a rental car, sunshine, and California... a perfect day

Now that I’m here I don’t want to leave. Seriously, I’m going to feel so disappointed when I have to get on that plane tomorrow. I guess I’m thankful we’re going to Oklahoma instead of straight home, kind of a buffer in a way for the terrible shock I would be receiving as I pull into Atlanta airport that I’m back to the real world.

It’s so different here. It’s so wonderful. And the thing is I don’t think it’s an illusion. Sure there’s stress, people go to work, and have issues and problems… but they make time for things they enjoy, the culture demands it. For example, take my aunt Gin. She is possibly one of the most stressed, overworked individuals I know, but every morning she either goes to the gym, or walks on the beach with her dog, and sometimes in the evening too. She makes time for the thing she loves to do – be with her dog, talk to people, walking on the beach. She makes time.

And that’s why I love it. It seems like at home people work, then sit at home and think about how much they hate work, then look forward to the weekend and sit and think about how much they dread Monday. And guess what, I’m guilty of that too. We let our jobs define us.

Here I feel beautiful. I look in the mirror and I see a girl who has crazy hair, and may be a little pale, but is also a redhead(ish) so it’s okay. Here I don’t feel like I have to act a certain way, or measure everything I say, or feel shy. I went into the store I used to shop in and felt completely at home, chatted with the girl behind the counter a little bit…not because I felt like I had to, but because I remembered she was nice and interesting. And I then spent WAY to much money, but it’s okay, because it’s my favorite store and I don’t get to shop there all the time.

But daddy and I were driving around in our cute little rental car and we somehow ended up in Seaside and Sand City and it made me feel even more sad to leave. Whenever I was here I used to say if I lived in Cali I would either live in Santa Cruz or Seaside. Seaside is smaller, but it’s got so much personality. It’s squeezed between huge sand dunes and Highway 1 that separate it from the ocean and vast hills of rolling arid foliage. Here the kids take their skateboards on the sidewalks, and people ride their bikes, and the pavement is tan from the sand. There are palm tree lined boulevards and the bright pink stucco and turquoise paint has faded a little between age and the weather. It’s beautiful and I wish I could stay forever.

But tomorrow I leave, and it’s been a great trip so far. Daddy and I got up this morning and went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I loved it. I loved being able to tell him which streets to take and point out the places I used to sit and drink coffee, and show him where I called him on the phone. And he loved the Aquarium. Loved it. It was kind of funny actually, he literally sat and read all the little plaques, and we got into a conversation with an aquarium worker at the touch-pools who talked to us all about starfish, sea urchins, and how the temperature of the water changes the color of the starfish, etc. etc. And then we walked away with our brains on information overload, wondering if we could even walk through the rest of the place and actually comprehend anything… Yes it was a learning experience, and also beautiful. I was so excited to go back to the jellyfish rooms… I love jellyfish. They are slowly but surely becoming my favorite animal…besides the fact that one decided to wrap around BOTH of my legs one summer a few years ago… They’re beautiful and dangerous and people respect them with a mixture of fear, awe, curiosity. Anyway, I got to see the jellyfish again and Daddy really liked them too.

Afterward we ate at a little place on Cannery Row (with flocks of tourists…but I guess we were tourists too…I hate considering myself a “tourist”, but oh well). And while we sat eating there was a performer guy in the courtyard in white linen, playing his upright keyboard and his hand held keyboard (I’m not sure if that’s what it’s called…but yea), but he was definitely into his music. And while some people were genuinely listening, I was one of the people standing far off taking video of him because he was so amusing… I guess that was mean, once again, oh well.

So today was a good day. It’s 5:34 pacific standard time and we’re back at Aunt Gin’s house, feet hurting and lots of shopping bags (with some gifts for little Mag). Not sure what the rest of this evening has in store, but I hope it includes a splendid Pacific sunset and maybe some coffee from my favorite shop in downtown Carmel.

Yes, it’s been a lovely day.