She vacationed.

As I was putting together my "month in review" for August, I nearly smacked myself in the head. I never mentioned my vacation!

It started with a delayed flight out of Orlando, courtesy of a powerful storm that stalled out over the airport. At one point, they were recording upwards of 300 lightning strikes in the area every fifteen minutes. The number of lightning strikes that can happen in the airport area within a fifteen minute time span for them to open up jetways for boarding? Zero.


Day one of vacation included some of this:

And some of this:



The next day was Disneyland. There were piranhas on Jungle Cruise.

 
Some adventuring with Indy.

A trip to the netherworld with J. Thaddeus Toad Esq. (It's so dark, but I laugh like a fool every time.)

Some pillaging and plundering and "wantsing of the redhead!"

And some tasty treats!



Saturday brought some wine tasting.

And baseball. With grilled cheese (!!!) because that's how we roll.


Actually, baseball came "two for the price of one."

Yes, we stayed the entire nineteen innings. Yes, we, along with everyone still there, cheered when Pujols hit a walkoff homer to end the game (didn't care who won, please just let us GO)...and contemplated tackling John Farrell on the field when he challenged it.

Less than twelve hours after the end of that game, we were back for Sunday's matinee. We had excellent seats...

...but before that, we ate a brunch that was to. die. for. And now I will bombard you with the photos. Because that is also how I roll. There was a BLT wedge salad with heirloom cherry tomatoes and crispy shallots.

A brisket quesadilla with fresh corn salsa.

A shrimp and edamame salad, and pork belly over cheesy polenta topped with a perfectly poached egg.

A summer flatbread with roasted heirloom tomatoes, grilled summer squash, mozzarella, and arugula, and basil pesto.

Charcuterie (I'm still dreaming about the prosciutto!).

And then there was dessert. Coconut and mango custard. Raspberry and lemon meringue. Passionfruit marshmallow.

Vanilla bean pudding with blackberries and oatmeal crisp.

Fig and maple bread pudding.

Devil's food cake with fresh cherries.

Black plums with vanilla cream, pomegranate gelatin, and brown sugar crisps.

The secret to eating all of that is that they come in tiny portions and you have to go with someone willing to go halvsies on everything. I will confess, though, that the only other thing I ate the rest of the day was this Peanut Butter Sandwich I got at Disneyland on Friday.

Brief ode to the Peanut Butter Sandwich:
Heavenly confection, no longer can I pay you homage in my homelands of Walt Disney World. I must wait for the opportunity to meet you on the far west coast, at the place of Mickey's birth. But I shall savor you, oh, I shall savor every last crumb. Until I find my nose pressed to the glass case of Candy Palace once again, you remain my beloved Disney treat.

And early Monday morning, I boarded an eastbound jet, relaxed, content, and happy to have spent some time with a dear friend.