G Promotes

First off, I think it's strange to call it a Middle School Promotion - as they are moving on to High School rather than graduating, but I suppose the school gets to decide.

Secondly, my baby sister starts high school next year. I'm both terrified for her, and horrified over the marked progression of time.

I also feel like those palm tree's used to be a lot shorter.... G was the co-salutatorian and did very well on her speech - even if she charmingly mispronounced a few words. We were too far away for Q to be able to see G and she was hilarious trying to figure out where G's voice was coming from.

 Enjoying graduation balloons.

 All over getting her hands on that medal.

 It was difficult not to eat ALL the cupcakes.

Garden party. 

I don't actually like graduation ceremonies. I have purposefully neglected to attend all three of my collegiate graduations. I came close to going for the first masters but in the end skipped it and opted for a charming luncheon with the family instead. I am glad G's was nice, even if I'm in denial that it occurred.

Lighthouse Trip - Point Cabrillo Light Station

Our final stop was the Point Cabrillo Light Station. The rain made the visit rather damp, but there are adorable cottages just up the street you can rent for a visit.

We grabbed lunch in Mendocino before driving through the redwoods and on to the bay.

Simply perfect.

Lighthouse Trip - Point Arena Lighthouse

If you want to learn about lighthouses Point Arena is your stop. The visitor's center has the six foot diameter, over six ton Fresnel lens on display. There was also a volunteer who initiated his lighthouse history with, "Let me begin with Charles Dickens...". Sold! It was the most interesting visit we had. Plus one actually gets to climb to the top of the tower for breathtaking views.

What was once accomplished with fire and a huge lens is now done with a small light bulb and a rotating lens about ten inches tall.

It was quite the view. During the 1908 earthquake the light keeper was actually at the top of the tower. The tower guide read us his account of what it felt like to experience it at 115 feet. Apparently he had the iron stairs to thank for keeping the tower upright.

A thing of function and beauty. The double lens was Point Arena's unique light signature - two flashes every six seconds. Would you like to know the appraisal value - over $3.5 million.

Here is where I started having a total To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf moment. It was a Lily Briscoe kind of day.

I love GPS.

At this point I waxed ridiculous getting excited about the fault structure and how the earth had been almost lifted almost perfectly vertical, creating the visible layers here. Which leads me to recommend John McPhee's Annals of the Former World. Dickens, Woolf, McPhee, a couple books T mentioned. A lighthouse book club is basically what we were during this visit.

Lighthouse Trip - Abbotts Lagoon

I've come to Abbotts Lagoon every time I've gone out to Point Reyes for years. There are perfect spots for beach picnics nestled in the dunes there. This time, I was way to tired to lug food all the way out the level path to the beach. We ate in the car, T was a good sport.

This driftwood boat was perfection. Kudos to the constructors. If only we had had a flag to hoist up that rope.

It was a rather blissful end to the day.

What followed was a long dark drive up the coast to our hotel - who's desk closed hours before our arrival. Thankfully there was an envelope in the dropbox with my name on it containing keys, or we would have been sleeping on top of picnic crumbs.

Grateful we enjoyed (survived) the drive and had beds to sleep in.