October update

So it seems this has become a once-a-month blog.  Not ideal, not my intention, and not to continue much longer.  It's been a very busy few weeks.  Mum arrived and has settled into the apartment I vacated at the end of September.  As luck would have it, there was a room available that she could rent for the month of October, so she grabbed it.  Certainly makes it easier for us to hang out when I'm not working.  Between work, classes and rehearsals I don't have much free time these days, and much of what I have I'm devoting to Mum.  She has been very intrepid finding her way around LA on the bus and rail system - and can aver that people do in fact use public transport in LA.  She has had quite some adventures and met several Characters.  She has also figured out what kind of coffee she likes and how to order it here.  She's been Downtown, where she was impressed with Union Station, and found Alvarado St where she browsed the Mexican market and bought a nice summery dress.  Despite my warnings, she was unprepared - coming from a cold and wet Melbourne winter - for just how hot the weather is here, even in Autumn.  Although, last week we had a few cold, wet days just to shake things up a bit!  This weekend, we're back to sweltering summer temperatures.

I've moved out of the dark little apartment that was my home for the last 8 months, upstairs into a 3 bedroom apartment with two other girls.  There is so much more light up here, and no creaking floorboards above my head.  Hallelujiah!  Downside is that it certainly gets much hotter, but that's a deal I can handle.

Work has been going well, and I'll be there until at least the end of October.  Maternity leave lady had indicated she might be back as soon as the 11th, but has postponed her return until November 1st.  I'm kinda hoping she decides to take the next 12 months off work to spend it with her baby son.  However, in the meantime, I have applied for another job at the University which sounds interesting and would be part time.

Yesterday Mum and I took a drive up to Santa Barbara, a very cute town populated largely by students attending the university, and wealthy retirees.  A friend of mine is living there (for the record, she is neither a student nor wealthy) so it was a good opportunity to catch up while doing some sightseeing.  It happened to be the Harbor Festival, with lots of seafood (especially lobsters and crabs) on show.  You could buy them, still wriggling and snapping, out of wading pools off the pier, or dine on them from one of the restaurants or temporary stalls.  The place was teeming with people (and lobsters), and it was a glorious, sunny day.  We took a walk along the beach, which aside from being plagued by sandflies and seaweed washed up on the shore, was beautiful; lined by palm trees, framed by distant mountains, the water was cold and blue and speckled with brightly coloured boats and windsurfers.