It's another sunny day in Palm Springs, temperature 106. We're not going anywhere and it's nice and cool in our rental, so we don't care how hot it is outside. The exception is that we have to walk the dogs; before 8am and after 8pm is safe; otherwise, the pavement is too hot and would burn their paws. Grass is the exception around here: there's some two blocks away at the Civic Center but that's not available right now due to Splash House, a two-weekend party for the younger set.
No more news on our new condo. According to our agent we have until the end of this coming week to back out of the deal if we were to find something better. That's possible, but I'm doubting it. We'll be negotiating with the owner over some repairs that need to get done; here's hoping that goes well.
It seems a good time to comment on these last two months. They have been among the most stressful of my life, perhaps THE most stressful. Twenty-five years is a long time to accumulate stuff, and we did a great job of it. I was honestly afraid I would not get the job of clearing it out done. I did, but at the very end I lost a bit of control as the movers packed some things I would rather have had with us. Considering how full the cars were, it's probably all for the best. On the flip side, I'm sure there's a lot of stuff yet to throw away as we downsize from 2800 square feet to 1200!
The drive across country was mostly enjoyable. Ransom's two students, David and Cameron, were absolute delights and I would happily spend another 42 hours in a car with either of them. As for the country itself, it's big and varied; no news there. It's also mostly maskless but we never encountered anyone hostile or unfriendly; in fact, the opposite was true. We did see a lot of crosses and the occasional Confederate flag, but nothing else in-your-face hateful.
The most beautiful state we drove through was New Mexico, Land of Enchantment as the residents call it.
I've never spent time there and would like to return. The hardest state to drive through was Oklahoma: too many signs with too much verbiage. Through it all Google Maps, who we now refer to as Sheila, did a great job.
On a more global perspective, I despair when I think about the pandemic and how blind so many Americans are to its danger. And then I look at Afghanistan and see Viet Nam all over again. Will we ever learn? And for a final fillip of angst I read in today's New York Times just how endangered the New Jersey coastline is and how stubborn we are when it comes to facing nature's power.
There's good news too though, right?
Right?
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