I drove my elderly parents to California to visit. We plan to be on the road for approximately 1 month. For a pricklypear, that's a very long time to be out of my environment!
We drove from San Angelo, TX to Bakersfield, CA and spent a day and 1/2 with my mother's brother and his family. It was hot across the desert and there was all type of vegetation that has adapted to the heat. The cactus all seemed happy with their arms up stretched to the sky. Some seemed to be leaning over one another like an old married couples captured in time. My parents will celebrate 62 yrs of marriage next week and it is easy to relate. It was hot when we got to Bakersfield too. My uncle said it had been a perfect day the day before, but the desert heat had followed us there.
My uncle and his family were sincerely happy to have us visit. My grown cousins that I haven't seen since we were children all dropped by to say hi. I was most taken by my 2nd cousin, Diamond. She greeted us as if she was expecting us and sat by my side most of the time we were there. She asked questions and was especially interested in Texas. My uncle had grown up there and I think her mom was too, but she has never been. She told me she had written a school report about Texas and had made a good grade but she wanted to know if I was a Native American Indian and if she had missed other points of interest in her report. She passed her time drawing fashion dolls with clothes and hairstyles she saw on TV. She is 11. Her brother was not as talkative and stayed out of sight as much as possible. That I can relate to -- I just don't do well with strangers or family members that insist on carrying on conversations that seem like a question and answer session.
From Bakersfield, we headed to see my sister and her family in Oakland, CA. We started seeing all the fruit trees, grapes, onions, peach trees, roses. It was so beautiful and the pastures were full of "happy" cows grazing along the rolling terrain.
We got to Oakland around the middle of the day. She had her house remodeled and painted and was excited to show us the result. My daughter and grand-daughter live in San Francisco and they showed up later!!! It was a family affair!!
After we had our hellos and dinner, I headed out of SF with my daughter. It wasn't long after that I realized that I was totally unprepared for the weather. It is COLD in SF and I have been having to dress in tons of layers just to keep from freezing. My dad is the same way and when we see each other, we whine about the cold. We just aren't cut out for it!!! Most of the people that live in the city seem to think it's a treat when the sun comes out, but I am looking for the warmth of perhaps a polar bear suit!!!
When we leave here, we hope to stop in San Fernando to see my Dad's cousin. They were raised as brothers by my great-grandmother and have always been close. I will get to see the cousins that I haven't seen since I can't remember when!!! I do remember having a terrible crush on my boy cousin and saying he wasn't a "real" cousin because my dad is 1st cousin to his dad and 2nd cousin to him and well, a 3rd cousin wouldn't count!!! I do remember being broken hearted when they went home that summer and of course, my older sister doesn't let me forget how I moped around for weeks after or how it was the first summer that I wore a 2 piece bathing suit and he'd made fun of me because being from CA the girls all had "perfect" tans and weren't pudgy!!!
We also want to go either to the Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day store orrrr -- much preferred spend a day at the Quilt festival in Long Beach!!! I am keeping my fingers crossed because mom and dad are in their mid 80's now and tire easily and can decide that the next destination is home.
After that, mom want to stop in AZ to see some other cousins of hers. They were all pretty close growing up and have always managed to keep in touch through the years. I want to stop to see if I can pick up some cactus to take home to add to my collection!!! I don't know if my budget will permit anything else at that point. I may have to charge a driving fee so that I can at least eat on my way home!!!
I am staying with my daughter in San Francisco and during the day there is much to see and do but I have finally lost that wanderlust that I used to have for the nightlife. She has part-time custody of her daughter and since I am here, she has had a chance to go out on nights she wouldn't normally be able to and I am happy to be grandma. After she goes to bed, I started to try my hand knitting with the knifty knitter II. I wasn't sure that I was doing it correctly but I found a wonderful woman that shows it step by step.
Using a Knifty Knitter Loom
http://hubpages.com/hub/Gift_ideas_for_mothers
By the time I get home, I hope that I have a hat the length of the states we cross and I can start with a square loom. I find knitting fascinating and hope that I will eventually be able to make a pair of socks and an array of stockings for my granddaughter but so far, I am all thumbs!!! This has boosted my confidence that I can knit!
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