Tuesday, December 02, 2003
THANKSGIVING
I just got back from visiting California. I had to attend a snoozer of a conference there- with at least 9,000 other teachers of all ages, shapes, colors and sizes. Well, I did learn a few useful things. We got to stay in an awesome hotel in Anaheim, though! Compliments of the school. I estimate each room was at least $100 a night- considering that we stayed across the street from Disneyland.
After the two day conference I took off with a colleague to the city of Azusa, where we visited with her friends and drank poor coffee in a most eclectic coffeeshop. We played several rounds of "Sequence", which was fun- especially since I can get competitive at board games, and all the other girls were equal to the task. My partner and I lost, but the experience was memorable.
After Azusa we traveled 5 hours to Modesto, to said colleague's family dairy, where we stayed- in the midst of cows, mind you- for the remainder of the week. It was glorious. The only thing is that it was much too cold and I got very sick. Of course, her family doesn't believe in "wasting" money on upstairs heating, so I consequently suffered during the nights, when I was forced to clothe myself with every item of clothing I had packed in my suitcase (I learned, unfortunately, that I should learn to pack appropriate underwear in cold weather. Wearing a week's supply of thong underwear does NOTHING to keep a person warm...sigh).
My colleagues family had relatives visiting from Idaho (hicksville?) for the week, which was fun. We played several ugly and violent rounds of "Spoons" (an actual family game- and no, not sexual, goofy). Everyone- from the little 9 year old niece to the aging 50ish father- was into it. There was no end to the witty, yet combative repartee that dripped with sarcasm at every syllable. I was in my element.
On day three of the visit, I got to visit the Redwoods in Calaveras County. Yawn. Once you've seen one Redwood...well, you've seen them all. I don't care if there are 5 of them sharing one tree trunk (which is apparently, quite common)...it's boring after you've seen the third tree. Still, the walk in the chilly air was nice. My colleagues mom is one of those Henny Penny's that wants the entire family to gather around each tree and read the history and story behind each one (found in a pamphlet supplied at the entrance of the park; costs .50 if anyone is interesed). So what should have been a 3 minute tour took an hour and a half!
Thanksgiving day we went to church. They're Dutch, you know- and going to church on Turkey Day is an absolute must. The pews were hard, and everyone- I mean EVERYONE was blonde and blue-eyed. I felt quite out of place. But the people were friendly and the hymns were interesting, and I'm proud of myself for having worn a skirt- an article of clothing I rarely wear these days. I looked quiter loverly, even if I have to say so myelf.
I pigged out at Thanksgiving meal. Enough said about that. (Burp)
After the meal we went for a gander around the dairy to see what we could see. They own acres as far as the eye can see and at least 2-3000 cows! I go to pet one and milk another. That was quite an experience, lemme tell ya! I squeezed that teat like I had one day to live and was quite satisfied when I saw a stream of cream run down her leg (sounds like the beginning of a porno...ew). I was okay with the milking part, but it was when the cow gave me her number and asked me to call her that I had a problem. Those teats! Dang- they are so...human like. I found myself looking at my own and getting quite jealous.
The last day of my visit we had planned to go to San Francisco. It would be a virgin visit- as I had never been. We made earnest efforts to go to Alcatrez but damn all the humans in the world- they beat us to it. Everybody and their moms was in SanFran!!!! I saw the usual tourist-y things: the most crooked street in the world, Pier 31? (is that what it's called?) the cable cars....etc.... It was great. Saw a HOT dude at some store downtown and had to hold on to the railing on the stairs- that's how hot he was. Phew.
The trip back sucked- it was so anticlimatic and I was so sick, it hurt. Driving to California is cool (but we had a tire blow out) but the trip back SUCKS ASS.
As you can tell, I'm not myself today. Just in a hurry to get to bed, but wanted to put something out here to remember my trip by.
Next trip: MISSOURI! I'm crazy, I know. I'm going to hang with a girlfriend and her family. I have no doubts we will party hard- and I'm not sure I'm ready. I am, after all, now a seasoned teacher and propriety is of the ustmost concern. Hah.
