Back from Southern California

Murray, Grandma Lucille, Christin
Originally uploaded by suzipaw.

It was a lovely Christmas. I felt comfortable and welcome everywhere we went, slept a lot, exercised a little, the weather was gorgeous, no family holiday weirdness reared its ugly head, the dog did fine, the cats survived, and the house didn't burn down while we were away. Summary:

We visited M's grandma in her homey care facility and she recognized me and mostly was able to keep up a good conversation.

As aforementioned, my wish for good weather came true, more than I even wished for. Friday morning, our day for the Observatory, dawned rainy, but a strong wind swept the clouds away and the views from the Griffith Park hills were amazing. We could see everything, from the mountains to Catalina Island, all up and down the valley.


It remained clear and downright warm throughout our trip. We took a motorcycle ride with two of M's friends, which was a bit scary for me--we borrowed a very large bike, but wasn't equipped with a sissy bar, so there was nothing between me and a tumble backwards off the bike but my grip on M's jacket. Getting used to when M was going to accelerate was a bit nerve-wracking and there was no low-traffic area to ride in nearby, but after a pint at Mother's (a tiny biker bar in Sunset Beach where I got to be a biker babe, pulling up on a noisy hawg and stomping through the door in big boots while unraveling the many zippers on my motorcycle jacket and straightening my helmet hair--that was kinda fun), I relaxed a bit.

After opening presents on Christmas Day, we took a ride out along Carbon Canyon to a nice hiking spot, M on his brother's motorcycle, Rex and I in his mom's new Volvo convertible driven by his brother.


Another of M's friend was having a party at his shop in Long Beach--we arrived a little early, so had lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant from college, which is still in operation nearly 25 (gulp!) years later. I was happy to see the place full, and that all the other diners were Thai--always a good sign for a restaurant if it's mostly that ethnicity eating there.

I didn't crack any of the books I brought, preferring to plop myself in front of the boob tube (there were three large TVs in the house!) or work on a puzzle of the NY skyline. I did not look at email, or even a computer screen, for six whole days--I think that's a record for me.

On the way home, we took a little scenic detour, heading over to San Luis Obispo on the 58 from the 5. It added a couple of hours to our journey home, but it was an interesting drive--cotton and oil fields, and even a pasture where the buffalo roamed. We stopped for some excellent Mexican food in King City. As darkness fell, so did the rain and I was worried that we'd have trouble getting home at a reasonable hour, but all went well, if a bit more slowly.

And now we're home, I don't have to be back in the office til Tuesday, so catching up on chores, including those pesky new year's cards.

*****

Writes Rob for me this week: "In Kabbalah, the tree of life is the primary symbol of the universe. In Norse mythology, the World Tree links heaven to earth and shelters all living things; beneath it lies a magical well with water that confers special powers on those who drink it...In the mythic tradition of modern science, trees have a crucial role in maintaining the ecological health of the planet. I mention all this, Virgo, because in 2007 you'll benefit tremendously from deepening your relationship with trees--both the actual and mythical kinds. Get to know them better. Learn from them. Plant some. Put a picture of a favorite tree on your altar. Hug one now and then".

A timely horoscope, since today we're freeing the Meyer lemon tree (well, it's really more of a bush) from its wine barrel bindings and planting it in a corner of the yard. We started digging the hole last night, and both M and I put our backs out a bit--the down side of getting older and supposedly wiser.

So aside from hugging trees, what else have I resolved to do in 2007? See some live theater. Blog more. Not let my job overwhelm my creativity (rather, I'm desperately feeling the need to free my creativity to benefit both my sanity and my career). Dial back my tendency to be judgmental.See more of my family and friends--entertain more. And your resolutions are?