Friday afternoon Jackie arrived for a weekend visit from Sydney, Australia. Once she'd had a chance to shower, Davey and I swept her off to Kabuki Sushi for a delicious lunch, a couple of sake bombs and a glass of plum wine. Just what the jet-lag doctor ordered, no? Andy, the sushi chef there, really is a master. Then we picked up groceries for dinner and headed home. All the while, Davey and I attempting to keep Jackie awake, if not alert. Once we got home Davey got a chance to run around the back yard while Jackie and I prepared small lamb loin chops, rubbed with olive oil, rosemary (from our shrub), fresh garlic, salt and pepper. We (okay, Jackie) grilled up the chops, asparagus and fingerling potatoes for supper, as well as a jerk marinated chicken breast for Mark (who ate when he got home from work much later in the evening). To paraphrase Jackie, about grilling the veggies, "Once we Aussies fire up the barbecue, everything goes on."
Saturday morning Jackie, Davey and I went to the De Young Museum. Davey napped while we drove, so awoke as we neared the museum and was chirpy, happy and ready for a new experience. We arrived and I checked and found that I had, indeed, let my membership lapse. D'oh! So I anted up and renewed my membership so that we will feel more impetus to go more frequently. Joc, when you're in town, let's go!
The special exhibition right now is by Gilbert and George. Not really my cup of tea, but interesting. They're fascinated with penises and poop. Hm. Okay. After a quick trip through that exhibition, we toured around the first floor of the museum and then it was time to go outside and let Davey run. We went to the park between the De Young and the California Academy of Sciences. The new CAS building, by the way, is looking great and I'm really looking forward to the grand opening!
Davey had a blast running around the park, meeting friendly dogs, picking flowers, throwing things in to the ponds, snacking, playing chase with Jackie and I and just generally running around. After a while Jackie and I realized we were hungry, so we all headed back to the museum cafeteria for overpriced and mediocre sandwiches. Then, after that break for sustenance, we let Davey run around a bit more. Then back in to his stroller to go to the top of the museum's tower. The view from the tower, alone, is worth a visit to the De Young. The perspective is unique and offers a wonderful panorama of San Francisco. Then it was time to go home, let Jackie and Davey nap along the way, and then let Davey run around the yard some more.
We returned home to find our handy-man finishing installing a new screen on the front door (to keep the bugs out and Davey in) and the house painter putting the finishing touches on the new exterior paint job. Yay! Okay, Davey, go run around the yard while I pay these nice men.
Mark got home from work and we all piled back in to the car and headed to -- you guessed it -- Kabuki Sushi! There we had a raucous and delicious dinner with Dad, Linda, Polly, Chris, Sam (visiting home on Spring break from West Point), Snorky, Paul and Linda (Saturday night regulars there). Davey showed that he's a good drummer with chopsticks and again showed his adoration of cubes of tofu. He was such a good little guy, making very little fuss and enjoying the attention and energy of the evening, for nearly three hours.
Sunday we bid our farewells to Jackie as she went to San Jose to spend the day with another friend of hers, and then she's off to Boston for the rest of the week. Before she awoke, however, I made banana chocolate chip muffins and prepped an apple/berry/gingered crisp for Easter lunch.
Bonnie hosted a great Easter lunch at her house, Cocopah, on the Russian River. Bonnie provided bountiful amounts of food but then everyone else did, too. Foof -- so much good food!! We had nearly all of Davey's grandparents in one place (Dave & Dee couldn't make it, but all the others were there) as well as Polly, Chris, my brother Jack and several of Bonnie's friends and neighbors. The weather was gorgeous and much to Davey's delight, there were several friendly dogs. Yippee!!
After eating and playing around the house, Bonnie, Davey and I decided to walk down to the river beach. My, oh my, was Davey thrilled! He was immediately drawn to the edge of the water and started throwing rocks in to the water. Over and over and over. Quickly he was standing in the water. Shortly thereafter he was sitting in the water, gleefully splashing, throwing rocks and laughing wildly. Of course the dogs were all playing around him, adding to the excitement. And, as always happens, everyone came down from the house and to the beach, following along Davey's trail.
What a fun weekend!!
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