Santa Cruz

Walking along the ocean yesterday in Santa Cruz, we watched the hordes of surfers hunting for the perfect wave. Gorgeous weather, with the sun beating down on our heads and shoulders, and it was weird to think that just a week previous I had been wrapped in layers of fleece in Northern Ontario, huddled over my keyboard with numb fingerstips, snow and ice on the ground just outside the window.


Paul and Beckett took me out for lunch at The Crepe Place. Beckett taught me how to eat artichokes with mayonnaise and lemon, and I had a massive salad with blue cheese and avocado (I realize that the fat content in the cheese and avocado probably cancelled out any 'good health' points in the salad, but it was worth it). We had a yummy crepe called 'The Whole Thing' for dessert, with bananas and nuts and icecream and chocolate.





After lunch, we strolled along the Cliff Walk and watched a horde of surfers in the waves. Riley and Casey were getting restless and it was getting late, so we decided to head home. Stopped off to check out a place called "The Starving Musician" that we had spotted on the way up but sadly, it was closed. No wonder that musician's starving, closing before 5 pm!


We had to make a stop by the side of the road to make an emergency diaper change (poor Casey had developed a rash and was pretty vocal in expressing his distress). I'm sure it's worse for mothers, but geez, the desperate type of baby crying really pulls at my panic heart strings. I'm sure it's wired in somehow, but even as a non-mother I found myself responding to Casey's wails with a strong WHO'S HURTING THE BABY? MAKE THEM STOP -NOW!!!- impulse.





Paul and Beckett decided to change Riley while they were at it, so I took Casey for little stroll near the van while we waited. Casey had calmed down, but was still smaking quiet little hiccuping sob-noises in my arms. A California highway patrol car pulled up nearby, and a very nice-looking (i.e. dead cute) patrolman sauntered up to me.


"Everything okay here?" he asked with a smile.


I explained about the baby needed a break from the car ride. Meanwhile, Casey turned on his baby-charm full force. He gave the patrol guy a big smile and reached out to him with one cubby hand. Casey is somewhat stranger-shy at times, according to his parents, so he must have thought the patrol guy pretty appealing, too.


"Quite a grip you've got there," the Patrol Guy told Casey, gently trying to wrest his finger out of Casey's stubborn grip.





The other big excitement of the day was that shortly after we got back home, Riley crawled for the first time. You parents out there know how exciting (and terrifying) this event is. Exciting because it marks the next stage of development in a child's life, and terrifying because it means it immediately expands the amount of trouble that a child can get into on his own. :-)


Going to my friend Andrew's place in Santa Clara tomorrow!


Today's Poll: (Courtesy Paul)


Are you a filker?