Adjustments.

We're now moved to California, and while some things are easy to adjust to (like weather in the 60s), others are much more difficult, or just weird.

One example is "lane sharing." When we entered California for the first time, we hit some slow traffic around Sacramento. To our surprise and alarm, motorcycles started zipping between the lanes of stopped cars! I sent a message to my mom, who told me this is actually LEGAL! I still can't help but think that while it may be legal, it also looks stupid and dangerous!

Another thing to try to get used to is the library's odd hours. Because of major budget cuts (due to the fact that they can't raise property taxes here AT ALL), the hours are irregular and somewhat odd. They're open seven days a week, Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Monday 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday - Wednesday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday-Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Confused yet?

We were also surprised when we first went to a grocery store for milk and the aisle we happened to walk down was the liquor aisle. In Utah, this would translate to "Beer." In Cali, it translates to "Beer, Wine, Vodka, Whiskey, etc."—things I’m used to only having available through a liquor store! Since I don’t drink, it was a shock to find these things so readily available! It makes me wonder if they have extra security cameras on those aisles to keep theft down, since I know that even theft of extracts (such as Almond or Lemon) at Macey’s in Provo got to be so much of a problem they had to put them behind the customer service counter!

Something I miss about home is my mountains. Sure, I get the ocean instead—which is nice, don’t get me wrong—but I miss the protection and beauty of my mountains!

We’re also having to adjust to the $$$$$. A lot of things cost a LOT more here! We got the grocery ads yesterday, though, and found some things that are “good deals” even to our Utah minds! Hopefully that will continue!