Did you know that Mission St. in San Francisco is on the way to India?

I didn't either, but that is where the office is for obtaining visas to India.  "Armed" with properly filled-out visa application forms for Cloud and I, along with two passport size photos glued on (Thanks Kim and Rocky for the help), our passports, and $76.00 per visa - I arrived on the dirty street and waited outside until called in with the other "9:40 Appointments."  I also brought along our airline tickets (for tomorrow - 7/6) to prove how desperate out need was (barely merited a glance) to receive a visa TODAY (7/5).

Here is one of the photos we took in our attempt to get one for the visa.  I don't have mine here, it's in Kim's phone - and besides, cloud says I look like a criminal.

Thankfully all the i's were dotted and the t's crossed; our paperwork was accepted.  "You should get your visa today.  Be back at 5:00. We'll give out visas between 5:30 and 6:00.  The consulate personnel will check everything."

I was counting on Katy's prayers carrying us through to success, so wasn't too worried.  Cloud stayed home today - he wasn't feeling well this morning, although he's much better this evening, even shaved and trimmed his beard some more.  My, how handsome!

While awaiting our very important papers, I went out to a cafe for breakfast, then headed over to Golden Gate Park.  I wanted to see the Botanical Gardens, having never seen them before - at least not that I remember.  I considered going to the Academy of Sciences, but wasn't in the mood for large crowds inside museums, etc.  I would have had to request a wheelchair to deal with the hard floors and didn't feel like dealing with that on a crowded summer day.  The weather was exceptionally fine.







I happened to park in front to the National AIDS Memorial Grove.  I've never seen that before either, so took a look.  What a beautiful, peaceful place!  There are a variety of plant communities, a few gorgeous semi-circular benches, a small waterfall and meadow.  I thought about my Uncle Terry who died of AIDS in 1989 and remembered what a lively, handsome, sweet man he was - a longshoreman AND a singer in the Gay Men's Chorus.  It was good to see a garden so beautifully maintained, honoring those  stopped suddenly in their tracks - sadly, what should have been, before their time.

I discovered trails I'd never been on before and eventually made it to the Botanical Garden.  A tour of the garden was to begin in 5 minutes at the main gate.  I almost went, but decided to wander on my own instead, and headed in the opposite direction.  The sun shone brightly on the many colorful plants, and I was impressed multiple times by the incredible collection from all over the world.  After awhile I found a bench in an out of the way area and laid down in the sunshade to relax.  I read my book for awhile and then walked around some more.  I felt like my trip had begun - just not from the starting place I had imagined.  Here I was seeing new places - no schedule to keep, except that 5:00 appointment.

I rounded a curve, leaving the Camelia Garden, and came upon an open space surrounded by trees.  "Hmmmm - go to the Redwood Grove and the CA Natives, or over to Chile?"  I opted for the Redwood Grove.  As I walked, I looked across the grassy meadow and saw a group of people surrounding a large black woman who was speaking.  I wondered what the group would be discussing and why they were in the Botanical Garden.  When I was about 40 - 50 feet away, I saw a young woman in a green blouse sitting on the grass within the circle of  people who I see now are young - teens, and all wearing dark colors.  Her green top stands out, and I look more carefully because she looks so much like our daughter, Shauna.  "That really looks like Shauna," I say to myself.  "Could that be Shauna?"  I stop and look at her.  "Is it Shauna?"   "It IS Shauna!!"  She looks up at me and we make eye contact.  She's just far enough away to be slightly blurry to me, but clearly we both have very amazed looks on our faces.  I see her lips say to someone near to her, "That's my mom," and she gets up and walks over to me.

We are laughing and can't believe it.  In this large city, we just happened to be in the same place at the same time.  She was with the teens she works with on a field trip, and her supervisor is giving a talk about "Plant Medicine."  They had just gone on the tour, which was "awesome."  I told her how I could easily have gone on the tour, and just now gone in a different direction, but decided to go the Redwood Grove.  It was so good to see her.  We laughed, hugged, kissed and how great to have the chance to do that one more last time.  Of all the gorgeous flowers I saw today, Shauna Rose was by far, the most beautiful!!

Suffice to say, the visas for India were there for us at 5:30 and are safely glued into our passports.  So - dare I say, Next post from Pune, India?  I don't have the same confidence I had the first time I said it, but I'll give it a try:  Next post - Pune, India.

We're enjoying the comments here and the emails we're getting.  Thanks for all the kind words.  Lots of love to all.

Garden Resident, busy at work