A Chilly, Rainy Day

It was downright chilly today and damp, too! I know California badly needs rain, but we've gotten spoiled by the sunshine...

We went to Houses 2 & 3 this morning to count doors for knobs and doorstops and kitchen cupboards for handles. We measured closets for clothes rods and shelves and checked out bathrooms for fixtures to match the faucets.

House # 2 is very close to the border. We've seen lots of different flowers blooming in the area, so today we took time on the way back to camp to get some pictures. This plant seems to only bloom in cracks in the rocks:

But you don't see how delicate its flowers are until you stop and take a close look:

This plant has just started showing up the last week or so -- or maybe I didn't notice it until it started to bloom.

Its flowers are pretty gorgeous too. (Even if the wind blew them out of focus a bit...)

Some of the roadsides are just a mass of flowers:

We were going to head on into town to start buying fixtures, but remembered that the crews were quitting at noon today and the cooks had fixed spaghetti. We headed back to camp intending to go right after lunch, but by the time lunch was done, all the vehicles were vaccumed and washed, certificates handed out, etc., it was too late in the day to get it all done in a reasonable time frame.

So, there really wasn't anything better to do on a late rainy afternoon, but to take a nap!

Palm Sunday

Today was Palm Sunday and the service at the Church of the Brethren/San Diego Mennonite Church was very meaningful. It had been a rather hectic and stressful week and I needed the "re-inspiriting" of worship today. The church choir is small, but they are very good.

After church we met the other two long-termers (who had gone to the Jamul Community Church) at Janet's Cafe in Rio San Diego (about 16 miles from camp). The owner of the local automotive place where we take our vehicles for service had recommended it to us yesterday. It's sort of hidden in the back of the shopping center area and we had a bit of trouble finding it. It's a good thing that Joel and Jon had arrived before us so they could guide us in. But it was worth the hunt! This place is only open for breakfast and lunch (6 AM to 2 PM) and it was a real find. We all ate outside on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine. Forry had an avocado and cheese omelet and I had some wonderful french toast. Others had spinach omelets, strawberry waffles, enchiladas, and chicken salad croissants. Jon had an avocado bacon burger that was so tall he could barely get his mouth open far enough.

Forry and Ken went back up to House #3 to check out the doors while I took a nap -- twice in two days! I had decided to join Facebook in order to keep up with one of my friends and after I woke up I spent a couple of hours responding to messages from "friends."

This week's group of volunteers arrived in a timely manner this evening so we actually were finished with orientation by 7:30. We will have 15 teenagers and 5 adults from Fresno for the week.