tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64185666100604087702024-03-13T11:34:10.780+08:00Joel and Stacey +2: The Adventures ContinueOUR LIFE IN CALIFORNIA, SINGAPORE AND AIRPORTS IN BETWEENjoelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02564232047982501301noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-37620282711338616882022-10-24T06:28:00.063+08:002024-02-01T03:28:23.413+08:00Misty Central Coast Recharge<p>After thanksgiving's big hurrah, Nancy, Jessica, and I packed up our cars and drove down the coast for a Sunday-Wednesday escape. It was absolutely what I needed and I'd do this again in a heartbeat. </p><p>We booked a small apartment at The Briarwood in Carmel. This is where I stayed with my Grannie and Mum in January 2010. Lots of special memories for me here. What people don't often realize about Carmel is, that despite it being full of high-end shops and fine dining, it's also full of much older Inns with rates that are a bit lost in time. They aren't flashy but not dives at all. It's usually much cheaper to stay in Carmel than in Monterey and quieter and more secure for night strolling and parking.</p><p>The other fantastic thing we booked was day passes at <a href="https://www.refuge.com/" target="_blank">Refuge</a>. This is an outdoor spa settled in the hills above Carmel. It's utterly beautiful there and really reasonably priced for lounging and rejuvenating. </p><p>We had some wonderful brunches at <a href="https://carmelbelle.com/" target="_blank">Carmel Belle</a> and a dinner at the legendary <a href="https://www.dametracafe.com/" target="_blank">Dametra</a>. We also had a lovely evening of tapas and a lot of champagne at <a href="https://promesacarmel.com/" target="_blank">Promesa</a>. The rest of the time we hit up the quaint local delis and made charcuterie/cheese boards. </p><p>It was very chilly and thick with fog but we did get out for beach strolling and we did a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-54590326515834687182022-10-11T00:41:00.023+08:002022-12-30T07:28:20.479+08:00Hosting Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To me, one of life's greatest pleasures in that moment of a house brimming with energy, laughter, clinking glasses. That moment when a party starts to run on its own energy and you get to enjoy it fully. Everything up to that point is a bit of a mad dash, little details, cooking and baking and decorating. Anticipating needs and crossing things off lists. There's a deep creative pleasure for me in creating tables for gathering. I think about it and collect pieces all year. My co-conspirator in these plans has always been Renee, who my kids call Gigi. She's an antique collector and creator of really creative and spectacular events in her home. She's always pushing the envelope with quirky fun ideas mixed with history and then above all... comfort. Nothing should be too austere. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My other co-conspirator in great hosting escapade is often Nancy. My BFF of 34 years from Eastern Ontario homeschooling days. This year she flew down to visit just in time to help me pull off this event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My client, Heirlooms Events, loaned us linens, tables, chairs, crystal (and those moss colored hobnail tumblers that were amazing) and Renee, who was in the middle of downsizing her home, sent up a collection of hotel silver to hold flowers. I scored a whole bucket of dahlias at Trader Joe's the day before. They turned out just the way I'd hoped. Those dewy peachy petals juxtaposing the tarnished silver. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtykzGUq8DW8J3HXRHXxbokjCimyD9a-nfdybej_gTFp7SNiYpAZdX5Mto5zveajWV1B2jnzw_KKDp7bs_mO0AApZVKCLowYEiC1gOskHkiUfATBvgs7RmeHHF3MFtBopgF6lwi582uoI8DFKaHCVLNS4P7zvf6gIwjDTkrT9o1WgB7hmn-v0YWb7o/s4032/2022_thanksgiving_bar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtykzGUq8DW8J3HXRHXxbokjCimyD9a-nfdybej_gTFp7SNiYpAZdX5Mto5zveajWV1B2jnzw_KKDp7bs_mO0AApZVKCLowYEiC1gOskHkiUfATBvgs7RmeHHF3MFtBopgF6lwi582uoI8DFKaHCVLNS4P7zvf6gIwjDTkrT9o1WgB7hmn-v0YWb7o/w481-h360/2022_thanksgiving_bar1.jpg" width="481" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdKWDACOG2TNaWTlcat3kbw0DaKyV9DtMjMimgLr-uPsNg9Qfgxnn3w9V1U0fbntg8dH1V4SUHBwepCU6MMegGxcCCoRRodan007E5oIC-CecZYqK9ffkBLtsnAdByNNQdFE8eozsjSk-crcZvjYqa1_y51GyhtyN5yPVEqjrl3CuenNbMlfErgFR/s4032/2022_thanksgiving_flowers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdKWDACOG2TNaWTlcat3kbw0DaKyV9DtMjMimgLr-uPsNg9Qfgxnn3w9V1U0fbntg8dH1V4SUHBwepCU6MMegGxcCCoRRodan007E5oIC-CecZYqK9ffkBLtsnAdByNNQdFE8eozsjSk-crcZvjYqa1_y51GyhtyN5yPVEqjrl3CuenNbMlfErgFR/w480-h640/2022_thanksgiving_flowers1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxET874Nt9wiFm3q3fx03AuMBI6yrCWvJ9plnTKv-FrhpUbsNz496xpaaRLPQs7kiovycq_N2rI7dN1m607gDp3fuSvFb9RIdIoSopGkgmQjlJFZM-HBP04b5CV4exvZKYtHOE28zI01Irlu9v9C3bNVYz0O38zd2LotzEVNn0Jv8j6f4zY1WhALE/s1800/2022_thanksgiving_table1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxET874Nt9wiFm3q3fx03AuMBI6yrCWvJ9plnTKv-FrhpUbsNz496xpaaRLPQs7kiovycq_N2rI7dN1m607gDp3fuSvFb9RIdIoSopGkgmQjlJFZM-HBP04b5CV4exvZKYtHOE28zI01Irlu9v9C3bNVYz0O38zd2LotzEVNn0Jv8j6f4zY1WhALE/w480-h601/2022_thanksgiving_table1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a lovely afternoon and night, with lots of hugs and catching up. I wish Renee had been able to come up and join us too. Jessica made it up from LA though and the following morning, after SO much cleaning, Nancy, Jess and I hatched a plan to decompress and do the opposite of hosting...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-58897570931195519752022-08-23T05:49:00.003+08:002022-12-15T13:58:37.169+08:00Summer Cottage on a lake<p>It's the key ingredient of a Canadian kid's Summer if you live in the Eastern provinces with lots of lakes. Having grown up in cottage country it was odd when we moved to BC at age 10 and there were relatively few warm, clear lakes to dive into in the Summer. There were also few days that got warm enough to want to swim! A BC Summer is more like spring weather, wet, breezy with occasional warmer days but it rarely gets sticky hot. When we lived in Vancouver all my Ontario Summer clothes lived in a bag. And after moving to hotter climates we have learned not to bring things like flip flops and sun dresses with us in July because they just live in the suitcase. We were utterly astonished this Summer to be arriving for our first ever heat wave during a BC Summer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-YDmEUW-KohXPQroVwkG839JUV6U5CWhFaFjM4-YsWu__mSeySj1jeMaMyacDbA1N9jfVpA1WMNWM0R5dAr0_QvpgExUmzEFouhTmRvDvVGY7wzgyS7MKLhn8UFEouGviqL-tXoJcqXRmhqgrp4Zju8LEaV3C2kEKm3N6khFUz-Q5BN79I8sxCzb/s2016/IMG_1584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-YDmEUW-KohXPQroVwkG839JUV6U5CWhFaFjM4-YsWu__mSeySj1jeMaMyacDbA1N9jfVpA1WMNWM0R5dAr0_QvpgExUmzEFouhTmRvDvVGY7wzgyS7MKLhn8UFEouGviqL-tXoJcqXRmhqgrp4Zju8LEaV3C2kEKm3N6khFUz-Q5BN79I8sxCzb/w480-h640/IMG_1584.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7MhhMn1YLM11NTILU62ANp9JJAxrygbrZ66J-gxMD0zCUVGDVy3U3NxLlYWQCErngGlE9FhWD_aVXnYCTKgDSYZkEvkIQxV8-hhwloNXa3mYwKf_u-2-uS8PO3xATjZ6FnufrTWCFLSpR7vAINQxlvD-WYtV4NXZkM5FdZpPfztLidpV6HaPq64B/s2016/IMG_1632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7MhhMn1YLM11NTILU62ANp9JJAxrygbrZ66J-gxMD0zCUVGDVy3U3NxLlYWQCErngGlE9FhWD_aVXnYCTKgDSYZkEvkIQxV8-hhwloNXa3mYwKf_u-2-uS8PO3xATjZ6FnufrTWCFLSpR7vAINQxlvD-WYtV4NXZkM5FdZpPfztLidpV6HaPq64B/w480-h640/IMG_1632.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>When we got to the cottage with Joel's family we were treated to weather that was right out of an Eastern Ontario childhood. Jumping in the warm lake multiple times a day to stay cool. Sitting by a fan with a cool drink after. Warm evenings playing long competitive games of Risk and pulling out the secret stashes of treats we hid when the kits were up. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOkwdCYkkFszrM7Z-YCMhTHxkSevmTxmhGlIUZeG4BP2GFh6ggP6Asl7z3bQpqQb1iPdCiLaOVPYdBX_tKncicZuBF3k2tkF3u0fDgFLP3Hu5GMqda3bG-_d3IIP29rAnkm733KEsQYh2Fnu-e7fQ5Xk9C2HEJ_PSHLSq5_v8bG2aGtJq8NVP-nod/s2016/IMG_1445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOkwdCYkkFszrM7Z-YCMhTHxkSevmTxmhGlIUZeG4BP2GFh6ggP6Asl7z3bQpqQb1iPdCiLaOVPYdBX_tKncicZuBF3k2tkF3u0fDgFLP3Hu5GMqda3bG-_d3IIP29rAnkm733KEsQYh2Fnu-e7fQ5Xk9C2HEJ_PSHLSq5_v8bG2aGtJq8NVP-nod/w640-h480/IMG_1445.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYiJsPoixO8i0aPSnwm0yc1rN4pOW-Fl_F50T9fInejG05y2wCQ4QrIjwn9hT_drF4YUX1w_6DYRQeMj5qFU6DRSyfoHxrzqxYjETM3wTLixNUp3-9050FoZVAVtkwvDY0Bhq5HM9wa5I_HyFDtX0CsaVJ5G5bMBm-Y-a93GZveacoiUqK2SZT3Oq/s2016/IMG_1472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYiJsPoixO8i0aPSnwm0yc1rN4pOW-Fl_F50T9fInejG05y2wCQ4QrIjwn9hT_drF4YUX1w_6DYRQeMj5qFU6DRSyfoHxrzqxYjETM3wTLixNUp3-9050FoZVAVtkwvDY0Bhq5HM9wa5I_HyFDtX0CsaVJ5G5bMBm-Y-a93GZveacoiUqK2SZT3Oq/w480-h640/IMG_1472.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We also had really lovely weather to have a lot of outdoor time in Sooke with my family and music festival time with my brother and his family. Joel and I got away for one night to the Empress Hotel where we wined and dined and got a luxurious sleep in. