The Day before Sycamore

Tonight we prepare for our 4 day retreat to Sycamore Springs, a wellness oriented hot springs resort in San Luis Obispo, CA. We can't help do what most Taiwanese families do when preparing for road trips: bring what we would cook and eat. Food has always been a central focus of our family life, it glues us to the same table and conversations, it inspires team spirits as we break up to shop for groceries in groups. We are, nevertheless, the least organized travelers, all preparations left to the last minute, and everytime, I'm amazed how we make it through the last minute rush and unexpected detours, not to mention all the miscommunications of "I thought you were going to xxx.."

We're bringing our own ingredients to prepare a shabu-shabu dinner, including our own electrical hot pot. I'm also planning to make brunch for the family -- huevos rancheros, Costa Rican style. Of course there will be plenty of other non-meal foods and typical Taiwanese savories, like rice cakes, raddish pie with mushrooms and onions, etc. (the rest is too complicated to translate sensibly)

We're due to leave at 10 am tomorrow morning. Of course, there is Simba to take care of. He needs to check-in to his doggy hotel and be properly settled before we hit the road. We would have taken him along if pets were allowed at Sycamore Springs. A bit sad at the thought that our Simba will have to spend his Christmas alone in the kennel. When he was a pup we took him to a similar resort with us to Palm Springs, his paw prints on all the windows and sliding glass doors are still fresh in our memory. We heard plenty from the house keeping staffs. Felt like a parent being called into school by the principle to discuss the problem child.

There are more food items I didn't get to prepare, so they'll have to wait till morning. So will laundry and packing. And yes, we all still want to hit a great outlet on the way there and get some Christmas shopping done. It's passed midnight, I'm blogging, my dad fell asleep in the family room, and my mom is running around the house doing everything not related to the trip preparation. But I know somehow tomorrow by noon, we'll be magically organized and be on our merry way to Sycamore Springs.