Serene of the Oakland Serenes

Lately, we are in a kind of limbo on the issue of home. I mean, we're living with our family, which means we have a home, but we're in their space, which means we don't always feel at home. Partly because of this, or perhaps mainly because of this, we go out driving a lot. If we lived someplace walkable, we'd probably be out walking a lot.

Anyway.

This morning, we got up, ate, got showered, and drove an hour or so to Julian, a local mountain town famous for its apples. They have an apple festival every year, and their apple pies are an iconic San Diego treat. We wandered their main street, checked out their antique shops and other stores, had kick-ass barbecue (the best smoked ribs either of us has ever eaten), and bought some pie and raw cider to take home. I also bought two Georgette Heyer books to take home, from a little bookshop with a chatty owner.

We got there at 10 to a very sleepy town. A little after noon, when we left, it was clear they were just beginning some kind of holiday street festival or something. We happily skedaddled out of there.

After that, James wanted to do some more antiquing, so we went to Ramona, another local town that has lots of little antique malls and shops. They were also having a holiday craft fair in their town hall, which was delightful. I bought TARDIS hair clips and we got some old-timey candy from the antique store. We talked and laughed and admired pretty women and held hands and discovered things.

And I was far away from the place I live, which itself is a temporary lodging.

And I was home.