Park Way

We've moved up the hill to Park Way, just under the Y. We closed on this house two months ago and just moved in. In the mean time we replaced the sewer lateral, the municipal intake, all the electric in the house, a number of other things, and had the inside painted.

The yard is huge, the inside is meant to be Spanish style. We can see the airplanes taxi and take off. We can plant citrus trees.

We are only a couple blocks from Grand Avenue. I walked there with Xochitl this morning. Galli's is closed Sunday's but Starbucks is hopping. On the way home they were setting up to sell churros at All Souls. I hope there are tamales too.

Can't wait to grow her own garden

This is what we call "the vegetable dress". It is too small for her now, but hopefully it will inspire us all, who doesn't love a homegrown carrot?

Out and about with the baby

This morning I took Xochitl out in the Ergo carrier. That's always a gamble. She gets hot and then wants out. That's fine if you are not alone, or also have brought your stroller, or have a car nearby. but to get out on foot with nary a diaper in your pocket, is quite a brazen move. We made it all the way to the McDonald's on El Camino where I got an iced latte before I decided I had pushed my luck quite enough. By the time I made it back to Orange Park I had relaxed again and we strolled by the dog park.

At the dog park were a couple of people and I heard one say "that it used to be all italians up there". This peaked my interest since my family is among said italians, and we have been around this town for a while. Then they started to talk about where in Italy their families were from. I wanted to join in with a "Genoa", but I just smiled, threw away my latte cup and moved on.

Trying to buy a house...

The last time this place was sold it was for about 300k more than it is currently listed. Terrible if you bought a house back then, not so terrible now. But, I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. We are not first time homeowners, but it has been not quite 4 years since we were, and i just don't feel ready to change my situation. That said, the new place has a yard, a big one, and is really big. It also needs a paint job, a new kitchen (need is relative here), a deck, and a french drain.

I have moved into thinking about gardening and having bbq's. It makes me smile. Also, we could have our dog back. She's a super cutie and we can also baby sit my parent's dog and they can finally get out of town once in a while.

Our inspection is Thursday. That's when we find out if there is some sort of dealer killer lurking in the background. Maybe once we pass this hurdle it will start to feel real.

Living on the Alley

I live on 2nd Lane, so I live on an alley. When I was a kid, these were all garages, but they since have been turned into residences. I guess they weren't all garages, i just didn't realize that these streets were alleys. My aunt and uncle lived on 4th Lane for years, also an alley.

I think when people turn down the street they are not impressed and it doesn't seem like a nice place to live. However, our house is spacious, really beautiful and has a fantastic view. We have an entire house length of south facing windows. It really warms this place up, even with the fog. Also, it's pretty quiet. There are lots of chuahuas in this neck of the woods, so we hear barking, but it just reminds me of my dog, who is not a chuahua, but has a sharp yappy bark all the same. The down side of living on this alley is that there is no yard for my dog to hang out in, so she lives at my parent's house in petaluma. I think it's probably too hot up there for her without air conditioning, but she manages.

What's the date?

It's funny how I have no idea what day it is. Date anyway, now that i am back at work and no longer on maternity leave I am familar with what day of the week it is. But it is August. I find myself wondering where half the year went. I think this has to do with the pregnancy. Not having my work schedule for a few months has really thrown off my time of year radar. The weather here is South City doesn't help either. I know the summers are foggy and windy, but it is SO foggy today that it is drizzly. It feels more stormy than foggy and around here, stormy does not equal summer.

I am looking forward to September and October to see if we get a nice hot spell. Javier and I are thinking of taking a trip to Big Sur this fall for vacation. You'd think we'd want to go somewhere hot after a cool summer, maybe it just hasn't occured to us yet? Moab is nice that time of year...

To answer my original question, it's August 4. So, my Trader Joe's salads have a couple of days, at least according to their labels. but who can trust those?

My cousin Lily who lives in Daly City and is a Junior in High School is coming over tonight to help us with the baby. Maybe we'll get her out for a walk in this weather. She likes this weather, mostly because i keep her nice and warm in the front carrier.

When I was a baby...

When I was a baby I lived in South City on Laurel in a duplex with my sister Angela and my parents. My parents both grew up here. When I was two they moved us up to Petaluma where they could buy a house, the weather is warm and my Dad had a job as a firefighter in Novato.

Now, I live here in a house my cousin built around the corner from my great-aunt and uncle, and the house where I lived when I was a baby. I have a baby and my husband and I are raising her in the fog and wind. And she'll like it just like I do. Although I don't mind hanging out in the heat on occasion. But isn't that what grandparents are for?