Halloween was amazing this year. We had easily 80 - 100 kids and had to close shop after our 8 bags of candy ran out. We knew it would be the best year ever because it seems every house on the block has kids. They were arriving in droves, 10 - 20 at a time. The one thing I noticed is a lot of the older kids didn't bother dressing up at all. Kind of sad if you ask me. Too cool for school I guess.
Still, the older ones seemed to appreciate all the work we did this year. We put up lots of spider webs, added an outdoor fog machine and I even mixed my own series of spooky music. Not the cheesy Monster Mash stuff but actually REALLY scary sounds including moaning, creepy birds, demons speaking backwards, wolves, and sounds from movie clips. Some of the kids were too afraid to even approach the house alone. Jeff watched from the window and just laughed at them. ... which probably scared them more.
Jeff didn't dress up this year but played photographer for me. I dressed up as a ghost. As most of my friends know, I am avidly against slutty costumes. I don't understand them and think most girls just look at Halloween as an excuse to dress like a whore because they can get away with it, forgetting that the point of Halloween is to be scary. Scary Halloween costumes are meant to scare away the evil spirits and personlly I like to hold true to the tradition. Forget slutty nurse, slutty gypsy, slutty cop, slutty beer wench or whatever. Halloween is about spooky costumes I stuck to my guns again this year. Here are some photos from my ghost costume.
Sure it's traditional but whatever... I'm a purist.
Here are some new progress photos of the house. We are still working on unpacking and haven't quite gotten to art yet so the walls are pretty empty but you can see how the house is progressing. Hopefully we can start remodeling the bathrooms after the new year and the kitchen some time at the end of next year.
Pretty Evening Sky
Rainbow after the Rain
Progress of our Livingroom
Getting Around to putting up Pictures in our Bedroom
The Guest Bath for now. We will remodel it next year.
Another shot of the Livingroom. Man, we need art.
Jeff replaced the front screen door and outdoor lighting.
The main hallway (er.... only hallway).
Another shot of the backyard.
Our street looking West.
Our street looking East.
The Front of the house at the garage. We are working on the grass.
The front walkway. We took out the bushes on the left to plant a cactus garden.
We put in a new refrigerator and dishwasher. The table is our staging area... hence the mess.
Just wanted to share this quickly. Before we moved from the UTC apartment we gave the cats a flea bath. They picked up fleas, we think, at the vet. We wanted them dipped before they arrived at their new home. I have to say, bathing a cat is both sad and hilarious at the same time. I snapped this photo of Smokey after the torture subsided. I think this photo is a good representation of just how pissed she was.
As many of you know, Jeff and I have been out house hunting over the last several weeks. We are looking in San Marcos, California a suburb north of San Diego. It is one of the more desirable cities outside of San Diego yet it is inland enough to keep the prices affordable. A few miles west and we'd be in coastal Carlsbad where single family homes are still a bit out of our reach.
A couple of weeks ago we found a great place in our favorite San Marcos neighborhood, Santa Fe Hills. It was a single family home with two bedrooms and two baths and backed onto a park. The price was great but it needed a bit of work. Several windows were broken and it needed all new flooring. We were up to the challenge and found it to be perfect for us. We put in our bid only to learn we were the first... a good sign. Typically you get a response to your offer within 24 - 72 hours. The fact that it was owner occupied and not a short-sale or foreclosure meant we should have our answer in less than a day. Three agonizing days later we get word;
"another offer has come in and it is considerably better than yours, would you like to up your offer;"
says the seller's agent. We discussed it and decided our offer was not based on whether or not there were other offers but what we felt was appropriate for the property. Another several hours pass;
"are you sure you don't want to up your offer, this other one is considerably more."
Jeff and I discussed and again we determined that the house was not worth considerably more. If this other bidder wanted to pay a lot more then the seller should go with them because we were not about to overpay for this property... we were willing to walk away.
