Home From California

I had so much fun in California last week but boy is it good to be home. I was running out of clean underwear and that would be horrible if that happened.  We left at around noon yesterday and pulled into Phoenix at around 6:30. The weather had been horrible at the beach, hot and humid and it didn't start to cool off until we were getting ready to leave. This summer has been a doozy for me.  I had surgery in July and then left for Montana, where I stayed for almost three weeks. I suffered through the heat up there too and then came home for a couple of months. Then I went with Candi's family to California. I've had such a fun time with my kids and grand kids. I have felt a little guilty leaving Rich here to work but he got his own vacation when he went to Italy in May for eleven days.  We probably should have gotten to know each other better before we got married because it just seems like we don't enjoy the same things in life. I love animals and my family and he loves to work (to support the family) and his church callings. Maybe we balance each other out a bit but someday I hope to be able to go on a trip with him that doesn't involve airplanes or foreign countries. Rich is a mover and shaker and has to be busy doing something all the time.  He would have hated just relaxing on the beach and watching the waves.  The third time we went to the beach we went late in the afternoon and stayed until almost dark. The life guards pulled up behind where we were sitting and put a wooden stake in the ground. My son-in-law B.J. went over to see what it said. He came back and told the boys to get out of the water. I guess earlier in the afternoon they saw a ten foot hammerhead shark just out from where we were sitting. The sign said, "Due to aggressive shark activity the beach is closed." Okay they didn't say anything to us and I sat there and watched surfers for hours in the water wondering if I would see a shark attack at any minute. While I've been traveling and staying with family I have really learned a lot about myself and gained a better appreciation for this country we live in. The beauty of it amazes me and I wish I knew more about the oceans and mountains. Yesterday as we traveled home it was cloudy and raining as we entered Arizona. The skies were black and it looked like we were going to get in a really bad storm. It did rain a little bit on us but as I looked over there was a double rainbow so I had Major take a picture through the window. I'm glad to be home and probably will be staying home for a long time.