The flight was uneventful. Kind of long. Thank goodness we had picked up subs at Quizno's on the concourse so we would have lunch on the plane. That worked out well! The flight was smooth... got to LA ahead of schedule, but that's where our good airline/airport luck ended.
You know, I have heard all sorts of talk about how big other airports are... Chicago's O'Hare is HUGE, LAX is HUGE... pfft on all of them! Atlanta has it going on. The more I travel, the more impressed I am with our airport. We landed in LA, followed the signs to baggage claim. There are only 3 or 4 baggage carousels!!! Yep, that's it! And the ceiling is open with all these dusty pipes showing... I'm hoping that was the result of unfinished remodeling, though no one was working on it today! There were NO - Zero - Zilch security guards around the baggage carousels. I'm not kidding. In Atlanta, you don't get out the door without a security guard checking that you don't have someone else's luggage. Here, there was no one to ask any questions of or anything. There were no more signs there for ground transportation, so I finally went over to the Frontier Airline office and asked a lady there where to go and she just barely told me to go out front on the street. There are no signs out there either. So of course we ended up standing in the wrong place, waiting for our car rental van. Thank goodness some nice parking shuttle van driver pulled over and told us where to meet our van. We made it to the car rental place and had to wait in line and then had to wait for a car since they only had one car available in the class we chose, and that car was unacceptable to us (The trunk lid was like an SUV so anyone could look in and see our suitcases, etc., break the glass, and have fun.) The car we ended up with is a Kia and I love it. It drives so great. And it will fly! (I mean it seems that it would... not that I've tested it...)
We then drove to our motel (of course, I drove past the entrance the first time and had to go down and u-turn) and checked in. We're staying at the LaQuinta near the airport. It's nice. I've always been happy with LaQuinta. And it's a good jumping off place for the places we are going to visit.
After dropping a couple of suitcases at the room, we hit the road again. Thank goodness for GPS. It's like my cell phone - I can't remember my life without it. She (My GPS is Samantha.) actually took us on the 405 and the 10 (That's what they call interstates out here. Not I-405 or I-10, but the 405... and they're freeways here.), but traffic wasn't bad at all. After a couple of round-a-bouts and a u-turn, we made it to the Santa Monica beach and pier. We walked around the pier and took pictures and then walked down to the water. I got to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean! It was very cool. I just giggled like a child. Picked up a couple of shells - there weren't many around. Left there and drove up the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. Beautiful scenery. The ocean was on our left and walls of rock on our right... with houses up on top of that rock! Stopped and ate dinner at a seafood place... I had to have them re-do my meal since they didn't ask me if I wanted cole slaw and evidently they serve it with all meals. Well, that's fine, I can just ignore it or scrape it off my plate, but oh no! They had put cole slaw all over the plate and piled the rest of our food on top! I don't like mayonnaise - UGH! But once they fixed that, the food was excellent. I had the grilled tilapia.
We continued up the coast past Pepperdine University and then we turned around and headed back here to the motel. Came a different way (no freeways) and saw some interesting things. They like their liquor stores out here - we even saw one "Liquor and Deli" place. They also like tattoos. Oh and the strangest thing we saw is that evidently out here it is legal for motorcycles to just drive up the white line in between cars while they are moving!!!! We thought the first guy was just crazy, but then we saw it two more times...so I guess it's an accepted custom out here. It's kind of freaky and dangerous to me!!
Well, our internal clocks say it's after midnight while it's only 9:15 here. But Mom just turned the lights out and I don't think I'm too far behind her. It's been a long day, but I am thrilled that the first day turned out so well. I wish I had taken more pictures, especially of some of the highway signs on the PCH - "Rock Slides next 5 miles" or "Drunk Driver - Call 911" or "Rough Road Ahead" with a "For Rent" sign below it! But with the traffic here, it's not real safe to make sudden stops to take those kinds of pictures. Oh, well.
I hope Hollywood is great fun tomorrow!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
My first view of the Pacific Ocean!
Then there is the woman who I have never seen before in my life who comes over and asks me to watch her bags while she goes to get something to eat!!! Besides the fact that I think that's illegal, but it is WAY too much responsibility on me today! I'm on vacation here, people! Then some other woman sits down with the bags, and I almost freak! Thank goodness the owner of the bags came back then or I'd be flying with a neat self-hugging jackiet!
People in the gate area
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Let the adventure begin...
