Tag Archives: Everyday Life

Chatter about everyday life. This may include kids and work stuff.

The Sunday Salon: Staycation

The Sunday Salon

We plan a vacation every year, but this year, the family business is just steps away from closing, so we are staying in town and taking some day trips. I’m sort of blue about the whole thing. The good news, is that the Otter Pup has been left alone (twice now), outside of her crate and she seems to be okay with it.
This means that we can take slightly longer day trips. She just sits in the sun and waits for us to get back.

What trips do we have planned? Well, some museums (hopefully), a couple of beach trips and maybe we’ll spend some time in Santa Barbara, Ventura or Ojai. I love Ojai. I know The Hub has plans to take The Girl and Boy to Six Flags. I may or may not go on that trip.  I am not a fan of our Six Flags since they stopped doing business with The Hub’s company and decided to go overseas. Don’t even get me going on that.

As for today, I just got back from taking The Girl shopping for back-to-school stuff. She is a spender! She has very rich tastes for my modest budget.We shopped with coupons and got 40% off where we could but a t-shirt does not cost $36!!! Please! I won’t mention the store but I HATE when stores mark-up prices and then take them down to make it look like you are getting a good bargain.

I guess I am a bit touchy today. I apologize.  I am going to mix-up an Arnold Palmer and take a chill-pill while reading Before I Fall (which is absolutely riveting!) Just what I need to brighten this blue mood of mine.

BTW, Carmageddon was no big deal. In fact, the freeway opened a day before it was supposed to. People said it was kind of nice because it forced them to stay at home and relax. Isn’t that sad? That we need a major freeway to close to keep us at home?

Anyway, happy Sunday to you!

Carmageddon 2011: Will We Survive?

Carmadeggon 2011
Photo Credit: FoxNews.com

Those of you not living near Los Angeles may not know, but everyone near me is bracing for Carmageddon, and it begins tonight and doesn’t end until early Monday morning. How does this affect me? Well, our vacation begins today and although we had planned to stay in town, all of the day trips we planned are now cancelled because of this freakin’ closure. Well, maybe not cancelled forever as we could go later in the week. That’s certainly a possibility.

The 405 freeway, one of the major arteries through Los Angeles will be closed for a 10-mile stretch. It’s wicked on a good day, but with this closure, folks flying out of LAX or coming in for that matter, are totally screwed. Folks who work in the area (UCLA for example) are screwed. You get the picture. People are booking up hotels left and right just to make sure they make their flights. Movie theaters along that strip are offering free popcorn for those people willing to brave the chaos. Just how loyal will those Harry Potter fans be? Hmmm.

So, if you have time this weekend, tune to the news to see how we are doing because all the news agencies are running special coverage shows to keep us all informed of what a clusterfu*k it’s sure to be. Notice how Kate and Will visited LAST week? Even THEY knew.

It’s sort of funny though how everyone is gearing up for this. It’s the talk of the day around here.

“Hey Phil, are you getting ready for Carmageddon this weekend?”

“Sure thing, Sally! Got the lawn chairs out and the hibachi grill so we can make s’mores along the side of the road. We’ll be stuck there anyway so why not live it up?” (think Clark Griswold).

“Oh Phil. You’re so funny!”

Bang. Bang.