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXzZyndCq2QGyS-XwDlNeSNNpm08wUu3gAGRyTjfusP0kGKsNzU5Bcz_eaCOAT9WIoP4oko0mAYQVZRl_vs8AZB8GANyZ1ipetMHtZZ5BM4pUfF5gF18cNH4201gGhNMeYWWX1iZMlFyfYwEorM5XcZFrPOCfwHB5l0-fwxVLWiEoBOaI-hmHNKW9/s1792/IMG_1528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="1220" height="695" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXzZyndCq2QGyS-XwDlNeSNNpm08wUu3gAGRyTjfusP0kGKsNzU5Bcz_eaCOAT9WIoP4oko0mAYQVZRl_vs8AZB8GANyZ1ipetMHtZZ5BM4pUfF5gF18cNH4201gGhNMeYWWX1iZMlFyfYwEorM5XcZFrPOCfwHB5l0-fwxVLWiEoBOaI-hmHNKW9/w474-h695/IMG_1528.jpg" title="Breakfast at The Empress" width="474" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeyoRrnwabSWX7D3KkX8H7N1U5rbKHNND7vV26gyPPlZQgHmkkLt9YvKcun_TnYC-6wAVI_GHKyvfuNubDlen1xR4l0t8JyLqAosqSy5XESRZW7pCRPQ63XMWQA1BDOllp0xvPy9YbyaUFRQ8KUdlgwMwoUX1gc9YnGIMSS2XgcwnzvVBZID4gr3C/s1867/IMG_1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1867" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeyoRrnwabSWX7D3KkX8H7N1U5rbKHNND7vV26gyPPlZQgHmkkLt9YvKcun_TnYC-6wAVI_GHKyvfuNubDlen1xR4l0t8JyLqAosqSy5XESRZW7pCRPQ63XMWQA1BDOllp0xvPy9YbyaUFRQ8KUdlgwMwoUX1gc9YnGIMSS2XgcwnzvVBZID4gr3C/w480-h640/IMG_1503.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0Fairfax, CA 94930, USA37.9871454 -122.58886869.7322914161416456 -157.7451186 66.241999383858357 -87.4326186tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-79712161546049220352022-06-06T03:01:00.010+08:002022-12-15T13:59:01.990+08:00Roaring 20s and COVID<p><span style="font-family: Caveat;">Do we, or don't we?</span> the parent party committee mused over Zoom. The gloomy chart from the Country showed the COVID levels in the wastewater were in a bullish upward trend. Parents were expecting us to put on the first year-end party in two school years. But imagining people filling the indoor venue didn't sit right. What if we have a super spreader event and land our little charter school in the local papers? There's a journalist there that just won't be able to resist tearing us a new one. </p><p>We drew up a new plan to have everything outdoors for our roaring 20s fete. The setting was stunning, with twinkling lights under the canopy of redwood trees. Black and gold decor hung from everywhere, dancers demonstrated the Charleston, the bar was stocked with supplies to make my signature cocktail list: French 75, Sidecar, Old Fashioned. We pulled it off! And it was beautiful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-G7b1DAIOIPee9bZQPqiGuiO8CF9Z29_hnUa3GBkEHjbrt2Mg_xDKJIFVlEtDMzIYuTt9tJ5RAw45g7h6KPKkGHcJvvvEScz9SddA_VzfCRamqdFrFTLxEqJsJj3W6BPUwuMaTnyosTrKGglgMuT4Nrmp3IMDUDfnYR9DL7CA55C7LjxwgvA6lqWT/s2048/IMG_0446.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-G7b1DAIOIPee9bZQPqiGuiO8CF9Z29_hnUa3GBkEHjbrt2Mg_xDKJIFVlEtDMzIYuTt9tJ5RAw45g7h6KPKkGHcJvvvEScz9SddA_VzfCRamqdFrFTLxEqJsJj3W6BPUwuMaTnyosTrKGglgMuT4Nrmp3IMDUDfnYR9DL7CA55C7LjxwgvA6lqWT/w400-h300/IMG_0446.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpgY5jPK_0l1XPGEIGetZxoJBrwPasxZg-iAQ4BOgeG30eQxU1_WwwDoVQ20lvGtleKK789Xzq4YIhDBhBGTLJGiKug6FpvETlFT4WPhXYoLrFtacvaj6_i9ldIvW74Unrw89axfH9CqNnUTxl2nvQoD3WMTPIDTnGyubRNLHYGn8KZ5KW6NG85fQ/s2048/IMG_0442.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpgY5jPK_0l1XPGEIGetZxoJBrwPasxZg-iAQ4BOgeG30eQxU1_WwwDoVQ20lvGtleKK789Xzq4YIhDBhBGTLJGiKug6FpvETlFT4WPhXYoLrFtacvaj6_i9ldIvW74Unrw89axfH9CqNnUTxl2nvQoD3WMTPIDTnGyubRNLHYGn8KZ5KW6NG85fQ/w400-h300/IMG_0442.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>This shindig coincided with my parent's visit down from Canada. They'd arrived a week before, in time for us to have a fun weekend with the final season baseball games and family dinners. Then I got sick with a sinus infection and after isolating for a few days and testing negative each day, I opted for antibiotics and immediately got better. Phew, I thought! I dodged COVID again. I was better in time to enjoy the event I'd helped plan and we got that glittering evening in. </p><p>We had a lovely weekend after that, outdoor brunch at our Barefoot Cafe in Fairfax and a hike in Deer Park with the kids and a late evening scrabble game for the adults. </p><p>Monday morning I woke with heavy, wet-feeling lungs, a bit of asthma. I wandered upstairs to grab a cup of coffee and a Zyrtec. Once back downstairs again I thought, well maybe I should do a rapid test. The tiniest of tiny test lines faded into view and I just froze in shock. That began a the frantic process of isolating me downstairs again. I diligently reported my test to the County, they responded by texting me my quarantine schedule. Then I did the iphone exposure notification for the state of California which pings all close contacts from the past few days. That was a little less simple as I had to get a number sent to me by the state health department to put into that app but it worked. I reached out to the parent party organizing committee members from the party and heard one other person had tested positive the same time but with so much going around, we likely weren't even linked. </p><p>And so that was day one. I quickly developed a fever, cough, headache and nausea and joint pains that were more severe than I've had in the last 20 years. I was not expecting a breakthrough infection for me to be this dramatic. I couldn't keep anything down, not even liquids. I had a call with a nurse to monitor my O2 and a follow up the following day from a Dr of Internal medicine and was put onto prescription anti nauseants so I could take in fluids again. </p><p>I had three days of being phenomenally ill and thinking I might get rolled out of this place on a gurney afterall, and then on day four it turned and started to recede. Just as the Dr said it would. By now Joel had joined me in my quarantine lair, only he won the lottery and got the cold version. He had a feverish night and lingering cough but really never got very sick. Our story is pretty typical of Omicron's BA.2. People are getting either this harsh flu or a cold and then it goes away. We felt we were being pretty careful still when we caught it. We were not dining indoors, we were masking with KN95 masks for shops and school, and being very conservative with any socializing. I think I may have picked it up having a drink outside on a patio at a local cocktail bar. My Dr. confirmed that yes, many people are reporting the same suspicions about outdoor spread. "It's just that contagious now" she said. </p><p>My parents have been isolating with the boys upstairs. Joel and I, with our own house entrance are well set up to isolate in the lower part of the house. Joel even taped up the air return vent (he laughed that it reminded him of Station Eleven). My parents have been delivering meals to us (we've been ordering in a lot) and leaving all kinds of needed items outside our door. The boys are enjoying some grandparent time and lots of hikes. They haven't tested positive or been sick at all. After a week of isolating from us they went back to school today and are taking in their last three days of school before Summer holidays begin.</p><p>And so that's our COVID story. Glad to have caught a later variant which, after lots of jabs, seems self limiting. But I still wouldn't wish what I had on anyone. We are still both waiting to test out of quarantine. My tests are coming back positive at day 8 and Joel's at day 5. My parents have to drive up to Canada tomorrow so we're hoping we change the tide in the next 24 hours. We couldn't have cared for the kids without them and are incredibly grateful for family. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-35373258439220939742022-05-02T05:07:00.002+08:002022-05-02T05:07:37.196+08:00Cautiously Optimistic<p>It's May 1st, the birds are singing and it's not terribly hot out so I've been gardening while Joel is fishing with the boys. A perfect lazy Sunday. Loads of coffee, cat conversations, and just a sense that I'm perfectly happy with a day at home. In January we branched out from just school to having the boys in various after school things. Skateboarding, Capoeira, Baseball, Carpentry, and they still do piano too. Children's programs dropped outdoor masking after the Winter surge and then in March, at various dates, some districts made masks optional everywhere. That was a huge change for everyone. Having been burned by that happening right before Delta most of our circle have been pretty conservative unmasking when out shopping or in a classroom. But also opening up our risk profiles a little more as this time goes on. </p><p>We took our first family holiday to our old stomping grounds in LA since fall 2019. It was a fantastic week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmjbRDQMisC4fmzGzGFQK7ugPOCs4kta9EbyudVLY26Vb0g3gGMTYTIouBEXCcLHGYRSbn4o64gNffGTyMjjYUCcuChHxIXTlJIn_fUpG3lwfMJ56fBgr-uyWZr9NNagl8S1WfFBzWJTrhQKgKGuyFfv1yyunMP3TMjClrTS8Enlv18O8qUrawNCH/s4032/IMG_3920.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmjbRDQMisC4fmzGzGFQK7ugPOCs4kta9EbyudVLY26Vb0g3gGMTYTIouBEXCcLHGYRSbn4o64gNffGTyMjjYUCcuChHxIXTlJIn_fUpG3lwfMJ56fBgr-uyWZr9NNagl8S1WfFBzWJTrhQKgKGuyFfv1yyunMP3TMjClrTS8Enlv18O8qUrawNCH/w480-h640/IMG_3920.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3_KyjK7YORhBkrKVoGXcFcE6u5yJEssIM59ASl8PNA2cSxLSQgPS1SOtbBAgGiIUprCVTf5Cumj-6l3KrEpGCVxtuJfbcDvunmsmzTwVjjQPmTcaa1wjdnafSmeTZG95IJsvqsuwRotGqjQp1XX5R1euzjN5jV-pa4jf56wyBmHFHxKWVPyaSxnw/s4032/IMG_9790.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3_KyjK7YORhBkrKVoGXcFcE6u5yJEssIM59ASl8PNA2cSxLSQgPS1SOtbBAgGiIUprCVTf5Cumj-6l3KrEpGCVxtuJfbcDvunmsmzTwVjjQPmTcaa1wjdnafSmeTZG95IJsvqsuwRotGqjQp1XX5R1euzjN5jV-pa4jf56wyBmHFHxKWVPyaSxnw/w480-h640/IMG_9790.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW4MA854_AnCvsjnxFxZ0_J9go9XZuQnvdRB-paFlwPEcNlkhsGb4cB99eefRPtcYQztJ_1s4KZEntqGJuKg1LghKacOFzKfe2rqYGIVdP4C7tZWk0tQafrWzAPY7YYw5mm9Cmc8BlZ9ds1vR0xudxPPNvF6xHnUGps33qkEGDMJBMA3YSLJeIPvF/s4032/IMG_9849.