I love the beach. Perhaps that statement is in the same vein as I love puppies, or I love kittens, or I love very small rocks (shut up you know you do!). If you don' like at least one of those things you should question your own humanity. However I have never been to the beach, and I don't count the Great Lakes or sandy rivers as beach although technically the word fits. For me if it isn't connected to a large salty body of water and isn't filled with coral, anemones, or those cute little crabs then it doesn't count.

Yesterday we went to La Jolla beach and YES I went around saying it the way it sounded all day. It didn't even occur to me that even though every street, drive, alcove, and highway was a spanish word and should be pronounced as such maybe this beach would be the same. It wasn't until later in the day, I was at a party filled with native San Diegans that I was politely corrected. We went to La Jolla (La Hoya) beach yesterday. It is one of three beaches on the west coast which sea lions still come to during breeding season. It's difficult to get very close because of some regulations regarding harassment of wildlife. However we did get some good/cute pictures of some sea lions and I bought a picture card to remember the experience.

In the next cove over there is a public beach area. The three of us went digging for sea shells, the water was shockingly cold at first but after my feet went numb it was pretty refreshing. A few feet into the water there was sea rock lightly covered in sea moss and it was possible to jump from rock to rock and look under the clear water to see little bits of shell and anemone floating under the surface. I actually found a few large anemone which I took pictures of.

I still am the worlds worst photographer, mostly because I forget to use my camera at kodak moments. We went to the meeting in ASL after the beach. I met so many new wonderful people and a few of them invited us over for dinner after the meeting (which was at 2pm). If it weren't for giving my camera to Moriah to take pictures I would never have had any way to remember those people. I gave them my e-mail address but I don't know if they'll end up keeping in touch, I hope so but you know how it is...

Just when I was starting to get into a groove with my camera the battery died. I'm not angry about that in and of itself, however I am angry I forgot my battery charger. The week before we left for San Diego I had been working up a task list for myself, what I needed to take with me including any pheripherals. The camera was on my list, my nintendo DS was on my list, my cell phone was on my list, the CHARGER for my cell phone was on my list, the charger for my DS was on my list. The charger for my Canon was not on my list.

In spite of the winter weather here I've done alot of swimming. I'm from Wisconsin, I eat cold for breakfast. I remember one time In my early teens i wore sandals all winter long. No socks either (I never said I had common sense when I was younger). So cold doesn't bother me. When you consider out here it's been around 73 every day and Madison just passed the 15 inch mark for snow, I'm ok with brisk water swimming.

Moriah and my travel buddy Zelda have been freezing though. I've been in short sleeves and tank tops and they've been whinning at me to put my windows up in the car. Coming back from the beach yesterday I had my feet sticking out the window. I didn't get a tan because the sun is weak right now, and it's been a little overcast, but that's not a complaint. Tomorrow I have to get up and head to the airport at 2:30am needless to say I'm not thrilled about that.

Sorry my travelogue isn't all that interesting. The next installment involves the San Diego Zoo. I might just break down and open a flicker account. Or I'll see if I can trouble shoot my way through photobucket to do a slide show to bring the whole thing to it's finale.