Back in Southern California briefly and it can’t even be bothered to dress up for the occasion. When we lived here, I remember a reporter once remarking before some big event of national interest that no one needed to worry that the weather wouldn’t cooperate, because the region could be compared to an old Nora Desmond-type movie star that gets herself dolled up so that she’ll look stunning for company. And I started to notice that that happens more often than not — uninteresting, overcast skies turn cloudless and postcard-blue by the time the cameras are rolling.

But as an ex-pat of the area I must not trip the alarm, because since I got here Monday morning, it’s been gray and schmazy. As I look out now, it’s started to burn off, so it still might show a little love. And just in time — beneath greasy, pewter skies, even palm trees and birds-of-paradise can look shabby and disreputable. We’ll see if the weather can still impress me.

There are all kinds of odds ‘n ends that I thought I might blog about, but now that I’m here I’m feeling particularly uninspired. This otherwise-lovely house in Del Mar is owned by otherwise-lovely people who subscribe to that peculiar SoCal madness that firmly believes that air conditioning isn’t necessary. When I lived here, I couldn’t figure out how anyone could think that; now that I’ve gone away and come back, I’m certain that it’s lunacy. But no matter what I think, the house is above room temperature and humid, and Big Thought seems like it’ll be hard to come by. So I’ll leave that for later and console myself with the chocolate chip cookies that just came out of the oven. A more reasonable soul might point out that having the oven on wouldn’t help with the indoor temperature, but that’s just silly. A girl needs to keep her strength up.