SCENIC DRIVE.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 and we are off on our weekly outing. We pull away, at 1:05 pm, with five residents aboard. Tony is our skilled driver and Emma is our hostess. Fabi, our usual hostess, is not aboard - she must be ill.
Just outside the gate, are beautiful white flowering trees. I have asked many people what kind of tree they were and no one seems to know. Finally, one lady said that they were non-bearing pear trees. I will accept that. We move past the pretty Paradise Valley golf course, and not many golfers swinging away. Every time I see a nice course, I am reminded of when I used to caddy (and play on Mondays) on the great Columbia Hills private course near Berea, Ohio. I also wonder how much longer these nice courses can remain open. Not only have the courses taken a hit from fewer players, due to the economic recession, but their maintaining them is so labor intensive and costly.
A quick stop at Long’s Drugs, so a lady could get a bag of candy to eat, (and share), enroute. Then we headed up I-80 East - with light traffic. We exit on Lagoon Valley Road and head West on Cherry Glen Road. Which runs into Pleasants Valley Road, which turns out to be a long stretch. There is water flowing in the creek now, and further on the creek gets wider. We pass Lake Solano. There are a lot of black cattle \in the fields - on both sides of the narrow road. Some are grazing; others standing there watching us go by, and others hunkered down resting. What a scene! I heard the two ladies sitting behind me discussing whether one of the group was a cow or a bull! I could have helped them decide but I didn’t want to go there. We drove by many orchards - on both sides - but no blossoms on the trees yet. The Lagoon Valley is a beautiful place, and there is still a lot of “open” space. It must be priced out of the market range.
There are a lot of horses on both sides. The scenes would make great pictures. Many very nice homes are perched on hilltops. One had a Century 21 sign “Property For Sale” sign at roadside. I am sure it isn’t one of the maligned foreclosures, that you hear, and read, about. The large properties surrounding these homes are bounded by what seems like endless white-wooden rail fences. All I can think of is what would Tom Sawyer think of this workload?
A slowly rotating windmill - spinning - off to the left. I wonder how many kids have never seen a windmill, let alone know what they do? A lady bug is crawling up the outside of my window. What a grip!
We are crossing the Edward Thurber bridge. It makes me wonder who he was, and what did he do to have the bridge named after him? Perhaps he funded it. Or maybe he was a gadfly, and a prime mover for the project. Most of us will go through life without being “recognized” for what we have accomplished. It seems like you have to be a heavy donor to the cause. Perhaps, this is the fairest way to ration such few opportunities.
This is the first time I’ve seen Lagoon Valley, even though I have lived not very far away, for 60 years. The area has kept it’s secret quite well - as exhibited by the many miles of “Open” space. I wonder how long it will be before the land is taken over by houses, gas stations and malls. While it won’t happen in my lifetime, it is certainly foreseeable. I have mixed emotions about “living in the country”. I am always wondering what they do about medical and fire emergencies. Some may consider my view as pessimistic. But, I call it realism.
We are passing Lake Solano We come upon the road sign that says “Lake Berryessa - 4 Mi. Left”. We turn left. This section of the highway is a little wider and better maintained. We are driving on Highway 128 now. It is interesting to see the Telephone Call Boxes every few miles - at roadside. I can remember when Call Boxes were installed many years ago. They were a welcome sight in case of an emergency. I can remember driving along and looking ahead for one, while trying to remember how far back the last one was, in case I needed to use one. Now, that everyone has a cell phone, that great innovation is no longer needed.
Today must be garbage pick-up day, with all the large tote bins sitting along the roadway. We are passing different shades of green in the hills - with the trees being one of the colors. We are passing huge rock formations on the hillsides. Nearby is a huge rock formation, that goes almost straight up. This would be a strenuous test for an experienced rock climber.
We are circling the southeast end of Lake Berryessa. It is a very picturesque area - heaven for the wild life - and we humans! We pass Lake Solano Park; Canyon Creek Resort and Monticello Dam. Berryessa is a man- made lake, east of the Napa Valley. The dam was built to trap water for irrigation and surrounding cities use. The lake also serves as a flood control for downstream communities. When the lake is full, it stores 1.6 million acre feet of high quality water. It is one of the largest bodies of water in California - 23 miles long, 3 miles wide, with 165 miles of shoreline. The land is owned by the Bureau of reclamation and operated by the Solano Irrigation District/Solano County Water Agency.
I can see a lot of boat berths down below - some of them are empty. We are slowing down now as we are in a curvy descent. (It still isn’t as bad as the “Road from Kahului to Hana!”) We are following along the creek, and some cattle are quenching their thirst. This is much different scenery. Tony is a good driver. Every few miles, he pulls over, on to the shoulder to let a few cars pass us. This is rugged land - much different than the flat areas we saw on our climb out. We approach a small settlement with a cluster of six mail boxes in front.
Tony announces that we won’t be back for 30 minutes, and asks if any one needs to use the rest room. A voice in the back responds with “I can wait for 30 minutes, but not 31! A big valley appears off to the left. It is covered with newly planted vineyards. There are huge fields of mustard plants, also some are growing in the vineyards. I see a large new home on the hillside off to the left.
Miss Lady Bug is still hanging on to the window for dear life. I tapped on the window urging it to vacate, but no response. We are passing an old barn falling down on to itself. It is supported by non-support. This is no fixer-upper!
We have reached the flat Suisun valley now. We pass by Manka’s Corner, and further on, a large winery under construction. We pass Rancho Solano development, on the left, and head along Waterman Boulevard and onto I-80. There is more traffic onI-80 than when we started out. Either people are playing hooky from work or they are on flex time There are a lot of trucks on the road. It’s hard to believe that the world in in the midst of an economic recession! I think that the number of trucks is an economic indicator.
We are close to home now as we exit I-80 in North Fairfield. Gas today is $2.10 at Arco and $2.18 At Shell. (I rounded). WE pass through the Paradise Valley Golf Course, and arrive back at Quail creek at 2:55 pm. Tony tells me that our trip covered 57 miles.
I hate to see the outing end. It was a beautiful day. The trip was advertised as a “Scenic Drive”. What an understatement!
RCL - 3/19/09..
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
THE BIG BAND
The Big Band
Sunday, March 15, 2009 - The Ides of March!
This afternoon, I had a very memorable and stimulating experience. I was in good company with Mary and Greg. We went to the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre to see, and listen to, the Big Bands sounds of Glenn Miller and others. The concert highlighted the many talents of the “Moonlight Swing - Big Band” out of Sacramento. The band played re-created musical arrangements of the Glenn Miller commercial band of 1939-42, as well as from his Army Air Corps band during WWII. The music was enjoyed by about 500 of us in the packed theatre.
The band was composed of 17 very good musicians - four trumpets; four trombones; five saxes; a base violin; guitar; drums and piano - plus two vocalists, and the conductor.
Some of the tunes they played were:-
Kalamazoo; String of Pearls; Duke Ellington’s Take the “A” Train; Once in a While (my favorite); Chattanooga Choo Choo; Little Brown Jug; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; St. Louis Blues; and Glenn Miller’s theme song - Moonlight Serenade. The band closed with “In the Mood”.