Well, in just twelve short hours, Mom and I will be at the airport, waiting to board a plane that will take me to a new place - Los Angeles. I'm nervous... I don't remember being this nervous about going to Phoenix last year. Is it because of the dire traffic warnings I've received... maybe, but I've driven in Atlanta and D.C.... and I'll have my GPS so I should be fine. Is it because I'm leaving Daisy for the first time? That's probably a big part of it. Dogs are so much more needy than cats... I mean, I've always worried about and missed my cats when I've traveled, but let's face it, they are much more independent and can go potty in the house! Daisy is soooo attached to me... I just hope she won't grieve and will realize that I AM coming back. Anyway, I also think part of my nervousness comes from the fact that I've become such a homebody... and I've become set in my ways. For me, it's another side effect of getting older. I know myself well enough to know that I will be fine once we get going... that I will enjoy this big adventure to the fullest... it's just the pre-show jitters!
Suitcase was already overweight before I even finished packing the last minute items! So I had to shift a couple of things to Mom's suitcase (how in the world did she have room left in her suitcase?!!!) and then I came in at 46 pounds. It is obvious that if we buy ANY souvenirs, we will be shipping them home. Mom also has the advantage of carrying her overnight bag as her carry-on. I have my laptop bag... which is fully of electronic items and cords with no room for overflow clothes. I swear I'm going to drive as much as possible from now on cause these airlines are service charging us to death! $12 to pick your seats ahead of time; $15 for the first checked bag - gone up to $20 now; $25 for the 2nd checked bag so I will NEVER do that; no lunch on the plane; $10 if you choose priority boarding; Goodness knows how much if your suitcase is one ounce over 50 pounds; etc., etc., etc. Regular folks can't afford to fly anymore!
Must get to bed... got to get up early to finish the last minute packing and everything else. Hopefully, tomorrow night, I'll be able to post a picture of my first view of the Pacific Ocean!
Suitcase was already overweight before I even finished packing the last minute items! So I had to shift a couple of things to Mom's suitcase (how in the world did she have room left in her suitcase?!!!) and then I came in at 46 pounds. It is obvious that if we buy ANY souvenirs, we will be shipping them home. Mom also has the advantage of carrying her overnight bag as her carry-on. I have my laptop bag... which is fully of electronic items and cords with no room for overflow clothes. I swear I'm going to drive as much as possible from now on cause these airlines are service charging us to death! $12 to pick your seats ahead of time; $15 for the first checked bag - gone up to $20 now; $25 for the 2nd checked bag so I will NEVER do that; no lunch on the plane; $10 if you choose priority boarding; Goodness knows how much if your suitcase is one ounce over 50 pounds; etc., etc., etc. Regular folks can't afford to fly anymore!
Must get to bed... got to get up early to finish the last minute packing and everything else. Hopefully, tomorrow night, I'll be able to post a picture of my first view of the Pacific Ocean!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Had good luck today...
with the clothes shopping. I took my hairdresser's advice and went to Cato. They had some GOOD clearance. I got 4 shirts, 2 pair of Capri's, a pair of shorts, a necklace, and a pair of earrings for $80!!! ALL of it was on clearance! So I'm set now for my trip.
I got my hair "blonded" yesterday so I'll be a California girl.
I got some 'trendy' clothes - well, one pair of the Capri's look they have worn spots in them! So I'll be a California girl.
I will be doing laundry all weekend and getting the suitcase out to fill it up on Sunday.
I got my toiletries packed today - complete with a quart-size bag of small bottles to take on the plane in case they lose my luggage! I had plenty of help while doing this from that wild child, Zeus!
I just made a to-do list for Monday.
I REALLY need to go to bed now!
I got my hair "blonded" yesterday so I'll be a California girl.
I got some 'trendy' clothes - well, one pair of the Capri's look they have worn spots in them! So I'll be a California girl.
I will be doing laundry all weekend and getting the suitcase out to fill it up on Sunday.
I got my toiletries packed today - complete with a quart-size bag of small bottles to take on the plane in case they lose my luggage! I had plenty of help while doing this from that wild child, Zeus!
I just made a to-do list for Monday.
I REALLY need to go to bed now!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The countdown has started...
One week to go before our California trip. This time next Wednesday, Mom and I will be in a motel in Los Angeles. Hard to believe...
Today, I went shopping for some clothes... not many... just maybe a couple of shirts and shorts or Capri's... Well, let me tell you, when you are plus-sized, the choices are VERY limited. And it seems that I am in between two sizes, so the choices just dwindled to almost non-existent!! I'm far from "trendy," but was a couple of new things too much to ask for??!
