Yesterday I spent the day with my old friend Lois Juliber. I hadn’t seen her in years because I live on the west coast and she lives on the east coast and we lead very different lives these days. When I was a New Yorker, she and I played tennis every weekend in the summer and spent memorable evenings with our husbands and other friends and it was great fun. Now I’m holed up in my home office in California writing and she’s traveling the world. The former VP of General Foods and Vice Chairman of Colgate-Palmolive (we’re talking about one of the highest-ranking women in corporate America), she now either chairs or sits on multiple boards. In between trips to Uganda, she plays a mean game of golf and has played the world’s best courses. Yesterday we met up and caught up and talked for hours. At times she was making me awestruck with tales of moving in circles I couldn’t fathom. At other times she was “just Lois,” telling me with pride that she has all the hardcover copies of my books displayed at her house. It was a lovely day.
As have been so many other days during my month in Connecticut. I’ve had laughs with old publishing pals and have reunited with one of my closest friends from summer camp. I’ve seen cousins I rarely get to see. And I’ve spent time with my mother, who came to California for her 96th birthday but rarely ventures out of New York.
So with only a week to go on my summer vacation, it’s with a wistfulness that I go about the rest of the trip. The weather has turned cool – kind of strange for July – and I slept with all the covers on for the first time since I got here. Maybe it’s telling me it’s time to go home. Or am I home? Hard to tell right now.
Now that sounds like a lovely way to spend time on your vacation!
It is! Hope all is well with you, Peg.
A month sure went by fast, Jane! We had ‘California weather’ this morning, and I LOVED IT! Nothing like sleeping with the windows open and a chill in the air!
So fast, Ruth. I just can’t believe I’ll be going back next week. Meanwhile, I’m not a fan of this weather. It’s really cold here and I have a pool that’s just sitting there.
My lord, how quickly July is marching by…bringing us two different seasons of weather as she does:)! Jane, reading about your summer time with family and old friends in that beautiful spot has been good for my soul, too, as I catch up with West Coast family here on less bucolic but fun 22nd street. I’m so sorry I missed you this trip, but a coffee together IS in our future! Cheers, B.
Oh, Bridget! I would so like to have seen you this trip. I didn’t go into the city once, oddly enough, but if I had it would have been so nice to sit and chat with you. If you ever come to CA, please let me know. Otherwise, there’s always next summer!