While washing dishes

I looked out the window

to see two turkeys meandering in the front pasture. Washing dishes is the most ambitious thing I've done in the past five days, I'm still recovering from a terrible chest cold.

Meanwhile, Justin planted a second flower bed, measuring carefully for exact placement. L-R: loropetalum, flax lily, crape myrtle.

The other side of the flower bed. L-R: flax lily, camellia, flax lily, loropetalum.

This flowerbed of azaleas, ferns, and gardenias was planted last week.

Tos, tos, tos

Cough, cough, cough.

Yikes! It's been a long eight days. I'm on box #4 of tissues, but tonight I do feel slightly better. And, this little bump in the road meant I couldn't go back to Mexico with Dick.

Hasta que le vea otra vez, mi ratoncito

Until I see you again, my little mouse.

Every evening Dick empties his pockets and leaves a little pile of change on the nightstand on one side of the bed,

or the other side of the bed.

This morning, after I dropped Dick off for his bus trip back to Guaymas, I found another little pile on a closet shelf

and there were a few coins in the drink holder in the car. He always pays for his purchases with a bill and ends up with a pocketful of coins at the end of the day, he starts each morning with none in his pocket. Is this a guy thing?

I enjoy gathering up these little piles of coins and spending them, always able to give the exact of amount of cash for a purchase. And now that Dick is back with our boat, finishing as many projects as possible before our next adventure begins, I'll miss this little "thing" about him.

But, "Why?" you may ask, did I not go with him?

Alma returns to El Camino Gardens

On Monday, 15 March, Mom was discharged from the skilled nursing facility and moved back "home." Her discharge prescription orders listed 16 items. Today's visit to her primary care doctor whittled it down to 6. Mom now uses a 4-wheeled walker with a fold-down seat and gets a regular diet. Her right hip is still healing and causes some pain as it continues to heal.

Dinner at Mike & Nicole's

Dick had gone hiking and camping with Mike from Sunday to Monday. I met everyone in Davis for dinner - homemade pizza!!

This pizza was so delicious.

After dinner, we went to the Davis Creamery, it was $1 a scoop night.

Best bagels in Palo Alto

Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels on California Street

Just look at all those sesame seeds:

Wedding in San Jose

The bride and groom: Raymond and Chelsey Belarmino. Raymond is the son of Corrine and Steve Belarmino.

Rio Linda High School, Class of 1966: Who is this? Lee Belarmino, but we all called him Chipper. Lee is Vice President of Information Technology at San Joaquin Delta College. You can read more about him here:
http://www.collegebraintrust.com/belarmino_lee.html

Monday in San Francisco

We spent last night with Nicole and Greg at their house in San Francisco.

This morning we went for breakfast at Squat & Gobble in the West Portal neighborhood.

Across the block from S & G was a very busy BART station. Please note the wet pavement from a brief shower. Dick and I high-fived our good luck.

Attention-getting business name

In San Anselmo, California:

Here's their story: www.peaceloveandgrilledcheeses.com/

And, as we drove into San Franscico, we stopped to return the tarp and nylon line. No rain during the entire camping trip!

Awards received

Point Reyes National Seashore, South Beach:

As we were sitting on this driftwood log, a group of people walked by and said to us, "You guys get the 'Cute Couple of the Day Award'." What a nice compliment!! Dick and I have been apart for the past seven weeks, we may have been glowing a bit.

The award was given by a couple from Seattle, who were visiting with a friend who'd recently moved to the Bay Area from Wisconsin.

These cows were grazing on one of the designated historical ranches within the park.

About an hour later, Dick and I were in the checkout line at Safeway. The clerk turns to me and says, "You are a beautiful woman." How many times in one's life can you expect to have something like this happen twice in one day? Earlier, when Dick asked the clerk how her day was going, she responded, "Blessed to overflowing." That's exactly how I feel.

Banditos strike during the night

Arlete: Dick! Wake up! I can hear animals outside. Is there any food on the table?"

Dick: That's ok. I put the food into the trunk.

And he did . . . except for the ice chest. The next morning, everything but the celery, cans,and bottles was gone. Of immediate importance was the milk needed for the morning oatmeal. Oh darn, no oatmeal for breakfast. Off to nearby Fairfax for breakfast at one of our favorite places.

In the front window are stand-up cut-out photos of people who like to eat here. We were invited to put our picture in the window since we were last here on our 2003 bicycle tour from Vancouver BC to Sacramento and came back today because it was so good.

Inside, the walls are packed with movie memorabilia.

Thank you, raccoons, for being the reason we came back here today.

Camping: Day 1

Samuel P Taylor State Park is 30 miles north of San Francisco, located in a redwood forest at the site of long-gone papermill.

Lagunitas Creek flowed next to our campsite.

One of the better times to visit is November and December when the salmon are running upstream.

The weather looks good today. It's rather chilly, we only have one headlight, and there was no rainfly packed with the tent. We bought a tarp and nylon line, but Dick hopes not open either package. The receipt is carefully saved.

I need the rain to stop

This is the view from Justin's back porch and I would really like a little cooperation from Mother Nature.

Dick is coming back to California tomorrow and we are leaving for a 3-day camping trip on the coast north of San Francisco. There have been periodic showers for days now, so I'm sure there is now going to be some sunny weather. Right?

Breakfast and a walk with Ade

Adrienne came out to Justin's for breakfast and a walk around the block.

Today, in the neighbor's field, there were about 10 lambs grazing with the ewes.