11 Long Days

The title here refers to the fact that I have not written anything AT ALL for 11 long days. My poor readers. Are you still out there? There are two reasons for my abscence.

1. I have been going IN to work A LOT. We have been training new employees and this requires a lot of time. I go into the office and basically play musical chairs while I hop from chair to chair and listen to the reports they type. I listen, read, and critique. I don't mind this. I like going into work now and then. I like getting showered and dressed in the morning rather than some time in the late afternoon. I like seeing and being around other people during the day. I do not, however, like driving all the way to American Fork or getting home between 6:15 and 7:00 every night. My poor latch-key children. Starting next week I will only do this 3 times a week or possibly 2, depending. This will be good, as my poor kids need their mother. They just don't know it.

2. H. and I went on a vacation, yes we did. We went to California, Carmel to be exact. Have I mentioned how much I love it there? We left last Wednesday and returned on Monday. I spent a significant amount of my time on the porch. I read, sunbathed the parts of my body that I was willing to show (face, arms, lower legs), read, and slept. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. The porch on that house is probably my most favorite place in the world. Is that odd? It's not my house and I don't really care for golf, but I love that place. Love, love, love it.

When we went to church the locals asked where we were visiting from and I replied, Payson, Utah. Then I promptly added, "yes, the grass is greener here." They got a kick out of that and I spoke only the truth (as I am prone to do at church). The green of the grass was amazing and contrasted beautifully with the blue of the sea and the sky as well as the whites of the puffy clouds.

A couple of golfers made passing comments. One was, "People actually live here?!" My reply, "I'm just a guest." Harold didn't like that. He felt like I should just play it up and dismiss the man with a wave of my bejeweled hand (did I mention I got some sweet silver/coral jewelry in Monterey?). I also purchased sunglasses (my really cool ones from last year broke, poo!) and a scarf (orange, of course). I can do a fantastic Jackie O. impression now with my scarf wrapped around my head and neck and my sunglasses on.

A caddy asked about the owner of the house, informing me that his mother and the owner "used to" go to church together. I know the owner still goes to church, so maybe the caddy's mother is either a. dead, or b. inactive? Just curious. When I asked about the location of the church the caddy hemmed and hawed a bit. He was either a. inactive himself, or b. anxious to get back to the high-paying golfers who are ultimately tied to the caddy's financial future.

Some more fun facts from our trip:
1. Did you know my mother (my parents went with us and we had a great time together) can go to bed around midnight and not get out of bed until 2 p.m. the next day? I didn't know that either.
2. Garlic fries are indeed considered a destination in my travel book.
3. When you go down a pier or wharf looking for a restaurant you will most certainly not get much to choose from other than fish. I knew this, but I was hoping....
4. The wharf restaurants in Monterey employ people to put the squeeze on potential buyers by harassing said hungry hunters to eat at their establishments. Also tied with #4, a piece of cheesecake included in the meal pretty much means the smallest slice of cheesecake known to man.
5. Rosine's restaurant in Monterey rocks. They have yummy food and the LARGEST desserts EVER, of which I feel I am a good judge based on my cheesecake experience from #4.
6. H. likes pens so much he will spend as much on a pen as I will on a bracelet and a ring.
7. Giving gifts at church is a nice idea. A man came up to me and handed me a pen. I thanked him and made a joke about this being my door prize, and he did not respond. Then he pulled out a small figurine of a resin building labeled, "Museum" and gave it to my father. Then he handed me another pink pen, so I handed the original pen down to my mother. Later Harold was gifted with a brand new green calculator. The man was sweet and we watched as he gave out gifts to quite a few people at church that day.

All in all, a good time was had by all, and getting back into the grind is a harsh kind of reality. But, as I reminded Harold, it is our reality that allows the fantasy every now and again.