Californ-i-a!

We finally made it to California.....a mere two weeks ago! Forgive me for not updating as much as I should. I promise I'll try and do better! Let's see now, you should be caught up on the story of how we got here.

On our first day here I was star-struck by everything as we walked around: "This grass is California grass!" or "That jack rabbit over there is from California!" or "This wi-fi I'm using is pure Californian!"

I had trouble sleeping the first night because I kept thinking an earthquake would strike at any moment. That's true, it could...but I think I stayed up almost the whole night thinking things like:

"Okay, an earthquake could happen any moment...it could strike...NOW!!" *looks around*

"Or maybe....NOW!" *looks up at painting mounted above the bed*

"Oh great, what if this thing falls during the earthquake that could happen.............NOW!.....I am thinking too much!"

Being the worry wart that I am I slept with a pillow over my head. Ya know, just in case. The next morning I tried to move the painting to see how loose it was but it wouldn't budge. It was bolted to the freaking wall. So I slept with a pillow over my head for nothing, really.

The day after we got to California we started our great apartment search. This is a little known fact but looking for an apartment is kind of stressful. Who knew, right? We didn't really know where we were going or where the good parts of town were located so driving around aimlessly with the GPS shoved in the backseat seemed like a good idea. We stopped at a grocery store to grab one of those real-estate booklets hoping that would help a little. It was more or less a game of "turn to a random page and point and let's go there!"

Joe and I looked at several apartments, all within his housing allowance. Most of the places we saw were nice looking in a seemingly good area of town. I especially liked the one that was near a library (naturally!) As we continued to search we came across a few apartments that didn't give off good vibes. (I think the graffiti was a hint.)

As the sun was setting we had already narrowed down our choices to two apartments. We work fast; we are from Mississippi after all. I tried to pile our brochures and flyers we had been handed into a semi-neat pile but it ended up becoming a huge sea of papers on the floor. After returning to the Inn, our stomach reminded us that apartment hunting had made it hungry so we stopped to get dinner...at 4 pm...it seemed our bodies were still working on Central Time. That probably explains why I fell asleep at 8:30...So all in all we had a productive day apartment hunting and exploring the wild, wild west. (Right here is where that Will Smith song from the movie "Wild, Wild West" should pop into your head).

Vegas, baby!

Day 4

I woke up excited in Flagstaff because today was Vegas day!! I almost wanted to watch "Vegas Vacation" just to refresh my mental image of Las Vegas.

Since the trek was only a mere 4 hours, Joe and I took our time getting ready and eating breakfast. Apparently our system's were still on Central Time as we were fed and ready to go by 7:30 am. So much for being lazy.

The drive was just as exciting, if not more, than the previous day. Insert sarcasm here. When we got closer to the Nevada border our "care factor" (as Joe likes to say) perked up. It was there that we a) jumped back an hour while simultaneously going forward and b)passed by the Hoover Dam. Insert "dam" jokes here. I know I did.

Go ahead! It's fun!

We had initially wanted to walk on the actual dam itself but it cost $7 to park and we said, "No way, dude! That's too much!" We opted for the free parking and slight hike to the bridge overlooking the dam. I had shown my 8th graders a Bill Nye video on energy with a segment on the Hoover Dam and I was geeking out over it. Yay for science! On our way back to the car I thought about hopping to and fro near the Pacific Time Zone sign but decided against it as I'm sure I'd get some interesting looks. But hey we were close to Vegas; weirder things have happened.

Time Zones: making science nerds geek out for decades

After taking the dam bridge tour and asking no dam questions (ha!) we reached Vegas. Our hotel was located a few blocks from the strip and was pretty easy to find. (Thanks to the GPS!) We were informed that the hotel bar had a happy hour from 5:30-6:30 and offered the hotel guests free drinks. I was starting to like Vegas already!

Joe and I dropped off our stuff upstairs and prepared to walk the strip. At first it seemed a little sketchy but as we turned the corner it got more crowded, and yes, still sketchy. As we walked down the street I saw Buzz and Woody from Toy Story, three Elvis impersonators (or were they?), many guitar wielding citizens and a man dressed as a show girl. I felt really far away from Mississippi then!

