Live for the Weekend (2)

Late start today. Gotta do laundry this morning. By the time, we're done, it's 2pm already.

John watched NBA Playoff game, Lakers VS. Spurs, until the end of 3rd quarter. Then he wanted "exercise." We always do something on both weekend days.

Balboa Park serves a very good choice since it's close and not as hot as Mission Gorge. Yes, I'm talking about dirt-trail hikes. We went on the ones branched off Desert Garden. Soon we walked a short loop, probably not even half a mile. John and I then crossed Park Blvd to the Natural History Museum side of the park. We passed the Organ Pavilion and wandered into Automotive Museum side, which we didn't usually go.

By chance, we came across the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Festival -- the last 2 performances. There wasn't much going on there: a few display booths of art and cultural information and 4 or 5 food stands. We were pretty hungry by then, so we paid $8 for a combo plate of not-very-good Filipino food. Honestly, the food was cold and not flavorful either.

4:30 pm. My hope for going shopping today grew dimmer. John gave me a gift certificate for my b-day and promised to take me to the mall. Well, it's our least favorite destination and low on weekend to-do list. I asked if we could go. He replied, "You have to walk a little faster. We can't be strolling..."

We had arguments over how fast I walk or hike many times. The fact is I can never walk as fast as he can even with the same rate of leg movement. My steps are much smaller than his. Often I have to run to catch up with him. Over the years, he grows to recognize that we have different abilities and he can choose to wait for me or I wait for him to explore areas I don't want / can't go.

Power-walk on concrete or tar pavements are harder for me actually. They lack the shock-absorbent ability soil/dirt trails have. Sometimes I just can't walk very fast but it's necessarily because I don't want to. I thought John understood that. His accusing me of "strolling" really ticked me off.

We then had quarrels over a trivial thing as such. He's restless and needed more exercise, which I understood completely.

In short, we settled everything in front of Trader Joe's. We had to get groceries for the week and no shopping for me (again).

Caramelized pearl onions, leftover rib eye steaks, and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon each later, we were completely calm. (for dinner)

The truth was we were both CRANKY. Sunday blues took over us. Deep down, John and I didn't want to face another workweek, ha! We simply can't get enough of weekend fun.

In more than one occasions we talked about our life in San Diego really was "living for the weekend." And it's sad. Today we both agreed that as much as we loved Portland, we had a lot more fun in San Diego. Even so, we miss Portland dearly -- our friends and the people there.

John said San Diegans were sheep, being herd by the media & popular culture, but not thinking for themselves. It's not to say there're not independent thinkers among them but we just hadn't heard enough. Portlanders could be jerks sometimes but not to be fooled -- people we knew had their own voices.

It's a love-hate relationship with San Diego, I tell you...