With a little help from my friends

It's Sunday night and I'm sitting in a LaQuinta Inn hotel room in Fresno, CA. This is the final pit stop on the "couch trip express." I am finding it hard to believe that after tomorrow, I'll be back in the real world again. And - looking forward to my next vacation in June.

Here are a few of the highlights:


I've never been called "grandma" before!: P, my best friend's little boy (age 5 1/2) shared in his J-Kindergarten class that he thought his grandma was coming to visit him that afternoon. Wow, now I know that I must look old to a 5 year old! He now has the distinct privilege of being the only person anywhere on the face of the earth who can call me grandma and live!

How fast time flies: It's hard to believe that P's sister M has just turned 8. She is becoming a darling little girl who is intelligent, sensitive, funny and athletic. Her passion is gymnastics and I marvel at the way that she moves her body so effortlessly on and off of a balance beam.

Friends: My former Rector in Beverly Hills told me that the relationships that I make in seminary would last a lifetime. Fuller has given me an opportunity to cross paths with so many - and there are 5 in particular that I can't imagine not having them a part of my world. This past week I was able to catch up with them. We had a great dinner Thursday night at my friend E's new home - she and her fiance R just purchased a home and we all had a chance to catch up there. Two of the group introduced us to their new significant others and the others (me that is!) enjoyed the introduction.

pampering is in: I finally used the last of the spa coupons that I have been saving since 2004 - yes you read correctly. Thursday I had a mini spa morning with a massage, mani/pedi and the Langham (former Ritz Carlton in Pasadena). The grounds are gorgeous, the time and quiet sublime and there's that little girl that all women have that loved to be pampered and have her nails done. On Saturday I took N back to the hotel for high tea. While we were there we had a chance to watch an outdoor wedding on the back lawn of the hotel - with a couple of my friends marrying this year I'm once again caught up in the news and pre wedding plans of friends. Two pots of tea, a wide variety of treats later we left happy and pampered.

Unexpected Surprises: ASL Story Time at the Deaf West Theatre in Hollywood. My friend E is taking certification courses in ASL and I got to tag along while she completed an assignment. Signed by a member of the Theatre, Rainbow Fish, Peter Rabbit and Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You were signed for both hearing and non hearing children and adults. Watching the dance between the spoken and unspoken word was beautiful to watch, especially as hearing impaired children had a chance to participate in something as simple as sharing a story together.

Griffith Park: My friend S surprised me this morning by taking me to lunch and then time at the Griffith Park Observatory. It had been closed for several years for major refurbishing and retrofitting and I guess opened up again last year. I can't wait to post the pics. The new presentation that the observatory has "Centered in the Universe" is a beautiful mixture of music, sight, sound and story woven together in a way that engages the audience in the quest for what lies outside of the world that we know. With hands on demonstrations and some incredible new exhibits it is worth the visit - especially when the only admission ($7) is for the presentation.

Good Friends: I lived in LA for over 14 years and there are two women in particular who I consider good friends. J, is the mom of P and M, my former roommate. We still have the ability to return to "roommate speak", finishing or saying the same thing at exactly the same time. S is a creative, passionate woman who enjoys life. 3 years is too long not to see each other, yet the test of friendship I guess can be that we pick up without missing a beat when we're together, no matter how much time has passed.

Well, it's after midnight, and I am going to pack it in for now. Tomorrow/today I am going to the cemetary to take care of my dad's grave and hopefully take a drive along the blossom trail which should be beautiful this time of year. It's been over five years since I've been in the city and I am curious to see how much it's changed. Then it's home to my little Diva Dog, my awesome roommie who has been taking care of her all week and life as usual.