Hello everyone! How is your summer so far? We spent 10 days in California to visit family and friends on the peninsula. Then, we headed south for a long weekend in Capitola-by-the-Sea (near Santa Cruz). We stayed at a fantastic, bizarre home along the creek, a few minutes walk from the beach, and had a great time.
The property had two buildings: the Windmill and the Silo. There were multiple bedrooms ascending the tower of the Windmill, kayaks to borrow (which Grant used with Wesley every morning in the creek), a camper (which Wesley loved), a putt putt course, a patio, and a personal porch along the creek. We ate home cooked meals outside in the perfect Capitola evening weather.
Wesley finally tried his first s’more. The fire and marshmallow were big hits.
Good eatin’
Shortly before our trip, Angela met with a friend (former Four Seasons co-worker) at a Baltimore Italian restaurant called Tagliata. The ambiance and service were excellent and they served traditional dishes with incredibly season and fresh ingredients.
Angela had a risotto with corn and tomatoes that was incredibly tasty. Grant didn’t get to go, so he is now very jealous, and eager to visit along with Angela (and ideally no children).
Kids are Cute
Since we left, Ava transitioned from “sorta crawling” to “crawling vigorously as soon as she sees something interesting.” As soon as she arrives at her destination, she immediately pulls herself up to stand. Wesley started walking a little after his first birthday. It seems clear Ava might beat him to that milestone by a hair.
Both of the kids continue to be really good flyers. Wesley bounces between chatting, looking out the window, and watching the iPad (which is a rare treat to which Grant finally gives in on an airplane). Ava is just happy to hang out with us and receive our full attention. At some point they do start to break down, and it didn’t help that there was a one hour delay at baggage claim returning home to Baltimore.
House of Sisyphus
We returned home to find one dead basil plant and a withered hydrangea. But, our elder hydrangea are finally blooming!
Furthermore, the backyard grass is vigorously growing back (a large portion of the grass was killed due to the patio construction), and the lilies we migrated, which we were absolutely certain were dead, are back!
The flower beds were also filled with weeds after 10 days without supervision and we desperately need to add a bit of mulch. But, Maryland continues to be one of the most lush, vibrant ecosystems we’ve visited.
In fact, that is one of the standout things we identified when we returned to California. We always felt like northern California was an absolute garden - and it is. But, compared to the vine-crazy lushness of Maryland, California is, well, somewhat of a lush desert. It’s neat to see this through a new lens.
Networking
Angela is job hunting aggressively. This week she attended an auction benefiting the local House of Ruth non-profit. The event is called Crabaret, which Grant thinks is the best name ever. She introduced herself, shook hands, made more introductions, and came home in time to finish Top Chef with Grant.
It’s not easy having to both meet new people and find a new job. Keep Angela in your thoughts!
Out and About
Obviously we’ve been gone for 10 days, so we’re shifting this section a little this week. It has been incredibly hot in Baltimore. Temperatures have been in the high 90s, with humidity pushing the heat index over 100. We left the Bay Area - around 65 degrees - and saw that local temperatures were 108 according to our airline TV. That’s bananas.
We’re definitely having to solve how to stay cool, stay safe, but also get a break from our home. Wesley and Grant will be taking some early morning bike rides and driving to shady parks in the cooler evening. We may visit the Children’s science museum at the inner harbor. We’ll definitely head to R. House or Union Brewing for a snack - after all, the latter has a camper for Wesley to play inside.
One of the coolest things about Maryland is how summer sounds. During the day you hear the humming of the cicadas. At night, this is complemented by the sound of crickets. Thunder and rain join this chorus. It’s an entirely different audio landscape than California, which is neat.
Look forward to a more typical post next week. We are back at work, back at day care, back in the heat, and eager to tackle the weeds and grill delicious things. Enjoy your summer and try to stay cool!
Sounds like a great trip to California! Glad everyone had fun with the family! The house you stayed in sounds really unique!! Hang in there with the job hunt. Something will come up when you least expect it. Plus it has allowed you to get settled in to your new home and city.