Lita's Birthday

We drove down to Rancho Bernardo on Sunday afternoon to stay with Lita. She had redecorated her home and patio and they never looked better. She also got a new TV with HD so we "oohed and aahed" over the 3D-type crispness of the picture (nature shows are really awesome). Dinner was at a favorite Mexican restaurant with Lita, Dean, Madalyn, and Emily. It used to be a residence, but the family expertly converted it and it's now a fun and authentic spot with terrific food and drink. Monday was Lita's birthday and we ate at The BeachHouse in Encinitas overlooking the ocean. Here we are sitting in the bar before enjoying a really superior dinner with martinis and wine. We drove back today to Carmichael in a little over 7 hours, and it only took '80-cruise control' and just two 10-minute stops to post a pretty impressive drive time. Lindsay took great care of the house and Abby was ecstatic to see us. Back to work for us tomorrow. Lita is coming to visit for Thanksgiving week and the Kings opening game is tomorrow night.

My Mom's birthday

My Mom's birthday was on Saturday and we had a combination birthday/Halloween family get-together at my Dad's house. Kathy did a great job decorating her house with a Fall/Halloween theme and just about everyone wore a costume. We also celebrated Beth's upcoming birthday. Sherry & Stephanie came by to say 'Hi' too. My Mom has on the witch hat in the backrow. Beth is to her right, and my cousin Bonnie Gene (who I hadn't seen in a very long time) is to her right. Beth's husband Glenn is on the end of the back row. Starting from the right in the front row, my Dad is on the end, then my Aunt Kitty (who I also hadn't seen in an equally long time), and then Cameron, Stephen, Sara, and Kathy. My Mom and Beth got birthday gifts and everyone had a fun time. What a very special treat to see and talk with Bonnie Gene and Kitty. My Dad let us bunk in the upstairs bachelor pad, and we enjoyed Sunday brunch together again at the house before driving down to Rancho Bernardo the next afternoon.

San Clemente

We drove down to San Clemente on Friday, Oct 27th and stayed the night at the Villa Del Mar Hotel overlooking the main street and pier at the beach. We had a 2-bedroom studio on the 2nd floor with a kitchen, big ocean view window, and big balconey. The Amtrak train was a regular and noisy visitor, but it is part of the charm of the area. The weather was T-shirt perfect and we had Fisherman's Chowder on the pier for dinner and then breakfast crepes at the creperie on the street under our room the next morning. The hotel was typical beach/'50's ugly, but the location and view were superior.

SF bus trips

I've taken 2 chartered bus trips to SF to see the 49ers play in the last few weeks. They lost to the Eagles on Sept 24th, and lost to the Chargers yesterday. The trips are a chance to spend time with employees, clients, and friends, while enjoying adult beverages and the great San Francisco weather. It's always a full day, but no driving!!! Yesterday, our bus developed problems at the office right before we left for The City, so I got a picture of everyone at the back of the broken bus, before our replacement bus arrived. I also got some golf in with Dean and Marty B at Mather Golf Course last week, and we're tentatively planned for Turkey Creek on the 21st (maybe Dick G can play too). We're still planning to drive down for my Mom's birthday on the 28th at my Dad's house (my cousins are rumored to be attending too), and then down to San Diego for two days to see Lita and Madalyn. The nights now are getting cold, but the days are still sunny and in the 70's and 80's, very pleasant and perfect for weekend golf.

Bye September

The weather changed in September. Great sunny days and cool cool nights. We got the front patio finished. I took a chartered bus, with employees and clients, to see the 49ers play the Eagles in San Francisco. Cindy scored an impressive "2" on her promotional exam (it's like golf, the object is to get a low score) that rewarded her for her commitment to her job. We celebrated birthdays for Lindsay and Onita by going out to dinner for each (Chinese buffet for Ms. 23 and Outback for Ms 25. Alex and Onita were planning to go see John Mayer and Sheryl Crow last night in Marysville. And, we went to Leah and Mike's wedding/reception at Oak Leigh last night. Cindy hosted a shower for Leah a few weeks ago, and also did her hair for the wedding.. Cindy and Dawn celebrate with the newlyweds above. We still have not planned our 2 Las Vegas trips, or our Tahoe trip, or our SF trip, but we do think we're going down to SoCal to see our Moms late in October. It is almost Kings season, but the early polls show that the two measures on the ballot in November to fund an event center downtown do not show much public support, so the Kings may not be Sacramento's team for much longer. We'll hold our breath.