Lazy Sunday

Yesterday after we got home from our run and today were pretty miserable weather wise. It's HOT. Like triple digits all week.

Yesterday I pretty much just laid around and tried to read my book club book. I kept falling asleep. This morning I had like 3 pages left so I finished those up and then just sat around all day until it was time to go to bookclub.

We read Janet Evanovich's Notorious Nineteen. I'm not going to lie I did a little groan when this book was picked. I really liked like the first ten. I thought the first one was so hilarious I went out and bought it for my Mom. I NEVER buy books new so that tells you how much I liked it. Anyhow, then she started in with all the in between the numbers books which I just thought were pretty dumb and the books just kept coming and they are all basically the same.

Morelli is hot. Ranger is hot. Lula is a slut. Grandma is silly and gets into mischief. They chase someone and solve some crimes. A car gets blown up.

Yep, pretty much how this one went too. Although I still found some parts funny I'm pretty sure I didn't laugh out loud. So if you are into reading an easy light hearted book this one is for you.


It's my turn next to pick a book so I picked Sandra Brown's The Switch. Mostly because I already listened to the audio book and it was on Kindle pretty cheap. Well I THOUGHT it was. When I got home (after telling everyone what book we were doing) I realized it says it's not coming out on Kindle until August. That's so not going to work. DOH. So now we are going to do Sandra Brown's Rainwater. I have that one on audio book but some reason my computer won't recognize the disc in there so I can't transfer it over to my phone. DARN IT! So I'll just have to listen to it in the car I guess.

Anyhow back to book club. This time it was at Marian's house. She's a great grandma (we have a couple of those) and is super cute. BUT check out what happened!!

Beaver's ate her tree and hauled it away! They also chewed half way through her other tree in her front yard. It's now wrapped with chicken wire. Hopefully the tree won't die. She lives right across from the lake. Kind of makes me glad my house is a little farther away! It's been a lot of hard work to get my trees to grow!

After book club I came back home and sat around some more. I told Scott I'M BORED!! I know! I never say that. Finally I started going through of the books I had on Amazon and sorted through them. I decided to just make 2 lots and put them on Ebay to get them out of here. Hopefully someone will buy them.

Quilting Books and Magazines here and Crochet and Knitting Books and Magazines here

I have a trunk load of stuff I've been setting aside for the thrift store and a little bag of books for each of my nieces.

I need to work on all the patterns I've collected and get those out of here too. Originally I was putting them on Etsy but I noticed that you can put them on Amazon too. Might be worth it, it's pretty easy to sell on there. They just take more time to go through and make sure they have all the pieces. Plus I like to iron them and fold them all nice. It's kind of a relaxation thing for me. But it is time consuming and that's why they've all been sitting in a box. I guess this heat wave will be a good excuse to work on them. God knows it's too hot to do anything outside.

Redwoods Run In The Park

Saturday morning Scott and I got up early to go run the Run In The Park Redwoods 10k. The area the race was in was very pretty (Redwood Regional Park). We generally don't do much in Oakland (it's scary there!) so it's nice to find some NICE parts of it.

It took us a little over an hour to get there. This was to be Scott's first 10k. I knew it was going to be super hard for both of us. I had not ran 6 miles since my half marathon. We did run 5 earlier in the week but that was on flat ground around our neighborhood and this was anything but flat.

We got there with plenty of time to spare before the race. We got our baggies with our goodies, took them back to the car, hit the potty and still had time.

A pre-race photo. I almost forgot to do one of those but Scott remembered.

Finally the race started and we were off! We stayed together for about a mile and then I put in both my ear buds and just worried about myself. I ran for awhile and then the hills started to get really steep so I started walking up the hills to try and save some of my energy. There were A LOT of hills.  I probably ended up walking about 3/4 of the race. A bit of a fail but hey at least I was out there doing it. 

The hardest parts were right after the 5k turn around. I keep leap frogging with this one guy. He was doing the walking up the hills too for the most part. Sometimes he'd start running before me.

I stopped at all the water spots for a minute or two to drink some water and cool myself off by putting some on my head and down my back. It was definitely warm out there! After the last one I talked to this girl a bit and we leaf frogged eachother for the rest of the race. 

I stopped at the top of the hill to take a picture and the guy and girl both ran past me.  Figures!

I never did catch all the way up to them but she was only a few feet ahead of me at the finish line. 

What's really funny is Scott stopped to take a picture at the exact same spot. How funny is that? A sign we've been with each other forever! 

