Pumpkipalooza

Today, we went to a pumpkin carving party at one of Matt's co-worker's house.

Don't miss Alice Cooper. Brittany's is the one with all the bats on it.

Matt's is the larger angrier looking one.

Pet Picture of the Day

She told me about the winds from Santa Ana and that's the way I like it

In the autumn and early spring, the Santa Ana Winds roll in. Apparently, they bring tumbleweed with them. Here is a rather large specimen that Matt found in the Orthodyne parking lot.

Spooktacular!

We put up some more Halloween decorations including a spiderweb. The image on the television is merely coincidental. Don't call it that.

Look what one of the spiders caught! Griz actually did this to herself. She managed to rip the spiderweb down in less than 20 minutes.

Pet Picture of the Day

Beep! Beep!

Matt washed, polished and waxed the Mustang (Brittany helped). When we went grocery shopping, an old man complimented him on his buggy. What a productive weekend!

Aww, Shucks!

Brittany received some flowers from Northern California from someone in Northern Maine.

You're too kind.

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Pet Picture of the Day

Boo!

Halloween is approaching and we put up our first decoration. Brittany's Mom made a Halloween themed quilt for us. We love it.

March of the Snails

It rained Friday night. After the "storm" we went outside. The walkways were littered with snails. They were everywhere. These are the two cutest snails in the whole wide world.

Yes, there are apples in LA.

On Sunday, October 8th we went to Oak Glen, CA. Oak Glen is roughly an hour away from Pomona.

We went to Oak Glen to visit the area apple orchards and experience fall in LA.

The apple orchards were almost identical to those in Massachusetts, except the backdrop was slightly more dramatic.

Matt spoke with his parents earlier that day and told them we were going apple picking. Phil asked where we were going to pick apples. We decided to take this picture to show Phil that apples do really exist in Southern California. Imagine our surprise to find real live apple trees with real apples on them.

Interior of Snow-Line Orchards' Store.

Santa Catalina Island

On Saturday, we went to Catalina Island via the Catalina Express. Santa Catalina Island was purchased by William Wrigley, Jr. (Wrigley Gum) in 1919. He dedicated himself to preserving and promoting the island. He did a pretty good job. The island is a tourist hot spot and relatively untainted.

During our CAT ride, we passed by the Queen Mary.

Avalon Harbor









He was a quick little bugger and very crabby. He kept snapping his claws at us. We chased him around for about 15 minutes.



Our tour bus. Retro sounds cool, but in practice really isn't. It's not that much fun to roll across the hills on dirt roads in a rickety old bus.

Flexible is spelt wrong. The company had to spell the name wrong in order to get the patent. At the time, another company already had the rights to the correct spelling.





Shark Harbor. There are sharks, but the harbor got its name from the rock formation on the beach.

So you don't forget what we look like.




The Wrigley's Arabian Horse Ranch.



The horses were gorgeous. Horseback is a very popular way for the locals to get around the island.

The Wrigley's newest venture, a vineyard.

Acorn Woodpeckers. We had never seen so many together at once. They were everywhere.



Catalina Airport.

Wild Buffalo. We also saw deer and a fox, but those pictures didn't turn out too stellar.

The residents of Avalon never get to see the sunset. It falls behind the mountains relatively early in the evening.

This Old Townhouse

We decided that the wall hanging we purchased in Shanghai would look great over the stairwell. Problem was, the ceiling is very high. Brittany suggested we find another home for the artwork. Matt insisted it would go exactly where we originally planned.

A scene straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey.


Brittany told Matt this wasn't his brightest or safest idea ever.




















Tada!

Road Trip!

Pit Stop. Turns out, the Mustang's gas mileage is not as economical as originally advertised by the dealer.

Praying Mantis praying it would find its way out of the midwest.

Why Nebraska? Why?

Fields, as far as the eye can see.

Attempting to blend in with the locals. It didn't pan out. There's no place for us Yanks in the midwest.

Cactus in Colorado? Okay.

Taking a break in the middle of nowhere. No, really. The middle of nowhere.

Sunset a.k.a. ball of fire about to consume the earth.

The Rockies. We passed through them at night. This is our only photographic evidence.

D.J. meet desert climate. Desert climate, D.J.

Utah, Arizona or Nevada ? It's all kind of a blur. We think Arizona, but are unable to confirm.

The Mustang in front of world's largest thermometer.

Brian and Brittany's reaction after they find out we stopped to take a picture of the Mustang in front of the world's largest thermometer.

We got off of 15 at the Zzyzx Road exit. It was paved for about a quarter of a mile.

Brian being left in the middle of the desert.

Bum sleeping in front of Caesar's Palace.

Stylin' in Vegas.