Qualifornia

Day 26 - Sunday, July 29

To The Fields for worship at my brother's church.  Their hip pastor used such phrases as, "We're all jacked up..." which made me chuckle as I thought about Paul saying 'jacked up' on the stage of our very conservative country church back home.  Would not, um, be received so well.  Or at all.  No.  That would be bad.  Nor could he trade in his suit and tie for flip flops and shorts.  Different cultures.  Same country.  Isn't that amazing?

Then a lunch of this and that from Trader Joe's.  Some good cousin playtime.  Then an afternoon of lessons and an evening of Olympics.


Day 27 - Monday, July 30

We spent this day at a botanic garden for my Mom's birthday.  The weather was lovely, the gardens were lovely, and we were all - you know - just lovely together.

Charlie's favorite part - the electric trains

He yelled, "Choo-choo!!!" and squealed quite a bit.

Lunch at Juanita's,

because that's where we eat in this town.

Then back to the gardens in the afternoon for more exploration, play, and plant appreciation.

We spent the evening watching the Olympics.
Happy Birthday to my Mom.

Day 28 - Tuesday, July 31

Another fantastic beach day.  After the part when the guy yelled at me.  Sheesh.  I was stopped at a stop sign.  He was standing on the street corner with his two small kids wanting to cross the street.  I smiled and signaled with my hand for him to cross the street.  As in, "I see you, man with kids, and I recognize that you are trying to cross the street.  I've been in your shoes and appreciate it when others have waited for me to cross the street.  You go ahead and I will sit here and patiently hold up traffic so you can safely cross."  Unfortunately he read my friendly gesture as, "Relax lady! Relax!  I've got my hands full here!  Don't you dare gesture for me to hurry up and cross!  Relax!  #@*%"  And his facial expressions were mean and nasty.  I was so taken aback and felt horrible.  He totally misunderstood my smalltown helpfulness.  And he was so mean to me.  I hoped that I would see him again at the beach so I could clarify how nice I really am and that I was trying to help him.  But I didn't see him.  And he might have just yelled at me some more.

When we settled in to our spot in the sand, the boys were kind of uninspired and laying around and I thought about just going home.  Then their cousins and friends arrived.  And it turned into the best beach day.  Peter and Reuben were the bravest they've been so far.  They went out farther into the ocean and figured out how to bodysurf with the waves and how to jump with them.  Peter ran back in several times to tell me how much fun he was having.  We stayed for a long time and just enjoyed being there.

Back home for lessons.  Back out for Taco Tuesdays at Rubio's.  Peter's request, as he is now a lover of fish tacos.  Unexpected.  Back in for an evening of Olympic viewing with my parents.  Tada!