It’s a good thing that they didn’t provide a dance floor, or most of the audience would have been out there “swinging.” As I looked over the gray and white hair of the “mature” audience, it was hard to picture them “jitter-bugging” - even 70 years ago! Yet, Greg’s Mom and Dad loved to dance - especially “jitterbugging” to “In the Mood.” I got to see the two of them dancing at Mary and Greg’s wedding, on September 30, 1978. Gregorio was 70 then, and Isabel was 65!
During the late 1930’s, the various big bands would go on tour - the larger theatres in the winter months, and the outside dance pavilions in the summer. I was living in Ypsilanti at the time. I used to see many of the bands at either Westwood (in Dearborn), or Eastwood (on the East side of Detroit.) My sister Jeanne, and I, rode the train from Detroit to Cleveland, a couple of times, to see Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey (as I remember, Frank Sinatra was singing with the band’s Pied Pipers. I think he was 19.)
During dinner last night, I was discussing the concert with Reva and Jean Mayers, who also attended. Reva asked me an interesting question, “ I wonder why the big bands aren’t around, and touring anymore?” I have thought about this too, and the only thing that I can think of is probably there aren’t enough good musicians. And even if there were, what music would they play? The “Oldies”, I guess. Too, their audience is rapidly fading away. Then, there is the prohibitive travel cost for such large groups. The tickets would have to be priced out of reach! Another thing is the “life style.” Who would rather live out of a suitcase than experience a family life? The time is much different today. So, To answer your question, Reva, I really don’t know!
In 1937, I bought my second car - a 1931 Model A Ford coupe for $165 - (no rumble seat). I had a radio installed in the car, as I really liked to listen to music. It seems a little goofy today, but I used to ride around Ypsilanti in the evening, when Glenn Miller’s orchestra was playing at (and broadcasting from) the Glenn Island Casino in New York. I could never get enough of his music. Today, with the high price of gas, my joy riding might seem a little frivolous. Gas back then was 18 cents a gallon, and I probably got 25 MPG - even around town - with that four cylinder engine. I was working and earning 25 cents an hour (non-union). So, I had to work about 43 minutes, to earn enough to buy a gallon of gas. Today, in California, the minimum wage is $8.00, and gas is around $2.10 a gallon. To buy a gallon of gas, I would have to work only a little over 15 minutes, at this wage rate, to buy a gallon! So, perhaps it was frivolous in comparison.
At any rate life was simple back then. I had a large collection of 78’s (bakelite disks about 8 inches in diameter) of all the big bands. I spent a lot of time listening to them. After I returned from service, the first thing that I did was to look for my record collection. I couldn’t find a single record! I learned that my sister had taken them to parties, and either the records didn’t survive - or they “walked” away! At this point, I thought that I had better check my golf clubs. No golf clubs! It figures! - my brother, Bob, had sold them! He was in the Aleutians, with the Coast guard. Not too bright a family!
What is interesting to me is how powerful the art of music is. Clinical psychologists have found that they can “reach” Alzheimer patients with music that is familiar to them. Supposedly, these patients have been mute and unresponsive, for considerable lengths of time. After they played the music, the patients responded by speaking once again! Amazing!
RCL 3/16/09.
Sunday, March 15, 2009 - The Ides of March!
This afternoon, I had a very memorable and stimulating experience. I was in good company with Mary and Greg. We went to the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre to see, and listen to, the Big Bands sounds of Glenn Miller and others. The concert highlighted the many talents of the “Moonlight Swing - Big Band” out of Sacramento. The band played re-created musical arrangements of the Glenn Miller commercial band of 1939-42, as well as from his Army Air Corps band during WWII. The music was enjoyed by about 500 of us in the packed theatre.
The band was composed of 17 very good musicians - four trumpets; four trombones; five saxes; a base violin; guitar; drums and piano - plus two vocalists, and the conductor.
Some of the tunes they played were:-
Kalamazoo; String of Pearls; Duke Ellington’s Take the “A” Train; Once in a While (my favorite); Chattanooga Choo Choo; Little Brown Jug; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; St. Louis Blues; and Glenn Miller’s theme song - Moonlight Serenade. The band closed with “In the Mood”.
It’s a good thing that they didn’t provide a dance floor, or most of the audience would have been out there “swinging.” As I looked over the gray and white hair of the “mature” audience, it was hard to picture them “jitter-bugging” - even 70 years ago! Yet, Greg’s Mom and Dad loved to dance - especially “jitterbugging” to “In the Mood.” I got to see the two of them dancing at Mary and Greg’s wedding, on September 30, 1978. Gregorio was 70 then, and Isabel was 65!
During the late 1930’s, the various big bands would go on tour - the larger theatres in the winter months, and the outside dance pavilions in the summer. I was living in Ypsilanti at the time. I used to see many of the bands at either Westwood (in Dearborn), or Eastwood (on the East side of Detroit.) My sister Jeanne, and I, rode the train from Detroit to Cleveland, a couple of times, to see Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey (as I remember, Frank Sinatra was singing with the band’s Pied Pipers. I think he was 19.)
During dinner last night, I was discussing the concert with Reva and Jean Mayers, who also attended. Reva asked me an interesting question, “ I wonder why the big bands aren’t around, and touring anymore?” I have thought about this too, and the only thing that I can think of is probably there aren’t enough good musicians. And even if there were, what music would they play? The “Oldies”, I guess. Too, their audience is rapidly fading away. Then, there is the prohibitive travel cost for such large groups. The tickets would have to be priced out of reach! Another thing is the “life style.” Who would rather live out of a suitcase than experience a family life? The time is much different today. So, To answer your question, Reva, I really don’t know!
In 1937, I bought my second car - a 1931 Model A Ford coupe for $165 - (no rumble seat). I had a radio installed in the car, as I really liked to listen to music. It seems a little goofy today, but I used to ride around Ypsilanti in the evening, when Glenn Miller’s orchestra was playing at (and broadcasting from) the Glenn Island Casino in New York. I could never get enough of his music. Today, with the high price of gas, my joy riding might seem a little frivolous. Gas back then was 18 cents a gallon, and I probably got 25 MPG - even around town - with that four cylinder engine. I was working and earning 25 cents an hour (non-union). So, I had to work about 43 minutes, to earn enough to buy a gallon of gas. Today, in California, the minimum wage is $8.00, and gas is around $2.10 a gallon. To buy a gallon of gas, I would have to work only a little over 15 minutes, at this wage rate, to buy a gallon! So, perhaps it was frivolous in comparison.
At any rate life was simple back then. I had a large collection of 78’s (bakelite disks about 8 inches in diameter) of all the big bands. I spent a lot of time listening to them. After I returned from service, the first thing that I did was to look for my record collection. I couldn’t find a single record! I learned that my sister had taken them to parties, and either the records didn’t survive - or they “walked” away! At this point, I thought that I had better check my golf clubs. No golf clubs! It figures! - my brother, Bob, had sold them! He was in the Aleutians, with the Coast guard. Not too bright a family!
What is interesting to me is how powerful the art of music is. Clinical psychologists have found that they can “reach” Alzheimer patients with music that is familiar to them. Supposedly, these patients have been mute and unresponsive, for considerable lengths of time. After they played the music, the patients responded by speaking once again! Amazing!
RCL 3/16/09.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
VALLEJO
VALLEJO.
