Magic 8-Ball Says Go West

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Driving west on Interstate 10 from Phoenix to Los Angeles

At the last possible moment, Caroline and I decided to visit Los Angeles for the weekend. Our choices had been Flagstaff, Arizona; the Canyonlands of southern Utah; the remote Caldwell Cabin near Alpine, Arizona; Kings Canyon National Park in California; or picking apples at Brown’s Orchard in Willcox, Arizona. I wanted total immersion and escapism, and L.A. offers just that. On the drive out, we planned for breakfast at Mother’s Market & Kitchen in Huntington Beach, a visit to Little Saigon in Westminster, and the Wat Thai Temple in North Hollywood.

Rehab

JWise Photo of the Day

John Wise standing under a mirror

So here I was, living next to the Pacific coast, the beach at my doorstep – well, almost. Perfect 75 degree days and 65 degree nights. A little fog in the morning, mountains to my back, a Mediterranean heaven right here in Southern California, and my view was typically the halls of the hospital or this rehabilitation facility where my uncle spent his days and nights. Back home in Phoenix, Arizona, we’re down to 95 degrees in the daytime, yay, no more 100s and the nights are dipping into the upper 70’s. I want nothing more now than to recuperate from the frenetic pace kept in California. I am tired and I feel mellower after this experience. It is not easy to leave your spouse, habits, friends, and effects to give your efforts and strengths to comfort someone else – but if it is our family, can we with good conscience ignore the responsibility?

The Long Slow Return

JWise Photo of the Day

Snail

Gone for what seemed a very long time, I returned to Caroline today after having been in Santa Barbara, California nearly a month. My uncle is on the mend – again. The last long visit was for him to recover from heart surgery, this time it was back surgery. I am busy catching up on things neglected and trying to figure out a weekend trip for Caroline and me to spend some quality time together. Next week I will return to continue updating my blog.

Home Alone Day 21: Bye Bye, Cabbage Soup

JWise Photo of the Day

Dinner is served!

For the last time, I am preparing my dinner on my own. It is decided, John will return tomorrow. While it was good to clean out the freezer and finally eat all that cabbage soup, pasta sauce, and other hidden goodies, I am really looking forward to more variety and flavors, and, ultimately, lots of fresh greens and veggies when our veggie subscription starts up again in a month or so.

Home Alone Day 20: Windshield Wiping

JWise Photo of the Day

Cleaning the windshield of our Hyundai

For the first time since John left (and hopefully for the last time for a while) I am cleaning the windshield of our faithful silver chariot, otherwise known as Hyundai Accent. The accumulating dirt made driving into the sun during mornings and evenings rather difficult. Based on my husband’s comments in the past I didn’t think I had enough arm length and upper body strength to use that squeegee thingy properly, but in the end, I did a decent enough job.

Fire Scars the Sky

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Smoke from a local wildfire turns the sky reddish brown over Santa Barbara, California

Before leaving Santa Barbara, California, nearby wildfires raged for days, burning over 80,000 acres. The smoke closed major freeways while high winds whipped the fire into a land-eating frenzy. On this day, the air smelled heavy of burnt wood, ash-covered cars, plants, and homes. People walked the beach with respirators, and the sun’s rays barely pierced the thick haze. I waited for a breeze to clear the air or an earthquake to shake the fire to its knees while the palm trees stood a silent vigil, waiting for the blue skies to return.