Back and Nutty

Well, I'm back from vacation...I wish I could say rested and fully regenerated but, if you've ever been on vacation to a major metropolis, there is no truth in that statement. It was a lovely vacation for yours truly and her girls, but hubby was a Grumpy-Gus the entire time. Let's be honest; he was an ass the entire time...bitching and moaning about everything! By the time we returned, I was pretty much ready to put him out. Then, on Saturday, I got the heartfelt apology and the admissions to guilt that made everything okay. I was glad he realized he'd been to attitudinal for words. I guess I should be grateful that in the nearly nine years we have been married, this is the first time he's been a jackass during a vacation. I suppose there are others who experience this sort of thing all the time.

Sunday, August 6th

We went to church, as is usual for us on Sundays, but this week we had the car packed and ready for our trip, since we wouldn't be returning home before going to the airport. My oldest didn't know anything about the trip (we don't tell her because then she worries us to death!). After church, we changed into our "fly wear" and went to McDonald's for breakfast. Why did we have to pick the location in need of the health inspector's glove more than any other? There was a big garbage can blocking the entryway to the eating area, the floor was sticky and there were flies. Once they moved the garbage bin, we discovered that none of the tables were clean. Dad busts out with the baby wipes and swabs down the table as best he can. Eating for fear of the germ brigade was a challenge.

After a hurried breakfast, we drove to Hollywood Connection (a movie theater/indoor amusement park/roller rink/arcade) and let the babe have at it for about an hour and a half. She had a great time on the roller coasters and playing arcade games with dad. Then, it was off to the airport. We parked in economy parking and rode the shuttle to our gate. We only had to wait about an hour, before it was time to board our plane. Oh my gosh! It was the smallest plane I've ever been on; a Skywest/Delta commuter plane that seated up to 50. I'm used to Jumbo jets. It was so weird. The baby slept the entire 1 hour and 45 minute flight and there was no one sitting next to me, so that was nice. The babe napped the last half hour, along with her daddy (who was probably calling the hogs (snoring for you guys), but the engine was so loud, no one could hear him). We landed to very cool temps in Oakland and caught a taxi to SanFran (my very first!) to the hotel. The city is wall-to-wall skyscrapers; very old chic, busy and charming. Hubby complained about the size of our living quarters for the resort, which are smaller than what we're used to, but he knew that going in. I thought they were charming. At any rate, we were so tired we got unpacked, plopped down on the couch and ordered in (Thai food. Yum!)

Monday, August 7

We arose after sleeping in a whole extra hour ( a big deal for me). Hubby went to work out in the resorts gym, while me and the girls got ready and dressed for the day. Once hubby came back, showered and dressed, we went venturing around the city and explored our surroundings. We hit Union Square pretty quickly and marveled at all the shops. We ended up at a Virgin Records store and a Ross Dress for Less, both three stories high. Hubby lost his mind! We were there nearly two hours and would have been there longer, if the babe hadn't needed to go potty (no public restrooms a plenty in San Fran, unfortunately). We walked back to the hotel, ordered lunch in, then went back out and explored China Town, which was (literally) right around the corner. The babe loved China Town and so did I. My hubby, the shopper, liked all the shops at first, then wasn't so impressed after walking for a while.

My calves were screaming, by the time we got back. Those hills are no joke. You can't get a grasp of how steep they are, even from watching t.v. or movies that are filmed there. You're literally on a 35 degree incline. This is the first vacation where I've actually lost weight, rather than gained.

Tuesday, August 8th

We walked from our hotel to Fisherman's Wharf (Pier 39). It was about a 45 minute walk, but would have been a five or ten minute car ride. We ate lunch at In 'N Out Burger (mine and my hubby's favorite) and it was so packed, the line was hanging out the door, but it was so worth it. I love that place! If they ever bring it to Utah, I'm in serious trouble. Keep it in Nevada and California please. My hips will be forever grateful. After lunch, we toured the wax museum and had a ball there. Then, off to the Aquarium. By the day's end, we were beat but happy to have had a good day (even if the hubby was cantankerous).

Wednesday, August 9th

Several days before our trip, we investigated amusement parks to visit and decided that we would probably go to Great America in Santa Clara. We knew we would have to take buses and trains, but it would be a great day regardless. The only hitch was that we would need to purchase our tickets online, due to the major discount you received doing so. Well, the day of our adventure, I went downstairs to the resort computer, only to find that the amusement park page wouldn't load. Oh, all of their other locations came up, but not Great America. We were bummed and ended up exploring downtown San Fran again. This time, we visited the Virgin Records store and stock-piled on DVD's. We also saw that Jody Watley would be doing autographs for her new CD. I was stoked, thinking I would come back later that evening to see her. It didn't happen. We went back to our room and hubby was sleeping like he was dead or something. He didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. We had paid for a tour to Muir woods for the next day, and he said that's all he wanted to do. Ugh!

Thursday, August 10th

The baby's 7-month birthday. We caught our tour bus right outside the hotel doors and road to the pier, where we made final arrangements, hoped on another bus and road out of the city...up, up, up 4,000ft above sea level to Muir Woods. Ah, the great Redwoods. They are magnificent. Hubby loved this part and was happy to be away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. We toured the woods for about 45 minutes, then hoped on the bus and road to the second part of our tour; Sausalito. There, we took in the picturesque, Mediterranean type scenery and enjoyed a very warm and pleasant day.

Several of our fellow tourers took the ferry back, the rest took the extended part of the tour to Alcatraz. We were the only ones left on our bus, so we took the scenic route back to our hotel. Doing so, allowed us to see the one and only grocery store we ever saw in San Fran and it was only five blocks away from our hotel. So, we took our things back to the room, then walked the five blocks back to the grocery store. There, we purchased our lunch for the day, our breakfast for the next morning, my only bit of sushi I had while there and a bottle of Alice White Shiraz. Yumm!

Back at the room, I turned on the news to find out about the potential terrorist attack on planes out of the UK to the US. Gratefully, I learned about all the new security measures before our trip back the next day.

Friday, August 11th

We took an airport shuttle back to the airport, poured out baby-bottle water in the garbage as part of security measures, then waited an hour and a half for our flight. Hubby was sort of pissy again, but mellowed out once on the plane. On our way home, he went back and forth; happy to be home, still grumpy at all the fast-pastness of San Fran.

As I said before, I got my apology on Saturday after he'd basically separated himself from me. We had gone to a barbecue and didn't say much to each other there, by the time we were riding home, we were holding hands. It was a rough, happy, stressful and exciting trip.

Back to work

Our new systems have made it hard to do what we need to do, thus a lot more work, thus working over time at home, thus ready to pull my hair out. This is the first opportunity I have to sit down and type out the events of the last few days.