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW4MA854_AnCvsjnxFxZ0_J9go9XZuQnvdRB-paFlwPEcNlkhsGb4cB99eefRPtcYQztJ_1s4KZEntqGJuKg1LghKacOFzKfe2rqYGIVdP4C7tZWk0tQafrWzAPY7YYw5mm9Cmc8BlZ9ds1vR0xudxPPNvF6xHnUGps33qkEGDMJBMA3YSLJeIPvF/w640-h480/IMG_9849.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p>We had a home exchange place to stay in just in Santa Monica walking distance from where we used to live. We saw some old friends and ate excellent Mexican street food. Took did a spa day with a friend and Joel took the boys to see the space shuttle and we honestly caught up on a huge amount of sleep. We were cautious about crowded places and masked a lot indoors for shops but generally with all the outdoor time it felt like a perfectly relaxing family trip to do and happy to have been doing it at a time where things are on an upswing and the mood is really joyous. </p><p>After spring break in LA we all had to COVID test again to have the kids return to school and were very pleased when our school had only two cases after that wave of testing. A testament to the care folks are taking (and our 98% vaccination rate for ages 5+). </p><p>Easter came next. Again we did something we haven't done in years, we hosted the egg hunt in our garden and enjoyed a sun filled happy day basking in the rays and sipping mimosas. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdYjSHpGsSKN9Lhn-yTC1DOaA577P33DR_JL2vFGad8MUUJRXSJj3PvdK65YssD9988XLNOrMfgXOZeqY0MwZwx1181m-R19_CT3PZWx3JpcNbF6v4CHqjFgxCZ24B9FwWmYAQ3J1JoMpq7v3-cPYbE66TgkXSxsit9754IBn6Qa0wcC9cSNjLSEt/s4032/IMG_0027%202.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdYjSHpGsSKN9Lhn-yTC1DOaA577P33DR_JL2vFGad8MUUJRXSJj3PvdK65YssD9988XLNOrMfgXOZeqY0MwZwx1181m-R19_CT3PZWx3JpcNbF6v4CHqjFgxCZ24B9FwWmYAQ3J1JoMpq7v3-cPYbE66TgkXSxsit9754IBn6Qa0wcC9cSNjLSEt/w640-h480/IMG_0027%202.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKi_NN0tB5w4ZCrRYYrhS81bDeinEJBcEXnSsJWuzUY5DMHcOh_O3nINiVDVKt8CEtRlB-BZAr6ypQ3mMMmSqlwOVqxZZB3RlQCPSmIs4886wB4dvN6GH6vPUicPNYQw9ZDnq5aKp2woe63cDVvjF3LTIJHJJ0QkKMLss6IQ4pXYmJUDX6yG1lkPvv/s4032/IMG_0045%202.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKi_NN0tB5w4ZCrRYYrhS81bDeinEJBcEXnSsJWuzUY5DMHcOh_O3nINiVDVKt8CEtRlB-BZAr6ypQ3mMMmSqlwOVqxZZB3RlQCPSmIs4886wB4dvN6GH6vPUicPNYQw9ZDnq5aKp2woe63cDVvjF3LTIJHJJ0QkKMLss6IQ4pXYmJUDX6yG1lkPvv/w640-h480/IMG_0045%202.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-74978704078482238102021-12-15T04:07:00.007+08:002022-05-02T04:32:36.171+08:00The Break In The DroughtRain rain rain! We've had two or three of these atmospheric rivers come through so far. We usually get these in late December or January but we were certainly not complaining when the fire season came to an abrupt end with over 300mm of rain in a mere 24 hours. There was some short-lived flooding more due to the extraordinary high tides that were also happening at that time and it all resolved pretty fast. Then we had weeks of glorious warm sunny weather, shorts were worn and then another storm. This is what "winter" is mostly like for us. We get the rain stuff done in dramatic dumps and then get back to absorbing the vitamin D. The last two winters were very dry hence the phenomenal drought we were in but here's hoping this is a wet one to fill the lakes again and give us some buffer for the year ahead. <div><br /></div><div>Joel's parents drove down here as soon as the border opened to leisure travel to vaccinated guests. Our first family visitors in two years! There was much feasting and reading of stories with these bigger boys. They got their first fishing rods from grandpa and did a few fishing trips to Lake Lagunitas. </div><div><br /></div><div>2021 is wrapping up! Here's what would have gone into a Christmas letter had I any time to write one and get it in the mail this year. </div><div><br /></div><div>The boys have been in school now for 4 months. A is 8 1/2 and in third grade now. He is enrolled in a wilderness education program and an enriched math program. C just turned 6 and is reading everything he can get his hands on, and is eager to start skateboarding lessons in January. Both are in piano but they both are more interested in how the piano works and the music theory than actually playing music (who are these humans?) </div><div><br /></div><div>They both spend every moment while they are at home sketching machines, wiring circuits, programing robots to do things, or building lego. A is dead set on attending MIT to study robotics. C is so far angling for mechanical engineering. They have big plans. Needless to say, it was time to move them from the crunchy Waldorf school into this inquiry-led program this year. I'm not hearing moaning anymore about everything being too slow or boring. I think we'll be well placed here for a few years yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>My work drastically changed this fall as I rebranded my solo self-named operation to <a href="https://treehousedesignstudio.com/" target="_blank">TreeHouse</a> and began to be known as a design group. We got really busy in October and are tapering off nicely heading into the holidays. Lots of branding work as well as some projects for me with returning clients and local government. I was featured in a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L9TF8YG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JNDN5HG5VSSBVJ88EWHC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">book</a> about women in leadership, which was deeply flattering and quite unexpected. </div><div><br /></div><div>Joel's company, <a href="https://www.vimaec.com/" target="_blank">VIM</a>, has begun to reap what they sowed so doggedly over the past three years. The sacrifices, and sleepless nights are turning into deals and partnerships with household name brands. Not many start-ups rose out of the pandemic hiring and growing. But here we are. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are heading back to Canada by car in a few days. Our first time back since Christmas 2019. We're keeping it small and safe, a week with Joel's parents and then a week with mine. A Home Exchange family is heading here to keep watch over cat and home. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever 2022 brings, lets hope it brings healing, good health, and lots of aha moments.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-68665491643629010192021-08-22T04:22:00.001+08:002021-08-22T04:22:27.653+08:00What We Did This Summer<p> The Summer began with this burst of optimism as vaccination rates soared into the 90%s here. A few close friends we've only seen for socially distanced cocktails in the yard all year came in for a hug. I went away for a night with a close friend and stayed in a hotel and dined in style in Sonoma (though still avoiding indoors and crowds). We drank champagne and toasted our new year ahead. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3NxeAH1VLE/YSFfz2JromI/AAAAAAAAaXM/83j2wgkWCSkDC8lDiMd-ICRrRkNvMi8IACLcBGAsYHQ/s1855/FullSizeRender.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1855" data-original-width="1463" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3NxeAH1VLE/YSFfz2JromI/AAAAAAAAaXM/83j2wgkWCSkDC8lDiMd-ICRrRkNvMi8IACLcBGAsYHQ/w315-h400/FullSizeRender.JPEG" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look how happy!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After a massage and a walk through the gardens at Cornerstone I was feeling pretty great. The following week our pod family gave us a night away for father's day. Joel and I stayed in the legendary Olema House Inn and again enjoyed a patio dinner and once the restaurant cleared out late that night, we came in to enjoy a nightcap with the place to ourselves. Tiny steps toward normal. Marin's numbers got down to 0 new daily cases, there were no COVID cases in the hospitals and we hoped, this was the new normal. </p><p>Well we know what happened next. The Delta Variant came along and had a heyday. Our local numbers went from 0 daily up to 12 and then 20 and now holding steady at 40-60 a day in our population of 250,000. Very few of those symptomatic cases are breakthrough cases, almost all are among the 50,000 unvaccinated 20-40 yr old adults and children under 12 who aren't eligible yet. And this is in a place where people are highly educated, we live outdoors almost all year round, and science reigns supreme. Delta really is a complete game changer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aREOsuucZWo/YSFf9mcddgI/AAAAAAAAaXQ/clSlh70tcU4HzDVSkEXd5DX3QKkHqhQCACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_7450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aREOsuucZWo/YSFf9mcddgI/AAAAAAAAaXQ/clSlh70tcU4HzDVSkEXd5DX3QKkHqhQCACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_7450.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And somehow, in this place of uncertainly, we managed to take the leap of faith and send the boys to school last week. The school is well ventilated. There are no hallways, just open air courtyards. And classrooms have individual a/c and UV and HEPA filters and windows and doors open to outside. Kids are masked indoor and outdoor and our county is one of the few that is still quarrentining for exposures. In hopefully a month, the kids will get their first shot, we'll be eligible for boosters, and we can start to breath a sigh of relief again. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-69368807210707157122021-05-31T07:35:00.001+08:002021-05-31T07:35:12.718+08:00The Lost Birthdays<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BnjJT--mn8k/YLQcIHbcDFI/AAAAAAAAZHE/I8qhI8weCgUZe3Q4hz1GOuWznFZiGYhVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6901.