afternoon, we went to the Monarch Butterfly Grove with some of Danielle's other friends.Every year, thousands of Monarch butterflies flock to the California coast between October and March. The trees were filled with these beautiful butterflies.
It was a peaceful place, watching the butterflies flutter around, sometimes resting on eucalyptus branches, fanning their wings in the warm sun.

We watched the sunset from the hotel.All of nature's little details were on our side.

We left very early the following morning which gave me some time with Danielle's daughter to dance with the Wiggles and have a tea party with her Little Einstein dolls before they had to take me to the airport. Spent the next few days in Vegas with the parentals loading trucks and driving for hundreds of miles.

In just a few days, we'll celebrate Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. Usually we travel south for the feast but this year we're staying local and all the other brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and one cousin are coming this direction. We'll be a loud and crazy bunch.

Anybody have to-do ideas for the day after Thanksgiving that doesn't include fighting for parking spaces?
_

I'm riding off into the sunset

Tomorrow morning I'm off on another adventure to Pismo Beach with my BFF. Pismo is about half way for both of us and 10 years ago we met up for the weekend and hoped to do annual trips. LOL, 10 years later we're finally getting back there.

Here's a quick digi-scrapbook page I did about our trip back then.I don't think it'll be a warm sunny day at the beach this time, forecasts predict mid-50s, but it still promises to be a good time. Then on Sunday I'm flying to Vegas to meet Jimmy and the parentals to help load some things. Won't get the chance to see the sights or a show or anything, but I'm sure our dining opportunities will be good.

Once again, I'm abandoning the kitty cat.It's a good thing she's used to it.

When I get back, it'll be a week before the Thanksgiving feast. Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away from today. The holidays are here people. Are you ready?

_

All About Bob

Ya gotta love this guy, dontcha?

On our way home from Vegas on Monday evening, we stopped in beautiful Baker, California for dinner. Usually, we stop at Del Taco (it's history is in Barstow afterall), but we noticed a billboard on the freeway advertising Bob's Big Boy. We haven't been there in years. 5? 10? Something like that. So we had to stop. Our lives depended on it. We were about to wither away because hadn't eaten enough food at the Vegas buffet the day before.

Bob's Big Boy restaurants have just about disappeared in California, or at least it seems like it. Maybe they're having a resurgence. That'd be a good thing as long as they stay in Southern California. I don't need them up here to tempt me. And I'm in S. California enough that I won't be deprived. Like how I'm deprived from Cracker Barrel because they're a Southern/Eastern/Midwestern thing.

In the high desert where I grew up, there was one Bob's Big Boy restaurant. My family only went out to eat once a week, on Sunday after church. Most of the time we'd go to McDonalds or Burger King. On special occasions, we'd go to the sit-down restaurants in town - Bob's Big Boy or Sambos. Admittedly, Sambos was our family's first choice until they went out of business in 1982 but Bob's was a very close 2nd.

When Jimmy grew up, his family went to Bob's often. He remembers going with his family at the crack of dawn, usually before a motorcycle event or space shuttle landing at nearby Edwards Air Force Base. After long work days or long car trips, Bob's was his family's restaurant of choice.

Then when Jimmy and I started dating, it was the restaurant we ate at after senior prom in the wee-early morning. Yes, Bob's Big Boy is a part of our history. It's a little bit pathetic, but it's ours.

Beaten Like A Rented Mule

Jimmy and his team, the Surf City Rats enjoyed their games at the Vegas Tournament this year, but unfortunately, they lost all 3 of the playoff games and didn't move on to the semi-finals. Despite their losses, (and lots of time spent in the penalty box, even the goalie -eh hem- got a penalty) they had a lot of fun.

Leaving Las Vegas

I'm Leaving Las Vegas
Lights so bright
Palm sweat, blackjack
...Leaving Las Vegas
-Sheryl Crow

We're homeward bound this afternoon. Have an 8.5 hour drive ahead of us. Enjoy the adventures but can't wait to be home. There's no place like it.

Love in Las Vegas

I'm not a gambler, but I love our yearly trip to Las Vegas. Especially since we go in the fall and the weather is mild. In fact, on Friday night, we were treated to a spectacular thunder and lightning show. Then on his way home from Jimmy's last hockey game on Saturday morning, he saw snow on the nearby Mt. Charleston mountain range. There's very little that I miss about living in the desert, but the desert storms are so spectacular, they're nearly worth paying for.

One show that certainly was worth paying for was Cirque du Soliel's newest Vegas production, "Love". The entire production is set to Beatles songs and it was a feast for the eyes and ears.

All you need is love.

Desert Sky

Las Vegas, sunset.

submitted to Thursday Challenge: Sky