Ray and I are up in Ojai enjoying an overnight in our 1953 Spartan, which is in the middle of our orange grove. Cordelia and Sammie, our Corgie and Scottie, are here with us, and we are settled in for the night at the late hour of 7:35 pm.
Usually, we come up for the day, but leave late in the afternoon to head back to LA. But today we are enjoying the treat of actually staying here versus rushing back home. Below is what the interior of the Spartan looks like right now with candlelight since we have no electricity here.
Ray has just announced he’s cold so that means he’s ready for me to stop writing my blog and help him make our bed, which is just a matter of folding down the back of the couch and throwing two sleeping bags down. He knows it will be a minute before I am ready but he has reminded me it is due to get down to 44 degrees tonight. I am prepared with an extra blanket or two, just in case.
The quiet here in the orange grove is noteworthy. Except for the sounds of an occasional far-off car or the moo of a cow or the whiney of a horse, there are few other sounds at all. I heard the ribbits of a few frogs earlier, but they are quiet now and all the animals (there are some dogs, turkeys and donkeys, too, not far away) appear to be all settled down for the night. Oh wait, the frogs just started back up with their rhymthic song, and now I hear the distant barks of two or three dogs.
I just looked over at Ray and he gave me that “When do we get to be settled into bed?” look. I know I need to write faster. We are feeling as if we are livingin the lap of luxury because we now having a working bathroom in the Spartan, complete with hot water. That is a big leap from our past times here with tent camping, peeing in the grove, and only cold water.
Here is Ray in bed with the dogs. Yes, I stopped and helped him get it all set up.
So on that note, I will say good night. It is gettinga bit cold in here and that bed looks mighty inviting.
On an entirely different topic let me congratulate our daughter Liz on being hired today for a job that she is very excited about in a nonprofit organization where she has been volunteering. Hurray, honey! I am pleased for you and proud of you.
Now it really is time to head to bed. After all, it is 8:14.
Signing off for now.
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