This town is so strange. There are streets with angled parking, like normal, only here-it's not normal. People BACK into the spots instead of just driving into them with the front of the car at the curb. No - that would be normal. It's so strange to see these streets with the cars parked backwards. It's an easy out, for sure, but different. Very different.
The bike racks here are shaped like bikes, not the simple silver slotted things we have on the corners at home. Oh no. They have to have everything a work of art around here. Which is really cool, actually - just - well - different.
The other thing that is different here are the people. I have never seen more people be so friendly and nice and accommodating as I have here. There are no grouchy clerks (well - except for this old guy at our RV park - but hey - his wife is nice!) or sales people. Even if they hated their job, you wouldn't know it. Everyone has a smile and is willing to help. Even regular people on the street. We're not used to that - especially at our library. Whew. They are grouchy. Maybe it's the cold weather that makes everyone so sour back home. It has to be something. They should come down here for a visit and take lessons . . .
We wanted to ride the trolley just for fun - called TRAX here, so we ask around for help - from a few people on the street to the lady at the library and everyone gives their advice. All different - of course. We finally decided just to get on, ride a ways through the city and get off. So then we just stand there, trying to figure out when the next trolley will be by in order for us to go back the other direction, and 2 different groups of people come and ask us for directions and advice! We knew less than nothing, yet here they were asking us! We had to laugh. People are not shy here. Very open and friendly. Another reason to love it here.
We're into the swing of school this week. Yeah! I like structure! On Monday, India took her last test for college. She now has 110 credits - 10 shy of getting her 4 year degree. She has 3 classes left. Incredible.
Our RV park sits right next to a really nice bike path that goes on for miles and miles. You see some real serious bikers flying past. I am not a biker, I'd rather run, but running is not real good for Gary's back. He and the boys want to ride the whole trek, which is about 18 miles one way. It's a great path. I need to get a bike I can ride so I'm not left behind in the dust. :)
We went to a vegan restaurant where you needed at least 20 tattoos and 13 body piercings in order to eat there. Food was great though. Why is it that the best food places house the strangest looking people? Nice, but strange. Well, strange to our mid-west, white bread ways that is. We went to another vegan restaurant that had an all you can eat pizza and salad bar - only they brought you the food, fresh out of the oven, 1 slice at a time. So you were getting mystery pizza and had to taste it to figure out what was on it. It was the coolest thing. There was mexican pizza, eggplant and tomatoe pizza, taco pizza, raw veggie salad pizza, and there was one that had corn and green beans and tofu sausage with this cashew cheese sauce on it. MMM! Good grief was that fun! We sat there for 2 hours just eating one piece at a time, slowly, savoring each small slice. What a great idea. We all walked out of there stuffed to the gills and had to walk back to our pickup several blocks away. It was good for us, but a little hard to waddle down the sidewalk!
Today it's going to be 80 and sunny! Yeah! Gary might actually be able to take some time off today and go golfing. I might actually get in a swim, and we all hope to just walk, or ride bike, or just hang out. That's what vacations are all about - right? Well, that and eating. A lot. :)
Later -
jill and all
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