Waiting for the Dive

It feels like we are standing beside a large pool, waiting to dive in. We've been in California since January 13, and every day almost has been in the 60s or 70s with blue skies. In a few days we will return to our home in Guilford. We just have to be brave enough to dive into the pool...of cold weather, that is! We think the worst is over. We didn't really expect there would be single digit temps this month while we were gone. Doesn't seem fair to our new friends to even mention where we've been this month. We'll just have to slip into the cold water and start paddling along with the flow.


Our friend Margaret got us situated in her apartment on Nob Hill for the first week. We got bus passes and jumped on buses and cable cars like we were residents, but at all times of day like we were visitors. I won't say tourists. We got library cards, went to Sausalito by ferry, roamed around Russian Hill and North Beach. Ate well (we especially recommend Boulange de Polk and Boulange de Hayes--twins). Then we skipped down to Palo Alto in our rental car (after making sure Obama got sworn in). The poetry group welcomed me back like a prodigal daughter. Technical Services has two new catalogers--yay! I used Bistro Maxine for my power lunching/business meetings. We met Riley over at the Stanford Museum. He had to choose 10 items in the Stanford Family room and write about them. It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut and let him do his notes (I love those kinds of assignments!).

Flying south made my incipient cold worse, but we were picked up by my sister, her husband, and Vanilla, their special dog. On to Emerald Bay! More insults to our eastern friends. Brilliant skies, walks on the beach. Erika and Grace came to stay the night--we had pizza and apfelskivvers and played Monopoly. Then we drove up to San Marino Sunday night. Back to the stomping grounds of my childhood. Went to the LA County Art Museum (exhibit about the Two Germanys after WWWII) entirely by public transportation! Today we're planning to go to the Huntington Library, I want to see an exhibit on the history of science.

Home soon. Snow and ice. And the comforts of home. Should be great!!