Saturday, February 7, 2004
Woke up at 3:00 AM, couldn't sleep. Read Google and Wired news, Wired mag, Chris De Lay's blog, Travis's blog. Back to sleep at 6:00 AM. Woke up at 10:00 AM. Cut my hair. Ate breakfast (a cherry danish which Patrick picked up). Organized little hardware: screws, nails, picture hanging hardware, stuff like that. Set up an all new system of backup tapes for all our computers. Set up CD ripping. Reripped CDs we own that were missing or lost on the computer. Emergency dinner at McDonald's on Homestead in Santa Clara: BBQ grilled chicken meal for Patrick, McChicken meal for me: $11.58. Patrick and I saw Colleen and Pedro this evening. Went to a ballet at Roundhill Studios for almost-five Alysia which was lots of fun. She danced in a polka! There were other performances, so the whole show lasted about 2 hours and they had ice cream afterwards. It was obvious that a lot of work went into the entire production—particularly the costumes—and it was touching to see the instructor so dedicated to her students through her passions of ballet and dance. We went back to Col and Pedro's place to chat in their dining room. I never really knew how much Pedro drinks! I didn't have any, but Patrick did and he fell asleep in the car on the drive home. We met Colleen's dad Tom and Pedro's mom. We left around midnight. It was so good to just talk and laugh with her. Their house has had lots of improvements since we were there last some 2 or so years ago. The front yard has changed from dirt and rock to a beautiful green lawn with lighted rock paths leading from the door to the driveway and sidewalk. The backyard has a large deck, a jacuzzi, another beautiful green lawn, and lots of fruit trees: orange, blood orange, and some others I don't remember. We talked about Pedro's strong dislike for George W. Bush's policies (and those of republicans in general), work (Cotherix, Alpine Healthcare), Europe, China, languages, and friends from UCSF whom we still see (and those we don't). I had forgotten that they had cats, but Patrick seemed to do rather well. No sneezing at all; just a little sniffling on the way home. It was an evening well spent.