Californ-i-a. A Visit.

Surreal. Being somewhere, feeling strangely at home in a place you’re visiting. Like when I first moved back to Milwaukee I would say to myself…double darn! I wish I could go to Beans and Barley to get the fresh salsa! And then, duh, I’m here, not in California. It happens every once in a while here, too, where I think there’s someone in Cali I’d like to visit, but I’m here. While visiting my sis, I had these panic moments, like, where’s my car?!!? Because I usually parked it out front. But, it was sitting in a parking lot at the MKE airport. It was disconcerting.

What wasn’t disconcerting was seeing sis, bro, and the kids. Great to have some time talking with sis while sitting near the ocean. She’s such a lovely mom. Still a lovely seester. Excellent to see my nephew attempt walking. Well, squats, really. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. He’s such a cutie and so much fun. Good to have a dance with my niece, who’s almost four. She’s a twirler. I’m more of a bouncer- shaker. We get along really well in spite of this challenging difference. She’s practically talking like a grown-up. Soon she’ll be philosophizing and prognosticating, fer heaven’s sake. My brother–in-law talks like a grown-up too. He’s really coming along. ;) He’s always got good advice for me, which is appreciated.

Also got to visit with friends I haven’t seen in a few months, have some good chats. Things have really changed a lot for them since I left. A lot of people seem to be in transition these days. New things to do. New job dynamics. Relationship changes. And so on.

Played Rock Band. New songs, same band. These are fantastic people to be musical with in video-game format. Actually had fun singing Lady Ga Ga if you can believe that. Surprise of the evening. I feel badly because I just can’t get into the instruments of said game. It appears to be the same as my “real life” band, that I really want to sing back-up and dance. Hm. You and me, we’ve got a bad romance…ro ma roma ma oh ra ra la ma ra ma la ma ding dong, etc. A couple of my friends got into an accident on the way over that evening and still ended up making it! Amazing. Silly man mistook his accelerator for a brake at a stoplight. Yikes. They sound like their bods are in OK shape, but now to partake in the pain of insurance/repair/new car? I feel for them.

It seems like it’s been a helluva winter overall. Maybe I’m tainted because I’ve been sick, sprained my toe, I’m cold, etc., seems like one thing after the other, and so on, and so on. Does anyone else feel like it’s time for a run of the positive? Come on, spring!