It's the good life . . .

• Mornings watching the sun rise over the mountains to the east and evenings watching it set under the mountains to the west . . . this will stay with me forever. Watching the stars at night and wishing very hard to see a shooting star. That didn't happen, but all was well anyway. And, of course, I only could catch the sunrise on film knowning that a sweet afternoon nap on a lounge chair in the shade in a wet suit was mine for the taking.

• A wet suit was more than necessary as the temperatures soared to over 100 degrees daily, hitting 108 on two days. If I had a nickel for every time I heard "but it's a dry heat," I wouldn't have to worry about the pathetic stock market. But, it's true. You don't sweat. You're not sticky. But you are still hot, hence the pool and the wet suit. I even got a suntan and surely more basal cells. But swimming laps was good for me and the scar tissue I was beginning to feel in my latest incision. Water is very healing for the mind and the body. And Lord knows everything about me needs healing! Oh yes, and after you have finished swimming your laps, you can relax with the floating noodles. It's a sanctioned water event.

• By the way, we were in Palm Springs to visit Mike and Sean who were nice enough to pick us up at the Ontario airport where are free Southwest tickets had deposited us after an uneventful and non-epicurean flight. But not to despair, what our bodies were denied on the plane was more than made up for at the Palm Springs Spa Casino Buffet where we enjoyed numerous all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch, and dinners (although not in the same day I am happy to add). We pretty much tanked up for the entire day and then had a sandwich for our second and final meal of the day. Of course, there were nightly refreshing beverages with alcoholic content in case the sun and water and nap hadn't relieved every last ounce of tension from our bodies.

• Good company meant good political discussions (if I had a nickel for every time I heard the word Sarah Palin . . . ) and the sharing of books and "the good old days." And while retirement for all of us means never having to say "gee, I really hate to go home and back to work tomorrow," it's still good to go home, just like it's good to get away from home to be with loved ones. And in this case and at this time it was especially good; and I thank my guardian angel who didn't show me a shooting star, but helped me see that once in awhile dreams really do come true.