Message 662

Liz and her family just left on their return trip to Houston. It was wonderful to have them here for five days. This morning we had breakfast at El Cerrito, as we did on their first morning. I have a load of towels in the wash as I write this message.

Yesterday the whole family, including Jamie and Chelsea and the kids; Julian and Vanessa and the kids; Liz and Bill and the kids; Linda and Walt; Jason and Susan and the kids; and me spent the afternoon and evening in Los Gatos. Susan fixed a wonderful corned beef and cabbage dinner, Linda brought three pies, Most people and kids went in the spa. After dinner Susan and I and Caroline, Melanie, Amelia, and Ellie, and Sean watched The Superhero Movie. It was a very funny spoof on Spiderman and other such films, and it was very funny and made us all laugh uproariously. I give it four stars because it was so silly and light-hearted and fun to watch with kids.

Message 661

I just got back from having breakfast at the Stanford golf course with Helen and Jim, Julian and Vanessa and the kids, and Liz and her family except for Sean who spent the night at Jason's house in Los Gatos. I did not go to the Gomez concert last night, so I went to dinner and a movie with the Morrills and the Ariagnos. We saw the Swedish film called the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I had never heard of it, but apparently it won the Academy Award for best foreign film this year. It was very well done, but I give it only 3.5 stars because it was a thriller/mystery with a lot of unpleasant scenes and not much in the way of redeeming qualities.

Message 660

Late yesterday afternoon I drove Sean and Evelyn down to Los Gatos and took them, Susan, and the girls to dinner at Live Oak Kitchen, our usual neighborhood eating place. Susan and Caroline had to leave early so Caroline could perform in her school program, so the rest of us went to the ice cream place a couple of doors from where we ate, which is our usual routine. After dinner I came home and watched the Sharks game by myself. Evelyn and Sean spent the night in Los Gatos and Joshua went biking with Pat and did not make it here for the game. It was just as well because the Sharks lost to Vancouver 2-3, so it is their fourth loss in a row, which is extremely unusual for them. Jason, Liz, Bill, and Nichole stayed in a hotel after the concert last night, so I was the only one here. Liz, Bill, and Nichole have now gone to Los Gatos, and Beech is here with me for the afternoon as I write this.

Message 659

Liz and Bill and I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi's Pies. The kids did not want to get up this morning, so they did not join us as I had planned. We did not get home from the Gomez concert last night until after 1 AM, so they were pretty tired. There was an extra ticket, so I went to the concert too. It was the third Gomez concert I have been to, and it was very enjoyable as always. Charlie Rose was over by the time we got home, so I will have to watch it today at noon today. Jamie and Chelsea and the kids plus Vanessa and her kids and Joshua and Jason had dinner at Ten Fu last night before eight of us went to the city for the concert. It was great for everybody to get together.

Message 658

Yesterday I picked Beech up at school for our usual Tuesday lunch and homework session. He has now reverted to Happy Meals, and to my amazement he ate nine chicken McNuggets. He started off with the usual 6-piece meal, then asked for more so I bought him an additional six McNuggets, but he only managed to eat half before he gave up, so I took the remaining three and a package of Ranch dressing home to put in his refrigerator. After doing three pages of homework he was playing in the backyard running naked through a stream of water from the hose when his neighbor Daniela from the corner came by with her babysitter and asked if she could play. Beech then got dressed and they bounced on the trampoline for a while and then moved into the house for some games. Daniela mostly played with Annie's kitchen stuff making pepperoni cupcakes for me to eat while Beech set up his Twister game. When Vanessa came home with Annie, I bailed out. Joshua came over at 5:30 PM and watched the Sharks game with me, but they lost to Dallas 2-8 in a shameful letdown from their usual level of play.

About 10 PM Liz and her family arrived. They had stopped off to eat on the way from San Jose before they came to my place. They helped me finish making up the air-mattress beds and then all turned in, since they were all still on Houston time. I watched Charlie Rose who had a terrific hour with Michael Lewis about his just published book named The Big Fall. Bill and I are the only ones up this morning so far. He has already made a pot of coffee, but I am going to wait until we walk up to El Cerrito for breakfast before I drink any coffee today.

Message 658

Yesterday I picked Beech up at school for our usual Tuesday lunch and homework session. He has now reverted to Happy Meals, and to my amazement he ate nine chicken McNuggets. He started off with the usual 6-piece meal, then asked for more so I bought him an additional six McNuggets, but he only managed to eat half before he gave up, so I took the remaining three and a package of Ranch dressing home to put in his refrigerator. After doing three pages of homework he was playing in the backyard running naked through a stream of water from the hose when his neighbor Daniela from the corner came by with her babysitter and asked if she could play. Beech then got dressed and they bounced on the trampoline for a while and then moved into the house for some games. Daniela mostly played with Annie's kitchen stuff making pepperoni cupcakes for me to eat while Beech set up his Twister game. When Vanessa came home with Annie, I bailed out. Joshua came over at 5:30 PM and watched the Sharks game with me, but they lost to Dallas 2-8 in a shameful letdown from their usual level of play.

About 10 PM Liz and her family arrived. They had stopped off to eat on the way from San Jose before they came to my place. They helped me finish making up the air-mattress beds and then all turned in, since they were all still on Houston time. I watched Charlie Rose who had a terrific hour with Michael Lewis about his just published book named The Big Fall. Bill and I are the only ones up this morning so far. He has already made a pot of coffee, but I am going to wait until we walk up to El Cerrito for breakfast before I drink any coffee today.

Message 657

Yesterday I started getting ready for the arrival this evening for Liz and her family. I blew up one of the air mattresses and got the other one out and ready to be blown up tonight. In the evening Joshua came over and watched 24 with me. Later I read some more of Hyperion.