So, we didn’t escape far. We pretended to be tourists and drove down to El Cajon on Friday afternoon to do the Taylor Guitar factory tour with the kids. DH had been a couple years ago, but we thought it might be interesting for the kids since they’re becoming more musically aware and we’re like them to get back into playing the instruments that were bought for them.
Next time, I want to go in January. The weather shifted here this weekend from cool and sunny to sunny and very warm. It was in the low 90s here today. The factory is located much farther inland and the highway rises to 821 ft above sea level before slipping down into the valley there at Santee and El Cajon. Add to that the fact that much of the factory has fans blowing water vapor into the air as they acclimate the wood to a nice average humidity level. San Diego is normally arid.
The kids did well, but the boy got bored and a bit cranky when we refused to buy the $2500 acoustic guitar off the shelf for him in the gift shop. They ended up with hats and DH got a shirt, a pair of mugs and a set of wood cut Christmas tree ornaments. I got a cup of ice as we were heading out of town and melted most of it between my swollen hands by the time we got home. I don’t handle heat and humidity well at all.
Today, I sent them off to the Build-a-Bear Workshop and other points south. They came home with a cute little Rock-n-Roll Groundhog and a Rock-n-Roll Pterodactyl, a red iPod Shuffle to replace the one that went through the washer and now refuses to take a charge, several comics and books from the Comic shop on the way home and junk food from McDonald’s.
In exchange, I got some time to recharge and write. I almost reached the 1600 word mark, nearly doubling the other day’s progress. I’m still feeling unfocused and unsure, but every bit I write, the going becomes easier. I think the characters have some surprises still in store for me, but at least they’re not holding back on me where it counts.
This evening we’re headed back downtown (it’s only gas, right? :P) to hear David Wilcox play at one of the local acoustic music series. He’s out promoting his 14th album, Airstream. We haven’t seen him live since Austin and before that at the Kerrville Folk Festival.
Tonight’s show will be held in a church, so the acoustics are amazing and it often leads to jokes about the appropriateness of certain songs. The kids do well there. There was a bit of a worry one night when we took them and their game boys along and someone was complaining about a high pitched whine. They encourage minors to attend the shows and were quick to eliminate the gameboys as the source. Turns out it was an older gentleman’s hearing aid that was feeding back. Phew.
