Quick trip to LA

A 3 day weekend and home alone (no kids and husband)....it wasn't a dream.  It actually did happen.  I was afraid I wouldn't know what to do with myself.   Not being needed, not being interrupted.....should I:

a. Have a crafting marathon by myself.

b. Clean my house.

c. Catch up on some sleep.

d. Go on a road trip.

I went on a road trip.  

It's been a long time since I've spent quality time with my uncle Pavel in Palm Springs, and I haven't seen my old college friend Isabel in over 10 years.  She lives in LA.

I was a little bit worried about my ride to California.  I couldn't take my car, it's not reliable.  And the locks on my husband's car don't work right.  If you lock the car, the lock is broken and you won't be able to unlock it from the outside.  I had to be extra careful where I leave the car, since it would have to stay unlocked.  I also had to be very careful to not accidentally lock the car, because then I would have to crawl through the trunk.  It turned out all right, no one stole my car, and I only locked myself out once at a rest stop and crawled through the trunk.  I think the person parked next to me gave me a strange look, but I must have not been suspicious enough since no cops chased me afterwards.

I spent Friday night at my uncle's house, and drove to LA early Saturday morning to meet Isabel for breakfast at Urth's Cafe downtown LA.  It was a smooth ride until I came close to my destination and hit traffic.  How do people live and commute for work in LA?  I'd go insane.

Isabel and I had  a great time catching up.
Spending time with my uncle was equally good.  His stories told in half English-half Macedonian and a heavy accent in both always make me laugh.  Before I was married I used to visit him all the time and we'd go on trips together.   We can talk forever and tell stories, or be just as comfortable to sit in silence and not say a word to eachother.
We spent Saturday night downtown Palm Springs, eating frozen yogurt, sitting by a pedestrian crosswalk, talking and watching people walk by.  Some walked by several times:

• couples holding hands

• families with kids

• people in wheelchairs

• bicycles

• people smoking and the smoke choking me

• cross-dressers looking so well made up you wouldn't know they were a guy in a dress if they didn't feel compelled to return my 'hello' and their deep voice giving away their identity.  

It was nice to feel completely relaxed, to notice time passing by very slowly, to have nothing to do or no place to be. 

Before it got dark I took this picture of uncle Pavel by the new Merilyn Monroe statue they have in town.



I drove back this morning (Sunday).  Got up early and was on the road by 7am.  I wanted to get home early to squeeze in half a day of crafting.  My room is now covered in fabric, string, papers, glue, stamps and even shrinky dinks.  And tomorrow I am back to work.