And walk away we did. Or more exactly, we were turned away because as expected the seller went with other offer. We shed naught a tear as the next day there were four gorgeous properties on the market, all 3 and 4 bed, 2+ baths for roughly the same asking price as the 2 bed we had placed an offer on. The Big Guy upstairs was smiling on us it seemed. That Friday we had a list of single family properties we wanted to see and an appointment with our Realtor, Cindy. Moments before we left the house Jeff went online and noted yet another new single family home on the market, and this one was just a few houses down from the place we had bid on less than one week before. (Again, our favorite Santa Fe Hills neighborhood.)
We met Cindy at the first place on our list and she was already on the phone arranging a showing of the place in Santa Fe Hills. (She's good... real good) We saw a couple good prospects and I was beginning to worry that we may have a hard time choosing just one house to buy. Then off to the Santa Fe Hills place. Jeff was nearly giddy when he saw it. It had all the potential of the last place (sans broken windows) plus an extra bedroom and a much larger lot. It also backs up on open land. Unlike most of the properties we had seen, it had already been foreclosed on and was bank owned which meant we wouldn't have to suffer through a six month waiting period to find out if the house was ours. Jeff and I decided on the spot... just two hours after the house went on the market, that we would put in another offer.
Fast forward a full week... Friday, Jeff and I were all but climbing the walls in anticipation. Every conversation ended with... "so what do you think is going to happen?" and "how many bids do you think have been submitted?" or "when do you think we'll hear back?" It was tough but then the call came. The bank countered our offer but also received a new offer just that morning. We heard them out and it seemed fair. We really didn't want to give them the chance to review the new offer either... so we accepted. Unfortunately it was a verbal counter-offer and a verbal acceptance. Nothing would be official until they signed the counter and we accepted in writing. ARG! With this being Friday afternoon and the home being bank-owned we feared having to suffer another full weekend in ambiguity.
Last night we met our friends Denise from my office and Eric from Jeff's office for wine but even as we toasted to no more car payments (Congrats Jeff and Denise) we were cautious not to preemptively toast to our accepted offer. We are not superstitious people but better safe than sorry.
This morning Jeff and I were putting the house out of our minds only occasionally asking "What do you think is going to happen?" out of habit more than anything and decided to get out of the house to do a little shopping. We were at REI when we got an unexpected call from Cindy; "your offer had been officially accepted!" Boo Ya!! We weren't even expecting a call today. Straight away we embraced our excitement by wandering through International Bath & Tile and the Sears Outlet store checking out prices for refrigerators and washer/dryers. Funny how all that built up anticipation finally presents itself. Nothing says celebrate like discount appliances.
Now we get our financing in order and schedule our inspection. I know in the backs of both our minds there is a pull to stay conservative and don't get too excited. We watch enough HGTV to know these things fall through all the time. So today we let out a lower-case wooo. We'll save the big WOOOO!!! for closing day, when we've got the keys in our hand.
We had another great Independence Day at Fred and Debbie's in Carlsbad. You just can't beat their set-up. Their backyard is on the cliff overlooking the lagoon. You can see the Carlsbad and Lego Land fireworks and the La Costa Country Club fireworks, which are in the valley just below. It's the best view in San Diego County in my opinion.
They had a blow-up jumpy house thingy for the kids and giant movie screen set up so all the little ones could watch a kid's flick in the back yard snuggled under the sky. The spread for the grown-ups was pretty awesome too, with fix'em yourself burritos and margaritas. Yum! Celebrating America's independence San Diego style.
Those guys sure know how to do up the 4th of July.
Mike, Danielle, Christie and Jeff at the Whaley House, Old Town.
A week ago Mike and Danielle came to visit from Massachusetts. It was their first trip to San Diego and we were psyched to have them. They're so super laid back, which we are too so we had just a couple of things planned and played the rest of the weekend by ear. Unfortunately they arrived during the peak of May Gray/June Gloom, San Diego's crappy season. It's not so much that it rains a lot, it is just not 100% warm and sunny every minute of the day, like the rest of the year. So of course they get here and it's only about 68 degrees with drizzle, which would last most of the weekend.
Danielle Surfing
On Friday Mike and Danielle wanted the quintessential So Cal experience so they signed up for surfing lessons in Mission Beach. I hung around and took some photos and video. I have to say, for their first time they both did a great job. Both of them were standing on their boards in no-time. I think maybe they should reconsider their day-jobs and and move to San Diego to become beach bums.
