Weekend Adventures

Everyone told me working life was great because you don't have any homework- once it's five o clock hits you just go home and leave work at work. As an hourly-paid employee, I've found that to be true. What I have discovered on my own, however, is that it's not only great, it'sAMAZING!! I love not having homework! I don't think a weekend has ever been so relaxing in my life!

So much happened- as I've found to be true with life in San Jose, particularly with the Bowmans- never a dull moment. The fun started with a YSA dance in Palo Alto hosted by the Stanford ward. Latin dancing! Yes, it's true. We learned how to cha-cha, merengue (sp?), samba, and ba-chocolate (also sp? actually, I know that one's not right, but I like to call it that) on Friday night. Ole!

Saturday I hung out with the Bowman family all day. The morning began with a trip out to Santa Cruz (about 45 minutes away) to see "Woodies on the Wharf," an antique carshow, featuring the old station-wagon type cars that surfers would cary their surf boards down to the beach in. Anna(their 7 year old granddaughter) and I had a great time walking up and down the pier, learning from Blaine (Brother Bowman or Papa, as Anna calls him) all about the different

types of engines and styles while eating huge ice cream cones. We saw cars as old as 1929!

On the way home we drove by the Beach House, the Bowman's vacation home located in Santa Cruz and watched the surfers out in the ocean. It's in a beautiful location with a beautiful view. They've promised to take me there sometime while I'm here, so I'll write more about it then. For now, suffice it to say that they feel about their beach house like we feel about our cabin, which makes it all the more meaningful and special to be a part of.

We got home to a swim party! Anna's family (the family of Tricia, their daughter) was all here and after we finished the World Cup game (which I will just briefly skip over) we started out on the most exciting series of events yet! Mark came over to join us (so that the numbers could stay even for game-playing purposes) and the both of us were absolutely exhausted by dinner time! These people know how to party! Swimming (everyone swam, by the way- no one sun-tanned or sat out) was followed by pickle ball which was followed by bocci ball which thankfully was followed by dinner, giving us a rest. By this point I'd had the time of my life but was ready for a nap! What a fun day!

Lastly I'll mention church. It was wonderful and uplifting and it was great to already know so many people having attended the activities this week. As if the week's events hadn't been enough though, there was an ice cream social linger-longer after the block! By this time I was so far spent when it comes to meeting people that I mostly just enjoyed my ice cream (I've never seen so many toppings in my life) and peaced. What a champion activities committee- I am truly impressed. The social atmosphere in this ward is unlike anything I've ever experienced before in a ward setting. Everyone is so outgoing and eager to meet me! I love it- I can definitely feel it rubbing off on me as well, making me reach out to them in return. It's going to be an amazing summer!