Wednesday 25 August 2004

it's the most wonderful time of the year



What joy, what fun! It's holiday planning time! I love browsing through sites and books before we go on holiday. I got a wonderfully detailed email from a workmate at our Ft. Lauderdale office about the Russian River region we want to visit in California, which has helped enormously. I also got some valuable information and tips from the lovely Martine of Montreal, which has helped us decide where we'd like to eat and stay for part of the journey.



It's funny how my priorities have changed; now my main source of excitement comes from picking out places to eat, shop, and visiting the Charles M. Schulz museum. Why does a 35 year old woman want to visit the Snoopy museum? It's a childhood favourite - promise I won't turn into one of those Mums who wears stretchy leggings and oversized Micky Mouse sweatshirts. Every night before bed, my Dad used to read to me from his old Peanuts comic books. When I got a bit older, I read them all myself, making my way through volumes and volumes of old, yellowing paperback books. It's not Christmas without "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (Paul very kindly bought me a copy on DVD as they will never show it on television here during the holidays), and happiness really is a warm puppy, it's true. Fans of "Calvin and Hobbes" recognise echoes of Peanuts in Watterson's strip (which he acknowledges). It ran for 50 years, becoming a fond childhood memory for me as well as my Dad. And well you know, it's about a dog, so what's not to like? ("Marmaduke" excepted.)



So along with the Snoopy museum, I've got several outlet mall web sites bookmarked (just for the San Diego/La Jolla portion of the trip, you see) and have downloaded menus from some very yummy looking places in Sonoma and Napa Valley. We've planned a day or two in San Francisco, a drive down to Monterey and a ferry ride over to Sausalito, a tour of the Napa Valley again to restock, scenic drives and walks around the coast, a visit to the Redwoods State Reserve, and a trip to Bodega Bay (where Hitchcock filmed "The Birds"). I think we're all set for a fabulous honeymoon.



Ready to go. Now.

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