Tuesday, January 27, 2009

California Dreaming

One good thing about being old, is that you get to watch the young ones around you grow and flourish. I have managed bright young people forever and bwo and I have attended more than our share of marriages and other celebrations over the years. While I have been here in the US, my boys have been busy. Ariel and Daniela gave birth to Noga, and Ravid and Shiri gave Kesem a sister called Nahal (I am not sure of the English spelling). All this makes me think back to the heart thumping, emotional roller coaster that accompanied the birth long ago of bso and bdo (heckle and jeckle). Good luck guys. I know you will make perfect parents. Your children are most fortunate.

Talking about births, my old friend BobA revived his blog, imustcode.com. Bob is the original POW (piece of work) and he and his brilliant, kind, gentle, long-suffering wife Wendy were our closest friends when we lived here in the Valley. I still think of them everyday. Yesterday I drove down Marsh Road, close to where they used to live in Menlo Park. We have not seen each other for many years, but keep in loose electronic contact. They are the kind of people I know we will always fit with even after all these years and miles. They watched and helped our two kids grow as Bob and I worked our butts off at SGI.

It's always bitter sweet coming back here to California. There is not much not to love. The mountains, the woods, the friends. While driving around, I see much and meet many that remind me of the time we lived here. But, we now live far away and those days are long gone. I don't for a second regret moving to Israel, but can't help wondering what would have been had we stayed. I would love to share these travels with my family as this place is as much theirs as it is mine. Maybe we can come back in the summer.

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