California, Part 3 (Conclusion)

After the 17-Mile Drive, we went to Carmel Beach. Right as we entered the sand, we saw this guy hard at work on a sand sculpture.



Then we walked down a huge hill to get to the water.



Lyvi again enjoyed the waves to the fullest. We ran into friends of Steve and Eden's, and the guy was body-surfing. (That's who Lyvi is watching in this picture.)



Lyvi also fell a few times in the sand after she got wet, so by the time we left, she was literally caked in sand. I had to get a picture.



We headed home after that, and rather than go out to eat, we got takeout from a local hole-in-the-wall place called The Noodle Bar. Eden and I picked it up and brought it home, and it was delicious. After Lyvi went to bed, us grown-ups played Sorry and Scrabble. And I actually won at Scrabble--that never happens. (I know, it's sad--you would think an English major would kick butt at Scrabble, but it's not true. I just don't have the patience for it.)

The next day, Saturday, dawned bright and sunny--not a cloud in the sky. We all went out to breakfast at a place called The Breakfast Club, and I got some awesome chocolate-chip pancakes. Here's Lyvi being cute while we waited for our food. I was trying to get a picture of her ponytail (it was in the cutest little ringlet), but it didn't really work.



We lingered over breakfast, and then headed to the airport, arriving right about at that 2-hours-before mark. But there was literally no one in line for security--in fact, I think it might have even been closed at that moment. (It's a tiny airport--only 6 gates, and I don't think they even handle big jets there.) So we all headed up to the observation deck so that Lyvi could watch planes.

Guess who didn't want to pose for this picture? (And look at that gorgeous blue sky!)



This is mostly what Lyvi did on the observation deck--ran all over the place.



After a little while, we said our goodbyes, and I got in line for security. There were only a few people in front of me, and I still had plenty of time. The 2 ladies in front of me (a mom and daughter, I presume) had apparently never flown before--or at least, not since 9/11. They were totally clueless about the new liquid guidelines--they didn't have their liquids in the required Ziploc bag, and most of their liquid items were far too large to pass inspection anyway. I mean, I understand that some people hardly ever fly--but you would think if you were flying for the first time, or the first time in a long time, that that would be even more reason to check out the latest guidelines and rules. Anyway, one security guard assisted them as they dug through their bags and another let me and everyone else cut in front of them.

Everything went perfectly on my trip home--not a single delay or problem. I had a window seat from Monterey to Phoenix, which I was excited about, since it was nighttime (and I had aisle seat anyway) on my trip into Monterey. It turns out I was on the perfect side of the plane too--after we took off, I was treated to the most amazing view of the Pacific coastline, for a good 10 or 15 minutes (until we veered inland). It was so amazing, that it pretty much made up for all the gloomy weather of the past 2 days. I sat there with my face glued to the window, trying to drink it all in. All I could think was, Who knows when--or if--I'll ever see this coast again? I wanted to memorize the unique beauty of it all.

I got a bite to eat on my layover in Phoenix, then boarded the plane for a 4-hour-and-15-minute flight. Even though I had plenty to read, I forked over the $5 for a headset to watch the in-flight movie, just to have something mindless to do. It was What Happens in Vegas--it was OK. Not a movie I'd ever see again, but it was a decent diversion. Even better--once it was over, they showed an episode of "The Offfice." Fittingly, it was the "Office Olympics" episode. I was so tickled to be able to watch my favorite TV show on the plane ride. Once that was over, there were a couple more shows, but I lost interest (plus, the cheap-o headset was hurting my ears) and returned to my book.

I texted Tony as soon as we landed, thinking he was waiting at home for my text. But instead, he was already almost at the airport. I called him once I neared the exit, trying to figure out if he was on the lower or upper level. He'd had to circle around (since you're not allowed to loiter at the curb), so he came to where I was. I dumped my suitcase in the trunk as fast as I could, then climbed into the passenger seat and wrapped my arms around him for a long hug. Like I said before, it was weird not having Ari in the backseat, or waiting at home for me, but the greeting I got from her the next morning more than made up for it.

And so ends my journey to California and back. It was so awesome to spend time with my brother, and Eden, and my adorable little niece. And I absolutely loved all the scenery, and being a little tourist about it all, taking pictures everywhere I went. I just couldn't get over how beautiful it all was, even under a dreary sky. It's funny, because on my drive home yesterday, I found myself paying attention to the scenery around me. It's not that I don't think it's beautiful--it's just that I never really think much about it at all. Then it occurred to me that people who live on the West Coast probably feel the same way about their trees and bushes and mountains. And maybe someone who's never been to the East Coast might find our scenery just as breathtaking and amazing as I found the West Coast's to be. "The grass is always greener," right?

You know, it took me 3 entries to cover a less-than-3-day trip. Can you all imagine how many entries you're going to have to endure when I get back from my week-long cruise?


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