Two Shots of Tequila plus Three Glasses of Wine and Blah, Blah, Blah...

I've been in California visiting my oldest son, Mike, and his family. They live about 20 miles outside of San Francisco.

That Mark Twain quote sums it up perfectly: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

Mike and Kathy's house is at the top of a hill overlooking the bay, a quite magnificent view, but it's windy almost all the time...and the wind is cold. Mike and Kathy and the girls seem to enjoy it, but I'm just a big baby. I was cold every single day, except maybe the first afternoon we spent at a park. The rest of the time, I was dressed in sweaters and turtlenecks. It's California people. Who woulda thought.

In spite of the cold and the fact that I had been sick the entire week before, I had a great time. I went particularly for Zoey's sixth birthday because I made a rag quilt for her, which I named her "Hug Quilt" for the obvious reason that her Grandfather and I live so far away and the quilt wraps around her like a hug from us. It was a pattern I found on Jen's website. The instructions are for a flannel rag quilt, but I already had cotton fabric that I'd purchased a couple of years ago to make bunnies and bunny dresses for Lily and Zoey, so I used that instead. I also bound the edges of the quilt, even though the instructions are for ragging the edges. I love how it turned out and I've promised Lily a "Hug Quilt" for her birthday in September.

This is Zoey's quilt...



The front of the quilt


The back of the quilt


But, as much fun as I had with the girls and visiting with my son and daughter-in-law, I'm basically a stick-in-the-mud and a home-body and I missed Tom and missed being at home. I think I might be becoming a recluse.

Anyway, Tom planned a special dinner for the day after I got home - rack of lamb with fig & port sauce, potatoes gratin and salad - but we started early in the afternoon with some guacamole and pita chips. Tom thought some tequila would be a nice addition to the warm, sunny afternoon on the patio, so he pulled out what was left of a small bottle of Patron Silver, about two shots each. Later with dinner, we had a bottle of chardonnay. Apparently that was enough to loosen Tom's lips...

Tom: I have something to tell you.
Me: What? (I'm thinking that while he was washing dishes, he dropped and broke something that I really love)
Tom: I've been keeping it from you for about 9 months or so.
Me: Uh, what? (Okay, now I'm really intrigued. Since Tom is definitely NOT the Tiger Woods or Jesse James type - he's a cuddler and the "ladies" don't exactly want to cuddle...except for me, that is - my mind is spinning with ideas...he sold the Audi...he won some money in the lottery...he bought something BIG...we're moving to Florida!!! Yay!!!)
Tom: I bought another travel trailer.(Nope, we're not moving to Florida yet...)
Me: Uh, what?
Tom: I bought another travel trailer. Bruce had one at his deer camp and was going to dump it because the floor was rotted out. I gave him $200 bucks and I parked it in the shop and gutted it and I'm rebuilding it. It's four feet longer than our last one so we can have a queen size walk-around bed.
Me: Are you serious?
Tom: Yes.

Yes, he was dead serious. We drove over to Tom's shop yesterday so I could look at it. He did, in fact, gut the trailer, but he had drawn out on the newly installed sub-floor the configuration of the cabinets and bed and had already partially built the new dining area. It's going to be perfect for the two of us and Joe and I'm excited for him to finish it, although it looks to be awhile. Definitely not by this summer, but maybe next year.

On another note, I am feeling much better. I completed my meds while I was at Mike's and only used Nyquil at night for the first two nights I was there. I felt right at home because Mike had to go to the doctor while I was there and the girls were hacking and coughing right along with me and their other grandmother, who was also there from Texas for Zoey's birthday.

When I got home, all the windows were open and everything outside had started to bloom (photos on another day). A thick layer of green pollen is covering everything. I have cleaned the patio table every single day and it's still covered with pollen. It's that time of year. Luckily, it doesn't last long.

Spring...real Spring...is finally here.