Small birds that we saw on our beach walk. My bird identification app said that they might be Snowy Plovers, which are typically uncommon. They scurried around, pulling food from the sand. A delightful, unexpected sighting. We watched their antics for a few lovely minutes.

I got to see my daughter’s new apartment this week; she will be starting her third year of college at UCLA. She flew home for a quick visit, and then I drove her back to Los Angeles a few days later to help her settle in. When she first unlocked the door of her new place and ushered me in, she said, very politely,  “Mom, we are a “shoes off” household.”

“Oh!” I said. “Of course!”

It made me happy, that she was able to tell me their rule. But it also made me a little sad, that she is in a household that doesn’t include me anymore. I also have a “shoes off” household in theory, but sometimes I tiptoe through the house with my shoes on, if I have forgotten something and am just going to grab one thing “real quick.” Like my tea. My water. A mask. Actually, I almost always forget something in the morning, so I wear my shoes in the house a lot. Maybe I do not have a “shoes off” household as much as I’d like to think, and my daughter realizes that. In her household, it seems like they will actually honor their rule. A good thing.

It’s not a terrible drive, the one from our home to Los Angeles. Still, though, there were moments when I found myself wishing the whole Continue Reading…