Alone in San Fransisco

Well, of course you're never alone in a city. It's one of the nice things about cities, I'm sitting in the Ferry Terminal building, drinking tea, watching the ferries come and go (no jokes about "ferries in San Fransisco please!) and sharing a table with other people. No one I know, just regular people.

The beautiful sunny days have given way to what I think is normal Northern California autumn weather; gloom.But it's just right for today. Everyone went home. One friend left for Florida last night on the redeye. And this morning the other two hopped in a zippy little Prius cab and headed for the

airport, going home to Minnesota.

This is why I feel so alone.

We had a spectacular trip. There was way too much shopping for me and not nearly enough for someone else. We ate a lot of great food, and also had dinner and breakfast in our room. We were gone from our hotel for 11 hours straight yesterday, and stayed in all of Sunday night.

Balance. And it was so good.

The best parts were:

The cable car to Fisherman's Wharf

The Japanese Tea Garden

The labyrinth at Grace Cathedral

And of course....just being together.

Stupid "have-to-go-back-to-real-life" craziness.

I know today more than I knew before that I am deeply blessed to have sisters that aren't related to me. Friends who are family; these amazing women in my life. Thanks girls. I really don't know who I would be without you.

And if you want to see the antics four forty-somethings can get up to when given a camera with video options? Check this out...

The best little life ever....

San Fransisco is beautiful. I know that no one else has EVER noticed this, but today, I did.

And I had to take a lot of pictures, and sometimes it was complicated. think--think--think

We had the best dinner ever at a fabulous Mexican restaurant.

And we spent some time at the water, by the Bay Bridge.

And here the flowers are STILL blooming. It's gorgeous. And a little warm and lovely.

This is the ferry terminal.....and I absolutely must go back here very, very hungry. Because the food here looked to be AMAZING! Yum.

It's a great trip, I'm so lucky. And I never want to go back to regular life!

Well......maybe after a couple of days.

Can You Hear the Chant?

If you listen closely you can hear it......"girl's trip, girl's trip, girl's trip....."

I am just over a week away from a trip with my girls! And today this arrived in the mail:

The note says "Girl's Trip Survival Kit" and it's got ear plugs and blister treatment pads and the lovely and glamorous eye shade. There's a pack of gum and a pack of tums, kleenex, hand sanitizer, socks and a book about the Beat Generation. One of my bff girls is a crazy amazing organizer and I'd bet our whole little group got these in the mail today. It's making me even more excited to go!

I've had these women in my life forever, more than 20 years, and I will not ever let go of them, not ever. I'm so lucky. Some of us have given birth with the support of another, three times actually. And we've moved each other dozens of times. We've cried over loss and gain and gains that felt like losses and losses that felt like gains. Our oldest children turn 18 in the next weeks and our youngest just started first grade. If we could find a way to live closer we would, right now we're about as far apart as you can be and still reside in the continental U.S. But it doesn't matter. Friends live in your heart.

The Sunday after next, as soon as I can leave church, I head to the airport, and catch up with them in San Fransisco. We've got just a few days, but it's better than nothing. And now that I've got my survival kit and since it's clear that I'm not going to lose 10 pounds before I go so my clothes all still fit, well....I'm pretty much all set to go! Pack my bags and wait by the door for the day to come, that's what I'll do!

What would we do without friends? I have no idea, and I have no intention of finding out. None.

The chant gets louder......GIRL'S TRIP! GIRL'S TRIP! GIRL'S TRIP!