SockMonkey & BFF Celebrate Halloween

The Outside Inn 

The familiar, while always slightly different, is comforting. But life is an adventure; it's always fun and interesting to try new things.

Over the past dozen years or so Wanda and I have stayed at the Outside Inn in Nevada City, California many times. The drive is two and a half hours with coffee, food and or bathroom breaks. 

For more information on this charming city in the California Gold Country click here. 

We have been meeting the cruise gang there in June for ten years now. This was our first time going for Halloween.

We'll go again but it might be the last time we take the monkey and his friend.

This trip was my idea.

Hi...I don't understand why it is a big deal for him. It's not like Chuck has to do much of anything except load the car. And that only happens if he can drag himself out of the bathroom before Wanda gets impatient. She packs all the goodies, takes care of me, BFF and drives both ways. All he really has to do is sit in the car, observe and navigate. And how hard is that, I mean, after all, he has a GPS for goodness sake. 

I don't know why he complains, he always gets to ride in the front.

I called shotgun one time and me and BFF were already belted in when he came out of the house. He forgot his hat or some other thing he couldn't live without for a few days. We were late (I'd been up and ready for hours) but he insisted on taking the time to put us in the backseat. He told me if we tried that again we'd ride in the hidey-hole where the spare tire would go if it wasn't hanging off the back door of RAVA2E. 

It was raining pretty hard when we left Friday morning and I could tell they were a little nervous. We really need the rain and all (I haven't had a decent bath in a few years) but human people forget how how slick and dangerous the conditions are. I bet it was less than a half hour when I saw a car upside down. I like to hang and I could see the person inside but he looked kind of green. 

Everyone was glad when the weather cleared up for the rest of the drive.

As if this ride wasn't long enough they had to stop for refreshments and came out talking about the various caffeine amounts in espresso and regular coffee and if they were different. Apparently the barista mistakenly made him what is called a half-calf (I do not understand why anyone would want part of a cow in their drink) and he didn't know what it was. A half-calf, it was explained had half the caffeine as a whole-calf but much more calf than a d-calf. Then I heard about a half-calf moo-ca or something. 

Where I come from people just chew leaves.

After they got the drinks we hit the road again and after what seemed like forever (Chuck's note: it was twenty five minutes with him yelling "Are we there yet every thirty seconds) we finally got to the motel.

The people here are so nice. They really decorate and celebrate. They have a Spooky Walk and a Haunted House and I heard they gave out over two thousand pieces of candy last year. Look what I did first thing; I got a Butterfinger for me and a Snicker's for BFF.

Then we went through the Spooky Walk. I can't wait to do it again when it's dark.

We all went out for lunch. When we got back our room was ready. 

When Chuck and Wanda come here in the summer they have a living room, kitchen and separate bedroom. I always feel so lost in it. Seeing how this trip was my idea I got to pick out our digs. It was much more to my liking, sort of Hobbit sized. BFF and I still needed help but it felt more like home.

About five o'clock we walked downtown to watch the parade. It was raining but everyone there was having a real fun time. Then we finally got to go trick or treat. One of the big streets was closed to cars and motor vehicles. There were kids and people everywhere. I saw so many beautiful old Victorian houses with lights and Halloween decorations. It was very cool, Disneyland like. When it was really dark we walked to the Haunted House and got more candy.

People worked really hard to make their houses special. That night and when we went out the next day Chuck and Wanda thanked them for all the effort. We hope they keep doing it.

BFF and I are very lucky. We have been on several road trips and on a train and ship too. This was fun even if we did get a little wet and had to listen to Chuck bitch about dripping pizza juice on his brand new worn for the first time bowling shirt. They say I'm sloppy. He better start wearing a bib or at least tuck his napkin under his chin when he eats.

After a long day and evening we brushed our teeth especially good after all that candy.

.....and called it an evening.

We are so very fortunate and have so much to be thankful for.