Here are a couple of interesting pictures. Made it out to mile marker 11 on the creek trail Saturday morning. Sunny and bright looking north towards the city. Dark and Cloudy looking south towards San Jose. I stood on the picnic table and took one shot looking north then a 180 degree turn and a shot looking south. Two totally different perspectives.
Vandenbusch and I have been able to keep riding, even on the oh so cold mornings like this week. We meet every Saturday at 8am at our local Starbucks. We head out our normal route but decided to do some hill training instead. Out Alameda Creek Trail to Coyote Hills. At Coyote we headed off paved trail and up the very steep Red Hill Trail. Tough climb for a couple old men! A nice down hill and back onto the Bay View trail, around the backside of Coyote and up heart attack hill. Back down and finish the Coyote Hills loop, back to the Creek trail and eventually back to Starbucks for reward and rest. I call Starbucks the “courthouse” because Vandenbusch seems to know every other person that goes by. He holds court while I drink a cappuccino. Great day for a ride. Cold but clear. Could see the city with mount Tam behind it pretty well from our vantage point a top Heart Attack.
Merry Christmas from our house to yours!
Kelly, Kate and I went out last weekend for our Christmas tree. The traditional jaunt around the corner to Regan’s Nursery for the $29 “special” noble fir. It rested in the back yard until Thursday when the girls came over to help decorate. It’s a smaller tree this year and we really didn’t have room for all of our special Christmas ornaments. Either way, the tree looks great. We gathered around and took some family pictures. I must say, we have raised two very smart, happy girls. Its going to be a low key holiday season. Keeping it healthy and happy with good vibrations a happening all season long.
The whirlwind that is the Christmas season went by just as fast again this year. Wasn’t it just Halloween?
Not Neccessarily the happiest of our Christmas seasons, but MORE than happy that we are past Christmas, past chemo, and on towards 2008 with high hopes and big goals.
Christmas eve was nice. Started the day with a brisk 24 mile ride. Vandenbusch and I had a good consistent year of Saturday rides. Beautiful but cold winter day. Afterwards its was home to start cooking. We had a few Christmas visitors, Kahuna and family amongst others. Dinner at our place, Kelly and Kate, Staci and Diane, and us. In the evening we opened gifts around the fire. Simple and nice.
Christmas Day we went to Uncle Mike’s and spent a great day at the ranch. A crisp Christmas day in Winters! Matt and Bree, Bree’s boyfriend Brian, Us, and Diane. Fantastic dinner with all the trimmings and just a wonderful time visiting with fellow Flahertys.
I got my Christmas wish on the day after Christmas. Barb completed her final chemo session. Although anti-climactic considering she still has to live through the final week of side effects, its an accomplishment none-the-less. Six sessions, come and gone. Thank God! Its by no means the end of this fight but a MAJOR hurdle has just been cleared. I’m so proud of Barb for going through this toughest time with both courage and dignity. She is pretty amazing.
Barb loves the great blue herron. We always keep on the lookout when on our walks, looking for the ever elusive and always alone, great blue herron. When I saw this one on my Saturday ride I decided to take some video. Used the video feature on my handy dandy hp photosmart R927 and uploaded to YouTube. Panning from left to right, you can see a gaggle of wading pelicans behind the great blue. Clear morning shows the Penninsula hills across the bay. This one’s for you Barb!
There is a new coffee maker at the Flaherty house. Or should I say new espresso maker. If you hold Starbucks stock you’d better sell it now cuz I may never go back! Jens and Kelly, who love a good Starbucks as much as anyone, but who live soooo far from one that it makes a quick trip for coffee almost impossible, turned us on to the best non Starbucks/made at home espresso drink. Last time we were up their place in Nevada City, they showed us thier super cool, state-of-the-art in home espresso maker. This is no ordinary espresso maker. With the Saeco Italia, you fill the water tank, fill the grinder with beans and press a button. Makes a great espresso. Foam your milk and you are on your way to cappuccino or latte heaven! I raved about it. Two weeks later DHL dropped off a box. A GIFT FROM JENS AND KELLY! I have spent the last 10 days drinking way too many cappuccinos (zzzing!) trying to get that right combination of grind and dosage. Also trying to learn the fine art of making foam. This morning I think I found what I was looking for, cappuccino heaven!! I’ve also made some great vanilla soy lattes for the girls that are WAY better than Starbucks.
So the old Gevalia coffee maker moves out to a shelf in the garage. Had many a great Gevalia mornings but look forward to many many mornings with our new Saeco Italia! Penso che sia nell’amore!!
And to Jens and Kelly I say, grazie molto i miei buoni amici!! il cappucino seguente è sul mio.
Our breakfast on most days these days…. McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. Banana, raisins, soy milk, flax seed, almonds (for me, not for Barb) and a sprinkling of brown sugar. A feast fit for an Irish King. Takes 30 minutes of slow cooking but worth the wait. A nutty sweet creamy taste sensation. Tastes good and good for you too!
First day of winter, temps in the 30s, and out for a ride! Not many people on the creek trail. When we took a break at mile marker 11, the sun broke through the morning clouds and shined down upon San Francisco 25 miles away. Awesome.
11 miles from home and about as far away from civilization that a man can be while still being smack dab in the middle of the bay area. This is a resting point for Vandenbusch and I when we come out this way. At the end of the creek trail, there is a levy that seperates the old salt ponds from the bay. We take this for about a mile. It really does seem so very far away Low tide on Saturday had the shore birds looking for breakfast. Dumbarton bridge in the background.
