Settling in...

Coming south is a blessing in so many ways, but it also requires a time of adjustment.  There is the push to get through the holidays (many joyous times, but also exhausting). Then we push to finalize winter preparations at the house - trying to think 3 months in advance.  Next comes the drive down and you get here and you go through the same motions as up north, just in reverse.  Anyway, not meant as a complaint, just an observation.  It is definitely different than going on vacation and it takes some time to settle in and relax.  I think that today we started that transition.

This time of year is difficult for Rudy and this week seemed to be particularly rough.  There have also been some good times.  We went out to eat for Harold Widmer's birthday and have visited with Gaylord and Cheryl Beery and boys a few times.  Lorrie Stisser was cutting down an orange tree and Rudy went over with his chainsaw - it is always fun to rev up an engine, right? :-) Throw in some bocci ball and shuffling, too.  But underneath it all, there is a tinge of sadness.  We discussed whether he would fly home for Dorothy's funeral, which would also allow him to spend tomorrow with his immediate family.  In the end, he decided to stay here.  I think just knowing he had the option to go home and to work that through his mind, helped to lighten his mood.  He took his bike out on the trail, loaned some bikes to the Beerys, and discussed a fish fry/limburger cheese party for Monday night. (I was "resting my ankle" by the pool :-)  Anyway, you can send some prayers his way (and he loves phone calls from his family - he may be busy, but he is still touched when he hears from you).

I mentioned Lorrie's orange tree.  Many of the fruit trees in the park have died over the last year.  It has been dry and then I guess there is some disease that has affected them.  Lorrie and Lottie had been nursing their orange tree back to health over the last two years, but it didn't make it.  Our grape fruit tree is hanging on.  We chopped the top off last year - it was way out of control and we took about half of it off.  This year we will trim around the sides (talked to couple people at a nursery last year).  The grapefruit are limited, but they are starting to increase in size (softball+ rather than a tennis ball) and there seems to be some new foliage.  I had wanted to plant a lemon tree, but I am not sure if we will this year or if we will wait.

Weather-wise has been good.  Yesterday was cool (60) and overcast, but otherwise we have been in the 70s.  We are going to head over to the beach for the sunset now...take care.