Peppy's Dream Moving Adventure Blog

I went to sleep late and woke up early.  After I finished blogging last night, I kept working on the computer.  I did some room planning for Bob by using some free online planners, which don’t really work that great.  The best thing to do is measure out 1 inch equals 1 foot on paper and plot out the room using good old paper and pencil!

The measurements of rooms and furniture can be exact online, down to the inch, but the pieces are hard to move and line up with your mouse, and the end result ends up looking just as rudimentary.  I did have fun trying it out and did his dining room, master bedroom, living room and TV room.  They also don’t have all the options you require, so you have to kind of fudge some of the furniture pieces.  Anyway, it was a fun learning experience, although sometimes very frustrating!

When I finally went to sleep, it took me a while to actually fall asleep.  Eric had been sleeping for a few hours already, and he was still sleeping when I woke up at 8:00am!

We were getting picked up for brunch at 11:00am, so I figured it would give me some time to do some stuff around the apartment.  I cleaned up my desk, which always seems to get a mess.  I never have a messy desk at work, and never had one in the shop either.  I don’t know why I let my home office get so messy with papers all over the place.  I need to get more organized!

I ordered to vintage-inspired dresses from NEWPORT NEWS which were both on sale for $30!  They are gorgeous and I love them, but both need altering, so I’m going to have to make the time to go to the dressmaker, who is in the shopping center 3 miles away.  She already did some work for me and does a great job at very reasonable prices.  I figured at $30 a dress I could afford to have them hemmed and fitted a little better.  I need more clothes for work, and these will also work for going out at night on the weekends, too!

When Eric got up I stripped the beds and got the laundry all together, so I could start the wash as soon as we got back this afternoon.  I put away some stuff in the bedroom and put all my decoupage supplies away, since I won’t be doing any projects this week.

Elsa and Stephen picked us up at 11:00am and we drove to THE WAVEHOUSE.  We parked in a big lot and walked along the boardwalk at Mission Beach going into THE WAVEHOUSE through the beach entrance.  A buffet brunch is served from 10am – 2pm, and there’s a guy playing Jimmy Buffet and other of the same style songs on the guitar with a machine that adds some extra instruments and some percussion.  He was pretty good!  The BRUTICUS MAXIMUS was open, so Eric got to see the pros, and some brave souls on the waves.  He thought it was pretty amazing!

The buffet was very extensive with lots of breakfast foods and then lots of lunch dishes.  There was an omelet station, bacon, sausage, ham, French toast, waffles, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and home fries.  On another table there were crab legs and shrimp on ice with lemon and cocktail sauce and baked salmon with an orange glaze.

On another table there was cold macaroni salad, couscous, macaroni and cheese, chicken, enchiladas, and carne asada.  At the last table there was a coffee set-up (with decaf!), and lots of fruit, cookies and pastries.

We filled our plates and sat down on benches outside with a nice umbrella, so we were all sitting in the shade.  Eric immediately hit it off with Stephen and they had a lot to talk about.  Of course, Elsa and I always have a lot to talk about, which makes our rides to and from work so pleasant.  She’s such a doll and she's fun to be with and has an easy laugh.  I really feel lucky that I met her, that she lives so close, and that she has become a friend.  I didn’t mention it, because it would sound weird and might freak her out, but she’s my best friend in San Diego!  That’s not really saying much, because I hardly know anybody, but she’s been very kind to me and has really made my stay at the firm go smoothly.

Our brunch came with two free drinks, so Elsa and I had Mimosas and Eric and Stephen had Bloody Marys.  They each had a second drink, but Eric and I just had the one.  When we finished our first plates, we went back to try some other stuff we didn’t pick the first time around.  Elsa and I didn’t get much, and I had some little pastries and some fruit.  Eric and Stephen got another plate full of food and then went back for a third with dessert!

We were totally stuffed when we left.  It was a gorgeous day, with a beautiful breeze blowing, and it was so comfortable sitting outside.  The place was pretty empty when we arrived, but by the time we left it was pretty packed.

At 2:00pm a band sets up and the place becomes more of a bar and club, and less of a restaurant.  They have these individual cabanas that they set up with these cushioned wide benches and round ottomans, so everyone must be laying around.  They say it’s a very young crowd, and we didn’t stick around long after we were done eating.

They dropped us off back at the apartment and we came upstairs.  We wanted to go out right away, but we were so stuffed and so tired and so we decided to lie down for a while.  Big surprise!

We only took a fast nap and when we got up we were going to put the laundry in, but all four machines were being used, so Eric put the laundry back in the apartment while I walked with the cart to KEIL’S and then he met me inside the supermarket.  We did a fast shopping and then I did 3 loads of laundry and went back upstairs.

We had recorded MONEY TALKS a 1997 film starring CHRIS TUCKER and CHARLIE SHEEN.  It was pretty funny and I like both those actors.  We stopped watching so I could go down and throw everything in the dryer, do my “quick steam” and then bring everything back up to hang on the line.  Then, we finished the movie.

After that, we watched AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.  They narrowed it down from the top 60 to the top 40 and now the top 40 will to to Hollywood to compete live and America will vote.  The winner gets $1 million and a definite contract to perform in Las Vegas.  Not bad!

When we got hungry again I made a salad (not too big – just snap peas, spinach, cucumber, veggie shreds (fake cheese) walnuts, and cilantro and we cooked up more Mahi Mahi (since it tasted SO good last time).  We made it the same way – with the wasabi mayo, pecans, lemon juice and a little olive oil.  It came out great!

We watched the Olympics for a while.  I love watching the gymnasts, because they’re so talented and their bodies do such amazing things, but I can’t help feeling sorry for them, because I really feel like they don’t have a life.  The commentator spoke about one 20-year old Chinese female gymnast, saying she begged her parents to let her come home and not make her compete and, “We’re glad she’s here, because we got to see her great performance.”  I wanted to say, “What about what SHE wants?”  It’s amazing to me that these children are taken away from their families, training all day all their lives, and forced to compete to honor their country.  At least in the United States the children get to stay with their families, and I think they try to have a pretty normal life.  I really feel sorry for a lot of them.

We’ve got a busy week coming up.  Tomorrow night we’re having dinner with Marianne and Allan, because they’re heading back to NY next weekend.  On Wednesday I’m having dinner with my friend Robyn.  On Thursday we have our appointment and then usually go out to dinner.  Friday Ilene is coming and it will be a whirlwind weekend of fun and excitement – A Broadway show that’s come to San Diego on Saturday night (SPRING AWAKENING), an Art Festival in Laguna Beach on Sunday, and a lot of fun stuff inbetween!

Before I close, I want to tell you about these great videos my friend, Sergio, in New Orleans has been putting together.  He calls them "photo parade videos," and he takes a classic song and chooses pictures to go with the music.  He does a great job and they're really fun.

His latest (and I think greatest) is a tribute to Sophia Loren.  Below is what he sent me, with the link, so you can check it out.  If you like it, you can search for more going to www.youtube.com and typing in his online name -- Boopkid.  Enjoy!