the luxury of sloth

I have accomplished almost nothing since I returned from the great reunion weekend on Tuesday. Total exhaustion has taken over. I have managed to do a little laundry, visit my doc (A+), watch the rest of the Masterpiece Theatre presentation of The Pallisers (thank God that's over), and read a few pages in various books/magazines before falling asleep. As Satchel Paige is reputed to have said, "The social ramble ain't restful." Indeed. It has taken me a week to recover. Early to bed, late to rise, expending as little energy as I can or have. But it was worth every calorie spent. And to think I was hesitant about going; having been away for 7 months I just didn't want to leave home again. The entire weekend was one long, joyous party, much of it held in my hotel room.

I had two great walks along the La Jolla shore. On Sunday I walked along the cliffs to The Cave. First you go into the Cave Store, buy a ticket, and take a long, rickety stairway down the interior walls of the cave down to a platform just inside its opening to the swirling sea. This little expedition was strictly forbidden to us innocent schoolgirls, which made it, of course, all the more enticing.


We walked up along the cliffs and got a spectacular view of the La Jolla shoreline all the way north to the UCSD campus. Then up to the main street past the v. expensive shops lining both sides to the La Valencia. We stopped in to have a look around; that lovely doyenne of gracious hospitality hasn't changed in 50 years.


The furnishings are as luxe as ever, huge vases of fresh flowers, thick Oriental rugs on the polished tile floors, to-die-for views (and prices). I remember having lunch with my parents and sister in the dining room after graduation.

The last hurrah of the weekend was a yummy brunch at the lovely home of one of my classmates. Not only is the interior filled with delightful things to look at ~ including these two beauties ~ but her garden has been lovingly transformed into a green and white retreat complete with this sensational wall fountain. I believe she found it in Italy many years ago and had it shipped home. The reunion-saturated guests feasted on delicious food, drank Bloody Marys and Mimosas, snapped 1,000 more pictures, and made plans for the next get-together, probably NOT in 50 more years. In fact, we have decided to make the next gathering in Dallas in October 2009. Make your reservations now!

My other excuse for exhaustion is probably Primary Fatigue. I am sick of all the political wrangling. I'm taking a hiatus from all of it until I get over my candidate's loss. I'll revive eventually, but just not yet. I don't write about politics here but Clinton's loss was a huge disappointment. As I say, I'll get over it and she will, too. I do not find Obama ~ who seems to be running for American Idol instead of president ~ a credible candidate. However, the options are limited and the alternative is even scarier. I was hoping this year to be able to vote for someone instead of against someone else.