Stay-Cation

I have a WHOLE WEEK off work and so far it has been just what I needed. We are doing a “stay-cation” this year, not going anywhere, but relaxing at home. We are going to try to see one local sight or do one local event each day, and get to know our hometown and Sonoma County a little better.

Saturday was spent mostly taking the car down to the mechanic. Mom and Dad came up so they could follow me down in case something went awry. Then to In-n-Out for drive-through lunch, and fight the traffic home. I needed to get some feed for the animals that wouldn’t fit in my parents’ van, so we went home long enough to get the truck and go down to the feed store. Bex and I picked up some human groceries while we were there, too. Becca spent most of the rest of the day when we were home in the new pool, while I worked on finishing my sprinkler project.

Later that evening, while settling in for some guacamole and chips while watching a television program, Becca suddenly paused the TV and said, “Did you hear that?” I heard a thump, and said that it was probably the goats messing around in the barn. She said no, that it was coming from a different direction. I listened again, and it was rhythmic - thump ... thump ... thump. I said I thought it was probably gunshots, but wondered why they would be practicing at night. Suddenly, she shouted, “Fireworks!” and we went running outside. Sure enough, the town of Windsor had started their fireworks show, and we had a PERFECT view between the hills right in front of the house. I grabbed a couple of chairs so we could sit together in the dark and watch.

Sunday - 4th of July!



I think Becca spent most of the day in the pool while I did things around the house and reviewed records while sitting on the deck keeping an eye on her. We decided to check out the fireworks show in our new hometown, and left in plenty of time so we could be an hour to 1 ½ hours early and get a good spot to sit. By the time we turned the corner toward Healdsburg High School, I could see the streets were already packed with parked cars and people were walking toward the school with blankets and chairs. We found a good spot to park about 2 ½ blocks from the school, and trekked over. Before we got to the field, we spotted a good area in a no parking zone next to the field where a few people had set up, and decided it looked good. The wind picked up and it was getting chilly fast. After such a hot afternoon, Becca was dressed in a tank top, light cotton shirt, skirt and flip-flops. My t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops weren’t much better, and I was really grateful that she’d brought her blanket. We snuggled up together and waited, listening to the conversations around us, exclaiming with the rest of our neighbors about the illegal fireworks going off, and enjoying what seemed to be a countdown of one firework being shot off at about 5 minute intervals starting about 15 minutes prior to showtime. It was a fabulous show, and just as I thought they had finished the finale, a guy next to us said, “It’s not over yet,” and I was amazed when it continued. The wind was picking up some of the flaming bits and bringing them a little too close to us, so Becca started to get nervous. When the finale came, it was fantastic - the best ending to the best fireworks show I’d ever seen, but tiny bits of debris hit my face and Becca’s foot, so we pulled the blanket up under our eyes and watched carefully until the show was over.

Everyone was happy and cordial as they left. We had the perfect parking spot and a clean shot out of the area and on home. A quick round of chores to get the animals all tucked in for the night, and we settled in to get some sleep. A day of walking, work, swimming, fresh air, and fun had really tuckered us out.

Monday the 5th - a holiday! First, I got a great call from my mechanic, who told me that there is nothing wrong with my car. It was probably the battery all along, which I ended up replacing last week (under warranty, thank-yew-very-much). I made arrangements for my folks to pick us up and take us down to RP to get the car. Drove home as thrilled by driving that 200,000+ mile car as if it were brand new - so nice to be in it again instead of the truck. We found a parking spot near the middle of town and started on our walk around downtown Healdsburg.



What a fun place to WINDOW shop. Most places, Becca spent her time with her jaw on the ground at the prices. We did pick up some goodies from Powell’s candy shop and some on sale paperbacks from Copperfield’s Books, plus get some great ideas for future gift-giving. Before we left downtown, we stopped into one of those fabulous little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants, this one called El Sombrero, for a couple of burritos.



I relented and allowed us to have one soda each. While we were sitting at the table, I picked up one of the glass bottles, curious to see if the recipe for Coca-Cola made in Mexico is any different, and was pleasantly surprised to see there is NO HFCS in these! Just pure cane sugar! Viva Mexico! Now we know where to get sodas when we really want to have that treat.

One more stop before heading home - the antique store! We have an electric ice cream maker that uses a canister that is put into the freezer, but I have had a hankering for a long time for a hand crank maker. For one, the old ones are much bigger, and I remember the ice cream freezing better. Secondly, I am always on the lookout now for tools and items that do not require electricity. We were wandering around the store, exclaiming and showing each other things, then I heard Becca say, “I think I found your ice cream maker, Mom.” We were about 2/3 through the store, and I thought that we weren’t going to find one. Sure enough, there it was, buried under some card games and odds and ends. Not only hand crank, but it has the original booklet with it, and a WOODEN barrel! Way cool! For less than $25 we walked out not only with the ice cream maker, but a way cool wooden boomerang. We hope to find a good park this week to try it out.



The “Service Engine Soon” light went on in the Taurus when we got into the driveway at home, so I’ll have to bring it back to Vinnie the Excellent Mechanic again for him to take another look.

July 6th, and I woke up late. I hit the snooze button until the alarm stopped, and then woke up when the phone rang. I’d slipped in a spill at the local grocery store the day before and slightly wrenched my back. I stayed to guard the spill so no one would get hurt, and the manager happened to be there when Bex reported it for me. He came over and took my information, and said he’d call the next day to see how I’m doing. I told him I’d be fine, and I am. It’s nice the he is following up, though I’m sure it’s damage control on his part. I still find it hard to believe that someone would sue a store for something that wasn’t their fault. These folks were *all over* that spill as soon as they knew about it. What’s disappointing to me is that the person that caused it didn’t report it. Instead, they walked all over the store, dripping down the aisles.

Salsa escaped from the barn this morning. This is my “flying goat,” because when she was young she discovered that she could jump the 4 foot fence, and that it was fun. She would jump out, and then go to the back door calling for us, as if to say, “Hey! Look what I did! Isn’t that cool?” A couple more feet of fencing around the top stopped her from escaping, but not from trying, and for a few weeks more she would run and jump and *almost* get over. I knew when we got this barn that the handle would be something she’d figure out quickly. We have a bar that goes over the door (“Katie, bar the door!” is what I often think when putting it on) to prevent her from jumping on the handle and turning it. Since she’s had her kids, Salsa hasn’t willingly left them, so in the mornings I haven’t secured the door completely when taking the other goats out and milking Imbri. I was putting Imbri in the pen after milking this morning, when I heard Salsa’s bucklings calling out like they do when I take her out of the barn. I wondered ... and sure enough, as I walked toward the house, Salsa was jumping onto the milk stand. Good girl! Because she walks so easily to her pen after milking, I didn’t bother to go get the leash from the barn, just put her food in the bucket and started milking. Now I know that I need to secure the door when she’s in there again.

That’s it for now. I’ll update the blog as we continue our vacation adventure week!