the family started out the morning gathering with community members to do some spring cleaning in our local historic cemetery. there's liam and hubby hard at work next to our CVFD fire chief alan(on right.)
this said-there's one thing i usually don't "do" when i'm doing "city" and that is drive. i hate city driving, it's crazy and it's scary and i never know where i'm going and i hate getting lost and hubby and i usually start arguing. in my past, when i did live in the city i didn't "do" cars-i did public transportation or rode my bike. so i never became experienced at it. in fact whenever i do hit the city-it's always a given that others drive- i scare people with my city driving. they always offer to drive.... out of shear fear plus they hate seeing me stress out-not a pretty site.
this trip.....i drove.
we arrived in oakland(me sweaty, white knuckled and very tightly wound) around 4:45pm(got stuck in marysville by a fricken parade-a fricken parade!!!!!)-just enough time to stop by the hotel and head out to the party. we were staying in jack london square, oakland. i took many deep breaths and studied my directions-again. made it to the party no problem. after the party i felt pretty calm and collected as i knew exactly where i was going. but then someone needed a ride home. gulp! Gads! holy crap! sure i replied. double gulp! beginning to sweat as i realized i was about to go out of the bounderies of my heavily studied and much needed directions. i made the passenger rachel promise to give me easy directions to get me back to our hotel room. i didn't want to rely on hubby's directions-we won't get into that right now-that's a whole post in itself. anyway- i did it!!! even though i can't see well at night-i was able to get us back to jack london square without crying or getting into a fight.( okay-i'm sensitive!!!) hooray!!!! call me sexist, but i understand directions given by a woman way better than given by a man. nothing personal babe.
we woke early sunday morning-even with those blackout curtains shut tight, no kids, no dogs and no chickens to let out, we still find it impossible to sleep in. so we decided to go wander the square. look-it's jack london's cabin...sort of.
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after checking out of oakland i had cleverly written up directions from our hotel to none other than "a verb for keeping warm." i hadn't driven this far and come so close, after all berkeley is right next to oakland-to drive by without stopping. the shop is open on weekends!!! we got there in one piece-with only one minor set back-hubby didn't like my directions. well, we did get a little lost-i panicked, freaked out a bit, got pissy at hubby but then he did get us back on the right track and we found it. thank goodness i had my weleda deodorant applied liberally that morning.
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there's one thing i don't like whether i'm in the city or small town. and that is....colossal grocery stores. down the street from "a verb for keeping warm" is the berkeley bowl. Now, ive never been to the berkely bowl-hubby has. i thought we could stop by and do some grocery shopping since we were so close. my god...i was shocked and amazed at the hangar like appearance of this natural food store. we wandered around for what seemed like hours and all i came out with was an ice tea and a tub of tahini. sensory overload, too many choices and downright overwhelming. so much for my extreme theory.
i calmed myself down by wandering around the warehouse district. we found an old foundry that looked to still be in use. liam would have loved it.
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one thing i miss about "city" are the telephone/power poles. they always bring me back, make me feel warm and fuzzy-a bit of nostalgia i guess.
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