Mike's First Surf Lesson
Christie and Mike show some love to the Giant Sloth
The next day we spent at the world famous San Diego Zoo. Jeff and I are members there and love to visit so when Danielle and Mike said they wanted to go, of course, we were up for it. We made a day of it and saw nearly the whole thing. One positive aspect of the cool overcast weather is that the animals at the zoo are more active. We saw of lot of neat species this time including the koalas, giant pandas, hippos, hyenas and best of all, the brand new Elephant Odyssey exhibit that had its grand opening just the week before. This was the highlight of the zoo visit for me. They have a simulated tar pit exhibit that is a must see. I didn't know that we have one of the largest tar pits in the world, just outside L.A. I guess this is pretty common knowledge around here but I had never heard of it. I can't wait to go some weekend to see the La Brea Tar Pits. Thanks SDZ for the cool (or should I say hot) exhibit.
Mike and Danielle goofin' off at the Zoo
Mike and Danielle at the San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Enclosure
Our last night in town we walked around Old Town San Diego and went out for dinner at the Cafe Coyote for some authentic Mexican food and Margaritas. Se snapped this photo in front of this hot sauce store because we liked the sign "hot licks". Yummy! We also stopped at the Whaley House and the old El Campo Santo Cemetery but didn't see any ghosts. Aw well, maybe next time.
Jeff, Mike & Christie at Hot Licks, hot sauce shop in Old Town
We loved having Mike and Danielle visit us here in So Cal and hope they come back again soon. We barely scratched the surface of all the things there are to do here so hopefully when they come back the weather will be a little nicer and we can get around to see more of what San Diego has to offer.
Last night Jeff and I took a night photography seminar at the San Diego Zoo. It was lead by Ron Garrison who was the photographer at the Zoo for 30 years and is now retired. We had a blast and learned lots of great tips. We both really enjoyed meandering around the zoo after hours too. The animals are so active once the sun goes now.
Here are a few photos of our time at the zoo.
All these shots were taken with our Nikon D80s. Some we used a tripod for and others we didn't. It was really all about trying new things with our cameras and of course just having fun.
We’re back from Queretaro Mexico and with no signs of the Swine Flu. Of course, we weren’t particularly surprised as we were getting direct reports from Queretaro before we left that things were not nearly as bad as they were being portrayed in the media. We haven’t downloaded the photos yet but will post some in the coming days.
We got word from Vero two days before we left that 22 wedding guests had already arrived. We knew we would be troopers too not backing out unless they closed the border, though we had to endure two more days of media sensationalism before leaving… and arguably the two worst days. Still, we were prepared with our flu meds, hand sanitizer and masks. We were cautious and well aware of the pending pandemic when we arrived in Mexico City. The majority of travelers and airport staff were in masks but the city still seemed to be bustling to us (though we haven’t seen it on a normal day). We put our masks on and took the cushy coach bus three hours to Queretaro. Once we arrived it was like news of the Swine Flu hadn’t even made it there. Of course it had and everyone was aware of fears in Mexico City, but Queretaro is a different place. When looking around, only a handful of people had masks, mainly the elderly. The city was going about its regular routine. Children were playing in the plazas with the clowns and performers, Mexican tourists were shopping and visiting the many churches and cathedrals, and the cafes were full of patrons. The only thing out of place was how few American tourists were present. Even our flight, which was full initially, was two-thirds empty with us being the only Americans on board.
In Mexico, women are always greeted with a kiss and men with a handshake or a hug. I wondered if worries of the flu would temporarily curtail this tradition but to the contrary it seemed everyone was embracing with even more enthusiasm than usual as if to make the point that they will not allow the virus to impact their lifestyle. Evidently, the point was made. Dozens of guests came from California, Oregon, Washington and even Denmark. Everyone felt great and enjoyed themselves fully. Queretaro is a stunning city packed with the warmest and most hospitable people you’ll ever meet. One weekend there and you can understand why Vero is so proud of her home. Jeff and I are just glad that we were able to be there to share in Vero and Paul’s special day. We can’t wait to go back again.