The Strip

Lobby at Caesar's Palace

Later that night, after we had had a few drinks (free makes them delicious!) we headed back to the strip once more. This time we were on a mission: to see The Blue Man Group. I was excited because I had never seen them before or really knew what they did. Since we had a couple hours (okay more like 4) to burn we decided to see what Vegas had to offer. We walked to Caesar's Palace and toured the mall that was nestled inside the building. I probably would have enjoyed it more had I been able to actually afford anything (Gucci, Dior, Dolce and Gabanna anyone?). I got excited when I saw a Bath & Body Works because I knew I could afford something!

The Bellagio is next to Caesar's Palace and we stopped by the fountains to watch the show. The fountains moved in time to "The Pink Panther Theme". It reminded me of Disney for some reason.

Ba dum da dum, da dum, da dum da dum da dum da duuuuuuuuuuum da da dum!

Our next stop was the Venetian which is where the Blue Man Group plays. The Venetian was huge as well. There is a small river of water that weaves its way around the food and shopping places. After getting lost multiple times we finally found a place to eat. Too bad the place we picked out was hosting an event and was closed to outside guests. Our options were limited as we were on a budget so we settled for the next cheapest place, The Luxe Cafe. They had good food but the portions were gigantic! I tried as best as I could to eat all of my pasta but my stomach said, "Are you crazy?!"

After our meal fit for any large mammal we waited outside the theatre. While we waited I had to use the bathroom. As I walked into the gilded and luxurious powder room I heard "Phantom of the Opera" being played on the speakers. I began to sing along with the music, forgetting where I was. No one was around to tell me to stop or that their ears were bleeding but I did get a funny look from the bathroom attendant.

By this time it was time to enter the theatre. (that's a lot of "time" in that sentence). We shuffled in and found our seats which were in the back of the middle section aka perfect! The show was great. I didn't realize it would be so funny/cool/energetic. All in all I was pleasantly surprised.

When the show let out it was almost midnight or when things start getting going in Vegas. We were both tired as we left the Venetian but everyone around us seemed drunk or hyped up on Red Bull.

Our tryst through the City of Sin was pretty tame. No gambling or putting all our money on black. No, no. The craziest thing we did was sing show tunes in the bathroom (ok that was just me) and eat crazy amounts of pasta. Wow we are craaaaaaaaaazy!

The most boring post of all...

Day 3

After our relaxing day in the Springs, it was time to go on our longest drive of the whole trip. 11 hours to Flagstaff, AZ! As I reluctantly got out of my warm bed at dark-thirty in the morning I opened the door to find three bundles of energy awaiting me. How do dogs get so perky in the morning? 'Tis a mystery...

We left my dad's house just as the sun was rising. Again this was not part of my normal routine. I liked to wake up when the sun had already been at work for a few hours.

The drive through Colorado was nice and hilly. We caught a morning radio show that had a contest in which retro songs were played and you had to shout out the names. I have to say, we kicked some serious retro booty at that game.

I could sit here and regale you with our eleven hour journey to Arizona but there is nothing special to tell:

And now you can see why this post is short. You're welcome!

Finally finally after 11 hours in the car, we made it to Flagstaff. I for one am surprised I did not get kicked out of the car due to my constant singing. (Thanks Joe! :))

Kansas, Colorado and an Unruly Fence

Day 2

Wednesday morning dawned chilly and windy in our small Kansas suburb. After a quick breakfast we were ready for another adventure.

Driving north through Kansas proved to be almost as riveting as Tuesday's trip. We did see a lot of wind mills spinning furiously, helping to make wind energy. (Or Win-ergy as I like to say).

Just as we were about to strap a rocket to the back of the car to get out of Kansas faster, the Colorado border shone brightly in our view. Well, okay the sign was not that bright but for weary travelers like us it was a welcoming beacon of hope.

As we headed westward the view of the Rockies slowly came into view. Colorado became a bit more hilly as we drove away from Kansas (finally!).

