Catching up

Sunday we went down to Santa Cruz for G.'s niece's graduation. It was my first time visiting Santa Cruz, although there are plans in the works for a birthday trip later in the summer.

It felt like I spent half the day waiting in the sun for the bus. But afterwards there was cake, and Korean-style short ribs, and fruit, and kids running around in the yard making bubbles. Random thoughts:

1. Everybody praises UCSC for its beauty, yes? It occurred to me therefore that I might have been a little spoiled for aesthetically pleasing academic settings by where I grew up. I mean, it was nice and all. Though kinda sprawly.

2. Santa Cruz proper, from what little I saw of it, seemed nice enough.

3. Except for that one bus driver, who insisted we pay full fare even though the buses were supposed to be free all day.

Monday I went into the city for a picnic in the park with friends; took the kids, who proceeded to get soaked in the park's water feature. Next time I bring water shoes and swimsuits. Kids ended up topless. Nobody seemed to mind.

From there we went and ate ice cream and then met G. at work, giving Daddy a chance to show off his children to his co-workers.

Today is summer camp and a spot of dental work for me.

(no subject)

Oh yes, my biggest challenge of the weekend was finding a book to lend to G.'s mother to read -- on the spur of the moment as we headed out the door, no less. I ended up giving her The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland but I never did hear back as to what she thought of it. Which might be a good sign, I suppose, considering the alternatives housed on my bookshelf.