Got here about 4pm yesterday and Chuck was outside to direct me up on the leveling blocks he had ready. He's been fighting what he calls "a cold" for two weeks now. It's accompanied by muscle aches but he poo-poos the notion that it might be the flu. I'll be here until 23-24 March and then head for Asheville.
Weather today is sunny but very windy. Possibly rain or snow later today and tomorrow, but then Monday should be much warmer and nice. I'm being a slug today.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Off to Arizona
Leaving Wed. am for Chuck's place in Eagar, Arizona. 1000 miles. Should take about 3-4 days. Talk to y'all later.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Persian Feast
Forgot to tell you about the dinner on Tues. eve. Bro is friends with Manocheer (sp?), an Iranian refugee who came here after the Shah's downfall. Classic story: no money etc but lots of drive and ambition and is now quite well-off. Lives in the Walnut Creek area about an hour east of SF, in a mcmansion makeover of a traditional ranch house. There's him, wife Roshana, daughter Shayda (17), son Arian (16), and family friend Paymon (28) (all spellings approximate).
When we got there, Manocheer was making kabobs on special flat sword-looking skewers, so Deborah got a lesson. About 30 skewers were made and then grilled outside. Wine and tequila were poured, many toasts were drunk; nuts, cheese (goat), crackers, yogurt, olives, etc, placed around for munchies. Eventually, meat was ready, big platters of salad and rice with saffron put on table, and we all settled down to serious eating. Later, there were Persian pastries and tea.
Arian is quite a musician. H and I went out to the garage where he has a complete drum set and he played a solo. Right after dinner, he got out a cello and played a Bach piece. Then he got out a tombok, a traditional Iranian drum and played a fabulous concert on it. Very high level. Shayda's boyfriend had shown up around dessert-time so they disappeared.
Everybody was very nice and a good time was had by all. We got back to the city around 11.pm. A nice end to Diana's visit.
When we got there, Manocheer was making kabobs on special flat sword-looking skewers, so Deborah got a lesson. About 30 skewers were made and then grilled outside. Wine and tequila were poured, many toasts were drunk; nuts, cheese (goat), crackers, yogurt, olives, etc, placed around for munchies. Eventually, meat was ready, big platters of salad and rice with saffron put on table, and we all settled down to serious eating. Later, there were Persian pastries and tea.
Arian is quite a musician. H and I went out to the garage where he has a complete drum set and he played a solo. Right after dinner, he got out a cello and played a Bach piece. Then he got out a tombok, a traditional Iranian drum and played a fabulous concert on it. Very high level. Shayda's boyfriend had shown up around dessert-time so they disappeared.
Everybody was very nice and a good time was had by all. We got back to the city around 11.pm. A nice end to Diana's visit.
Back to Antioch
Nasty weather today but I slogged across the Bay Bridge and went to Aamco so they could do a couple of final tweaks on the new transmission. Then off to Hercules to visit Peggy and Charlie Lucke and look at each other's photographs (me and Charlie). Then off to the fairgrounds to get settled in for the week. Nice flat land. Still being nasty weather (lots of snow up higher) for the rest of the week.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Buddhist Day
This is Diana, my friend from NC, and her friend Mina, at the Japanese Buddhist Temple south of San Francisco in or near Ca~nada. Mina drove into the city to get us (she actually doesn't live too far away) and then drove south about 30 minutes to the temple. She guided us through the service, with beads and chanting etc. Then off to the rec room to eat bento lunches. About 2pm we drove back to her house, met her husband, and settled in for an afternoon of snacks and sake. About 6 she insisted we stay for a home-cooked real Japanese dinner, so we did. I can't tell you what we ate but it was all good. Lots of tofu things, bean paste, salad, soup with special mushrooms, and so forth. Finally got home about 9pm. Whew.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Lazy Day for Me
Diana went off about 11.30 to meet a friend down in Chinatown, and I took the day off. Just walking up and down the block to the rig and back is a stress so I decided to baby them. About 9pm I called D to find out whether she was still alive (she had thought she'd be back about 6pm) but it went to voicemail. She came in about 9.30 having had a splendid day wandering around with her friend (who was supposed to meet her at 1pm but didn't show up till 3.30) and eating lots of wonderful things.
She's going off again today to meet a different friend. Tomorrow, another friend will pick us up and take us to the East Bay to a Buddhist temple ceremony and then we'll have lunch, possibly in Japantown. And she'll bring us home, too. Looking forward to that.
She's going off again today to meet a different friend. Tomorrow, another friend will pick us up and take us to the East Bay to a Buddhist temple ceremony and then we'll have lunch, possibly in Japantown. And she'll bring us home, too. Looking forward to that.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Trip to Alice-land
Got up at 7am yesterday (Thurs) and Deb deposited me and Diana at the Bart station at 8am. We caught a train to Richmond, Quinn picked us up, and we immediately repaired to her house to use the bathroom. Then we set off to a retirement community called Lincoln, near Roseville, about 20 miles north and east of Sacramento, at least a 2-hour drive. Got there about 11.30.
Over the years, Quinn has talked a lot about Alice as both of them were horse people and stabled their horses at the same place etc. She's as short as Quinn (5 ft) but one of those thin energetic types. Big smile. Funny. Loves to talk. We went off to have lunch at "Mimi's Cafe," a widely scattered chain. Diana says there are a few in the South and she likes them. Everybody else got some sort of salad (steak, spinach, asian); I had the grilled fish with steamed veggies and tiny roasted potatoes. The waitress very kindly made me some sweet tea.
Back to the house and all of a sudden we're all heading for the car again. I had no idea where we were going but we wound up at Kohl's Dept. Store. A couple of hours there and then back to the house, where wines and snacks starting appearing, winding up with three kinds of ice cream.
A neighbor came over (female, 71, artist) and we walked over to see her new painting and admire her new landscaping. Back to the house, more wine, snacks, conversation. Very pleasant.
Eventually, we started back at 7pm, at the Richmond Bart at 9pm, called my bro after we'd crossed under the bay so he could meet us. Got back by 10pm. Long day, nice day.
Over the years, Quinn has talked a lot about Alice as both of them were horse people and stabled their horses at the same place etc. She's as short as Quinn (5 ft) but one of those thin energetic types. Big smile. Funny. Loves to talk. We went off to have lunch at "Mimi's Cafe," a widely scattered chain. Diana says there are a few in the South and she likes them. Everybody else got some sort of salad (steak, spinach, asian); I had the grilled fish with steamed veggies and tiny roasted potatoes. The waitress very kindly made me some sweet tea.
Back to the house and all of a sudden we're all heading for the car again. I had no idea where we were going but we wound up at Kohl's Dept. Store. A couple of hours there and then back to the house, where wines and snacks starting appearing, winding up with three kinds of ice cream.
A neighbor came over (female, 71, artist) and we walked over to see her new painting and admire her new landscaping. Back to the house, more wine, snacks, conversation. Very pleasant.
Eventually, we started back at 7pm, at the Richmond Bart at 9pm, called my bro after we'd crossed under the bay so he could meet us. Got back by 10pm. Long day, nice day.
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