California, Here I Come!

Or rather, came. I took a trip last month to see my family and friends. Rosslyn drove with me--we took my car--and spent the long trip up and down listening to Cabin Pressure. If you haven't checked out this radio show, you're missing out. I wish the US still did them.

Now, I have just gotten a new job the week before I went, so the weekend trip was a bit stressful, as I was concerned about losing my job (I had nothing to worry about, I was just anxious). Also, I did my homework on the trip, but I got an A in the class, so it was worth it.

On to the fun stuff!

The first day we were there properly, we went got mani/pedis with Rosslyn's lovely cousins and aunt. Tannis, Erin, and Lauren were delights and we watched inordinate amounts of Big Bang Theory (I'm finally a fan), cracking up all over. 

We went to an Irish Pub style restaurant for lunch after the manipedis and it was brilliant. The food was great. We went shopping and the ladies bought me two pairs of sandals as late birthday presents, which are so nice to wear. It's nearly summer and I had no sandals at all, not even flipflops.

That night I left the lovely ladies and went and visited my Grandma Sugars. It was so nice to just sit and talk with her, and sleep at her house. It's such a comforting place to be and she gives me such good insights. The next day, I picked Rosslyn back up and then went and got Douglas, our good DM. We all drove up to Orange County and grabbed my mom and brother, and we all went and had a blast at Knott's Berry Farm.

I really enjoy Knott's Berry Farm. It has lovely historical details, like the man panning for gold above.

I attempted to get my brother to pretend to cry...And he cracked himself and my mother up instead.

I've never seen any shows in the Birdcage Theatre. I hope I can sometime.

The graveyard is a spooky place at night, with the beating heart grave, and the one with demon eyes that glow.

This is not completely accurate, but still pretty cool. It's a map of the Native American tribes in North America, showing their territories.

The working smithy.

The rocking chair on the balcony rocks by itself.

The next day I went up to Orange County again and went to church with my mom, then attended my father's wedding reception. It was a lovely time and I got to see a lot of family for the first time in ages, especially my dad. It had been over a year since I had seen him.

This trip helped me realize something, though. I love my family. It may have broken a bit from the divorce, but now that things have settled, everyone seems more happy than ever before. It'll take awhile before it finished settling, but we'll be happier this way.