San Diego Padres

Last weekend, Curtis and I went to Orange County to see Ralphie May at the Improv. Orange County is just as close as downtown San Diego. Los Angeles is just a little bit further, but still a do-able hour and a half drive.

We'd seen Ralphie May on a couple of different TV shows and also saw him open for Jay Mohr a few years ago in Vegas. I love stand up comedy and he is hilarious. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much. We had a great time in Orange County before and after the show, even though I prefer the more laid back vibe of San Diego.



Tonight we went to watch the San Diego Padres at Petco Park downtown. There's nothing like a beautiful night a the ballpark, rooting for the home team like it's game 7 at the World Series. Reality is the Padres are a big stink ball this year, but it's still so much fun to watch them play.


Curtis' family has had season tickets for about thirty years, so we bought a handful of games from them this year. The seats are pretty good, I guess:


Tomorrow we have plans to see the doggie surf competition at Imperial Beach. That's the beach that "John from Cincinnati" was filmed, so I'm looking forward to looking around and hanging out with the dogs.

I love living in this town. There's something for everyone and of course the weather is amazing.

I just heard Omaha had 90mph winds tonight that is leaving many without electricity until Sunday. Saying a prayer and sending good thoughts to all my peeps in O-Town.

Have a great weekend!

The Del Mar Fair

Friday, we started the first day of summer by heading to the Del Mar Fair. Curtis and I took our nephew and we had such a great time. It's been ages since I've been to the fair, seriously, sometime in the 80's sufficiently counts as ages. I don't remember much but I'm pretty sure it sucked so I never had any longing to go to a Fair since then.

Not so with the Del Mar Fair. With the exception of the agriculture auctions and the pony "rides" (I've seen duck-duck-goose circles larger than the pathetic circle these ponies had to circulate all day long with kids on their backs), it was fantastic.

Some people go for fair food. Some people go to shop the vendors. Me? I go to see a four year old grin from ear to ear:



Okay. I admit, I was seriously looking forward to the funnel cakes:



We spent most of our day here, the kiddie rides:



We first went on the carousel, and I thought it was going to start off a bit rocky when Mikey intensely scrutinized the mechanics. I was hoping he wouldn't start crying because I didn't want him to freak out the two year old on the horse next to him:



Throughout the day, Mikey would prove he was far more fearless then his aunt, who kept her feet firmly planted on the ground at all times:





He loved the bumper cars:





He stood in line patiently with his tickets in hand:



Couldn't believe his luck when the ticket taker forgot to collect tickets:


Fell asleep on a ride:





Went on a roller coaster:



He went on about ten rides and ended the day on the grown up ferris wheel with his Uncle:





When we got in the car to go home, he was asleep by the time the engine started.

I have a feeling this is the first of many, many years of fun at the Del Mar Fair:

Angry Asian Girl, For Real

We had our furniture delivered today and I am not happy. Actually, I am fuming. This is where I become acutely aware of my character flaws. Part of me is saying, it's just furniture, but another part is screaming at the carelessness of it all and reminding myself of the cost of the furniture.

Instead of letting myself go crazy with frustration, I took it out on an email. I once heard that it is never good to send an email when angry, well, I just broke that rule:

Jill,

I'm finding it difficult to express how disappointed I am in ----Transit Line. Curtis and I chose your company because we had such stellar service with our move to Omaha, we expected the same level of satisfaction with our move back to the West Coast, with your branch and with your chosen driver.

I was taken aback this morning when I noticed the damage that was done to several pieces of my furniture. I do not say this to overemphasize, but I want to make it clear we have made it a priority to purchase high quality pieces and have paid the the premium price for those pieces. The furniture that was damaged was not only expensive, it was furniture we were planning to keep for a lifetime.

That said, we are placed in the unfortunate position to have to worry about claims and the claim process. Because we went from zero claims on our move out, to several claims on this move, I am asking for your help in explaining the process so that we can have the issues resolved most quickly and efficiently.

The following is a list of my complaints to date:

1. dresser base was cracked and left immobile.

2. Due to the dresser base being cracked the movers were not able to move this very heavy piece into the house. It currently is taking up room in the garage and I have no idea who is going to move this piece upstairs for us after it gets fixed. Not only that, it is taking up garage space designated for my vehicle to park. The sooner it is fixed and moved, the better.

3. One dining room chair arm is completely broken from the frame and will most likely need to be replaced.

4. Damage to another dining room chair with a deep crack into the frame.

5. I don't have a clue as to where the rest of my furniture is.

6. I don't know what the status is with the 10% overage I paid with my American Express. The driver did not mention the final weight of the move to us at all.

