Nice day for a long car ride

 Weather cooled down sufficiently that we decided it was a good day to drive to Julian. Neither of us had been there recently and since I have a car that can make the trip without complaining, it was time.

The road was windier than I remember so I wasn't able to take a look around much and see the terrain. About an hour drive up and back with about an hour or two spent in town. Can't seem to figure out how to screenshot the map but believe me it was windy and an hour long each way. 

It was overcast when we left and reasonable temperature, by the time we started climbing into the hills it actually got pretty foggy and the two cars ahead of us didn't have their lights on. We slowed down quite a bit but it was still a very nice drive for a late summer day. 

First stop, restrooms. Most of the shops are small, very old and touristy so we had to ask where the public rooms were, luckily around the corner and behind the building. What to my not so swimming eyeballs saw while waiting for Jon did see?

Wild Blackberries

I seem to find blackberries about the same time of year when I decide to go somewhere. Two years ago it was up in Washington (hard not to find them up there) and even though I don't really like blackberries I will eat them because it is free food. I didn't pick these because they were small and too far away to do it without falling on the bush.

Next stop was going back to the shop we asked about the bathrooms and got to look around. Wonderful eclectic collection of clothing, hats, 'cowboy/country' things like knives, fake bows and arrows for the kids, fountains, kitsch, handmade things and, of course, earrings.

 

Jon bought a nice knife so he can reduce some weight in his pocket and hang this one on his belt. Not sure what's up with that, he's feeling insecure lately due to mess ups with getting his birth certificate and not having a job and all that. Oh I also bought a woven straw style visor that I've needed for a while. Adjustable velcro because, despite my great intellect, I have a small head.  But anyway, we enjoyed the day out and I also found a pair of socks that I would have bought for Amber if she ever wore socks.

 

 She loves her kids really and they aren't assholes but it's still something she would likely say. Why do I not think of my other kids with stuff? I have no idea. Amber has been my problem child and we've been closer than Devon or Krys just due to her still being in San Diego.

We ate at a small diner before leaving and Jon paid the tab on his EDD card which was debit. He had seen on a consumer news report how employers for diners and such are pocketing more money due to being subsidized and so tips create an overage or something so he didn't leave a tip. We get home and a few hours later he checks his account and discovers the server had added in a 20% tip on top of his tab. He put a zero with a line through it so the only thing I can think of is either they interpreted that as a 20% or just decided to add it in. Either way he contested the amount with the bank but not sure what the outcome will be. We stopped in and bought an apple pie as well and that will be breakfast tomorrow morning warmed up.

Aside from that, no outcome from any job search so far. Not exactly sure I want to get another job. I met up with Amber at Walter Andersen's because she wanted a plant to put on her new apartment balcony. The place was beautiful as always, busy as it is on a Saturday but more so due to the registers being down. Again. They were all being troopers about it of course and I was able to visit with a few of the people I knew that were still there. Got to even catch Walter himself and chat for a bit. Sad to say inevitably he is getting much older, hunched over from his bad hip, almost didn't recognize him. It was good to see. him again though and glad he recognized me. Took lots of pictures of plants for my Greendini blog.

We seem to be doing okay on unemployment but according to Jon, his runs out in two months. I do okay with my unemployment (yes I am getting more than what I was getting at my last job) but I signed up for medical coverage for $15.50/month and Vision for $17 something a month. That's still a whole lot less than what I was paying out before. I was losing half my gross pay to medical/dental/vision/taxes/401k. Half my pay. So even with tax deductions on unemployment and paying, what #30 something for medical and vision I'm still doing good.

Jon's birthday is next month, in three weeks actually and hope to have something planned for him to boost his spirits a bit.

More on that later. Time for bed, been a busy day.