Road Trip to the Valley

I drove back into the Central Valley of California yesterday. I went to check-in with my mom. She is doing great with not a walker in sight. She really doesn’t need me but it makes me feel better to see how she is doing.

She is a professional shopper. She stalks merchandise and watches the prices fall until they are ridiculously cheap. She has not been shopping since her broken pelvis so off we went to the mall. Her friend Ellie joined us and we found mom's outfit for my niece's wedding. On the way back through Macy's, I found my dress for the wedding! What a shock. It is a Calvin Klein. Black. Perfect to wear with the over 100-year old turquoise belt. It was also just $89.00. Crazy.

All three of us went to Mimi's Restaurant for lunch. Ellie is a friend who is in her 70’s, a former neighbor who loves to gamble as much as my mom. They made plans for their first casino trip since mom's broken pelvis. There was never a pause in the conversation during our almost 2-hour lunch. I headed home afterwards.

The cold, wet summer weather has blossomed into the most summer-like Fall. It is beautiful here. The smell of Fall is in the air, the trees have begun to lose their leaves yet it will be in the mid-70's today. We are enjoying every moment.