Where The Wind Takes You

Yesterday M and I had a grand adventure. We had planned to drive to GwendoMama's, but stopped along the way at a coastal dive for a burger first. Just our luck, there was a one-man band playing in the back room. Given M's love for live music, we settled into two stools at the bar for lunch and listening. M was in heaven. We happened to be sitting next to a striking British woman who happened to be in a relationship with the musician. We struck up a conversation and I learned that she had been in the states since '86, spending most of those years as a professor of linguistics at the University of California Santa Cruz. She is now a consultant for companies like Apple and Microsoft, assisting them with voice technology. She also recently worked with a doctor on a communication device that assists children with autism! We ended up staying at that restaurant for nearly two hours...and about 45 minutes of that was just us, the musician and his girlfriend after the lunch crowd had cleared out. Al, the musician, was so kind to M and really took time to show him how to play the tambourine with him. Since we were the only ones in the room I was happy to let my little guy do what he really loves: dance! The ability for children to be so free in their movements...to feel the music without worrying what others around them think...is fascinating and touching to watch. We got their contact information and hope to see them there next month when Al performs again.

After our lunchtime fun, we headed south to windy roads, crisp air, and a beautiful redwood forest to see our friend, Gwendolyn, and her kids, Supergirl and Bubbles. We all went for a walk, played on the playground, and enjoyed some wine (the grownups, not the kids!) and snacks.

It was one of those days where we didn't have a schedule and could be wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Sometimes those are the best days; when you allow yourself to go where the wind takes you. There's nothing I love more than a beautiful drive with the windows down and adventure in my spirit. It reminds me of afternoons in high school when L and I would buy a six pack of beer and head north. North of there is now largely populated with housing additions and strip malls, but back in the day it was farmland and roads that stretched for miles. I'm glad to live, at least for now, where I still can drive for hours on end with only nature as my backdrop.