Posted by on Aug 19, 2012 in flexible | 3 comments

When I left Phoenix, Marika had no idea if or when she would come and visit. But after a few days of me being here and her still being in the relentless heat, she emailed me and said that she and Mabel were coming for a three week visit.

They arrived yesterday.

After a few tail wags and some butt sniffing, it was as if we’d been together all along.

We’re all settling into sharing and moving in the space together, just like old times, with Mabel hogging every available sleeping place and Marika and I playing musical chairs between the various options.

It was a clear blue day yesterday. Marika and I drove to the Strand where we used to always camp and watched pelicans divebombing for fish just a few hundred yards from the shoreline. Then we drove into town and walked along the Embarcadero and had mediocre salads with crab and prawns.

In the evening the four of us walked on the beach and it was so fun to watch Mabel running, running, running…

This morning it was gray and foggy so we went food shopping at Albertson’s and stocked up on pancake mix and real maple syrup, cans of beans and frozen corn for chili, quinoa pasta and sun dried tomatoes so we can eat more meals at home. Today it was salad with farmers market veggies, smoked salmon from Giovanni’s fish market and sourdough, also from the market.

After lunch I napped and Marika took the dogs for a walk, and then got started putting her new seat covers in her car–something she couldn’t stand to do in the heat. Now she’s gluing a carpet onto the ramp that Laddy uses to bypass having to jump up the RV steps. Hopefully it will give him more traction and more confidence to take the short jump in.

Tomorrow we’ll head over to Baywood so I can share my favorite bay walk, then check out the afternoon farmers market for more fruit and tomatoes.

I love having them here. I enjoy their company, the laughing, the singing, the way Marika challenges me to be my best self. I am constantly reminded that, no matter what I might think is best for her, she needs to decide for herself, in her own time.

She says we are very different from each other. I agree. I also think that we learn more about ourselves when we are around people who aren’t just like us, who aren’t just reflecting back what we already know about ourselves. And that, it’s when we accept and embrace the differences, and allow others to be how and who they are, at their own pace, on their own timetable, that’s where the greatest rewards are found.