It was a very interesting weekend we had. We were both so happy that we got to go to our grandson Todd's White Coat Ceremony. What a lovely program it was. All the speakers were so good.

Since I had Dick put this article that was in our paper on the blog for me, I should probably write about it first, even though it is kind of going backwards. We did stay overnight and came home on Saturday. We left Irvine about 2:30 because we wanted to get home before the late afternoon traffic. We have to go through a valley about a half hour from Irvine called Moreno Valley before we can get home. There are some montains on each side of the two lane highway and lots of curves which I hate traveling through at night. As we were leaving the town of Moreno Valley we could see smoke and it looked to be quite close and not very close to the freeway. We never thought too much about it because we thought we would pass it within minutes, but as we traveled, the fire didn't seem to get much closer. We were going pretty slowly and then finally stopped on the freeway. Since it was only two lanes, we were pretty well trapped and we stayed that way for quite a while. It was pretty interesting though because there were helicopters which looked like they were close to the fire and all of a sudden we heard fire engines. At that time our side of the freeway was the only side blocked. The traffic on the other side was still moving so we thought it shouldn't be long before they would let our side through. The fire engines couldn't get through and they had fire fighters out there trying to get both lanes to try to double park as close as they could get to the side of the mountain. It took some doing but we finally got over close enough so the engines could barely make it through. We couldn't actually see the fire from where we were, only billows of smoke that seemed to be going straight up. That was becaue we were around the curve from the flames. Some time after the fire engines got through we noticed that the other side of the freeway was closed and the only vehicles that were coming up that side were more fire engines coming from the other direction. Finally, after another wait, they started to let cars go slowly through and as we turned the curve we could see all the fire up close and personal. It was right down to the freeway in some places and little fires were still going, while up higher it was full flames going way back. Those brush fires travel so quickly. The smoke was getting a bit thick too and the only thing I was worried about was that my asthma might kick in because smoke will do that to me. We did get beyond it though, but I was so busy looking at the fire and all the goings on to fight it that I was too interested to even get frightened. I guess there were some people who were pretty scared, but I didn't know that until after I read about it. That area was about an hour from where we live. We did get home finally but we lost an hour or so being totally trapped. Enough about the fire.

I will have to back track now to the White Coat Ceremony. It was really touching to see all of the med students go up to get their white coats and I was so thrilled when Todd got his. He was the last to get his. Obviously they didn't do it alphabetically. After they got their coats, they all had to recite in unison an oath, which in itself was very interesting.

I was so suprised that they gave all of the students an I pad which will have all four years of their books and lectures on it and they will even be able to do all their notes on it, so won't have to keep track of copious notes. It will all be right there for them in that one little pad. How things have changed. This is just the second year that they have been doing this at Irvine Medical School.

After the main ceremoney we all went out onto the patio area where they had a very nice place with tables and chairs and lots of good things to eat. All the families were there taking pictures of their students and we did get a few. I am so sorry that Dick had to leave for his church meetings because he would have posted some of those pictures for you to see. I wish I could keep this open until he returns, but I am so afraid that if I try it, this whole thing might go away. Maybe I will get him to do it as a separate post. Unfortunately if he does that, this whole thing is going to be even more disconnected so maybe I should wait until we get back from the wedding before we do that. I think I will wait.

I was glad that we stayed overnight though because that way, we were able to join Sue and Dave at Todd's condo that he is renting to help get it set up. The furniture had been delivered, but Todd hadn't had time to do more than just get all of his things put in the condo, so we had quite a busy time, actually. I put together some shelves for his shoes, Dick put together three lamps and helped Dave hang pictures, posters and other things that went on his walls. Sue was busy setting up his kitchen and washing tons of dishes that had been stored. It was a busy time for all. We didn't even stop for lunch. We left at 2:30 to avoid traffic (ha ha) and Sue and Dave had to leave at 3:00 to catch their plane.

We are starting to get everything ready to load the car early tomorrow so that we won't have to do it late in the evening. We are planning to leave at 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning and I don't want Dick to get too tired tomorrow as it is about a nine hour drive, plus we will want to stop a couple of times. I am getting pretty excited about the wedding and it will be so fun to have all of my children together in one place. I will want to take some family pictures for sure. The last time we were all together was at my 80th birthday. A lot of my grandchildren will be there too. Not all though, sad to say.

Sorry this is so disconnected but I'm sure you will be able to make head and tails out of this rambling post. (Most of mine are like that, anyway.)

Love you all,

Darlene