Warmth, flowers and the sea at last!

Reservoir for all of San Francisco and San Mateo counties surrounded by walking paths

I love this beach house in Miramar

ice plant not in bloom

red wood of manzanita tree

moss

seals

sedum

seals from above

Steve at cool sushi restaurant

sunset from my brother's deck

 So we are here away from the thundersnow storm yesterday and drivers in a snow rage shooting at snowplow operators for blocking them in. No snow here! Flowers!!!! Blossoms! Green! Warm Sun!
It does this winter weary soul good.

But things never go smoothly. Just as we were leaving for the airport with little time to spare as it was, I get a call saying the plane will leave a half hour early!! Great time to tell me. Rush, rush, rush. Big line just to check-in luggage, big security line made easier at the last second when we were told we were prescreened and could skip most of the line. ( and why were we prescreened? Our history of taking many flights without incident?) But wait...one of Steve's bags goes missing? Hurry..hurry..where is it? They had taken it aside for  additional screening. His swiss army knife was it. They were not amused. He could check it in ( and stand in 2 more lines, would he need to pay for it?) as the plane was boarding or give it up. I said he had to give it up and he pouted the rest of the day. I had given it to him 30 years ago. They were boarding as we got there made more time consuming as they switched planes at the last second so we could be crammed in even more and had to give us all new seats. But we all boarded in time for the new departure and then we just sat....and sat and sat. Finally they admitted the captain was missing but not to worry, he would be replaced..soon. And then he showed but another staff member needed replacement..and then we left the gate but stopped for a long time as a check engine light came on. They were debating over the loud speaker whether to go back to the gate but then the problem was solved and our very bumpy ride was on its way.I guess it took a while for them to realize all their venting about the poor service record of this plane was audible for all of us to uneasily overhear. We were in the way back, so far back they ran out of food for us. When I complained, the flight attendant snapped..how do you think we feel..and bring your own food. So we were late and another long line at the rental place but at least their up selling was minimal. They did their usual trying to presell gas at $3.90 a gallon claiming it was $4.50  in San Francisco. They are betting you won't use it up. We stupidly fell for this trick once making the gas cost us $6 a gallon. Meanwhile gas at Costco less than 2 miles away was $3.47, almost Michigan prices.

I wanted to sit outside for lunch facing the beach but no..grumpy Steve said too much sun. Too much sun..how can that ever be! But he sat under an overhang. We first went to Moss Beach where there is a marine reserve to look at the seals. We will go there later today for tide pools ( I have the low tide times memorized) Ran into an Amish family enjoying the seals..how did they get there? We walked on top of cliffs through forests, which put Steve in a better mood though he likes to stand right on the edge of eroding cliffs.

We were tired when we got to my brother's house. We didn't want to go out again. I drank some wine as the sun went down. His house is high up on a hill overlooking the ocean.

Tessa must have gotten a hold of mama's phone and called me before 6 am. But as soon as the sun came up, we went to Miramar for Steve to eat and me to run. So, so pretty. I then got a bite to eat eating in the gardens, we went for a beach walk, then back for a shower. For lunch, we walked around the cute town of Half Moon  Bay, about 5 miles from my brothers. I bought a beautiful top from a boutique and we had a bento box at a very interesting sushi place. Beautiful decor. I had spicy plum wine. The streets are lined with murals and guava trees with their red brush bristle blossoms. And then we headed inland for a hike along the reservoir created by a rift valley due to the San Andreas fault that runs along side of it. Very pretty.