Today, I made laundry detergent. Yeah, that's right. I felt like a pioneer. Not that a pioneer would actually have, you know, an electric washing machine in which to USE homemade laundry detergent. More likely some rocks and a bar of lye soap. However, we DO have a washing machine- and the homemade detergent worked splendidly! Clothes are clean and smell great.

Hey, did you hear? My sister is knocked up!! We could not be so excited for her, Scott, my parents, Scott's parents, and the human race. Every baby is special (or so they say), but this one is extra special because of all the chaos that has entered the Ardill/Harville family realm for the last few years. You can follow her story at http://ardillupdate.blogspot.com/. According to Amanda, nausea from morning sickness is way more pleasant than nausea from chemo. Who knew?!

Things have been a brewing that have increased my and Rich's friends in California tally exponentially. First, a couple of weeks ago we went to a party for an organization at Richard's school. I don't think either of us was looking forward to it, but it turned out to be an okay time. No instant connections, but a few new acquaintances and friendly faces to see around town. Second, our Sunday School class was fun for a second week in a row. Once is a fluke, but twice is a sign of success! I am enjoying getting to know everyone in the class. Third, I joined the church's choir, and I've officially brought the average age down by about 20 years. Just kidding. Sort of. This is probably the most fun church choir I've ever been in (flashbacks to singing "I'm a Yankee-Doodle-Dandy" in youth choir. still having nightmares about that one.), mainly because they don't seem to take themselves too seriously. Which is nice, because I'm convinced that no one in the congregation of any church cares anyway. This is also the friendliest choir I've ever been in, hands down. I think I've met every single person already (after one rehearsal) because every single person has come up to me to say hello and chat. Perfectly lovely. Last, on Saturday we're going to a housewarming party for one of Rich's classmates. Rich said he was surprised this guy invited him because, and I quote, "he's so much cooler than us." Not that it takes much to qualify as "cooler that Richard and Sarah," but it definitely raises my hopes that we'll make some more friends this weekend.

I've said it before (maybe just one entry ago), but living here is showing me just how inhospitable Dallas was. Which is kind of ironic, right, since people in the South have the reputation of being the warmest people on earth. Maybe it's that we are in a far less urban setting? I dunno, but we like it here! Though it is sad to be so far from our families and all the people we love. So you all need to move here, and it will be like Disneyland every day.

I've been reading Lucy Maude Montgomery's Anne books- right now I'm on Anne of Windy Poplars. I swear, every time I read these books, my life is crowded with Anne Shirley moments. This time is no exception.

This morning at the church we've been attending marked the first Sunday in the liturgical season of Creation. I'm not entirely convinced this is actually a season on the liturgical calendar, but maybe. Any of you high church people know? Anyway, this morning, the pastor spoke about creation and understanding our place within creation. At one point, she articulated that while we have words to describe the slaughter of people (homicide, genocide, suicide, etc.), the words "geocide" and "biocide" (words to describe the slaughter of creation) don't really exist.

I hurriedly scribbled on my bulletin, "Actually, "geocide" is the systematic slaughter of small, hatchback automobiles" and passed it to Richard. He laughed silently, but gave me a look that said, "You're HOW old and you're still writing notes in church?" as he passed the bulletin back to me. I put the bulletin on the seat next to me. Soon the sermon was finished, and we all stood to greet one another. I shook a bunch of hands, passing sufficient amounts of peace as I did so. As I sat back down, I noticed the bulletin next to me was gone. I think the sweet little Asian lady sitting next to me picked up my bulletin by accident when she left. So, likely, somewhere in the world, a sweet, elderly Asian woman is going over her bulletin tonight and is being scandalized by my slightly (but not incredibly) inappropriate joke.

