Dear Friends,

My kids thoughtfully gave me a gift over the holidays. They bought me an iPad with a keyboard.

This gift was motivated primarily so that I could work in the lovely office that Ray built for me at the orange grove. Unfortunately, the Internet can occasionally be spotty in my office, particularly when using Zoom + Google Docs while working with students. So, when service is less than ideal, the iPad can be hooked up to our hotspot and operate the Zoom component of my sessions while I work on Google Docs on my laptop and connect to Starlink, our grove’s Internet service.

I’m thrilled with this creative solution since my other option is to spend most days in my son-in-law’s law office, where he generously offered me a small space. While I don’t want to seem ungrateful (and may have to take advantage of that spot during the summer heat when our grove Internet service goes routinely on the fritz), I prefer the office Ray created for me. Here, I can enjoy some of the art we have collected over the years, along with my books, two comfy chairs, a desk and chair that suit my size, and my electric kettle for tea. So, you surely can see the motivation to be in my sweet space.

Thank you, kids, for doing what you can to help me remain in my office here at the grove. So far, so good! And thank you, Ron, for providing me with an excellent, reliable alternative!

Here are a few photos of my office at the orange grove: