Day 20: Friday
Going back a week later and trying to remember what we
did. Yikes! Realize the importance of
keeping up with writing in the journal.
We pack up camp. It
was a nice place and served us well. We
plan to meet Janet for lunch so pace our drive knowing that we want to spend as
much time as possible with her. The
drive takes us back through Avenue of the Giants for one last commune with
them.
We meet at the Two Bird Café which is close to Janet’s
place. It is a bit smokey so we opt to
eat inside. It is so good to see Janet
even though it is brief. It takes a long
time for them to bring lunch which is fine with us since we’re sitting and
talking and happy with the excuse for a long leisurely lunch. All very tasty. I can see why it is one of Janet’s
favorites.
Janet signs the table cloth and we move on wanting
more. Hopefully, Thanksgiving! Gee, how did I not get pictures?????
On to Berkeley to stay with cousin Valerie and Richard. The bridge we take over to Berkley is one of the double decker ones. Our direction was the lower level. Felt a little eerie. We easily find their house with a parking spot right in front. A good reunion of people and their 2 sweet black cats. Richrd’s sister-in-law, Bonnie comes over to join us. We all pile into Bonnie’s car and go to the bay for a walk. It is smokey but not too bad. There are some wild turkeys down at the park.
Richard orders dinner from a Tibetan restaurant for take
out. We have spring rolls, momos (like a
pot sticker), chicken curry, pork, vegetarian, fish, lamb, beef soup
dumplings. In other words, we ate
well! After dinner, Valerie, Bonnie and
I play “Pit”, a game we played a lot at one family reunion when we were
kids. Still a good game.
Day 21: Saturday
Valerie and Richard make us a good breakfast. Our aim is to leave to drive to cousin, Ellen
and Bob’s place in Sacramento about 10:00.
The time flies while we’re talking and suddenly it is past departure
time. Nick and Bob are in one car and
Valerie and I are in the other. Before
we can leave we have to wait for the care taker of their famous neighbor, Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, Berkelely and cabinet member to
leave because she’s blocking us in.
Valerie and I are busy talking and barely notice the stop
and go traffic on the interstate. Nick
and Bob consult ways and find a way around the accident. They arrive at Ellen and Bob’s a good 30
minutes before us even though they stopped at REI to pick up something for the
tent. We all meet up at a Mexican
restaurant. Richard and Nick know us
well enough that they have already ordered for us and did a good job.
We go back to Ellen and Bob’s house and Ellen gives me a
tour of the yard. She really spends a
lot of time out there and it sure does show.
Lots of succulents and designed so that as you go around the yard, new
areas are discovered. We also meet the dogs.
Two are theirs and 2 are foster and have been with them for about 3
years. The 4 of them get along
well. Bob has them on a very tight
routine.
We’re in wine country so what do you do? Go on a winery
tour. The first one we go to is a stand
alone winery with a very pleasant area to sit outside. We are all more interested in the reds so
order a flight of reds. Hmmmm. Good but nothing that we have to take with
us. Next stop is The Old Sugar Mill. It
has about 10 wineries represented in one place!
What? You close in 30 minutes????
Well we stop at one that Bob was familiar with. Again, nothing that we had to have. I was going to get a bottle to go with dinner
but Bob is making brats. Gotta have beer
with brats.
Bob grew up in Wisconsin and was exposed to a lot of good
Polish and German food. The German salad
he made for us was great! The brats were
special ones that were sent to Bob from his sister in Wisconsin for his
birthday. Bob cooked them in sauerkraut. They were good! Apple pie for dessert. Bob was wearing a t-shirt for Brother
Thelonious beer. He had one
available. A really good dark beer! Perfect with the brats.
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