San Diego

A couple of weekends ago was a three-day weekend. You all know what that means: road trip!

This time Pa came along for the ride. This was most excellent for me because that meant Pa did a lot of the driving which meant I had time to paint my toenails perfect, San Diego pink to prep them for sandal wearing. We stayed with cousin Bonnie who conveniently has an apartment above one of her out buildings.

The first thing we did when we drove into San Diego was head to the museum of making music. I didn't know so much innovation in music had occurred in the last 100 years. I know a lot about the innovations in music over the centuries before that but I considered music to have been pretty much what it was for over 100 years at least. I was wrong. It seems perhaps of late things may have stagnated a bit but I have every belief that musicians will keep innovating and pushing the boundaries on accepted instruments.

I sent the Middle Brother the above picture and told him his next project ought to be learning how to play the bass harp guitar. I don't think he's really on board with this idea. Which means one of you lovelies can take it up. I would support any or all of you in making this happen.

Our next stop was Lego Land. Ma told both Pa and I the whole ride down that she wanted to build 100 custom mini figures. We didn't build a single one. We did eat dinner at Lego Land mostly because we were starving after a day of driving. Probably the best idea ever. Nowhere else have I been given a box of legos to play with while I waited for dinner.

It was Valentine's day. Don't they look so in love? You'll notice that Johnny is guarding the sacred treasure, a heart-shaped junior mint. The structure he is standing on is about three times taller than can be seen in this picture. Ma and I are probably the best lego builders ever.

Saturday we headed to Scripps Aquarium. It was fun. A little small. They had an entire exhibit dedicated to solar power and protecting the environment. Not exactly the responsibility of an aquarium but kind of I guess. It didn't matter, of course, because they still had tanks of baby sea horses and the shallow water displays with bright colored star fish in them, which is what really matters. Admittedly, I did have fun turning the wheel to make the music turn on (part of the environmentally conscious exhibit). I was able to maintain a steady 72 watts of power for maybe thirty seconds. I was pretending to be a wind turbine.

This is the picture we took after Ma said, "Here! Come help me take a selfie!" Pa and I were confused but we got it sorted eventually.

We also had the unique opportunity of being eaten by a shark. Tank unnecessary. We live on the edge.

We ended the day at Seaworld where we took only one picture because we were too busy gawking at sea animals.

This is what I call a Pa picture. It is my goal to get a Pa picture every vacation I take with him. Previous Pa pictures have included cowboy hats, teddy bears, and cups of yogurt. The props are unnecessary but they help Pa get in his Pa picture mode. Doesn't he look good with his flamingo face on? But don't tell him I look for these picture opportunities. He'll feel embarrassed and not let me take my Pa pictures anymore.

Ma wanted to play the games and win a giant shamu to bring home with us (where would we have put it in our overstuffed car?) but the games closed down before we finished gawking. I love the dolphin shows as much as I did when I was a kid. Well, almost. Back then I wanted to be a dolphin. (The Incredible Mr. Limpet anyone? I tell you, it's possible!)

Sunday we went to church as early as we could so we'd have the rest of the day for toodling around. Cousin Bonnie was kind enough to show us some sights and take pictures when we posed for them.

This was taken on the top of Mt. Helix. Did I mention I was wearing sandals because it was so deliciously warm? Loved it.

We went to Balboa Park afterward and happened to be there just in time to see the weekly Sunday organ concert played on the famous Spreckels Organ. We also happened upon it on the pet parade day. The organist spent much of her time playing such pleasing numbers as How Much Is That Doggy in the Window. It was okay though because she started with a Bach prelude. If I lived in San Diego I think I would try to make it to Balboa Park every Sunday if it meant I could hear Bach played on that beautiful organ. I think I need to put 'learn organ' on my list of to dos, as well as 'become independently wealthy' so then I can add 'build massive organ to play Bach on' to my must make happen list. Bonus points if the organ is outdoors.

Cousin Bonnie was kind enough to let us off near the organ before parking the car. Pa proposed sending a text message with info on where we were sitting. We proposed sending a visual image. It sounded funner.

We went to the Japanese Friendship Garden, which was disappointing, and the Museum of Man, which was interesting. Ma had it in her head that we were going to go to five different museums at least. Despite loving museums more than anyone I know, we are pretty much museum wimps and were all happy to be done. I wanted to ride the free tram that takes you around the park but I was too tired and hungry so we skipped it. Next time.

There was nothing left to be done but to head back to Bonnie's house and eat some good mexican food. Yum.

At one point during the trip Cousin Bonnie broke of a part of a large, well-tended succulent plant. It wasn't hers. Does that make her a plant thief? She told me to take home the little branch she had broken off and plant it.

The big one is the branch, the smaller ones are leaves Ma pulled off the big one for the purpose of planting. Cousin Bonnie has a green thumb. I have a black thumb. It's funny how people who have green thumbs don't understand people who have black thumbs. "You just stick it in some soil, give it some water, and it grows like crazy!" Not quite. I stick it in some soil, obsess over how much water it is getting, do research at the library, check out half a dozen books, do research online, go back to the library to do more research and to check out another half a dozen books, and then my plant dies.

My maternal grandmother, from whom I inherited my black thumb, was much more efficient in her plant killing. She'd water it and maybe do a little research here and there but mostly she let her plants die without prolonging the ordeal by obsessively trying to keep them alive. I might get there someday but I still believe in my heart of hearts that I can learn to grow things.

We were very sad to leave but at the same time happy to be coming home. We brought along some grapefruit that Cousin Bonnie picked just for us the morning we left, as well as a bag of oranges bigger than my torso (really) and a couple of bags of avocados. The oranges and avocados came from stands on the side of the road. I'm probably some sort of vitamin C superheroine by this time. Unfortunately, it's not going to last long. We're nearly out of oranges and I'll soon return to my mundane, lacking in serious vitamin C self.

I can't wait to go back to San Diego. I also can't wait to take another vacation with the parents. We don't often take time for just the three of us to be a family.

Things that might have been worth memorializing in pictures:

• Boris the giant tortoise who, by the way, did not move slowly
• Cousin Bonnie's husband (he's in a couple rock bands)
• Cousin Bonnie's kids
• A view from the side of the mountain I didn't climb but meant to on Cousin Bonnie's property
• Pa playing the electric guitar at the museum of making music
• Ma with her toenails painted as well as her two-year-old granddaughter can paint them (Ma did paint them herself)
• Me trying to carry a bag of oranges larger than my torso