The last part of the race was downhill of course and I was trying to be careful to not go too fast and hurt myself. I was almost done and somehow twisted my ankle a bit. DARN IT! Luckily it didn't really hurt but it's a little bit sore today. 

I finished the race somewhere around 1:20 on their clock. It wasn't a chip race so the times aren't 100% but close enough. I think Scott said I was like 19 out of 23 or something for my age group. Hey at least I wasn't last! 

My Runkeeper ended up being about a half mile off again. It seems to do that at ever race now. I might have to start saving my pennies to get a Garmin. Might also have to start actually using cash so I have change...

When I got done I looked around to make sure Scott didn't decide to turn around at the 5k marker. He wasn't anywhere to be found so I guessed he went in for the whole 10k! I found the water and walked to the potty and then came back and watched for him. 

Here he comes!!

He did it!! So proud of him. That was one HARD trail. He told me I must have been getting him back for the bike ride. I told him he could pick the next race haha.

See, no one is crying!! It was ok!

After the race we started towards home and kept our eyes out for somewhere to eat. We decided to stop in Dublin and see what we wanted in the big shopping center. We settled on The Red Tractor Cafe. It's a nice little place and the food was REALLY good.

I got an egg white omelet. You could pick 3 things off this list so I got bacon, cheese and tomatoes. It was really filling. It came with home fries also. The home fries had a lot of rosemary in them which wasn't my favorite but ketchup makes everything better.

I gave the biscuit thing to Scott.

After brunch we went over to Sport's Chalet. Scott and Trevor have been building a bike together and he needed a chain. I had a coupon from there on my phone so I went and checked out their cycling stuff. I ended up getting a cycling jersey and a pair of cycling shoes, both were half off and Scott got the bike chain and brake pads. We got out of there for under $100. Not too shabby! Just the shoes would have been $100 before they were marked down.

I told Scott now we are one more step closer to actually looking like we know what we are doing when we go cycling. I haven't tried out the shoes yet since it's 100 and freaking death degrees outside right now but I"m excited to try them.

Another Day Another Donut... Or Not

I finally got my son off the computer long enough for me to do a blog post. That boy is addicted to Minecraft and You Tube videos of Pokemon lately.

Wednesday I woke up feeling a bit depressed and mad at myself. I had been really good with my eating the day before. That is until after lunch at work when they brought in some left overs from a conference. Donuts and sandwiches on this really thick bread. I had a donut and a slice of the sandwich. Plus we missed going to the gym because it was 9:00 by the time we had dinner.

Sometimes I think I'm just never going to get myself under control. I used to be so good at resisting temptation but man those donuts get me so many times!!

I got out of bed and took a few pictures of myself in the mirror. Sounds funny but they actually made me feel BETTER. While my stomach area is no where near where I want it to be at least I have rocking legs! My arms aren't too bad either if I do say so myself. I've totally earned both of those with hard work!! Now if I could just get my stomach to stop reflecting all my bed decisions.

 I know the only way that's going to happen is if I eat cleaner. I am putting in a good effort. Not 100% but definitely thinking about what I'm putting my mouth. I did great Wednesday.

Lately after work instead of getting on the computer (because the kid is on it) I've been laying on the couch and watching TV, which usually leads to me taking a nap. Wednesday after work I went to the grocery store and then came home and changed into my work out clothes and hit the gym. I felt bad going without Scott but we already had plans to run later. I kind of felt like I REALLY NEEDED to go work out.

I did some free weights and some ab work and then did 10 minutes on the stairmaster. The first time I did that machine I only lasted 5 minutes. I've decided that each time I go on it I will add 5 minutes. I made it through the 10 minutes without dying!! I came home and made dinner and then we went out for our run. VERY productive day!

Today not as good but that's life and I need to pay attention to each meal and thing I go to put in my mouth. I've been posting what I eat on Instagram (momtaxijulie is my user name) and trying to keep myself accountable.

I did good today until I went over to a friends house and she made us drinks and then we had some fried catfish and fried zucchini. I didn't have a ton but when I got home and figured out the calories I was over for the day. I made everyone else dinner and skipped it for myself (which was fine because I was full) and then we went to the gym.

We worked out in the little weight room that has the machines that you add your own weights to. I swear I get an awesome work out on those things. Unlike the ones with the pins, these you add plates of weights. They have 25, 35 and so on hanging around the machines but if you want anything smaller you have to go to this other section to get them. So of course you try with the higher weights first. I did eventually go get some 10's but my arms are like spaghetti! Awesome work out.

