catching up

Okay, so I've been a bit lax in the blogging department lately... It's been nuts. Where do I start? 14 hours ago I was 380 miles south. But I digress.

I was house/dog/fish-sitting for about a week out of town, though close enough that I could still come back here during the day to feed and take care of my own critters, and theoretically to work of course, but that all went to heck. My grandparents were visiting here (from San Diego) at the same time, so it was pretty hard to actually get much of anything done all week. But that's okay, I'm sure the chicken art world functioned just fine without me, and probably didn't notice my absence anyway.

We painted another one of the chicken coops during the week. It's the same "pink" (as I call it) color as the one we did a few months ago. The paint chip didn't look that pink! Apparently any sort of light reddish-brown color is going to end up pink. Oh well, I'm sure the chickens don't care.

Anyway, yesterday (really, that was just yesterday) we (me, Mom, grandparents) left here at 8:30am and drove to Camarillo, which is down in Ventura County... 380 miles away. I drove all but the first hour and a half of the trip. There was a big family party down there for their 90th birthdays. Wow! Now that's old. We were all supposed to dress up representative of some decade from the 20s to the 80s. I was sixties, peace and love man! I took this awful photo in the hotel, which was a total skankbag place, yuck! (dirty, loud, non-smoking room with cigarette burns on the beds all the way through the blankets and sheets, GROSS!!!! I was SO tempted to sleep in the minivan. As it was I barely slept at all). So yeah, the photo...I hope this never comes back to haunt me (it was a really dark pic, I tweaked it in photoshop but it's pretty awful, sorry.)

Edit: oh no, you missed the hippie pic! Ya snooze, ya lose. ;-)

Note the totally awesome turtle necklace. That's some serious bling. Totally groovy. I think I found that when I was a kid, 4 years old or so. I LOVED it when I was little, the scales are jointed, it sorta moves. Probably made of lead or something, heh... Anyway, for some reason I still have it (it's horrid, I know!) but you do have to admit it's pretty unique. The belt and dark purple beaded necklace are from a gypsy costume my great aunt made in the 50s. I actually used to wear that vest... The skirt and shirt are nice clothes, just not in their usual context here!


Anyway... it was a really fun party, I had a good time even though by the end I was barely awake, and I think my grandparents really enjoyed having everyone together to celebrate their birthdays.

We left there this morning around 9:30 I think. I drove the whole way home. I'm totally exhausted.

This is the area where the shindig was, really nice place.


I took some fun little backroads. This is hwy 34 (if I recall correctly). Mom took the pic.


Most of the drive (both days) was VERY windy. Notice the crazy leaning palm trees!


I have other things to talk about but they will have to wait til my brain is somewhat more functional. I can't believe that was just this morning I left Southern CA...

So all in all, it's been nuts, but good times (well mostly...), and life should return to normal now. Ahhhh. :-)