Ubiquitous Networking
Bradmom has a neat timeshare thing that rather than giving you a timeshare in one location, instead has timeshares in all sorts of places, and they can decide to go wherever they like with proper scheduling and whatnot. This year they decided it would be nice to spend it in Sonoma county, so we're all in a nifty houselike place near Healdsburg. They're down for a dance festival and to see the Dickens Faire anyhow, eventually ending in Monterey, so it's not as out of their way as it could be. Extra lovely is that we didn't have to fly to go see them, but instead only needed to drive part of one day. Bradsister is here as well. I've been too lazy to take walks, but apparently the walking is nice, and I went out to town and went shopping (and we picked up all sorts of yummy appetizers for Thanksgiving). A fine lazy vacation, with good eating and much lolling around and reading, and because the place has a real kitchen I actually don't have to stress out over restaurants every single meal, which is a huge relief. If I get well enough to travel more frequently it's the sort of thing that could really work for us -- we could visit friends in other cities and even *gasp* entertain them so they wouldn't even feel like they have to clean up or anything. The places range in all sizes and this one has three bedrooms and enough living space that we could, say, game.
Speaking of gaming, we played a gift giving card game that was very entertaining; I think it'd be as fun for a group of people who don't know each other well as it is for one who does. We also brought Fluxx, which I've never gotten to play and have high hopes for -- perhaps tomorrow night.
Also the place is wired! I'm sneaking onto Bradsister's laptop right now. She adored rogue back in the day so I must remember to mail her links to the modern roguelike games. (Her: "Of course, I'd have to try all of them.")
I've never actually BEEN to the wine country before, so it's interesting, not that I'm really taking advantage of all of the wine. But I like the food way better than I do in most popular vacation spots. A rising tide of wine floats all boats, or something.
Most awesome weirdzo food item spotted: Himalayan salt plates that are bricks of translucent pink marble-like rock salt. Apparently you can heat them to as much as 900 degrees (though you don't really need that much) and sear meat right on the hot slab of rock salt, which will season it at the same time. Or you can chill them for sashimi. If they didn't weigh a ton and cost the moon I would have been sorely tempted, even though it's way more fuss than I'd ordinarily go through. But slabs of salt that you can cook right on! Who couldn't love that?
Speaking of gaming, we played a gift giving card game that was very entertaining; I think it'd be as fun for a group of people who don't know each other well as it is for one who does. We also brought Fluxx, which I've never gotten to play and have high hopes for -- perhaps tomorrow night.
Also the place is wired! I'm sneaking onto Bradsister's laptop right now. She adored rogue back in the day so I must remember to mail her links to the modern roguelike games. (Her: "Of course, I'd have to try all of them.")
I've never actually BEEN to the wine country before, so it's interesting, not that I'm really taking advantage of all of the wine. But I like the food way better than I do in most popular vacation spots. A rising tide of wine floats all boats, or something.
Most awesome weirdzo food item spotted: Himalayan salt plates that are bricks of translucent pink marble-like rock salt. Apparently you can heat them to as much as 900 degrees (though you don't really need that much) and sear meat right on the hot slab of rock salt, which will season it at the same time. Or you can chill them for sashimi. If they didn't weigh a ton and cost the moon I would have been sorely tempted, even though it's way more fuss than I'd ordinarily go through. But slabs of salt that you can cook right on! Who couldn't love that?