Springtime in the Bay

Hello all.  I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the official season of spring!  It's been a couple of weeks since my last update.  Sorry about that. It's probably nice to have a break (for those of you who receive updates via email : ).

Life has been good around here.  Mom and Dad were able to come for a weekend in the Bay the first weekend of March, which was a ton of fun!  They arrived on Friday around lunchtime and the Super-Fast Tour de the Bay commenced!  We:  had lunch at my favorite and very yummy pizza place in San Jose; drove through the Santa Cruz mountains to Big Basin Redwoods State Park so they could catch a very quick glimpse of the big, beautiful, ancient 1,600 year-old redwoods; drove on to Santa Cruz on the coast and watched many catch some waves and surf while watching the spray of the waves on the cliffs; drove up the 1, stopped at a homemade jam place and tasted some jam (very fun little joint); drove on to Half Moon Bay for dinner on the coast (but we sat inside by the fire--Happy birthday, Mom!!!);  The next day was The City:  we rode the cable cars; had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory atop Macy's overlooking Union Square; rode the cable car to Chinatown and experienced some of Chinatown; walked down through Little Italy; did Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 (saw the few sea lions there); and last, we had about 1,000 calories' worth of Ghiradelli ice cream each. : )  The third day we drove to Napa Valley and drove up and down country roads and marveled at the beauty of The Wine Country.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch at V. Sattui Winery (very beautiful, although cold, windy and sprinkly) and did a cave tour--led by a Red Raider!--and tasting of Pine Ridge Winery.  We also stopped at Robert Mondavi and browsed the shop and glanced at the vineyards (it was too cold to explore much, at that point).  It was all a whirlwind tour, but, it was worth it, even if we were all tired from it.  Hopefully we will be able to do more next time.

Robert Mondavi Winery

A couple of the travel nurses who have been here since October are about to leave in about 3 weeks, so we are trying to get in as much fun and time together as we can.  It's bittersweet for us.  We laugh about the ridiculous and funny and not-so-funny experiences we've had that are bound to happen when you travel across the country for a short-term job.  I was telling one of the girls I remember our first day at Stanford, when I passed one of the girls in the hallway with a scared, lost look on her face (I'm sure my face was the same) and then finally finding where we were supposed to have orientation and I remember the other girls already engrossed in deep conversation.  I remember our first lunch and the introductory questions we asked and many of the responses.  I remember at that lunch when we all had a hearty belly laugh about the same ridiculous experiences driving thousands of miles to get there and how the tension was released and the sigh of relief we all breathed at that moment.  I smile as I think about our first hike together, our first dinner by the water and all the other firsts.  It seems like ages ago, but just like yesterday!  We've only known each other for six months, but we are the only family we had out here and I would imagine we will remain close and in touch from now on.  I am so thankful for these women and I have been so blessed with encouragement, comfort, and joy through them.  We have laughed until we cried.  We played drums together with dishes at Christmas.  We dipped our toes in the Pacific for the first time together, in the dark, while Kelly's sandal was washed out by a wave (we got it back!).

Napa Valley (picture is courtesy of my Dad and is 

used without permission! Thanks, Dad!)

Kelly and I were on a hike yesterday and were talking about the perpetual rolling change of life:  people; places; times . . . Things change.  Places change. People change.  The times change.  We meet people, develop relationships, and sometimes have to say goodbye.  There are some that will persist through the miles and some that won't.  There are some that last even if you don't keep in touch well.  There are some you were just friends with simply because of proximity.  Others because of commonalities and interests or shared experiences.  I am thankful for them all.  I have seen how change is necessary to experience new things.  I see how movement is necessary for progression, whether it's physical movement or figuratively speaking . . . Not that relationships from the past are regressive. On the contrary.  But, if I had not moved from Lubbock, I would not have met these wonderful women and have shared this experience with them that I would not trade.  I would not trade my experiences in Lubbock, either.  But, new experiences result from change.  I probably still don't necessarily like change, but, maybe I appreciate it more than I did before I experienced this much of it.  Or, maybe I just appreciate things and people and experiences from before the change and after the change more than I did before I experienced this change.   So, I'm sad to see these girls go.  I keep attempting to sabotage their efforts to get back to Boston, unsuccessfully. : )

The bottom of Mission Peak

Here are some picks from the folks' trip and the hike with kelly yesterday.  Love you all and hope you're doing well!  Please keep in touch!  Some of you have said you have tried to leave comments but it won't let you. My apologies. Feel free to email me to keep in touch (or call!).  Be blessed!

