happy (this time) to be a California girl
May 22nd, 2009
This afternoon my mom, Annalie and I decided to go out to lunch. Then we decided to take the trolley to the restaurant, just for kicks. Annalie had wanted to take a trolley ride for her birthday and we didn’t quite fit that into the schedule, and my mom had never ridden a trolley before.
When we bought our tickets at the machine, it stiffed us. We were supposed to get two passes and $10 change, but it only gave us one pass and no change. I did get a receipt with a phone number to call to get my $15 refund, so that’s something. It’s a good thing I had another $5 to buy the second pass we needed, and that Annalie could ride for free.
We boarded the car and made it to our stop uneventfully enough. We had to walk a couple of blocks to get to our chosen restaurant, but it was worth it for the delicious hummus we ate. And we were right next door to my new favorite coffee shop so of course I had to get a latte while we were there.
We walked back towards the trolley station, stopping on the way there at a little park where my mom and I sat in the shade and sipped our drinks while Annalie ran around in the grass. Really the “park” was just a greenspace in the middle of a shopping center/apartment complex, but to Annalie if there’s grass to run on, it’s a park.
This was quite a pretty park, with a huge fountain and stone tables and benches all around and bougainvillea providing splashes of bright color against the green of the palm trees and shrubbery. Sitting there and taking it all in, I couldn’t help but think about how much I like Southern California, and how different my attitude is from when we first lived here as newlyweds.
Back then, when we moved here I had lived in Nebraska my whole life. All I could see was that the palm and eucalyptus trees weren’t maples and cottonwoods; I turned my nose up at the bougainvillea and birds-of-paradise that bloomed year-round; and the weather annoyed me because there were never any thunderstorms and all that sunshine just wasn’t natural.
I did learn to grudgingly tolerate the sunshine and palm trees eventually, even admitting that I liked it here by the time we moved to Ottawa. Since then I’ve lived in four different states and one Canadian province, and have found something to love about each place. When we moved back here a year ago I was thrilled because it was familiar, but I also looked around with older, wiser eyes and found much to love right from the start. I’m happy here and will be sad to leave, but I know that wherever we go next there will be things to love there too.
After we hung out at the park for a while, we walked the rest of the way to the trolley stop to wait for the next trolley. We had some time to kill so Annalie made faces for the camera.
We boarded the trolley when it got there and managed to find seats together despite the rush-hour crowds. Pleasantly tired, we watched the city pass by through the windows. My mom commented that she was glad she finally got to ride the trolley before we move again. I thought about how glad I am that I get to call so many different places home, and that Annalie and I get to be California girls, even if it’s only for a little while.
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I love this post. I’ve always been a Maryland girl but I at least moved from the mountains to be closer to the city. I’ve never been to California so it’s neat to hear about all your adventures and how beautiful it is out there. Enjoy it while you can. :)
Also, you look awesome in blue!
Oh, what I wouldn’t have to have sunshine all the time. Yes, it’s probably unnatrual, but it’s oh-so-nice and would keep me motivated and busy. I’m unstoppable when the sun shines!
What a fun day you had!
I miss California. This post isn’t helping…
Love that last shot of you two.
You’re moving already??
No, we’re not moving just yet…but we will likely be moving in about a year’s time. Life in the Navy, ya know? :-)
I wanna be a California girl!
Looks like such a fun day!
Ha ha ha! I read hummus as humans. Yum humans, oh so delicious!!
And I think it’s awesome that you get to move and experience new places. I know it’s something we would never do. Alan is very rooted.
But moving again in a year’s time? I don’t think we’ll be out to visit before then. If I weren’t pregnant we would have probably back in March and again I don’t know when. But now…man, I’m bummed. :(
It took me some time to get used to this crazy California weather, too.
Has Annalie changed in face? She suddenly looks so grown-up to me! Her hands don’t look at all toddler anymore, either. When that happened to my boys, I cried. I miss the dimples on their knuckles!
I LOVE California. Especially the area you live. It’s both my and Noah’s favorite place to be :)
I know what you mean, I love living in Colorado, but I miss the Maple trees and lightning bugs in Nebraska.
Why can’t I stop singing “I wish they all could be California girls…”
Sweet last picture.
Sounds like a lovely day – don’t forget to make the call and get your moolah back!
What a great day! And I love the way you have learned to appreciate every place you have lived. I wish we could all be California Girls, but at least I know we are in our hearts.
Rena – Yes, lightning bugs! I remember a few years back when I happened to be in Omaha visiting my parents at the same time that my cousin Bob and his wife Susy and their young kids came through town on their way from Southern CA to Minnesota to visit my cousin’s dad. Bob spent most of his childhood in Minnesota before moving to the West Coast, but Susy is from Mexico and has lived either there or SoCal her whole life, and their kids are California natives. One evening we took Susy and the kids to the park and then to Zesto’s for ice cream, and while we were sitting on the picnic tables behind Zesto’s Susy and the kids had their first experience with lightning bugs! They were fascinated, and I was blown away by the idea that Susy had reached her mid-20s and had never seen a lightning bug. I had fun teaching the kids how to catch them. :-)