On to Burbank

The sun was out most of the day, but being in the mountains the temperatures are not hot. I spent several hours this afternoon reading a book out on the deck, and my arms are red and I have that  "too much sun" headache. We are so sun-starved by this time of the year in Minnesota that we often underestimate our tolerance when we finally find an abundance of those warm rays.

This afternoon we arrived in  Burbank. Our son, Marcus, rearranged his whole condo for us. He took apart his bed and brought it downstairs to reassemble in the dining room and moved the kitchen table to the living room (standing one couch on end in the corner to make room for it.) It was a lot of work, but we are going to be here almost a whole week, and it is perfectly set up for Paul. It is now like a studio apartment with everything we need on the first floor, so we really appreciate the thoughtful arrangement.

Marcus has Direct TV and can record programs, so we watched a replay of the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona, Cardinals football game he had saved from last fall. Watching  Bret Farve bring the Vikings from behind to improbable victory was as satisfying the second time around as it was the first.

This evening Marcus and I walked around town (Burbank, CA) and he pointed out all his favorite coffee shops and cafes and whole streets of interesting shops (not to mention the mall) all within easy access of his condo. He works on Tuesday so he wanted to acquaint me with the area. Tomorrow, I cannot wait to visit the Burbank Public library. It is barely four blocks from this place, plus, there is a neat bookstore about four blocks from the library that I want to check out.

Our son, Peter, who is a band and choir director and writes music, used to practically run to the piano whenever we returned home from one of our camping trips. It was as though the music built up inside of him, and he could barely wait to relieve the pressure by moving his fingers up and down those piano keys. For me that artistic pressure is relieved by books. It is not that I do not have books along. I do. But I am somehow both calmed and stimulated by being around lots of books.

I really love California.  It is a vibrant part of God's wonderful, beautiful creation. I see why my sons feel so at home so far from "home".

Katherine