Today is Wednesday, March 4, 2009, and we are heading for Vallejo. I am looking forward to seeing the old burg. I haven’t been back there for any extended time since we moved to Fairfield almost 11 months ago.
We leave at 10:45 A.M. from Quail Creek. There are only five residents going plus Tony our mini-bus driver and Fabi, who is replacing Kelli while she is on maternity leave. Vallejo is only about 15 miles west of Fairfield split by I-80.
We are experiencing a light rain. But, it is offset by the pretty white and pink blossoms on the trees lining the roadway. Gas, at the Shell station, is posted at $2.27 per gallon. As we approach Rolling Hills and cross over I-80 before heading westbound on the freeway, I can see light traffic down below..
Our regular bus is sidelined for repairs, and Tony is driving an older replacement. But, it is giving us a smoother ride over this bumpy section. Still a light rain falling. An interesting pattern of the “rooster tails” flying off the rear wheels of the cars heading eastbound. As we pass the truck scales in Cordelia, the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds. We usually see a lot of construction crews working on this section of the freeway, but today they are rained out. We are slicing through green hills, with grazing cattle, on both sides. A small landslide oozing out on the left side-hill. I can see a jet contrail - high in the sky - perhaps 50,000 feet.
We are on the crest of Hunter’s Hill - what a great view of Vallejo! I see the Six Flags amusement park off to the right - down below. Every time I see the park it sadly reminds me of the 18 hole golf course, where I used to play, and is now “Six Flags“. This is progress? I don’t think so.
I-80 used to be Highway 40 before WWII. At that time it framed Vallejo on the East side. Today I-80 splits the city, as the population has increased, since then, about three times, to around 116,000.
We are passing the Solano County Fairgrounds on the right. They have a par 3 nine hole course on the infield of the race track. I have played gold there many times, and have a nostalgic feeling as we pass by. I miss playing there. The Vallejo City Fathers have been discussing closing the fairgrounds for more years than I can remember. The property is too valuable to be used for only 10 days a year when the Fair comes to town. There is only one catch. Solano County deeded the property to the city of Vallejo as a fairgrounds. If Vallejo decides to do away with the fair, ownership of the fairgrounds reverts back to the County!
We decided to have lunch before we visit the museum. Knowing that I had lived in Vallejo for 46 years, Fabi asked me if I had any suggestions for a restaurant. I suggested the Wharf. It was close by - down on the waterfront - a very picturesque spot. We arrived at the restaurant at 11:15. After a nice lunch, and watching the ferry activity, we left The Wharf at 11:35, and arrived at the museum in downtown Vallejo five minutes later.
The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum opened to the public in 1979 - 30 years ago this year. It is called “Naval and Historical” because of the City of Vallejo has had a long association with the Navy. Mare Island (across the channel from Vallejo) was established in 1850 (one year after California’s big gold rush.), “ Mare Island became the nation’s first naval base in the Western United States.” The base built over 500 ships for the Navy.
The museum building is the former City Hall which was built in 1927, and is on the National Register of Historical Places. We didn’t stay long at the museum even though there were plenty of interesting things to see. While living in Vallejo, I had been to the Museum a few times. I always saw something that I hadn’t seen before. The minimum Staff (mostly Volunteer); with minimum funding, has done a great job with the facility, and are to be commended. The exhibit rooms and restrooms were spotless. It is a shame that the Museum is almost totally privately funded. The museum has to do a lot of fund raising to stay in business. It is strange that Government entities have money to fund everything, and everyone else, in the world, but have nothing left to help the local art culture! It doesn’t speak too highly of a democracy.
We left from the Museum at 1:20P.M. Tony traveled East on Tennessee Street, and I recognized all the old landmarks - Myrna’s Donuts; my former barber shop; the old theatre; Vallejo Stationers; The beauty shop where Marie spent many hours getting her hair curled; the Twin Chapels funeral home (I have attended many services there); Liled’s Candies; and Baskin Robins.
As we leave Vallejo I am reflecting on living here for 46 years - our longest stay in any one city. The weather was tremendous - I think it was the best overall weather around here. The summers were cooled by the San Francisco Bay breezes, and the winters were milder for the same reason.
Vallejo’s average rainfall was around 20 inches - just about right. I had a five mile commute when I worked at the California and Hawaiian (C&H) Sugar Company in Crockett, and about an hour to and from San Francisco when I worked at the C&H corporate office.
When we moved to Fairfield about 11 months ago, I thought it might be traumatic. But, I didn’t have much feeling one way or another. I really haven’t missed my old stomping grounds. But, after my visit today, I feel different about Vallejo. After the spectacular view of hilly Vallejo, and the waterfront, from Hunter’s Hill, and being on the waterfront, I now feel that Vallejo is a pretty nice place, and I do miss living there.
We made brief stops at the library and at the Raley’s pharmacy, on our return to Fairfield, and were back at 2:20PM.
RCL - 3/11/09.
Today is Wednesday, March 4, 2009, and we are heading for Vallejo. I am looking forward to seeing the old burg. I haven’t been back there for any extended time since we moved to Fairfield almost 11 months ago.
We leave at 10:45 A.M. from Quail Creek. There are only five residents going plus Tony our mini-bus driver and Fabi, who is replacing Kelli while she is on maternity leave. Vallejo is only about 15 miles west of Fairfield split by I-80.
We are experiencing a light rain. But, it is offset by the pretty white and pink blossoms on the trees lining the roadway. Gas, at the Shell station, is posted at $2.27 per gallon. As we approach Rolling Hills and cross over I-80 before heading westbound on the freeway, I can see light traffic down below..
Our regular bus is sidelined for repairs, and Tony is driving an older replacement. But, it is giving us a smoother ride over this bumpy section. Still a light rain falling. An interesting pattern of the “rooster tails” flying off the rear wheels of the cars heading eastbound. As we pass the truck scales in Cordelia, the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds. We usually see a lot of construction crews working on this section of the freeway, but today they are rained out. We are slicing through green hills, with grazing cattle, on both sides. A small landslide oozing out on the left side-hill. I can see a jet contrail - high in the sky - perhaps 50,000 feet.
We are on the crest of Hunter’s Hill - what a great view of Vallejo! I see the Six Flags amusement park off to the right - down below. Every time I see the park it sadly reminds me of the 18 hole golf course, where I used to play, and is now “Six Flags“. This is progress? I don’t think so.
I-80 used to be Highway 40 before WWII. At that time it framed Vallejo on the East side. Today I-80 splits the city, as the population has increased, since then, about three times, to around 116,000.
We are passing the Solano County Fairgrounds on the right. They have a par 3 nine hole course on the infield of the race track. I have played gold there many times, and have a nostalgic feeling as we pass by. I miss playing there. The Vallejo City Fathers have been discussing closing the fairgrounds for more years than I can remember. The property is too valuable to be used for only 10 days a year when the Fair comes to town. There is only one catch. Solano County deeded the property to the city of Vallejo as a fairgrounds. If Vallejo decides to do away with the fair, ownership of the fairgrounds reverts back to the County!
We decided to have lunch before we visit the museum. Knowing that I had lived in Vallejo for 46 years, Fabi asked me if I had any suggestions for a restaurant. I suggested the Wharf. It was close by - down on the waterfront - a very picturesque spot. We arrived at the restaurant at 11:15. After a nice lunch, and watching the ferry activity, we left The Wharf at 11:35, and arrived at the museum in downtown Vallejo five minutes later.