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BnjJT--mn8k/YLQcIHbcDFI/AAAAAAAAZHE/I8qhI8weCgUZe3Q4hz1GOuWznFZiGYhVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_6901.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of days before the beginning of lockdown in 2020 we were supposed to be hosting a 7th Birthday for A at the Lego play space near us. We cancelled the party much to his disappointment but he is an incurable optimist and he rallied that day and enjoyed his gifts and cake and watched a movie with his friends online. As the year went on, every other kid had a COVID era birthday without the party or trip to the movies. Yesterday we had our very first gathering outside the pod with two families who we haven't seen in ages, we decided to celebrate all the kids birthdays. We sang, they had goodie bags and we hope they enjoyed a little piece of optimism of all that is to come this year. </div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-43081479815689781332021-05-16T09:34:00.003+08:002021-05-16T09:34:44.336+08:00VACCINATED - YEAH BABY!<p>At last! Joel and I are both fully vaccinated as are all the adults in our pod. Next week young Mr A will return to in-person piano lessons because his dear teacher also reached this milestone and is opening her mostly open air studio to him again. It's his first non-zoom lesson of any kind since March 13, 2020. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BPOTmFA02GY/YKBzurCGYoI/AAAAAAAAY1Q/420ZMAQDgYoIX4H1yvv82JBLy0iAr4CwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1332/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-05-14%2Bat%2B2.04.18%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1332" height="448" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BPOTmFA02GY/YKBzurCGYoI/AAAAAAAAY1Q/420ZMAQDgYoIX4H1yvv82JBLy0iAr4CwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h448/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-05-14%2Bat%2B2.04.18%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Marin numbers are pretty impressive and all this while having people start to do lots of things. I'm feeling hopeful. Kids are returning to an actual in-person outdoor Summer day camp this year which they are ecstatic about. Thinking hopeful thoughts too for our friends around the world waiting on the same change of tide. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIBoHs4_Cd8/YKB1W5KLcrI/AAAAAAAAY1Y/cMFFh1u6AZ0-GJNv1lLSWQ4dx6Bu8CnhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1204/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-05-15%2Bat%2B6.28.43%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1204" height="532" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIBoHs4_Cd8/YKB1W5KLcrI/AAAAAAAAY1Y/cMFFh1u6AZ0-GJNv1lLSWQ4dx6Bu8CnhwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h532/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-05-15%2Bat%2B6.28.43%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-43244302302268170892021-05-04T04:45:00.004+08:002021-05-15T06:24:17.612+08:00The Road To NormalThings are rapidly changing in California now that counties like ours have inched past 80% vaccination in the 16+ age group. People (mostly boomers who are finished their second doses) are out on the streets, or sitting at outdoor cafes looking like they are with someone from outside their household and it's safe for them to do that - wow! Our numbers are down into very low digits for daily new cases. The CDC just announced that fully vaccinated adults don't need to mask outdoors anymore, unless they are in a crowd. It's so different to see that same group of seniors who were our most dedicated maskers now smiling and unmasked. In a couple of weeks we'll be far enough past our second shots to join the outdoor group getting rid of the 'ol masks tan lines (OK I don't tan but apparently mask tan lines were a thing). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMdHbO_jA2s/YJBgKQYdQqI/AAAAAAAASD4/S1vW3kPMUeAE49X-EXKe1Zy61rMJ5ziYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_6532.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMdHbO_jA2s/YJBgKQYdQqI/AAAAAAAASD4/S1vW3kPMUeAE49X-EXKe1Zy61rMJ5ziYQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6532.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4k9WU6V_cU/YJBgKnPtzrI/AAAAAAAASEA/N5-2Uk_ZIG40E-VYfUCBQF7UefztZUF1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_6571.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4k9WU6V_cU/YJBgKnPtzrI/AAAAAAAASEA/N5-2Uk_ZIG40E-VYfUCBQF7UefztZUF1QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6571.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div>We went on a road trip to visit Joshua Tree National Park a few weeks ago and were invited to visit dear friends in Palm Springs on the way. In their pod, most are fully vaccinated and one person just partially vaccinated. Meanwhile we were partially vaccinated and kids are not vaccinated. It was tricky to navigate but we read a bunch of articles with epidemiologists laying out safe scenarios and we followed these new protocols. Despite the careful planning, it felt like a natural homecoming and a bit surreal. Just seeing our friend's faces and having a family catch-up. What a dream. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V89pdRdC-MU/YJBgXV7ZhKI/AAAAAAAASEE/i8HUgFSRRyUWR4leiJe779hv75Zw0DPsACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_6494.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V89pdRdC-MU/YJBgXV7ZhKI/AAAAAAAASEE/i8HUgFSRRyUWR4leiJe779hv75Zw0DPsACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6494.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our next challenge for our pod all getting vaccinated is, how do we open up and with whom and how fast? We've had a lot of discussions so far. I think our priority is to each choose 2 families with fully vaccinated adults we would like to reconnect with and just stay at that level of open-ness for awhile. Keep kids masking and stay outdoors but it's a huge step toward being social again. There are things our group is definitely not going to do yet like eating inside a restaurant or going to an indoor gym. Apparently Dr Fauci is saying he also is not doing those things so we're not that unusual I think. </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-91344563204667946522021-02-20T00:59:00.000+08:002021-02-20T00:59:23.557+08:00The Numbers and The News<p>It's getting better. I'm sharing the Marin County (pop 250,000) COVID-19 stats -- 17% at least partially vaccinated now! Cases in care homes are now almost nil after their vaccine drive. Marin is moving from the the most restrictive tier ahead of most of the rest of the state. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qdyAHUCDXzk/YC_ncN7jK-I/AAAAAAAAFao/cGjC36pNVwoSv6ytNzS163D0k25At2tlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1702/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-02-19%2Bat%2B8.22.58%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1702" height="392" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qdyAHUCDXzk/YC_ncN7jK-I/AAAAAAAAFao/cGjC36pNVwoSv6ytNzS163D0k25At2tlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h392/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-02-19%2Bat%2B8.22.58%2BAM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the wake of the new variants arriving in the US and having an administration now giving more timely advice, masks are stepping up a notch much like what's happening in Europe. The phenomenon of double masking has emerged and also, for those who have them, the emergence of N95 and KN95 masks in daily use. Almost everyone we see walking around has leveled up in the mask department. Generally I stick to the cloth mask for running and walking outside and double up for a run into a store and reserve my one coveted N95 for visiting a clinic. Kids masks are also leveling up. I have small KN95 masks that fit the boys well enough to replace their cloth ones for a Drs visit. It's been good to see the CDC and all the medical journals all on the same page finally. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYz-IAsLHo0/YC_q8aWqeAI/AAAAAAAAFa8/fIsmLtAlJ3Q8CEBNHNHT0JEJywjwvqGzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Double%2BMasking_Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1800" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYz-IAsLHo0/YC_q8aWqeAI/AAAAAAAAFa8/fIsmLtAlJ3Q8CEBNHNHT0JEJywjwvqGzgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Double%2BMasking_Large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">source: https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/should-we-be-double-masking-now</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the news, headlines like </div><h1 class="pg-headline" data-act-id="article_head_0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: border-box; color: #262626; font-family: "CNN Condensed", CNN, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: "kern"; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: -0.01em; line-height: 44px; margin: 0px auto; padding: 16px 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">White House says teacher vaccinations are 'not a requirement to reopen' schools</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>have reopened bitter resentment between teacher's unions and local parents and government. San Francisco is suing it's own school board in a case that's as ugly as that sounds. Some parents are picketing school boards with signs demanding an end to distance education while others are behind the unions demanding that teachers be put into the vaccine priority ahead of retired adults who can shelter in place at home a little longer. Other parents (more like us) are just staying out of the whole thing and planning to enroll next fall when everyone has had a chance to protect themselves as best they can. <div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-89781969169030164342021-01-24T07:59:00.002+08:002021-01-27T07:22:27.259+08:00The After Times<p>It's hard to describe the feeling of living here post inauguration. We got to the end of the week on Friday and no one had a drink in their hand, because just juggling work and kids and the usual stress of the Pandemic hadn't worn us down quite the same way as it did during the T**** era. I don't expect the harm to be erased, or the fights to be over, but knowing that functional adults are back in charge is incredibly good news. Just that look of glee on Fauci's face when he addressed the press spoke more to the people than any words could say. Help is here. It will get better. