On the other side, I walked through the airport IMG_1104 followed the directional signs IMG_1105 got my baggage IMG_1106 and spoke to this Avis lady IMG_1107 who put me in this car IMG_1108 for the trip to the hotel.

Once at the hotel, I admired the view of the pond IMG_1109 IMG_1110 IMG_1111 IMG_1112 and my neighbor's patio IMG_1113 and the pigeons IMG_1114 before coming back to my room IMG_1115 to begin the drive past Stanford IMG_1116 to Susan Goldman's house. My dinner began with this salad IMG_1117 from the menu IMG_1118 and then the main course IMG_1119 which engaged Tyler Goldman IMG_1120 Peter Potrebic IMG_1121 and Susan Goldman IMG_1122 in conversation. Before the evening ended, I got a picture of Pauline the cook along with Peter IMG_1123 but somehow I forgot to get a picture of Sydney and Josephine.

Next morning, I woke up and went to the front of the hotel IMG_1124 to wait for Jacobo for the ride to the beach. He arrived and en route got a phone call IMG_1125 about the Spanish elections. So, I recorded his dash IMG_1126 but missed the clock that said 10:13 and took a picture of this cone IMG_1127 but missed the lizard who was there. As a peace offering, he showed me the materials for the internal (blue) gaskets IMG_1128 that I know are being machined right now. We looked at the water IMG_1129 saw some beautiful flowers IMG_1130 IMG_1131 walked through the woods IMG_1132 looked down at the ocean IMG_1133 and after these flowers IMG_1134 promised to follow the rules IMG_1135 as we headed down to the beach for the trip home. The buoy IMG_1136 was a photo op IMG_1137 IMG_1138 for each of us as was the shore where Jacobo IMG_1139 IMG_1140 and I IMG_1141 IMG_1142 IMG_1143 posed for a handful of pictures each. After the obligatory coast scenes IMG_1144 IMG_1145 IMG_1146 we headed to Half Moon Bay for lunch. This was Jacobo's sandwich IMG_1147 and this was mine IMG_1148 which made Jacobo happy IMG_1149 as I took this self portrait IMG_1150 and he demonstrated this statuesque pose IMG_1151 from which he was able to take profiles IMG_1152 a skill I'm still working on. Next we asked this waitress IMG_1153 what to order from the menu IMG_1154 and the help posed with me IMG_1155 as the manager posed with Jacobo IMG_1156 and asked how to see his pictures on line. Our coffees IMG_1157 looked better IMG_1158 sans flash.

All of this made us want to drive on to more beach, so we found this offering IMG_1159 and a log IMG_1160 and then noted that structures IMG_1161 even structures where you could live IMG_1162 IMG_1163 but maybe not over night had been built with pieces from this forest IMG_1164 even as I recorded birds IMG_1165 who got closer IMG_1166 and closer IMG_1167 until they were at hand IMG_1168 and could be taken easily.

On the way back, we passed the house of hundreds (count them) of pink flamingos IMG_1169 IMG_1170 IMG_1171 IMG_1172 IMG_1173 IMG_1174 including these few on the stump IMG_1175 and the last few IMG_1176 before seeing the panoramic views of the valley IMG_1177 IMG_1178 that were striking.

Dinner was at El Paso where I had the vegetarian IMG_1179 made special and took pictures of Jacobo and Barbara IMG_1180 Barbara and Camila IMG_1181 and then the whole Valdes family IMG_1182 who were there. After demonstrating how Sandra's yoyo works IMG_1183 we called it a night.

Thursday morning, I started with a walk and noted the high cost of fuel IMG_1184 the the colonel IMG_1185 before seeing the Stanford team IMG_1186 which may not make the finals after all. I stopped at Hobbee's IMG_1187 and tried the Valdes profile method IMG_1188 but decided that Jesus IMG_1189 would have to take the good picture of me IMG_1190 as I consumed my fluids IMG_1191 and the tofu scramble IMG_1192 to start the day.

Once I was ready to go to the city, I tried to get a good profile shot IMG_1193 IMG_1194 IMG_1195 IMG_1196 IMG_1197 without much luck and then took a self portrait IMG_1198 after which I got closer IMG_1199 and finally perfected the technique IMG_1200 so that I was ready to go to the city. Somehow I forgot to take a picture of Henry Wendt '55 (what kind of spell came over me??) but did get a picture of Liz Ebel IMG_1201 and our wonderful parking spot.

For dinner, I went to Sto'a IMG_1202 and had this main course IMG_1203 to the amusement of Mel Goldman IMG_1204 and then this dessert IMG_1205 and decided to call it a day and watch basketball.