The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum opened to the public in 1979 - 30 years ago this year. It is called “Naval and Historical” because of the City of Vallejo has had a long association with the Navy. Mare Island (across the channel from Vallejo) was established in 1850 (one year after California’s big gold rush.), “ Mare Island became the nation’s first naval base in the Western United States.” The base built over 500 ships for the Navy.
The museum building is the former City Hall which was built in 1927, and is on the National Register of Historical Places. We didn’t stay long at the museum even though there were plenty of interesting things to see. While living in Vallejo, I had been to the Museum a few times. I always saw something that I hadn’t seen before. The minimum Staff (mostly Volunteer); with minimum funding, has done a great job with the facility, and are to be commended. The exhibit rooms and restrooms were spotless. It is a shame that the Museum is almost totally privately funded. The museum has to do a lot of fund raising to stay in business. It is strange that Government entities have money to fund everything, and everyone else, in the world, but have nothing left to help the local art culture! It doesn’t speak too highly of a democracy.
We left from the Museum at 1:20P.M. Tony traveled East on Tennessee Street, and I recognized all the old landmarks - Myrna’s Donuts; my former barber shop; the old theatre; Vallejo Stationers; The beauty shop where Marie spent many hours getting her hair curled; the Twin Chapels funeral home (I have attended many services there); Liled’s Candies; and Baskin Robins.
As we leave Vallejo I am reflecting on living here for 46 years - our longest stay in any one city. The weather was tremendous - I think it was the best overall weather around here. The summers were cooled by the San Francisco Bay breezes, and the winters were milder for the same reason.
Vallejo’s average rainfall was around 20 inches - just about right. I had a five mile commute when I worked at the California and Hawaiian (C&H) Sugar Company in Crockett, and about an hour to and from San Francisco when I worked at the C&H corporate office.
When we moved to Fairfield about 11 months ago, I thought it might be traumatic. But, I didn’t have much feeling one way or another. I really haven’t missed my old stomping grounds. But, after my visit today, I feel different about Vallejo. After the spectacular view of hilly Vallejo, and the waterfront, from Hunter’s Hill, and being on the waterfront, I now feel that Vallejo is a pretty nice place, and I do miss living there.
We made brief stops at the library and at the Raley’s pharmacy, on our return to Fairfield, and were back at 2:20PM.
RCL - 3/11/09.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
STEVE
STEVE
Last night, at 7:50, I lost my long-time friend, Steve Gibbens. He was 86 - born in 1922 - the same year as my brother Bob - who died on May 31, 1984. Marie and I first met Steve and Maggie Gibbens in December 1945, in the lobby of the Michigan theatre in Ann Arbor. We had been married for a year, My sister Jeanne, and her husband, Bob Gibbens, who introduced us, had been married for a year and a half and Maggie and Steve were short timers - married for only 6 months. Steve and Bob were brothers, who grew up in Kalamazoo. No wonder that Steve and I had a “brother” relationship.
Our meeting was the start of a beautiful relationship of over 65 years with Steve, and continues on with Maggie and their five children - Moiré (Mollie); Rory; Briny; Deirdre (Dee) and Nick.
Steve was an intellectual, as is Maggie. During the years, we got together many times, and it was never boring. We had many interesting conversations - some of which included politics and religion! Discussions with very intelligent people is not only a pleasant- learning experience, but it is up-lifting.
We started out, in 1946, living in a similar student -housing complex in Willow Run, Michigan (three miles East of Ypsilanti.) A few months later, Steve and Maggie bought a house in Ypsilanti. Marie and Maggie worked for Kaiser-Fraser Auto Company at Willow Run - a few miles from where we lived.( Ford ran the plant during WW II, assembling B-24 heavy-bombers. - one an hour - 24 per day!) By our wives working, Steve and I were able to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Our housing was pretty primitive, but our rent was only $18 a month - INCLUDING water and electricity. We had no phone (cell phones hadn’t been invented back then) and had to buy our own coal! This was used to fire our stove in the small kitchen. The stove did yeoman duty - heated the house and water, as well as used for cooking. It worked fairly well in the winter (except for the snow-covered -frozen together -clumps of coal in our outdoor storage bin). But in the hot-humid summer months - the stove was not a viable source for heating the water, or for cooking.
In 1947, we had a “snow day” in late May. My “bride” (who had never been out of California until we were married in Douglas, Arizona) gave me a choice - “Michigan or me - take your choice - because I am leaving. I’m going back to California.” While normally, I probably would have asked her if I could get back to her on that, but in this case, I took her at her word. I decided to agree to return to California with her. Maggie and Steve also decided to return to California. I transferred from Michigan to Cal-Berkeley. Steve had just graduated from Michigan and enrolled at UC - Berkeley, to get his Masters.
Marie and I moved into a building at 701 South 51st street in Richmond. We had a small sitting/bed room (everything was small); kitchenette and bath. The facility was used during the war to house workers for the Kaiser shipyard in Richmond. (The I-80 freeway passes through there today - that‘s progress I guess.) Our housing was a slight up-grade from Willow run, but so was the rent - $28 a month - including utilities! You get what you pay for. Write it down!
In the 50’s,we lived in Antioch, and Maggie and Steve lived in Pleasant Hill and Berkeley. No family for either of us, after a few years of marriage. So, the four of us checked in at Kaiser - Oakland to see what our problem might be. Steve and I were seeing Dr. Knigge, and he was treating us with various pills to “soup us up”. Our two wives were seeing another doctor. Whatever they did, it worked! Each couple went on and had five children! I told Steve that we should have sent Dr. Knigge a birth announcement after each of our kids were born. After each of us had our fifth one, we could have penned a note , “Can we could stop taking these darn pills now?”
The Gibbens moved to Berkeley, and we moved to Vallejo. We visited each other fairly often - mostly we visited them. We always enjoyed each others’ company and, of course, our kids were all at similar ages, so they always had a good time.
While we lived in Hawaii for 4 ½ years, we lost that “closeness” with the Gibbens. When we returned to the mainland, we saw a lot of each other once again. When we first came back in 1962, we rented a house, a couple of doors from them in Berkeley. So, our two families saw a lot of each other. We even stayed with their kids a week while they went back to Washington, D.C. They picked up a new Pontiac (in Pontiac) on their return to Berkeley. It was quite a sight when we would drive around Berkeley in their station wagon - with ten kids in back - (no seat belt law back then.)
Marie and I also visited Steve when he was working in Washington D.C. and also when he was working, and living, in Sacramento, ( Maggie was holding down the fort in Montecito.) We visited both Maggie and Steve in Montecito after Steve retired, and they visited us in Vallejo.
A few years ago, we visited them in Hana, Maui. Their daughter Mollie, and her husband Ken Feingold, let them use their Maui home for a week. It is a very nice place, and we enjoyed spending the time with them in such a beautiful setting.
In 1989, we visited Maggie and Steve in England. They had traded houses, and the owners were in Maggie and Steve’s home in Montecito.
So, you can see that we were very close.
Good bye Steve. I will miss you very much. Thanks for the memories.
Semper Fidelis!