Anyone have some suggestions for where I should go for New Years?????
I just got back from visiting California. I had to attend a snoozer of a conference there- with at least 9,000 other teachers of all ages, shapes, colors and sizes. Well, I did learn a few useful things. We got to stay in an awesome hotel in Anaheim, though! Compliments of the school. I estimate each room was at least $100 a night- considering that we stayed across the street from Disneyland.
After the two day conference I took off with a colleague to the city of Azusa, where we visited with her friends and drank poor coffee in a most eclectic coffeeshop. We played several rounds of "Sequence", which was fun- especially since I can get competitive at board games, and all the other girls were equal to the task. My partner and I lost, but the experience was memorable.
After Azusa we traveled 5 hours to Modesto, to said colleague's family dairy, where we stayed- in the midst of cows, mind you- for the remainder of the week. It was glorious. The only thing is that it was much too cold and I got very sick. Of course, her family doesn't believe in "wasting" money on upstairs heating, so I consequently suffered during the nights, when I was forced to clothe myself with every item of clothing I had packed in my suitcase (I learned, unfortunately, that I should learn to pack appropriate underwear in cold weather. Wearing a week's supply of thong underwear does NOTHING to keep a person warm...sigh).
My colleagues family had relatives visiting from Idaho (hicksville?) for the week, which was fun. We played several ugly and violent rounds of "Spoons" (an actual family game- and no, not sexual, goofy). Everyone- from the little 9 year old niece to the aging 50ish father- was into it. There was no end to the witty, yet combative repartee that dripped with sarcasm at every syllable. I was in my element.
On day three of the visit, I got to visit the Redwoods in Calaveras County. Yawn. Once you've seen one Redwood...well, you've seen them all. I don't care if there are 5 of them sharing one tree trunk (which is apparently, quite common)...it's boring after you've seen the third tree. Still, the walk in the chilly air was nice. My colleagues mom is one of those Henny Penny's that wants the entire family to gather around each tree and read the history and story behind each one (found in a pamphlet supplied at the entrance of the park; costs .50 if anyone is interesed). So what should have been a 3 minute tour took an hour and a half!
Thanksgiving day we went to church. They're Dutch, you know- and going to church on Turkey Day is an absolute must. The pews were hard, and everyone- I mean EVERYONE was blonde and blue-eyed. I felt quite out of place. But the people were friendly and the hymns were interesting, and I'm proud of myself for having worn a skirt- an article of clothing I rarely wear these days. I looked quiter loverly, even if I have to say so myelf.
I pigged out at Thanksgiving meal. Enough said about that. (Burp)
After the meal we went for a gander around the dairy to see what we could see. They own acres as far as the eye can see and at least 2-3000 cows! I go to pet one and milk another. That was quite an experience, lemme tell ya! I squeezed that teat like I had one day to live and was quite satisfied when I saw a stream of cream run down her leg (sounds like the beginning of a porno...ew). I was okay with the milking part, but it was when the cow gave me her number and asked me to call her that I had a problem. Those teats! Dang- they are so...human like. I found myself looking at my own and getting quite jealous.
The last day of my visit we had planned to go to San Francisco. It would be a virgin visit- as I had never been. We made earnest efforts to go to Alcatrez but damn all the humans in the world- they beat us to it. Everybody and their moms was in SanFran!!!! I saw the usual tourist-y things: the most crooked street in the world, Pier 31? (is that what it's called?) the cable cars....etc.... It was great. Saw a HOT dude at some store downtown and had to hold on to the railing on the stairs- that's how hot he was. Phew.
The trip back sucked- it was so anticlimatic and I was so sick, it hurt. Driving to California is cool (but we had a tire blow out) but the trip back SUCKS ASS.
As you can tell, I'm not myself today. Just in a hurry to get to bed, but wanted to put something out here to remember my trip by.
Next trip: MISSOURI! I'm crazy, I know. I'm going to hang with a girlfriend and her family. I have no doubts we will party hard- and I'm not sure I'm ready. I am, after all, now a seasoned teacher and propriety is of the ustmost concern. Hah.
Anyone have some suggestions for where I should go for New Years?????
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