First month as a Californian

It's been a little over a month since I arrived in the Golden State and I'm officially a Californian. Having never officially moved to another state before (even when in PA I never changed my license), I had no idea just how involved it would be to switch my identity from WA to CA. I've been to the DMV no fewer than four times. Gone is my favorite license plate number of all time; gone is my sweet WA state driver's license number; instead I have California plates and ID, neither of which I prefer. The CA DMV crops its photos real close, y'all. At least I passed the written test! And, the best thing about my new license plate is it has a Z in it; I hope one day in the not too distant future two kids are battling it out to win at the alphabet game and my car's Z is the victory letter for one of them.

You didn't think I was going to show my driver's license, did you?

I also had to change my car insurance, renter's insurance, health insurance, and theoretically voter registration but I'm actually going to vote in WA this year (gay marriage needs my vote more than GMO labeling does). I got a local credit union account, and one of these days it would be nice to change my Seattle-area phone number.

All this is to say, I better stay here for awhile because moving is a real pain in the ass.

Here's what I've done in the last month.

Stopped by the Giant Pumpkin weigh-off in
the Safeway parking lot.

Whitney and Sara at the pumpkin weigh-off. This one weighed
580 pounds! Carson says there's usually one that's 800.

Rode the Garden Project's "smoothie bike" at the Co-op's block
party. My buddy Natalie holds it down while this stranger
gives me a hilarious look. (This was across from the pumpkin
weigh-off on the same day; very convenient.)

Attended the Local Women's Music Festival at Nelson
Vineyards in their beautiful Redwood grove. Performing
here is Ede, one of my favorite local "raging grannies."

Visited the breathtaking Saracina vineyard north of Hopland.
They have caves you can tour! Sent my parents a delicious
bottle of Chardonnay for their 39th wedding anniversary.

Wine tasting at Saracina. (Sara and Timin nearby.)

Drove up Cow Mountain with Carson to see the remnants of two
fires he was on this summer. You can see Clearlake in the distance.

Tried to go abalone diving at Fort Bragg, but the cold weather
translated to a picnic on the beach with Sara.

Planted a winter garden with David and Janet. Brussels
sprouts, broccoli, kale, beets, lettuce, radishes, and carrots.

Our persimmons are starting to change color! 

Made green tomato pickles (and green tomato chutney).

Went to Doc's 92nd birthday party on October 18, a talent show in
which Jay and I performed "Jose and Esmerelda," a running skit
from the summer about a fighting Latino couple.

Roped Sara and Ian into starting a puzzle with me on Wednesday...

...and David and Janet into finishing it with me on Friday.

I've also been doing lots of volunteer work with The Gardens Project, helping them plan an event on  Monday called "Farmer's Night Out" and translating a lot. Today I'm going to be the translator for a garden workshop on hoop houses and row covers at the Mendocino College. I'm also doing "real" (i.e. paid work), officially ending my seven month unemployment streak. The work is fun, though; a variety of writing and editing projects to keep me busy and not bored. 

The hot weather stopped yesterday and today we're down to the 70s with the rain predicted to start early next week. However, I just walked to the farmer's market and they had a bounty of strawberries, so it still feels like summer.