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/141210725_10160398519654338_1524398080887599712_o1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/141210725_10160398519654338_1524398080887599712_o1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-69256092756007487372021-01-05T13:56:00.003+08:002021-01-05T13:56:47.033+08:00New Year Wishes<p>I can't really make a resolution. 2020 is still lying on the floor laughing at my list from last year. On the 31st we wrote on wish paper, lit it and watched it rise off the table and fall in floating grey ash clouds. </p><p>What I hope happens this year is that we get enough vaccinations out there that our front line workers are safe and the deaths in care homes from COVID end. I feel somewhat confident that by Summer time we could see case rates fall to levels low enough to risk a road trip back to Canada with extreme measures of course, renting an RV to corral the kids, and quarantine at each end. We *could* be reunited with family as soon as June if things go even better than planned. I feel fairly confident that the kids will return to some kind of school in person in the fall of 2021. </p><p>I don't think we'll really truly take a family holiday till Summer 2022. Our dreams of returning to France or doing a trip to Northern England, Scotland and Ireland might be possible then. Or what about getting back to Asia... </p><p>We wonder what world travel might be like then. Will EVERYONE be suddenly taking the trip of a lifetime just because now they can? Will the usual haunts be so crowded that it's all like the Louvre in August or will people step out cautiously... maybe the financial ruin of the pandemic will still hinder most from taking the risk. </p><p>I do feel wildly optimistic about one thing, 2021 has got to be better than 2020. To that I raise a toast, may we meet in person some day not too far off and HUG. Seriously, think about it. Hugging. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-59702189699672783482020-12-08T05:57:00.002+08:002021-01-28T05:38:50.493+08:00Friendships and the Pod Evolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/29/us/schools-reopening-coronavirus.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wEBZJw5zEqQ/YBHc-hzdl1I/AAAAAAAAFZU/3aw_w0HK4VEoSXlmWWhCBlQ1__oHfR8aACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h428/schools-reopening-coronavirus-image-superJumbo-v2.png" title="Illustration by Yuliya Parshina-Kottas" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #ecf7f8; color: #333333; font-family: nyt-franklin; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><p>It's been a hard year for relationships with people. Some friendships are the same as ever because we always had long pauses. We chat online and check in like it's no big deal. Other friendships have almost faded out without the frequent in person meetings. </p><p>The pod thing is like playing "who would you want to be marooned on a desert island with?" only you really do it. There was no way to include all our close friends here and I really felt that the decision of who to quarantine with with came from being in lockstep with another family in our circle. When people ask how we decided I have to really think about it. Basically just before the whole world went crazy we were on a ski trip with a family we had become quite close with over the past couple of years. Their two kids were the same age as ours and the two younger as well as the two older were already best buds and classmates. The 8 of us found we traveled really comfortably together and while on that trip we plotted how we might team up if/when America locked down like Asia was doing at that moment. </p><p>And so, when the lockdown began we rode out the first couple of months in isolation and then, the moment the local county said that we could, we podded up. It took a few weeks to hit our stride but eventually we began to live communally. Taking turns cooking and hosting dinner in the evenings, and eventually, putting all the kids to bed together almost every night which oddly enough makes bedtime easier. We spend the evenings with cocktails and games or sometimes just sitting on our phones in that comfortable silence between good friends. </p><p>The key to happiness in a communal living pod like ours doesn't lie only in friendship but also in how people cope with the pandemic stress. I'd say most people would probably find our habits pretty hard to roll with. Because we have two members with high levels of health risk, we are at the highest level of lock down measures all the time. We all have 0 direct contact outside the pod. Everyone works from home, kids homeschool and we only go inside a business if we have exhausted <i>every</i> other means of getting that item. It's something that might happen once a month and undertaken with the solemnity of performing surgery. We don't grocery shop in person, we don't eat on cafe patios, use public restrooms or take public transit or taxis. </p><p>We're also all news junkies and among us we cover a mix of British, Canadian, French, Singaporean and American news. We read a lot of scientific papers and have been focused on the impressive research going on. It's helped keep the focus away from the scary headlines and on the progress instead. I find being focused on the goal of ending this pandemic to be very centering. Some people find the news keeps them up at night and makes them upset. To each their own. I think part of me would be happier if I could somehow be a scientist right now pulling long shifts trying to save lives. I've always been good in a crisis, not so good at riding out monotony.</p><p>In the autumn we added a third family. This was is another classmate of the older two kids and her parents who are part of our mutual parent friends as well. They were also keeping their daughter home when school resumed and maintaining a similar level of lockdown at home so it was a good fit for us all. </p><p>We know we are fortunate to have found a pod life that feels right for this adventure we are on. Where this will go or where it will end, we don't know. But I hope when we look back we'll see the growth that happened. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-14409939214725267682020-11-05T07:46:00.006+08:002020-11-05T07:46:59.074+08:00The Election That Xanax Won<p>Usually elections are like a sports match here. Lots of parties, food, drinking, banter. The outcome matters but it won't end a friendship or a marriage. But the past five years have been different. We've seen the viterol of Fox news crazed white baby boomers tear families apart. Nearly every friend has some crazy uncle or parent who has adopted a level brazen racism that just doesn't seem real. The trend of anti-intellectualism was examined during the Bush years and much laughed about on late night TV, but I don't think anyone thought the cult of being uneducated could grow like this in a country with such value placed on innovation and growth. </p><p>So here we are. Day two of ballot counting. Trump very close to being out of the game but too close to call yet. Children are in cages. White supremacists are parading around with impunity beating up POC, basic women's rights are at risk of being stripped back to the 1950s. It shouldn't be a tough decision. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYyVAW3l1mQ/X6M83BKy0tI/AAAAAAAAFUI/auCnjDisTX4ASFI0C20f1DNG3w-j6d3xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1688/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-11-04%2Bat%2B3.35.38%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1592" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYyVAW3l1mQ/X6M83BKy0tI/AAAAAAAAFUI/auCnjDisTX4ASFI0C20f1DNG3w-j6d3xQCLcBGAsYHQ/w604-h640/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-11-04%2Bat%2B3.35.38%2BPM.png" width="604" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-20703920888532053552020-10-30T00:26:00.001+08:002020-10-30T00:28:58.425+08:00Dinner in the dark and turning 40<p>I was unsure of how to celebrate Joel's 40th or my own this past month and as mine drew closer, I felt a little pressure to figure that out. It's supposed to be a big day, it's supposed to be momentous. Finally we landed on the idea of Joel cooking one of his epic feasts out of two of our Ottolenghi cookbooks and I searched for the most ridiculous show-stopper of a Birthday cake I could find. We invited our pod and Joel spent the week preparing and receiving mysterious packages. Then we were given notice of extreme fire weather over the weekend and told the power would be cut for 24 hours starting during our planned dinner. We changed nothing but checked the batteries in the LED candles and lanterns and made sure the 2000 watt power inverter was set up beside the car and there were extension cords spread around the house to the fridge and freezer so we could be on back-up power in about 10 minutes when needed. When the day arrived the dinner was absolutely perfect, I'm going to share some pictures. The power went out as we finished the final courses and we cheered and made espresso by the flickering light of a lantern hanging in the cozy kitchen. