Back!

I am back!

As always when returning from vacation, there are mixed emotions. Vacations, while tons o' fun, are also a wee bit stressful for me. There's all that planning, packing, uncertainty, pressure to be doing things, time crunches...(yes, on vacation! Aren't I type A to the extreme?) So in that sense it's a relief when we're back home, and can drop into our normal, known routines, pick up with friends again, have a wide variety of clothes to choose from...

But then half a day in I miss being on vacation.

Anyway, San Diego was fabulous, and we did manage a very good mix of relaxation and excitement. Here are some of my favorite moments:

• Taking Child to the beach on the first day (we almost always do this first). We poked around for shells, chased the seagulls, curled our bare toes in the sand and faced the surf together. There was a moment when her daddy was showing her a crab in one of the tidepools, and I just stood there, warm in the sun, staring at the ocean. Lovely.
• Going to a Padres baseball game in the new stadium! We had great seats and lots of bad-for-you munchies. And the Pads hit 3 homers, made fabulous defensive plays, and beat the Cardinals 7-1.
• Playing in the fabulous kid's area of the Science Center, which we got into for free since we are members of the Museum of the Rockies here. Sweeeet.
• Taking long naps in the hotel. What is it about those blackout curtains and big pillows that just tempt me into naps?
  
• Going shopping and buying lots of summery clothes and new sandals. And 4 (count 'em, 4) summer dresses for Child, who is ecstatic about this, and wearing one of them to preschool this morning.
• Discovering to our complete surprise that the Balboa Park international houses were having a celebration for Memorial Day, with all the yummy food from all over that we haven't had since we left. We had Argentinian empanadas, Norwegian open-faced sandwiches, Czech pastries, and Scottish cake. All while sitting on the grass in the sun.
  
• Being lovely and warm. (It snowed back home this weekend, which I am thrilled that we missed)
• The food! Mexican, Thai (mmmm), even burgers. Yessss.
  

And that's a good snapshot, I suppose! Last night I came back to a dress rehearsal for the play I'm in--tonight is another full dress for a reviewer, Wednesday is preview performance, and Thursday we open. Whew. This is one crazy week.

Medieval Word of the Day: unkithe: to disappear; vanish.