Watch the Sky!

Already last night we were watching the sky in search of the falling 'refrigerator'.
I was not sure if I should take Rob seriously.
He insisted on looking up in a certain direction to see this flying space junk which the astronauts of the International Space Station threw overboard about a year ago.
As if there is nothing better to do in the evening, huh?
Therefore we were watching the huge 'refrigerator' falling from the dark sky.
Or was it a shooting star?


You may understand how tiring it can be to amuse someone as active as Maarten. Though today we both had a great time at the Dougherty Valley Aquatic Center.
It is actually walking distance from our old house in Windemere; ironically, it was finished and opened to public after we moved.

Got Free Stuff?

You can walk along Fitzgerald Marine Reserve beach all the way from Moss Beach to Pillar Point. Leaving the crowds behind at Moss Beach there are all kinds of sea creatures and harbor seals on the rocky reefs keep you company.
I shouldn’t have forgotten the friendly elderly hippie couple who were just packing their sleeping bags after spending a night here.


It’s still a mystery to me where all the rusty antique engines and wheels here and there on the beach are coming from. I’m also puzzled seeing the brick and concrete remnants of old construction. Does it have any connection with the lost glory of the late nineteenth century beach resort?


On my trip back I have a nice view from the high bluff and I’m even surprised to see a pod of whales. Some are very close to the shore.
I guess this is not the best time for spotting whales so I’m probably very lucky again.


PS: Today I put Maarten’s bike trailer on Craigslist. For free.
I didn’t want to deal with interested people so anybody could pick it up right from our curb.
It was gone within 10 minutes.

But...eventhough I removed my posting immediately from Craigslist, I keep receiving emails, people are coming and searching our curb, even ringing the bell and knocking on the door...

Got free stuff?

On-The-Move

A couple of weeks ago I got on my bike again!
After years being pregnant or later pulling rocking Maarten behind me.
Only for fun, for exercise, for myself! It feels like years ago, great, free and young. My knee probably doesn’t agree with the last part because of the bad stinging pain already during my first trip.
Right, it may not be exactly the same as before but it still feels great even though a knee bandage became a necessity.
But I really cherish my evening hour; how relaxing especially after those painful hours spent in the dentist chair...


Maarten’s school friend is leaving for Houston. During his going-away party at the sunny pool, while the other kids were enjoying themselves, Charles is obviously stressed by this occasion.
And I wonder how will we be doing one day... in the future.

Seganti Reunion, Windham, NY

I've been looking forward to this weekend already for months. After fourteen years I was going to meet ‘my Seganti family’ again.
Missy has already sufficiently pictured this event on her website
(I can't think of better words) and her pictures are here.

She is right.

The reunion at Uncle Jim’s Windham house was truly a blast. Complete with games, swimming, quading, paddle boating, music, dancing, fireworks (I guess, only Maarten didn’t appreciate this part), a roasted pig, booze and striptease (Maarten kicking off his shoes and clothes several times).
You can’t tell from the hazy PICTURES but it was really very hot and humid. This is supposed to be typical summer weather in this area. A huge difference compared to ‘our’ Bay Area home.

The whole weekend seems to be just perfect.
Even though there was a disappointment, unfortunately quite an important one.
Our trip!

First, Thursday night we started with a two hour delay. We were upset but as the saying goes, things can always get worse.

On Sunday Uncle Jim was so friendly driving us all the way down to the airport. Despite the unusually heavy traffic, we arrived on time at JFK. While waiting at the gate, Maarten threw this very bad temper tantrum like we’ve never experienced before. He actually never acts this way but due to this tiring trip and several nights partying we shouldn’t have been surprised. I was only worried they may not let us board with him (which happened once to another family).
Then I had no idea that this prediction would come true.

The plane was delayed again. Only half an hour. Nothing to worry about.
After another hour we were still not boarding. Maarten was calm again and asleep in Rob's lap. Then the plane arrived and we finally got aboard. But because of the delay our plane had to wait for clearance for take off.
We patiently waited aboard for a few more hours. Something else was going on. One lady was obviously sick of waiting and demanded to go back to the gate. Even the crew tried to convince her, but she insisted on returning.
To make the awful story short. We returned to the gate and they cancelled our flight that night.
The reason?
‘Sick’ lady?!!! Bad weather?! Not enough fuel to continue???!


We spent several more hours in line to get to Customer Service. At two o’clock Monday morning we had learned that all the Monday flights were already full.
They put us on stand by for an early morning flight to Oakland.

The bad luck finally deserted us when we happily boarded that particular flight to Oakland!

After a not planned round trip Bay Area to get our luggage and car at San Francisco Airport we arrived home all safe on Monday afternoon.

But without our luggage...

PS: Great news!
We don't have to leave the States yet!!!

Buckeye Creek 11-13 July

‘We’ just entered reorganization again, the 5th one actually, which possibly means, we will have to leave this beautiful country earlier than expected.
And there is still so much to explore!
Well, one has to find some reason to go out for the weekend again, huh?

We are already early 'en route’ heading to the Sierras. The lakes of Eldorado National Forests are our destination. We don’t have any reservation and hope to still get a space at one of the beautiful lakes.
Approaching Lake Tahoe we recognize the ‘old places’ where we drove last winter in the heavy snowstorm but there is also something weird going on here.
The sky is yellow and we smell the penetrating smoke again. I’m so disappointed.
We decide to look for something in a different area. We continue south on Hwy 89. The air is improving and finally we end up close to Bridgeport.
This is something I’ve planned for the summer vacation in August but being so close we decide to camp at Buckeye Creek. After six miles on a dirt road we finally arrive to this serene place. We are a bit surprised seeing all the campsites at the tent-only loop are unoccupied. It’s so quiet here. Except of the sound of rushing water from the nearby creek then.

