I left last Friday, driving across the central valley through Lodi, stopping for strawberries at my favorite local stand on Lower Sacramento Road, then driving across highway 5, through the delta toward Rio Vista and over the
Antioch Bridge.
We lived in Antioch when this bridge was rebuilt in 1978. Our oldest son walked across it with a group from our church and city officials, before they let any cars drive over it. A very exciting day for our, then, ten year old. It's still an interesting bridge.
We spent many Forth of July evenings watching fireworks down on the river. They would set them off on a barge in the river. It was twice as beautiful because the water reflected all the fireworks. Good memories.
I got to my sister's place and settled in. The dogs were there to greet me. Fozzie was waiting in the window.
He's a little dog with soft "poodle" hair and an attitude. He knows me, now, so I'm on his "OK" list.
My sister has recently redone the upstairs bedroom and bath for guests. This was the first time that I slept in the newly decorated room. It was charming and wonderful.
A small European style loft for her "up-country" sister. I couldn't ask for more when I visit... except for THIS...
See the white wave rolling in on the distant hills. That's what we call "nature's air conditioner". That's one of the things I was hoping for when I left the hot foothills of Amador County and there it was... beautiful, coastal FOG... the wonderful, cool fog that rolls into the San Francisco Bay, usually after a warm spell, and prompted Mark Twain ( or some say Jack London.) to write,
"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."
This can be very true (no matter who said it.).
There was fog on the hills almost every morning. It spread over my sister's house quietly in the morning and when we went for a walk it followed us into all the hills and valleys around her home.
We took walks with my sister's son and the dogs...
This is Lilly. She's a German Shorthair Pointer and that's Fozzie below her.
And we took a walk with my sister's neighbor... and her dog. It's kind of a doggiefied neighborhood. Everyone has a dog... and everyone walks.
This road goes up to and boarders
Briones State Park.
What a view from the top... and there's that fog again.
I love walking in this area.
Tomorrow we will go to my grandchildren's swim meet in Alamo and I will overwhelm you with bragging rights and tell you what amazing little swimmers they are.
The Bean is already learning how to look like an Olympiad.
Look at that stance... notice the concentration... the serious look.
He is all about winning...
Michael Phelps would be impressed.
Tomorrow, we will, take the kids to swim lessons, eat at Micky D's, give Mommy a break when she gets sick, go to Ross and celebrate the 4th of July. It was a busy week.
