Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Leaving California

Myia wakes at 1:30 am in anticipation of the 3:30 wake up call and starts to get ready. Our dear friend, Eric takes up to the airport shuttle and waits with us til it comes at 4am. We get to SFO before 6am and begin the 2 day or 20 hour journey to Amsterdam. It has been a long and complicated exit and now we are on our way. We get to SFO before 6am and begin the 2 day or 20 hour journey to Amsterdam. It has been a long and complicated exit and now we are on our way and glad of it. The time has come to leave. An easy trip follows and we arrive excited and refreshed to sunny warm beautiful weather! No pictures taken today. This is the end of our travels thru the Western United Sates. Keep your eyes open for more adventures of our stay in Europe and Maui on this blog.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 We complete the sale of our van

The people who are buying the Van are wonderful and everything goes perfectly. And we have the money in our account so we can leave tomorrow with no worries. We take our hosts out to dinner at the favorite organic Chinese restaurant. They have been the best and growing friends. Truly what would we have done without the caring home base they provided? They are the best in our book! The picutres today show the abundance produce that California gardens produce.

Monday, October 12, 2009 Still packing and cleaning the van!

We start the day early with packing and getting EVERYTHING out of the van for delivery. There is so much more than we thought. Amazing how that is. And we thought we had plenty of room in the suitcases but, again surprisingly, it seems we do not. We have to leave all the extra, bulky and heavy things here. Sorry no presents! And there is a storm coming in! Our friend here, Caterina, warns of fog and possible problems with the airport departure. So we pray. That the people coming from Oregon to buy our van will be able to make it and that we can fly out! When I ask God he tells me that he has taken care of us very well so far and that everything will go well. So I guess I will buy that! We end the day, free of predicted rain, with a wonderful organic roasted chicken dinner prepared by our lovely and gracious host, Caterina. And celebrate the bounty of the Autumn California Harvest and our anniversary with the special bottle of homemade wine made by Myia’s niece, Kristin’s farm friend, Ken, from near Eureka. It had aged very well and was super delic!! And having a wonderful dinner with our friends and experimenting with our new camera and its self timer! But we did get all the family in one shot!

Sunday, October 11, 2009 Saying goodbye to Julie and Patrick

We get up early to attend Unity of Marin, where we have been before and we take our friends, Julie and Patrick there. A wonderful church and the people are so very genuinely friendly. It is located in an beautiful old Spanish style building that used to be part of an army facility, we find out. Our friends like it too. And with the service is a special guest – a mountain lion! Right on stage, to illustrate the fearlessness of Daniel in the lion’s den. Sure made some people scared!

Someone comes to buy our bike rack. And now it is time to return all the wonderful stuff our friends lent us for our journey. Thank you to all our friends who have made this trip so easy, fun and a joy for us. We say sad goodbye to our dear friends, Julie and Patrick. (Whom we find out are old dear friends with our friends, Tara, on Maui!) They have been such great gracious hosts to us and we have had the pleasure of calling their house our second home We were happy to participate in and witness the amazing progress they have made on their goals since the beginning of the summer. We look forward to hearing more good news in the future!

We arrive at our other “home” with Caterina and Eric for the night. After hello’s we stop over for a visit and movie at Myia’s old, friend, Suzanne’s,

Friday, October 9/10, 2009 Harbin Hot Springs, visit with Unmani and Dharma and John Lennon’s Birthday

Friday: Getting up early after a wonderful very dark and very quiet night FULL of magical stars, we arrive at Harbin early and attend a most amazing yoga class – perfect for us and what we need. We find our friends, Unmani and Dharma, at breakfast and then spend the day visiting, hot pools and wet saunas. A little lying in the sun to tan Gerrit’s face. He shaved!! He has to get a new passport and Driver’s License in Holland and he doesn’t want to look like a terrorist! It is John Lennon’s Birthday! Celebrated by movies about his life. So moving. He was such caring and committed man. So sad to loose him! Saturday: We awake early after another very dark and very quiet sleep at Harbin. We intend to go the fantastic yoga class in the amazing temple building, but decide the 4 hours yesterday was enough and head up to breakfast at the restaurant.

We decide to wake up our friends, Unmani and Dharma before we leave for San Rafael. They let us wake them up and we have fun in bed pretending to be John Lennon and Yoko Ono having a BED IN for peace!

Then for more breakfast for them at the restaurant. And who do we see? Our friend, Vision, from Maui whom we saw in Laytonville at Shanti and Bob’s! Nice connections. As they say, Harbin is where you see everyone!

We arrive In San Rafael in late afternoon and begin a closing visit with our dear friends and hosts, Julie and Patrick. We again do the John Lennon Thing and take Bed In photos again to remember these dear friends.

Thursday, October 8, 2009 Napa Valley

After the good day yesterday, in the knowledge that we are now sure of our car sale we can head up toward Harbin Hot Springs via Napa Valley and a much deserved rest and relaxation. We visit Berringer and Mumm Wineries on the way.

Tuesday, Wednesday October 6 and 7, 2009 Cleaning car day, Post Office Selling Van!

Tuesday: Getting ready for our Van to go to its new home. And sending packages of “too much to carry” home to Maui. Easy day.
Wednesday: Day of administration and taking care of business. And the new owners wire us most of the money. Yea!! And a big day as Gerrit cuts his beard! In preparation for new passport and driver’s license photos.

