Posted by ClearSkies on February 20, 2006, at 20:43:32
In reply to Back home, posted by ClearSkies on February 20, 2006, at 10:26:35
I don't remember ever writing one of these in school and have always wanted to do so:
My holiday was spent in San Diego. My spouse attended a conference and was able to fly me out with him on a free ticket, and use a gazillion hotel points for our stay; the upside to his extensive business travel. He worked Sunday through Thursday. He worked really hard, as he always does. He is now very tired and has a lot of catching up to do.
My sister flew to meet me for a few days. This is a precursor of our planned Grand Trip for this summer, when she and I will drive across country with her old dog. We are in the beginning stages of deciding what route we will take. This is a tedious process as my sister thinks in minute details and I think in mega, general and vague sort-of-not-really plans. I hope that this will strike a delightful balance and that we won't fight every mile of the trip. I am more of an optimist than I ever thought.
We went to the Zoo. It is one of the best zoos I have ever seen. We saw the panda bears, who personify (animalfy??) Cute and Cuddly. The baby was snoozing in a tree. The momma was eating bamboo, and now and then turned to face the people watching her be Incredibly Cute. I took many many many photos and selectively deleted the ones in which her back was to us. I still have about 5 photos that are pretty good.
I communed with the Big Cats, who act like house cats in lots of comforting ways. I made lovey dovey squinty eyes with a panther. I paced along the length of an enclosure with a Snow Leopard. I was assessed as a potential meal (I imagine) by a Siberian Tiger. It was a fantastic experience.
I saw double-humped camels, which I had thought were made up. I saw many animals that looked llike they had been assembled by God using PhotoShop. I saw very large rodents, and very small horses. Very cool.
I bought the t-shirt. And the coffee mug, and the tea towel. All pandas.
We took the aerial trip across the Zoo, and I was terrified the entire time. I never looked over the edge or below. I am sure it was a grand sight.
I went shopping. I bought shoes, comfy ones, even as I admired the towering platforms and strappy sandals on display. I know as Personal Truth that I will never be able to wear such wonderous shoes. I am OK with this fact.
I ate fabulous meals every night. The service was impeccable. The servers fawned over us and I felt like a queen, or a movie star, or a wannabe. I am afraid to step on the bathroom scale. I am also OK with this fact... OK, absolute truth here, I don't want to know, I am in denial.
I saw many surfer dudes and dudettes apparently very happy with risking life and limb in pursuit of the Ultimate Wave. And I thought *I* was crazy. No offense meant.
It was colder than I thought it would be. I ran out of warm clothes, although I resisted buying more of them. I am a realist, and I live in a place that is hot and humid for most of the year. This was a good decision on my part, though I think I smelled rather ripe by the end of the trip. My apologies to those who got too close and inhaled.
I drove on the freeway and found the drivers to be extraordinarily polite. This surprised me to no end, as I spent my early driving years in Boston, where it is a badge of honour to be rude and avoid eye contact with other drivers.
My biggest shopping splurge was on toiletries. I opened every jar and bottle I came across. I bought soaps, bubble bath, shower gel, a gel bath that supposedly turns your bath water into chunks of pudding-consistency material. It is supposed to retain warmth. I will give a full report when I have used this impossible, and not exactly attractive sounding product.
Against my judgement and wishes, my step daughter looked after my cat while we were away, She fed her vast amounts of food, but didn't bother to attend to the litter box. I guess she doesn't think of the input-output equation for cats. I am simmering about this, and it will take quite some time for me to calm down. My cat, incredibly, did not think outside the box, but I can tell that she was perching on the edge by the end of the week. Next time I go out of town for any length of time my pet will be checking into the Kitty Motel.
It's good to be home. I'm glad I don't live where there are so many good looking, slender people. I am relatively young and in shape where I live, as I am surrounded by geriatric people who use walkers and golf carts to get around.
The end.
ClearSkies
poster:ClearSkies
thread:611363
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060212/msgs/611574.html