exploring and catching up...

I'm now done with two out of my ten weeks.  According to my clinical instructor, I'm "ahead of the game."  I'll take that as very good news!

I got off about an hour early on Thursday, so I decided to find the nearest beach.  After a brief tussle with Google (apparently there aren't any beaches "near Bonita, CA") I ended up at Chula Vista Bayside Park, a nice place to watch the sunset, although the beach itself left a little to be desired as it wasn't the cleanest and I wouldn't have wanted to walk barefoot there.

looking across san diego bay to silver strand

Friday evening, I had plans to meet a friend from Cal, Wynne, and his family for dinner in the historic Gaslamp Quarter.  I once again got off work a little bit early, so I got to the Gaslamp Quarter just after 4:30.  I parked my car and took off walking.  I checked out the San Diego Convention Center where I will be tomorrow for the APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) Combined Sections Meeting.  After wandering around a bit, including observing a couple lowriders cruising the streets, I spent about 45 minutes in a Starbucks before meeting Wynne and family for a delicious dinner.

sculpture on the bay side of the san diego convention center

sunset over the marina

view from the convention center

gaslamp quarter

good to catch up with wynne!

Saturday I made a mini road trip to Orange County.  I met up with another Cal friend, John, for lunch in Huntington Beach.  After lunch we went south to Crystal Cove State Park and enjoyed the warm sunshine and beautiful views.  We got back to Huntington Beach in time for sunset, then I headed back to Bonita.  I was hoping John might want to take a snowboard trip to Big Bear with me sometime before I move to Tuscon - but he had just ruptured his Achilles tendon a month before and is out of commission for the next several months.

at crystal cove state park with john

female western bluebird at crystal cove state park

gorgeous sunset from huntington beach

i put my feet in the water - it was cold!

Sunday afternoon I went to Silver Strand State Beach since I'd figured out where I could find free parking instead of paying $15!  It's supposed to be a seven-mile stretch of beach - I probably walked a couple miles of it.  The beach is nice walking and running sand - softer away from the water but firm near the water, with lots of shells around the high water line.  There were a lot of different birds around.  In addition to seagulls and brown pelicans, there were at least three sandpiper-type birds - I tried to identify them later but couldn't get them all.

sanderling

i think this is either a common sandpiper or a marbled godwit

pretty sure this is a western sandpiper

another beautiful sunset

On Monday, I stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  As I was getting back into the car, I noticed what looked like a really bright star very close to the moon.  I stared for a bit, waiting for it to move and prove itself a plane or a helicopter.  It didn't move, so I pulled out my camera and took a photo.  After I got home, I saw that a couple friends had posted on Facebook "13 Must See Stargazing Events in 2013."  Number one on the list was January 21: "Very Close Moon/ Jupiter Conjunction."  I didn't have to look hard to find out what it was I had seen.  My photo surprised me - I'm very happy with the quality of my new point-and-shoot camera!!

jupiter visible near the moon