We made it to my dad's place around 3:30 in the afternoon. My step-mom was still at work and my dad was on his way home. Joe and I decided to chill out in the backyard because it was unlocked. However, we couldn't figure out how to unlock the gate. My dad had just moved into a new home with a lot of extra yardage and I had only been there once a few months ago. Blame me if you must for what transpired next. Since we couldn't find the locking mechanism for the gate we decided to go nuts and hop the fence. Joe went first, standing on the pile of firewood next to the fence. Just as he was about to hoist his other leg over he slipped! I panicked thinking there would be a large gash of some sort that needed tending to and the only medical supplies I had on hand were my hand sanitizer and some socks. He was okay sporting only a minor, shallow scratch. That was nothing compared to what awaited him as he cleared his other leg over the side of the fence. Two Brittany spaniels and one bulldog puppy came clamboring over to the six-foot tall bundle that was sitting in their yard. As they happily welcomed Joe to their turf, I prepared to climb the fence. I had barely gotten my leg over the fence when Joe said, "There's another fence over here that looks way easier to climb." I hopped down to investigate this outrageous claim. Sure enough there was a smaller metal door that I could have cleared no problem if I was a gazelle.

We celebrated our successful fence hopping by playing fetch and keep away with the dogs. Of course they were happy to see us because we rubbed their tummies and offered many opportunities to play. After half an hour, my dad arrived and let us into the house. It was great getting to visit with my dad and step-mom since I only get to see them twice per year. The only downside was that we had a long 11 hour trek the next day to look forward to. At least that gives us more time to play the ABC game!

So it begins...

Hello there! Welcome to my blog about the uprooting of two Southern folks and the experience of getting planted on the West Coast. I will try to update as much as I can with funny anecdotes and crazy tales. Because that's all that goes on in California, right??

I'm only joking, of course. But before I begin you're going to need some background information such as how the heck we got here. So glad you asked. Well, here goes:

Day 1

We left Memphis on a dreary Tuesday morning and set our sights on Kansas. The sun was just beginning to rise as we pulled away from the gas station. This was the first time in weeks I had seen the sun hugging the horizon! That probably means I'm a lazy person..hmm.. Anywho, we hit the interstate just as morning traffic was starting to build a solid fortress. As we neared the Arkansas border, the traffic eased but the miserable drizzle and the grey deck of clouds did not.

The drizzling rain and chilly temperatures continued all throughout the state of Arkansas. I know I am supposed to be excited to drive through Arkansas since it is the state of my birth but I couldn't help but want to get through it as quickly as possible. Don't worry, I still love my Natural State (holla!) As we drove westward,the clouds began to thin and the sun made its required appearance. Driving into Oklahoma, I couldn't help but burst into the showtune "Oklahoma", (you know: "Oooooooooooklahoma!) which is how I learned to spell the state. Joe took his eyes from the road for a split second to look at me like I had just escaped from a musical aboard an alien podship.

Are you singing it in your head right now? (O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A!)

After a bit of driving we needed gas. Joe asked my opinion on which gas station we should stop to fill up. I observed that there was a place called the Cherokee Travel Plaza. Because I am 1/32 Cherokee ( just in case you couldn't already tell by looking at me) I suggested we stop there as it is in support of my people. Another skeptical look ensued but this time Joe informed me that he was of Apache descent and his people used to beat up my people. Too bad there wasn't an Apache Travel Plaza. Score one for the Cherokees.




Once the Beemer was all gassed up we continued to head north to Kansas. So. much. flat. land! I was not used to the absence of trees. It was wheat and cows, wheat and cows, cows and wheat for miles. Not much different from Mississippi save for the arborary presence.

After much exciting countryside, we finally stopped in Wichita for the night. I would go into detail about our drive from Oklahoma to Kansas but really, it was all the same. As we navigated off the interstate toward our exit, we suddenly realized how tired and hungry we were. Joe and I wanted to sample some local cuisine but as we turned the corner we saw a Buffalo Wild Wings. Same thing right?