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| The 405 Freeway |
On Thursday, my daughter and I paid a long over due visit to my half-sister! It was the first time we've seen her and her husband since before Covid! My half-sister lives in an adjoining city, about one hour's drive from where I live. Visiting her involved taking two freeways that are notorious for being congested, the 101 Hollywood Freeway and the 405 San Diego Freeway, which is reputed to be the busiest and most congested freeway in the United States.
It took us a little over one hour to drive south to visit my sister, and although we left a little after 12 noon, the freeways were quite busy. But, we were able to take advantage of the car pool lane (two or more persons per vehicle) and that helped.
I put some gas to the car on the way to my sister's. I paid $4.99 per gallon at a station near my house. But, gas was cheaper ($4.19/gal.) closer to my sister's place! I should have waited and put gas over there!
Sister had wanted to take us out to lunch, but, I told her that I was not yet ready to eat in a restaurant. So, she ordered a lunch of Thai food and we ate at her home. It was lovely to see her and her husband, again, after such a long time. We enjoyed a lovely meal, exchanged New Year's gifts, and visited for about two hours. We left her home around 3:45 p.m. and reached our home around 5:15 p.m. Needless to say, we got caught to some of the evening commute traffic!
This is one of the most famous views from the 405 North freeway as you come through the Sepulveda Pass:
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| The View of the Valley (from the 405 North) |
Daughter took the photos as I was driving.
I had plans to do some cleaning and laundry after I came home, but, relaxed, instead, and replied to blog comments. Thank you, everyone for the kind comments about the almsgiving and the interest you expressed about the event. I appreciate it.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A lovely visit with my sister
- A safe drive there and back
- The availability of gas for the car
- A relaxed evening
- Plenty of leftovers for dinner!
Today's joyful activity was visiting my sister.
Plans for tomorrow include visiting my cousin V who has invited us to lunch! We are doing all the family visits before daughter leaves on Sunday!
How was your Thursday? What are your plans for Friday?
How lovely to read you and your daughter enjoyed a visit to see your half-sister and you had a lovely meal with her. Your freeways are so busy, I've always disliked motorway driving but those would seriously bother me.
ReplyDeleteI did find your blog post about your almsgiving very interesting and made a note of the five precepts Buddhists live by as it's something I didn't know before. Thank you Bless.
Thank you, Eileen. It was a long overdue visit, too, and I'm glad I was able to visit her. Sister is in her early 80s and has had one, thankfully minor, stroke, and every time we've spoken on the phone, she has said she'd love to see us. The freeways here are busy almost all the time.
DeleteI'm glad you found the five precepts to be interesting. Some of them are similar some of the Ten Commandments, aren't they?
What a nice visit! I'm glad you got to see your sister. Those mountains look neat! andrea
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andrea. I was happy to have been able to visit my sister. It was a long overdue visit. The mountains are pretty, aren't they?
DeleteHow lovely to visit your family. Seems Covid is making itself well known again! Freeway driving is stressful, but oh that view of the valley is something. I am glad your Almsgiving went well & thank you for the details around it - very interesting :)
ReplyDeleteIt was a long overdue visit, Mary-Lou and I'm glad I was able to visit my sister. She is in her early 80s and has experienced some health issues, so, it seemed like a good time to visit her while I still could. She gave me two huge books about scrapbooking!
DeleteCovid test positivity rates have gone up to almost 14% in Los Angeles County. The actual rate is probably higher. I was nervous about seeing family, this week, but, I hope that it will be OK.
Freeway driving is stressful, but, yes, that view of the Valley from the Pass is truly something to see.
I'm glad you found the almsgiving details to be interesting. :)
Glad you were able to visit with your sister. There are still somethings I haven't done since COVID.
ReplyDeleteThank you, June. I think I will start doing a few things this year, if I feel comfortable venturing out. :)
DeleteWhat a lovely view, apart from the traffic! It reminds me of the traffic on the 401, a major road in southern Ontario. But at least it is a divided highway. The TransCanada, by contrast, passes through towns and villages in some places, but at least it has changed in our area in the 50 years during which we have driven it. At one time, before a bypass was built, a bridge was out in one area and we had to make a huge detour through the bush! Now it is a lot easier to travel.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely view, isn't it? Freeways and other major highways fascinate me, because they connect communities and facilitate travel. :)
DeleteHow wonderful that you and your daughter got to visit your sister. The traffic looks bad! Reminds me of driving around Chicago on my way to my sister's! I hope these last couple of days with your daughter there are wonderful, too.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to catch up with my sister. Yes, traffic is pretty bad in most big cities, I guess. It's just something one deals with, but, I'm glad that I'm retired and don't have to deal with the daily commute! Thank you, Celie. We are hoping to spend the last couple of days of my daughter's visit home doing a few fun things. :)
DeleteI am so glad you got to visit with your half-sister and her husband. It must have been so lovely to see them after such a long time. I hope your visit with V goes well tomorrow
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. It was wonderful to see my sister again and spend a little time with her. The visit with V went well, too. :)
DeleteNice that you were able to see your sister. And so nice that you and your daughter are able to have so much time together!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. Yes, it was good to visit my sister. It's been lovely having daughter home for 3 weeks and I'll be sad to say goodbye to her this Sunday.
DeleteIt must have been lovely to see your sister again, especially after all that time.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your journey was reasonably straightforward and that you didn't get caught up in traffic for too long. The views of those mountains are amazing. Xx
It was lovely to see her again, Jules. The drive there and back wasn't too bad. Traffic on that freeway can be quite bad, some days.
DeleteHow nice that you were able to visit your sister after such a long time. I'm sure you had a very nice time enjoying each other's company.
ReplyDeleteCalifornia traffic is notorious - Considering how bad it can get you and your daughter managed pretty well.
I'm glad you relaxed when you got home.
As we all know, housework will still be there tomorrow, and the next day lol
Thank you, Debra. Yes, I'm glad we were able to visit my sister and spend a little time with her. :) I was able to catch up on the housework and laundry, etc., yesterday and today. There will be more cleaning on the agenda for next week as I undecorate!
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