Not Taking Advantage

I don't know what we've been doing since we've been here - but I know what we haven't been doing.  We have NOT been taking advantage of the time we have in this beautiful place.

It's not secret: California is not my favorite place on earth to live.  Of the 4 places I've lived, it isn't in the top 2 I know that for sure.  It's just too far away from the people I love the most, and ... we don't need to go into politics and economics and social factors.  It's just not my favorite.

But for a temporary home, it's pretty fantastic and its beauty rivals the most beautiful places I've seen in the world.  Unfortunately we haven't been taking advantage of it to its fullest and for some reason it occurred to me tonight.  After a weekend of unseasonably warm and gorgeous weather.  Before a weekend of foggy, cold weather.  One week before another trip out of town.  And two weeks before I sell 10 weeks of my life to the filing of income tax returns.

Timing is awesome!

But LOOOOOOOOOK where we could be...

Or look where else we could be...

To our credit, we have seen a looooooot of beautiful scenery.  We've already seen...

This place can make the most novice of photographers - the iPhone photographer - ME -  look talented.  When you can escape the clouds and the fog and the bums on the side of the road, it really is just absolutely breath taking.  I just don't want to blink my eyes and realize that we are packing boxes to move, then look back and think "why didn't we rent a lodge at Lake San Antonio?" or "Why didn't I take that sunny afternoon off and go hiking/exploring at Point Lobos?" (or whatever it's called).

Unfortunately, this adventurous spirit may have to wait a few more months to be unleashed but I think it's important that I don't forget.  So, come memorial day if you haven't heard of at least ONE new scenic location being explored, please ask what's next on my California Bucket List.

Better yet - I'm going to actually make a California Bucket List.
Item 1: Disneyland
Item 2: Lake San Antonio (come on, the name says enough)

Items 3-50 TBD.  I may never choose to step foot back in California after I leave, you never know, so I better be sure I don't leave any part of the central coast unseen.