2009 Dec 25 - Christmas Day

2009 Dec 25 - Christmas Day

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Just the three of us at Laura's home. Mom lives with Laura. The television has been on all day because of the NBA basketball games, five of them. One after the other for the whole day.

An early dinner of Honey Baked Ham, candied yams and sweet potatoes and peas with a lemon pie for dessert is what is planned.

First though it is opening the Christmas presents.
Laura has a bunch of mice stuff

Notice the large Christmas tree in the middle of the table

Mom gets a new Winter coat

Trying it on


It has a removable hood



Other presents

What's left of the dinner

Mom getting the food ready to take to the park to feed the birds and cats

Taking off in the golf cart for the half mile trip to the park


Off to the park

~end
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2009 Oct 25 - Rivers Edge

2009 Oct 25 - Rivers Edge (Isleton, CA)

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Today is our last meal at the Rivers Edge Cafe in Isleton for quite awhile. They are not even open for business. They closed at the end of July to repair the roof and will not reopen in the foreseeable future. Clay has taken a position with the Federal Government and they will be headed to Maryland this coming week.

Lily {who calls my mother "Mom"} has invited us over for lunch with them. The Rivers Edge has been my parents Thursday brunch spot for a few years. A tradition that mom and I continued after the passing of my dad in August of 2007.
Sister Laura putting a Jade pendant on Lil with Clay and mom standing by



Clay's brother Lee showing us the route from Isleton to Maryland

The restaurant is their "kitchen" and "dining room" and "Mahjong parlor". The home is attached to and behind and above the store.
Laura taking the chili out to the table

Lil dishing up her chili

Sitting down to eat

Different toppings


Lil eats very little and only has a glass of water

Mom taking some cuttings

Mom also gets a China dog


Heading out




I "stole" this photo from Jim "Skid" Robinson's Blog. He took it at my dad's 93rd birthday party which was held at the Rivers Edge in July of 2006.



~end

2009 Sep 23 - San Francisco Trip

2009 Sep 23 - San Francisco Trip

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Today I head for San Francisco on the Amtrak. My main purpose is to see the Planetarium show at the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. A secondary reason is to buy tickets for the October 14, 2009 Matinee of South Pacific playing at the Golden Gate Theater for three of the Lunch Bunch.

I make a quick stop to pick up breakfast on my drive to the Stockton Amtrak station.
My Sausage McMuffin and Senior soda on a bench at the Amtrak Station

The old Santa Fe RR Train Station is now the Amtrak Station

Mount Diablo from the train

The Warehouse Café in Port Costa, CA

Richmond, CA is where the Amtrak and BART converge and are right next to each other

Working on the new Bay Bridge


The Ferry Building and a couple of Cruise Ships are in Port at San Francisco

I get into San Francisco around 11:15 AM and the Golden Gate Theater Ticket Office does not open until Noon. So I wander the "Streets of San Francisco" for a while,
The Samuels Clock on Market Street


Home of the Maltese Falcon

Glide Memorial Church

In 1922, when the Golden Gate Theatre first opened, its president Martin Beck stated, "The Golden Gate is a good theatre. It will stand where it is for a long time. It is built of the best materials and it will be conducted to please the people who patronize it." On March 22, 1922, the Golden Gate Theater opened with much fanfare, including lines that wrapped around the block. Protocol necessitated that gentlemen wear top hats and that ladies be dressed in formal gowns when attending the Golden Gate. The grand opening was a highlight on the social calendar in San Francisco.

I bought the tickets and made the mistake of taking the #71 Bus to Irving and Ninth. I should have walked the extra block to catch the "N" Car. The bus was crowded and slow and I had to stand almost the entire distance.

My lunch stop was to try out a restaurant just outside the Park called Pacific Catch. There are also two other Pacific Catch restaurants one in the Marina and the other in Corte Madera, CA .
Pacific Catch Restaurant

Interesting free munchies - shelled edamame and senbei

I ordered the Three Piece Fish and Chips. It was delicious.

Then right outside the door to the restaurant is the bus stop to catch the #44 bus to the Academy of Sciences.
California Academy of Sciences



After viewing just a little bit of the exhibits and watching the Planetarium Show I head across the Music Concourse to catch the bus back to downtown.
A hot dog vendor in the Music Concourse

This time I transfer to the "N" train and arrive at the Powell Street Station and go up stairs. I buy my dinner sandwich. Then I wait to catch the Amtrak bus to Emeryville.
My turkey sandwich which is my dinner on the train ride home

A Crockett landmark the C and H sugar plant

This is for Gobo and Sandra. I actually paid for two bus rides this time instead of using an expired transfer. :-)

~end