Our California trip will be as jam-packed as our Washington DC trip last year. Only this time, I think there will be less walking and more driving (or maybe just more sitting in the car if the dire warnings I'm hearing about LA's traffic are anywhere close to accurate). I plan to journal here about our trip as it unfolds. I don't think I can top the near fight and the lady with the cane on the DC bus, but maybe I won't bore you either. This trip will be chock full of sightseeing AND genealogy. Something for everyone! ;)
Alas, Tracy misses all the fun again... but he's not real interested in seeing LA. I do hope to take him to the Grand Canyon one day. That is something he definitely needs to see! Daisy is going to miss me terribly... I hope she doesn't mourn too much. Tracy will come home every day to see her, and a friend is going to come over and let her out twice a day. (Oh, and for anyone who thinks this would be a good time to break into our house, let me just advise that we have a fence with an electric gate; a security alarm; a large dog; and people who will be coming in and out at odd hours. Plus there is nothing worth stealing... I wear costume jewelry and we don't have a plasma TV. You've been warned.)
Here's a synopsis of our itinerary:
Day 1, Weds, 09/29: Fly to LA, pick up rental car, check into motel, drive to the Santa Monica beach and pier, drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu and have dinner.
Day 2, Thurs, 09/30: Hollywood! Bus tour of stars' homes, wax museum, Hollywood Museum, walking tour of Hollywood, Walk of Fame (all the touristy stuff!)
Day 3, Fri, 10/01: LA Scrapbook Store, drive to San Bernardino and visit my great-grandparents' graves and where my mom went to college, drive to Redlands for the beginning of the Class of 1960 of Redlands High School Reunion weekend. A get reacquainted social this evening.
Day 4, Sat, 10/02: Bus Tour of Redlands (part of Reunion weekend), visit sites from Mom's childhood: the high school, library, her grandmother's former house, etc., scrapbook store. Then the actual reunion is this evening.
Day 5, Sun, 10/03: More sightseeing around Redlands, reunion picnic
Day 6, Mon 10/04: Drive over to Yucaipa to see where Mom grew up (or at least the area), drive back to LA
Day 7, Tues, 10/05: CALL MY HUSBAND AND WISH HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (And Happy Birthday to William Tisdale, too!) Warner Bros. Studio tour and visit Griffith Park.
Day 8, Weds, 10/06: Fly home. Hug and pet dog; pet cats; hug and kiss husband; and collapse.
WHEW!!! Are you as tired reading it as I will be doing it?!!! LOL
Stay tuned, folks.
Today, I went shopping for some clothes... not many... just maybe a couple of shirts and shorts or Capri's... Well, let me tell you, when you are plus-sized, the choices are VERY limited. And it seems that I am in between two sizes, so the choices just dwindled to almost non-existent!! I'm far from "trendy," but was a couple of new things too much to ask for??!
Our California trip will be as jam-packed as our Washington DC trip last year. Only this time, I think there will be less walking and more driving (or maybe just more sitting in the car if the dire warnings I'm hearing about LA's traffic are anywhere close to accurate). I plan to journal here about our trip as it unfolds. I don't think I can top the near fight and the lady with the cane on the DC bus, but maybe I won't bore you either. This trip will be chock full of sightseeing AND genealogy. Something for everyone! ;)
Alas, Tracy misses all the fun again... but he's not real interested in seeing LA. I do hope to take him to the Grand Canyon one day. That is something he definitely needs to see! Daisy is going to miss me terribly... I hope she doesn't mourn too much. Tracy will come home every day to see her, and a friend is going to come over and let her out twice a day. (Oh, and for anyone who thinks this would be a good time to break into our house, let me just advise that we have a fence with an electric gate; a security alarm; a large dog; and people who will be coming in and out at odd hours. Plus there is nothing worth stealing... I wear costume jewelry and we don't have a plasma TV. You've been warned.)
Here's a synopsis of our itinerary:
Day 1, Weds, 09/29: Fly to LA, pick up rental car, check into motel, drive to the Santa Monica beach and pier, drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu and have dinner.
Day 2, Thurs, 09/30: Hollywood! Bus tour of stars' homes, wax museum, Hollywood Museum, walking tour of Hollywood, Walk of Fame (all the touristy stuff!)
Day 3, Fri, 10/01: LA Scrapbook Store, drive to San Bernardino and visit my great-grandparents' graves and where my mom went to college, drive to Redlands for the beginning of the Class of 1960 of Redlands High School Reunion weekend. A get reacquainted social this evening.
Day 4, Sat, 10/02: Bus Tour of Redlands (part of Reunion weekend), visit sites from Mom's childhood: the high school, library, her grandmother's former house, etc., scrapbook store. Then the actual reunion is this evening.
