Cruising ~ The
Cat’s Meow Style ~ January ~ April, 2012
Stateside
Well, the year 2012 started
out unlike any other for us. Martin had surgery scheduled for early January at
the Vet Admin hospital in San Francisco, California, so that was of course the
focus for that time. He came through the surgery OK, we stayed at daughter
Deb’s house in San Carlos (near SF) for a few days before we moved ourselves,
and the cats, to our friend Pat’s house in Walnut Creek, just across the San
Francisco Bay.
Martin prepped for going into surgery,
January
After being well cared-for
by Deb, it was still nice to have an entire house to ourselves, where we could
spread-out, and have a lot of peace and quiet. We were in this house for the
duration – the docs at the VA wanted Martin to check back with them every two
weeks for a long time, to be sure all was healing well and all was moving
forward. He had very good care at this VA, we were both impressed with the real
caring we felt from the staff and the level of professionalism all around.
Besides all of that, the SF VA sits on absolutely gorgeous, scenic property,
overlooking the bay just west of the San Francisco Bridge - - not a bad place
for Robin to have to sit and wait….
While languishing in the
Walnut Creek house, healing up, we did manage to fill some of our time with
good times with both family and friends. Les and Diane of the sailboat Gemini
were in the area ~ we enjoyed a very nice evening filled with good Cuban food
and drink with them. Diane and Bill, formerly of Wirewalker, along with Kathy
of Spirit Quest and Bill’s sister, Willow, were also just down the road and we
enjoyed a fun evening with them and a home-cooked meal. JJ (formerly of
Rapsculion) and Michael came through the area on their way back to Santa Cruz ~
we explored a nice Thai restaurant one evening together. Deb dropped by the
house a number of times, we drove to San Carlos a few times, son William came
by to see his dad, and Robin had a chance to spend some time with some good ole
friends. Robin and Cinny, one of her long-time friends, spent a couple of
afternoons perusing the shops in downtown Los Gatos, plus the afternoon both of
us visited Cinny & Bill at their mountain home in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Keri, Robin’s “sorta step-daughter” who lives in the San Jose area, was
available too, and Robin enjoys seeing her very much. Since we were in the Bay
Area for a period of time, Robin also had the chance to spend time with Judy,
Andrea and Kathy, friends since they met in junior high!!! It truly was a great
time, seeing so many friendly faces and having the time to catch-up with so
many people
Dining with the (former) Wirewalkers & Spirit Quest Kathy Robin with long-time buddies Kathy & Andrea
Martin & Bill fixin’ the world’s
problems
We even decided to do some
of the tourist things that we have not indulged in for years and years. We
spent an afternoon in Japan town, and another day wandering around China town.
What a delight! And, what a difference between the two cultures and
neighborhoods!!
Japan town in San Francisco Plastic renditions of items on the
restaurant menu
China town in San Francisco That is the price, in US
dollars!
Those of you who know Martin
know that he has the reputation of being tied to the computer. He has had a
long long history with computers, the development of computer
technology, etc., so that has been a continuing source of pleasure for him.
While recuperating after this surgery, however, Martin found a new passion:
painting with watercolors!!! Whodathunkit??!! His mother, Laura Hardy, painted
and wrote children’s stories for many years, but who knew that Martin had the
art gene?? What a shock. Robin would wake up after a restful night and find
Martin at the dining table, painting away. And he stayed there for many an hour
during most days, too, developing a style of painting that is quite
likeable.
Date Request Whales
Well, since Martin was
enjoying an artistic vein so much, Robin had an opportunity to develop some of
her own craft skills, as well, at the other end of that dining table! Robin has
been making jewelry, mostly with beads and shells, for a number of years, but
during this time she began using abalone pieces, plus sea glass and shell
pieces, beads and pearls and crystals, in a new way.
Abalone capped with pearls, beads, and crystals Shell piece encrusted with beads, pearls, and crystals
You can find the artwork for
both of us on the Fine Art America website (http://fineartamerica.com/). To find Robin’s individual artist website there,
to go http://robin-aitken-hardy.artistwebsites.com/ and to find
Martin go to http://martin-hardy.artistwebsites.com/. Martin’s
work is under the paintings and Robin’s is under the jewelry
selection of the Products drop-down menu. We are both changing and adding new
work often, so check back and see what we are creating!
While both of us enjoyed seeing
friends and family, and developing some new art skills, this time was not all
fun and roses. Martin did have some tuff times along the healing road, and
needed to take care of his health. We made many a trip across the Bay Bridge, a
couple of trips were unscheduled, but all-in-all Martin did finally begin
feeling better and stronger. The house we were in backed up to a very nice,
very large community park, where there were great walking trails, ponds, and
lots of waterfowl to observe. Robin enjoyed getting back to her power-walking
routine, and Martin had a great place to strengthen his body, one step at a
time.
Heather
Farms Community Park, just behind the house in Walnut Creek, CA
We had driven up to the Bay
Area in our little (really, quite little!) Honda Civic hatchback, a 1988
version, which did fine but was really quite small….and very low to the ground.
Being low to the ground is not necessarily a good thing, driving around in
Mexico. And, we really wanted something a teensy bit bigger, but something that
had room to carry stuff back n’ forth during our journeys. So, we began talking
about what we would like – and Robin mentioned the Subaru Outbacks, which she
was seeing a LOT of around town. One thing led to another, and we ended-up
buying a Subaru Outback from our friends, the afore-mentioned Cinny and Bill!!
What a great deal ~ we knew who had the car since new, how well it had been
taken care of, and it just worked out fine for all concerned. Well….except that
Cinny really was not quite ready to part with her Subie….but she had a brand
new one to get used to, so it was OK.
