Thursday, May 18, 2006

California Saga...

Here we are still in California. Still working at Lori's. Jacky is burried unpacking the guest room while I am taping walls and windows for painting. Yesterday we replaced a ceiling chandelier in the dining area. Today I put the light bulbs in. The globes are all a dark orange. When we lit it up tonight it turned everything a real warm orange color with the light coming out of the globes forming a white rose on the ceiling. Tommorow I will get an X-10 dimmer switch for it.

Today ended with Jacky helping me paint the dining room. It's a light brown earth tone. Jacky says it's a kind of yellow brown. Tommorow I will finish taping the kitchen and it will be an unusal paint job with 3 different colors involved. Each of the colors are right next to each other on the color swatch. The brown we painted the dining area is the lightest of the 4 colors.

Yesterday I ran out of Afrin so after dinner I went to WalMart in Milpitas and I had a list of essentials from the boss to get such as cookies for instance. If you ever need to remember why you moved to Oregon I suggest this trip for you. After a drive on 2 freeways with a bunch of crazed people willing to risk life and limb just to get home for 1 more day I arrived intact at Wal Mart. Actually, that is not quite the truth. WalMart is right smack against the 880 freeway But.... (there is always a but) There is no on or off ramp that will take you to WalMart off the 880. After circling Wal Mart for 1/2 an hour. I decided to take the 237 back to Lori's As soon as I got on it wham,, here is an off ramp that will take me there..... Missed the damn thing. Next off ramp... I take it turn right to where I expect WalMart will be. Both sides of the road fenced... No turn arounds.. 2 miles later I am next to a wild life refuge, sewer disposal plant and the dump..... Finally turned around at the dump which is as high as the cliffs at the Yaquina light house. Backtracking to the 237 go the opposite direction, whatever that is, I have no idea. Get off at the next off ramp and I am here. I have gone what should have been 5 miles and it has taken an hour....But, I know where the dump is now. The first thing you notice on this new road is it is now wall to wall cars. Are we having fun yet?

This is not Walmart it is Mega WalMart with Mega parking lot and gobs of people. I get a break and find a parking spot. Half way to the front door I remember the shopping list is still in the car. Back to the car.

Inside the store I actually have the feeling the whole thing is about to collapse because it is a Tower of Babel. There are hundreds of conversations going on in languages from all over the world. Here is an Indian family .. there Spanish, Chinese, or Korean, Japanese ( I know that when I hear it).

The aisles are packed. Children hunt in packs running up and down the aisles, screaming and laughing. Little ones howl their displeasure at refusal of the latest bauble their parents snatch from them. People jammed into every aisle.. baskets impede progress everywhere. Clerks are missing from all over the store.. They must be hiding. The intercom contantly calling for help in some department. Finally I see a bag of cookies and I snag the Afrin I came for. I stand in line for a long time and finally I am out and free. Back on the freeway.. I have become crazed and willing to risk life and limb .....everything to just get home for 1 more day.

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