Adventures with Sean | 365 Days Handmade

May 19, 2015
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Day 138/365: The Day Sean Turned 45

Today was Sean’s 45th birthday. Since he pretty much indulges my whims and obsessions during the other 364 days of the year, I let him choose what we would do and where we would eat today. So after breakfast at a nice local café that had outdoor patio seating, we walked through downtown Ventura and up to Grant Park for an easy hike through the Ventura Botanical Gardens trail.

Compared to the peaks and trails that I hiked with Roberta in San Luis Obispo county, today’s trail was a leisurely walk.

Downtown Ventura, the pier, and the Pacific Ocean.

The view was no less beautiful than the others, though.

We have a home down there. In a neighborhood to the left of downtown.

The other important thing about today is that it officially marks the beginning of summer for Sean. He graded his students’ finals last week, and the university held its commencement exercises this past Saturday. He won’t have to return to work until twelve weeks from now, in August. So it’s been a pretty happy day for him altogether.

Sean says, “Bright summer ahead!”

May 18, 2015
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Day 137/365: Bubblegum Afghan and Chinese Food

Changing things up. I worked on the Pound of Love Bubblegum afghan today. See how much yarn is left?

At around 10:30 this morning, Sean and I were discussing where we should go for lunch. (Our 8 AM breakfast must have already metabolized and evaporated.) He suggested a Chinese restaurant called Sesame Garden. He’d eaten there the other day with friends and enjoyed it. He wanted to go back and thought that I would like the food, too.

I went online and checked Sesame Garden’s website. “Hours are from 11:00 to 4 PM on Sunday,” I read off their home page. “They’re closed right now.”

“You know what they call that restaurant when it’s open?” Sean asked.

“Open Sesame,” I said. And: “Oh god.”

We are not the kind of schmoopy married people who finish each other’s sentences. But because I’ve known my husband for so long, I am able to deliver the punch lines of his corny jokes.

I don’t know which is worse.

Sean says, “Hang loose!”

May 10, 2015
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Day 129/365: A Good Day to Hike and Eat

Spooner’s Cove at Montana de Oro State Park, Los Osos

Today was all about eating and getting some exercise in between meals. First, Sean cooked a breakfast of home fries with my favorite over-medium eggs. Then my friend Roberta came over and picked me up. We had plans to go hiking up the Valencia Peak Trail at Montaña de Oro State Park in Los Osos. Altogether, we hiked a little over four miles, but the view along the way was beautiful.

Spooner’s Cove now looking quite distant…

…and even farther away…

And finally we’re at the top! Off in the distance there is Morro Bay. You can hardly see Morro Rock because of the fog.

By the time Roberta dropped me back off at the house, Sean had been waiting for almost two and a half hours. It was well past lunchtime, and he was grumpy from hunger.

“Why didn’t you eat?” I asked, pulling off my hiking shoes and trying not to get trail dust everywhere.

“Because I didn’t know when you were coming back. I thought you’d be gone for only just an hour. And then when it got to be two hours, I didn’t want to start eating because I figured you’d be coming home soon and the first thing you’d want to do would be go out to eat.”

“Sorry,” I said. “Come on, let’s go out to eat. I’ll pay.”

“You better,” Sean said. Grumpily.

I drove us to Mama’s Meatball in San Luis Obispo. We ordered vegetarian sandwiches made with good homemade bread and fire-roasted vegetables including eggplant and peppers, with fresh mozzarella and basil.

I think the food made up for Sean’s wait.

May 3, 2015
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Day 122/365: A Full Day

This morning I got up at 6 AM in Morro Bay and hit the road by 6:30 to drive the 150 miles back to the Ventura homestead. Then Sean and I went out to breakfast; we walked a mile down to the Golden Egg Café, ate, and walked home again. Then we got in the car and drove 70 more miles into Los Angeles to the Japanese American National Museum, where I’d arranged to meet my good friend Pat. We had lunch at Mr. Ramen in Little Tokyo, browsed at Kinokuniya (a very cool Japanese bookstore), and then Pat and I checked out the Hello Kitty exhibition which I’d seen once before and wrote about in Day 74. Sean opted to hang out at a coffee shop this time.

Afterwards, we walked with Pat to Union Station, where she was catching the train back to San Bernardino. By then it was 3:45 PM, and Sean had tickets for the L.A. Galaxy soccer game at 7 PM. So we did some food shopping at Marukai Market, ate some take-out sushi, hung out in the open plaza area at the Weller Court Shopping Center, and read our books until it was time to go to the game. Normally, I am not a huge sports fan and I don’t particularly enjoy being at a crowded sporting event. But Sean did go with me to the Hello Kitty exhibition the first time, so it was only fair that I go with him to the soccer game tonight.

He did buy me a cool L.A. Galaxy t-shirt, though. Because if there was one thing he saw at the Hello Kitty exhibition and totally understood, it was the Sanrio philosophy: “Small gift, big smile.”

April 26, 2015
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Day 115/365: Being Married This Long Means Having Your Own Damn Box of Chocolates

This week the old speaker dock for my iPod died, which bummed me out because I like having music playing around the house. So today Sean and I drove down to San Luis Obispo for lunch and a trip to Best Buy for new speakers.

After we made our purchase and headed out to the car, I told Sean, “I’m going to See’s Candies.” Which was conveniently located right across the parking lot in the same shopping center. I am a huge fan of the See’s box of Nuts and Chews. I could eat a whole one-pound box of Nuts and Chews over a weekend, but I have to pace myself to make the candy last at least four days. It’s a good exercise in restraint.

“I’ll come with you,” Sean said.

“I’m going to buy one box of Nuts and Chews,” I said. “I can buy you a lollipop, or a box of lollipops, or your own box of chocolates. Anything you want in the store.”

