March 2013 – Barb's True Stories

One of our dearest friends has died

He faced a relentless disease with optimism, courage and grace

In the face of a reality that could have been consumed by despair

He rose above, giving and receiving love and support

The disease was transparent as it never obscured

The heart and strength of this man, who lived life to the fullest

From Taoism comes a teaching of the balance of life that holds

Every life is filled with ten thousands joys and ten thousand sorrows

I choose to interpret the teaching as joys abound

And can be found in everyday life, like the small things

That culminate in a friendship that withstands all

It cannot be replaced and will for all time in memory stand

While sorrows are few, as singles, they count in hundred fold

We think of what he would want us to think and it would be

Do not cry because it is over. Smile because it happened

Golf is a very difficult game, at least it is for me. When you golf, hope springs eternal
that your game will improve by leaps and bounds. I just returned from a week-long vacation in Palm Springs, California where three friends and I rented a home and attended a three-day golf school. And so, hope springs in Palm Springs.

It’s a luxury to leave winter behind and go to places that sport palm trees and temperatures that are conducive to short sleeves and golf shorts. The last day it sported an earthquake as we sat waiting to tee off. Tremors should not be a surprise, I suppose, as we were spitting distance from the San Andreas fault.

Palm Springs is a popular destination for people who want to escape cold weather. There are all manner of license plates on vehicles from out-of-state. It appears to me the average age is on the other side of 70. Many Hollywood stars of years gone by owned homes in Palm Springs. We hiked and cycled past homes that were, at one time, owned by Hollywood notables such as Bob Hope, Steve McQueen, Peter Lawford and Debbie Reynolds. Marilyn Monroe was discovered at the Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club. She is now represented by a 26ft tall sculpture in downtown Palm Springs.

The weather was mixed during our stay. It was cold, cool, warm, hot, dry and rainy, windy and calm, sometimes all in one day. The last day it was pretty much perfect, leaving us with a great last memory.

There are many hiking trails in the valley and into the mountains. You could spend many a day exploring the various trails. Cycling is fairly easy in the city. There are a number of bike trails that often share sidewalk space with pedestrians.

A couple of pictures from a bike ride:

A lavender lemonade at the Native Foods Cafe:

The home we rented through Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO) was comfortable and the owners were very accommodating. Here’s a few pictures of where we hung our hats for a little over a week.