RCL - 3/7/09
Last night, at 7:50, I lost my long-time friend, Steve Gibbens. He was 86 - born in 1922 - the same year as my brother Bob - who died on May 31, 1984. Marie and I first met Steve and Maggie Gibbens in December 1945, in the lobby of the Michigan theatre in Ann Arbor. We had been married for a year, My sister Jeanne, and her husband, Bob Gibbens, who introduced us, had been married for a year and a half and Maggie and Steve were short timers - married for only 6 months. Steve and Bob were brothers, who grew up in Kalamazoo. No wonder that Steve and I had a “brother” relationship.
Our meeting was the start of a beautiful relationship of over 65 years with Steve, and continues on with Maggie and their five children - Moiré (Mollie); Rory; Briny; Deirdre (Dee) and Nick.
Steve was an intellectual, as is Maggie. During the years, we got together many times, and it was never boring. We had many interesting conversations - some of which included politics and religion! Discussions with very intelligent people is not only a pleasant- learning experience, but it is up-lifting.
We started out, in 1946, living in a similar student -housing complex in Willow Run, Michigan (three miles East of Ypsilanti.) A few months later, Steve and Maggie bought a house in Ypsilanti. Marie and Maggie worked for Kaiser-Fraser Auto Company at Willow Run - a few miles from where we lived.( Ford ran the plant during WW II, assembling B-24 heavy-bombers. - one an hour - 24 per day!) By our wives working, Steve and I were able to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Our housing was pretty primitive, but our rent was only $18 a month - INCLUDING water and electricity. We had no phone (cell phones hadn’t been invented back then) and had to buy our own coal! This was used to fire our stove in the small kitchen. The stove did yeoman duty - heated the house and water, as well as used for cooking. It worked fairly well in the winter (except for the snow-covered -frozen together -clumps of coal in our outdoor storage bin). But in the hot-humid summer months - the stove was not a viable source for heating the water, or for cooking.
In 1947, we had a “snow day” in late May. My “bride” (who had never been out of California until we were married in Douglas, Arizona) gave me a choice - “Michigan or me - take your choice - because I am leaving. I’m going back to California.” While normally, I probably would have asked her if I could get back to her on that, but in this case, I took her at her word. I decided to agree to return to California with her. Maggie and Steve also decided to return to California. I transferred from Michigan to Cal-Berkeley. Steve had just graduated from Michigan and enrolled at UC - Berkeley, to get his Masters.
Marie and I moved into a building at 701 South 51st street in Richmond. We had a small sitting/bed room (everything was small); kitchenette and bath. The facility was used during the war to house workers for the Kaiser shipyard in Richmond. (The I-80 freeway passes through there today - that‘s progress I guess.) Our housing was a slight up-grade from Willow run, but so was the rent - $28 a month - including utilities! You get what you pay for. Write it down!
In the 50’s,we lived in Antioch, and Maggie and Steve lived in Pleasant Hill and Berkeley. No family for either of us, after a few years of marriage. So, the four of us checked in at Kaiser - Oakland to see what our problem might be. Steve and I were seeing Dr. Knigge, and he was treating us with various pills to “soup us up”. Our two wives were seeing another doctor. Whatever they did, it worked! Each couple went on and had five children! I told Steve that we should have sent Dr. Knigge a birth announcement after each of our kids were born. After each of us had our fifth one, we could have penned a note , “Can we could stop taking these darn pills now?”
The Gibbens moved to Berkeley, and we moved to Vallejo. We visited each other fairly often - mostly we visited them. We always enjoyed each others’ company and, of course, our kids were all at similar ages, so they always had a good time.
While we lived in Hawaii for 4 ½ years, we lost that “closeness” with the Gibbens. When we returned to the mainland, we saw a lot of each other once again. When we first came back in 1962, we rented a house, a couple of doors from them in Berkeley. So, our two families saw a lot of each other. We even stayed with their kids a week while they went back to Washington, D.C. They picked up a new Pontiac (in Pontiac) on their return to Berkeley. It was quite a sight when we would drive around Berkeley in their station wagon - with ten kids in back - (no seat belt law back then.)
Marie and I also visited Steve when he was working in Washington D.C. and also when he was working, and living, in Sacramento, ( Maggie was holding down the fort in Montecito.) We visited both Maggie and Steve in Montecito after Steve retired, and they visited us in Vallejo.
A few years ago, we visited them in Hana, Maui. Their daughter Mollie, and her husband Ken Feingold, let them use their Maui home for a week. It is a very nice place, and we enjoyed spending the time with them in such a beautiful setting.
In 1989, we visited Maggie and Steve in England. They had traded houses, and the owners were in Maggie and Steve’s home in Montecito.
So, you can see that we were very close.
Good bye Steve. I will miss you very much. Thanks for the memories.
Semper Fidelis!
RCL - 3/7/09
Saturday, March 7, 2009
DESIDERATA
I like the following philosophy of life very much. I’ve tried to follow it. I will give myself a grade of C+. I have had it hanging in a conspicuous place in the house for over 25 years.
DESIDERATA
GO PLACIDLY AMID THE NOISE & HASTE & REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE IN SILENCE. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT
Surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly& clearly; and listen to others, even the dull& ignorant; they too have their story. ~ Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. ~ Keep interested in your own career, however humble it is; it is a real possession in the changing fortune of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. ~ Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. ~ Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth .
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. ~
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. ~ Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you
conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. ~ With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it still is a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.
FOUND IN OLD SAINT PAUL’S CHURCH, BALTIMORE; DATED 1692.
DESIDERATA
GO PLACIDLY AMID THE NOISE & HASTE & REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE IN SILENCE. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT
Surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly& clearly; and listen to others, even the dull& ignorant; they too have their story. ~ Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. ~ Keep interested in your own career, however humble it is; it is a real possession in the changing fortune of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. ~ Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. ~ Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth .
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. ~
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. ~ Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you
conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. ~ With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it still is a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.
FOUND IN OLD SAINT PAUL’S CHURCH, BALTIMORE; DATED 1692.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
MORE ROONEY
MORE ANDY ROONEY.
THE WEATHER:
“The best thing about winter is, you don’t lose your sunglasses. The best thing about summer is, you don’t lose one glove.”
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:
“When someone keeps saying, ’You know what I mean?’ It means he doesn’t know what he means. You know what I mean?”
FOOD:
“ If the dieticians who think of new weight-loss diets are so knowledgeable about food, why don’t they tell us why it’s so hard to stop eating peanuts once you start?”
THE HUMAN BODY:
“It would be good if we could close our ears easily as we close our eyes.”
COFFEE:
“Someone sent us a box with five bags of assorted coffee flavors. They were almond , cinnamon, hazelnut, French vanilla and amaretto. If I want the taste of hazelnut, I’ll have a hazelnut. If I want coffee, I want coffee.”
DRIVING:
“The drivers of trucks that have signs on them saying, ‘Call This Number If The Driver is Discourteous’ are usually driving too fast for you to see the number.”
SPORTS:
“Every time they list a baseball player’s batting average, they ought to list his salary next to it.”
FASHION:
“If we all came back to earth in a 100 years, it seems likely we wouldn’t find men wearing ties.”
RESTAURANTS:
“I don’t eat in a restaurant that has a sign outside saying, ‘HOME COOKING’. If I wanted home cooking. I’d eat at home.”
