Anne's Trip to California

Thank you to Robyn for sharing her pictures.

Whale-Watching Tour Seth & Kaity's Wedding Flowers

Anne flew to the Orange County Airport on Wednesday, April 4th, and Lisa picked her up. Rather than sit in rush-hour traffic, we stopped at a pastry shop to acquire some snack and breakfast items.

And then we got dumplings for dinner.

Fortune was waiting for us back at Lisa's place.

Guest set-up, complete with Duckie, a treasured memento from Gaby.

Lisa's garage.

Apartment complex pool. There are quite a few amenities here.

We went whale-watching with Robyn on Thursday and then had a late lunch at Aurora's Taqueria.

This traffic signal amused me.

Dessert was sorbet on the way home.

a game of 'Monarch' before Robyn had to head home. She would take Fortune and assorted paraphernalia with her. Fortune would stay with her while Lisa and Anne went to the Chagi wedding.

Fortune helps. Lisa is pleased that Fortune is starting to tolerate being held occasionally.

Friday morning Lisa drove us north to Agoura for the wedding. We'd allowed for potential traffic delays, and then didn't have any, so we had plenty of time to stop for lunch at a Denny's in Thousand Oaks, and then check out this Park Visitor Center off Las Virgenes Road.

Then we cut across on Mulholland to get to the wedding venue in Agoura.

The hills were nicely green.

The wedding was beautiful. To facilitate more visiting, Andy and Sandy hosted a picnic at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks on Saturday.

John & Molly McGreevy

Lisa zipped out and bought all the stuff for doing s'mores.

Lisa, Andy, Molly, and Anne strolled around the park before leaving.

Conejo Creek Park has been the site of many of our families' picnics, Seth's Bar Mitzvah, and a college graduation party for Jenny.

After the picnic, Lisa drove Molly and Anne to Moorpark. This is a view of the 23.

We went to Carrara Pasteries in Moorpark, a place Lisa had discovered and really liked.

Lisa treated us to sorbet...

... and then encouraged us to select some pastries to take home for later.

an afternoon game of Ticket-to-Ride. John was out dropping Dan at a forum he'd helped organize to have political candidates and representatives discuss gun control. The forum made the news later, including a glimpse of Dan.

John was back in time to meet the Andy and Sandy at Szchewan Garden in Moorpark for dinner. Later that evening we finally had a chance to show John the pastries we'd selected earlier.

We stayed at the McGreevys' house. Lisa left late Saturday night, so she could retrieve Fortune and have a day to re-energize before getting back to work Monday morning.

Molly's rose garden.

Sunday lunch at Topper's. Sarah Baker (McGreevy) joined us, as did Amanda & Andy and their two kids, Ellie and Margot.

Amanda and Margot.

Monday Molly and Anne had to do a Del Taco lunch, just for fun.

We invited Molly's friend Sandy to join us.

Tuesday morning Molly took me over to the Simi train station and helped me get the right ticket.

As John had recommended, I took the Metrolink to the Burbank Airport station, and then walked the short, well-labeled, hike from there to the terminal.

I had plenty of time before my flight, so John jokingly suggested I could look for his company's ad. I actually found it -- it turned out to be on the wall next to my gate.

In the air, heading home. This view of the 210 snaking through the mountains reminded me of the years I spent commuting that way between Granada Hills and Eagle Rock.