Isn’t that the way it always is?  We’ve had to hit the floor, running!

Thankfully, we had a wonderful, exciting vacation. We got there and back quicker than I’d have imagined – thank you Virgin Airlines!  If I  have a choice, I will choose them from now on. And, at their terminal you can get both traditional American fare or sushi for breakfast…or have a flight of delicious Sonoma County wines. Guess which I chose?

We’ve been back for 4 days, and still sorting through photos – I took pics with my little camera, my iPhone, my sweetie’s iPhone and my iPad. I can’t find anything!

Some highlights of our vacation:

1. Dinner and cocktails at Jack London’s restaurant in Carmel, where a friend earned herself a new nickname – Fireball. There was also a Poodle Parade with more than 100 Poodles in it, and we got to pet dogs and chat with owners.
2. Having “the cop” called on our gang for sitting out by the firepit at our hotel and talking and laughing too LOUD for the quaint town of Carmel. However, the inn in question just sent us a survey asking how our visit was and inviting us to return…so I guess we’re not banned.
3. Walking in the Pacific Ocean down in Cambria looking for Moonstones, although I had no idea what they are. I found a shark’s tooth!
4. A great night at Half Moon Bay Inn – where we got to share a cozy rooftop patio with our friends from Santa Fe, and the owner, who we met last year, sent us up wine to enjoy. The rooms are very French, and so chic and sexy! 
5. Riding over the Golden Gate Bridge in a group on our bikes. Priceless!
6. Riding through the redwood forests and mountains on some of the twistiest roads I’ve ever been on.
7. Experienceing the HOTTEST weather they’ve ever had up in Healdsburg and Sonoma. It was above 90.  A cakewalk for us Texans!
8. Turk and I got to experience riding through rush-hour traffic on a Friday afternoon – right through downtown San Francisco – and it moved better than it does here. Wake up, Austin.
9. Coming back with an idea for a fiction novel. I’ve begun work on it already.
10. And last, but not least – the time spent with dear friends. Everyone got everywhere ‘safe and sound’. And 3 of our group (of 12) rode from Colorado to California. And back!  Kudos to Special, Smooth, and Wooley. My heart is so full.

If any of you are heading CA way, please send me a note. I will give you info on where we stayed, what we visited,  and where we ate. There is such marvelous food everywhere that Denise  said, “There must be a law against serving bad food in CA!”

Now it’s time to get busy and get our house on the market next week and sold.

XO  Donna