And the sky is grey . . .

Well--me, my shoes and my family surrvived our "on display" weekend down in California and have returned to the grey skies of Oregon, at least for another month. I must say the incredibly rainy weather here is conspiring to make the thought of leaving Portland less regretable than it might otherwise be.

Can I say how much I dislike gushy events where everyone hugs you? No, I take that back. I like them for about fifteen minutes and then I've had enough. I have just enough 'E' energy to last that long and then I want to be done. So after dinner with the new session, brunch with the new staff and reception with the new congregation, I was Totally. Trashed.

My kids were amazed. "Are all these parties really for us?" I explained that yes, they were, but that this state of affairs would not be permanent; life in California would not be one big party after another, but would soon settle down to approximately the same routine they have now.

We found a house to rent. It has an actual lemon tree in the backyard. This also amazed the children who have never seen lemons anywhere but in the produce section of the grocery store. I pointed out to them that the apple and hazlenut trees we have in our yard now would seem just as exotic to someone moving to Oregon from California, perhaps. Clearly, they have a lot to think about.

I'm trying not to be too terrified by the whole thing.