Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner

Faber and I went to the Chamber of Commerce installation dinner on Saturday. I ran into my glamorous friends. From the left Shari Smith - Elan Vitkoff - Marilyn Wetz and me, looking slim!

Anniversary Waltz

Faber and I celebrated our anniversary by going to the prom.

Prom Night

Faber and I didn't go to our high school proms, but we're making up for it now!

The picture of Faber and Shari was on the front page of our local newspaper, and out phone is ringing off the hook!

Jazz Mass at the Cathedral

Faber and I checked out the Jazz Mass this morning at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento. They did an extreme makeover of the cathedral in 2005 and it looks stunning. The Bishop was there, looking healthy since his liver transplant and there were a good few priests on hand. I have to say, though, that there were more priests at Carrie's Vigil a few weeks ago. They loved her that much.

The music and the singing at the Mass was outstanding, of course and the whole thing was very enjoyable. I also enjoyed the homily, which leaned left when the priest talked about the war and about the need for compassion in the treatment of immigrants.

I think my democratic friends would be surprised at how keen on social justice the church is and how they are always looking out for the little guy.

Jazz Mass at Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament

A few days in Monterey

Faber and I spent a few days in Monterey this week. My sister Mary and her husband Gary were travelling through California and rather than have them travel to Auburn we met them in Monterey for a short visit.

We drove down on Tuesday morning, checked into the hotel and they arrived shortly after. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a must-see for anyone travelling to Monterey. Then we had a few drinks and met Dusty, Faber's friend from college, I guess, for dinner at an Italian restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf. Dusty brought his partner Faith and their daughter Katie, who entertained us with a side-splitting impersonation of her teachers.

After dinner Dusty spied a friend who was doing caricuters on the wharf. He did a group picture of all seven of us, which was pretty impressive.

The next day, at Gary's request, we headed to Salinas, where we visited the Steinbeck Center, a museum devoted to the life and works of John Steinbeck. We hadn't been there before and we enjoyed it.

Then we headed over to Carmel Valley, where we ate lunch at a fabulous restaurant called Cafe Rustica. Salads and sandwiches and pizza, California style. Very good. After lunch we headed to 17-Mile Drive and saw all the sights, except for pelicans. I tried to point out a pelican to Gary and Mary the whole time but they were nowhere to be found! We saw the usual otters and seals and so forth, but no pelicans.

Then over to the Clint Eastwood's pub, the Hogs Breath Inn for a few drinks. Dusty met us there with Faith, Katie and Faith's grown-up son Bobby and we went back to the valley for dinner at Dusty's favorite Mexican place.

Thursday morning we said our goodbyes and headed back home. Faber and I went over to the Elkhorn Slough SRA to check it out and see if we wanted to bring the kayak down and explore it. It looked very promising to us so we will go back in few months.

We followed Hwy 1 to San Francisco so we had quite a few beaches to look at. We arrived safe and sound Thursday night after a few busy and fun days.

Funerals and Parties

Remember that movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral?" Faber and I have had a few weird weeks lately. Two weeks ago on Friday I went to a fabulous awards dinner where my friend Linda Robinson won a prestigous award for community service.

The next morning we went to a funeral for our friend Lou Galli. Lou and his wife ran a wonderful Italian restaurant in town. Lou was big in the Knights of Columbus and everyone was so sad.

While we were preparing for that funeral, we got word that another friend of ours, Carrie Ivins, had passed away unexpectedly. We didn't even know she was ill, and we were devastated. So a week ago Friday we went to a service for her (seven priests at the church!) and Saturday to her funeral.

Then we had a fast turnaround to another big party, this time a fundraiser for the Democrats. And then last Sunday we went to see a wonderful concert at the Solano County Symphony. Faber's cousin Windy plays the bassoon.

Going from happy to sad and sad to celebrating and back really made us tired.