After that I went to tackle the stair master. I've decided to rename it the stair monster so if you see me say that now that's why ;) I programmed it for 15 minutes and made it through the whole thing. GO ME!

Tomorrow is a new day full of good decisions. Hopefully I can make them all mine.

5 Miles and Counting!

We sure are having some strange weather here this week.  Here in the central valley of California we are used to it being hot. I remember one time when it was triple digits for a whole month in August. One of those days it was 120. I'm not even shitting you. We took our boat out on the lake and the lake was like bathwater. You'd have to dive way down to get to anything cooler.


This week it was warm but not too hot, and then it rained. Now it's humid. We don't usually do humid here. We are all used to dry heat. We're all walking around going "eh this is so gross!" So all you people that are living in the humid weather land on a regular basis, you rock for putting up with that crap.

In other news, we didn't end up going for a bike ride on Sunday. We got up a little late and it was a little windy. So we went out and did the 60 minute run Scott had on his schedule for his 5k-10k training. He spent the whole time struggling.

So Monday I told him we should go out and have a do over. He didn't seem to excited about that but we went out and did it. And he ran the whole thing!! YEAH!!

See I knew he could do it. Whenever you have a bad run day just chalk it up to that, a bad run day. Don't beat yourself up,  it will be better the next time!

I think part of what helped was trying to keep it at a slower pace. I swear that's the key to making it through long distances. That and some good music and a large dose of determination.

Oh and Rusty ran the whole thing too. My dog can now run for an hour and five miles. Not too shabby!  Obviously we've moved on from the doggy couch to 5k ;)

Wedding Dress Shopping

Yesterday I went with a friend of mine to look at wedding dresses. There was four of us total that went, the bride, me and two others. Her mom and sister live on the east coast so they weren't able to come.We went to David's Bridal in Roseville.

That is the first time I've shopped for wedding dresses since I shopped for my own. Things have changed quite a bit in 21 years. First of all you pick out the dresses you like online and then they pull them out for you when you get there. She tried on about 7 dresses or so and ended up buying the second one she tried on. The whole experience was fun but nerve wracking!

Can't share any pictures since of course it's a surprise for the groom! Here's my scrapbook page from way back in the day.

Just my mom and I went shopping together for mine. We went to one store and I tried on two dresses. The first one I tried on was the one I bought. I worked in the fabric store back then so I spent a lot of time looking at the pattern books and knew what style I wanted before I even got in there. 

After she was done picking out her dress yesterday we went over to Olive Garden. When I think of Olive Garden all I think about is the Italian Margaritas. Those things are the bomb. Although now I think my friend Carolyn actually makes better ones. 

I had one of those, some salad and the "lighter" lasagna. I should have skipped the bread sticks because they really weren't that good but I had two. After not eating  a lot of bread for so long now when I have something like that I realize that I wasn't missing much.

After lunch we came back to the bride's house and watched Magic Mike and had a glass of champagne. I still don't really like that movie. I've watched it several times and it's just depressing to me. I could just watch the dance scenes and fast forward the rest ;)

Climb That

Tomorrow's Friday WOOT WOOT seems like just yesterday I was thinking this was the longest week ever and now the weekend is almost here.

We just got home from the gym.

This thing?

Is a BEAST! I always see "antijared" posting pictures of himself on it doing something like an hour or two and 500 floors or something insane like that.

I made it 5 minutes before I begged off. That bitch is HARD.

This morning I couldn't even get out of my car without wincing because my ASS is so sore from Tuesday. I'm pretty sure that was due to the setting I had the elliptical on.

We've been doing great on our old schedule of working out again.

Monday Run
Tuesday Gym
Wednesday Run
Thursday Gym
Friday Rest
Sat & Sun Run and or Ride bikes

Of course Scott also rides his bike to and from the train station so he gets at least 10 miles of bike riding in during the week. I've been doing a little walk around the "block" at work which is about 2 miles depending on where I cut over. It kind of depends on what shoes I wear whether or not I want to walk along the railroad tracks. There are huge rocks the use to line it and those things hurt to walk over them if you are wearing sandals. Although I should just take one of my extra pair of tennis shoes that aren't good enough to run in anymore to work. Duh.

We'll see what we end up doing this weekend. If we wake up early enough we should go for our run. Scott has the big 60 minute run on his 5k-10k training. That will be followed by wedding gown shopping with my friend (I see martini's in my future!).

Sunday maybe a bike ride somewhere. Hopefully the wind will cooperate. If it's windy it's not worth going. The wind here is miserable coming off the Altamont.

