Leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow, and am having my usual pre-travel sleepless night, so thought I would do one last post from Palm Springs, as promised.
As all my Canadian bridge partners have gone, I have been playing with some new folks, and having a great time. And herein lies a tale. I generally speaking don't play bridge on Wednesdays at all, and called the club to see if anyone was looking for a partner. They had someone, I came early, and met Eleanor. Here's the thing; Eleanor is 103 years old.
(I am standing behind her here). I took some other pictures so she wouldn't be embarrassed by the fuss....
Jamie is one of our directors.....
...as is Tom....
She walks upright, without cane or walker - and briskly too. She is beautiful and charming. And she plays a damn good game of bridge., being in full possession of every one of her marbles. (She never got at ACBL number - that's the points thing - because she started too late, she thought, at 70!) The whole thing was an incredibly uplifting experience. I mean, I don't particularly want to live to be 103, but if I do, I want to be just like her!!!!
When I am not playing bridge, I am trying to take advantage of my few remaining pool days - have to make sure that tan lasts until I get back. Even when it is 102 degrees out - and it has been this week - it is remarkably cool in the pool. And even on those days when it is in triple digits, the mornings are glorious here, the evenings are balmy, and the nights are cool.
So, what else? Finished my classes, or at least as much of them as I could. I will for sure take more in the fall. Not only are they interesting in and of themselves, I am actually starting to interact with both instructors and fellow-students. Generally speaking, I don't have the patience to develop a sense of belonging to anything, but here is seems to be happening organically - at the classes, at bridge, at the gym, at zumba, in my complex. No wonder I don't want to leave this season!
A final round of parties and dinners too. I said goodbye to all the neighbors at the last Thursday pool party - most of them (although not all) are leaving for cooler climes as well. And on Saturday, May 7, we had a belated Cinco de Mayo party at the complex as well.
It was really well attended for a party to late in the season, and I sadly said goodbye to the rest of the neighbors...
....and it seems like I was saying goodbye all week. First, there was dinner with friends Art and Wally....
It was great to see them, but it didn't do much to allay my worries. Art seems much older, and frail. And I think Wally is just scared. There are so many health (and financial and social and psychological) issues to navigate....
Have gotten to know Judi, from the gym (who is from Portland, and just happens to know the above mentioned Eleanor, who is also from Portland - yet another small world story) much better this season, and we had coffee this week at Koffee, downtown....
To complete the round of social events, I had a rematch of Scrabble and dinner at Geoff and Marvin's, more new additions to my social season.
And to top it off, the fauna are putting on an incredible display. There are baby bunnies galore. The coyote pups I have already mentioned. The quail have a new brood. And even the road runners have had two babies. And they are all pretty cheeky, coming right up to the patio - even on the patio - to make sure I notice them. Next season, I will certainly try for photos. (Hey, maybe I can take a class on wildlife photography...)
And, of course, a final round of reading before the library books had to be returned. For serious reading, I read War of Two by Sedgwick. It was about the Hamilton/Burr duel, and fascinating. Lighter fare was another Alexander McColl Smith book, this time from the 44 Scotland Street series. His books are so gentle and lovely. Finally, I found Donna Tartt (she of Goldfinch fame) had a much earlier novel called The Secret History. It reminded me of The Magus, with a touch of The Great Gatsby thrown in. But I was totally hooked, and spent much of the last days (and nights) wolfing it down. (You can do that when you are retired.....)
So, in a few hours, I am off to Washington, D.C., where I am meeting Peter for a week of opera and museums, and then back to Vancouver. I will be sans computer in Washington, but will write from Vancouver when I get there....
Ta ta for now.
As all my Canadian bridge partners have gone, I have been playing with some new folks, and having a great time. And herein lies a tale. I generally speaking don't play bridge on Wednesdays at all, and called the club to see if anyone was looking for a partner. They had someone, I came early, and met Eleanor. Here's the thing; Eleanor is 103 years old.
(I am standing behind her here). I took some other pictures so she wouldn't be embarrassed by the fuss....
Jamie is one of our directors.....
...as is Tom....
She walks upright, without cane or walker - and briskly too. She is beautiful and charming. And she plays a damn good game of bridge., being in full possession of every one of her marbles. (She never got at ACBL number - that's the points thing - because she started too late, she thought, at 70!) The whole thing was an incredibly uplifting experience. I mean, I don't particularly want to live to be 103, but if I do, I want to be just like her!!!!
When I am not playing bridge, I am trying to take advantage of my few remaining pool days - have to make sure that tan lasts until I get back. Even when it is 102 degrees out - and it has been this week - it is remarkably cool in the pool. And even on those days when it is in triple digits, the mornings are glorious here, the evenings are balmy, and the nights are cool.
So, what else? Finished my classes, or at least as much of them as I could. I will for sure take more in the fall. Not only are they interesting in and of themselves, I am actually starting to interact with both instructors and fellow-students. Generally speaking, I don't have the patience to develop a sense of belonging to anything, but here is seems to be happening organically - at the classes, at bridge, at the gym, at zumba, in my complex. No wonder I don't want to leave this season!
A final round of parties and dinners too. I said goodbye to all the neighbors at the last Thursday pool party - most of them (although not all) are leaving for cooler climes as well. And on Saturday, May 7, we had a belated Cinco de Mayo party at the complex as well.
It was really well attended for a party to late in the season, and I sadly said goodbye to the rest of the neighbors...
....and it seems like I was saying goodbye all week. First, there was dinner with friends Art and Wally....
It was great to see them, but it didn't do much to allay my worries. Art seems much older, and frail. And I think Wally is just scared. There are so many health (and financial and social and psychological) issues to navigate....
Have gotten to know Judi, from the gym (who is from Portland, and just happens to know the above mentioned Eleanor, who is also from Portland - yet another small world story) much better this season, and we had coffee this week at Koffee, downtown....
How's that for a coffee shop? I had never been before, but will certainly go again if I am near downtown. It is a fabulous hideaway in the middle of town.
Judi wanted me to meet her daughter and partner, who were coming in to town Saturday, so she invited me to dinner at her lovely home...
To complete the round of social events, I had a rematch of Scrabble and dinner at Geoff and Marvin's, more new additions to my social season.
And to top it off, the fauna are putting on an incredible display. There are baby bunnies galore. The coyote pups I have already mentioned. The quail have a new brood. And even the road runners have had two babies. And they are all pretty cheeky, coming right up to the patio - even on the patio - to make sure I notice them. Next season, I will certainly try for photos. (Hey, maybe I can take a class on wildlife photography...)
And, of course, a final round of reading before the library books had to be returned. For serious reading, I read War of Two by Sedgwick. It was about the Hamilton/Burr duel, and fascinating. Lighter fare was another Alexander McColl Smith book, this time from the 44 Scotland Street series. His books are so gentle and lovely. Finally, I found Donna Tartt (she of Goldfinch fame) had a much earlier novel called The Secret History. It reminded me of The Magus, with a touch of The Great Gatsby thrown in. But I was totally hooked, and spent much of the last days (and nights) wolfing it down. (You can do that when you are retired.....)
So, in a few hours, I am off to Washington, D.C., where I am meeting Peter for a week of opera and museums, and then back to Vancouver. I will be sans computer in Washington, but will write from Vancouver when I get there....
Ta ta for now.
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