With Mixed Emotions

Written to be posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 but...you'll see what happened, just keep reading.

Today was a very special day, it's the first time we've been in California since the kids moved to Arizona seven and a half years ago. It's been even longer since I've traveled that route and it surprised me to see that there are mountains the entire distance between Phoenix and LA.

I was so excited to be coming back to where Rich and began our lives together, where my kids completed high school, and Sandee completed her bachelors.

As we passed around LA on the 210, which is the freeway Rich took to work every day for years, then crossed both the 5 and the 405, transitioned to the 118, exited at Tampa Blvd, and drove past the mall we frequented, so many fond memories of the wonderful eight years we lived here came to the surface.

But...

1. My beloved camera broke shortly after we passed through Palm Springs this afternoon {a moment of silence, please},

2. My phone does not have a very good camera,

3. Clearly, rush hour drivers do not appreciate motorhomes,

4. After a long 428 mile day, I think Rich would have preferred an easier slot to park in, although he did not complain one bit,

5. Rich walked to a nearby BBQ place and brought back beef ribs and shredded pork plus fixin's. The meat was tough and stringy, hardly fit to eat,

6. Rich spent the rest of the evening taking my camera apart and researching the problem on the web. The man is a saint; he found the problem, knows the solution, but it requires parts. Do I go without a camera while here??? What???

7. I tried to blog with the photos that are available from today, some of which are from my phone, but now Blogger won't allow me to post photos so I had to figure out how to put a question on their help forum,

8. With no blog photos, I decided to post just one phone photo on FB but that lovely Verizon Wi-Fi kept failing so I eventually located the code and logged on to the RV Park's internet so that I could finally post one photo on FB. And now it's after midnight,

Last but not least...

9. I am mindful that we will be here for the 18th anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake and, to add a bit of glitter to that lovely thought...the RV Park we're staying at is located at the epicenter of that horrific earthquake.

C'mon LA...where's that hug for someone who was so excited to be returning for a long overdue visit????

Lovin' Life ~~ Even Tonight