I will post some photos and trip highlights over the next week.
It’s been a week long birthday extravaganza. Those closest to me know how much I love celebrating my birthday and while last years Big 3-0 was pretty low key, I have really whooped it up this year between hitting the spa with the girls, an over-the-top wine and cheese party and an amazing dinner at Café Japengo. I say, “why the hell not!” The number 31 is so underappreciated. I think more of us should highlight the birthdays in between the milestones. After all, each year’s blessings are no less important. So with that said, I’m going to continue the celebration by treating myself to a Yin Yoga class tonight and maybe I will even start planning next years 32nd Birthday Bonanza.
Well, by now most people know that Jeff and I are engaged. Jeff proposed privately at home on February 13th (Lucky Friday the 13th) before our early Valentine’s Day dinner. He was heading out of town early on the 14th and wanted to pop-the-question before he left. We celebrated with tapas at Costa Brava in Pacific Beach and enjoyed the excitement before making the calls to our families and friends the next day. We don’t know yet when or where the wedding will be, only that it will be very small. I will post photos of the ring when I can. I’m not one to boast but it’s pretty smokin’!
Not too much happening this weekend. The weather has been beautiful and reached 80 degrees today. I went out on the scooter but didn't quite have the time to laze by the pool. I'm surprised people don't come to visit more. It seems selfish to hoard all this sunshine to myself.
This week I will spend in Ohio. A few days in Dayton for work and then I head to Cincinnati (well, Kentucky really, but close to the city) to visit Mom. I'm not sure what we're going to see while we're there, so if anybody has any suggestions of things to do in Cincinnati, I'm all ears. It's supposed to be really cold... like 12F. So, while I wanted to see the zoo, it'll be too cold for me and the animals.
Jeff will be holding down the fort in San Diego. I'm sure he's looking forward to having the house to himself and enjoying some peace and quiet. I always do when he's away. ;)
I'll have my laptop with me and will post updates from Ohio this week.
After a pretty full day of downhill skiing I decided to try my hand at Cross-Country (XC) Skiing at the Tamarack Lodge, which has 19 miles of groomed XC trails. I didn't know what to expect but after talking to a couple at the lodge who had done it for 30+ years I couldn't help to feel their enthusiasm and I signed up for a class.
Thursday morning I took a class with Marcia, our instructor, who is an absolute natural at teaching and an all-around awesome lady. She quickly taught our class everything we needed to know and after 90 minutes told us we were advanced enough to venture onto any of the blue and green trails we pleased.
I had lunch and decided to go off alone on some of the easiest trails near the lodge. The solitude of XC skiing is both exhilarating and terrifying. I ventured down the trail for just 5 minutes and I was completely alone in the woods. The only sound is the birds and my skis. It took me a little while to get used to being so alone in the wilderness.
Soon I felt confident enough to venture up the main trail (Lake Mary Road) toward Lake Mary which I skied around and returned home. While I was up there (at about 8900') I took lots of photos and enjoyed the quiet. I saw a ton of interesting animal tracks from deer, rabbits, elk, and even bear.
Cross-country skiing is a blast and I LOVE it. I didn't want to stop but after 10 miles of mainly uphill skiing my body was giving up on me. I talked Jeff and Denise into skiing again the next morning so I could go back out for more, but when we woke up on Friday a storm was coming through and the wind gusts would have made skiing miserable so we packed up and went home. I can't wait to go back again and am going to see if I can find some groomed XC trails a little closer to home. Who knew I would have found a version of skiing I liked so much?
Here are the photos I promised from the weekend.
Christie Skiing the Bunny Hills at Mammoth
Christie and Denise Pause to Take a Break
Jeff Shows Off his New Helmet
Denise Poses in Line for the Lifts
View from High on Mammoth Mountain
Denise and Christie at Mt. Tom
Denise Boarding High on the Mountain
View from XC Skiing
Peak-thru the Trees from the XC Trails
Jeff and Denise's Views from the Advanced/Intermediate Trails
Hi Friends! We're into our second year in sunny southern California. We've had lots of visitors and exciting news so check back often. Luv, Jeff & Christie
