Stella And The Gardens

Didn't walk before breakfast, as I knew I'd be getting plenty in later. After, I did a load of wash with all that entails, then wrote out Mothers Day cards. As the wash dried (45 minutes), I had time to take the Singapore and Tokyo ones to the post office; that constituted my morning walk.
I called Stella, as she had said she'd like to see me on Saturday. She's pretty vague and I wasn't sure what she had in mind. When I called, she was on the train in L.A. and suggested I meet her at the train station when it arrived at 1:40. Fine by me and I took my usual bus, got off at the library, walked to The Promenade, then to the station.
We got in her car--actually, her late husband's small truck, as she didn't want to leave her car in the lot overnight and I don't blame her--and she asked if I'd like to go up to the newly opened botanic gardens. I would and we did.
The gardens had been completely burned in the fire last year and is just getting restored. It's high up over City Hall and is just beautiful. It costs $7 to get in, but Stella bought a $75 family pass, which got me in, too. All kinds of native plants, labeled drought resistant, are planted here, plus they sell the same kinds. Stella loved an unusual flowering succulent from Chile, but unfortunately, they didn't sell that one. I was wowed by a very high set of stairs, made of native rock, which you can climb to the top of the ridge. However, Stella didn't think her knees would take them, so we didn't go up. I definitely want to do that and will see if Ellen and Greg might want to go. Come to think of it, I'll ask Suzanne, too.
By the time we left, it was almost 3:00 and we were both hungry. so
 we went to the Blue Agave for lunch. I had an excellent "flautas" with a good Mexican lager, and we both enjoyed a guacamole appetizer. We stayed until 4:00, after which Stella invited me to her house in Ojai. That had been our original plan, but I just didn't feel like it, so declined with thanks. She asked if I could come over today, but I must get some paperwork, mostly filing, done and I wasn't really anxious to see her two days in a row. I did urge her to go to Soaring Spirits (widder group) for lunch tomorrow, and will go to her place another time.
I walked around town a bit, then caught a bus. Called Ellen to see if Greg was working and finally, yes, he was, so I stayed on and went to Oxnard. Stopped at Target for blueberries, then at Whole Foods and saw Greg--I'm always pleased that he's happy to see me and gives me a hug--and we chatted a bit. Said goodbye, caught the three buses back to Ventura and got in a little after 7:00.  It was a good, active day and I enjoyed it.
Yesterday was my third full day without driving.