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQYLORuuv1E/X5rpvQNeaOI/AAAAAAAAFSE/GDXEzMot2MkjkwBLLUDH_7QUvgV3ccy-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4530.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQYLORuuv1E/X5rpvQNeaOI/AAAAAAAAFSE/GDXEzMot2MkjkwBLLUDH_7QUvgV3ccy-gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4530.png" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X1t_zVZ75sU/X5rpxJIQw8I/AAAAAAAAFSM/h4dhVzGYpeASsIBPzTPgNZ29Hq0h5U22gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4532.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X1t_zVZ75sU/X5rpxJIQw8I/AAAAAAAAFSM/h4dhVzGYpeASsIBPzTPgNZ29Hq0h5U22gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4532.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled Grapes with Mozzarella<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ynqKMDpxlLs/X5rpvH6nt1I/AAAAAAAAFR8/A5I9jeedFW0J74OHY8F2U2FSt1ejY5HHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4534.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ynqKMDpxlLs/X5rpvH6nt1I/AAAAAAAAFR8/A5I9jeedFW0J74OHY8F2U2FSt1ejY5HHwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4534.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beet, orange and feta salad<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IEtxU57pwCk/X5rpyAvofkI/AAAAAAAAFSU/DMYSiD1aXfkOIfnqflwDZvZr03ujqfx3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4535.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IEtxU57pwCk/X5rpyAvofkI/AAAAAAAAFSU/DMYSiD1aXfkOIfnqflwDZvZr03ujqfx3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4535.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curried lentil, tomato, coconut soup<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6YCnbb1rFY/X5rpwbj6SjI/AAAAAAAAFSI/XmAMSHNeiNA-BRr8sqZOyAd34InroJ8kACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4536.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1485" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6YCnbb1rFY/X5rpwbj6SjI/AAAAAAAAFSI/XmAMSHNeiNA-BRr8sqZOyAd34InroJ8kACLcBGAsYHQ/w464-h640/IMG_4536.png" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palette cleanser: home made vodka lemon sorbet with champagne<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqTcEoNdcSY/X5rpxpRvTZI/AAAAAAAAFSc/Qd3MSW36vwgF3ANRYZJkq-ABiMp7XUTAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4537.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="2048" height="440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqTcEoNdcSY/X5rpxpRvTZI/AAAAAAAAFSc/Qd3MSW36vwgF3ANRYZJkq-ABiMp7XUTAwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h440/IMG_4537.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7YJM0tuTxHQ/X5rpxr3ojZI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/vV8VBJh6aoEBPEo78mwnyicQUO5fuW4UQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4538.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7YJM0tuTxHQ/X5rpxr3ojZI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/vV8VBJh6aoEBPEo78mwnyicQUO5fuW4UQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4538.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tri tip<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtCJClOoNZE/X5rpyJs3-KI/AAAAAAAAFSY/f3tlW45hgoAGpbHdEqoEgMC6UrCmZYEZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4539.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtCJClOoNZE/X5rpyJs3-KI/AAAAAAAAFSY/f3tlW45hgoAGpbHdEqoEgMC6UrCmZYEZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4539.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roast cauliflower<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GEihbdeF-kg/X5rpyjhzYzI/AAAAAAAAFSs/B3gUh9qyPx4ppiM6k1fnyy6iL6Y9B4D-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4540.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="2048" height="630" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GEihbdeF-kg/X5rpyjhzYzI/AAAAAAAAFSs/B3gUh9qyPx4ppiM6k1fnyy6iL6Y9B4D-ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h630/IMG_4540.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked home made gnocci<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bmvVQV8gpWA/X5rpyojVjPI/AAAAAAAAFSg/1pOpLp_u3rEU77HLYsObUVftRAQuTj5ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4543.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bmvVQV8gpWA/X5rpyojVjPI/AAAAAAAAFSg/1pOpLp_u3rEU77HLYsObUVftRAQuTj5ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4543.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asparagus with almonds, capers and dill<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAQh321BHnM/X5rpyn0KpmI/AAAAAAAAFSk/dF-iUb6CdXsK0GNeDC9LBec5XtVdkmLLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4544.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAQh321BHnM/X5rpyn0KpmI/AAAAAAAAFSk/dF-iUb6CdXsK0GNeDC9LBec5XtVdkmLLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4544.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roast eggplant with sesame, and sauteed shallots<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qmMbZJHrK7I/X5rpzMzVy4I/AAAAAAAAFS0/4d6K6tLu5fEVRLLOrfbBCzfygT41pgIVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4552.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qmMbZJHrK7I/X5rpzMzVy4I/AAAAAAAAFS0/4d6K6tLu5fEVRLLOrfbBCzfygT41pgIVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4552.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We began with one of my favorite chardonnays sent by my parents<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61zjNA17RWM/X5rpzraOJfI/AAAAAAAAFS4/Q-FiXWIAtlYQyE3m4Lor08dE9TuifKRHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4553.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61zjNA17RWM/X5rpzraOJfI/AAAAAAAAFS4/Q-FiXWIAtlYQyE3m4Lor08dE9TuifKRHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4553.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the meat course this big peppery Cab Sauv came out</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EBIo0_A6lKM/X5rpzkmRAYI/AAAAAAAAFSw/UiFhXPn7nas6Dz1LjfMzuq8dJuriMZOfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4554.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EBIo0_A6lKM/X5rpzkmRAYI/AAAAAAAAFSw/UiFhXPn7nas6Dz1LjfMzuq8dJuriMZOfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4554.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Dessert was a St Honore, butter puff pastry crust with Italian pastry cream filling; layered with sponge cake<span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">brushed with rum; decorated with chocolate and fresh whipped cream and pastry</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">cream-filled caramelized cream puffs.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nuYEHWJ7pi0/X5rpz_647zI/AAAAAAAAFS8/h8Tso9OpHwgn1cJS1GpnMwE0r1FpdKzvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4556.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nuYEHWJ7pi0/X5rpz_647zI/AAAAAAAAFS8/h8Tso9OpHwgn1cJS1GpnMwE0r1FpdKzvwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4556.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also had a tray of assorted italian cookies by the same pastry shop<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-44240076404171941052020-10-18T03:06:00.001+08:002020-10-18T03:09:02.983+08:00Thankful<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since it's the week of reflecting on being thankful, here is my big over-arching thing I am thankful for. What a gift it has been to be located here during the lockdown. We've had 7 months of blue skies almost every single day (except for the smoky time). And so much room to run, hike and lounge outdoors. I run or walk alone every day and Joel runs or takes a bike ride on the roads or mountain bike trails. It keeps us positive, no matter what is going on out there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMhU9PPFPD8/X4s7y5rg6oI/AAAAAAAAFRE/BV-x-ZnbOIM-YzO4z8UkOO78d_bdGTESwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_4458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMhU9PPFPD8/X4s7y5rg6oI/AAAAAAAAFRE/BV-x-ZnbOIM-YzO4z8UkOO78d_bdGTESwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4458.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DAMIdYzU9Os/X4s7y7FuW0I/AAAAAAAAFQ8/NivK0yxKlxEfxgUZjoLWOxdW1-sDWbY0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_4461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DAMIdYzU9Os/X4s7y7FuW0I/AAAAAAAAFQ8/NivK0yxKlxEfxgUZjoLWOxdW1-sDWbY0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4461.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanksgiving of course was not the same this year. We didn't have a sit down dinner for 40 in the back yard or guests arriving from all over the place, cooking and baking here for days beforehand. That whole festival of food will be a happy memory from the past for a while yet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year we decided not to try to make it like anything else we've ever done. We skipped traditions and our pod of three families gathered here. We had a loose theme around a British pub night. Everyone brought beer and we ordered curry for the adults and the kids had steak and ale pie and chips. I made an apple pie and the kids all went to bed leaving the adults to sit out under the twinkle lights and patio heater and enjoy ourselves. