Made it!

Well, if the second flight was overbooked, it didn't affect me. Lots of other people, including ones who had bought their tickets earlier in the week, had to get their seat assignments at the gate. The flight was full though. I had chatty seatmates both times and that helped the time pass quickly. I got my rental car very easily. I'd reserved it ahead of time, but the last time I did that they were so disorganized it still took me an hour and a half. This time I politely declined all the little ploys they use to part people with their money (Would you like to upgrade to a full-size car for only $10 a day? Would you like this extra insurance that would eliminate your deductible in case something happens? Would you like to rent a GPS unit for only $9.95 a day?) and was in my car within about 6 minutes. I got turned around coming out of the airport area but after a quick call to my mom, got headed the right direction and had an easy trip north to her house.

The number of orchards and other farming activities in California is amazing. I passed one orchard I'd never seen before which was Deseret Farms of California. The trees were new and it is certainly a welfare farm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For those not familiar with those, they are farms run by the Church with a LOT of donated labor and the food produced there is processed and donated to needy people both inside and outside the Mormon Church. I'll have to ask my parents how long that orchard has been there.

I'm settling in here for a bit, not sure how long. My mom's health is not good right now and she needs a little TLC.