Back to Paradise

Antelope Valley to the I-5 to the 166 to the 101 to LOVR… That's Los Osos Valley Road, but I like to call it Lover. SVM had given me some clippings from her succulents collection so the ones that I did not give to the DogFather were in our truck bed along with my "babies," a used lawn mower, some old garden hoses, Big Dog's tool chest. Having only one set of tools and no home, he travels everywhere with his tools now, like I travel with a kitchen knife and cooking chopsticks.

As we turned onto our road, though, I could see that The Ranch wasn't the way we left it. She's disheveled and unkempt. I am shocked to see the downward slide. And how can some plants be dying of dehydration while others (weeds!) try to take over? Roses have chlorosis, the wild grasses are knee high, many of the newly sprouted seedlings are just plain gone. Boy, am I glad I hedged my bets and dragged some of them all over Central-Southern California. I can see we'll have our hands full over the next few days. I'm kind of looking forward to it, but Big Dog is already fuming.