My second Anne Shirley moment is more positive, for I am making friends in California. Living in Dallas truly led me to doubt my ability to make friends- people there are generally stand-offish, and it took me a long time (nearly three years!) to find some kindred spirits. I 'm sad to have left those people behind in Dallas, especially since it took so long to find them! I have found some in Cali already, and I have two! hang-out dates this week with potential new friends. I'm brainstorming potential topics for if the conversation falls flat, but I have a feeling I won't be needing them.

Every time a local asks us where we live, the answer Rich and I give inevitably gets a chuckle. Not because we say anything particularly funny (we just say the name of the apartment complex and its location), but because apparently, this place has been under construction for approximately seventeen years. And they think it's funny that someone actually lives there. And I guess that they've now actually MET someone who lives there.

Along with our perpetually-under-construction apartment complex, there is a perpetually-under-construction shopping center right next door. When we moved in, the shopping center was completely empty. Rich and I waited with bated breath, guessing what would go in. "A restaurant," we hoped. "A Starbucks. This place was MADE for a Starbucks." "A Williams-Sonoma," I offered, ridiculously- though the shopping center does have hunter green awnings.

Tonight, we were coming home from a party (Rich's first PhD! Party!), and we saw that there are TWO businesses in the process of being installed in the shopping center. One is a second location of a local burger joint, which we've been assured is excellent. The second was a mystery- we couldn't quite read the sign. As we got closer, we saw it and both gasped in unison. No kidding, guys, it's FRO-YO!!!!!!

I started waxing rhapsodically. "This is going to be THE. BEST. THING. EVER. We can eat dinner at home, then walk with Charlie up to the frozen yogurt shop and get yogurt. We can take it to the park and let Charlie run around while we eat it, and then sit and watch the sunset."

Richard was silent. Turns out, he is wise enough to know 1) this will NEVER actually happen, and 2) if I think Richard will ever have a free evening during the course of this PhD program, I'm totally kidding myself. Ah, the joys of having a husband in grad school.

We rode a ferris wheel again yesterday. I think I'd like to have a life that involved a ferris wheel ride at least once a month.

However, this ferris wheel ride was slightly less fun than the last. For one thing, right before we got on the ride, Richard and I were talking about those old 20-20 shows that exposed neglected maintenance on carnival rides. It made me nervous the entire time- like we had jinxed it. For another thing (and here is where I show what a fuddy-duddy I am), the two guys in the gondola next to ours were swinging from side to side of the gondola to make it rock violently. I was not amused. In fact, when we got back around to the bottom, they got kicked off the ride, and I applauded. Loudly. I may have also yelled, "KICK EM OFF!" The guys kept denying that they had done anything to make the gondola move. Richard and I found that laughable since they were recording themselves on their cell phones the entire time. After those dudes were kicked off, though, the ride was very enjoyable. I am old.

Well, another California first today. I walked outside this morning only to discover a lovely flat tire! Here's the crazy part, though. Even though I know, in theory, how to change a flat tire, I've never actually done it before (before today, that is). Every time I've had a flat tire, some kind person (every time it's been a man) has stopped and offered to help. And every time I politely refuse, they insist. Even the time I had a flat tire on the side of the road at midnight with my trunk full of groceries. True story. This morning, no one stopped to even offer help. Granted, I was in the apartment complex and not on the side of the road, but still, I was a bit shocked. I think 20-30 cars drove by while I was changing the tire! So, while people are certainly friendly in CA, the commandment to go out of your way to help a stranger (even at an inconvenience to yourself) is missing. The good news is I can change a tire after all! Great life skill.

Things I've done since moving to California:
-Been to the beach
-Seen the Hollywood sign
-Eaten avocados and citrus fruits (not necessarily together)
-Met a union leader
-Seen a red carpet
-Eaten at In-and-Out (I much prefer Whataburger, but In-and-Out is cheap)
-Heard a concert
-Lounged by the pool

Things I haven't done since moving to California:
-Seen a celebrity
-Gotten a job (le sigh)
-Gone rollerblading
-Eaten any combination of fried chicken and waffles
-Died my hair blonde
-Met a valley girl