Finally! I'm on vacation! I have the weekend, plus three vacation days off, and I'm beyond excited about getting away! I've been taking extra days off here and there, but they were all used to spring clean and redecorate at home. While the chores were satisfying (especially when they were finished!), I can't really say it was a relaxing or fun way to spend my days off. This, on the other hand, is going to be very relaxing and very fun!

I drove down south today to visit my friend Jewel and her totally awesome cat, Thelma. On the way I stopped at the Bare Escentials store in the Topanga shopping center, and allowed the lovely Danielle to get me all gussied up. I've been using the Bare Minerals foundation for a couple weeks now, and I really like it. I decided to go ahead and pick up a blush, concealer, some eye shadows, and a couple extra brushes. The mall also had a really nice looking Lane Bryant store, but I was running late, and figured I could stop by on my way home. If I have any money left by then, that is . . .

You see, tomorrow Jewel and I are heading out to the Pechanga Casino and Resort for a little R&R, and just a wee bit o' gambling. Just a little. I'm setting a limit for myself, and I'm going to keep track of all my winnings and losses. Really. I'm gonna.

Anyway I arrived at Jewel's place, and after catching up, and playing with Thelly (who by the way, totally loved her Chicken Flavoured Pounce and her new catnip pillow toy! But, doesn't she always?), we headed off to the South Coast Plaza to hit Stila and Aveda. Had I known that Stila was going to be bringing in several professional make-up artists from Europe, I wouldn't have stopped by Bare Escentials! Gah! Sure, I could've let one of the artists give me a make-over, but then I would've wanted to buy all the stuff they used to make me beautiful, and I'd already bought a bunch of stuff to do that. Anyway, I picked up the convertible eye colour pencil I'd gone in for, and a pallet of their summer colours for good measure, and called it good.

Aveda was wonderful! I really didn't mean to get that much stuff, to spend that much money, but adorable little Bryan was hard to say no to. So I didn't. He brought me a sample of their Relax tea, which I love, and I was putty in his hands: he showed me products which work wonders on my fine, thin hair; he picked out the perfect colours of gloss for my lips; he gave me a hand massage (which was ten times better than the mostly painful one I'd received while getting my mani yesterday evening); and convinced me that I needed the hand cream and cuticle gel. Oh, yeah. He's good.

After leaving Aveda with my bags heavier but my wallet lighter, I passed by the Roxy store, and quickly popped in to see if, by some chance, they had the luggage set I've been wanting. They did. The rolling suitcase and matching overnight bag! They didn't carry the matching cosmetics case, but that's no big. I really just wanted the suitcase and bag. So, I bought them.

Jewel and I dined at Claim Jumper, and I finally got to have the Prime Rib (the last time we went there, they were out of prime rib; very disappointing.). It was wonderful, and I must say, their calamari appetizer was the best I've ever had! Lightly breaded, slightly crunchy and not at all greasy! Wonderful!!

When we got back to Jewel's place, I switched out my clothes to my new suitcase and overnight bag, played with Thellawishes some more, and then we settled down to get some sleep before heading off to Pechanga.

Reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold

Classic Book: Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.

Previously: Animal Farm by George Orwell.

Listening to: Thelly licking her catnip pillow.

Writing: Nothing.

Gratitude: Free time!