Working our way up Mission Peak

The view atop Mission Peak (almost atop . . . 4/5's "atop" :)

V. Sattui's Deli . . . we had a picnic on the grounds for lunch.

The Reserves at V.Sattui

V. Sattui Winery in Napa Valley.

Seacrets

Heather wanted to go to the coast today.  Heather was gone for a few weeks since her contract at Stanford allowed her some time to go home and attend some weddings.  So, today, while it was raining, we headed to the coast again.  We tried last week, but it was very rainy and cold.  We thought by the time we arrived at the coast this attempt, hopefully the sun would be shining and we could enjoy a hike along the cliffside.

When we crested the mountains headed west, the fog slowly began to give way to breaking clouds and some sunshine. But, light rain, even in the sunshine, forced us to kill some time before we could try the hike. We drove about five miles up Highway 1 hoping we would find something to entertain in the meantime.  We found this nice little cafe on "the 1," with an espresso bar and wine tasting.  So, while we waited for the rain to surrender to sunshine, Heather tasted some wines (I partook a couple of sips) and I enjoyed an iced mocha while we chatted away, passing the time like we had nothing else in the world to do and no cares.  Not many were in the little cafe and we watched a sweet little couple in the corner love one another.  We looked out the window at a breathtaking view of the lush green cliffs with the waves pounding at their walls.  We watched the rain lightly fall as it began to fade to sprinkles and then to on to only warm sunshine.  We talked about nothing and everything as we sat and watched.  We laughed as the little hostess became annoyed with me as I declined to taste wine and she said, "Well, do you want some water, then, since you're not having wine?" as she rolled her eyes at me (that would be the time I ordered the mocha, which I didn't mind).

So, we finished the little bit of wine and mocha, stepped off the porch into the welcome sunshine after the rain, anticipating seeing the "big waves" at Wilder State Park.  We drove to the park, paid the money to enter, then happily chatted and strolled along as we made our way to the cliffs.  We gasped and laughed as we saw how huge the waves were and the powerful booms and splashes they were creating on the cliff walls.  We stood in silence, smiling, watching little sea gulls down on the beach below run away from the incoming foamy waves, then chase them back out, then run away, chase them back out, as their pace changed when the waves' pace changed with the intensity of the incoming or outgoing wave.  We laughed at the birds.

We continued walking to the next cliff, where we stood on the sheer rocks, would hear a low pound and thump, then be splashed with the spray of the sea as the water splashed 60 feet in the air, was caught by the wind and would meet us.  We tasted the salt.  We stood in the spray.  We smelled the sea.  We laughed and yelled almost every thump and spray.  We watched the seagulls gracefully and effortlessly glide over the cliffs and sea, like they knew secrets about the sea we could never understand.  We looked at all the broken sea shells the waves had tossed atop the cliffs when the tide was high and waves were strong enough.  We watched the tall waves swallow the big rocks below then recede as the water would spill over the edges until the next time 20 seconds later.

Click on these photos for much better resolution and picture quality.

We kept walking and found a little cove with a beach.  We scuttled down the cliff on a little trail, next to a little water fall from all of the rain we've had the past couple of days and we walked on a beach with no footprints while leaving our own.  We stood by the cliffs where the water was falling down the rock from 50 feet above and stood in the shower of the freshwater making it's way to the salty sea.  We watched the waves hit the walls ahead of us as we faced the sea and the enormous waves came rolling in.  We ran from waves as they chased us while we laughed because we were afraid our shoes and socks would be soaked with the frigid water.

We continued for a while longer, seeing more cliffs, more spray, hearing more of the pounding sea.  We kept talking and laughing and yelling in awe.  But, we had to turn around and walk back to get back to our dinner made with love by Theresa, our innkeeper.  So, we turned back and made our way back to the car, over the mountains, through the woods, back to the inn, to come home to a crackling fire, hot chicken chili, and fun conversation with the young and the not as young, around good, warm food and a good, warm fire.

Wow! What a day!

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

I must give credit where credit is due:  Heather took some of these pictures and all of them were taken with her camera.  : ) Thanks, Heather!