Back ta Sacta

I probably woke up early enough to see the guys' planes take off from the Medford Airport in the morning, but I didn't actually get up and look out the window or anything.  I waited for the rest of the Posse to wake up, and we checked out of the hotel, in search of a real Starbuck's so that Wendy could use her gift card.  We did find one, and Jenn discovered the wonders of a Salted Caramel Mocha.  I was fine with my water and my ginormous bear claw.  I ate a toe, and invited everyone else to partake in their own toes.  OK, maybe not their *own* toes, but a toe from the bear claw/paw.  Jenn contributed to the conversation, saying that she "really enjoyed toe jam".  Eeewww.

We returned to the I-5, but didn't get to stop at Basshole for a picture, because we couldn't find it.  Nor was there a pretty rest stop either.  We did, however, stop for S&P at a rest area with vending machines.  I got a CapriSun for Jenn because she had been craving one on the way up.  She was really happy, and ended up piercing the straw all the way through the package in her excitement.  KP took a picture, but I don't have it yet to post it.

Ohmigosh!  I forgot to write the other day that I got way excited while Scott's CD was playing in the car, because his name showed up on the dashboard.  See?

We stopped for lunch at Berrypatch Restaurant in Orland, where Jenn and I had ribs.  I also had a baked sweet potato, which was yummy, and I may be baking my sweet potatoes like that once in a while.  While waiting to use the restroom, I shopped in their little general store, which was really just a few shelves of jams and stuff.  Or so I thought.  For there it was:  Loganberry Vinaigrette!  (It's a Bro/V/Sher/Chun at Drum Corps thang, this craziness).  So I gasped loudly and bought it immediately.  Lucky for me, I bought a wine bottle carrier the day before, so I had a way of transporting it safely in my luggage!  

We finally arrived in Sacramento, and we dropped off Jenn at the airport, since her flight was the first one scheduled to leave, and KP and Wendy still had a couple of hours before their flight.  So they came with me to check in at my 4th hotel in a week: my favorite hotel to stay in when I'm in Sacto:  the Residence Inn in Natomas.  We watched Harrison Ford be a kick-ass POTUS in "Air Force One" as we imbibed on snacks and played Hippo Hunt.  

Chillaxing at the RI

It came time to take the gals to the airport, so I dropped them off at their respective terminals, then got some dinner at Togo's for myself to eat after having a visit with my friend Arielle.  We enjoyed our Jamba Juice and I showed her my beloved scrapbook.

The next morning, I drove to Martinez to visit my cousin Marie and her husband David, along with their new baby, Annabelle Rose.  Such a Southern name for such a non-Southern baby!  

Sher and Belle Rose

David and Marie know what it's like to be obsessed with a band.  Theirs is The Mother Hips, and they can be seen in one of the pictures of a souvenir book.  So they totally understand my Pella obsession, and I love them all the more for it.  David had to go to a wedding, so he left us womenfolk to gab and catch up on tons of stuff.  It was really good to see Marie, because she's my only cousin on my mom's side, and she and I are a lot closer than I am to the scores of cousins that I have on my dad's side, mostly because they always had each other.  Bro and I only had Marie.

I returned to SMF for the 6th time in a week, and my flight only had about 30 or so people on it, so we all had rows to ourselves.  That was nice, and the flight attendant was quite attentive, but not overly so.  Thanks for a nice flight, Southwest!


That was a great trip, full of all kinds of smiles.  Thanks to the Pella Posse, Rockapella, Arielle, and Marie for being such great company!