Who would ever believe you could have a lovely night in Pico Rivera?

I had to go to Wal-Mart to return stuff. I did not want to go to my usual Wal-Mart. It is so chaotic. It is like everyone in the San Gabriel Valley has discovered you do not have to pay through the roof to wipe your nose and brush your teeth. So I got online and looked for other Wal-Marts. I chose the one I did simply because of the freeway. When I went to see David last week, I was on the 5 coming home and then I switched to the 710 because it said “710 North Pasadena.” Well, duh. Since I live in Pasadena, it seemed a logical choice, but the freeway dead-ended and I never found it. I got home using surface streets. So when one of the directions to WM gave me the 710 I decided to take it to see if I could figure out what to do. I never even got ON the 710 heading down. It is an elusive freeway, for certain. But I got to Pico Rivera and loved being there. Maybe it reminded me of Texas. WM was in a huge shopping center on a corner with not much else around. There was a huge parking lot too. Today at Lowe's a lady saw me get in my car and sat behind me HONKING. She wanted my space. I got out and looked at her and indicated I was not leaving. MY LANTA! GOD GAVE US LEGS, PEOPLE!!!!! Anyway, this WM was LOUD with the intercom system, so I cannot go there when I am tried or have a headache! But it was big and spread out (see, I am a Texan at heart). I got what I needed and headed out I wanted to see the rest of the shopping center for future reference. Even though I had taken the long way I gad a feeling this place was closer to my house than it seemed. The thing about Pasadena is that I am close to EVERYTHING. When I lived in the San Fernando Valley it was not easy to get downtown or beyond downtown, but from here it is simple. I LOVE Pasadena. It is removed form LA yet close to very location you need. It seems to sit at just the right angel for easy access. Of course for all this to be true we must include the classic LA catch phrase “Without traffic.” So anyway, I saw a Fresh Choice restaurant. I love those places and then a bookstore. I realized a new issue of my dance magazine must be out. I ran in and came out with a magazine for every part of my personality The Writer, Dance and Cooking Light. Then I wondered how I was ever going to grocery shop tonight also. I decided to forget it. In a rare burst of fun, I decided to go to Fresh Choice, take in a magazine and read and eat. I sued to do this constantly last year when I was in rehearsals in Dallas. How many meals have I eaten at Fresh Choice in Addison? My birthday, Rehearsals. You name it. Maybe that is why I enjoyed myself so much. It felt familiar. On my way out I saw a Walgreen’s and got my Fruit 20 which is hard to come by here. And then I drove back toward the 5 (which connects to the 710) and realized that this shopping center was smack in the middle of nothing. Not five minute from downtown LA is a more industrial area. So there were wide open spaces and big buildings. And I kept thinking, “I am having a lovely night.”

So I got on the 5 and connected to the 710. And then I saw the 710 directed Pasadena traffic to the 10, so I followed the signs and ended up in San Gabriel. ARGH! By the end I was in the same places I was last week! Finally I connected to Valley Blvd., which was on my directions, and followed the rest of them home. But the bottom line is that I STILL can’t take the 710 home. Tonight my goal is to study maps. I WILL figure this out. The reason it matters (besides the challenge) is because when I get on the 710 I am not even to downtown LA but when it ends, it has been all of three minutes—so it is FAST. It must cut across diagonally. It could be my shortcut to all points south so I have to find it.

In the end I had a nice and relaxing Saturday. And now it is 10:30. In a minute I will take a bubble bath and head to bed. Tomorrow I get to be at church early for an oh-so-exciting new member orientation class. You know, so Pastor Darrell can share the vision of the church with us. Of course, I know NOTHING about the church! HA HA! I was a member before most of these people ever stepped foot in it, but that means nothing anyway. And it is a formality—I really don’t mind spending an hour with Darrell in the morning one bit—I just find it amusing. All those hours of talking told me more about the vision of the church than one meeting can! But I will be the faithful little person and be there. If I am here for a year or 10, the church is a big part so I am committed in my heart to it—even if almost no one there knows I am alive.