January West Coast Trip

In a word,,,,It was FABULOUS.
Now the details

San Francisco.
Of course, this was the reason for the trip altogether.
To visit one of my beloved daughters, Mira.
And, as a bonus, I got to see cousin Sandra and meet Eric (twice, in fact). They looked so happy together.
And, of course, there were 5 Boudins stops, many desserts, several great meals....and...a busmans holiday touring around San Francisco. Mira was a great hostess. I am impressed by how much of San Francisco she knows after only a bit over one year there. She really loves the place. Who wouldn't? But, there is the fog and wind...and the hills.
But, for me, most of the weather was fine...and somehow, I was able to navigate the hills.
Terrific bookends to my trip.

Monterey.
And the nostagia began. What a better place to start that than staying with Andy and Antonette Goroch. That first night dinner brought back memories of dinners past with the 3 generation Goroch family. Sadly, Antonette's parents are gone and the kids were not in town....And they no longer live in the big house in Salinas. But...dinner with them, just the three of us, still brought back memories. Good friends do that.
But, I am getting ahead of myself. Before that dinner, I was fortunate to catch the Romeros, John and Sandy, at home before a trip south to visit Jamie and her family. It was great to catch up with them and find out the latest with Cassie and Jamie. Both happily married with children. Like all of my friends I visited during this trip, the Romeros remain close to their kids and their famiilies. Just wonderful.
The next day, Monday, was jam packed. Breakfast at the Gorochs', a very warmly received visit with Simon Chang at NRL,Monterey (Simon's obvious pride in the success of his lab brought back memories of my time there), a visit as guests of the Gorochs to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (Where I particularlty enjoyed the sea horse exhibit.), a too brief visit with Bill and Mimi Schram (no time for our normal politics dialog) and....finally...a dinner with so many of my long lost NEPRF friends (Set up by Bill Schramm). Some I had not seen for 25+ years since I left in 1983. They looked just as I remembered them. I wonder if they felt likewise about me. Does time really stand still? Or is it only in the mind of the beholder?

What would a trip to Monterey be without a stop at the Naval Postgraduate School? Incomplete... So, on Tuesday, we set off for NPS. Lucky for me, we encountered Ken Davidson outside Herman Hall. So, we had lunch there with him and colleagues. It brought back memories of my first ever visit to Monterey on my interview trip, during which I had Friday night dinner at Herman Hall (Crab night) as the guests of Pete and Marge Pettitt. It was nice to see Ken healthy and still working, albeit as Retired Annuitant. Whatever that means. I think it limits him to half time. But, I bet they get full time work from him.
Ken took us back to the Meteorology Department. There, I had the good fortune to see Rus Elsbury in his office. We reminisced about the field program he worked on under ONR funding while I was at ONR. It was nice to see him still at work (Also as a Retired Annuitant) on the latest project under ONR sponsoirship on typhoon formation and structure. It looks like the forecast path problem has been solved enough to move on to structure (intensity, really). Like all of them, Russ looked just like I remember him.

I spent some of my happiest and most productive professional years in Monterey. It was nostalgic to return.

Seattle
After a quicjk overnight in San Francisco....including a Boudins stop, it was off to Seattle to visit Bob and Nancy Anderson. To reminisce about the Penn State days. I stayed at what I call their "Who's a thunk it" house. Who would have thought that I would know someone with a house on Lake Washington, across from Bill Gates....OK, so it is not DIRECTLY across. But, it is still a 3500 sq st house on Lake Wasington. Thank you Microsoft. Could not happened to a nicer couple.
The Andersions are a thoroughly contented couple. Three happily married boys, four granchildren who they see regularly, and...their health. Yes, with aches and pains and old(er) age maladies, But, after a scare with Nancy's breast cancer, they appear healthy. Alas, I did not get to see Dave and Patty, who live in Portland. But, I was the guest of the 4 M's (Matt, Michelle), Mike and Meghan) as they bid Bob a happy 71st birthday. Happy Birthday Bob, I am right behind you on April 7th,
A bonus was seeing Matt in his element, at the fire station. I will long remember the "Uncle Tom" story. Matt ius a great story teller.
And there are the grandkids. I bonded with all four. I ralked about science fair projects with Hannah (Hers related to electricity). I let Brady use my camera for family pictures (He did quite a nice job, in fact).
I completey bonded with Simon as we went to the Falls and he wanted me ("Winalsten") to take him to the bathroon. And finally little Elliot, almost my name if my maternal grandfather had not died while my mother was still in the hoppital for my birth. It was fun holding little Elliott in my arm as I once held Mira and Sara many years ago.
And, lest I not forget the long evening discussions with Bob and Nancy, sometimes until 1AM. Politics, religion, PSU ......All stimulating.
It is hard, unfair really, to rank my friends. But, Bob and Nancy have to rank high up there.
If only things had worked out differently and they never moved from DC, I would see them as often as I see Bill and Francine Gemmill But, alas they did to find a happy life in Seattle.

Fresno
From urbane Seattle and San Francusco to the Central California town of Fresno. Unknown to me was just how big and developed Fresno really is. With a city population of 500,000 and a metro one of over 750,000, Fresno isthe third largest metro area in Californa. Who knew???
And right in the thick of it reside Fred and Rosie Clark. And do I mean righrt in the thick of it. Stay tuned.
I saw, in fact, five members of the Clark family in Fresno. Cricket, who I once held on my shoulders watching indian dances at the Grand Canyou, is now a fully grown woman. Donna, likewiss young when I last met her, remembered my picture taking. Kenny, living a few short houses away came by twice. I saw them all together for lunch the one day I was there. They all welcomed me as a long lost relative. Just as Rosie welcomed that naieve, somewhat homesick, eastener in Pasadena, lo those long years ago. Cam I ever forget the drunken binge Rosie and I went on one night in Flagstaff as Fred looked on....disapprovingly...I think.
I was particularly inpressed with the diverse life the Clarks have carved out for themselves in Fresno. They have traveled worldwide as Fred has sold and installed weather radars in such exotic places as Kenya , India and Israel, to name just three. I have travels much myself, but never to Kenya not India, in fact. They have invested wisely in houses and apartment developments in Fresno, giving much to the community they so obviously love. As leaders of the citywide Neighborhood Watch program, they know virtually every policeperson on the Fresno force. Their pride in Fresno was apparent as Fred and Cricket showed me around the main police station and Rozie (Roz as they call her) presided over a Neighborghood Watch meeting my first night there. A good spaghetti dish was avaialble for the taking, and I took two portions.
One day is hardly enough to see Fresno and environs. But, we did get a chance to see some of the snow country...where Fred has once installed cloud seeding instrumentation, in fact. Beautiful. I look forward to returning.
Pasadena was my first forey out west. I will always remember my MRI "family". But, first and foremost, I will remember the warm comfort Rosie Clark extended to me. All of the Clarks did likewise on this brief visit.

So, here I am back in Washington the day after my return home. I have wonderful memories of this thre week visit to the west coast.
Thank you, Mira, for living in San Francisco.
And, thank the rest of you for welcoming me so warmly.
It was great...or as I said at the outset......FABULOUS.