Day 5, Sun, 10/03: More sightseeing around Redlands, reunion picnic
Day 6, Mon 10/04: Drive over to Yucaipa to see where Mom grew up (or at least the area), drive back to LA
Day 7, Tues, 10/05: CALL MY HUSBAND AND WISH HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (And Happy Birthday to William Tisdale, too!) Warner Bros. Studio tour and visit Griffith Park.
Day 8, Weds, 10/06: Fly home. Hug and pet dog; pet cats; hug and kiss husband; and collapse.
WHEW!!! Are you as tired reading it as I will be doing it?!!! LOL
Stay tuned, folks.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
How many scrapbooks...
A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked me how many scrapbooks I have completed. And I honestly had no idea. So I came home and counted them! Thanks to Tracy's nifty (and much needed) shelves he built for me, my albums are all in one place and easy to see... and to count!
I was shocked by the number:
In process albums: 8.5x11 = 1
12x12 = 8
Completed albums: 8.5x11 = 13
12x12 = 49 (!!!)
I had no idea! But I have been scrapping for more than 10 years now... thank goodness I have something to show for all that time, money, and space!! LOL
I was shocked by the number:
In process albums: 8.5x11 = 1
12x12 = 8
Completed albums: 8.5x11 = 13
12x12 = 49 (!!!)
I had no idea! But I have been scrapping for more than 10 years now... thank goodness I have something to show for all that time, money, and space!! LOL
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I had no idea...
I had not posted here in over 3 months! The time just slips by...
I really don't have anything to say. I'm on my laptop so I can't access my latest scrapbook layouts to post. I post them all on Facebook now. Maybe I'll just post some random thoughts...
Right now, I just finished watching an episode from the first season of "Veronica Mars" on Netflix. I know it's an old show, but I missed it the first time around, and I am so glad I'm watching it. I love it!
Just saw "Saving Private Ryan" on Sunday. It was a tough movie to watch (especially that first 1/2 hour), but I think it is an important reminder of what those men sacrificed for our freedom on D-Day. I cannot imagine how they felt - being cut down before they could even exit the boats. It is a miracle that anyone made it up that beach. Yet it was imperative that they do so... or the war would not have been won when it was. I literally was brought to tears watching it. And that was just a reenactment.
What other TV shows am I watching these days? Burn Notice, Leverage (my fav!), Covert Affairs (a new fav), White Collar, Memphis Beat (growing on me now that I don't automatically see Earl every time Jason Lee speaks), Rizzoli and Isles (OK), The Glades (also growing on me), Lie to Me, I Survived, America's Most Wanted, The Soup, and other odds and ends I pick up. We tend to watch more movies during the summer since the bulk of shows are in re-runs.
We watch one Netflix movie each week... This week was "Next" with Nicholas Cage. It was OK. Not a favorite. Coming up this weekend is "Iron Man." I do love Robert Downey, Jr. so I have high hopes. Caught "Music and Lyrics" the other night on network TV. It was my 3rd viewing, but Tracy had never seen it. He laughed out loud a lot and seemed to enjoy it. I love the patented dance move!! LOL
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Yes! I saw part of The Princess Bride tonight as I was flipping channels. I love that movie - one of my all-time faves! There are so many great quotes from that movie! "Wuv. Twu Wuv." "He's mostly dead." "You've been mostly dead all day." "Inconceivable!" "As you wish." LOL
I'm reading my book club book right now, "When you are engulfed in flames" by David Sedaris. Every chapter is like a short story... something from his life. He's hilarious - I've caught myself laughing out loud several times. I'm also reading (off and on) on my Kindle, "When Friendship Hurts: How to deal with friends who betray, abandon, or wound you." Enough said. I'm listening to Robert B. Parker's "Back Story" in my car. It's really good! Not only the writing, but Joe Mantegna (the actor who plays 'Rossi' on Criminal Minds) is reading it. He's good. I picked up "Twilight" on CD today to listen to when I finish my current audio book.
Mostly these days, I just piddle around the house (paperwork, paying bills, cleaning, laundry, taking care of three cats and a dog, etc.), read, and watch TV and movies. It's been a quiet summer, and I haven't had much motivation since it's been sooo hot. Also, we are broke due to... oh, many and varied reasons. So I'm not going too much these days. Occasional day trips when Tracy had keep Daisy. I am still scrapbooking... I try to go into my room for at least an hour, maybe two, almost every day. I may actually scrapbook or just put things away, but at least I'm doing something to use that nice room as much as possible.
Mom and I are going to California the end of this month (it's already September!!!). It's her 50th high school reunion and she really wanted to go. She hasn't been back to California in about 48 years, so I don't know if she'll recognize anything. I'm looking forward to seeing where she grew up, visiting her grandparents' graves, etc. And truth be told, I am looking forward to seeing Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean. We will be gone for a week, and I am afraid my Daisy is going to be VERY unhappy about it.
