I haven’t been blogging regularly. We’ve been out doing stuff =)

I love California. I can drive 200 miles and actually be somewhere else. It’s rad, it’s awesome, it’s so not Hawaii! I’m still not homesick. I’m constantly finding more things to enjoy about being here, and more reasons to kick myself for not having moved decades ago. I miss my friends back home, though. Calls to my pals have been increasing, a sure indication that I’m itching to see them again soon. That’s the only sucky thing about not being in the islands.

I’ve uploaded some new photos of the Kid, and some of the Kid with her father (because he was in front of the camera while I was snapping away). We visited a cute little neighborhood carnival, took a trek out to Anza-Borrego Desert (passing through Ramona, Julian, and greater Poway), and just came back from a couple of hours at Sweetwater Equestrian Center in Bonita, California, where we did some horseback riding. Not all of it was done today, obviously…I don’t have that kind of stamina =D

Today, however, everything below the waist hurts like heck. I haven’t ridden since before the Kid was born, going on close to thirteen years. But it was soooooooo much fun. This was Cyd’s first serious horse ride and she loved it. I’m going to try to take her once a month, though I’d like to find a ranch that has a less linear trail. Something with some hills and scenery.

Besides these excursions, there have been dinners…and dinners…and last night’s awesome barbeque…with differing configurations of Melissa & Matt, John & Michelle, Rich & Jodie, Broos, Tracy. Broos has been elected my personal maitre d’, because he knows where all the good beef is served and has yet to steer me wrong — *rimshot*. If Simu did nothing else for me (it has, but let’s not go there today), it introduced me to these rare Human gems that I am, all these years later, still pleased to have in my life. Warm fuzzies!!

Some of my spare time’s been spent in LOTRO beta. Now that it’s in open beta it’s taken on a more mainstream feel, as OOC chat becomes flamey and Barrens-y and full of “LFF” or “WTS/WTB,” but so far…so far…it isn’t enough to turn me off. I believe I’ll be doing the lifetime subscription when they launch. Still can’t put my finger on why I like the game so much, but I do. I’ve been doing the beta on the Brandywine server, but as of the open beta I’ve run into some old SWG buddies and have been playing on Silverlode. So if you’re doing LOTRO, come hook up! I’d love for us to be on the same server.

There are still a big batch of boxes to unpack and furniture that needs to be bought, but I’m not so keen on fixing the apartment up because I know I’ll be looking for another place by the end of the year. There’s also too much nifty AFK stuff to do here. Which is how I started this post and is how I’ll end it.

Love each other!