Yes Sir, that's Big Sur!

Cali in Big Sur.

We're going to Big Sur

The woman at the Alpha Omega winery in Napa Valley convinced me to go to Big Sur today. After some interwebz research, I see that there is a beach welcome to doggies. Cali's happy.

Sun Aftermath

I hung out inside with Cali on Wednesday as I recovered. It was funny because Cali didn't want to be in the sun either. Everytime we passed some shade, she would sit (see photo).

I pulled out the black tights (although it was definitely too warm for them). I felt like a real burn victim with prosthetic skin. Or something. I went into Palo Alto in the afternoon/evening. I ran into a nice local and ended up having dinner with him.

sun

I fell asleep in the sun. I'm so sun burned I could heat an entire house come winter. There might  not be any banana boat aloe aftersun gel left come next week. Thanfully, I fell asleep with a towel over my face. So, the only thing burned is a strip on my bosom, a strip on my neck, and the fronts of my legs. My legs are what are really bad.

In Cali news, we went down to the small dog park today. We ran into two nice, but big dogs. They were very gentle and I'm not sure what scared her, but she was obviously very nervous being around them. She didn't want to leave me and let out the most unique bark I'd ever heard her give. So, we left and she ran into a neighboring fluffy white dog. This little white dog she liked.

I aloed up and walked over to PF Chang's for dinner. I got a pear mojito, which I loved, but didn't really taste much pear. The bartender confirmed there wasn't any actual pear in the drink. They accidentally served my Chang's chicken to the old guy sitting to my right (and he started eating it without realizing) so they brought me a free flourless choco cake. Score!

Now we're watching Glee and I'm aloeing up every few minutes. It's the Prom episode. Oh, how I love Brittany and the cover of Friday.

Las Palmas

In Cali fashion, she found a way to navigate Las Palmas park via any shade she could find, even shadows no bigger than power lines.

3 white things: Dog, Kat, and Pizza

Cali and I hung around Sunnyvale yesterday. I made a run to Target to get nail polish remover and some lavendar polish. I like the lavendar; it looks good with my skin tone. I also checked out the downtown Sunnyvale Goodwill. Disappointment. At least the Sunnyvale Goodwill doesn't smell like the Mountain View Goodwill. I also stopped by Sprouts, because I love all grocery stores. I loved Sprouts. I whish we had one in the Cleve. I bought some Udi's pizza shells on sale. Yippee!! Back at home, we caught up on some DVRd tv between walks.

I talked to Kat while sitting in the sun, no doubt crisping. She updated me on her dating life and has a great story involving a fist pump.

For dinner, I made a run through the magic gate to Trader Joe's and bought a basil plant because it was approximately the same cost as a bunch of basil, which TJ's didn't even sell. I had a hankering for white pizza. Holla! Olive oil, garlic, goat cheese, tomato, and basil. I was in heaven.

This is when it gets cute. Or nauseating, depending.
I was watching some late night TV and curled up on the couch. I patted the cushion for Cali to get up on the couch because that's clearly what she wanted to do. She curled up in the space between my belly and edge of the couch, with her back towards my belly. As I placed my arm over her I realized I was spooning a dog. Yes, spooning a dog. Next thing I know, it's 3 am. I'm still on the couch. I had not only spooned a dog, but fallen asleep spooning a dog. Don't tell my cats.

Los Gatos

Cali and I went to Los Gatos on Sunday. I had been warned that there was a cat statue. Well, I've got news for you. There isn't just one cat statue. There are plentitudes of cats immortalized in stone. I saw mountain lions, regular lions, and house cats in gardens, front porches, and in the city park. From 8-1:00 Sundays a tent city pops up in the park. Not a Hooverville type tent city (I realized the negative connotation with tent city after I wrote it). I mean a tent city inhabited with artisan vendors and local farmers, called a Farmers Market. Just kidding. We have those in Ohio too. I wasn't sure if Cali was welcomed in the farmers market, and I didn't really need to walk through as I had hit the Sunnyvale market the morning before. Instead, we walked the mean streets of Los Gatos.