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-75358505890001536192020-10-02T01:12:00.001+08:002020-10-02T01:12:15.936+08:00Glass Fire and Red Flags<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jnGUGchGvk/X3YF25q1CII/AAAAAAAAFPs/D-SUIshMJcYRLZEfsC0PuPb2KKI1RHJtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1880/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B9.36.16%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="1880" height="464" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jnGUGchGvk/X3YF25q1CII/AAAAAAAAFPs/D-SUIshMJcYRLZEfsC0PuPb2KKI1RHJtwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h464/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B9.36.16%2BAM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />A screen grab from the San Francisco Chronicle this morning of the damage to one of the huge wineries destroyed this week by the Glass Fire. <p></p><p>We had a lovely three weeks or so of our "normal" September weather. Skies in the deep blue that you only see along this part of the globe. The mornings were a little cooler and evenings filled with crickets and frogs in symphony. Days for lounging in temps around 30c. Perfect for sipping rosé and BBQing. </p><p>We'd cleaned the soot from all our outdoor decks and washed all the cushions and hammocks. But as we feared that didn't last. Fire season resumed with a new fire exploding in wine country just an hour North of us. *Just* before that began we had word that our wine order had shipped from Terra Valentine but it's not here so we're a little worried one of our favorite places might be evacuated too. </p><p>Marin is on high alert with a red flag warning this week too. No one is allowed to use power tools outside or use many of the roads through the parks and lots of parks are just closed. Red flags are something we're pretty used to having whenever the humidity and wind gets to the danger point. I hope that they don't need to cut our power but if there's any high wind this week, we fully support them shutting down the grid. We have a generator and are equipped to just carry on. </p><p>Living anywhere on the planet is going to subject you to climate emergencies at some point now. We're gutted that all the most spectacular places we have been are going to be first on the chopping block it seems. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-70598761444304416692020-09-19T03:59:00.005+08:002020-09-19T03:59:46.066+08:00Then The Sky Turned Orange<p> One couldn't really blog 2020 in the Bay Area without marking that day the freaking sky turned orange. But it did and we were socked in along with the entire coast all the way up into Northern BC. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MEgHBGUVSbY/X2URCIqJ6tI/AAAAAAAAFOk/niSocmsyzKkxEqPhj-zJbd_HRNqMRXJWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1510/371652C8-D990-436F-AD28-1C3F3086CE57.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1510" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MEgHBGUVSbY/X2URCIqJ6tI/AAAAAAAAFOk/niSocmsyzKkxEqPhj-zJbd_HRNqMRXJWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/371652C8-D990-436F-AD28-1C3F3086CE57.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>But that dreadful week passed in a dim post apocalyptic light and then the wind cleared all the air and we are back to beautiful clear Summer again. Joel and I are happy to be back to our trail runs at sunset. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zDSkSv8k6ac/X2URZM8Ux5I/AAAAAAAAFOs/TX5-Hjnvv2scb2wAGYThwUFc-6-70BplgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_4132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zDSkSv8k6ac/X2URZM8Ux5I/AAAAAAAAFOs/TX5-Hjnvv2scb2wAGYThwUFc-6-70BplgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_4132.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8sD_ZyTm58/X2URgphy3uI/AAAAAAAAFOw/3bfT1JJrWyU0B1YCu2PBoBoiDj_D4dUdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_4130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8sD_ZyTm58/X2URgphy3uI/AAAAAAAAFOw/3bfT1JJrWyU0B1YCu2PBoBoiDj_D4dUdQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_4130.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-22632470212229702282020-09-06T12:41:00.005+08:002020-09-14T04:06:07.533+08:00Back To School-ish<p>We went through many contingencies for Fall 2020. In the end we decided to just chill and homeschool and see what panned out around us. The crunchy Waldorf independent study charter where the kids were registered served up such a half-baked plan so late in the Summer that we hardly had a choice as all other roads were certainly no longer open. Flakey school planning when paired with extreme funding cutbacks from the state resulted in Caelen's class being cut from the school all together a couple of weeks from his start date and Austen's class, which begins this week, lost its teacher. They combined the grade 2 class with the grade three class creating a mega class... and are planning to have the kids in person on campus next month for outdoor classes. The details are vague and the class size is more than double of what the Marin county health officer would like to see. We'll just watch to see what happens this fall from a safe distance. </p><p>Meanwhile our little homeschooling situation is actually pretty sweet. We put the two TK kids together at one house and the two 2nd graders at the other each day and each parent is teaching what they excel in. One mom is doing writing and reading and I'm doing art, history and baking. The dads are in charge of STEM projects that include blowing things up outside (really) and woodworking and robots. The 2nd graders will participate in zoom lessons with their Waldorf peers for the coming month just to try that out but given how fast they have already covered much of the curriculum planned for this year at the Waldorf school I'm not convinced they will really enjoy this in the long run. Time will tell. </p><p>The fire in Pt Reyes is still burning with so much fuel that it is likely to burn for two more months despite being contained. It's still a little smokey out there some days. Our PM has been under 100 all week and often under 50 which is better than any normal urban city but occasionally we get a wind change and are socked in under a cloud that puts us back into a PM reading of 250 or more. </p><p>I've been able to go for a run every day when it clears and we've enjoyed some days with fog in the mornings so despite the summer heat, the cool mornings and nights have been lovely. It's really got the crickets going in the evenings again which I love.Autumn in California is always a treat weather wise in a non-fire year. It's still Summer till November and some years even till December. We're hoping with continued closures of the parks and prudent power shutdowns we can prevent another surge of fires this season. California could use some quiet nights. </p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-42296228161385902292020-08-27T03:36:00.003+08:002020-08-27T03:36:50.121+08:00COVID Numbers Update<p> I haven't done a numbers update in a while. The July surge (despite nearly 100% public mask compliance, and most remaining at home under SIP order) was pretty crazy but the numbers are tapering down now. 69 deaths with 51 of those being patients in nursing homes. Schools will be closed likely into the new year. </p><h1 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="" style="font-size: large;">Marin County COVID-19 status update: August 26, 2020</span></h1><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">COVID-19 activity in Marin:</span></h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Marin Confirmed Cases: <b>3,729 </b></span><b style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">(298 currently)</b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Marin Deaths: <b>69</b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Tests Completed in Marin:<b> 67,000</b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Marin Cases Recovered:<b> 3,431 </b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Marin Hospitalizations cumulative: <b>130 </b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="">Marin Hospitalizations currently: <b>12</b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-8474320400457772692020-08-27T01:46:00.001+08:002020-08-27T01:51:26.648+08:00The Hills, They Are Burning<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok so what we said about the hills, don't take to the hills right now. They are either on fire, about to be on fire or filling with smoke. We woke to the sound of our UPS beeping as it kicked in during a power outage while we were sleeping a week ago. The house was otherwise silent and of course pitch black but I had a bad feeling the outage was due to the storm we'd heard was on the way. Dry lightning is the enemy of anyone who lives on the West coast of Canada or the US. Late summer heat and dryness in the forests makes for a dangerous place for a strike to land. In 2008 we were here for the last dry lightning event in California and it was pretty catastrophic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I looked out over the valley saw in in distance some flashes of lightening and when I stepped outside the dry hot wind kicked up and started to pull on our awning over the deck. The air smelled like sulfur. Joel got up and began manually cranking in the awning which is very difficult without the electric motor. The storm rolled closer and some drops of rain started and I had to run outside to cover the generator with tarps and huge rocks to hold them down dodging flying branches. Our phones lit up with alerts about fires from the storm that had started in Mill Valley, Pt Reyes, Forest Knolls/San Geronimo (very close to us) and I believe there were a few other strikes spots around the Muir Woods side of Mt Tam. Even with the rain starting we knew there was enough build up of dry tinder, these fires were not going to be easy to attack. I sat up with my phone and our wireless hotspot (the only way to get a signal in an outage here because we are just out of regular cell phone company range). Our local firefighters heroically put out all the fires overnight except for the one in the Pt Reyes National Park which they could not reach. That is the one that is now nearly 3,000 acres and now drawing resources from Montana. