Sunday Reflections

Here I am, away on "vacation," at the Holiday Inn Express on Wave Street in Monterey.  It is late Saturday night as I write, and the rain is finally beginning to fall.  It was overcast all day; now the rains are slanting as expected.  We are here to somewhat belatedly "celebrate" our second anniversary.  My father's death put that on the back burner, as we got married on Valentine's Day and my wife had to work that day this year.  There is a bit of celebration, yes; but there is also sadness and wistfulness.  

I wish I had my father back.

We came into Monterey yesterday afternoon and hit Bubba Gump's for dinner.  My wife loves this place.  Lauren treated us quite nicely, hovering almost.  We had the Big Drinks which yield the large 22-oz BG glasses you get to keep.  I must admit, they have a great logo.  Not as great as my blog's BZ graphic, mind you, but nice enough.  

I also bought my wife a selection of six silver toe rings, as well as two silver thumb rings.  I am going to concentrate on acquiring turquoise and silver jewelry for her, in the future.  She is Mexican and Cherokee, and her beautiful darker skin and eyes would highlight this.  We wrapped up Friday night with a stop at Ghirardelli's, with a scoop of ice cream covered in chocolate sauce (me) and fudge (her).

On Saturday, we hit the Fish Hopper's for lunch.  The clam chowder?  Exquisite!

I made an appointment for a couple's massage at GG's Salon & Spa.  We got the deep tissue 80-minute package and, for that, had our feet hot-wrapped.  We also had aromatherapy included.  My wife chose "anxiety reduction" aromatherapy, and I chose "meditation."  This spa is wonderfully designed but, if you desire a more isolated and quiet feel, it may not be for you.  The front of the spa is open to the outside mall music and shouting from passing tourists.  One interesting sidenote: I personally enjoy heavy deep tissue massage.  My massage therapist was a small female, and asked me how deep to apply her techniques.  I said: "as deep as you're comfortable with."  I think, due to her diminutive size, she took umbrage to this.  She sensed that I had hurled the gauntlet.  So she proceeded to make my massage, for at least the first five minutes, a very angry massage.

A few minutes later, once she understood my preferences and how I relaxed, her application became much more human.  At the end, our breathing almost became as one, and, that's a huge goal attained.  For someone who's acquired professional deep tissue therapeutical massages in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Mendocino and Ft. Bragg, I know a good massage from a bad one.  The therapists here are good; the venue is loud and not so good.

Here's an earth-shaker: my wife wanted to have dinner once again at Bubba Gump's.  When we appeared at 4:45 PM, there was already a two-hour wait.  We snuck into a patio table and had dinner here.  In truth, it was quieter than having had dinner inside the restaurant and -- of course -- the food was just as good.  

We hit the antique mall directly next door to our motel.  I purchased a copy of Ronald Clark's "Einstein: The Life and Times" for $1.50.  My wife purchased some stick pins and cuff links for her starched shirts.  

Sunday is looming.  We are leaving Monterey on Monday.  I am going up to my cabin, if not snow-occluded, on Monday and Tuesday.  But I'll be making another post Sunday, for Monday.

I can still hear the ocean from the open window, at 10 PM.  And the rain.  There is the very, now, occasional barking of a seal.

BZ