Forget to mention that I dropped iPhone getting out of car Fri. It went skidding across sidewalk on the glass. The glass is tough but nOt that tough. Bunch of scrapes on left side now. Think I can get it fixed next wk at work - I hope. Also feeling really bad for A. He had little sore at corner of mouth that has become big deep sore - every time he opens mouth it gets a bit bigger. Also something was munching on his arms and chest. I did kill a skeeter yest am. He has a welt on upper arm that was warm and about 1-1/2" diam yest - today it was easily 3" diam and warm. We got various meds at drugstore this am and I gave him antihistamine - but have him one yest too. I did tell him to ck I with the people on his field trip - I am sure they have 1st aid training. He was already surprisingly worried about he trip. But at least he has some gd sushi for lunch...Oh yeah - he's a bit prone to car sickness. Forgot to tell him to sit in front of bus.

Life today

On the bus to airport to head to Tokyo. I've wanted to go to Japan for a long time but sadly this will only be 26 hrs on the ground. Feeling sadder than usual heading off. Kids didn't seem to care I was leaving altho A was more wrapped up in his own 3 day Yosemite field trip. Dog will miss me. The car has a completely flat back tire (hence the bus). Poor P is left having to deal with it - plan is to remove it and take just the tire somewhere as it seems likely it has a hole. Out of state-er hit my car last week - I did hear Fri that was agreed completely her fault so we won't. E out deductible - but still have the hassle ahead. Last nite I decided to eliminate some gray in my hair. Let A pick out the color. Disaster. My hair is now horizontally striped. Vertical would be ok. But no. That's what I get for trying diff formula. In desperate need of hair cut too - it has been at least 6 months. My gal is in the city and I just dOnt get there much at the moment. My neck at base of skull has been really hurting this wk. so got ref to my assistants chiropractor. Unfortunately 30 mi from work. Went 2x. My low back feels great but still some lingering neck pain. My excellent boss left a wk ago Fri. Good for him but not necessarily for the rest of us. We'll see how it plays out. I put off this trip specifically so we could meet - and it didn't happen. I did get to say goodbye at 5:45 on the Friday. He gave me some patronizing advice which made me realize (again) how much he didn't actually know me or what I was up to. So I was really sad he was leaving and really annoyed at the same time. Hopefully I'll get to make some of he changes that should be made. I was getting him there. The good about moving my trip is I think weather will be better both places.

Wow it's been a long time. Last weekend we tried for a little skiing for the family. We took the dogs so I decided not to bother trying to ski - instead I would keep the dogs entertained - and maybe get a little work done on the side. The cousins had rented us a nifty cabin right on Lake Tahoe. It wasn't cheap but considering that she and I ended up spending much of Saturday hanging out there it was worth it. One of her daughters had to stay home - fever.

Saturday morning sunrise over the lake - that's our cabin's dock down below

my lovely dog Foxy on the rocks looking back up the hill to our cabin

the kids had a great time jumping on the rocks down near the dock

 A heading off to his first cotillion class in his new suit (and tie and shoes)

 Q thought the suit was great for dress up. He subsequently talked us into buying him his own jacket (which at $30 from Target I was willing to participate esp when he contributed $20)

A thought he looked pretty cool in his suit too. He was cooler after we removed the tag on the sleeve...

A recently turned 12. Wednesday was his Cotillion ball - held at the Grand Ballroom at the Embassy Suites with all the other 6th graders at his school. Friday was his first "dance" at school. We were surprised he agreed to go although when a buddy called today the conversation went like this "Why weren't you at the dance last night dude? Did you hear the news? Will kissed Emma for a looong time. She didn't look happy afterward. And some kid got glow stick goo in his eye and the ambulance had to come". Well he had fun. Didn't actually dance of course. I got to "chaperone" one of the Cotillion classes. The one where they were finishing off learning the tango and were introduced to the Cha Cha Cha. My son has no aptitude at all. They kids were very cute. I thought it incredibly ambitious to teach a new dance each week - including Rhumba and Waltz (2 of his favorites) and Swing. He does think they are basically all the same... And dancing with 40 or so partners a night was fine. It helps that basically the whole school does it. He liked the "eating etiquette" classes the best. They even had cucumber sandwiches at the grand ball. 


On another note - a year or 2 ago a buddy of his had his birthday at an Embassy Suites. One down south of the city. This one for the dance was north of the city. A thought that it was the same place and couldn't believe it when we told him not so - that they just looked alike. Exactly alike. He couldn't believe they could build a building just like another... 

This morning I stood in the Colma BART parking lot with a dozen other silent denizens awaiting our anonymous silver coach with the black leather seats. I was just pondering that I would never have imagined I would end up here. Architecture offices tend to be smaller funkier things without luxuries of coaches or excellent healthcare that removes your appendix for a mere $200. I also just received email notification that due to good business year we would all get an extra 3 days vacation for the whole week of Thanksgiving. Nice.

Dinner was at Room at the Park Hyatt Hotel. Pretty much across the street from our hotel - but we had to go down and through the subway station to cross the road - it is a very major road. The plan had been to sit outside in the courtyard - and as the temp was in the 70s that would have been lovely - but the late afternoon lightning storm had made it too soggy. We ate bar food in the bar (chinese bar food but bar food). Food was tasty but heavy on the meat/duck/chicken and not much else. We put away a couple bottles of wine and a couple people had cocktails. We ended up with only 6 of us in our group - which worked out fine as I don't think we could have put more people at the table. The bar was very mellow when we got there but when we left at 10:30 there was a decent line to get in and live music and dancing. Apparently one of our party was there until after 3 (closing time?) and then headed out elsewhere - he will be project manager when we build our Shanghai office but used to live in Beijing so was partying with old friends.

Flight was supposed to leave at noon. I had a nice breakfast on the top floor - 80. Would have been a nice view if you could see very far. Discovered plane was rescheduled to leave at 4 so met up with the co-workers and got in a decent meeting after all. Dana and I had lunch together - the rest of the crew headed out to grab a bite at Starbucks. I didn't want to leave China w/out having a decent meal (not counting my nice breakfast - which was buffet style although I did try dragon fruit - nothing special - white with black kiwi like seeds throughout). Fook Lam Moon was where we ended up. Website says it is Hong Kong restaurant - close enough! We ordered several appetizers and dim sum and a noodle dish. Much too much food but all was excellent. We left for the airport around 2:30. Taxis for the ride - about 45 min - cost only about $10. Such a deal. I spent $80 getting to Heathrow. The airport is pretty cool. I like the ceiling. It wasn't very well air conditioned and we found it a bit too warm. Never nice heading to the plane all sticky. Our flight got delayed until 4:30 and then they had us go to another gate then told us no plane. Try again later. Mechanical problems. Plane finally was rescheduled for 8:30 p.m. on a different plane. We hung out later in the 1st class - instead of business - lounge. Not much different but less crowded. When we did finally board the plane they let all the premier members (not sure what they are called - but people who rack up obscene amounts of miles). I swear it was the bulk of the passengers. Too crazy. There were only about 10 of us for "business" that hadn't been in that group. We got to go next. This was best plane yet. United. Full lay down seats. Large TV monitor with personal control - that worked. Flight attendants not as attendant as the British Airlines and not many sweets or snacks to try between meals. We got same meal we were schedule for - dinner (or lunch?) followed by breakfast just before arrival. Considering that we arrived after 4 p.m. SF time I thought breakfast was a lame meal to be served. I got home around 6 p.m. Hungry. Good to be home but I'm still tired...