My back is out today (due to the Terminator "ride"). We had breck at Denny's. Megan shared a "Meat-Lovers Scramble" with me and I had some grits. The senior softball team was next to us ("Old Guys Rule"). Peter Falk died. Saw trailer for Spielberg's "Falling Skies"
On the way to Santa Barbara, Tim and Miranda told "Choose your own adventure" stories. We laughed till we cried because of Tim's malaprops (mortified for terrified; finagled for mingled, someone grabbed Miranda by the throat and she throttled around on the floor; minotaurs snorted their bull horns). Later than night he said, "if it's any constellation".
Santa Barbara has too many people and cars; it was like sardines. No parking spaces for miles and miles. We stopped for a visit with the Yaqubs (they said the old Kelly house has been trashed by renters). We dropped Miranda off for down time at Stearns' Wharf. Megan, Tim and I went to the museum, but it was closed for a wine-tasting festival.
We found the Pacific Company. Megan got our periodic supply of backscratchers and I got several weird things. Here's one of them (I think it's a goblet).
At Chaucers Book Store Tim got a book on knights and I lucked out to find a bathroom. We drove out on the wharf (parking was rough), did a little shopping while waiting for Miranda (Megan bought a crab, Tim got a bubble blower).
We had a heck of a time getting Miranda to hear us (held up traffic a bit). Miranda had to pee and we had a hard time finding a bathroom (76 didn't, Taco Bell did). I slept until Santa Maria. The first key they gave us was to an occupied room (fortunately the two guys were good-natured about it and no one was naked). The 2nd room ("Oregon") was about a block from the elevator and it took a long time to get everything up.
What a bathroom (like 4 rooms in one)! Santa Maria's Best Western Big America has the best bathrooms! Miranda got her own makeup area. Miranda: "This place smells like a flippin' camping ground" (made her think of the bad Tory experience).
We went to dinner at the Pantry (I had chicken strips with sauce and zucchini [with italian herbs and spices and olive oil - best flavor on veg's I've ever tasted] and fresh fruit [great strawberries]). Tim helped me get on the motel's computer to download my email (nothing gravid, Group Health lost my stones and I had 1+ casts). Megan and Miranda took our dirty clothes to a laundry; at closing everything was still soaked, so we've got wet clothes spread out all over the room.
My blood pressure is 122/75/55 - at least THAT'S okay.
My comments:
Our visit with the Yaqubs was delightful. I had tried to call to let them know we were coming, but apparently I had the wrong number so we just showed up. They were extremely gracious and seemed very happy to see us again. Nancy had a brace on one leg and is moving slower, and Adil looks rather frail, but he's still teaching. They don't have any cats at the moment, but I loved the cat rug they had in their bathroom.
They told great stories about the wildlife they have seen out on their deck. Lots of birds, naturally, but a whole family of skunks? They told us all about their neighbors, and the problems they have had with the Culler clan.
The drive through town was almost a bit scary due to the narrow streets and crowding. There were cars parked EVERYWHERE on both sides of the streets. It was a real disappointment that the museum was closed, but we had a good time out on Stearn's Wharf. I wouldn't mind making an extended visit to Santa Barbara, but I don't think I'd want to live there again. However, I was glad to see the huge fig tree that has been there FOREVER. We had gone right past it when we came down on the train.
The mix-up in rooms at the motel was really funny. They had given us a second-floor room and I asked if they had anything on the ground floor. The clerk told me that there was one room that had recently been thoroughly cleaned because the last occupant had (illegally) smoked in it. He was fined $200 for that! But he thought it would be OK so he gave us the key and we opened the door on two men lying on their beds watching TV. Awkward moment! but they were very nice about the whole thing. Apparently the other clerk had rented it shortly before.
I have never seen a town as full of Espanic people as Santa Maria - or at least the part we were staying in. Everybody at the laundromat was brown and speaking Spanish. A lot of the signs were in Spanish rather than English. At the grocery store, there were huge flats full of different kinds of peppers.
All of the water that they brought us at dinner had lemon wedges on them - which none of us like. I tried to get creative while waiting for the food to come.
Miranda really didn't feel well while we were doing the laundry, and it was very crowded and very busy. A little before 10:00 she had finished her laundry, and I had just started my laundry drying for the 2nd round (I think I put too much together). I drove her back to the hotel to drop her off, and naturally Bill insisted on coming back with me. When we got back, there was nobody there but the cleaning lady! I couldn't believe that all those people had gotten out so quickly. My laundry was still there, but still pretty wet, but they closed at 10:00, so we had to pack it up and take it back wet.
It was nice to have a day that didn't have a lot of things that had to be done, and I was especially pleased with the two Christmas ornaments that I bought in one of the stores on the Pier.
1 comment:
Ooh, I really like that shell ornament.
Peter Falk died?
I'm sad to hear that people are ruining Grandma's house. I always hoped to take my kids there one day, but that probably isn't going to happen. Plus, it wouldn't be the same without Grandma anyway.
That goblet is freaky...just saying.
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