Cinny and Robin exchanging
ownership of Subie, our “new” Subaru
Neither of us really like
cold weather, and we were NOT looking forward to being in the Bay Area during
the cold months at the beginning of the year. However, we lucked-out and had
beautiful weather! Driving across the bridge, we had postcard picture views of
San Francisco. Too bad we never got a good photo…. The temperatures stayed
quite nice, not too cold, and we had very little rain & wind. All of that
was great….until March, when it suddenly turned to winter!! Brrrrr, and it was
wet and windy, too.
Mt. Diablo covered by clouds as
seen in Walnut Creek, CA
A very sad thing occurred
during this time, and that was the passing of our beloved cat, Toes. Toes was
well-known and loved within the cruising community, and amongst our land-based
friends. Most of his life, Toes weighed-in at a healthy 20 pounds; he was a
loving pet and very affectionate. Except when a dog (a dog larger than him!)
was around…then he turned into an aggressive dog-fighting cat! Toes is missed
very much aboard The Cat’s Meow, so named because of him and Squeak, our
cruisin’ kitties. Toes lived a long, adventure-filled life, just one month
short of his 18th birthday.
Toes & Robin in earlier years Squeak & Toes, inside & outside, March 2012
Another rather sad thing
happened, as well, during our stateside time. Pat’s mum, who lived in a care
facility in Walnut Creek, and who was in her 90s, was becoming weaker and Pat
was called to come back to the area from La Paz. It was a difficult time for
Pat, keeping a vigil with her mum while she became closer to passing on. We are
so glad that we could be there, in the house, to offer support to Pat during a
very anxiety-producing time. We think that we all helped each other ~ Pat is
such a good-hearted person, always a pleasure to be around, and she offered
Martin much assistance with his burgeoning painting skills, as she is an
accomplished artist. Pat’s mum passed on one night, hopefully in peace.
In a different vein, while
Pat was in Walnut Creek she finished a lap-quilt for us she had started while
in La Paz. Pat hand-painted a leopard and used squares depicting African
animals in a very special design commemorating our South African trip!! This
was a labor of love ~ and very much appreciated!!
Pat working on the beeuuteeful lap
quilt she made for us
While we were all living
together in Walnut Creek, Pat and Robin enjoyed some cultural exhibits in the
area, including an exquisite display of flowers & art at the De Young
Museum in SF, and a show of local artists working with clothing. Wow. This was
funnn for Robin!
Example of the show at the De
Young Museum
One very rainy, cold day in
March we met Cinny & Bill in Silicon Valley to explore the computer history
museum. Now…Robin thought this could be a very boring day….but she was wrong. Revolution
~ The First 2000 Years of Computing, the museum located in Milpitas, is
done very well and is not boring at all. One of the highlights for us was the
area demonstrating the development of the first computer mouse and the first
transmission of computer-to-computer that were not in the same location, way
back in 1968. Martin was part of that incredible group of people who developed
all of those things, and that have had such a significant effect on our lives
right here, right now.
Entry to the Computer Museum in Milpitas, CA Martin was a member of the team that made the first computer mouse
Here he looks over the SRI display
When we arrived in Walnut
Creek in January, we expected to be there for about six weeks. Finally, in
April, we were ready and allowed by the VA docs to head southward, back to Pto.
Escondido and The Cat’s Meow. Again, we are forever thankful to Pat for her
willingness to have us living in her home in California for soooo long. We
enjoyed an Easter Sunday dinner together, complete with a huge leg o’ lamb, and
then we packed our many bags and our cats (yes, Toes is still with us…) and
took off. We only went as far as San Jose the first part of the trip ~ about a
two hour voyage.
Ken & Rhonda, Martin’s
brother & wife, live in San Jose and they put us up and put up with us
every once in a while. Since it happened that we visited this time during the
Easter season, and Rhonda is Jewish, she graciously had a Seder ~ the
traditional Jewish feast ~ complete with all of the traditional readings and
foods. Along with some mutual friends, Jan & Alan, we learned a lot, had a
good time, and ate some different, very tasty foods.
Another couple we drop in on
to visit at times is Diane and Vito, who live on their ranch outside of Paso
Robles. It is always good to spend time, catch-up, and relax in their gorgeous
home. Martin found a sunny spot to continue his artistic endeavors while we
were there.
Not a bad
place to paint, eh?
After once again stopping to
see another of our good friends, Dianne and Hans in the SoCal area, we spent a
couple of nights in San Diego picking up mail and just a few other absolute
necessities….ha….before we finally crossed the border back into Mexico. We like
to go through at the Tecate crossing, because it is quick and easy, no long
lines, and the drive from there to Ensenada is a comfortable, easy drive which
includes some very nice wine country. Yes, this IS the Tecate of the beer fame,
and yes, Mexico has developed some quite nice wines, and wine route is full of
small boutique wineries, very fun to visit.
Once again, we were in the
land of the cardon and the cirios cacti, and long vistas in the desert. It
always amazes both of us how much beauty is along this desolate, open road.
And, we were glad to be back, back where the sun warms our bones, and we can
see for miles and miles with no obstruction but the mountains.
The Baja desert……… muy tranquilo
We did make it back to The Cat’s Meow, sitting right where we left her many months before in Puerto Escondido, on her mooring ball in Cocktail Cove. She was glad to see us, as well, and Squeak was soooo surprised to be back home!!! We arrived just in time for the boating community’s annual fun-filled Loreto Fest, so come back and see what we got into next……..Cruising ~ The Cat’s Meow Style!