Weekend Update

We've had a nice low-key weekend here. Friday night, we went to dinner (at Chipotle) with friends Josh and Erin and then chatted until the late hour of 10 pm, when we were all just exhausted. It sure stinks when you have to be social at the end of the week. I'd rather be social at the beginning of the week and then work when I'm tired. Anyway....
Saturday we went hiking in the OC (Orange County) at Crystal Cove State Park off of PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). We hiked through El Moro Canyon, which was a nice coastal hike away from the ocean. We decided to go the "tough way" up, which included a final leg called the "elevator." It's not a ski lift or an actual elevator-but it sure could use one! The pictures that I have don't do it justice. It was pretty much STRAIGHT UP, but it was nice to get to the top and feel the sense of accomplishment (that's me there taking a break). We took the ridgeline back down toward the ocean which let us see some of the ridiculous OC homes and a little glimpse of the ocean. The day was mild (in the 60s) and fairly cloudy, as you can see. We had some misting for a good portion of the time, which actually felt good. When we finished, we were happy that the sun hadn't come out, because it would have made the hike a lot hotter, tougher, and probably, in the long run, unbearable. We really enjoyed our time and the park, as they had excellent trails.
Upon returning home, we really didn't do anything exciting besides getting a Starbucks and having supper here at home. We watched Wedding Crashers on TV, and we were even able to stay awake for 40 minutes of SNL, which is a huge deal. It doesn't come on here until 11:30!
Today, the Santa Anas have rolled in and it is extremely windy. When I was out driving around, there were tons of branches down and even one tree. I thought that some of the immature palms may come down too, as they were bending like rubber. Hopefully, that will all calm down soon.
On the house front, we really have no news. Apparently, the owner didn't realize how far the market dipped and was shocked when she recieved our offer and saw the comps from the neighborhood. It doesn't sound like we'll get a counter-offer and she may rent the place out. We're pretty bummed, because that was the last home in our price range in this neighborhood, which we really wanted to stay in. Oh well, I'm sure something will come up. Our rent just went to month to month, so that gives us extra incentive to find something quick!
I am going to be working 3-10 hour days and 2-8 hour days this week, so I think it will be a long week. Supposedly, the following week will return to normal, but I highly doubt it will, as our coworker will still be on paternity leave! The extra money and/or vacation will be nice, although I am sure it will be stressful. As long as I know there is an end in sight I will be okay!
We're looking forward to starting Daylight Savings Time next week, which means it will actually be light when I get home at 7 PM at night! Have a good week everybody!