Heritage Square

I'm just embracing decadence, I guess: I skipped both the morning and afternoon walks--too busy having fun.
Showered and dressed after coffee, then sat down to do the Sunday crossword until Ellen came, as promised, at ten. We drove to Hill Street Cafe for breakfast, but it was jammed, with many waiting, so we left and tried Marie Callendar's. That wasn't jammed, and no wonder, as the brunch buffet was $18.95. I wanted to treat and with tip, the tab would be over forty bucks, so screw that. We went to Mimi's and third time was the charm, as we had to wait only about fifteen minutes.
It was fun, as it always is with my girl, but the Access van was coming for me between 12:56 and 12:59, so I had to get home and change. Did so while El put on my new license plates. We said goodbye and I went out front to wait for the van. It came, Diane on it, and off we went to Oxnard.
Got there in plenty of time for the program and, in fact, had front row seats, which my friend, Connie, had reserved for us.
Connie was superb as Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who actually conceived and promoted the idea of Thanksgiving as an annual national holiday.

Here's Connie in her incredibly full and impressive hoop-skirted glory. (I've been at her large house in Oxnard; the first floor is a guest suite and the closets are full of costumes she owns.) We enjoyed the program immensely, then went along with the tour of Heritage Square (historic houses, most brought from the Oxnard outskirts), then were picked up by the Access van to go back to Ventura for a bite and a sip.
I suggested the Cafe Fiore, Diane agreed, and we went there. We sat on the patio and topped off our day with the yummy cheese plates, D. with chardonnay, I a brisk ale.
Parted at 5:30--it was already dark--and I hopped the bus. Also boarding was my friend, Marie M., who now lives in a tiny house on Ashwood Avenue. We chatted amiably until she got off.
I got home close to 7:00 after yet another fun day.