Home....Where the Heart Is

Last week I was fortunate enough to go home for a few days. Since I don't have class this term, due to my thesis, I just couldn't pass up the good flight deal that I found with Air New Zealand.

As you all know, I hate to fly. Love to travel, but really, really hate to fly. Luckily my flight got in an hour early so I only had to suffer through 9 1/2 hours traveling 30,000 feet above the ground. My mom picked me up and then we went to meet Kelsey and her dad (who flew in from Vegas about an hour before me) for a nice dinner at Fishbar in Manhattan Beach. From there I went home to see my kitties and get a good nights sleep. The next day was filled with errands...got my hair and nails done, brought Beth and my mom Starbucks to get them through a long day of STAR testing, met my dad for sushi, and caught up with a student from last year. It is crazy that my students from Dr. Coleman's English 3 Honors class will be going off to college in the fall. It is also crazy to think that I was in their same shoes 6 years ago! My how time flies by.

Friday and Saturday was spent in Malibu. I surprised my brother, who really had no clue I was coming to town. In fact, I think he thought he might have been dreaming because I was greeted with, "What the heck are you doing here?" Followed by "Wait, like you came from Cambridge? From England?" He sent a picture of me to his girlfriend Kiersten who was equally confused because she asked Ruairi why he was sending her an old picture of me. The two of them really never thought I would be home in April, they assumed the next time they would be seeing me was in July when term was over.

Saturday my family and I went to M Cafe with some of my brother's roommates and their families. It was a gorgeous day to be sitting outside, although not so good for someone who has been in England for the past four months. I didn't think to pt on sunscreen and man do I regret that decision.

Sunday was Girls Day with my cousins. We met for brunch (at M Cafe, again) and enjoyed another sunny afternoon. Afterwards we went to explore the Getty Villa for a few hours. I wish I had a few more days at home, but now it is back to the grind. At least I got to spend a few days filled with fun, family, friends, and of course the sun!