Travelin' Three-Thousand miles To...

Huntington Beach, January 2012
Looks like summer to me!

Dog sitter: check.  House sitter: check.  

Notify post office: check.  

Somehow I'm forgetting something.  

Oh, yes!  I must pack.  

For me, the most challenging part of traveling is 

figuring out what to pack, 

especially since I travel with only one carry-on and a large purse.  And Aunt Eunice is no help at all. 

"Darlin', shouldn't you take a see-through dress?  

After all, you are going to California!  

Who knows who you might run into!"

I can only sigh and answer kindly, 

"Aunt Eunice, I don't run around with the same crowd as you."

So I will throw a few things in my old, basic-black carry-on

that has been around the world a few times.  

Why buy a new one when the old one still works? 

I can hear my beloved Mother saying.

I feel strange flying to California and 

not staying with our kids, 

(Tom and Jacquie now live 20 minutes from us).  

Our son, Shawn, and his wife moved to 

Washington almost two years ago to follow their dreams.  

Not much family left in SoCal.  

So we opt to stay in a little Best Western on 

Pacific Coast Highway in our former home town of 

Huntington Beach.  

Nice, but strange.  

After we have a private memorial service for my Daddy, 

then handle some unfinished business regarding our 

former H.B. house, 

Rob and I will pack up our stakes and travel like 

nomads for the remaining eight days.  

We figured as long as we had to return to the west coast, 

we might as well take a mini-vacation.  

The Central Coast beckons, 

so we'll visit friends along the coast highway.

Yes, times change.  

Family has moved, but so glad we have 

special friends to reminisce with while we're there.  

Afterwards, I'll be happy to return to our home in the south 

where folks take time to chat, 

you can openly talk about Jesus, 

pack a you-know-what (with a CWP* of course), 

and spend the summer sipping sweet tea.

Hoping to see some of y'all in California!     

Sunset in Surf City, CA

Here's wishing you oceans of sunny blessings,

Sharon Leaf, the almost-famous author

(*Concealed Weapons Permit)

www.sharonleaf.com