After leaving Dollar Store, Marie and I stopped in at Lulu's. I've been hearing about this place for five weeks now, ever since starting my Conversational Spanish class. The teacher and several of the students hang out over there so with my Starbucks finished, and the Dollar Store behind us, it was time to discover if this place really DID have a reputation to live up to. All I can say is - YES!! The patty melt and fries weren't greasy and the decor was fun and colorful. The place felt totally inviting and definitely rates a return visit.
Even the ceiling was fun to lean back and enjoy.
So, with restrained excitement and a huge dollop of curiosity, I carefully opened the package and recorded all of its unfolding drama. 
I now have it hard at work folded into the pages of Bookless in Baghdad. It is such a feminine bookmark to hold the place of the musings of Tharoor but somehow very appropriate. Just as the cross is a holy and sacred thing to me, so are books and the value they hold for us. Thank you Lee-Ann. Your discerning eye at the thrift store in Australia has made this California girl very happy and feeling very hugged at the end of a very huggable day.
This weekend when we drove to Oregon for George's funeral, we also happened to be driving into what would be the worst storm to hit the Pacific Northwest in many years. While the coast was experiencing hurricane force winds, loss of electricity, communications, and tremendous flooding, we were experiencing rain, snow, and wind gusts that knocked our car around. It made driving a real challenge on our return home drive.
We eventually left, each of us wrapped in our private thoughts. I loved the triplets, as I called the three winter barren trees, guardian soldiers of this resting place. But now, five days later, I see more than three trees. I see a Trinity - a gathering of the protective strength of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and I know that George is safe, preparing to wield his sword.