HEALTH:
“Sooner or later, everything we’ve ever heard about staying healthy turns out to be wrong. They’ll probably decide chicken soup is bad for you.”
“Most people find something to be proud of what they are no matter what they are. I saw a young man the other day wearing a black shirt with big yellow letters on the back that spelled, RIGBY PLUMBING INC. I was glad that he liked working for Rigby. I’ll bet they’re good plumbers too. He wouldn’t be proud of working there if they weren’t.”
“When I was in the eighth grade I began to think I wanted to be a writer. Now I am a writer and I have all I can do to keep from wearing a big black shirt with yellow letters on the back saying WRITER! That’s how much I enjoy being one. I am never happier than when I’m writing.”
“It makes me nervous when I see the evidence of how many other people want to be writers. I don’t talk to many strangers or get letters from many who don’t plan to write a book someday. You don’t hear people in their fifties and sixties saying they want to do brain surgery when they retire or argue a case before the Supreme Court but a lot of them say they want to write a book - just as soon as they have time. Time they feel, is all they need.”
RCL - 3/04/09.
THE WEATHER:
“The best thing about winter is, you don’t lose your sunglasses. The best thing about summer is, you don’t lose one glove.”
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:
“When someone keeps saying, ’You know what I mean?’ It means he doesn’t know what he means. You know what I mean?”
FOOD:
“ If the dieticians who think of new weight-loss diets are so knowledgeable about food, why don’t they tell us why it’s so hard to stop eating peanuts once you start?”
THE HUMAN BODY:
“It would be good if we could close our ears easily as we close our eyes.”
COFFEE:
“Someone sent us a box with five bags of assorted coffee flavors. They were almond , cinnamon, hazelnut, French vanilla and amaretto. If I want the taste of hazelnut, I’ll have a hazelnut. If I want coffee, I want coffee.”
DRIVING:
“The drivers of trucks that have signs on them saying, ‘Call This Number If The Driver is Discourteous’ are usually driving too fast for you to see the number.”
SPORTS:
“Every time they list a baseball player’s batting average, they ought to list his salary next to it.”
FASHION:
“If we all came back to earth in a 100 years, it seems likely we wouldn’t find men wearing ties.”
RESTAURANTS:
“I don’t eat in a restaurant that has a sign outside saying, ‘HOME COOKING’. If I wanted home cooking. I’d eat at home.”
HEALTH:
“Sooner or later, everything we’ve ever heard about staying healthy turns out to be wrong. They’ll probably decide chicken soup is bad for you.”
“Most people find something to be proud of what they are no matter what they are. I saw a young man the other day wearing a black shirt with big yellow letters on the back that spelled, RIGBY PLUMBING INC. I was glad that he liked working for Rigby. I’ll bet they’re good plumbers too. He wouldn’t be proud of working there if they weren’t.”
“When I was in the eighth grade I began to think I wanted to be a writer. Now I am a writer and I have all I can do to keep from wearing a big black shirt with yellow letters on the back saying WRITER! That’s how much I enjoy being one. I am never happier than when I’m writing.”
“It makes me nervous when I see the evidence of how many other people want to be writers. I don’t talk to many strangers or get letters from many who don’t plan to write a book someday. You don’t hear people in their fifties and sixties saying they want to do brain surgery when they retire or argue a case before the Supreme Court but a lot of them say they want to write a book - just as soon as they have time. Time they feel, is all they need.”
RCL - 3/04/09.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Andy Rooney
ANDY ROONEY
Andy Rooney is one of my favorite authors! Literary snobs will look down their nose at my choice. I like his style, and his humorous sarcasm. T am a couple of months older than Andy (each of us is 90), and I can vividly relate to all his experiences. If I had his talent, and recall, I could have written a book that would parallel his! I have finished his “Out of My Mind”, and am currently reading his previous book, “Common Nonsence.” In the latter book, he has a lead in to each Part. Without his permission, I would like to recap them:
PART 1 - Daily Life in America.
“Further proof of the fact that hope springs eternal is everyone’s anticipation that the mail will bring something wonderful even though it seldom does.”
PART 2 - Food and Drink- Health and Doctors.
“The idea of having a cup of coffee is usually better than the coffee.”
P\ART3 - Politics.
“Everyone doesn’t have a right to his opinion. The person who doesn’t know what he is talking about does not have a right to his own opinion. It’s why I’m never too much in favor of getting everyone out to vote on election day. Some people are too dumb or know too little about the issues and I hate to have one of them negating or canceling out the vote of someone who has bothered to inform him- or herself.
PART 4 - Sports.
“If all you care about is winning, you aren’t a real fan.”
PART 5 - Entertainment and the Arts.
“I’m impressed by people who love the opera but I don’t. It sounds silly to me and I have the feeling that if they sang it in English, it would sound silly to everyone.
PART 6 - Learning.
“You meet a lot of dumb people who went to college.”
PART 7 - Work, Life and Success.
It’s amazing to see who doesn’t show up for work when the weather is bad. It’s usually the people we could do without any day.”
PART 8 - The Writing Life.
“We need more plumbers and electricians than we need poets ~ but we need poets, too. There are more bad poets than bad electricians and plumbers. Maybe poets ought to be licensed.
PART 9 - Home Life.
“You never see old men sitting in rocking chairs on their front porches whittling anymore. Rocking chairs, front porches and whittling al seem to have gone out of style. Old men, on the other hand, are all over the place.”
PART 10 - Animals.
“There aren’t as many canaries in cages as there used to be.”
PART 11 - Travel.
“No matter how big your suitcase is, it’s always a little small for what you are trying to get into it.”
PART 12 - Big Issues.
“Investigative television shows like 60 Minutes are always finding someone on death row who didn’t do it. They never conclude he really did do it. It’s puzzling to viewers because someone out there is murdering people.
PART 13 - Progress.
“The fastest thing a computer does is become outdated.”
PART 14 - People and Places.
“People don’t whistle as much as they used to.”
Note: I am already looking forward to his next book.
RCL - 3/2/09.
Andy Rooney is one of my favorite authors! Literary snobs will look down their nose at my choice. I like his style, and his humorous sarcasm. T am a couple of months older than Andy (each of us is 90), and I can vividly relate to all his experiences. If I had his talent, and recall, I could have written a book that would parallel his! I have finished his “Out of My Mind”, and am currently reading his previous book, “Common Nonsence.” In the latter book, he has a lead in to each Part. Without his permission, I would like to recap them:
PART 1 - Daily Life in America.
“Further proof of the fact that hope springs eternal is everyone’s anticipation that the mail will bring something wonderful even though it seldom does.”
PART 2 - Food and Drink- Health and Doctors.
“The idea of having a cup of coffee is usually better than the coffee.”
P\ART3 - Politics.
“Everyone doesn’t have a right to his opinion. The person who doesn’t know what he is talking about does not have a right to his own opinion. It’s why I’m never too much in favor of getting everyone out to vote on election day. Some people are too dumb or know too little about the issues and I hate to have one of them negating or canceling out the vote of someone who has bothered to inform him- or herself.
PART 4 - Sports.
“If all you care about is winning, you aren’t a real fan.”
PART 5 - Entertainment and the Arts.
“I’m impressed by people who love the opera but I don’t. It sounds silly to me and I have the feeling that if they sang it in English, it would sound silly to everyone.
PART 6 - Learning.
