Way Overdue

I just realized that I never posted about my lovely visit to Sacramento this summer!!! Ah!  I have been missing Ashleigh something terrible lately...and my crazy schedule is awful for planning Skype dates.  She was in the States this summer for about a month, and was spending a few days with her family in Sacramento, then heading up north for the rest of her time to the summer camp she loves and adores and to see her friends there.  Since it was easier for me to visit her in Sacramento at her grandmother's house..I planned to pop over to California after Holly's wedding the middle of July.  

Holly's wedding was a success.  Held in a beautiful Episcopal church in Fort Worth, TX, her ceremony was short and sweet and everything you would want in a wedding ceremony.  Her flowers were gorgeous, the food delicious and the band played some classic hits.  (minus Love Shack but we won't go there...)

Her cake. It was almond and strawberry!

The girls. 

Then, I jumpseated to Sacramento because all of the flights were full...(4 hours in a jumpseat = not so comfortable.  free ride = one happy camper) 

Flew right over Lake Tahoe. So beautiful!

I arrived into Sacramento and her uncle was kind enough to come pick me up from the airport along with Ashleigh and her cousin Carla.  I met Carla in Paris for a brief couple of days during her visit, so it was funny we were seeing each other again!  We drove around a quick tour of downtown Sacramento, showing me all the highlights before we pulled up to a precious house a couple of streets over from where Reagan lived during his term as governor.  A neighborhood which her aunt will then explain to me as the "fab forties." 

It was, as always, so good to see Ashleigh.  I kept looking around and pinching myself wondering if I was really here.  If we were really sitting together...having conversations...enjoying each others company again.  It was mind blowing.  I only had 36 hours so we had to make the best of it!  The weather in Sacramento was amazing.  It was the middle of July and we were able to swim in the warm sun during the day, but cool enough to where we needed a light sweater at night.   The breeze blew through the orange trees and the sky was bright blue with not a cloud in sight.   

Her grandmother's pool is where we spent most of our time.  Catching up on almost two years of missed time.  We've had several skype dates but its nothing like the real thing.  It was just fabulous.  

Typical. 

We had dinner with her family one night, and her uncle cooked pizza with a gluten-free cauliflower crust (that healthy California livin') the next.  Her aunt took us shopping so Ashleigh could get her usual American goodies then it was back to the pool for some qt in the warm Cali sunshine.  

Our visit was too short (as I'm sure all future visits will feel), but my days off always end with a vengeance, and so I took the 11 pm Jetblue red-eye back to New York's JFK airport.  The gate agent kindly asked if I wanted an exit seat...so I took it.  Then I get on the plane and realize it's the exit seat that doesn't recline :\ and I am instantly pissed off.  But, it is a free ride all the way across the country so I bit my tongue, changed the channel on my screen to food network, and tried to get some shut eye.