Friday began with some word processing IMG_1206 where one stupid mistake meant that I had to recreate the story of the previous pictures I took. I had lunch with Sharon Long IMG_1207 who comes closest to being my counterpart at Stanford and then headed off to Google IMG_1208 where the buildings were a little surreal IMG_1209 on the former SGI campus and the signage IMG_1210 led me to the lobby IMG_1211 where I was met and met Mike Boddicker '00 IMG_1212 on the way to meet with Eric Schmidt IMG_1213 shown here with his assistant who came with him from Novell (and Sun) until we met Pam Shore IMG_1214 who has also been with Eric along the way. After seeing this spiffy demo IMG_1215 of where queries come from, we discussed the company, the University, children, etc. until it was time for me to make my way to the Avis place IMG_1216 and return my car to this woman IMG_1217 who thanked me for taking her picture. On the other side, I took a shuttle ride that necessitated having some wine, so I was offered a choice of the house white IMG_1218 or the house red IMG_1219 along with some elegant nuts IMG_1220 as Sylvia IMG_1221 IMG_1222 and Dan IMG_1223 sat to visit with me.

We went upstairs for dinner where I had salad IMG_1224 pasta IMG_1225 and vegetables IMG_1226 as Sylvia ate chicken IMG_1227 and Dan had the rib eye steak. IMG_1228 I sprung for the tiramisu IMG_1229 at dessert and then captured Dan IMG_1230 and tried IMG_1231 IMG_1232 with the occasional successful picture IMG_1233 and others less so IMG_1234 IMG_1235 IMG_1236 and a good one IMG_1237 and some bad ones IMG_1238 IMG_1239 before a better one IMG_1240 to capture Sylvia who seemed to look better IMG_1241 next to David, our waiter. Gentle viewer, you are invited to offer your opinion about which was the best of the pictures.

Saturday morning, we claimed the car IMG_1242 from the garage for the trek to the pancake house IMG_1243 which was truly the original member of the chain. While waiting we decided not to enlist IMG_1244 and that these gas prices IMG_1245 demanding a trip to CostCo. I made a few attempts at capturing my profile IMG_1246 IMG_1247 but even though the coffee waitress IMG_1248 was amused, my self portrait IMG_1249 and those of Dan IMG_1250 and Sylvia IMG_1251 came out better even as the second coffee waitress IMG_1252 and our main waitress IMG_1253 came to look out for us. At her suggestion, I sprung for the chocolate chip pancakes with Whipped cream IMG_1254 and Dan got the omelette IMG_1255 while Sylvia had these eggs IMG_1256 and I started to wonder if I knew what I was doing and so took a second picture IMG_1257 of the many calories I was about to ingest even as Dan tried to break IMG_1258 the stringy parts of his omelette. All of this eating put us in good stead for CostCo where the hot dogs sold here IMG_1259 are world class and the gas prices IMG_1260 are lower. So, we made our way in IMG_1261 and through to the napkins IMG_1262 and then found Jason IMG_1263 who checked us out.

After the meal, we still needed another excursion and so we drove to the cove and parked IMG_1264 above the juggler IMG_1265 who was keeping even more balls in the air. A walk down to the beach led us to overlook the seals, some of whom slept IMG_1266 some of whom tried to get in the water IMG_1267 and many of whom IMG_1268 IMG_1269 formed their own colony as the sign IMG_1270 advised us. After getting a sign for Jane's Armani collection IMG_1271 we went to Mrs. Fields IMG_1272 noted the time IMG_1273 and had latte IMG_1274 decaf with skimmed milk to pass the afternoon.

I tried a few more profile pictures IMG_1275 IMG_1276 that were slightly better while watching Alabama IMG_1277 get ready to pull off a highly unlikely upset of Stanford. After another profile try IMG_1278 and a self portrait IMG_1279 we drove through traffic IMG_1280 to see gas prices in San Clemente IMG_1281 as we parked by the book exchange and Cowabanga IMG_1282 and headed into the restaurant where Gregory IMG_1283 Erin IMG_1284 and Larry IMG_1285 were joined by Dan IMG_1286 as the waiter from Peekskill via Monmouth College IMG_1287 tried not to spill on Larry. The menu IMG_1288 suggested that I needed another jalapeno, pineapple and black olive pizza IMG_1289 as Erin had her grilled cheese sandwich IMG_1290 Larry had his tacos (for the first half of the meal) IMG_1291 Dansyl split the pasta IMG_1292 Gregory warmed up Larry's meatball sandwich IMG_1293 and Janet IMG_1294 had stirfry for the first of 2 days in a row. After a few bad tries at getting my profile IMG_1295 IMG_1296 and a reasonable self portrait IMG_1297 we began the self-profile contest (JTS would be proud) with Janet IMG_1298 Sylvia IMG_1299 Dan IMG_1300 Larry IMG_1301 Gregory IMG_1302 and Erin IMG_1303 each giving it their best shot before I took this IMG_1304 errant self-profile to show that I hadn't learned much.

After dinner, we went to the book store where I took 3 pictures IMG_1305 IMG_1306 IMG_1307 with too much flash and four pictures IMG_1308 IMG_1309 IMG_1310 IMG_1311 with too little flash before we ended the evening with this collection IMG_1312 IMG_1313 IMG_1314 IMG_1315 of group pictures.