Go Giants! Go Jeremy Affeldt!

This post is about San Francisco but not our trip.

Have you ever heard of Jeremy Affeldt?  I hadn't.  He is a pitcher for the SF Giants.  He makes 6 million a year.  He has grossed at least 30 million since joining the major leagues in 2002.

Mr Affeldt discovered in 2010 that he was being over paid 500,000$ because of a clerical error in his contract.  So what did he do?  He has had his contract redone so that that mistake has been taken care of.

Wow!

I am impressed.

I'll be cheering for him this year.

Way to do the right thing!

Daniel and Rebecca Part III, going north

I was so excited to see an In-N-Out burger that we ate lunch there!  It was yummy!

My brother, John, enjoys segway tours. John, you could tour San Fran that way!

 Oh yes, we shared a sundae at Ghirardelli's.  It was so good.

 My cute date/ tour guide for our trip!

The Pacific Ocean!

















One of Rodin's Thinkers.

We drove all over the city.  We parked by the beach for a few minutes and watched the waves.  Not a lot of folks swimming because the water is so chilly.

 Here is the gate into China Town.

 This sign is for Carl and Kaitlin and all of you horn honkers out there!!!!!!!  I just laughed when I saw it!

More pictures of the Bay.

What you see out in the water is Alcatraz.  It looks ominous!

The tallest tower you see in the picture on the right is Coit Tower.   It is at the top of Telegraph Hill.

Scoma's is one of Carl's favorite restaurants.  It is a local restaurant and you have to know where you are going to get there.

Carl loves the clam chowder and the Cioppino.

I got Risotto with Prawns.  It was wonderful!











Here's is what Carl's Cioppion looked like.

After supper we headed to Napa Valley, California.  The reason for our trip was a business trip Carl had to Napa Valley.  His meetings were held at The Silverado.  It was really nice!!!!!

I don't know what I expected California to look like but I was delighted and surprised with every turn.  Everywhere we turned in Napa there were rows and rows of grapes.  We saw new sprigs, teenagers and full grown adult plants.  I learned at the wine tasting that we did, that Napa is a unique valley.  Because of it's location it gets cool every night- 40's or 50's, and the day time temps can get warm.  They have a few 100 temp days, a few more 90 degree days, many 80 and 70 degree days.  We also saw large fans in the fields.  Those are to blow away the frosty mist that would settle on the grapes and damage them.

The final picture is from our motel room.  We had a beautiful view.

Whenever we are out and folks are taking pictures I always try to offer to take pictures of groups who need someone to take a picture so the whole group can be in the picture.  Most folks let me but were stunned that I offered.  When we were in Napa, I offered and the lady with the camera asked if I was from the south.  I told her yes I was!  She said that she wasn't surprised because that seemed like good southern hospitality.  Way to go Southerners!

Dan and Becca Part II

The first thing I saw was where the A's play and next door the Raiders play.


Here is a picture of the Bay Bridge.










Here is my first view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Breath-taking.  I never grew tired of looking at it. I finally had to stop taking pictures of it.

I have always heard of of Pier 39 but I thought that was just a place.  I didn't realize that Pier 39 was the 39th in the long line of piers.  Here is Pier 9.

Our first destination was Muir Woods.  How beautiful and calm and cool.

 Below is the tree described above.

 I love how they cut the tree to fit the walkway.

 As we stopped to enjoy the beauty we saw this deer!

It was a great first stop!  The weather was so cool almost chilly and I loved it.  More tomorrow!

Daniel and Rebecca take a trip, Part I

 I married Daniel Boone.  I married a man that loves to travel and he married a girl that loves to stay home.  I love being Rebecca Boone.  My job is to hold down the fort while Daniel is out in the wilderness exploring new things.  Now that the children are grown, Daniel likes for Rebecca to join him on a trip every now and again.  Another problem is that Rebecca does NOT like to fly.

Well, Daniel and Rebecca Carl and I headed off last week to the California!!!!  We first flew to Houston and then to Oakland.  Houston to Oakland is a LONG flight!

 The great thing Carl did about our flights was that I didn't have to change planes.  Because of my back I am unable to walk thru an airport without resting many, many times.  Most times the folks that push the wheel chairs are wonderful but I have also had The Grinch's brother and that leaves an impression on you and not a good one!

 Here I am on the ground in Houston with the 4 other folks from LR that are also flying to Oakland.  Darren McFadden- former AR running back that now plays for Oakland Raiders- was one of the four.  I thought I recognized him in the line to board and then Houston Nutt- former AR coach- got off the plane we were to board and fondly greeted him.

My sweet Kaitlin made me a wonderful playlist.  It helped with the turbulence.

 Here is the van Carl rented.

 Here is me as we crossed the Bay Bridge.  There were 11 lanes of traffic that had to fit into 4.  I went to my happy place and thanked God Carl was driving!!!!!!!

 Here is the Bay Bridge!

 Being the technology sound person that I am I uploaded a video below that I can't delete.  If you can get it to play enjoy!!

 More pictures and stories tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to my favorite daughter

28 years ago today I was in the hospital having a baby.  A girl!  Katherine Parris.  We knew that we would nick name her and before she was born, her nick name was Kate but as I lay in the recovery room, I asked (read- pleading with Carl) to call her Kaitlin.  How could he refuse???  I will say that when she was 6 weeks old, I told Carl that I would call her whatever name he picked, he said that he liked Kaitlin.  She loves the unusual spelling.

We have lots of fun!

and have had fun for many years

I love to look at all the pictures she has taken.

Some days you just have to put on your green mohawk...

Here's a picture we took at Crystal Bridges last year.  No wonder they kept following us!!

Kaitlin, I hope your birthday is wonderful just like you!!!

25 years and a day!

Marisa and Andrew share the same birthday and that was yesterday.  I gave Andrew a post of his own and today we will honor Marisa.  As I looked back thru my pictures I didn't find any of just Marisa so I plan to change that soon.  (I know this amazing photography).  In this first picture, Marisa and Kaitlin photobombed poor Atticus as he attempted to eat a loaf of bread!

Here is Marisa smiling at her littlest love of her life on Christmas Eve!

Here is a beautiful painting that hangs in my house every December that Marisa painted for me.

Here are Marisa and Kaitlin in Iowa City one blizzard, I mean, one December day during our visit to see cousin Charlie graduate.

Here is a visor that John was trying to decide whether he needed or not.  Not won the day!

My latest painting by Marisa- a four seasons tree.  I love it!

I am so glad that Marisa is in our family.  She has seen me after I got my back injections- crazy was the theme for that day, she has been a little chilly while she swam with the Manatees with us- a little chilly is not the truth: ITWASFREEZING!, she is our fashion police even if Andrew and Carl don't understand, she is a wonderful wife and an amazing mama!  

Sweet Girl, I hope your day was fantastic and your 25th year the best ever!

Thirty-onederful years!!!

What were you doing 31 years ago today?  I was in the hospital having a baby!!!!  This baby in fact.  Where have the 31 years gone?  It seems like yesterday.  Andrew, I am so glad you were born and that God gave you to our family.

I am very proud of your latest  endeavor!

I have enjoyed every age you have been!

I like it that you have friends of all ages- young

and old!!! J/k Robert!!!!

Even if you take me down one lane bridges that make me scream, we always have fun!

I hope your birthday is as restful as looking at furniture was!  Here's to many more birthdays and adventures.  I love you!