Over the past two weeks, I have talked with several people dealing with difficult losses. One person has lost his housing and is living at the LA Mission, another has lost her house due to the Altadena fire and is temporarily living in a friend’s guesthouse, another’s elderly mother-in-law unexpectedly died, another’s seemingly healthy younger…
Month: January 2025
A Rethink On My Book Release Date
Hi all, I am letting you know that I am delaying my book release for a few weeks. Between the Southern California fires and the upcoming Inauguration, I decided to let everything settle down before sending my book out into the world. I realize I’m making an assumption that things will settle down, which is…
A Roadside Taste Treat
Tonight, we drive over to this food stand on Highway 33 between Oakview and Casitas Springs (right outside of Ojai) for dinner. The night was cold, but the food was hot, delicious, and plentiful. I had a chicken quesadilla that was so big I had to bring half of it home. The bean burritos were…
Happy Birthday, Liz!
Today is our daughter Elizabeth’s birthday. She is the mother of Ethan and the wife of Ron. You know that Liz is around because you will hear her laugh. She has a great sense of humor. Liz is smart, funny, and kind. She is also a loving and patient mother. I feel extremely fortunate to…
Happy Birthday, Lee!
My first cousin, Lee Leatherwood, is celebrating his birthday today. Lee and I grew up together and have birthdays six days apart. He and his wife Elaine joined us last October for the SCN Sightseeing tour and Writing Workshop in Sicily. They also traveled with us in 2019 for our tour of the Amalfi Coast….
Sarah and Family: Home At Last!
Sarah and her family left this afternoon after arriving here several days ago as evacuees of the Altadena fire. Though we loved having them here, they need to resume their lives in their beloved community. Sarah said there were limbs over many of the roads and a “mildewy” smell in the air, but other than…
Nico’s Birthday (Part 3) and A Few Words About The Fire
Usually, we don’t have three days of celebration together for Nico’s birthday, but that’s one happy thing that has come from the destruction of the Altadena fire. Daughter Sarah and her family have been with us for several days, and those extra days preceded Nico’s 9th birthday. Since Sarah and Gregorio have been watching daily…
Nico’s Birthday (Part 2)
Today, we had an art morning here at the orange grove. Our friend Sonny, who is visiting from Massachusetts, brought his art supplies and started drawing at the kitchen table this morning. Soon, Nico joined him, then Gregorio, Lyla, and Luna. They sat for a long while, working on the pictures they were drawing. Occasionally,…
Early Birthday Celebration (Part 1) for Nico
Tonight, we began celebrating Nico’s 9th birthday, which is Monday, by going out to dinner at Soule Park’s restaurant, Zaidee’s Bar and Grill. This was followed by a stop at the Ojai Ice Cream Shop and then onto the Farmer and Cook for cookies. Tomorrow, we’ll hike in the morning, then have lunch at the…
An Orange Grove Full of People
We have lots of people here at the orange grove at the moment. Liz and her family, Sarah and hers, and now the arrival of one of our oldest friends, Sonny, from Massachusetts. Sonny, an artist, is here with his easel and art supplies to luxuriate in the January sun of Southern CA, and even…
20 Minutes a Day 