“No, thanks,” Sean said. “You don’t have to buy me any candy. I’ll just have some of yours.”

“No,” I told him. “There’s not going to be any sharing. If you want some chocolates, I will buy you your own box of Nuts and Chews, but you can’t have any of mine.”

“Wow,” Sean said. “I guess we’ve been married that long. That was a reverse scenario. That’s something you picked up from me, isn’t it?”

Because yes, in the past I was the one saying, “I’ll just have some of your fries,” (or cake, or frozen yogurt, or any of a million things) and Sean going, “No. I will buy you your own, but you can’t have some of mine.”

I guess we have been married that long.

His and hers boxes of chocolate. You can guess which one I’ll be eating. And not sharing.

April 20, 2015
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Day 109/365: Pink and Yellow Striped Socks, Completed

A couple of socks, just hanging out. Enjoying the sea otters off in the distance.

Today I got it in my head that I wanted to eat a large fisherman’s platter for lunch– you know, the meal consisting of deep fried battered fish and shrimp and scallops and calamari and clam strips, with a hefty side of deep fried French fries thrown in for good measure. So this afternoon Sean and I walked down to Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant near the Embarcadero, and I was fully prepared to feast on a meal of a thousand calories… until we sat down and looked at the menu and my better sense kicked in. I still ordered the fisherman’s platter, but asked for the seafood to be grilled and substituted rice pilaf for French fries. I know, boooo. But I also want to live to at least eighty, with relatively unblocked arteries.

After lunch, we walked down the Promenade and admired the sea otters that were gliding and twirling in the bay just several feet away from us. I brought my completed pair of socks and took some photos. I made this pair of socks for a friend, and I purposely started the second sock without matching the color sequence to the first sock. I thought it would add a little more charm if the socks had mismatched stripes. I’m hoping my friend will think so, too.

April 19, 2015
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Day 108/365: Catching Up on Down Time

With the exception of going out to lunch this afternoon with Sean in San Luis Obispo, I didn’t do much of anything today. It was nice to just sit around and decompress. While Sean graded papers, I made some progress on my sock. I turned the heel and started the ribbing for the cuff. I should be done with it tomorrow.

I’m already trying to decide on my next project and whether I will start another pair of socks or start another crocheted afghan.

April 18, 2015
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Day 107/365: Winding it Down

It’s hard to believe that a week ago today, we were in Minneapolis, it was my 100th post, and I met my longtime online friend Alisha for the very first time.

It has been a busy week, jam-packed with all kinds of activities. We traveled a lot and had a bunch of adventures. We returned to California and went back to work. Now it’s the start of my three-day weekend, and I am looking forward to doing absolutely nothing except sitting around the house here in Morro Bay and just knitting or crocheting.

Happy Friday!

April 14, 2015
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Day 103/365: The Monday After Minneapolis

Last night there were thunderstorms right before we were scheduled to take off, so we sat in the plane and didn’t roll away from the gate for at least forty-five minutes. I didn’t mind waiting, because I had my knitting and was able to turn the heel of my sock and start the ribbing for the cuff.

We had a fairly comfortable flight with no turbulence. The plane landed at LAX at 11:20 PM Pacific Time, but my body and brain were still two hours ahead with Minneapolis time. After waiting for my bag at baggage claim, we still had to catch the shuttle to long-term parking, pick up our car, and make the drive back to Ventura. We didn’t get home until around 1:30 AM, I think. I’m not sure, because the minute I walked in the door, I went straight to bed.

Today I had 150 miles more to travel to my final destination, our house in Morro Bay. Then I had a handful of errands to run, including going to the accountant to pick up our completed tax paperwork so that we can meet the April 15 deadline.

I meant to take photos of my current sock in progress, but I didn’t have time for that today. So instead, I will share with you pictures of the statues that we looked at yesterday when we were in downtown Minneapolis and in downtown St. Paul. With all the traveling and miles covered since then, I can’t believe that I took these photos just yesterday.

The Mary Tyler Moore statue in downtown Minneapolis.

Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at a park in downtown St. Paul.

Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, and their pal Sean.

Lucy and Schroeder.

Linus and Sally.

Linus and Sally and their pal Sean.

Woodstock, Marcie, and Peppermint Patty.

Sean and Peppermint Patty.

Woodstock, Marcie, Peppermint Patty, and their pal Sean.

April 12, 2015
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Day 102/365: Last Day in Minneapolis

Sean and I are not vegetarians, but we generally try to eat on the healthier end of the diet spectrum. This morning we had breakfast at the Hard Times Cafe, which serves vegan and vegetarian food. It was way better than anything we would have gotten at Applebee’s, which is just outside our hotel.

We’re now back in the hotel room, and I am writing this post to make sure I complete the day’s entry. We have to check out at noon, but our flight isn’t until 8:40 this evening. So we’re going to explore the city by foot and by light rail after we check out, and then we’ll have to head to the airport two hours before our flight, and then we have a three-and-a-half-hour flight, and then we have to drive the 60 miles from Los Angeles back to Ventura, and then Sean has to go back to work tomorrow. Good thing Monday is my regular day off.

We have a couple of things we plan to do this afternoon while we’re out and about. Sean wants to go find more Peanuts statues; we already found one of Lucy. I want to see the Mary Tyler Moore statue, which I believe is located around the area where she was filmed throwing her blue tam o’shanter in the air for the opening credits of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. If I lived here in Minneapolis, I would knit a blue tam and slip it onto the statue late at night. But since I’m already thinking of coming back next year, I could knit a statue-sized one when I get back home and bring it with me next time. Something tells me, though, that I wouldn’t be the first one to have come up with that idea.

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