Monday, October 12 - Day 11

Wow hard to believe day 11 but here we are. What a great day. I just finished browning the meatballs I made earlier. The spaghetti sauce I made first then the meatballs. Hard to make them as best as I can because Mara is a vegan so I can't use my usual flavorings. Vegans won't eat any animal product so no cheese or beef broth in the sauce or other secret ingredients I normally use. Nonetheless she tasted the sauce and said it was good and rich. The rest of us will eat the meatballs. Then Lisa and I head to the Oakland Airport for our hotel and fly out tomorrow morning.

I won't be sad to leave California. Everyone who walks by, looks at you and you can hear their thoughts: I am better looking; I am slimmer; I am more tanned; I am more organic. I won't elaborate on my return thoughts. This morning we went to a petting farm which Noah likes and fed the cows and goats and sheep and chickens and bunnies. Then we went to an old fashioned carousel where I sat and they took Noah for a ride. There were women with children who were wearing nice clothes and make up. You are not in Canton, Toto. Mara took us to Saul's, a great Jewish deli. I had matzo ball soup, excellent chicken flavor, and a half chicken liver sandwich and half a pastrami sandwich. Lisa had a reuben. All very good.

We went to the grocery store so I could get ingredients for the italian dinner, all organic of course cause we are in California. I enjoyed cooking dinner for everyone but Noah did not eat much of it. He was sad that we were leaving as were the dogs and cats and me. Always hard to leave my children so far away.

I have to confess that I have become dependent on the GPS for getting around the cities. I have always been able to find my way anywhere by map. Years of police work and army life insured my map skills but that GPS is so easy.

We are at our hotel at the Oakland Airport this evening. We turned in the rental car tonight so we did not have to fool around with that tomorrow morning. We drove 1,135 miles. It's been a good trip. See you soon. Good night.

Sunday, October 11 - Day 10

What a great day. We spent about a half hour early this morning having coffee and conversation with Levi Ryken, Barbara Ryken's son, a nice fellow. My daughter, Mara, picked us up and we spent the day with Odin, her husband, and Noah Vincent, my grandson. He is a delight. We drove up and up into the heights over Berkeley and could see the whole of San Francisco Bay. It was a beautiful, sunny day. We then went for a ride on a large scale model of a steam train with a steam locomotive which Noah really liked. I took a break while he and others went on a ride on another small train. We went back home for lunch and some down time. Then walked over to a nearby park with Noah riding a small bicycle which has no pedals and they call it a scoot-bike. He basically sits on the seat and then walks quickly and glides along. Very cool. We spent a little time in the park and then we went to a local market where I bought 7 dozen oysters. Took them home and Lisa and I shucked them for dinner. We put parm cheese on two dozen and baked them. We ate the rest raw with a nice green salad and crusty bread.

The last day tomorrow with the family and then flying back to Canton on Tuesday.

Saturday, October 10 - Day 9

What a great day. First a couple remarks left over from previous days. Concerning the giant redwood trees, John Steinbeck said, “"The vainest, most slap-happy and irreverent of men, in the presence of redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect." So true. Second, from arriving in Berkeley: it took 2 ½ hours to drive 23 miles yesterday. It is no wonder CA suffers from so much pollution. Millions of cars sit idling for hours each day. Lisa and I could never live happily in this crowding.

Now on to today. We started the day with meeting Barbara Ryken at a coffee shop. She is the sister of Larry Ryken, Lisa's uncle, bon vivant, man about town and a judge of good liquor. We spent about an hour having good conversation. She is a pleasant person and it was fun to spend time with her. Lisa and I then toured the Farmers' Market. Wonderful produce, food and olive oil. There was a gathering of first peoples in a field near the market and we watched some Azetcs doing ceremonial dances dressed in elaborate costumes. After a brief lunch, we headed to the marina. It is fleet week and the President is in SF. The shores were lined with people watching an air show featuring the Blue Angels. We went to five o'clock Mass and then walked to Noah's, my 2 year old grandson's, home. So good to see my daughter, Mara and her husband, Odin. They are wonderful parents. Noah was full of jumping beans. He is a live wire, skittering around on the ground. We went out to a Mexican restaurant and had some good food and margaritas. Back to their house to play with Noah and put him to bed.

Tomorrow will be spent with the family.

Lisa here - there were sky writers over the hotel and I was able to get an upside down photo of it due to my orientation to it.  Dave wanted me to post a picture from Stinson Beach yesterday.

This starts Saturday's photos.