Everyone seemed really nice in Los Gatos, so Mean Streets might not be accurate. But, it does reflect the sentiment I harbor for California in general. I'm extremely nervous here. I'm afraid I'm doing something wrong. I realize I'm in a new country, as far from this little Clevelander's home as possible without needing my long lost passport. When I leave the apartment, I put on my invisible armor and do my best to do what everyone else is doing. When I drive, everyone probably thinks I'm a grandma. I brake early and drive a good 5 miles under the speed limit in town. I expect something to go wrong, for me to encounter a new traffic signal or sign that confuses the heck out of me. It's true; I have encountered goofy turn lanes where I think "what the heck am I supposed to do here?" more than once. Specifically, pulling out of the Michael's parking lot. To turn left, I had to navigate through a break in a median, but the break was not directly in front of me. I was filled with trepidation as I made my way through the break in the median thinking "I'm sure I'm breaking some sort of law" but apparently, I did it right because I entered into a merge lane built just for Michael's Arts and Crafts customers leaving the parking lot. I also plan any outings a lot like a grandma, around rush hour. 3:00, too late to leave! Hoards of computer nerds are about to be unleashed into traffic! God forbid I'm in my car at the same time. This from a girl who has no trouble driving through Manhattan at rush hour (although I'd rather avoid that too). California is scary to me.

Cali, the dog, on the other hand, is not scary and is very cute. Just ask the old couple who stopped to say how much they liked her while we strolled through Los Gatos. They must have really liked her because they walked by a dozen or so dogs before they got to her. There were so many dogs for a walk in downtown Los Gatos, I heard one people watcher proclaim "it's like a dog parade!" No doubt, Cali would be crowned queen of the parade.

As I walked and passed gorgeous garden after the next I saw homeowners actually outside tending to their roses (so many rose bushes), I realized I wanted to live there. Not just because of the beautiful homes, but also because it's called "the cats." How cute is that? Then I realized other cat crazy people were probably attracted to the town for the same reasons. It got me thinking that Los Gatos is probably filled with the world's largest concentration of cat ladies.

I'm the Dog Whisperer!

We started learning Shake last night. When we tried earlier today, she seemed to almost have it. She would pick her paw up with a little physical prompt (a tap on the back of her leg). A few minutes ago we tried again. She was getting so good I thought I better get out the video camera. This is her very first shake! (I think her mom said she didn't know Shake. If she does, then this is really hillarious that I'm making such a big deal about it!)

Los Gatos is for the Dogs!!

We had an easy drive to Los Gatos this morning. I'll write more later, but I'll say that Cali had an older couple stopping to say how lovely she is. They liked her summer cut.

Sunday

I woke up this morning and BIG shock, it was beautiful outside! Cali and I went for a morning stroll around 7:30 am. I came back and wanted to go back to sleep, but it was too sunny. I don’t mean the sun was coming in the windows and bothering me. I mean, I’m used to a Clevelander’s reaction to a sunny morning. We think “it might be months before I see another day like this. I must seize it!” I realized that tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that will look exactly the same, but, too late. My adrenaline, or whatever Clevelander’s have in our brains that tell us to be excited by blue skies, had already kicked in. Yesterday I picked up a pack of gluten free bagels at Target (can I get an Amen? A target that sells gluten free bagels???) and I made a tasty egg and cheese bagel sandwich while sipping some coffee. I wanted to eat on the balcony, but I’m still sunburned from Friday. Instead, I saw there is a SVU marathon on USA. Score! I’m ready to leave for an adventure. I’m thinking about taking Cali to Los Gatos (really adventurous, right?).

She's sleeping by my feet as I write this.

Cali, alone in Cali?

Her mom and dad left for the airport this morning. She knew something was up because the suitcase was out, and a guest was at the apartment, me. I flew in yesterday, to watch her while they're away on a well deserved vacation.

After stopping at the farmer's market and Target to buy a sun hat (I discovered a big hat is must), I returned to my new home to find a fluffy, tail wagging Cali waiting by the door. After a few minutes of playing, she decided to sit on the carpet. I think she knows something's going on, but she seems to be doing ok. I've just had a snack of a gluten free bagel and I'm about to take a nap. After, we'll take a walk to the nearby park.