Labor Day Weekend

I sometimes take issue with planning... I don't like it... I shy away from it... I'm more of a "fly by the seat of your pants and it will all pan out" kind of girl.  Lately though, I feel like I may have to re-asses this attitude.  I'm starting to realize that plans have a purpose and a place.  Like long-weekend road trips for example.  When you're a poor starving student, and gas prices are what they are, you probably shouldn't just jump in the car and let the wind carry you where it may.  Because if you do, it can carry you to a really busy, really expensive, really hot (we were wearing jeans, sneakers, sweaters and long sleeves) Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, and because of the lack of preparation you find yourself grumpy with your surroundings.  

Now that I've developed a picture for you, let me tell you about our long weekend (which are like diamonds when your husband is a dental student).  Saturday morning we woke up to a bit of fog, and wind.  Thinking it was going to be kind of crusty in San Francisco, I got the bright idea to jump in the car take a drive down to Santa Cruz (we'd never been (which is precisely why I should have done a little homework), and I thought it could be fun).  Because we live on the coast, and Santa Cruz is on the coast, I assumed (another lame-o attribute I can add to my character) it would be a bit chilly there too.  So I chose (oh yes I even thought about it and "chose") not to bring any kind of clothing for warm weather, or dress in cooler clothing and just layer, but dressed Mags and I in jeans, socks and sneakers, sweaters and long sleeves (to be fair Joel dressed himself and he did indeed wear a t-shirt).  So off we went, with no idea on how much the rides on the Boardwalk would be, no idea that there's a great beach right in front of the Boardwalk (which is useless with our attire), no idea that it was going to be CRAZY because it's the last long weekend of the summer, no idea that parking would be non-existent, and no idea that you can park in an entirely different city and take a cute little train right to the Boardwalk,  and no idea that I'd be kicking myself after approximately an hour and a half drive.

I ramble... I know.

So, after circling the Boardwalk for too much time, we decided to just take the Great Highway home and see what kind of adventure we could find along the way.  Thankfully, I absolutely adore Joel in the car (you'll have to ask him, if the feelings are mutual).  I don't know what it is, but I just get a kick out of him when we're in close proximity with no escape.  In all of the summers we have had driving all over North America, I might venture to say that the times we've had in the car were my favourite.  So anyway, the drive down wasn't a complete waste, because like I said, it's always a hoot when we go driving.  I'm also happy to announce that the day got much better from there.  We found a charming lighthouse along the drive with a beautiful little beach beside it, and fell upon a fabulous little Italian restaurant in Half Moon Bay (it was booked solid for the night, but then a Hostess told me that if we didn't mind sitting at an outside table, they'd send a Server out for us).  All in all, it turned out to be a pretty memorable day.