bubbles' holiday weekend roundup

i kept meaning to get on here and post about the holiday weekend - and i'm just squeaking in!

TANKSgiving
as i said before, i wrote a smidge of fiction. color me surprised and happy. the reviews i've gotten to date have all been positive with minor suggestions i agree with. after that i believe i watched the next-to-last episode of taken. a fun little series, only two episodes were dumb.

then i skedaddled up to joaquin miller park in oakland. i barely did it justice but i got some beautiful shots with my phone, which i'll upload tomorrow (at work, with the superb wifi). i was so inspired by the surroundings that i also wrote quite a bit. sections of that park are a little creepy, but in a good way -- mysterious, dark, etc. loved it.

i chose to hike there because i had informal dinner plans nearby with a dyke (+other people) who'd set up a little gathering. ahead of time i asked how many people were attending. she told me 10, so i thought ok, that sounds like a decent conversation base, a legit event. turns out there were 3. including the host.

however the conversation went alright, if a bit oddly at times. very eclectic bunch. the food was fair, and afterwards we played scrabble. i got to play the word "roil". the host said, can you use roil in a sentence? and i said, not right now. :-D all that turkey, i wasn't feeling 100% on the definition at the time.

FRYday
chilled at home. ran an errand or two, watched the last episode of taken, did laundry, but really i just chilled.

saTURDay
got up bright and early for my expodition to the city. first up was the celebration of crafts women fair. i'd been to one maybe 3 years ago? and it was awesome. we found tons of cool stuff, most of it affordable. parking at ft mason was impossible but there was a shuttle with cheap parking.

similarities between that time and this one: same location, same lack of parking, and a lot of cool stuff.
differences: EVERYTHING cost more. a LOT.

most notable example: a long sleeved tshirt - no doubt handmade, at least the design - for $160, i shit you not. i was admiring the shirts and sweaters (altho not admiring their lack of a tag, or prices listed anywhere), waiting for the vendor to get done talking to someone else so i could ask about the prices, when i finally found one with the $160 tag. i do believe my jaw dropped open. i mean, i wasn't in a boutique. i was at a craft fair, ffs.

there also was a greater emphasis on art - wall art, sculptures, etc. which were pricy, naturally. sigh. i did find a few little things - earrings for min, a hair band for my sister, and a body spray for me. the one i used to use (country apple, bath&body works) has been discontinued for a good year or two now. i stocked up at the time, but well, i'm running out, finally, and looking for alternatives.

anyway. after i was done there, i shuttled back to my way-too-expensive parking space, dropped off my stuff, and walked over to a deli on chestnut i'd heard good things about. got my sammich, drink, walked back to the car -- but not before stumbling into the incredibly adorable paper source. i challenge any craft/paper lover to walk out with the same amount of scrilla as when they went in.

finally back at the car, i took off for land's end, which i'd always wanted to visit. i started at the western end, sutro baths. those are nifty. then i walked/climbed up a cliff, plopped down at the top and ate my lunch overlooking a most gorgeous string of rocks, trees and ocean. the wind was incredibly strong and by halfway through my sandwich i had icicles for fingers, but i didn't care.

from there i planned to keep going on the trail, but they had that section closed for erosion repair. so i trudged down the cliff, then back up those monstrous stairs, and went along the main trail heading towards the golden gate. it was all just so beautiful. the trees, the bay, the bridge and the sun peeking out at me periodically. at one point i sat and tried to write, but unlike thursday, i had writer's block. my vote is that bitch of a wind froze part of my brain.

at any rate, i had a great time, going about halfway through the trail i guess, then turned around because it was getting dark. i headed along the ocean til 35, then hooked up with 1/280 and headed home.

sunDAE
another mellow day. talked to min for a while this morning. she spent the night in the dalles, oregon. kind of a random stop. she'd hoped to stay with her brother in portland but he was unexpectedly out of town. the good news is, that means she'll be home sooner -- should be here by tuesday night. and yes i'm looking forward to her being back. :-p

i'd planned to go to a free writing class i heard about tonight, in alameda. i heard very little about it, but being free, i thought i'd give it a whirl. however when it was time to leave, it was raining cats and dogs so i decided to pass for now (the class is once a month). i deplore driving at night, and in heavy rain? to the east bay? no thanks. i've done that before (night, rain, 880-eb) and it seriously sucks.

it's still raining now, a few hours later, although lighter. and besides, i'm getting my writing in right now! and this way i'm cozy under a down lap blanket, get to finish the laundry and cuddle my kitties in a bit. works for me.