Monday, October 13, 2003

Lesson Learned: It's amazing how much you see when you decide to take it easy. Everyone needs to take a time-out more often.

After getting up at 6:30am, just to be showered and dressed if a sub-call should come in, I ended up being dressed up and nowhere to go at 8:00am. So, I changed into my workout gear, and headed to the coffee shop. I was hoping to jog today, but my feet hurt; it feels as if I have a blister in each arch from my last two jogs. Therefore, I chose to walk the mile and a half to my favorite coffee shop for some java and a read. Remember, being Santa Barbara and being that we live in the foothills, it was more like an urban hike than a stroll, plus I walked as fast as I could. It was a beautiful morning, sunny and warm with the rose garden in bloom and the mission sitting proudly before the hills. (If it was cold and rainy where you were, all I can say is HAHAHAHAHA!).

Generally, I have as much fun people watching as I do reading at the coffee shop. It is usually full of stay-at-home moms and their toddlers this time of day. I can't get over these kids in their designer clothes drinking designer hot chocolate while their moms sip lattes and chitchat. Or there may be a table full of sorority sisters and their den mom talking over stuff I don't even want to know, though I'm sure it is intellectually stimulating and spiritually fulfilling at the very least. Or there is the lone guy and his Bible at that table. I try to leave him alone. Lately, there is an eastern European couple who order, then sit outside, she sulking and he talking to his cell in some language that sounds like German, but probably isn't. And, of course, there are all the other people who sit outside because they: a) have dogs, b) have small children who like to run, or c) smoke. I like to take over one of the two large old chairs they have in a corner and nurse my drink.

Once my coffee was done, it was time to hike back home. Even though it is all uphill from there, I like to take the long way home, and today I walked through the mission ruins to a back street and down a small park. It is just big enough for two picnic tables and someone to play fetch with their dog. I have been living here for almost a year and have never been in this park. It is very nice, has some lovely trees including a Freedom Elm, and a view of the ocean (on a clear day). I felt so good being there.

Well, tomorrow I am a life science teacher at the junior high. Wish me luck!

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