Skepticism and Scars

The hubby and I are planning a trip down to California to visit my family. It was an unexpected surprise to find out it was a possibility. The whole trip is a gift from my mom, aren't you surprised too?

It all started a few months ago, my mom's best friend called me up. (I don't mind, as I have said before I love this woman.) After the normal chit-chat she got to the point of her call. My mom had told her months before about the idea of sending the hubby and I to California for my birthday, and after harassing her several times about actually telling me about it, my mom's friend decided to tell me herself. My reaction was typical. "Oh really?" Skeptical and amused.

My mom and her boyfriend went down to California for Thanksgiving last year. She had brought up the idea of perhaps the hubby and I going too, asked me to look up airfare. She had sent me down there once before so I took the logical next step and checked out airfare. I called her up a few days later, gave her the information I found and... nothing. Her response was literally, "okay." We never heard another word about it until she asked us to watch her pets while she was out of town.

I couldn't help but be wary when my mom's friend enlightened me to my mom's perspective plans. I told her about it and she understood, yep, that's my mom. She had told my mom that she had better tell me, and soon if we actually wanted to be able to make plans. I wasn't going to hold my breath about it though.

So of course you could imagine my surprise when the very next day the phone rang and it was mommy dearest. She procrastinated for several minutes, and then it happened. "So, I had been thinking, how about for your birthday... I send you down to California?" Well gee mom, that would be great! Oh this is such a surprise! I still haven't told her that I already knew. Her friend protects my confidence, I'll protect her's.

Again her friend called me. "Did she say anything yet? Did she?" She was thrilled, me going down to California means we can get together which she just can't wait for. The main hitch I have now is my mom now wants to hear nothing about it again until the hubby puts in his vacation request, something he is in the process of doing but with a new boss it's taking longer then expected. My mom's friend said I had better hurry because my mom's bound to take back the offer the longer we wait. I know, believe me I know.

So we tentatively begin to plan, always keeping it in the back of our minds that until the tickets are purchased, the rug can easily be ripped out from beneath our feet. We've been roaming online for things to do. First and foremost, Disneyland. I took the hubby to Disneyland for the first time several years back, he loved it and has wanted to go back since. I believe my Disneyland visit count now sits at sixteen, and I can't wait to go again. I'd also love to take in a baseball game. The hubby has never seen a professional game and it has been nearly ten years for me, it would be awesome. The Angels are my team, even if most of the time they suck. As for other plans? No clue yet.

Fun in the sun, sand and surf. Sounds great doesn't it? I still have one issue. Summer is California is typically hot, I hate the heat. A couple years back I was hit was heat rash over the summer. It was horrible, my legs itched for three months straight. Itched so bad that now I have a wonderful collection of scars all over my shins. Summer, California, shorts? I don't think so. I can get past the fact that I am a big girl and I got big calves. I am white and pale, something everyone can see so showing off a little leg to strangers ain't necessarily giving anyone a surprise. But scars that make it look like I'm a crack addict that likes to dig? Makes me a bit more self conscious. I don't think I'll be packing shorts for this trip. It will suck a little, grandma's house (where we will be staying) is right across the street from the beach. Have you ever walked around with wet, sand covered jeans? Yuck. At least I don't even own a bathing suit, I am sure the beach goers will appreciate that. (Insert laugh here.)

The main other downside is because we will be staying with my grandma, all vices go out the window. No weed, very few sneaky cigarettes and a drastically reduced volume of alcohol. If we keep busy it won't matter much, but I bet you anything that weed would make my grandma more tolerable. She's a great woman, she's also very good at shielded insults. Last time I was there I had forgotten my make-up, I don't wear it often so it was easy to forget. Grandma made sure to tell me how much I needed it, classy huh? Picture a toned down version of Doris Roberts from Everybody Loves Raymond, that's my grandma.

If the trip actually happens, it will be fun and I can't wait for it. It's only the second vacation the hubby and I have taken together, the first being his virgin trip to Disneyland. We never even went on a honeymoon so every chance to do something like this needs to be snatched up, and believe me, I'm snatching it.