San Diego, part 1

Our trip is going well. Juleane picked us up at the airport on Thursday and we drove through downtown San Diego and past the ocean. Both were stunning. There's a real Mediterranean feel to downtown San Diego, at least the part I saw. I can not believe we're still in the same state - everything is so completely different to the Bay Area. We stayed with Juleane in a brand spanking new suburb for a couple days. I have never experienced life in the suburbs before and it was a total trip to me...more on this later. I think it deserves a whole blog...if you've seen the show "Weeds," that's exactly like the neighborhood I just stayed in. It was surreal. I also saw Pacific Beach yesterday, as I joined Juleane on her birthday pub crawl - they even let us bring the baby in the bar! Pacific Beach looks a lot like Isla Vista (the student town near UCSB, where I attended college). It brought me right back...so weird to be there with my own baby though.

We arrived at Jessica's parents' ranch last night. Wow, talk about different and very cool. Total change from Juleane's house so I am experiencing two very different sides of San Diego living. First off, I saw a tarantula last night!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK! Big, fat, hairy spider. BIG. Effing big. It was climbing up the screen door in the living room (on the outside). Then, Jessica's sister saw another one in the garage! Yeah, it took me hours to fall asleep because I was thinking about tarantulas. And I'm not even a person who is that scared of spiders. Not like Hannah, my sister-in-law. :) Apparently, there are rattlesnakes, coyotes, bobcats, lizards and frogs around too. The view is stunning - the backyard looks out over the mountains. I'll post more on this later too, including pictures.

It is is very, very hot here and even humid. Not my kind of weather at all. I didn't pack the right kind of clothes. I've worn the same tank top and skirt since I arrived! But it is so nice to get away and see my friends and have a change in scenery. As mentioned, I'll definitely post more when we arrive home, which will probably be Wednesday, though I'm not sure - could be Tuesday, could be Thursday. If I see any more tarantulas, I may come home tonight!

Dorian is doing great, by the way. He was awesome the first 2 days (and on the trip down). A bit fussy yesterday and today so far but I think those killer teeth are coming to get him. He is charming everyone though. I don't think he could possibly be any cuter.