Gina and Mom do Interstate 5

Well mes amis, here we are back in Tucson again. It's as hot as you would imagine it is, but luckily we all pray to the great air conditioner god here, and he/she makes it as bearable as possible. I've heard that it's incredibly hot in Eugene right now, and things there aren't air conditioned, so I guess I got out just in time. Obviously, Mom and I made it back safely, as did all of my stuff. It was pretty amusing (in a strange way) to have the van stuffed to the brim (literally) with all of my things, minus the boxes of books that we had to send. We drove up to Eugene almost 2 years ago when I initially moved, so this trip was the exact opposite of the first one. Basically, you take Interstate 5 almost the entire way (break off after San Diego). No, really. We took the same highway for days. We had fears that the air conditioner in the van would fink out again, which is no fun when you're driving through the desert (anyone hear those new stories about how so many people died from the heat? yeah, we were driving through there), but we got tres lucky. I'll spare you the boring details of the trip, but there were some really fun moments (best details to follow in a standard-issue photo essay). Night one was Stockton, California where we stayed right by an In n' Out Burger, but got take-out Chinese instead and watched the finale of the very first season of the Amaaaaaaazing Race (I had never seen the first season). The next day we could only go to LA, because Monday morning I had to go to the French Consulate. Our hotel in LA was very near Santa Monica, so we drove down and saw what all the fuss was about. We ate at a great Italian place on Main Street (really!) called La Vecchia Cocina (umm, I think). I wish I had felt better, because I wasn't much up to walking around much. The next day we got my visa (more details about this semi-bizarre experience to follow) and made the very long 2 hour drive to SAN DIEGO. (I hope you've noticed that the only really huge day of driving so far has been day one, which was ove 8 hours) The best part about the San Diego element of the trip was our visit to the Torrey Pines Glider Port, where we not only say trained hang gliders taking off, but regular people doing tandem flights. Two very well-dressed older women both took off while we were there, in their original outfits, looking quite stylish attatched to the other glider. It was great to watch all of the younger, casually dressed people around watch while these two ladies soared through the air. After San Diego it was a straight shot (a six and a half hour straight shot) to Tucson.

Even though it's only been a week, I already miss Eugene. I think it's because it was the first place I ever really called home on my own. The apartment was the first apartment I ever came home to and it only really hits me that I'm not going back when I see all of my things that lived in that apartment scattered around the house here (including, don't worry, the polka-dot chair aka myfavoritethingfromtheapartmentandtheonlyfurnitureididn'tsell). But here I do get to see Sarah almost every day, which is a nice element that was missing from my Eugene life. And the family is here, so I can spend some time with them. But don't worry- I'm keeping busy! Today, besides learning that I could wash various colors of cold-wash together (shuuuuuut up!) I made my first batch of madeleines. Faithful readers of Quel est ton probleme will remember that my brother bought me a madeleine pan a few weeks ago. This afternoon was its maiden voyage, providing dessert for a people-from-Le Buzz (our cafe of choice) potluck I went to with my parents. And oh my, they are pretty! How Proustian of me. What? You don't get that reference? Why haven't you read Proust? Really, why? Go, now! Yes, now. I mean it. How do you expect to talk to me after admitting that? For those of you who understand, let's continue. Madeleines=good, Gina=popular at potluck.

So, after spending a loooong time with my mom (and I'm not at all tired of her, which is a nice feeling), I would like to share with you some of her wisdom.
"Before I left for Eugene I found a baby scorpion in the house. But I won't tell you where." (thanks Mom!)
"I made a cake. It's in the garage." (classic. The cake was really in the garage, too)
I love my mom. She's so smart. Really, she is very smart. But do you see where I get the kookiness? Now, you should meet my dad!

Le nouveau blog should be up and running within a week-ish. Until then, you may see some posts eventually destined for that blog here so that I can get them written up (ie "how to get a Visa with Gina") But fear not- Quel est ton probleme is very excited about the arrival of its baby sister, but the older sibling will never be ignored! This will remain the personal outlet with the other being school-sanctioned. Whoopie. Until the debut of that gem, I give you "Gina and Mom do Interstate 5," a photo-essay a la Gina (which will probably publish itself on top of this entry). Are you tired of these yet? And oh yes, I leave two weeks from Monday.