Something borrowed

Today is the big day.  Cas and I fly to LAX around dinner time, then on to Melbourne after that.  I have packed what I think I will need for a 25 day trip, assuming I have the chance to wash a few things along the way.  If I can't find an Australian laundromat, I have some travel Tide, and I'm washing things in a sink.  I refuse to pack any more than this. 

I have to stop by Mom and Dad's house today.  Cas and I had lunch with Mom on Sunday, but she forgot to bring my something borrowed.  I have something that is both new and blue.  Perks of having a sapphire for an engagement ring, then having a short engagement. 

She had an idea that would knock out the rest of the categories in the old rhyme:

Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue and a lucky penny for your shoe.

Dad has located the oldest penny he could, and he set it aside for me.  The trick is going to be getting it to stay in my shoe, since I have a pair of pretty sandals for the beach.  I think we're going to bring some tape into this tradition... 

Anyhow, it's just after 8 am.  We have to take off for the airport at around 3 pm.  That gives Cas time to get his hair cut and me enough time to go pick up an old penny from my parents' house. 

So... Away we go...

Ciderday

Ciderday comes after Friday and before Sunday. We had Ciderday yesterday. 

But let me back up for a moment... On Friday during the evening, we decided to go to the movies. We saw the new X Men film. It's been in theaters so long that we were there with maybe 20 other people at the most. It caused me to realize kind of a funny thing- there is an actor in that movie who is portraying a younger version of a character later portrayed by Patrick Stewart. Earlier in the week, Cas and I watched Star Trak: Nemesis at the house, which features an actor playing a younger version of the Patrick Stewart character in that film. It's a little strange to think we've watched two different men attempt to look and act like a young Patrick Stewart this week. That's oddly specific. 

Anyhow, after Friday night's movie date, our next big thing was Ciderday. See? Told you I'd get to it. 

Cas and I wanted to tour the Bishop Cider company, and yesterday turned out to be the perfect opportunity. We got there about five minutes early, so we cruised around the neighborhood a little. When we did get there, we almost immediately left- at the urging of the bartender- to get some food. We got back in time to have a cider and eat half of the Taco Cabana treats before the tour began. It was a pretty straightforward tour, consisting of the owner explaining how he makes hard cider in a very warm room full of large vats and canning and bottling equipment. 

Of course, we took a taproom selfie. 

I don't know if we have a choice about selfies at this point. We also played a rather intense few games of Jenga. 

It was, as usual, a totally kick ass day. That's how we roll, though. After we took off from the cider place, Cas decided we needed to explore the Large Marge. That's the Dallas-issued nickname for the Margaret Hunt-Hill Bridge. It was designed by a Spanish guy named Calatrava, who has a bit of a speckled past in Europe. Maybe the current bridge and the one under construction in Dallas are his chance to redeem himself. 

We went across it twice- once, to enter the cruddy neighborhood it serves and once to get back to a major thoroughfare. I have no idea why we needed a fancy beidge to connect that cruddy neighborhood to the rest of the city. Maybe it's a long term planning thing. 

Anyhow, enjoy these photos: 

And happy Sunday. We leave Tuesday. Getting pretty close, here... 

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

Yesterday, I went out with Mom.  We had plans to eat lunch together, then she wanted to get a haircut.  We started out at Holy Frijoles with some tacos and margaritas.  Not a bad Thursday, if you ask me.  At some point, I mentioned that I wanted to get a pedicure.  I have mixed feelings about pedicures, but I wanted to have one before the trip so my feet wouldn't be so calloused.  I feel like there's some kind of classist mindset in asking another person to crouch before you and clean your feet.  Heck, I can count the number of pedicures I have had on one hand (or more appropriately, I can count them on one foot).  But I got one for a friend's wedding, and I got one for Danny's wedding.  I should probably have my toes cute for my wedding.  It seems only fair.  Mom was down to clown, and so we had a mother-daughter day where this happened:

My toes are cute, my callouses are gone and Mom actually liked going.  She has had fewer pedicures than I have- the total as of today for her is just the one.  Between the massage chair, the warm spa water on the feet and the hot stone massage of the calves, she may become a regular.  

After that, we went to get her hair cut.  She wanted a cut that looks like something she has seen Helen Mirren wear.  It's pretty cute and a lot shorter than she is accustomed to, so it should be nice in the summer when long hair feels like a scarf.  As I left the house, I called her Dame Helen.  Of course.  

It was totally a fun day.  We had lunch with drinks, got our toes pretty and got Mom a haircut.  The whole list sounds a little girly for both of us, but we had a good time.  

When I got home, Cas was at the gym.  I didn't go at all, so I think there's a trip coming today.  When he got home, he wanted to try out a new place in the neighborhood called Whistle Britches.  Yesterday was its grand opening, and neither of us had ever been to a restaurant on its opening day before.  

The menu had words on it that you don't normally see on casual dining menus, but the atmosphere was quite casual.  We split an appetizer and we split a sandwich,  That was plenty.  Their sandwiches are rather large.  I presume we'll be back, but not every day or anything.  The margarita was $7 and the old fashioned was $10.  If we're looking for a replacement for Pat's and Mike's after school, we need to keep looking.  

Anyhow, it's about time to go get a smoothie and some breakfast working in the kitchen.  I have some laundry to do and only four days left until the trip.  Enough spa day and new restaurant exploration, I suppose.  Time to get going...