So last week I went to try and help Ryan find a place to live in the beautiful bay area. We have a few places picked out that we would like to live and they all focus in areas that the BART goes too--we call it the Metro back in DC but its the train system out there. So here is the map of possibilities.
So many people have liked the Walnut Creek area so that is where we are focusing I guess. I went to one of the wards and they were so great. Also, it was beautiful and had great shops/restaurants/trails/parks...really family oriented place. Ryan will then take the BART everyday (a 45 minute ride from Walnut Creek to his stop--Embarcadero), which I got to experience first hand, and yes it was quite the experience! Well, i guess just getting out to Cali and back was the experience and as always with me it seems that life is never uncomplicated.
So the day I was supposed to leave. Ryan scheduled my flights so he of course had me leaving at about 7 pm (which we all know who have kids you shouldn't leave on an airplane at the kids bedtime right?!). So I thought I had the whole day to get ready. Well this is what happens of course. We get up, eat breakfast, take care of Lucy (our dog), start some laundary...get a phone call...well the phone says that our car is TOTALLED. Well, the car looked pretty bad but it was just the front, so it can be fixed, right? Nope, its a volvo and one headlight costs $400 dollars and so if you include two headlight and the two whiper blade things it adds up to $1200 dollars...so you can guess that to fix everything else (the whole front including things in by the engine, possiblly the engine the....blah blah blah)....so basically the car was totalled because it was simply too expensive to fix--i'm not a huge volvo fan at the moment! The guy says that there were some personal belongings found in the car that needed to be picked up. Which means that for me that had to happen THAT DAY, since I was leaving. so then I look at the time, 10 something...okay this is do-able right. then he says it about 45 minutes away south of Dallas. OKAY, its still do able right? Well, I'm doing laundry for the trip, Harrison needs a nap forsure to survive the 3+ hour flight, I need to pack for Harrison and I, take lucy to a place to stay, spend an hour on the phone with the insurance, need to drop off the rental car, figure out how to get to the plane from rental place, drive down to the middle of nowhere to pick up a toll tag and some trash (personal belonging--Hah!), drive around on side roads to avoid the traffic that is at a stand still on the freeway because 3 trailer tractors turned over on the freeway (but we knew that would happen today right!!!) And still made it to the airport just in time to make it to my gate and find out the the plane was delayed and I get to spend the next two hours walking around the airport trying to calm down knowing that we are going on a 3+ hour plane ride still (all by myself), getting on a train for an hour and a half and will make it to our hotel at about 3 am my time. Sounds fun huh! But we have all had one of those days...especially when you get to your destination and find out that you flew to Cali for 5 days to find a house with your husband and find out that his work scheduled a last minute trip for him that would take up 3 of those days!!
The return trip was a little easier but I have definitely had better days. Ryan was of course out of town the day that I left so I packed up everything and planed my return. Ryan said to take a cab but I'm too cheep to ride in a cab for over 45 minutes when the train would just cost 7 bucks! So I swallowed my pride and got everything on my own. I used my sling to hold Harrison, put my bag under the stroller, ballanced the car seat in the stroller and pushed that with one hand and pulled my suit case behind me with the other hand, and walked to the BART!! It was close but it still didn't save the embarrasment of walking down a busy road to the station and have taxi driver's yelling to see if I wanted a ride to the airport! Then I got my ticket and almost fell down the escellator trying to balance everything (yes, I should have used the elevator but I couldnt figure out how to get it open without a key, weird huh?) I made it on train, survived the 1 1/2 hour ride figured out the trains at the aiport and made it to the gate. Well, then I had to figure out a way home! I had returned my rental car so I had no car, and when I called they were all out of cars (how's that possible I don't know but it was me so it happened!). So my brother in law called me back and they could get me. So that was set, so I get on the plane, Harrison sleeps for a little while and then wakes up with a fever! I luckily have tylenol but he is miserable! But I make it and I called my brother in law to see if there are any cars becasue I have to have one incase I have to take Harrison in (with my luck the one time he needs to go to the ER would be the day I have NO CAR!). Well after going to all of them there is one car that I can get for $61 a day, which I think is steep but, I need a car. So we finally get home and we survived (though poor Harrison keeps a fever and starts throwing up, a runny nose and coughing--I think he got every bug possible huh!) I don't like traveling anymore!
Anyway, If you made it this far in my blog Cali was gorgeous and It was fun to walk around. I had a great time those couple days Ryan was there looking around and spending Mother's day with him (which he was totally sweet and got me yummy see's chocolates, and picked out some clothes for me, which I do have to return because they don't fit, but they were too cute and its the thought right?!). I also got to see one of my Jerusalem roommates and her family!!! Which is the one, if any of you remember the story of how Ryan and I met there, helped start us out in the Holy Land! We had a great time and Susan was a ton of help talking about the area, which is where she grew up! Sorry for the way long story but...hey just needed some commiserating!
Just thought I would throw in a picture of my little sweety!!
These are the last living pictures that we have of her, taken 2 days before.
These are pictures of her headstone when we got it put in for the first time (on her birthday 2005). I don't know if anyone is interesting on seeing this, some people may think morbid, but for me this is comfort. Since I am not able to be there this year I am glad that I have pictures. And that I will have other things there and people so it won't look forgotten, she will feel missed. You see her playful cat, her conversing with her bird and then on the back it reads...
