Coco Came to Town

Last month Coco's work flew her to California to conduct interviews here. She came a few days early so we could spend some extra time together. Praise be to Bag Lady's government job.

She arrived Friday morning, March 28. We dropped my car off at the shop for an oil change and some routine servicing. I felt a little bad about making Coco run that errand with me, but it was so overdue that I had finally gotten nervous about driving. We went to Chipotle for lunch and let Ever take her nap. We picked Jim up from work at 5:00, picked up my car, and went to Board & Brew, a yummy sandwich place in Carlsbad. Our original plan was to go to Cold Stone for dessert, but next door to Board & Brew was an ice cream shop called Sub Zero. Jim, of course, wanted to try it and then go to Cold Stone for round 2. They mix your custom-designed ice cream or custard or yogurt in a bowl and then freeze it with liquid nitrogen. It was very exciting to watch. Ever loved the fog. Jim loved the ice cream and has been totally obsessed ever since.  He's tried to go about every day since then (and has gone a number of times).

While sitting in the Cold Stone parking lot, I finally convinced Jim that his plan for round 2 was incorrect. We went home and enjoyed Netflix.

Saturday we went to the lighthouse and Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma. On the way, we hit up In-N-Out:

I'd read about this Point Loma business on Trip Advisor, etc. It's supposed to be one of the main attractions in the area. We checked out the nice view of San Deego's house and Coronado.  

Jim promised it would be warm. ("It's San Diego!") I ignored his advice and took a hoodie for me and a sweater for Dolly. Bags listened to Jim and just wore a t-shirt, and she froze. It was windy and cold.

 

We didn't look much around the Visitor Center, but there didn't appear to be a lot there (other than a theater we didn't experience). We watched a presentation by this guy about life as a European sailor in the 1500s:

  

He was a little interesting but not succinct enough, and I was so tired. Bags and I both dozed, and I felt bad about that.

When that wrapped up, we went to the old lighthouse. Crazy to think about the families who lived there and tended to the place. Sounds like a simple and quaint life to me.

 

There was a separate building with a lantern on display:

Lastly, we went by the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo monument. Cabrillo landed at San Diego Harbor in 1542 - the first European to set foot on the West Coast.

Dolly had to play in the water one last time before we took off:

That night we watched the General Relief Society broadcast and went to The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza for dinner and Cold Stone for dessert.  Obsessed with food much?

Sunday was a little crazy. Jim gave a wonderful (and recycled) talk in sacrament meeting. He taught the combined third-hour meeting and was in rare form. Bags and I sat front and center and thoroughly enjoyed his almost-under-his-breath jokes. (Like when he said "similarly" and then said, "That is the hardest word to say. I had to say it in sacrament meeting, and I almost passed out.") We were in the cultural hall. People were really spread out, and Jim is soft-spoken. I was sad most people probably missed his funny comments.

After we got home, Bags helped me decorate this lovely cheesecake (baked in the morning before church) for an open house in honor of Diann and Frank Voordeckers, who were moving to Utah.  

Jim and I ran over to the open house, leaving Bags home with a sleeping Dolly. Then we rushed back to prepare the house and finish the desserts for the bishopric/youth fireside we were hosting that evening. There were no spare moments. When we got home from the open house, Bags had dinner nearly done. I had been planning on making Lemon Chicken Romano, but there was no time. Bags found the recipe on the counter and got to it. She would be an amazing sister wife. I have to say, it's pretty incredible to have another lady in the house to help cook and clean. Wish she lived next door. 

We were scarfing down dinner when people started arriving for the fireside. Like I said, no time to spare that day. We pulled it all off, though, and Jim gave a fun fireside about the apostles in anticipation of General Conference. Dolly blew bubbles outside for a while, and then we kept her busy in the back with a peanut butter cup brownie.

Monday morning we went for a jog/walk by the beach in Carlsbad. We let Dolly go down to the water at the end. She didn't throw a fit when I said we had to go, so that was a huge success.

Bags and I made a quinoa/brown rice salad but ended up deciding to save it for Tuesday so we could all go to a BBQ place when Jim got home from work. 

The sandwiches were fine, but the sides were a big disappointment. The chocolate chip waffle sandwiches we ordered for dessert were fun.

Tuesday Bags and I both worked. She left Wednesday around noon. I wanted to make some delicious pancake batter Tuesday night (they have to sit overnight) so we could have a fun breakfast Wednesday, but I didn't have it in me. Instead, I pulled out some Trader Joe's chocolate croissants that had been in the freezer in a package opened long ago. They didn't rise and tasted really disgusting. Ever didn't mind; she happily finished both Bags's and mine:

I don't know if there's ever been a vacation that revolved more around food. We have a problem. We spent our evenings watching all 13 episodes of Emily Owens, MD and, when we got through that, the documentary Blackfish about Sea World. (I never want to go to Sea World again.) Lazy, lazy, lazy. And wonderful. I have the best sister, and I'm glad she could come hang out with us!