Tuesday, September 18, 2007

A Step Backwards

As mentioned before, my car has been in the shop, needing repairs, for a while. It is a step backwards in convenience.

But, it has been thousands of steps forward as we discovered that walking is nothing to be dreaded, even with a four-year-old. It might be cliched, but it is as they say: When God closes a door, He opens a window. For us, several windows were opened.

First, I bought a small stroller for Summy. Then we set out, and discovered that the library, which seems so far away driving, is actually only half a mile away. Almost every day we walk to the wonderful library, and stroll down the beautiful tree lined, shop lined small-town street that the library is on.

The grocery stores are less than a mile away too, and walking to them is a breeze, though ofcourse I cannot buy much (or I'd break my back carrying groceries). The movie theatres are right there, if we only chose to go see a movie.

The beach can be walked to too, though I don't walk there often because it's so hard to avoid sunshine there. But we did make it to the beach on the day of Japan America Kite Festival, and had fun looking at interesting kites (and kite dances), listening to music and making our own kite.

I'd never taken Summy to the swimming pool that's right in our apartment complex before the car broke down. But now we go almost everyday, and she loves to twist and turn in the water like a seal!

So when we need to get somewhere far, we rent a car, or use Kiran's. On other days, I hang my big red beach bag on my shoulders, and we go where the road takes us.

10 comments:

Gauri said...

Yes indeed :-) And you do make it sound like a breeze, which, in fact, it is :-))

Only you Aps, only you - can put a positive spin onto just about anything. I love this so-very-positive attitude of yours. And I sure have a lot to learn from you in this regard.

Glad that you and Summy (you guys make a terrific team) are enjoying California.

Tharini said...

Aps...you make me want to sell home, pack up bags, put on my sandals and head to California...r.i.g.h.t now!

Enjoy yourself...wwait! You already are!

Aparna said...

Thanks, Gauri! It made my day to read that. I am positive some of the time, even annoyingly and sickeningly so to the people around me :) But definitely there is another, negative side to me which doesn't show up much on this blog.

Tara, come down then :) Nah, I don't think it's just because it's California that we are enjoying it, it's just that we got a break from work and school and I know that it's temporary. Trying to make the most of it. It does help that there is so much to see around, and the weather cooperates.

Anonymous said...

hey this tara and gauri always manage to beat me to it! they go and say all that i want to say!

now you just go back and read what they have said and thats exactly what i wanted to say too!

tomorrow is going to be my 'wake up in aps shoes' day! that means tomorrow i have to be positive about EVERYTHING that comes my way.

lotsa luv to summy and please do not disappear. i get withdrawal symptoms.

love
d

noon said...

Loved this breezy, happy post and the happy looking kite! :) Came here after a long loong time and really enjoyed this.

Sahithi's Mom... said...

welcome to southern California Aparna.

Summy will like the weather here.

Sahithi's Mom... said...

BTW is there an email where I can reac you??

Savani said...

bloghopped over from Tharini's. First time visitor. love the way you write already. will visit again!

Choxbox said...

hopped from tharini's - first time here.

you try and *avoid* the sun?!! pleeease send some over to us in london!

Parul said...

hello there!! First time here...bloghopped from somewhere.

I liked the pic...you have nice places to walk to. I wish we had some of that here in Mumbai.