August 8: Visited Sonoma, CA and tried wines at Buena Vista Winery, Ravenwood Winery, and Benzinger Winery. Was charmed by the nice people at Buena Vista, enjoyed the strong tasting wines at Ravenwood, and was duly impressed by the biodynamic farming techniques at Benzinger Winery. The insect "highways" built into the winery that allow predatory insects (that eat insects that attack wine grapes) was especially cool. As was the pesticide made from cow manure buried in a cows horn on the full moon and then dug up several months later, diluted, and sprayed as a natural insectacide on the grapes. I bought some biodynamically grown olive oil and a bottle of port for my port-drinking 91 year old grandmother.
August 9: Took the BART and bus to Ocean city in San Francisco and flew my kite. I also walked the beach for, like, hours. I do love the beach.
August 10: cooked my first artichoke.
August 13: cooked my second artichoke. Accidently let the steam water go dry, burned the crap out of my pan, and melted my silicon steamer. Opps.
August 15: Traveled down to Monterey, CA and wandered through the aquarium. For anyone in the area, or traveling to the area, this aquarium is so much worth your time. I'm not an aquarium aficionado, but this one was quite awesome. One area had kelp swaying with the tide- 3 stories high. Another simulated the coast by rushing water over a glass dome that you stand under- and swishing the aquarium creating the wall. Creative use of space and really nice exhibits made this site a must see. Monterey was cool as well- nice walking path over to their pier 39 and free chowder tastes all along the pier.
August 22: Visited Napa, CA and tasted wines at Robert Mondavi Winery and Castille de Amorosa Winery. Robert Mondavi had a Chardonnay that I actually liked! Castille de Amorosa was a nice castle to walk through- but a little touristy-trappy. Also ate the Culinary Institute of America where chef Duff of Ace of Cakes graduated from. Between the open kitchen and the bizarre appetizers, I felt like I was a judge on Iron Chef. It was very fun. Also saw old faithful and some fainting goats that WOULD NOT FAINT. I tried to startle them, I did! But no fainting occurred. I'm not very scary.
August 29: Got a hair cut at Impact Salon in Walnut Creek. She did a good job of blending colors and giving me a very wearable cut. I'll have her cut it again before Christmas. I BARTed into "the city" and walked along the waterfront for several hours- 6 miles total. I met Lisa at TheSlantedDoor restaurant and had pretty good chinese food that was a bit overpriced. There's a place 15 minutes from where I live that sells better for half the price- but I guess you pay for the view.
September 5: Bike across the Goldengate bridge with Lisa and her friend Jennifer who was visiting from Baltimore. We barely made it to Salsalito before the ferry left- and barely got the bikes back before they closed. Huh. We don't bike fast. It was so foggy that I could not see but 10 feet of the bridge at any one time. I couldn't see the water below.
Biking through the fog, sometimes out of sight from everyone, the mists swirled and figures seemed to seep on the platform before disappearing as I approached. It was eery and lovely and spooky and strange. The velvety fog encased you- it seemed to recede before your sight and creep when you weren't looking. No wonder fog is the backdrop to so many mysteries and murders.
September 12: I sat on the couch and watched TV.
September 19: I visited the city and wandered around the Moon Festival in San Francisco Chinatown. Oh, the stories I could tell. Firstly, there was the guy that told me I was his new friend and offered to be my boyfriend for the day. Oh yes, I blushed. And oh yes, he was serious. Then, there was the gasping girl at the next table in the restaurant that found the large cooked cockroach in her food and the manager who told her "you already ate half- you have to pay". Oh yes, she was serious. Then there was the little old lady in line next to me who yelled at me in Mandarin when I offered her little granddaughter the candy I had just won. That was just funny. Finally, there were fabulous egg tarts that I got from Golden Gate Bakery after waiting for over an hour in line. They were worth the wait. I ate one tart every day for 4 days. I did not pig out- but I waited ALL DAY for each tart! They were that good. The Moon cakes I bought- one full of lotus paste and the other full of black beans- were probably pretty good compared to other Moon cakes. I liked the lotus paste one- but did not like the salted duck egg in the middle. The black bean one was a little beyond my American taste buds.
Sept. 21: started my new contract at the new job. It is my first true SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) and I am learning about the wonderful world of minutes. I have yet to meet the 85% productivity standard despite working very hard. I have felt the pressure to pick up patients that are probably not going to get better. And I have some lovely patients that are truly on a path of getting better. It is not as sad of an environment as I anticipated. The staff seems careful and loving towards the patients. The culture of apathy I saw in the other long term care facility I worked at is not present here. Many of the workers have been working here for years and the patients are an extension to their family. There are many sweet moments throughout the day and I'm getting a reputation for smiling a lot. All good things (except the minutes and the productivity). If the paperwork didn't take an hour out of my day I might be more productive! The boss is a live-wire- but is new herself and is rehauling the department. I respect her a lot already, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about the productivity standards!
This weekend? Plans are to approach the Pacific Hwy 1 North and take lots of pictures of the pretty water and beaches. I need to visit a CVS and buy a notepad for one patient and a mirror for a few others (hard to get supplies in a SNF).
Next Thursday mom arrives for a 10 day visit and I'm very stoked for it. I didn't know I was so excited until I got a message from mom about planning and did a happy dance in the therapy room. Yeah for moms! I'll try to keep the blog more updated. I'm busy for sure-and lots of plans yet- so I can't get slack in my record keeping!
Hey , no posts in a month???
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