California Dreaming

Me on Cliff trail at Capitola

I'm trying to settle into my new life without Julian. It's tough, but I'm doing OK. His work is all around me in our house and that is comforting. I often feel he's still here, especially when I am falling asleep, and around dinner time when he is due home from the office. I went on a trip with my Mom to California and I had the urge to call him each day to check in. I did call our home number several times just to hear his voice which is still on the answering machine, crazy huh!  Actually, maybe not so crazy because  Faye was very upset when she called and didn't hear his voice. She thought I had taken his voice off.   She said, I feel so sad but I understand that you have to take it off sometime.  I just have a backup message system now through Cox which kicks in when I'm on the phone and don't click over.
I have been forcing myself to do things but actually planning things is the hardest. Many friends and family have been around or have invited me places. This is good. The California trip was the first thing that I actually planned. I wanted to go, but it seemed so complicated. It really wasn't and we had a great time. We stopped at my cousin Gayle's house in West Covina on the way to San Francisco. We spent almost a week my sister Diane's house in Pleasant Hill. Diane and Bill took Mom and I to Napa, Capitola Beach and across the bay to Fisherman's Wharf. On the way home we stopped at Santa Maria to see my Uncle Dick (really my cousin, but he is just a few years younger than my Dad and they spent most of their summers together growing up). We also got to see my cousin Yvonne and meet her new husband Mike. Then we stopped in West Covina with Gayle and Bill before heading home to Phoenix.

This is one view of my sister Diane's yard.  It is large and she loves to garden.  It is always relaxing to spend time with Diane.  We always feel loved and taken care of.  She and Bill have recently finished remodeling the house and it was great to see all the  upgrades.  The kitchen, family room, old bathroom have all been dramatically changed.  I didn't think to take pictures inside.  The old bathroom now feels like you are showering outside.  The tile is rainbow shades of green, there is a sky light  and a big plant in the shower which tickles your hum-hum and flowers on the counter.
 

Mom, Bill, Billy and Diane in garden

Diane and Bill take 2 walks every day.  It gets them and Quinoa their dog out of the house.  Here we are hiking in a very large park nearby their house.  It is typical California landscape with rolling hills,  large old oaks.  There is a section that is an old walnut grove because this used to be a ranch.  Above is Diane with Quinoa.  He is a golden retriever and is trained quite well (or maybe that is Diane and Bill who are trained) except when he sees another dog.  Then he just takes off, won't listen and wants to play.  For example he finds and brings in the paper each day and after eating he brings his food bowl into the kitchen to be washed then when Diane says "door" he goes back and closes the door! 

Another view of Diane's yard

Flowers in Diane's yard

You may wonder why they can have so much green grass when Calif is often in drought.  Well, they get irrigation like I do, but it comes in a special water system instead of flood irrigation like I have.  They can set up the sprinklers to water whenever they like.  I think this area was agricultural, but I'm not sure.  I don't think that it is usual for California, but her whole neighborhood has this type of irrigation! 

Stay tuned for many great California adventures in the next blog, Fisherman's Wharf, the wine country and the beach!