It is very hot. So after pitching our tent we all can’t resist the cool bath and ...cold beer.

The serenity of this campground reminds me of our stay at Warner Valley last year.
What a reward after such a long detour drive here.


Bodie, the ghost town, is one of this areas attractions. I would prefer some solitude hiking above strolling among tourist masses. But to see Bodie without the crowds may be an unfulfilled desire of any visitor here.

It’s surprising that the remaining buildings of this once blossoming gold mining town are only five percent of its heyday in the 1880s.

Despite the crowds, I find this place very impressive.
While walking through the old streets and peaking into the old rooms I can’t resist the overwhelming nostalgic feeling.
Yet, there is someone to wake me up and cure me from the melancholy.
I guess, to Maarten this place probably looks like a dry dusty town, even though there are interesting play structures, he is not allowed to climb on them and, they do not even sell ice cream here!

I have to see the graveyard (I have something with those mysterious places) and Maarten insists on joining me. Yet he keeps on wailing and complaining and people look at me as if I'm a ‘krkavčí matka’ (cruel mother). One lady even tries to comfort him: ‘You’re almost there little one.’ But Maarten gives her such a shriek and with his tongue out he runs in a race pace up the hill away from her. I hope the lady understands my ignoring attitude better now.

I know I’ve promised a weekend at a lake to Maarten. I hope I can make it up to him in some way.

Another good side trip from Bridgeport is Mono Lake. Even though I’ve already seen so many beautiful pictures of this lake I’ve never had any desire to visit it. But being at this special place, I’m thankful that Rob insisted on coming here.
There may be other interesting places at the lake. Due to time shortage we only visit the Mono Lake County Park with its boardwalk. Here you can observe the many birds. I recognize only the seagulls.

Actually, most of the California Gulls are born here at Mono Lake. They feed on the millions of brine shrimp and the swarms of black alkali flies on the shoreline (the black fringe in the picture).
Not necessary to explain where the name of the local natives ‘fly eater’ came from...

Those flies are not annoying at all. While walking among them, they move away from you, huge fun for Maarten! Next to chasing the seagulls.

I continue to explore the rest of the reserve. Most of the tourists turn back after getting the first sight of the spectacular spire tufa formations. There is nobody further along the trail and I have all the time to enjoy this scenic place. For the first time I appreciate my hybrid sandals. The water is agreeably warm but to walk on the sharp rocky ground wouldn’t be that pleasant.

It is hot and stuffy. Heavy clouds and thunder promise a nearing storm. We are lucky. Only when we are back in car it starts to rain. Well, rain... only a few drops by Lee Vining.
Mine and Maartens feet are white from walking in the water. Not that strange considering Mono Lake is about 2.5 times as salty and 80 times as alkaline as the ocean!

Sunday morning is time to say good bye to this peaceful campground. It stayed so hot the whole weekend we were not really interested in the nearby hot springs which are supposed to be one of the biggest draw of this place. The ice-cold creek was more fun in this heat.

There are signs warning us of bears, but only the mule deer and tiny chipmunks keep us company.


We are so impressed by Sonora Pass that I completely forget to look for a lake where Maarten can swim at last. Only after Strawberry there should be a lake close to the highway. The sign ‘Pinecrest Resort’ doesn’t promise much solitude and indeed. This wouldn’t be my dream lake.

But do you think Maarten would mind the crowds here?

I only have to think how our weekend would have looked if we had camped at the planned Woods Lake.

Křeček

I know it’s time for a short update. But it is so hot lately I can’t think up any coherent text.
Maarten has started summer school and I believe it suits all of us much better than the summer break. Therefore everybody is happy.

In my last post I didn't mention Maarten had another encounter with the wildlife. There were some holes at our last campsite whose inhabitant didn’t want to share with anybody. But Maarten wouldn’t just leave the hamster alone and kept putting his hand into the holes trying to reach the hamster.
This little critter had bitten Maarten several times in his fingers. Maarten didn’t really hurt (as usual), his skin was only a little scratched.
To be honest I didn’t pay much attention to this accident.

Last Saturday, a week later, Maarten suddenly started to complain about a pain in his right hand. There was a very tiny cut and he kept scratching it.
Nothing strange in his case since he gets a bee sting almost every day. And unfortunately I also know where this habit is coming from...

On Monday morning this tiny wound was not tiny anymore and his ring finger was badly swollen. I didn’t want to panic and gave Maarten’s hand a bath in a baking soda solution. This helped somehow.
But then in the evening, by pure coincidence, I was reading this article ‘How to survive a bite by a rabid animal’ and I realized how stupid it may be to be neglectful.
I had a dreamless night, which is nothing that exceptional, and the pediatrician told me what I already knew from the internet after all. However, I found some comfort having Maarten checked.
Now, he takes antibiotics and... he should leave all animals alone!

It's hot! hot! hot!
Even the swimming pools are too warm.
Today, again, 104 F in San Ramon and 80 at the ocean. Big difference within only one hour drive.
80 F is pretty warm, however, I was cold the first moments at the beach.


We spent such a long time exploring the tide pools. Maarten is really crazy about sea life. Actually, he prefers the starfish and anemones above the seals. Maybe they are already too common to him or rather because he can’t touch them.
Later when the water was coming up again, quite fast I was a little concerned about reaching the beach access close to where we parked.


There was a surprise waiting behind the rocky cliff.
The water had already covered the reefs and therefore the harbor seals all came ashore.





They were surprised too and started moving quickly back into the water.
We could have waited there for hours. I did my best to move quietly and slowly as far from them as possible but... Maarten was with me!


And, at last, the moment he was really waiting for!
Splash into the sea!