In other news I finished listening to Julie & Julia today.

I saw the movie when it first came out in the theater with my girls. GREAT movie totally loved it. I expected the book to be a lot like the movie but it wasn't really. I still totally enjoyed it but it was just the Julie part of the story not the Julia. I like how they added that part into the movie.

I have to say listening to the book didn't make me hungry at all because nothing she described even sounded good! I think it's really cool to read about bloggers that really had something exciting come from their blog too! Here is her old blog, it took me awhile to find it.

Food and Finds

I'm starving!!

Tonight for dinner we're having "throw all this crap in a skillet and make it a burrito". Sounds good doesn't? It smells pretty good cooking. Throw an onion in the skillet and everyone gets all excited around here. (I finished making it before I was done writing this, it actually turned out pretty yummy!)

Today is the first day all week that I have not come home and crashed out on the couch. Probably due to the fact I had a Starbucks Frapp on the way home (light of course). Oh and I went by the thrift store on the way home to see if I could find any fun stuff. 

Last week I went in there and spent $5 and got a Creative Memories Scrapbook (with blank black pages in it-yes some day I'll scrapbook again, it's only been a year), two audio books and a couple other things. One of which was this book. I paid .29 for it and sold it for $25 the next day on Amazon. Score! 

Today I didn't find anything really to sell but I found this cool book. It's a bit dated being from the 80's but I really like it!

All the places in here are within driving distance for the most part, if nothing else they will give us some ideas for little adventures. 

I like how they have how long the trail is

and a pretty detailed map.

The first entry in the book is Angel Island. I've never been there but I've heard about it. I think that would be more of just a day trip unless we were already in the city (San Francisco). It's $13-$18 a person just to take the ferry to get to the island. Unless you have your own boat that's the only way you can get there. Looks like a fun way to spend the day.

I also picked up a fairly recent Western Landscaping  book. I always like looking at those and the designs of yards and such in there. 

I spent $1.30 in the thrift store and got a couple more little books. Love that store!

Last night Scott and I went to the gym and we worked out in this one room I've never really been it. It has the weight machines that you add the actual weights to. I'm a bit sore today that's for sure! Tonight we are supposed to go out and run. Rusty will be happy. He was rather sad that we put our shoes on and didn't take him with us last night.

I've been pretty good with my eating all week (I pre-made my lunches on Sunday night) so hopefully I can get back down to my lowest number again soon. I'm sick of this up and down stuff!

Father's Day Sunday

Sunday I slept in until 10:00! I have no idea how that happened. I had woke up earlier but then fell back asleep. I got up and made breakfast (Trevor asked for waffles so that is what we had) and Scott didn't get up until after 11! I think we were tired. Sometimes it feels like we go so much we just needed a day to relax!

We didn't have any plans for the day so we just sat around and were lazy.

I was looking for a race to sign up for June. I have ran in at least one race each month this year and would like to keep that up. Nothing keeps your motivation up like having a race you paid money for. Well for me anyways! I finally decided on the Redwoods Trail Race. It's probably super hard and hilly but it looks way nicer than running around the zoo parking lot. That was the second choice. I have a little over a week and a half so I better run some 10k's around the neighborhood! Scott is also going to do the 10k (that will be his first).

Scott wanted to go to his Dad's house but it was about 5 by the time we went out the door. Of course when we got there they were eating dinner. I thought we might go out and get something when we left so we turned down their offer to join them. We stayed for a couple hours and then when we left Scott said he wasn't hungry. That of course made me starving.

(Scott and his dad, Jess bought him the shirt)

I told him we needed to go to the grocery store so we did that. Melissa and Trevor hung out in the car and when we came out the battery didn't have enough charge for the car to start. Jessica was close by so I had her go run and buy some jumper cables and give the car a jump instead of calling AAA. They seem to take forever now when you call them. We needed some cables anyways. This is the second time I've had to get the car jumped lately. Hopefully it's not going to be an ongoing problem. We took the battery in last time to get it tested and they said it was fine. 

By the time we got home it was 9:00. I threw on some preseasoned carne asada that I bought for dinner. Scott went out and grilled up some chicken breasts for me. I spent the next couple hours putting together lunch meals for the week. Grilled chicken, brown rice, mixed veggies, some yams and fruit salad.

I ate one today, it wasn't too bad. Probably will be sick of it by Friday if the meals last that long. We will be a couple short for the whole week but hopefully we'll have some left overs from other stuff to round it out.