Monday, October 5, 2009 Our wedding anniversary

We arise early and head out for a great morning bike ride on the bay! We start from under the Golden Gate Bridge at Land’s End and ride almost to the Fisherman’s Warf. Such a great coastline and a great city which has kept so much of its natural beauty for all of us to enjoy. We look for a new camera in several places (our old camera broke, that's why there is no pictures today) and then up to San Rafael for a visit with our friends there. And then up to Santa Rosa, shopping and driving.We sleep in our friends, Caterina and Eric’s house we have come to call home in California. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Thank you all.

Sunday, October 4, 2009 Third and last day of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Morning shower at our sweet friend, Eleesa’s. Then to Unity Church.

Then to the Festival to see the Cheiftans of Irish Music fame. They were there with Irish dancers and Mexican musicians and dancers too, as well as Scottish bagpipes and drums.

Then in the evening we saw one of the last acts to perform and the best one we had seen, perhaps ever – Little Feat. An amazing old, long standing, rock band who did what they said they would play the good old fashioned rock and roll. And with everybody in a great mood after 3 days of great music, fun and stoned, what do you think?!!

Saturday, October 3, 2009 Another day of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at Golden Gate Park

We awake to people walking behind our van where we slept. It is “Breast Cancer Awareness Walk”! And lots of people mostly women wearing all kids of pink. We move for breakfast at the beach. Spend the morning blogging at Peet’s coffee shop.

Then take in Nick Lowe, Richie Havens, Rickie Scaggs, a great new group we did not know called World Party

Friday, October 2, 2009 Our wedding anniversary weekend and “Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival”

We drive part of the “49 mile Scenic Drive”

and go up to Coit Tower and its view and its wonderful 1920’s murals inside. We check email at Peet’s coffee shop. We get lucky again with our friends telling us about a wonderful free event in SF this weekend.

In the evening see Lyle Lovett and his large band with John Prine joining him to perform at one of the most amazing free music festivals I have ever heard of and in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. It seems every year an amateur music buff and millionaire, Jack Hellman, puts on this free 6 stage festival with big name artists for 3 nights from 11am to 7pm! When they ask what happened to the hippies, I now have an answer. Some of them at least were in Golden Gate Park this weekend! Also young hippies too.

15, -20,000 of them. And peaceful. A very wonderful and nice experience. We also saw Richie Havens, The Chieftians, a new band for us that we liked, World Party, and on Sunday evening closing a great old rock and roll favorite, Little Feat. 2nd night at Golden Gate bridge.

Thursday, October 1, 2009 Museum, Friends biking the Golden Gate

Have breakfast at Ocean Beach as it is called in SF

and 2nd fabulous breakfast in Eleesa’s sunny garden.

Again visit the regular collections at the De Young museum. First we go up to the Tower for a fabulous view of the city.

Then take a guided tour of the museum. She tells us about the “fault line” significance in the architect’s design of the building that replaced a lovely old building damaged by the earthquakes. We then meet with Nicole from our coaching course.

We take another tour of the African exhibit

and see a fabulous installation of gold which is actually made of metal bottle caps. Can you see the figure in the piece? There is a semi-automatic gun so the artist is saying a lot about his society as he sees it. Then down to Fisherman’s Wharf on this sunny day.

We bike across Golden Gate Bridge in the fog at sunset. Sleep close to Golden Gate Bridge.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 San Francisco

Going to SF to show Van to possible buyer and visit Tut exhibition. In line before us are 2 lovely Dutch guys!! We take them to their place in SF where they are staying and we have a European evening of snacks, wine and good conversation. Gezellig as the Dutch would say!They are preparing for something big in the park so we sleep on the street next to Golden Gate park,

Monday and Tuesday, September 28 and 29, 2009 Sleeping in and organizing for two days

Monday:
We get the opportunity to sleep in in a stationary bed. Taking a break we get organized at Julie and Patrick’s. The beginning of a long process where we will end by handing over our van to the next loving hands
Tuesday:
2nd day of the break and we get organized at Julie and Patrick’s.

No pictures taken.

Sunday, September 27, 2009 Coaching Assisting – Day 3

The last day and much more learning. Deeper emotions shared and good feelings and wishes communicated by all as we say goodbye. Great experience for us and the participants.

Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, 2009 Coaching Assisting – Day 1 and Day 2

Friday:
We go into CTI before noon to prepare for an exciting weekend of assisting for a course that we have taken. We meet our leaders and the other assistant for the first time. Then the participants arrive and we remember when we first started. Truly exciting, rewarding and memorable. And we get to learn all over again!! We go out to eat in San Rafael and have BBQ sandwiches. MMM!
Then head out for sunset over the water at Tiburon
Saturday:
We enjoy another wonderful long day of learning for the participants and us. .. We watch the sunset and walk around Sausalito and the sunset over SF. And as we pass by a restaurant with music, someone calls our names! Since we know few people around it is quite remarkable. Elizabeth, our co-assistant, comes out and beckons us to join us inside. We share a pizza and a lovely miracle evening of magical meeting.

Thursday, September 24, 2009 Foggy Day in SF and lunch with a new friend, Eleesa.

We wake to foggy day on our lake home in Golden Gate Bridge. We go to the De Young Museum where there is a King Tut Exhibit. As we tour around Golden Gate Park and SF we remember San Francisco is a Beautiful world class city! We contact a new friend, Eleesa, we met at Unity Church.

And she invites us for a scrumptious organic lunch of pasta with special sauce and organic lamb sausages.

We talk about coaching, hers and our new found profession and inspire one another. We head out arriving at San Rafael before night, back to our dear friends, Julie and Patrick.