Paradise Found

It is late afternoon in my office above the Island Flooring office. I sit at my computer and work and enjoy the sun coming in though the french doors. When the summer comes I can open the doors and let the breeze come through.
This is a wonderful time of year here on Balboa Island. It is quiet - it seems especially quiet after the hubub of Valentine's Day, President's Day and Ski Week. All I hear in this moment is the sound of water from the fountain on the deck and the drumming of a lone basketball player bouncing the ball on the court at the Beek Center Park. Life is really perfect. And I feel relaxed.
Recently I filled out some paperwork and one of the questions was "Where in the World is your Dream Vacation Spot". I answered "home". And that is true.
When I first moved here, 20 years ago, I figured I could offset the high cost of rent with the savings in vacation costs. I was sure I would never have to travel anywhere else. I lived in Paradise. And for years Mike and I never traveled.
But the fact that we both work and live on Balboa Island eventually had caught up with us. With the small community and cell phones we were always on demand. I remember on one of our first vacations in Vancouver, BC Mike received a call from someone who wanted him to come and measure a job "right now". He KNEW we were in town because he saw Mike's truck driving down the street.
If he had looked closely our client would have seen it was Patty, our assistant. Patty had to move our truck on Wednesday because of street sweeping to avoid a ticket. That is when we realized that even though we lived in the most beautiful place in the world - we had to take a vacation elsewhere - to recharge. When we come home, and drive over PCH and look over the Island - we are always grateful that we live in "Paradise Found."