“You meet a lot of dumb people who went to college.”
PART 7 - Work, Life and Success.
It’s amazing to see who doesn’t show up for work when the weather is bad. It’s usually the people we could do without any day.”
PART 8 - The Writing Life.
“We need more plumbers and electricians than we need poets ~ but we need poets, too. There are more bad poets than bad electricians and plumbers. Maybe poets ought to be licensed.
PART 9 - Home Life.
“You never see old men sitting in rocking chairs on their front porches whittling anymore. Rocking chairs, front porches and whittling al seem to have gone out of style. Old men, on the other hand, are all over the place.”
PART 10 - Animals.
“There aren’t as many canaries in cages as there used to be.”
PART 11 - Travel.
“No matter how big your suitcase is, it’s always a little small for what you are trying to get into it.”
PART 12 - Big Issues.
“Investigative television shows like 60 Minutes are always finding someone on death row who didn’t do it. They never conclude he really did do it. It’s puzzling to viewers because someone out there is murdering people.
PART 13 - Progress.
“The fastest thing a computer does is become outdated.”
PART 14 - People and Places.
“People don’t whistle as much as they used to.”
Note: I am already looking forward to his next book.
RCL - 3/2/09.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Starbucks
Starbucks
Our daughter, Joan, visited us this afternoon. I had just hung up from a sad phone call, just before she came. One of my best friends, Steve Gibbens was dying. I was in an emotional blackout.
Joan came to play cribbage, but I begged off, as I couldn’t concentrate. She suggested that we go out for an ice cream. This sounded very good to me. Marie wasn’t interested, so it was just her Toyota and the two of us. She asked me whether ice cream or a hot chocolate was the most appealing. I voted for hot chocolate, and we ended up at Starbucks.
This was only my second trip to their much publicized facility. (I am not counting the numerous times that I have circled their store in Safeway.) They have quite an impressive operation. I liked the personal philosophy , “The Way I See It”, printed on the cups.
Joan’s was # 59:
“Having two older brothers is a healthy reminder that you’re always closer to the bottom than you are to the top.”
---Andy Roddick. - Tennis player.
In 2003, he became the youngest American to finish No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.
The “The Way I See It”, on my cup, was # 26:
“Failure’s hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you’re successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever.” (I like that.)
--- Po Bronson - Author of stories, screenplays and nonfiction, including “What Should I Do With My Life?”
Our daughter, Joan, visited us this afternoon. I had just hung up from a sad phone call, just before she came. One of my best friends, Steve Gibbens was dying. I was in an emotional blackout.
Joan came to play cribbage, but I begged off, as I couldn’t concentrate. She suggested that we go out for an ice cream. This sounded very good to me. Marie wasn’t interested, so it was just her Toyota and the two of us. She asked me whether ice cream or a hot chocolate was the most appealing. I voted for hot chocolate, and we ended up at Starbucks.
This was only my second trip to their much publicized facility. (I am not counting the numerous times that I have circled their store in Safeway.) They have quite an impressive operation. I liked the personal philosophy , “The Way I See It”, printed on the cups.
Joan’s was # 59:
“Having two older brothers is a healthy reminder that you’re always closer to the bottom than you are to the top.”
---Andy Roddick. - Tennis player.
In 2003, he became the youngest American to finish No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.
The “The Way I See It”, on my cup, was # 26:
“Failure’s hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you’re successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever.” (I like that.)
--- Po Bronson - Author of stories, screenplays and nonfiction, including “What Should I Do With My Life?”
Sunday, March 1, 2009
HESS COLLECTION
HESS COLLECTONS
Another Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) has rolled around! This means another Quail Creek Outing. There are ten of us on board - Tony, our driver, Fabi, our Acting -Activities Coordinator and Rosy, who is assisting one of the residents, plus seven residents. We pull out at 10:00 AM, February 26, 2009. Our destination is the Hess Collection, at the Hess Winery in Napa.
We are re-tracing the route that we have traveled many times. Only now, the hills are much greener - after raining off and on all last weekend. I like to compare the colors with western Ireland’s 40 shades of green! We pass the Shell station with the posted price of $2.18 per gallon. A little further, their competitor, Chevron, has upped the price 10 cents. Today, the crude oil price for April delivery is around $40 a barrel.
We are on I-80, heading West, with moderate traffic. It is cloudy with rain forecast. Hazy visibility, and can barely see the outline of Mt. Diablo some 25 miles to the south. There are many trucks on the highway. This is surprising, when I read about the slow down of the economy, in the Wall Street Journal.
It is still a teeth rattling ride on I-80, as Tony does his best to navigate the rough highway. When you feel - hear and see the side windows vibrate, simultaneously, it is “rough”. This section has been on Cal Trans list for re-surfacing for a long time. This is no list to be on!
The “Twin Sisters” peaks sit off the right side, just before we exit I-80 onto Westbound Highway 12. We are now driving through Jamison Canyon - very green and picturesque. The grazing cattle make it even prettier. A large -black cloud is sitting overhead, but no rain is falling from it. There must have been a recent shower, based on the puddles alongside of the road. Chardonnay golf course lies off to our left. I haven’t traveled this route for about a month, since we visited the Black Stallion winery on the Silvarado Trail in the lower Napa Valley.
We are on the Highway 29 by-pass now. The Meadows, an assisted living facility on the right side, has been enlarged since I last noticed it. The complex extends almost out to the freeway now. It is a very large facility. The Napa Factory Outlet stores sit off to the left. Perhaps their sales volume has held its own during the /recession, with consumers down- grading their buying. We plan on stopping at the Don Giovanni Bistro and have lunch, before we visit the art gallery. Ethel, who used to live on Mt. Veeder near the Hess Winery, suggested this restaurant. She said that it was “pricey”, but a very good place to eat.
Tony didn’t have an early warning as to the restaurant’s exact location, and we passed it. He left the highway and took a side road up to the first driveway where he could turn around. I noticed that the driveway was an entrance to the Trefethen Winery. Before he bought the winery, Trefethen worked for Henry Kaiser in Oakland. He was Marie’s boss while she was a secretary there. I was going to Cal-Berkeley under the “G.I. Bill” in the late 40’s. While I had heard of his winery, I didn’t know exactly where it was located in the Napa Valley.
We arrived at the restaurant at 11:15. We didn’t have reservations for lunch, and found that they wouldn’t be open for another 15 minutes. In any event, they seated (or escorted the powered scooters) to a large table and we all sat together. The table was set with a cloth- tablecloth and cloth napkins. This is the way that I judge the quality of a restaurant.
“ Without bread, without wine, love is nothing” - French Proverb. This quotation was at the top of their menu. This has to be a good place!
They didn’t permit individual checks, so the bookkeeping after lunch, took as long as eating our lunch. There has to be a better way for settling the bill. It was simpler when I was working for C and H Sugar. When a group of us went out for lunch in San Francisco, we split the bill evenly - no matter what you ordered or if you had a cocktail. This procedure might not have been equitable, but it was simplified and worked very well on a rigid lunch hour. Most of us got the Minestrone soup - $10.06 with tax and tip. It was served with their fresh- flat bread and was very good. Ed, next to me, started off with a shot of Jim Beam. It turned out to have cost him $8, but it didn’t faze him. Sometimes it pays to have a fuzzy mind.
