Just a quick note to say that I have arrived in the greater San Francisco area. Spent a wonderful day yesterday in Colorado Springs; Mike and I took in several shops in the downtown area (including the absolutely fabulous Whickerbill, which, alas, does not have a web site, but which featured the incomparable "Sister Mary Martini" coaster set, which I got for Kevin and Doug), and went to Garden of the Gods, where we hiked the one-mile trail. Later, after Mike went back to Denver to do a wedding, Cheryl and I drove up to Cheyenne Canyon, part of Cheyenne Mountain, home of NORAD. We found a wonderful trail that led up to a spectacular waterfall. (Pictures coming soon - probably on Monday, when I have time to play with them and upload them . . . I have yet to be able to access an FTP program, or to get my computer on a network . . .)

Anyhow, today Mike and I drove past the Broadmoor and then headed up to the airport. I had an amusing little incident as I went through airport security - there was an itty bitty Swiss army knife buried in my backpack (which went through DTW security undetected - the havoc I could have wreaked! I could have put someone's eye out with the toothpick, for heaven's sake!). I was given the choice of surrendering the knife or mailing it home . . . I chose to mail it home. (While the security guard was pawing through the stuff in my backpack, he discovered all sorts of things I didn't remember I owned, such as a pair of lapis lazuli earrings - I reached out to touch them, but was brushed aside; they had to be run through the security x-ray again before I could have them, because lord knows, they might have contained bombs or something . . . ) Aside from that little adventure, the whole airport and flight experience went extremely smoothly.

Kevin met me at SFO. We then went downtown to get a bite to eat at a very cute little restaurant on the bay, then went north to Kevin and Doug's house in Concord. Much more to say about that, and pictures to take - but those who know Kevin will not be surprised at all to hear that it's a tasteful little dwelling with stunning appointments and a wonderful sunroom (pictures to follow). It's in a very, um, 'burbantine (as we say at our house) neighborhood for Kevin, who hasn't lived in a suburb since high school . . . but the amenities are grand, and it's very appealing. I was disturbed to learn that the neighborhood pool, a scant two blocks from their house, is closed because of a power failure - a tree fell down on the power line that supplies the pump and filter. The pool is expected to be closed all week because of this accident. All I can say is, these people, whether they realize it or not (and surely they do not), had better be darned glad that I don't live here, because I would have raised holy hell over having the pool offline for a week . . .

I'm told, though, that there is another pool within striking distance. And truly, I can't wait to get out and explore on my bike; this area looks eminently bikeable. There's a BART station a few minutes away, and BART allows bikes on trains . . . so perhaps on Monday I'll BART over to Golden Gate Park and ride my bike to Sausalito, as I did a few years ago.

It's great to see Kevin and Doug again, and wonderful to be a houseguest here. Should be a relaxing, highly enjoyable couple of days!