SoCal Days 6-7: The Song Was Wrong

It does too rain in Southern California. And when it does, it pours.

But that worked out okay- I needed a down day after the lovely, but hectic Tuesday, so a quiet Wednesday was perfect. Something in the air here has played hell with my allergies since we arrived, so I've been snurfed up the whole time (the date palms are blooming, maybe that's it). By yesterday morning, my voice was nothing more than a squeak, so a rainy day was exactly what I needed (this isn't a cold- though the difference is nil, I'm still sneezing and coughing... sigh). This is the first time this has happened (in 3 visits here) and I have not let it interfere with the wonder of SoCal, and the enormous pleasure of kids and Grands, but still... bleh.

 I did a little knitting (I'm past the heel on the Araucania sock, yarn from Loop & Leaf), and some reading. I finished Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts, which is a short-story compilation. I liked it a lot, and 2 of the stories, I really really liked ( Best New Horror, which is the most unsettling story I've read in a long time, and the title story, which is just plain wonderful). Young and talented Mr. Hill does not make an issue of his parentage, so I won't either. And I started The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which I like, but do not love. The characters are fun, but none of them (including main character, 11 year old Flavia) are particularly likable. I'll probably finish the book on the plane tomorrow.

Since we're 40 minutes from LAX, and our flight takes off at 8:00am tomorrow, we'll be on the road at 0:darkthirty, and I will likely not post in the morning, so here are a few last pics from our wonderful wonderful (clogged sinuses notwithstanding) visit.

 Channel Islands Harbor.

 Eucalyptus trees from the butterfly preserve.

 The daytime moon, framed by an arch at Meditation Mount.

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, on a cloudy and humid day.

Oh, tomorrow is also our 40th Anniversary. Not bad for a pair of 18 year olds in their stocking feet in a double-wide trailer, with a Justice of the Peace. And they said it would never last... We fooled them!