Oliver and the Spot on the Wall

Oliver likes attacking this particular spot on the wall... my first attempt at uploading a video on You Tube :)

Lobster Festival

This was the first time we had heard of the Redondo Beach lobster festival, so we attended this year's festivities. I have to say, it was an amazing experience. The cost of the ticket (pre-ordered) which included a t-shirt and the lobster, was probably cheaper than what you would pay at a restaurant. Add in the really relaxed atmosphere and perfectly cooked bugs, it was simply superb.

I couldn't look when they were putting in fresh lobsters into the giant cookers (yes, I'm a hypocrite), but I do enjoy the deliciously sweet meat these lobsters provided. I feel like Homer Simpson, when he decided to give Pinchy a bath. He enjoyed Pinchy, but he felt bad about it at the same time. We'll be back again next year!

In memory

*Sigh* This has been a rough day. My morning didn't start out so great, and I got the news that my parent's dog, Sam, had passed away also. I was bawling all the way in to work today. I was home for the summers while I was in school, but I grew really attached to both Sam and Vodka. My parents got Sam as a puppy, and he was the cutest little thing. They got him shortly after moving into their present home, which they're in the process of moving out of right now, since they have purchased a new home. In a way, a whole chapter is closing with their home. Sam was 10. He lived a really pampered life, and he was the stubbornest dog I've ever met! He was very strong willed too. And boy did Sam love his treats. He was my dad's first dog since Brownie when I was a baby, so Sam was his favorite. They rescued Vodka from the SPCA about a year after they got Sam, so Sam would have a companion. Vodka was the best dog you could ask for. She was wonderful, and was extremely protective of our family and our home. I miss them both very much.

I'm feeling a little melancholy today. The weather has been cooperating with my mood too, which is just as well. Since my parents will have to move out before the end of December, and I won't get home until December 28, I will never get to go "home" again. But, a new chapter is beginning. I have a new home to look forward to, which my parents are very excited about, and there is new life. My parents adopted Zar about two years ago, and Dash entered their lives earlier this year. I will see Sam and Vodka again someday, I am sure of it.

Face mask in an airport?

I don't think I've written about this yet. On our trip back from Monterey, we observed a lady in a full-on face bright yellow respirator in the San Jose airport. She was attracting a lot of attention, to say the least. I wanted to take a picture but I thought that would have been rude. We first saw her when she was talking to one of the Homeland Security peeps, and even they were looking at her funny. We started wondering if she had a communicable disease, which is why she was wearing a respirator, but Elaine says that that's not the type of respirator they would use (she would know, she's a nurse). It looked like one of those that the field guys would have to wear when they go out to sites with hazardous materials. I wonder if she was really afraid of bio-terrorism, or if she was just paranoid.

Kayaking

This was my first experience with kayaking, and I was a little nervous about it. I was worried about capsizing, but we were assured by our guides that the kayaks we were on rarely capsized. It was a little nerve-wrecking listening to them explain about how to get out of your kayak in case you do capsize, but I'm happy to report that we didn't have to use any of the techniques they taught us.

It was an awesome experience being out on the water, and observing all the wildlife in their natural habitat. A couple of minutes into the slough we were kayaking in, we heard a gunshot ring out. Turns out there is a shooting range right on the edge of the water. It was a very quiet and peaceful otherwise. The birds and otters and seals did not seem to be bothered by the gunshots, so I figure I shouldn't be. The guide said that if it had not been for the hunters wanting to hunt the animals in their natural habitat, we would not be kayaking in the slough today. We were also told that a huge parcel of land on the opposite side of the slough is owned by HP corporation, initially purchased by Hewlett Packard to keep it as a wildlife refuge. It was a wonderful trip through nature. The wind in our hair, the smell of the water... it was a fantastic morning.

We enjoyed lunch at a local seafood joint right in the same parking lot where we parked to go kayaking, and then we headed back to the hotel for quick showers. We then went on the 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach. WOW. The homes out there were amazing. The scenery was breathtaking. It was the perfect ending to our weekend getaway.