In the restaurant, I had a strange feeling that I might run into my oldest daughter, Anne. It wasn’t to be. I haven’t been in contact with her for over two years, but that is another story for another day.
Going outside after lunch, I noticed that they had a large porch/veranda area where you could eat. On a nicer day, this would be great atmosphere. Also, they have a few olive trees bordering the parking lot nearby. These are one of my favorite trees..
It is 1:00 PM , as we leave. We are heading to the Hess winery, traveling South on Highway 29 to Redwood Road, where we will exit, and head West. There is a lot of local -Napa traffic, which is normal, - night or day. This is a shaded and pretty ride on a narrow and curvy road, following a creek and ravine. We pass a field where we used to cut down our Christmas trees, Now, it is all in grape vines. That’s progress, I guess.
We arrive at the Hess Winery/Art Collectiont at 1:15. It is next door to the Mont LaSalle monastery/novitiate - another very interesting facility. The last time that I was there was for a evening of bells and choir music presented by Claudia and Bill Hanna’s church group, many years ago.
Donald Hess has been collecting contemporary art for about 45 years. The link between producing wine and collecting art is a passion of his.
The following are two of his quoted philosophy:
“Wine, like art, is a creative process. When is the last brush stroke? When do you pick the grapes?”
“Live each day with the heart and courage of The Lion. This has been the credo of my family for nine generations.”
We depart from the winery at 2:15. One hour wasn’t enough time. One of the group’s oxygen tank had less than an hour’s supply left. So, we had to return. We missed visiting the winery’s tasting room.
We left Hess at 2:15, and retraced the miles of our inbound route back to Quail Creek. We arrived back at Q.C. at 3:05PM. Our round trip covered about 50 miles.
“All’s well that ends well”. Write it down!
RCL - 2/28/09.
Another Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) has rolled around! This means another Quail Creek Outing. There are ten of us on board - Tony, our driver, Fabi, our Acting -Activities Coordinator and Rosy, who is assisting one of the residents, plus seven residents. We pull out at 10:00 AM, February 26, 2009. Our destination is the Hess Collection, at the Hess Winery in Napa.
We are re-tracing the route that we have traveled many times. Only now, the hills are much greener - after raining off and on all last weekend. I like to compare the colors with western Ireland’s 40 shades of green! We pass the Shell station with the posted price of $2.18 per gallon. A little further, their competitor, Chevron, has upped the price 10 cents. Today, the crude oil price for April delivery is around $40 a barrel.
We are on I-80, heading West, with moderate traffic. It is cloudy with rain forecast. Hazy visibility, and can barely see the outline of Mt. Diablo some 25 miles to the south. There are many trucks on the highway. This is surprising, when I read about the slow down of the economy, in the Wall Street Journal.
It is still a teeth rattling ride on I-80, as Tony does his best to navigate the rough highway. When you feel - hear and see the side windows vibrate, simultaneously, it is “rough”. This section has been on Cal Trans list for re-surfacing for a long time. This is no list to be on!
The “Twin Sisters” peaks sit off the right side, just before we exit I-80 onto Westbound Highway 12. We are now driving through Jamison Canyon - very green and picturesque. The grazing cattle make it even prettier. A large -black cloud is sitting overhead, but no rain is falling from it. There must have been a recent shower, based on the puddles alongside of the road. Chardonnay golf course lies off to our left. I haven’t traveled this route for about a month, since we visited the Black Stallion winery on the Silvarado Trail in the lower Napa Valley.
We are on the Highway 29 by-pass now. The Meadows, an assisted living facility on the right side, has been enlarged since I last noticed it. The complex extends almost out to the freeway now. It is a very large facility. The Napa Factory Outlet stores sit off to the left. Perhaps their sales volume has held its own during the /recession, with consumers down- grading their buying. We plan on stopping at the Don Giovanni Bistro and have lunch, before we visit the art gallery. Ethel, who used to live on Mt. Veeder near the Hess Winery, suggested this restaurant. She said that it was “pricey”, but a very good place to eat.
Tony didn’t have an early warning as to the restaurant’s exact location, and we passed it. He left the highway and took a side road up to the first driveway where he could turn around. I noticed that the driveway was an entrance to the Trefethen Winery. Before he bought the winery, Trefethen worked for Henry Kaiser in Oakland. He was Marie’s boss while she was a secretary there. I was going to Cal-Berkeley under the “G.I. Bill” in the late 40’s. While I had heard of his winery, I didn’t know exactly where it was located in the Napa Valley.
We arrived at the restaurant at 11:15. We didn’t have reservations for lunch, and found that they wouldn’t be open for another 15 minutes. In any event, they seated (or escorted the powered scooters) to a large table and we all sat together. The table was set with a cloth- tablecloth and cloth napkins. This is the way that I judge the quality of a restaurant.
“ Without bread, without wine, love is nothing” - French Proverb. This quotation was at the top of their menu. This has to be a good place!
They didn’t permit individual checks, so the bookkeeping after lunch, took as long as eating our lunch. There has to be a better way for settling the bill. It was simpler when I was working for C and H Sugar. When a group of us went out for lunch in San Francisco, we split the bill evenly - no matter what you ordered or if you had a cocktail. This procedure might not have been equitable, but it was simplified and worked very well on a rigid lunch hour. Most of us got the Minestrone soup - $10.06 with tax and tip. It was served with their fresh- flat bread and was very good. Ed, next to me, started off with a shot of Jim Beam. It turned out to have cost him $8, but it didn’t faze him. Sometimes it pays to have a fuzzy mind.
In the restaurant, I had a strange feeling that I might run into my oldest daughter, Anne. It wasn’t to be. I haven’t been in contact with her for over two years, but that is another story for another day.
Going outside after lunch, I noticed that they had a large porch/veranda area where you could eat. On a nicer day, this would be great atmosphere. Also, they have a few olive trees bordering the parking lot nearby. These are one of my favorite trees..
It is 1:00 PM , as we leave. We are heading to the Hess winery, traveling South on Highway 29 to Redwood Road, where we will exit, and head West. There is a lot of local -Napa traffic, which is normal, - night or day. This is a shaded and pretty ride on a narrow and curvy road, following a creek and ravine. We pass a field where we used to cut down our Christmas trees, Now, it is all in grape vines. That’s progress, I guess.
We arrive at the Hess Winery/Art Collectiont at 1:15. It is next door to the Mont LaSalle monastery/novitiate - another very interesting facility. The last time that I was there was for a evening of bells and choir music presented by Claudia and Bill Hanna’s church group, many years ago.
Donald Hess has been collecting contemporary art for about 45 years. The link between producing wine and collecting art is a passion of his.
The following are two of his quoted philosophy:
“Wine, like art, is a creative process. When is the last brush stroke? When do you pick the grapes?”
“Live each day with the heart and courage of The Lion. This has been the credo of my family for nine generations.”
We depart from the winery at 2:15. One hour wasn’t enough time. One of the group’s oxygen tank had less than an hour’s supply left. So, we had to return. We missed visiting the winery’s tasting room.
We left Hess at 2:15, and retraced the miles of our inbound route back to Quail Creek. We arrived back at Q.C. at 3:05PM. Our round trip covered about 50 miles.
“All’s well that ends well”. Write it down!
RCL - 2/28/09.
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