I do seem to have made a new friend. A scrapbooking friend that may be growing into an all-around friend. We'll see. It's looking good so far, but I have a poor track record in that area. I have learned to hold back and not get my hopes up. Just letting it play out.
We are waiting to get Tracy's CPAP machine. Then he will get a good nights' sleep every night, and so will I cause I will be able to move back to our bed! I've been in the guest room for weeks now.
Speaking of which, it is very late, and I am very sleepy. Must go make nice with that guest room pillow! I'll try not to be another 3-4 months before another post.
I really don't have anything to say. I'm on my laptop so I can't access my latest scrapbook layouts to post. I post them all on Facebook now. Maybe I'll just post some random thoughts...
Right now, I just finished watching an episode from the first season of "Veronica Mars" on Netflix. I know it's an old show, but I missed it the first time around, and I am so glad I'm watching it. I love it!
Just saw "Saving Private Ryan" on Sunday. It was a tough movie to watch (especially that first 1/2 hour), but I think it is an important reminder of what those men sacrificed for our freedom on D-Day. I cannot imagine how they felt - being cut down before they could even exit the boats. It is a miracle that anyone made it up that beach. Yet it was imperative that they do so... or the war would not have been won when it was. I literally was brought to tears watching it. And that was just a reenactment.
What other TV shows am I watching these days? Burn Notice, Leverage (my fav!), Covert Affairs (a new fav), White Collar, Memphis Beat (growing on me now that I don't automatically see Earl every time Jason Lee speaks), Rizzoli and Isles (OK), The Glades (also growing on me), Lie to Me, I Survived, America's Most Wanted, The Soup, and other odds and ends I pick up. We tend to watch more movies during the summer since the bulk of shows are in re-runs.
We watch one Netflix movie each week... This week was "Next" with Nicholas Cage. It was OK. Not a favorite. Coming up this weekend is "Iron Man." I do love Robert Downey, Jr. so I have high hopes. Caught "Music and Lyrics" the other night on network TV. It was my 3rd viewing, but Tracy had never seen it. He laughed out loud a lot and seemed to enjoy it. I love the patented dance move!! LOL
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Yes! I saw part of The Princess Bride tonight as I was flipping channels. I love that movie - one of my all-time faves! There are so many great quotes from that movie! "Wuv. Twu Wuv." "He's mostly dead." "You've been mostly dead all day." "Inconceivable!" "As you wish." LOL
I'm reading my book club book right now, "When you are engulfed in flames" by David Sedaris. Every chapter is like a short story... something from his life. He's hilarious - I've caught myself laughing out loud several times. I'm also reading (off and on) on my Kindle, "When Friendship Hurts: How to deal with friends who betray, abandon, or wound you." Enough said. I'm listening to Robert B. Parker's "Back Story" in my car. It's really good! Not only the writing, but Joe Mantegna (the actor who plays 'Rossi' on Criminal Minds) is reading it. He's good. I picked up "Twilight" on CD today to listen to when I finish my current audio book.
Mostly these days, I just piddle around the house (paperwork, paying bills, cleaning, laundry, taking care of three cats and a dog, etc.), read, and watch TV and movies. It's been a quiet summer, and I haven't had much motivation since it's been sooo hot. Also, we are broke due to... oh, many and varied reasons. So I'm not going too much these days. Occasional day trips when Tracy had keep Daisy. I am still scrapbooking... I try to go into my room for at least an hour, maybe two, almost every day. I may actually scrapbook or just put things away, but at least I'm doing something to use that nice room as much as possible.
Mom and I are going to California the end of this month (it's already September!!!). It's her 50th high school reunion and she really wanted to go. She hasn't been back to California in about 48 years, so I don't know if she'll recognize anything. I'm looking forward to seeing where she grew up, visiting her grandparents' graves, etc. And truth be told, I am looking forward to seeing Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean. We will be gone for a week, and I am afraid my Daisy is going to be VERY unhappy about it.
I do seem to have made a new friend. A scrapbooking friend that may be growing into an all-around friend. We'll see. It's looking good so far, but I have a poor track record in that area. I have learned to hold back and not get my hopes up. Just letting it play out.
We are waiting to get Tracy's CPAP machine. Then he will get a good nights' sleep every night, and so will I cause I will be able to move back to our bed! I've been in the guest room for weeks now.
Speaking of which, it is very late, and I am very sleepy. Must go make nice with that guest room pillow! I'll try not to be another 3-4 months before another post.
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