I would appreciate any help that you can offer. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Sunnee Beebe

Okay, I know that it is not in good taste to disclose how much you pay for things, but I feel I have to put my feelings in perspective. Believe me, if this were Ikea furniture, I would be mildly irritated but not nearly this upset. My bedroom set was $8000.00 and my dining room set was $4000.00. I didn't mind spending the money because it was seriously going to last a very long time. Now, I can hardly stand to look at it.

I'm sure everything will work out, it didn't seem to bother my beagle at all. This is how I found her in the middle of all the moving chaos this morning:



Outside.

Soaking up the sun.

Not a care in the world.

...is it weird to be jealous of my dog?

Moving Sideways

I've spent the last few weeks getting comfortable with my new schedule, as well as a new house and relatively new job. It hasn't been a torturous experience, but it certainly hasn't been pleasant.

Somewhere amidst the transitions, spring is turning into summer and the sunshine is infectious. Luckily, it's a very mild and gentle shift between the two seasons here. Oddly June is known for it's gloom, hence June gloom to the locals; however, with the exception of a day or two, June has been abundant with sunshine and perfect weather.

Just some random pics-

I love my reef flip flops! I buy a pair at the beginning of every summer:


The front door entrance to my house is hidden from the street, led by a walkway that is completely lined with jasmine and roses. It's a scent sensation walking into my casa:




There are many things about this house that I don't care for, but the backyard is not one of them. Smack in the middle is the largest magnolia tree I've ever seen. I can't tell you how happy the blooms make me:


We are renting here in Vista so we can save for that fat down payment that we'll need to move into a house of our own. We still have the condo in Omaha that we are leasing and we're finally getting our furniture moved out, it should be here Monday. This house is a 2500 square foot shell right now. I'm hoping with our furniture, it will become a bit more of our own, if only for a year.

I just found out that I've been tagged, which is awesome because it gives me something to post tomorrow!

Ciao until then!

Updates, Oceans and Trees

We've spent the last several days moving. Wouldn't you know, the weather has been not so much southern California as it has been freakishly hot Las Vegas, with a kick of tropical humidity. I think today the temps are going back to the normal upper 60's mid 70's range.

All in all, it was not a fun move. AND, it was only a small fraction of our stuff. The rest is coming out from Omaha in the next few weeks, but the professionals are taking care of that portion, thank goodness.

The conclusion is that I don't live in my beloved Encinitas anymore. If you know how much I love that charming, little coastal town, you know how much I hated to move away. I knew it was going to be temporary, since the home prices are so darn expensive. One day I'll be back, and if not there, we'll move to Carlsbad which is the next coastal city north of Encinitas. Carlsbad is actually an amazing city. It has great beaches and it's just a beautiful place to live. A lot more manicured then Encinitas, and much bigger as well. That's what I loved about Encinitas so much--it was quaint and a bit on the bohemian side, but still very beautiful.

I'm in Vista now, just barely outside of Carlsbad. As a matter of fact, I can see the "welcome to carlsbad' sign from my street. Vista is not a coastal town, it actually connects Carlsbad, Oceanside and San Marcos but it is one of the top five cities to raise your kids and one of the top 100 places to live overall. I think that's according to Forbes magazine. I'll be honest, I don't LOVE VIsta, but I will say that the trees are so pretty here. They're huge and almost all the streets are tree lined. Very pretty.

Because of all this moving business, my inbox is full to the brim. I am so, so sorry if I have not replied to your email. I promise a response very soon!

I hope everyone is well! Have a beautiful day.

Freedom, Mother's and the World

**Why is it that when I hear George Michael's "Freedom" I get so beside myself I think I can sing, and sing loudly. That song is so incredibly good (the louder the better) and I don't really care for George Michael.

**To all you mothers out there--Happy belated Mother's Day. You have the most important job in the world, I hope you all feel so appreciated.

**So many horrific things happening in the world lately (China, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Midwest tornado). I'm starting to feel myself shut down. I always do when I can't process the enormous tragedies of life. I've vowed to myself that this time I will not. This time I will stay aware. This time I will not shut down. I may not know how I can best help, but I will remain open. If all I can do is pray, then at least I will pray.



I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Don't think that I'll be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

Senior

Thought I'd post some pictures from a recent Senior Session.

After graduation, she is joining the marines to protect and serve. Absolutely love her! --

















I graduated in '92 and my senior pictures looked nothing like these. What a welcome change from the black drape and fake red rose. Remember those days? Think Aqua Net and big hair.

Have a great Wednesday everybody!