Week in Review

 Stace was off Monday for Memorial Day, and we went to Home Depot to check out supplies for the catio we're going to build. He found a Panini World Cup sticker album, just like the one he filled up in 1986. 

We then went to Total Wine and More, for cider - he's been reading his cider book, and wants to brew some up this year.

Violet had a solo horse lesson on Tuesday with Rocky. She got some great experience trotting and guiding the horse directionally.

Happy girl! So glad we have found this ranch and this way for her to ride again.

On Tuesday, after her lesson, she watched the film Hidalgo with us, because it features Viggo Mortensen in a grueling horse race.

On Wednesday, Vi and Cora had Sofia and Liana over for D&D, while I met up with a friend for Happy Hour/dinner.

On Thursday, Violet and I went to the optometrist and she picked out new glasses. Cora, meanwhile, went sliding for the second time this week, and later played D&D. And on Friday, I went up to Palmdale and lunch with my former newspaper co-workers. It was nice to see them again.

On Saturday, Stace watched the Champion's League final with work friends, while I met up with "the ladies" and celebrated one of their birthdays at Agua Dulce Vineyard.

We had a wine tasting and then enjoyed a picnic. It was a great time together.

On Sunday, we celebrated Rigo's birthday at their house.

They'd had a family part on Saturday, and Rigo showed us the very old sword he inherited and was just given. Very cool!

The kids (and young adults) played Telestrations, and other games.

An Early Mother's Day

 One of the highlights of Emily's trip to California was our moms' day out trip to Santa Barbara County wine country. Emily did a lot of research to plan out our day, and we were blessed to enjoy all our stops without a hitch.

We left SClarita around 9 and got to our first stop, Babcock Winery, around 11. This place had a great merchandise shop and tasting bar in a barn, that came complete with a couple of barn cats.

I took this for Stace - always on the lookout for cars he'd enjoy. He said the Alfa Romeo is worth a fortune.

The charming outside patio at Babcock

Felix the cat - he and his brother help keep the grounds free from vermin. The employee told us the owners had their prior cats pass away, and didn't immediately replace them, until they realized there's a good reason to keep cats in a barn!

We ordered sandwiches from Panino, a place Emily remembered fondly from her wine country trips when she lived in California. We picked them up on our way to Beckman Vineyards, where we had our next tasting on an outdoor patio.

Our third stop was at Lincourt Vineyards, where I have memories from my trip here with my friend Sue for her 50th birthday a few years ago.

The whole region is just idyllic, and we had perfect weather. Each winery was so different in its feel and general "attitude," and we enjoyed comparing and contrasting them. 

Before we left the area, it was time for coffee and a sweet treat. We went into Solvang, where we stopped at this Danish bakery.

Emily was eager to see the ocean on her trip, and see it we did, though we didn't catch sunset because it sadly had clouded over.

We stopped at Padaro Beach Grill, a favorite of mine and Colleen's.

 

And we were all back home and settled in before 9 p.m.! Phew, a big day, and so much fun. It's not bad being in a car for so long when you have friends to catch up with.

Wonderful Weekend Away (with Wine)

A few months ago, I had my friends Jen and Sue over for a backyard catching-up time. We were reminiscing about our weekend trip to the wineries for Sue's birthday a few years before, and talking about how much we need to do another girls' weekend. Especially after the year we're having, with a *bit* more family togetherness than normal.

Sue took the bull by the horns, and this weekend the plan came to fruition.

We drove up to Santa Barbara and checked into our rented house for the weekend. We then borrowed the home's bikes and took a bike ride, ending up at a winery.

They had a spot for us! 

 

We had a great evening, talking and eating, back at the house. The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the back yard, and then got ready for a ladies' day out.

Our first winery on Saturday - the tastings came all at once, as a flight, so it looked like we were getting started with a LOT of alcohol early! But they were tastings, I promise! 

(And, our well-situated rental house was walking distance from the tasting rooms, so we were on foot.)

A few of more friends joined us, just for the day.

After lunch at a brewery, where we watched part of a Dodger playoff game win, we went back to the house to chill in the backyard. Sue chose this house because of the location and yard, and it was perfect!

We then walked to our lovely restaurant for a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dinner. Loved our fire table!

On our walk to dinner, Jen and I noticed that our cars were no longer in the city lot we'd parked in. We'd followed the instructions of the VRBO house owner, who gave directions to several lots nearby. 

Sure enough, the lot we used, mentioned in the email, was also the lot where the weekly Saturday morning Farmers' Market is held. We then noticed tiny signs at the lot's entrance warning about towing. 

Well, there's a first time for everything, and we certainly learned an expensive lesson. Our Saturday night included a stop at the tow yard to get our cars. At least we were with friends, and could laugh about it.

On Sunday, we packed up and did a few other Santa Barbara essentials - shopping on State Street, and lunch at a beach cafe, with our feet in the sand. 

On the way home, we listened to the Dodgers win the National League Championship Series! So, it was a pretty darn outstanding weekend (minus the towing!).

Wine with Friends

Part of Sara's birthday trip to SoCal was a day at the wineries in Santa Ynez.

I love going to the wineries with Sara, and it was a nice chance to spend time with my mom, who came along. It also was a great opportunity for Violet to spend more time with Alli.

We played Apples to Apples at our first stop.

We made a couple of more stops; the guy at Firestone was especially kind, throwing in a free tasting when we bought a bottle of summer-perfect rose.

We had such a lovely day together, with a perfect setting everywhere we looked.