another perfect day....

we all piled back in the mustang.
long legs everywhere.
we hadn't even left the neighborhood
when i heard the line of the day.

mister 6'4" was shoved in back with me,
zakk was drivin', josh was shotgun.
josh turns to yo...'hey did you get that
bach piece i sent you??'

before yo could answer, zakk bursts out
in total indignation. he's already been
strugglin' with yo's musical tastes.

'YOU'RE SENDING BACH PIECES TO HIM NOW?!
THIS ISN'T RIGHT. THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT.'
zakk has a way of bellowing.
and he totally bellowed and even squeaked
as he bellowed. that's a sure sign of
limits being pushed.

i started laughing.

another good day had begun.

we headed to a gorgeous state park and
hiked and took pictures and soaked up the
leaves. i started reminiscing about being
a tree in my past life and how i liked to
drop leaves here and there for drama.
yo turned to me and commented on my tree
like air and josh thought we should decide
what kinda trees each of us was.

we're a weird group.

after hangin' around the park and relaxing,
i insisted on taking them to a restaurant
i knew about. they hesitated. i knew they
were doin' the budget thing.

here's the beauty.
we're doin' day trips....which means we're
not stayin' in hotels. so we get to do for
what us is a splurge and eat in an actual
restaurant.

we found it in the town nearby.
settled in and looked at the menu. i think
one of the highlights for me was listening
to them try to decide if they wanted the
tofu hummus sandwich or the avocado brie one
or what about this veggie melt??

when the guy servin' us came over, i told him
that we were all vegetarians and to actually
have choices on a menu was a total thrill.

i honestly don't think i have EVER taken them
out to eat where we did the whole deal.
we usually do water to drink and skip the
appetizers and dessert is usually done in the
grocery store.

not this time. we did the whole thing.
'we need to get some caffeine in these guys'
i told the waiter. this place didn't have regular
sodas. it was ice tea all around.
the guys said no to appetizers, i ordered them
anyway.
they said no to dessert. i insisted.
i let zakk skip as he truly did like he was gonna
burst and said he was way too full. and i needed
to skip as i'll be walkin' off vacation for months.

so yo and josh got something. and we all tasted
each. ohmygosh. i felt like i never ate before.
it rocked.

we raved to our server. turns out the guy was
finishing up culinary school and his dream was
buying this very restaurant. i told him i was an
artist and since i started my own business i
understood the importance of supporting artists.
told him i felt like we just ate someone's art
and it was such a treat and it felt so good to be
there. it was so cool.

driving home down the highway about an hour from
home, i was in the back seat. mid drink, i couldn't
speak. i just shot my arm forward and pointed.
there, comin' right by us, was a car with a bone
sigh arts bumper sticker on it! i flipped! i was
so excited! everyone in the car got excited. all
over a bumper sticker. i loved it.

more food that night at home with the guys.
one of them turned to me and thanked me for providing
them with awesome food this vacation.

i explained the money deal, and how we got to splurge
on food since we weren't splurgin' on lodging.
everyone agreed that we just found the right way
to take a vacation.

we're totally food oriented people.

as i sat in my room dealing cards for a late
nite card game, zakk literally came flying/tumbling
into my room.

josh had shoved him, he was falling into the pottery
in the living room, trying to dodge that, he flew thru
my doorway and landed on the floor of my room.

he stood up laughing hard. josh came in and they
were laughing and carryin' on.

i leaned back and watched.

another perfect day.
this vacation stuff really rocks.