Suzanne's Mom's Blog

Photos: Suzanne and John’s Mom.
My California brother and sister-in-law moved recently to a gorgeous apartment at Westmont assisted living in Cypress, California.

We don’t travel much these days. There are always going to be hassles, and if you don’t have to do it, why would you? Suzanne’s son makes persuasive arguments about why getting someplace cool is worth the hassles, but we remained unpersuaded even when his family spent five months in Stockholm, sending us frequent invitations.

But there are exceptions to everything.

My California brother has been having a rum time the last six months or so — a series of falls followed by two brain operations. Having not seen him in person for several years, I decided FaceTime was not enough. So here I am.

Suzanne, the veteran traveler, dealt with the logistics, and so far I have been almost hassle free.

Of course, there would have to be one technical thing, but I do try to embrace the occasional technical thing as a cognitive challenge for the aging brain. I managed to convince my fraud-anxious bank lady, despite all the background racket at Logan airport, that I had indeed reserved an Uber in distant California. I talked her down before the flight left Boston, so fortunately there was a car waiting when I got to Los Angeles. (The long flight with no real food was made bearable thanks to a nice Icelandic murder mystery.)

Although I don’t normally use a wheelchair, Suzanne made sure I got one in both airports. It’s a great way to travel as you skip a lot of lines and, even better, the attendants actually know where you’re supposed to go next. I’m sure I’d still be looking for my Uber at LAX if not for the wheelchair lady. Although I do walk fine, I am indeed an old gal who is known to get dizzy — and I look it.

So you may be hearing a bit about Southern California the next few days, where I’m having a lovely time and feeling dazzled by all the exotic foliage. Fingers crossed that my luck holds vis-à-vis hassles. I did forget to bring something, but I do that at home, too, so it doesn’t count.

The app says that this long hedge along a busy highway is cape honeysuckle.