Friday Gratitude: California Edition

Atop Turtle Hill in San Francisco. That’s supposed to be my ‘I’m so happy to be here!’ pose 🙂

For my third post in the Friday Gratitude series, I’m extraordinarily lucky to have a long list to choose from. There are so many things to be grateful for this week ! (Don’t worry though, I’m cutting myself off at five.)

1. As I recall my crazy airport day on Wednesday, I’m so thankful that I did not lose my phone like I thought I did! Don’t get the wrong idea, guys. I don’t have an I, Smart, or otherwise superficially intelligent phone. It’s a tiny pay-as-you-go flip phone for crying out loud! But it’s mine, and things like tiny cheap phones make meeting your love at the airport so much simpler, you know?

2. I’m grateful for Mr. Pink Shirt & Grey Hair, who was on line in front of me to board the LA->SF flight. More details on that whole scene later, but he was kind and helped me out just when I needed it. Oh, helpful nameless strangers, there are so many of you!

3. Can we talk about the Northern California weather I was blessed with? I’m grateful for all the sun and blue sky over the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this week. Sometimes it was gray and cooler, but that’s sort of what I expected. Any weather would have been juuuust fine, since hello, I was in San Francisco! I was just thrilled to be there! But when the sun came out and forced our jackets off, it felt like such a gift.

Blue sky over the San Francisco Ferry Building

4. Can not talk about gratitude without mentioning my sweet husband. I’m so grateful to Andy for just being here, for making me so excited about coming back home, for navigating crazy NYC traffic in the middle of the night, and for preparing me dinner so I would have something besides cranberries and almonds to eat when I got off the plane.

Did I mention I love kissing him? Because I do 🙂

Christy and Andy: Kissing since summer 2007

5. Lastly, I bestow all the love and gratitude in the universe on my friend/sister/wifeypants, Ellen, for being such a lovely hostess. I may have been a bit anxious beforehand because you never know how it’s going to be when you’re a guest in a friend’s new home city for several days, you know? Plus we hadn’t seen each other since November! But it was all wonderful. Ellen is beyond generous and understanding, plus she is one of the very few people I can just spill anything to without even thinking about it. Thank you, Ellen, for playing a HUGE part in making my vacation such a positive experience! And of course, thank you for your friendship <3

One of my favorite women at one of my favorite San Francisco spots

That wraps up another edition of Friday Gratitude!

It seems like life in the Hudson Valley has picked up SO much over the last couple weeks, and June especially has been so busy with events and fairs and and new restaurants to try. This weekend, we’re thinking maybe the Greek Festival down in Pougkeepsie, maybe Pride Parade up in Hudson, and definitely basking in the lack of rain!

Also, here are some links I’ve recently bookmarked:

• My biggest travel mistakes and how to avoid them
• 5 Tips: Finances When Moving Abroad (also great tips if you’re just traveling in general)
• Career Advice for College Graduates. Great post just anyone, but especially those of us in our twenties and early thirties who are still trying to figure it all out. Found via Unbrave Girl (thanks, Sally!)
• Combining unusual words and beautiful design? I’m so there: The Project Twins- A-Z of Unusual Words.  (via The Everywhereist)
• Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, from I Heart Vegetables. Yum!

Do you have any weekend plans? Would you like to share what you’re grateful for lately? Or any inspiring/tasty links?