To the beach!

Paul and I couldn't ignore the call of nature this past weekend and, after a full Friday and Saturday of visitation with a good friend from Monterey and adventures at the farmer's market in Roseville, we decided that we needed to get away from the people and cars and asphalt. So, we made our way to one of our favorite beaches, Dillon Beach, just west of Tomales, CA.

Paul used to camp and hang out at this beach and the neighboring Lawson's Landing during his high school days in Marin. I was introduced to the locale much later but have taken almost everyone I know on the hour and a half drive through the dairies and farms of Petaluma to this little private beach. The drive is relaxing and scenic and, often times, as enjoyable as hanging out at the beach itself!

Sunday we awakened before the rooster, jumped in the VW, grabbed a cup of coffee from our favorite joint in town, and made our way to the coast. We got to Dillon's Beach before the gates were even opened; it was just us and the fishermen heading for Lawson's Landing. So we turned around and drove back to Tomales for another cup of coffee. As we sipped our brew we began to smell the fire about which the gathered locals were chatting. Napa and a great portion of Solano County were burning (and still are, even as I type), and fire engines from Sonoma, Petaluma, and Tomales screamed past us, north to the burning wine country. After a bit more absorption of local gossip and happenings, Paul and I drove back out to Dillon Beach to find the gate open and the ocean waiting for us.

While our visit to the beach was seemingly random, it was timed beautifully. The recent full moon had given way to one of the lowest tides I had ever seen. As we walked down the beach, we were greeted by rock after boulder covered in sea stars in brilliants hues of red, orange, and purple. The regular tide line, at least eight feet above our heads, was made evident by the dense thicket of mussels and barnacles that clung to the exposed rocks. We saw snails of every size and color and crabs that poked their tiny, purple heads out of the barnacled rock crevaces. Paul even revisited his childhood days of crabbing at China Camp and gently over-turned rocks in an attempt to find the little, purple crustaceans.

It was a very good day! We retired to our car, wind beaten and freezing (oh, the cold sea air!), and headed for our little house on the tomato field (oh, the hot valley air!). One day, way down the road, when we win the lottery (keepin' the dream alive, Sarah), Paul and I would love to have a home on the coast of California or Washington. I spent a lot of time as a kid sitting on the granite beaches of California. The sea air sets my head right, and I find all of life's trials easier to deal with after a visit to the edge of our continent.

Here are a few pictures from our adventures:

He'll always be MY cowboy...

Well, we got the call from the dairy and things didn't go our way. In true university fashion, they selected a candidate that was half as qualified, one quarter as dedicated, and 100% undeserving of the position. We've been going through a lot of frustration and heartache over this, so I'm going to keep it brief here. A candidate showed up half-way through the quarter and was allowed to shadow a milker without ever enrolling in the class. They were never taught how to set up the parlor, clean the parlor, or to sanitize the milking equipment. They showed up a few hours every week (Paul pulled 14 hours every weekend and wound up working 7 days a week for two months). And, in the end, because someone owed someone else a favor within the department, this joker got hired over Paul. So, once again, the university (the animal science department in particular) has proven itself to be one giant, inbred cluster-_______ (thanks, Dad, for the terminology).

We're upset because we didn't solicit this job; we didn't seek it out. We shelled out a lot of money for the class, money we didn't have while I remain unemployed. And we were under false pretenses (and hope, I guess) that this was going to be a fair process conducted by fair and upstanding people. So, I guess we're disappointed in people as much as we're disappointed in Paul not being able to fulfill his desire to become a laborer and to get out of that library.

So, after a few days of crying and anger and frustration and resentment, we're done. We've known all along that this wasn't guaranteed, and we've always known that we were getting a lot out of the process without the job coming to fruition. For starters, Paul's stronger than he's ever been and he's lost quite a bit of weight. He now knows that he likes manual labor, so we're trying to find him a job within that realm. And, the biggest reward of the entire experience, Melissa and Paul are now not only in-laws...they're good friends! I love that two of my favorite people in the whole world are now buddies! It's cool to see Melissa and Paul driving off together to get coffee while I'm donating platelets or to see them "talk shop" while we're visiting the folks for dinner. We are all so very fortunate to have had this opportunity. And, once again, as hard as it may be to remember, someone else knows what's best. We're not in control...we're just along for the ride.

The good Lord has something in store for us.

We're ready!

P.S. Thank you to all of our wonderful family and friends for the prayers and well-wishes. In the end, it all worked out for the best!

Cowboy Paul got an interview

We got a phone call yesterday from the dairy manager at UCD, and Paul has an interview this Friday at 2:15PM for the milker position. Paul has spent the last few months milking and performing management duties at the dairy for 14 hours every weekend. He's also attended a weekly class that taught the practicalities and economics of dairy management. While the 2:30AM weekend wake-up calls have been difficult, he's really enjoyed the physical labor of the job. He's lost quite a bit of weight, gained quite a bit of muscle, and has found some well-deserved self-confidence along the way. We sure are hoping that his interview goes well and that, if it's in the Lord's plan for us, that he get this job and the wonderful opportunity to further the changes he's already made. If he gets the job, he'll be working Monday through Thursday, from 3:30AM-8:30AM and then again from 3:30PM-8:30PM (mmm, split shifts!). He'll have three-day weekends every week, and he'll finally find the change and challenge that he's needed for quite some time.

If our dear friends and family would be so kind as to remember Paul in their prayers this week, we would be so very appreciative. We are so very blessed to have so many wonderful people pulling for us! I promise to update you all when we hear the final verdict.

Thanks!!!