Sept. 21st, Dinuba-Fresno-Clovis-Hanford

I just took a big bite of cooked spinach, its leaving a bad taste indeed. Better, its now being masked by a coat of pesto and sundried tomato. Much better. I'm a walking commercial for Tide Sticks, as some delicious pesto also decided to grace my white skirt. Tide Stick to the rescue!

Last night I stayed in Dinuba, I loved it. Prayers must have been going out, which is much appreciated, because I felt like I got a pretty good nights rest. I was asleep before 11pm and only woke up once or twice in the night, that was exponentially better that the past weeks attempts. I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks, whats new. Must be a popular one because there wasn't even an opportunity to stalk a table and chair its so busy. I ended up sharing the handicap table, near an outlet, with a kid on his laptop, nice enough and quiet. Perfect. Probably looked to everyone else that I was hitting on him by asking to share the rather large table, and I'm okay with that as long as I get an outlet for my dead computer and free internet.

I have discovered another town I love- Reedley. I had a school visit there this morning, the counselors were so nice and friendly. I had a little extra time after so I went and walked the river a bit that was near the school before heading back into Fresno for more visits and a fair tonight. It was probably the most perfect floating river I've ever seen, just enough current to drift you down slowly, sleepily even. I was taking some photos, stepping through roots embedded into this hillside, and then flowing down into the riverbed, to get the best shot. I started noticing that the roots were moving, here and there....these fairly large brown lizards were racing around! I probably should've moved out of the roots with the fact that I have a skirt and sandals on, but I got distracted by some spider webs and watching the lizards. It did cross my mind that California probably has more poisonous and aggressive species of reptiles and arachnids, but I just didn't care, it was too beautiful outside and too intriguing. I do have to wonder what the few people sitting in their cars in the parking lot were thinking about the lady dressed in professional clothes rummaging around in tree roots. To each their own is what I say...

I think the rest of this week will go by quickly, with my mom meeting me tomorrow in Bakersfield. Just having someone to talk to makes the time go by quickly. Although my imagination does a pretty great job of entertaining me on the road, seriously, I literally wonder if I have a mental issue with how much my mind can wander and amuse itself for hours. Is that normal? I don't even know, and I have a psych degree, you'd think I'd know that answer. I play with bugs, that is my only defense. Well, if defense also equals evidence for not normal.

For family out there, I think this Thanksgiving we should serve food in the shelter. I actually want to do that on a consistent basis, but also don't want to do it alone. I know, whats this year gets going and it starts to get dark around 5pm it wouldn't be the most ideally safe situation to put myself in, so anyone else interested? I was thinking about that this morning.

I have a bruise on my left upper arm, where the humorous is. How did I get said bruise one may be asking? By getting hit by an elevator door. When I was leaving the Holiday Inn in Downtown Fresno, my bag was so incredibly heavy because I had a box of literature fresh from the mail on top of it as I tried to get into an elevator. Not quick enough, I think that demon machine wanted to crush my bones into powder. It hurt for like an hour after. Be proud, I didn't even curse or anything, not even in a British accent because that would've made it okay.

Perhaps, more to come tonight after the Fair and drive to the next city I'm staying.