Here in Ventura...
Just finished reading the LA Times and the program for the annual Festival of Books and it's such a nice feeling to see my kids listed and Tod with his two panels. Those kids have come a long way from the days they used to go just as book lovers and not as the authors featured. It's great.
Okay , I bit the bullet and rented a condo in PS for a week. I'm going on the 27 and will be back on the 4th which means I will turn a year older while I am in the desert cities. Plans are being made for some lunches with pals, some dinners with pals, and I'm banking on time at the pool to just float around and be lazy. I'm staying at Villa Alejo which doesn't mean anything to you, but to me it is where my parents and then just my Mom lived for about 25 years. It will seem very odd, and no doubt sad, to be there without my Mom,but on the other hand, may be comforting to be where she used to be.
I'm not looking forward to the drive -- 31/2 to 4 hours depending on traffic and how long a stop I make for lunch - and yeah, it will be much warmer there. I'm sitting wearing a sweater here today and I'm sure my friends in the desert are wearing tank tops today cus it is much warmer there. Here we have the typical beach weather with some fog in the mornings and pretty cool days -- which I have learned to like. Will I be able to handle that desert heat? Not been back in over a year. This will be a real test.
When I come back -- on May 8 I see the oncolgoist and we set the date for my PET scan which, of course, I shall be dreading. But, until then, going to try and have a good time in the desert and know I have a busy week here before I leave.
If you are in the SF Bay Area hope you were able to go to my daughter Linda ( visualchronciles.com) book signing yesterday or are planning on seeing her today... and for those of you in LA hope you will go to son Lee ( leegoldberg.com) book signing on Thursday night and then to all four kids and their signings at the Festival of Books next weekend at UCLA.
Been practicing with my new digital camera and hope I have the darn thing mastered before I head out next Sunday so I can take a lot of nostalgic photos in the desert.
Now, to crack open a box of Matzo and do the Passover bit............
~Jan
Leaving the Desert today (April 25) we would have enjoyed visiting with you.
Cousin Alan
Posted by: Alan Barer | April 25, 2008 at 11:06 AM
My Dad will be back in Seattle tommorrow. I remember Villa Alejo, I spent a night with your parents while I was returning home on a trip to Phoenix right after my college graduation in 1981. Your Dad took me to see all the sights.
Posted by: Mike Barer | April 23, 2008 at 09:36 AM
Your buttons must be popping with all four kids at the L.A. Book Festival. Genes will tell.
Love,
A
Posted by: Ann Shields | April 20, 2008 at 06:27 PM