It was actually probably a little bit too much food (ate the fruit salad for a snack later) but it was less calories than going out and I wasn't feeling like I was starving later.

Busy Saturday!

Saturday morning I woke up at my usual time and everyone in the house was still sleeping. I laid there for only a few minutes before I decided that it would be a great time to go for a run!

I haven't ran by myself in I don't know how long. The only times I have ran I have had the dog with me and it's been the couch to 5k runs. Usually Scott and or one of the kids is with me too. 

So I snuck around the house and tried not to let on to the dog what I was doing, although he wasn't too happy when I went out the door without him so I know he knows I was cheating on him. 

I didn't really have a plan. I started off telling myself I had to go around at least one lake but eventually I decided on doing the perimeter of the club and ended up doing 4 ish miles. That's the farthest I have ran since my half marathon. I'm kind of mad at myself for not keeping up with higher mileage but I WAS a bit burnt out. Now I have to build it back up again. 

After I got home I decided to make a protein shake for breakfast. We usually have a big breakfast on Saturday's but I didn't really feel like it. I had everything in the blender and Scott came out and told me to make it a double so I made him one too. 

I sat down for a few minutes and then realized that I did not have much time before we needed to leave to go to my cousin's wedding. She was getting married really close to where we live but it was a 10:30 am wedding.  She got married at the same place as my cousin Courtney (other side of the family though) so we knew where to go and how it worked. 

When we got to where to sit the bride's side was in the shade. I told my Aunt that we lucked out to get in the shade and she said that was because she had them switch sides so she didn't have to sit in the sun haha.

I didn't get too many pictures but made sure to get a few before we left.

This is my Aunt Corine mother of the bride and my Dad's sister.

The pretty centerpieces on the table

My Step Mom Denise and my Dad

The bride, my cousin Debbie

The bride's daughter, my cousin Natalie

and Scott and I outside in the garden.

The wedding was very nice and great to see family we haven't seen in awhile.

Since the wedding started so early we were home by two and then went on to plan two of the day. We went over to my brother Joe's house for a birthday/Father's Day BBQ. Poor Joe has to share his birthday with Father's Day every year. He's going to be 30 on Wednesday. That means we are in the same decade age wise. That's funny to me since I know they all consider me SO OLD.  30 to 39 seems the same age to ME haha.

Here we are with my Step Dad 

Everyone that was there. Melissa didn't go so she's the only one that is missing. 

We stayed pretty late. The kids swam, we BBQ'd, ate and played that catch phrase game we always play. I fell asleep in the car on the way home. Good thing I wasn't driving!

Audio Book Round Up

I've been doing a lot of audio book listening! Time to catch up on a few of my reviews.

Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark

This book starts out with the yearly mother's day call from Mac. Mac has been missing for years but each year he calls his mother on Mother's day to tell her he's ok and not to go looking for him. Mac's sister listens in on this years call and she's PISSED. Why is he being so selfish? His yearly calls make her mother so upset. She can't move because if she does how will he get a hold of her? Mac's sister decides that she is going to figure out what the hell is going on on her own.

This was a pretty good story. Kept me guessing for quite awhile but I did figure most of it out before the end. A good murder mystery that keeps you wanting to read/hear more so you can find out what really happend.

At Risk by Patricia Cornwell

At Risk is the first book in a series. I just realized that. When I was listening to it it seemed like it was a book in the middle of a series and I thought that was why I was a little confused about all the relationships that the people had going on. Nope, it's just a bit confusing.

So the story goes that Win and his girlfriend of sorts are both taking some kind of forensic's training. While he's there he gets a call to go meet his boss and she gives him an assignment to figure out this 20 year old case. But while he's back in the area with his boss there is another crime that he walks into. While he's taking care of that his girlfriend is taking care of the 20 year old case.

While it's a bit confusing I really liked some bits of the story. I liked the boss lady's glass obsession. That sounded really awesome to see. I also really liked the whole Miss Dog part of the story and the Fortune telling Grandma.

Overall I think it was a good story but you might have to go back and reread/listen to a few parts to make sure you caught everything that was going on and how they work things out.

A Hole In The Universe by Mary McGarry Morris

For some reason I really liked this story. It's a bit slow but the story was very interesting to me.

Gordon has been in jail for 25 years. Upon his release the large framed 300 pound man goes back to his childhood home that his parents left to him after they died (while he was in jail). The neighborhood is no longer a nice place to live. It's been taken over by drug dealers.

His old lady neighbor of his childhood still lives next door but the rest of the neighborhood has just went to ruins. Across the street lives Jada who is a teenager and her crack head mother.

