Visit Part 2

The heat wave continued, each day a little hotter.  Ann and Henry were such good sports and acted as if the heat was no big deal.  They kept saying but there is no humidity.  That is true, hot here is a little better than hot in the South.  But past 90, humidity does not factor in, hot is hot.

Tuesday we stayed home and read.  Marty worked during the morning and made it home for lunch.  I had cooked a spiral ham and we had sandwiches.  Miss Ann asked if she could have some of the leftover pulled pork instead.  We let her.

For supper we went to Sizzler for the Endless Salad Bar.  We are talking 50 items, such as Tacos, Nachos, three kinds of soup, spinach salad, Cesar salad,  pastas, seafood salad, corn and peas salad, and lots and lots of other salads.  Oh did I mention ice cream sundaes and banana pudding? Endless means finish your plate and a clean plate appears for another trip to the Salad Bar. They made no money on us. Best value for $10.99 ever.  

Wednesday Marty fixed breakfast,  we all got cleaned up and then we went out.  Where to you ask?  The San Leandro Library.  I checked out books to entertain me next week as I recuperate after my surgery.  The rest of them picked out 5 DVDs for us to watch that night and the next day.  

We came home and started watching a movie.  One hour and 40 minutes in, it stopped.  Marty worked and worked, it would not progress.  Great disappointment, it was a really good movie.  For dinner we met Erik and Jennifer at a Thai restaurant.  I was a little nervous eating there, the Health Department certificate was Conditional Pass.  The food was good and no one got sick, so all is well. 

On the Fourth of July we still had record heat.  Marty again fixed us breakfast and we had a lazy day.  We all napped, read, and played on our computers.  Marty made a tomatillo sauce that was excellent. I put out the guacamole and chips.  Marty also made Margaritas to go with the theme of the snacks.  We had an all American dinner, hamburgers.  Then the movie marathon began.   The last movie was so depressing we had to watch some recorded shows to perk us back up.

This morning we left for the airport at 7:00 in the fog.  Ann and Henry were going home.  They got to enjoy our cool weather for such a short time.  Yesterday dead air and hot as hell.  Today we have fog and wind.  That would be Bay Area weather.

We had such a fun time.  I love to have them visit.  They go with the flow, and this time that was really important.  Record breaking heat, a 1 bedroom apartment with 1 bath, no extra space to store their belongings, a blow up bed, just a few things my guests had to put up with.  Oh and the BART strike which limited some of the places we could have taken them.

As I have said, it was a great week.  Lots of laughing, remembering, great food and wine, and some new experiences together.  Can't wait for them to come back again. 

A Fun Fourth of July

Yesterday, as we have done since 2000, we went up the hill to a cookout.  Neighbors from our last house invite (on a Hills Forum) everyone around them to a potluck cookout.  There were over 100 people there.  I am sure our host was meeting several for the first time.  Their house sits on one of the highest points in Oakland and has a nearly 360 degrees view.

On the Fourth we look at multiple cities that are shooting off fireworks.  Or I should say, listen to the fireworks.  This is the San Francisco Bay we are looking at.  What goes with San Francisco?  Fog.

There should be the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in there somewhere.  As the night wore on, the fog got farther and farther in.  Lots of booms and colored clouds.

Thirteen trips up the hill, we have seen fireworks maybe three times.  But we don’t care.  It isn’t about the fireworks.

                                                                          

The man in the white on the steps is our host, Russ.  He is an unashamed Patriot who bleeds Red, White, and Blue.  Every Fourth he gives us a history lesson on America.  We pledge allegiance to the flag, led by our firemen.  Next a group picture and then the food.

It was a lovely evening, around 70 degrees and dropping.  We had burgers, polish sausage, and hot dogs.  There were all kinds of salads and veggies.  Later every dessert you can think of.

                                     

We lucked out and scored a table with friends.  No sitting on the wall this year.  Also we were next to the wine table.

I had a huge burger, my potato salad, black beans with a masa topping, a pasta shrimp salad, tomatoes and feta cheese salad,  a tossed salad with all kinds of goodness in it, and a smoked peppers and feta cheese salad.  Some were very good, some just OK.  I did not finish everything nor did I have dessert.  I was full.

I keep mentioning our firemen.  Or Firepersons.  Russ’ house was damaged during the Oakland Hills Fire.  He stood his ground and fought the fire with the firemen.  Nearly 4000 homes were lost.  Our fire personnel are always honored in the hills.  They saved so many lives, and finally stopped the fire before it burned to the Bay.  They are heroes.

Every year we meet new people, see long time friends, meet the firemen who protect us during Fire Season, and eat some great food.

Belated post for July 4

In 2000 we moved through the tunnel to the Oakland Hills. It is a tight knit neighborhood because most of them had lived through the Oakland Hills Fire.  The survivors welcome newcomers, and they teach us the horror of fire storms and how to survive the next one.  A few houses survived that fire and one house has become a gathering point on the Fourth of July.

Our hosts invite friends and neighbors, and most importantly the firefighters from the Hills' station.  This is a massive pot luck cook out. There is the pledge to the flag, singing of patriotic songs, prayers, a  little history, the introduction of the firefighters, and the group picture.  Then we eat.

