Whooosh!

[susandennis]

I was 40 years old before I ever set foot in California.  Growing up in the 60s, Dione Warwick was the only way I knew the way to San Jose.  But in 1989, I was asked if I wanted to take a job there.  I'm not sure the guy who was asking the question even got to the end of it before I barked 'YES!'.

I arrived on a Friday night and got a rental car at the San Jose airport and drove myself to my motel - in Morgan Hill, CA.  My new job was at a software lab about 5 miles north of Morgan Hill which is about maybe 10ish miles south of San Jose.  Anyway...  The motel reminded me of every B black and white movie I had ever seen that featured the rural parts of California.  It gave me bearing.

Saturday morning, my ears woke up first.  There was the strangest noise.  It was kind of like a leaf blower but a kinder, gentler leaf blower - blowing in soft puffs.  I remember thinking 'wow, even the lawn equipment sounds like it's doing recreational drugs!'  I did not move but opened up one eyeball to see what time it was - 6 a.m.  (Why in the fuck are they blowing leaves at 6 fucking a.m. on Saturday????)

I opened up the other eyeball and looked out the window and saw the most wondrous site...  A perfectly beautiful colorful magical looking hot hair balloon was coming alive not 100 yards from my window!  It took me a full minute to honestly believe I wasn't still asleep.  Turns out this little no name motel was next to a field that was a very popular balloon launching site.

We had a few balloons on the east coast.  They would turn up at fairs and stuff.  In California, and as it turns out in other parts of the west, especially on weekends, they grow out of the fields like crops.  I never ever got tired of seeing them and learned to tune into their special leaf blowing kind of sound. 

One Sunday, after I had moved into my condo, I heard that sound and hopped out to check the window.  I could hear it but I couldn't see it.  I ran from window to window and finally just ran out the front door to see if I could spot it.  All of a sudden I hear - as clearly as if the speaker was standing next to me ... "did we wake you?"  I looked up.  The speaker was in the basket just over head of a wonderfully beautiful balloon.

It's the perfect love for an early morning person like me.  My friend, John (who is also an early morning person) and I used to research the balloon launchings in norther California,  get up at oh dark 30 and go see the launches.  It was a great way to see nooks and crannies of that part of the state.

Every year I think I should go to the balloon show in Albuquerque, NM.  But, I'm not big on crowds and it's always at the same time as baseball playoffs.  But, now, I read they have a Balloon Museum there!  I can put together my own little balloon trip.  I need to pick a good weekend and just go.