Finally Settled...

So we have finally gotten settled and have already made a couple of road trips to San Fran and Sacramento. So the first weekend we were here we went up to San Fran to check it out...and learned one important lesson...next time we go there we will be taking the train! Traffic was crazy which in part cut our trip short. We were there for just a few hours and I managed to get a parking ticket!!! It was only $45 but still, gosh! My first ticket ever!!! It said that I was not in a marked space. Funny thing is I was in the lines and there was a meter in front of the car. Oh well. We were in Fleet Feet at the time getting new running shoes. We are on our way to a healthy lifestyle! We have started eating well and next week we are starting our boot camp training so we can get back in shape and start running regularly. Our goal before we leave here is to run a 5K! While we were there we drove down Lombard Street which was an experience. It was a straight up drive to it and a VERY winding road down...crazy (that's it in the picture above). We didn't get to see the Golden Gate Bridge on this trip but I'm sure we will visit there again since it isn't very far from San Jose. We looked for Donna Joe Tanner's house and didn't find that either;) It was a fun quick trip and I can't wait to go back. On the we passed by San Fran's airport which is the biggest airport I have ever seen AND had the biggest planes I have ever seen. There were two- story planes!! That is the kind I would like to get on!

After San Fran I started work that Monday...which it was there that I found out that the hospital is pretty much in the ghetto...it is a trauma hospital that has a lot of shootings and stabbings to come in...I guess this will be an experience! Our apartment is on the outskirts of this activity. So far we have felt pretty safe though.

So after orientation we had to ride up to Sacramento to the Board of Nursing so I could get my temporary license. We were supposed to go the Friday before but in order to save money the state of California closes all state mandated businesses every 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. The BON is included in this. When I found this out I thought I was going to lose my contract because I would have to start work without a license. But anyways...I worked it out and I have officially worked for 2 weeks now. OK..got off track there. Anyways for the trip to Sacramento we pretty much went to the BON and Marshall hopped all the way back to San Jose with the Jelly Belly factory in between. So I guess I should explain. Patrick and I are obsessed with Marshall's when we were in Fl we went to every Marshall's between West Palm Beach and Miami. So we got in the mood again and did the same between San Jose and Sacramento. I didn't have much luck but Patrick found a lot of Vineyard Vines stuff and he has this new obsession with Molton Brown Products (we discovered this product at the hotel that we stayed in in Beverly Hills) and he found some of that stuff too. I am still looking :( I guess there is always outlet shopping! Anyways we also went to the Jelly Belly Factory which was a lot of fun too. We got a tour of the factory and got a free bag of Jelly Bellys! They had a sample bar there where they had every flavor imaginable. They even had skunk, earwax, pencil shaving, vomit and the list goes on. Patrick tried the skunk one. It made his breath horrible. It smelled just like a skunk. And he said it taste like it too!

After all that excitement, Patrick has been sick for the past week but I think he is finally getting over that. We think he had a touch of the flu and are hoping I don't get it. But I think I am in the clear! So I am working the weekend off Monday and then working Tuesday and Wednesday nights then off for 5 days so I should have more things to talk about soon! Until next time...

-m