a week of record-setting rain appropriately set the stage for my week in los angeles. it wasn't bright smiling sunshine, but it still beat the hell out of a tsunami wiping the city off the face of the earth.

i was so happy to find my grandfather spirited and himself despite the clockwork of medication and hospitalization that has become his life. he even made a request for okonomiyaki, the cabbage pancake he had been eager to try since my blog description weeks ago. his positive attitude made my family forget every reason we had to be sad and we were able to relax and enjoy our time together - we even visited the happiest place on earth!

being back in america gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends - namely, "the burnt tortilla", "lucille's smokehouse bar.b.que", and "roscoe's house of chicken 'n waffles". i was happy to see them all again, but i seem to have lost my ability to disappear even a half-rack of beef ribs, well.. at least when their served with corn on the cob, garlic mashed potatoes, salad, and fresh backed biscuits. oh yeah..

i spent the week weather-effected, jet-lagged, and food-coma-ed, still it was wonderful to see my family and see poppies smiling and himself!

here's a rare sight - a rainbow on cloudy hermosa beach: