Big Sur

Over the weekend I was able to spend time with family in Big Sur. I left super early on Friday morning. I flew into LA, rented a car, then drove all the way up to Monterey where I met Molly and her family, Sherod, and our niece Sarah.  

The weather was gorgeous the entire time. And the beauty of the setting was amazing!!!
We did just a lot of sitting around and talking and playing with the kids. Sherod and I camped in tents on the property. That was great because I love camping, but I hate packing to camp, and Sherod brought all of the equipment. All I had to do was show up!

 
These photos were taken just before a couple of large California Condor birds flew towards us from over the sea, then swooped right up in front of us and over our heads, then glided around in our view. I didn't get photos of it, I was too caught up in the moment, but Scott did and he could even make out one of their tag numbers! Condors were nearly extinct when I was a kid and there are still not very many alive today. So it was pretty special. Also special because Sherod said he has always dreamed of seeing a California Condor and he had been on the lookout for them in California since he was a kid, but never saw one until this day.

 
Molly had all of these cool artifacts from my childhood and lots of old photos around that I got a kick out of seeing. I took a couple of photos of these things. First this one with my sisters and mom when I was about 13. This was taken in our living room.

 
And this photo of my baby brother Sam when he was about my baby Sam's age. They look so alike! 

 
And this ceramic bunny I made when I was younger for my parents as a gift. 

 
"A.W. to Dad" is all I can make out on the bottom." But I remember making this! 

 
Some selfies and sunset photos from an amazing and beautiful evening on Saturday night. 

 
Molly's dogs were so wonderful! 

 
On Sunday night Emily arrived and we all went out to a gorgeous dinner in Big Sur that Sherod treated us to. But I forgot to get some photos with Emily and at the restaurant before I left town!

After Big Sur, I drove down to Bakersfield to visit my Grandparents. We had a fantastic visit.  

 
They got this blanket for Christmas and just loved to show it to me.  

 
After that I stopped by Emily and Sherod's for a little while, which was also great. 

 
Then I drove to LA from there. I didn't get into LA until almost midnight and had a super scary, near death experience where I was verbally attacked and threatened in a dark street, all alone, in LA. It was a tall dark man who was dressed like he was a drug lord, and he had a long black leather jacket on, and one hand inside of it, hiding what looked like a gun. He just appeared there and the stuff he was saying made it clear that he intended to either rape me, mug me, or murder me. And he really could have because nobody was around and I could not run due to just having knee surgery. It was absolutely terrifying. I wont go into too many details, but I had to really think fast and hard and negotiate and talk him down. But I walked away a very relieved and grateful girl! 

 
When I got back to LA the next day it was FREEZING in Austin! Here is how my car windows looked at the airport. Very thick, wavy ice that was un-scrapable, it was so thick. School actually got cancelled. Very unusual weather! I was glad I had missed most of it.