Gordon's brother is a total prick but is the only one left in his family. No matter what Gordon does he can't make his brother happy.

Delores, a girl he went to school with went to see him and wrote him letters the whole time she was in jail. Gordon has mixed feelings about Delores who just invites herself into his life.

The book is about all these characters and the struggle Gordon has trying to live his life in the simpliest way possible but everything keeps happening around him and he has to deal with things if he wants to or not.

 A Change In Altitude by Anita Shreve

This is one of those books that I feels like there is just too much information. Too much going on. Like cut it down about 100 pages and we can still have a good story.

Margaret and her husband Patrick are American's living in Kenya. The book starts off with them living with Diana and Arthur while their "cottage" they are renting from them is waiting for a plumber to come fix the toilet or something. While they are there Patrick informs her that they are going to go hike this local mountain. Margaret is like um well maybe I should go buy some hiking boots?

They go on their hike and  one thing leads to another and then their whole relationship (which didn't really seem that great to start with) seems to be thrown off kilter.

The story takes you on a year's journey through the life of Margaret while she tries to find herself. Overall it was a good story. Just a BIT long ;)

Mendocino and California Coast

Monday morning we got up and hit the hotel breakfast again. I was STARVING since all I ate the day before for dinner was a piece of chicken. I loaded up on the hotel carby breakfast and then waddled back to the room and laid in bed some more. We didn't have to check until eleven and I didn't really see any reason to rush around. Eventually though we got moving and we were on the road by ten thirty. 

First stop? Jack In The Box. I was still starving.  Then we went back and took the road that we rode our bicycles on all the way to Mendocino. 

As our car labored to make it over the hills we thought about how amazing it was that we had actually rode our bikes over that mountain. We may not have done it easily but we did it nonetheless. 

When the road ended we were in Mendocino. Twenty years earlier we took our honeymoon in the Mendocino area. We rented a house at "Irish Beach" for about five days. I had actually looked into renting the house again but it wasn't anywhere to be found. 

While we were on our honeymoon we spent most of the christening every room, doing puzzles, cooking our own meals, driving up and down the coast and trying not to spend much money. 

Because we didn't have any.

It was fun to be in the same area 20 years later.

First off we walked around the little town of Mendocino. 

It's too bad we didn't have front facing cameras back then. We would have had a lot more pictures of us together. Instead we had a little 110 camera with a flip flash. That stuff wasn't cheap!

I LOVE this wooden flower lined walk way to this garage building.

There were tons of these weird flower tree things. Weird. Anyone know what they are? They grew probably ten feet tall!

Pretty ocean view

I love this little wooden fence with all the flowers. This place had a ton of neat sculpture type things made out of driftwood. 

This was the Ford House Visitor Center (we should have went in there)

I would be happy to just walk around taking pictures of all the cute houses all day. But I had Scott with me ;)

After that I drove us down the coast. We found the little area where we rented the house on our honeymoon and drove right to it!

It's kind of weird that it doesn't have a drive way. Scott said he thinks it was like that back then. I don't remember. It looks like someone lives there now. 

Scott said there is a new front door (I don't know how he remembers stuff like that?) but other than that it looks the same. It also has a house number instead of a sign that it was the Engle House. We only saw one house there that still had a name on it so I think maybe they don't rent many houses there anymore. 

This is the side that faces the water. Along those windows was long benches that you could sit on. The kitchen was also able to see out the windows. That part that sticks up is a loft room. 

Here's a picture of a picture of me out on the deck 20 years ago.

and a current view from the road in front of the house

I'm so glad we drove there. It was really fun to reminisce about our time there. 

We continued driving down highway 1 and stopped in the town of Gualala to EAT again. I swear I was a bottomless pit!! So hungry all day. We ended up stopping at Bones Roadhouse. 

We were seated next to the window but this was my view. 

Gotta love a place that lets a dog hang out in the bar.

The view to my side and behind me was the ocean. 

and directly in front of me? A pretty nice view too ;)

We probably should have ordered BBQ since this was a BBQ joint but we ordered clam chowder

and fish and chips

It was all really good! I bet that place is packed on the weekends. I'd definitely go back if I was in the area.

After dinner it was just a long ride down the coast 

and then we had to head inland to get home. I drove until Petaluma and then let Scott take over. It was a lot of hours in the car and driving along the coast was exhausting. We finally got to my Mom's to pick up the kids around nine. We visited for a bit and then had to head home. 

It was a very nice vacation (minus the torture ride part!)