At Lake Tahoe at last.

We arrived at Lake Tahoe around 4:30 in the afternoon.  Evey and Eric got there much earlier because they left the house at 8:30 a.m. to take Kiwi to her boarding school.  In fact, we already saw a Facebook video post of her teacher taking her on a bike ride!  That trainer is truly amazing.

Anyway, we left around 10:45 and made a few stops along the way.  It's about a four hour drive if there are no stops.  And what a magnificent drive!  As we drove farther and farther north in CA, it was interesting to see the topography change, the HIGH mountains and the TALL pines.  Wow!  As we crested the top of the hill at about 7k feet, we got our first view of Lake Tahoe.  Spectacular.

After we unpacked, we drove about 10 minutes to the nearby town of Stateline, from our log cabin in South Lake Tahoe, for some shopping and dinner.  We had a great time shopping for some souvenirs. Evey had said she would buy me something here for my birthday, so I picked a Lake Tahoe mug and a jar of Wild Cranberry honey.  I'm very happy.

We had dinner at a place called Freshies and sat on the outdoor, upper deck. It gave us a wonderful view of the lake and delicious food.  Mark was especially thrilled to get cod scampi!

After dinner, we went back to the cabin and walked down to the beach, just two blocks from our awesome log cabin.  E and E had waded in the very shallow end of the lake near our cabin earlier in the day. It was very warm with a soft bottom.  Unfortunately, by the time we got down there it was dark.  The water was cold but tolerable.  Kind of cool walking out there in the dark.

We plan to drive completely all the way around the lake today with lots of stops for picture taking.  We also planned to do jet skis at the north end of the lake, but when we get up there, it's only going to be about 73 in the air and probably less than that in the water.  Not sure I will be up for that!

First view of Lake Tahoe.  Mark snapped this from the car as we drove.

Love this log cabin

Antler chandelier

Outside the cabin

My car in the driveway of the cabin

Shopping at Stateline

Dinner restaurant

View from the restaurant deck

Evey and Eric wading out in the lake after dinner

On to Lake Tahoe

Our five nights at the Gaertner Estate are up.  Evey and Eric have already taken off with Kiwi.  We bade a sad farewell to Kiwi since we won't see her again until next summer.  She is going for two weeks to a dog trainer, where she has been before, to learn how to get along better with other dogs and continue leash work.  Evey and Eric will then take off for the log cabin we rented in South Lake Tahoe for the next three nights.  Mark and I should make it up there about 3 p.m.  We are washing sheets and re-making the bed and washing the towels to put away to help Evey out.  When they return on Friday from Tahoe they have a few days at home and then a trip to Banff in Canada for their fifth wedding anniversary trip.  When they get back from that, Eric's brother and girlfriend, Kevin and Kim, will be arriving that very day with THEIR dog.  That's why Kiwi has to stay two weeks at the trainer's place because currently she's not very good with other dogs.

We have had an absolutely marvelous time.  It was sad to say good-bye to Kiwi this morning, but it will be worse to say good-bye to Evey and Eric Friday morning when we head off to Reno, NV and the NARFE convention.  The good news is that Evey and Eric will be coming to our house the Friday before Thanksgiving for a week.  That's going to be fun, too.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday when Rudy was here.

Evey was at work on Monday, and Eric went dirt biking.

Rudy and Mark in the backyard.

Later in the day we went to Rita's for treats.

Eric in his office while Evey and Mark cook dinner.  

Bye Bye, Kiwi.  See you next year.

Sunday in the Park with...Eric, Laverne, Kelly, and Mark.

We had a most relaxing Sunday in the house, and around 3:30 Eric drove me and Mark to AT&T Park in San Francisco to see the Giants play the Mets.  We met my high school friend Laverne and her husband Kelly there.  We had nosebleed section seats, but the view was awesome.  The park is oriented so most seats are facing the SF Bay.  It was beautiful, but cold.  The high for the day was 62.  By game time it was about 59 with a stiff wind blowing in off the bay right at us.  I had long pants and a hoodie, but my nose was cold.  Unfortunately, the Giants lost to the Mets, 2-0, but the game was so fast that we drove almost all the way home in daylight.  Eric did all the driving, about an hour or so each way, so that was very nice of him.

Today our friend Rudy will be visiting us since he is spending a week in San Francisco right now.  He should be here in about 45 minutes to see the house and go out to lunch with us.  Evey is at work and Eric is going out dirt biking.  He probably won't see them unless they are back before we get back from lunch.

Tomorrow it is on to Lake Tahoe for three nights with Evey and Eric in a gorgeous log cabin.  Can't wait!

Mark's blood sugar was high Sunday morning, so he made himself a Screwdriver.  Fortunately, the house has a wet BAR!

View from our seats.

Quiet Shabbat

We stayed at The Gaertner Estate, the name they have given their gorgeous house, except for a walk around a lake in the evening.  We listened to the soundtrack to Hamilton, and Evey and I played six games of Mah Jongg.  We had so much fun doing that.  She made cod, corn on the cob, and fresh steamed broccoli for dinner, which we ate at the table in their back yard.  California weather is so beautiful that you can really enjoy outdoor living, which their house certainly is set up for.

This morning Mark and I have been playing with Kiwi, reading our books, and planning our hotels for the return trip after our NARFE convention in Reno. This evening we are going with Eric up to San Francisco AT&T Park to see the Giants play the Mets with my high school girlfriend Laverne and her husband Kelly.  Should be a lot of fun.  Evey is at work today, so we will only see her for an hour or so between when she gets back from work and when we leave for the evening game.

Tomorrow our friend Rudy, who is now in San Francisco, is driving down to San Jose to see Evey's house and have lunch with us.  That should also be fun.

Listening to the Hamilton soundtrack

Snuggling with Kiwi

Outdoor living

Mah Jongg with Evey!

Walking a mile and a half after dinner

Happy Birthday Shabbat to me

Yesterday was such a beautiful and relaxing day.  We stayed at Evey's house and played with the dog all day.  We went out for a walk with her on the leash around the neighborhood a little bit.  Kiwi is still learning that skill.

Then in the evening we all worked together to put up a great spaghetti squash dinner for Shabbat.  One of the many presents we brought Evey was a Shabbat candle holder that holds tea lights, similar to mine, and a box of tea lights.  It was delightful to light Shabbat candles with her!  Mark made kiddush and got the opportunity to bless his daughter, which I know he always loves doing.

After dinner, the Curly Baker, aka Evey Gaertner, presented me with a delicious cherry chip cake with vanilla frosting, all decorated like a piano and with the notes to the beginning of Happy Birthday actually on the top.  Wow!  It was most definitely a WOW moment.  I had cards and presents from my siblings.  It was just so much fun.

We finished the lovely day by sitting in their backyard with a roaring fire in their fireplace.  Eric is exceptionally good at making beautiful fires.  Good times with the family!

That pantry was built by Eric himself and he made it so the light comes on as soon as the door is opened.  Kiwi knows her food is stored in there, too.  Even is putting on the "treat bag" to go for a walk.

Gorgeous big living room.

Putting on the leash for a walk

In front of their beautiful home.

Walking in the neighborhood.  Kiwi is still learning to walk appropriately on the leash.

Look!  Mark has already learned to walk appropriately off leash all by himself.  Good boy!

Making kiddush.

Blessing his daughter.  

What a beautiful cake.  And look!  I'm only three years old.

Cherry chip cake with vanilla frosting.

Lots of pretty cards and some presents.  I had so much fun!