The Trip - Back at Home

I got back home last night, hitting San Diego just in time for Friday evening rush hour. During the ride throuh Del Mar, my car was moving, but my speedometer said "0." This is why I never pursued finding work in San Diego, even though it's closer to home than Orange County. Getting to Orange County takes less time than getting to San Diego.

On the way home, I noticed that West Texas is harvesting cotton. My sister used to live up in the Texas Panhandle about 25 years ago, and that was a big cotton-farming area. I was surprised to see cotton in Oil Country, but I suppose they have to do something with the top of the ground too.

Yesterday morning, in Lordsburg, New Mexico, I paid $2.759 for gas, the cheapest I'd seen in weeks. By afternoon, in Gila Bend, Arizona, I paid $3.059 and was happy to get such a good deal. In the evening, as I approached San Diego, the prices were through the roof. I didn't stop there, since I had just enough gas left to make it home, where the prices were usually about the lowest on my end of town. But when I got to the gas stations by my house and saw the prices there, I said aloud in the car, "Three-freakin'-thirty-one???" (Yes, those were my exact words. I did not say the bad "F" word.) California's gasoline taxes really stink! I put in half a tank, because I was down to fumes. But I didn't like it one bit.

Things got better after that.

My kids came over last night, and we watched Amazing Grace, because I had promised my daughter we would. My son wasn't quite as thrilled, but he stayed anyway (happy mom!).

Today I un-forwarded my mail (the Post Office won't let you put your mail on vacation hold for the over two months I was gone, so it was going to my friend's house) and met my daughter at the bookstore, where I bought Trigonometry Demystified and we hung out over chai tea lattes for a while. Then I bought some food, because my house had none.

Tonight my daughter and I went to my friend's house (the one who had all my mail) for Game Night, where six of us played two games of Baker Street (my daughter won the second game).

I had some trouble remembering where things were in my house, like going to the mug cupboard when I was trying to find a glass for water, or trying to figure out where I usually put my watch for the night (not sure, so I picked a spot). And I couldn't quite remember if I had everything I needed for my shower, so I stood there staring at the running water, wondering what was missing (nothing) before I finally got in. Little things like that. It's good to be back home, but it's still a bit disconcerting.