I left early Saturday morning for California. It was 85 miles past a McDonald's north of Ashland when I realized, with sickening horror, that I had left my purse back in the McDonald's bathroom - the purse with my money, credit cards, bank cards, medical cards, 2 checkbooks, driver's license, Triple A card, iphone, all forms of id - the works. I checked the gas gauge and knew I had enough to get back to Ashland, but not enough to get to Portland if my purse were gone - and I had no way to buy more gas. I whipped the car around, drove back over the mountain pass into Oregon while starting the prayers, "Please . . . if I had found a purse I would have turned it in, let the same thing happen now." "Please, they can take the money, just leave my bank card and license." Then the bargaining, "If they leave a credit card, they can have the phone." And, "Why am I speeding? It has been 90 minutes since I left the purse - it has either been turned in or stripped and thrown out a car window. My getting back faster won't change anything."
It was there - and nothing had been taken. I thanked the staff at McDonald's, said another prayer in thanks to the kind person who turned it in then drove the 85 miles back over the pass and down to Shasta and then on to my cousin's in Marin - the unexpected round trip added an additional 3 hours to the usual 11 hours on the road. 14 hours, 798 miles. One long trip - but I remain grateful.
Sunday Lee took my cousin Pattie and me out in his sail boat. Michelle was home with a neck injury and we missed her sorely. Well, she was much sorer than we were. Lee sailed us out through the Alameda estuary where we slipped among huge cargo ships moving back and forth from the Oakland shipyards, sailed past the former Alameda naval shipyard (where some of the episodes of Mythbusters are filmed) and then out into the Bay.
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| Lee's dog, Buloot. A wonderful sailor. |
We hoped to catch a glimpse of the America's Cup ships at practice but no such luck. It was, however, a simply wonderful way to spend a hot sunny day. Perfection. Then back to his place in Oakland.
The thing I like about Oakland is its unpredictability. Lee lives in the Jingletown neighborhood of Fruitvale. Parts of it are extremely dodgy, this is Oakland, after all. Lee's immediate neighborhood is, however, most interesting. It has warehouses, light industry, new condos, funky houses, industrial lofts - a mish mosh. There have been drug deals and guns fired but also lots of artists who call it home and have started the gentrification process. His loft combines both living and work spaces.
While driving toward the marina, Lee said, "There's Seppie Mayes." "Seppie Mayes?" I asked. Yep, Seppie Mayes who, I quickly learned, is someone we all know. When Seppie was young he was the stunt double for the boy in the film ET. Seppie was the one who rode the bike with ET on his handlebars. You know the poster with the boy and ET in front of the big fat moon? That's Seppie. Unfortunately he took $650 instead of a percent of the returns. Bad choice.
The rest of the week was both restful - time spent over coffee in Pattie's garden - and fascinating with visits to vineyards in Napa (yum) and the Walt Disney Museum at the Presido in San Francisco (I need to go back to fully take in all the information about his life). We finally caught a glimpse of the America's Cup ships in San Francisco Bay - they are huge.
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| Pattie's garden - so restful! |
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| The Fremont Diner outside of Napa -what a combo - delicious food and a great truck. |
Friday, I met a friend at Half Moon Bay for lunch (perfect clam chowder and fish tacos) then over the pass to my sister's house when my car started acting up - it missed when I pressed on the gas, steam came out from under the hood - not good. I pulled over at a rest stop, called AAA and my brother-in-law. He connected me with his mechanic where the car was towed and today, Saturday, I have a new radiator - fixed in time for Yosemite.
Today, my birthday, was a day of mixed emotions. I had breakfast with a former student, Julie, and her husband and children (all charming). I hadn't seen her in many years and it was wonderful to catch up. Then came the call about the death of the uncle I am named for - Uncle Don. He (and his first wife) are the last of my relatives in the generation above me. Phew.
Then came the news of the plane crash at the San Francisco airport - just a few miles from my sister's house where I am staying. Lots of fire engines streamed by. We watched the news while dressing for the wedding of an extended family member. It was a lovely wedding - perfect in every last detail - but as I type this, late in the evening, planes are flying overhead - not following the normal flight pattern because the usual runways remain closed. I keep all 181 injured in the crash in my prayers.
It has been a most interesting 65th birthday. I send thanks to Julie for the lovely breakfast, to friends and family for all their wonderful notes (Facebook is so amazing), and to the bride and groom for a fantastic afternoon and evening.
Onwards and upwards to a week camping at Yosemite.
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