Though my plan had been to get back to it—September Musings—in one day, it has now gone on to become two days.

Never mind…

The more important thing is that I have beaten jet lag—hopefully—and am back. Not that the remnants of taking a flight that crossed over eleven time zones haven’t left me with other, newer troubles to contend with. Headaches, for example, that wake me up in the wee hours of the morning, disrupting my sleep, and then return sometime during the day.

That, of course, did not stop me from going for my customary walk along familiar routes. This time, it has been a two-year gap. But here I was, walking that part of the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail that by now is all too familiar to me.

And guess what?

The geese and ducks were there waiting for me.

I watched them swim, groom themselves on the shores, then waddle back to the water for another swim…

The California skies are as blue as ever. Though the temperature was on the higher side the day I landed—nothing alarming for someone from the tropics—it has since gone down.

I have begun my dog-spotting activity. While walking with the First Born to the store to get some groceries, I saw an adorable husky. There was a pipsqueak of a little dog in the store itself, self-importantly keeping step with his human. I spotted more from the window of my room, out on their walks.

I am glad to be spending some time in silence, with no cacophony of blaring horns assaulting my ears, and muted lights, not the garishly bright ones that hurt the eyes. Even our apartment association back in my land chooses the brightest of lights, with no care for the environment or the humans whose sleep they disrupt.

Here are some pictures from my first walk here this time around.

©️ Shail Mohan 2026