We watch the Golden Gate ( for non Bay Area folks, the Golden Gate is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay, the bridge is named after it)  to see how the fog is, high or low.  Is the fog creeping in slowly, or is it rushing in?  This is important.  The fog determines if we will see the fireworks in all the cities around the Bay.  Also the fog determines if we are comfortable or freezing.  The last few years we have worn parkas and gloves.  This year was wonderful.  Shirt sleeve weather and clear, just a little low fog.

Below are some pictures from our neighborhood gathering.

When we arrived a little after 5:00 this was the view looking across the Bay at San Francisco.  The white is low fog coming through the Golden Gate.

Friends Lew and Nancy were asked to cook burgers and hot dogs this years.  We helped them.  This was not an easy task.  We had 100 guests to feed.

Marty and Lew worked hard to not have a back up in the line.  Also they wanted everything cooked to a moist point and not to a hockey puck point.  Fine line when trying to have some precooked so the line can move on to the salads and veggie tables.  They cooked everything to perfection.  I was a gofer.  Nancy helping get the meat on the grill.

 Click on this picture to enlarge it.  This is the driveway of our hosts. Down at the bottom of the hill you will see our guest of honors' fire truck.  They park headed out.  Many years they don't get to eat because they get a call and go charging out.  This year they got to eat and visit.  Then they left to patrol the hills.  The fire danger was at High.  To make it worse the roads were full of people and cars who were there to watch the fireworks.  The "visiting people" always have idiots who bring fireworks and are smokers.  The Hills are a no smoking zone.  Fireworks are pretty much illegal everywhere in the Bay Area.  So our firefighters are out there making sure no fires are started.

It is starting to get dark and the fog is still nice and low.  Will we really get to see the fireworks and not just hear them as we usually do?

Sunset over the Bay Area.  It just doesn't get much better than this.  The illegal fireworks have begun.  Hell, they began 2 days ago.  Some of the illegals down in the flats are better than some of the little cities' shows.

Full dark and the fireworks are going off all over the Bay.  Of course I don't really have great pictures of the displays. I would see them and start clicking, and I was pretty much too late.  Right in the middle across the Bay is where the fireworks are at Pier 39 in San Francisco.  To the right on this side of the Bay you can sort of see Berkeley's display.

It was a lovely fun evening. 

The Fourth of July

Every year since 2000 we have gone to a neighborhood Fourth of July party in the Oakland Hills.  Our hosts live on one of the highest points in the Hills.  They have a $1,000,000 view of all the bridges on the San Francisco Bay and of San Francisco.  They have a view of at 10 least cities that have fireworks the night of the Fourth.  The view is incredible.  But usually we have to look quickly.  This time of year we have fog, lots of fog.  We have seen fireworks maybe twice.  We might see the beginning and then the fog roars in and we see colored fog. 

Yesterday the weather forecast was warm and clear.  WRONG!  By the time we arrived, the temperature was dropping and the fog was coming in.  That is our tradition.  We don't watch the fireworks, we listen.  Below are some pictures of where we were, and the fog.

  This is the backyard of our hosts.

A bagpiper played during the party.  The house behind him is a neighbor.  It is a Mac Mansion.  We don't like it.  They took part of the view. 

Friends Lew and Nancy from the A Team.  Notice the white fluffy stuff behind them. 

You should be able to see Oakland and San Francisco.  The fog has hidden them and is advancing toward us.

Even closer.  At times the fog was against the fence.  It comes and goes.

This is looking east from the same house and about the same time.  Mt. Diablo is clear and sunny.

Sundown, the fog has covered the cities and the Hills.  We were so cold even though we were wearing parkas. We went inside to warm up.  We listened to the booms for awhile.  Then we went home.  Since we don't really expect to see fireworks we weren't disappointed.  We enjoy being with the neighbors from the old neighborhood.  That is the point of the pot luck party.

WE HAD SUCH A FUN DAY

Friday we went to the Winchester Mystery House as planned. We hadn't been there in over 20 years. It was a whole new adventure. They now have a huge grab the tourist gift shop, a wonderful garden/outbuildings free tour, and the main tour. Oh my word, the gardens are beautiful! Low Boxwood hedges perfectly trimmed, grass cut with manicure scissors, lovely fountains, and a cool day to enjoy the beauty. The inside paid tour was fun, informative, and long. Sixty five minutes, up and down and around.

When we went before the kitchens were not on the tour, nor the barn and hayloft, the servants quarters and the only shower in the mansion weren't available either. Much more was open to the public and much more information was shared. It was a fascinating look at a mentally ill woman's life.

After the tour we were hot and sweaty. No AC in the house. So we needed food and drink. Hank took us to lunch in Santana Row to a great Mexican restaurant. Margaritas restored us and the food gave us strength to carry on to the next event.

And the next event, Costco. Ann and Hank had never been to a Costco. Louisville just got one and it is a little far (they think) from their house. Californians would be thrilled to have something as close to them. But we are used to driving forever for anything. Hank and Ann were almost shell shocked: the crowds the day before the 4Th, and just all the products available for purchase. The low prices were impressive as were the quality brands. I think we have converts.

Tonight our old neighborhood cookout and fireworks over San Francisco Bay. Please no fog until after the fireworks.