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feoUM42fR9E/X0aa16JsG_I/AAAAAAAAFK0/o-ucCHwlJMYOVJmBkJrcAafqbs94X8-NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1717/IMG_3816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1717" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feoUM42fR9E/X0aa16JsG_I/AAAAAAAAFK0/o-ucCHwlJMYOVJmBkJrcAafqbs94X8-NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_3816.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> A week went by with over 650 fires raging across the state from the lightning event and then we had advance warning of ANOTHER lightning complex coming our way and were advised to be ready to evacuate if a strike were to land near us. So, along with all our friends in the area, we began to organize the plan for evacuation and pack up essentials in the car. A massive Red Flag warning covering most of Northern California was declared. Extra resources started to pour into the state. Luckily when the storm hit it has mostly dispersed at sea and there were just a couple of strikes near existing fires. Our Red Flag was lifted and life returned to our strange normal. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8yb2sMb5xwY/X0aayGilAMI/AAAAAAAAFKw/Gt-O0YxcSKEV0sv6BlmLA8Sr20nVpawBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1242/IMG_3845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8yb2sMb5xwY/X0aayGilAMI/AAAAAAAAFKw/Gt-O0YxcSKEV0sv6BlmLA8Sr20nVpawBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_3845.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxPrei4umeQ/X0aavXqV_dI/AAAAAAAAFKs/y6ARXA0ypiA9dgbtJH7MIEwJfW5ihGSEACLcBGAsYHQ/s1862/IMG_3797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1862" height="481" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxPrei4umeQ/X0aavXqV_dI/AAAAAAAAFKs/y6ARXA0ypiA9dgbtJH7MIEwJfW5ihGSEACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h481/IMG_3797.jpg" title="Fairfax in smoke holds a socially distant concert in the parking lot while patrons dine out in the streets" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairfax with unhealthy smoke levels still had a concert in the parking lot and diners sitting on patios<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W7rDXHAMXk/X0aacYdrDAI/AAAAAAAAFKk/_YOCGLcvkuA64T-39PdSY5nZKma-MbkRACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_3846.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W7rDXHAMXk/X0aacYdrDAI/AAAAAAAAFKk/_YOCGLcvkuA64T-39PdSY5nZKma-MbkRACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_3846.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's hazy out there but the sun makes it through. We usually have clear air in the afternoon & evening.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We're so fortunate to have central air conditioning (powered by our solar array) which pulls in fresh air from outside, cools it and then filters it before sending it around the house. Very little smoke gets inside. We had the system updated just a couple of years ago and are very glad we did. It has saved our lungs and sanity the last few years. <br /><br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-64304111039692013012020-08-19T23:55:00.001+08:002020-09-30T02:35:25.279+08:00Taking to the Hills<p> As we watch the historic exodus out of San Francisco we see the highest rents in North America plunge and the city's real estate market flood. It's something I never thought I'd see living here. With everyone working from home for five months with likely another year of this on the horizon, people with means are making choices to head for the hills. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQp9rGJX2SQ/Xz1GiCrthII/AAAAAAAAFJ8/Obomh9iyPkAj-N-NT-1ZACm7fBtj2avdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1416/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-08-19%2Bat%2B8.33.37%2BAM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="1416" height="195" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQp9rGJX2SQ/Xz1GiCrthII/AAAAAAAAFJ8/Obomh9iyPkAj-N-NT-1ZACm7fBtj2avdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h195/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-08-19%2Bat%2B8.33.37%2BAM.png" title="San Francisco Chronicle" width="640" /></a></div><p>In our circle alone we know folks buying rural properties in Northern California, Washington, Oregon and either building a house or working with what's there. Others are building up tiny homes on truck chassis and driving them off into the sunset. Expats are biding their time debating repatriation or a new country. It's not like kids are physically in school this year. It's not like we're likely to see any of the friends we might miss. We're living in one of the most desireable spots to retreat to but that also means we could name the rent price (likely 6,000+ a month) and head further out for a while. It's definitely crossed my mind. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-7687372525090807542020-08-10T07:57:00.002+08:002020-08-10T07:57:46.098+08:00We miss you California<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're missing so many places, people and happenings while we wait in lockdown. This is a time of year we often make our way down the Pacific Coast Highway through Carmel and Big Sur to Santa Monica and LA seeing friends all the way. I miss those palm treed boulevards, sparkling beaches and long sunsets. Evenings outside under a canopy of grape vines, enjoying feasts with dear friends and so much champagne. We took one last trip into wine country just before the lockdown which I am very grateful for. We'll miss the fall wine tasting and stocking up the cellar too. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SC3imdrqQTs/XwNTzZWoRVI/AAAAAAAAFFA/YtQUnGV1AoIslNtO-2bzGbyZp07PfOmqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/california_collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SC3imdrqQTs/XwNTzZWoRVI/AAAAAAAAFFA/YtQUnGV1AoIslNtO-2bzGbyZp07PfOmqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/california_collage.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<a aria-label="Surfer in Carmel by coach_stacey" aria-level="3" class="overlay" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/coach_stacey/2424231276/in/album-72157604609654638/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1594052882006_16575" role="heading" tabindex="0"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6418566610060408770.post-46697803712878781312020-08-04T12:46:00.002+08:002020-08-10T07:25:07.414+08:00Results at LastIt took a full week but my test results arrived on Sunday. Negative. Phew. <div><br /></div><div>Through the past week I attempted to isolate from the family for the whole 6 1/2 days. At first, because I was so feverish and exhausted I was 100% in bed in my room, door shut. Joel was working 16 hour days in the office and running up and down the hill to check on kids watching movies or he'd have them in the office playing at my desk on an old computer of mine. It wasn't very safe and it was hell for Joel who was on the phone leading teams and negotiating through some crazy business things with the kids there. By day 4 I felt the antibiotics may have kicked in and each day was better after that so I felt like COVID diagnosis was extremely unlikely. I decided to try to watch the kids while we are outside (me in a mask all the time of course). And I tried not to touch anything as I moved through the house to get to outdoors and only directed A to make food (which he did) so that I did not touch anything in the kitchen. I figured even if it's just a flu, we better make extra sure it doesn't rip through our family next. I think I must have done a good job because everyone is fine. Fingers crossed. </div><div><br /></div><div>We re-joined our pod family today. The kids were overjoyed to be back together. My two were like two feral street kids after a week of fending for themselves and all that screen time. I had a feeling it was going to be a rough week of re-establishing boundaries so I created new visual schedules for each kid with a points system to get them through the re-set. So far so good. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Follow our adventures on our blog at http://joelandstacey.blogspot.com</div>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18352745311567990355noreply@blogger.com0