On the three-day weekend that just matriculated, we headed back to SLO for Jimmy B's big surprise birthday party, the big 4-0. Good for him.
We had to park around the corner and get there early and jump out and say SURPRISE! and everything, which oddly is both the second time this year and second time ever I've gotten to do that.
Tony even made it out on the sly, bringing his new lady Amber with him. They landed at LAX Saturday morning and met us at Griffith Observatory for a little LA sightseeing before we went on to San Luis and they went back to our apartment for one night in the Southland proper before heading north.
Amber had never been to LA, and the Observatory was close enough to both LAX and our exit from the Southland, and checked enough boxes for iconic LA stuff (nice views of the smog/smoke/basin; FREE, etc).
Because of the Woolsey fire that is eating Malibu and the western half of Simi Valley, Hwy 101 was closed through there, and we had to find some other routes, mostly through the outer reaches of the Grapevine into Ventura or, on the way home, from the Nipomo/Santa Maria border through the Grapevine itself.
We stayed with friends Ken and Christine who live in nearby Los Osos. "Nearby" is an LA relativity term; in San Luis Obispo terms Los Osos is the other side of the moon. But they have two kids and a dog and a backyard and a trampoline, so Cass was essentially at Disneyland on Christmas Day.
I was a groomsmen for Jimmy at his wedding, and this was a nice little reunion for that.
Also, anytime we get to see Tony is awesome; he hadn't seen Cass since before he could crawl.
The whole trip made us realize that we don't go to the SLO area enough, missing out on seeing Ryan and Jimmy far too much. Also, the majority of us are now parents, so that's pretty cool, getting the kids together for stuff to do. Outside stuff...backyard stuff...you know, the kid stuff we don't do because currently we're lacking in some of those things.
Love all of you and loved seeing you!
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