subcutaneous fat turns to gold in california

In three weeks I will be in San Diego. I haven't been home since Christmas, and as crazy as I was going then, I of course miss it desperately now. For this visit, though, I'm taking Chuck- and visits home are always more bearable and interesting if I can play tour guide.

Chuck has never been west of Amarillo, Texas!!

We are driving- one day to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and then the next all the way into America's Finest City. Total mileage: 1,370. Total hours: 21.

I am looking forward to:
-Scenery in New Mexico
-Thunderstorms in Arizona
-The scent of nighttime air on the desert
-The mountains in eastern San Diego county, the familar towns
-I15 going north to home
-The Pacific Ocean: kayaking, swimming, snorkling, strolling down the beach, sleeping in the sand
-Hiking to my waterfall in Los Penasquitos
-Sitting on the porch swing, reading and falling asleep in the sunshine
-Seeing people: Nat'ly and Dan, Jennii, Katie, Sean, hopefully others?
-The Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado: parts of San Diego that I am proud to show off
-Wednesday night at the Martini Ranch

San Diego for a week, then back to Texas (Houston, to be specific) to visit with Chuck's family. Then we're off to ITF for two days of jam-packed trombonist bonding (and drinking). And then home, where summer jobs will start in earnest.

Friday night Chuck and I drove down to Houston to pick up his mom's van so he could move some stuff into storage for the summer. His family is interesting. His dad and mine could compete for "most awkwardly inserted conversational phrases."

How's, "so, you shacking up with your girlfriend?" for awkward?

Yeah, I thought so too.