San Diego’s Perfect Weather

When people across the US and Canada discover that Sue and I used to live in San Diego, they inevitably ask “Why would you leave the world’s finest city where the weather is always perfect?” or something much like it. Well, we’ve lived there most of our lives, and we’ve decided that it’s a nice place to visit, but it ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Warning: Sarcasm Ahead

Challenges: Internet Access, Rain, Illness

This trip to San Diego has been more challenging that I expected. First there was the major issue of coming to take mom in for knee surgery and helping her with follow up visits for physical therapy. Once we leave this Thursday, mom will depend on other family and friends to help her get to her appointments.

Then there’s the challenge of having internet access. We’re staying with a friend of my mom’s who does not have any internet access. That means we have to go out each day to find it. That usually means a Starbuck’s or Panera Bread. Today it meant coming to the local public library. Which is fairly quiet and the staff here is very friendly.

Going out for internet access is even more challenging this week due to the days of tremendous rain here in San Diego! It just keeps coming and coming. It’s no fun going out in the wet and dreary weather.

Yesterday on top of it all I had a bout of something with my stomach. It’s much better today though.

So all in all it’s been a challenging week. Yes, we are getting things done – work, helping mom, showing Fiona some places we’ve been when we lived here for so many years. I’m looking forward though to being settled in one place again for a bit that has reliable internet access.

Freezing Rain Advisory in Rice Lake Wisconsin Today

Today there’s a freezing rain advisory in Rice Lake where we’re staying with Joel’s mom. Our Sunday morning worship was even cancelled. Yesterday we had been outside walking with friends a bit and yes, it was freezing! Ice is forming on the lake. There’s even a chance of light snow tonight and tomorrow.

So we’re bundled up warm in mom’s apartment. Joel’s going to bake home made bread. Fiona is recovering from a cold. I’m catching up. We’ll probably watch some good old movies with mom a bit later.

I’ve added photos to the last two posts. Go check them out. Hope you all are having a safe, warm day!

Fiona is Enjoying the Rain

Yesterday it was a beautiful sunny day. Fiona and her new friends played outside quite a bit. When we lived in California Fiona didn’t play outside much. We didn’t have much of a yard and it wasn’t safe to let her play in the unfenced area in the front. So she’s been more of an inside girl. So this playing outside everyday that the weather is nice is very different for her.

Yesterday she found out it might rain today. She was very excited about that! Why? Because then she wouldn’t have to play outside; she could play inside. So today it’s raining and she’s loving it. She and the girls are playing right now at the kitchen table with Play-Dough.

She’s enjoying the rain but I’m sure she’ll enjoy playing outside again as well when the weather is sunny again.

It’s Raining Newspapers

Fiona is such a creative child. She loves to ‘read’ the newspaper and junk mail is just for her. She likes to take it all apart and spread it around everywhere. So right now she’s taking the newspaper and throwing it up in the air and singing, “it’s raining newspaper!”

Now she’s singing, “it’s raining in dry land”. Yes, she knows she’ll need to pick it all up later. After all, we can’t have the family come home to newspapers everywhere (unless they’re used to Brodie spreading newspaper around while they are gone). Right now it’s entertaining her, allows us to continue working and it’s not an electronic babysitter.

Quiet, Relaxing, Rainy Day in New Westminster

Since we arrived on Monday it’s been non-stop work. The Client Communication Clinic yesterday in Vancouver went well. We met an aspiring virtual assistant that we are meeting again next week at a North Vancouver Waves Coffee Shop to chat with and see how else we can help her get her business up and running.

Today is the first day since we left California that we have all to ourselves to relax and not work. It’s very quiet this morning since the construction workers aren’t working next door on the weekend. It has decided to rain a bit. We’re not sure how that will affect our plans yet to walk to the Skytrain station later. Fiona really wants to ride the Skytrain and we’d planned to do that this afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon we went to the library and Fiona checked out 10 books – all of which she had read before bedtime! I’m going to do some cleaning around our ‘home’ today. And we’ll let you know how that whole Skytrain trip turns out. Stay tuned!

Updated August 19, 2010 with this photo of Brodie the Canine we were dog sitting (I think he was wishing we could go for a walk):

Brodie the Canine