I think that this is some kind of oxymoron, walking for exercise and to buy butter and eggs.  Most people around the great state of California walk everyday. You cannot go anywhere around Pasadena without seeing people walking to work, walking for exercise or just our for a stroll. Because the weather is just so amazing and cool, it invites us to just put our walking shoes on and head out. Some of our friends who live down the street actually walk to church every Sunday morning, a 40 min walk. I would have to do a lot of praying before I attempted that, but this morning, it was 57 outside, sunny and just so gorgeous, that I decided to put my earphones in and crank up the ole iPhone and listen to Sandi Patti and walk to the grocery store. Randy’s car is in the shop, so I am without a car today, which puts me at home. What do I do when I am home all day? I bake! So upon the realization that I only had 5 eggs, I realized that if I was going to do some heavy duty baking, I was going to have to go to the store and get more eggs and butter. When I think about that, it just seems weird. Most people you pass walking on the street are walking around with a bottled water, but no, not me, I am carrying my bag with cholesterol laden butter and eggs and sour cream! Maybe that is why all the cute little joggers stared at me when I was walking. At first I thought maybe it was the cute little walking outfit I had on, blue jeans with black paint splattered all over the front, new sparkling white tennies, pink earphones and a flamingo patterned hat…..now there’s a picture you can’t get out of your mind. But as I strolled along, humming Sandi Patti all the while, switching the butter and eggs from hand to hand, I realized that the “true walkers” were looking at my grocery items. I think they probably hadn’t see an exercise guru such as myself walking along, carrying butter and eggs. But….I made it home before they called the walking police after me. So am back home, looking at recipes to figure out which scones and pound cake to make today. Maybe tomorrow, I will walk past the grocery store to the fitness center……no, I just remembered, I went there once and promised myself I would never, ever go again: they threw me out when I brought everyone in  my exercise class a bag of cookies for all their hard work.

We have been in California for almost a year and a half now.  People have told me that it takes about 3 years for you to begin to feel at home in a new city and I’m sure that is true. This past week, we have had several things that have just made us stop and realize that this is really beginning to feel like home. Our church Sunday School class went as a group to the Getty Museum on Saturday and it was just a gorgeous day. As most of the group left, there were 6 of us still hanging around, trying to muster up enough strength after touring the grounds of 750 acres just to walk back to the car, so we  just sat under the shade of the most beautiful pepper trees (I don’t know why they are called pepper trees, I didn’t see any peppers or salt,)and drank coffee or tea having a great time of laughter and fellowship. All  3 couples ended up going shopping and out to eat mexican food that night. Driving home, Randy and I began to talk about how that was just such a sweet blessing to us. Something unplanned and spontaneous as shopping and dinner, made the whole day. Just sitting and talking and laughing like we didn’t have a care in the world was such a great time. We don’t do that enough. It seems that we are always in such a hurry to get someplace or get something done. Last night, we ended up walking about 6 blocks to some friends house to deliver a cake and ended up sitting on their front porch for over an hour, once again, just talking and had a marvelous time. We talked about it on the way back home, (well, in-between me stopping every block to loosen my tennis shoes and complaining about my foot) that those are the things that make us feel at home. The time spent visiting with others and sharing laughter and yes, chocolate cake, help create that feeling of “home” . We look back over this past year and 5 months and acknowledge that yes, we do miss family and friends who mean so much to us and who we can’t wait to see on visits back to Texas, but we are so blessed to have new friends who have truly allowed us into their hearts. If you are new to a city or area, give it time. God will use you where He plants you. Just look and expect the “day” to come when you wake up and realize that it is good and sweet to feel “at home”. Just give it a Day…..it will make a difference!