CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', Day 11. August 3

The time has come to return to the routine, which is almost a reality at this point. Today, Maureen took us to the airport, and Alexandra flew Delta back to Louisville (with intermediary stop in Detroit), and I winged my way back to Dallas, with an intermediary stop in Los Angeles. Sorry to go, as San Francisco and its environs are quite magical. But duty calls, Maureen assumes three new jobs this fall; Alexandra continues at Half Price Books, and I am back in school on August 13, with a few days until then to wrap my thoughts around what new and exciting ways I can come up with to make my German courses ever more scintillating and intriguing. And then there is the question of laying in a few new things for the apartment and the wardrobe to make things run in good order. Next venue? That remains to be seen, but most immediately, I might try to take in the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque this fall, building in a visit to former hiker friend Jean as well. And then there are already some thoughts for next summer--the Holy Land, and an addendum of the Yorkshire Dales in England on the way back. Much brewing! And so, once more, a summer comes to an end. On this occasion, these words by Wordsworth come to mind: "...Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower, we will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind..." "Remaining behind," of course, are the photographs and the memories...in sharpest focus! As ever, Sylvia