Christmas 2011 to early January 2012

The morning of the day before Christmas was our last at home in Inverness. Tim had to fetch a rental car to get us to the airport and had the bad luck of some crazy driver reversing into the newly rented Mazda. This held up our departure for an hour or so while Tim filled in claim forms etc, etc – just what he needed in those last stressful packing hours!

Once that was done we packed the car and headed for Palo Alto where we met Aaron Kofman and Christine Dehnert, two of the students who came on our second trial program in 2008 and who are now both marching through Medical School. We hadn’t seen them for a couple of years and really enjoyed meeting them for coffee and a catch up.

Christmas Eve we had a fabulous family gathering with Tim’s daughters at Caitlin & Randy’s home, with Erin and Dario, mum Cathy, and the twins, Will & Kai as well as Dario's daughter Amelie. We splurged on Cioppino for dinner, my favourite seafood stew, a San Francisco invention despite the Italian sounding name.

Christmas Day saw us at the airport at 6:30 for our flight to Denver and then on to Tampa. We had upgrades to business class and were really looking forward to our flight. We boarded, settled ourselves into the comfy seats, accepted the champagne offered – even though it was a little early for alcohol, it was Christmas Day after all – and felt very pleased with ourselves. Until the captain announced the plane was not going anywhere and we were all to deplane! Everyone on board had to get re-assigned flights creating a madhouse at the customer service desk.

We couldn’t get to Tampa via Denver but were offered a different routing on a different airline where our fancy status counted nil. We were lucky to get those back seats in economy and finally touchdown in Tampa before midnight to face the two hour drive to Boca Grande where Tim’s parents live and where we planned to spend the week.

Tim’s mother, Lucy, fell in early December and shattered the head of her femur which required an operation to pin together. And resulted in a very different and restricted life for Lucy. Despite this, she was in good spirits, as was Tim’s dad, Jim, adapting to his new role of caretaker. Tim’s brother, Peter, was also visiting – a week of family richness.

Boca Grande is gorgeous in winter, lovely sunny days and marvelous birdlife.

So many ospreys, already nesting, this one deceptively checking me out.

On New Year’s Eve we set off on our trip to Cape Town sad to leave Lucy, Jim & Peter behind. The flights to London took off on time and we were able to revel in the splendid comfort of business class this time. We checked through security in London where Gareth fetched us from the airport and whisked us off to The Orchard pub near Heathrow, a lovely country home atmosphere where we whiled away several hours with my son and his family before boarding our 8pm flight to Cape Town.

Naz, Gareth & Cameron on a magical New Year’s Day!

Overnight we were thrust into the Southern Hemisphere, early daylight, long summer evenings and sunny weather.We have moved into the little home we’re renting until we leave in July. I was upstairs on the deck earlier to get this rooftop view of the mountain we hike on as often as possible, just a short walk from our ‘home away from home.’ That white patch in the middle of the green forest is a rocky scree – that’s where we were this morning. There is a trail above the scree that takes you up and over to the other side where you look down on the city of Cape Town – a hard hike with a wonderful reward.

 The third year of Stanford's Bing Overseas Studies Program in Cape Town starts on Tuesday with a lot of new faces to get to know. It's back to work for both of us.

Hoping for a peaceful and happy year for all.

Bald Eagles

This morning Tim spotted a pair of Bald Eagles on a Douglas Fir tree down in front of our house, sunning themselves on the top branch, checking out the low tide marsh. Too far away for a good photo but this at least proves they were not the "ones that got away."

We leave tomorrow for Florida and then fly to Cape Town on New Year's eve for another two quarters of students, classes and very full lives.

The past month has been quiet for me. Tim went to Cape Town to prepare for his Community Based Research course and other matters needing the Director's attention. On his way home he stopped in Spain for the Islam Conference convened by Stanford's Spanish Centre. Students studying in Stanford's Europe, Russian and Washington DC centres presented talks on Islam in their host country. A brief stop at each end in Madrid, three nights in Cordoba, a short trip to Sevilla and one to Granada - a Spanish intensive - too much for five days so a return trip is on the wish list.

I was meant to go but had an embarrassing fall on our driveway and was laid up for two weeks unable to do much more than hobble around the house. All is now healed in time for our departure.

Happy Christmas to all!

Day of the Dead

November 2nd is traditionally the Mexican holiday remembering friends and family members who have died. I think it's a wonderfully respectful way to honor our ancestors. November 5th this year was my own personal Day of the Dead when I attended the Ancestry.com/Californian Genealogical Society "Day" at the Hyatt hotel in San Francisco.

I have been searching for my long dead ancestors for the past ten years and here I was suddenly surrounded by a thousand other eager ancestor hunters, all of us signing up for lectures in various aspects of research. I was not alone in my fetish! It felt wonderful to talk with other people who were just as immersed in the past.

Tim and I made a two day city sojourn out of the excuse of my Ancestry Day conference. We took the ferry from Larkspur to the Embarcadero, walked the short distance to the Hyatt, wandered the city, met Glenn & Mary for a meal at Piperade, took in the marvelous Maharaj Exhibition at the Asian Art Museum, sat at the kitchen counter at the Boulevard Restaurant and generally felt the excitement of being tourists for a couple of days.

Tim is all smiles to be at the same counter at Boulevard Restaurant where plans for his Service Learning book with Dwight were hatched on a paper napkin several years ago

Friend Maggie Bassendine from Northumberland happened to be in San Francisco the same weekend at the AASLD Liver Meeting. She joined us at home for five days the following week where we explored the Point Reyes peninsula as if we were seeing it for the first time. First a lunch at Nick's Cove to celebrate Maggie's birthday.

Tomales Bay from the deck at Nick's Cove

Next day was perfect for visiting Chimney Rock - the Pacific ocean on the left, Drakes Bay on the right

Tim and Maggie rounding the steep Pacific side of this eroded land spit walkway to Chimney rock viewpoint

Have to have the photo ops!

Tidal streams in the mudflats of the Estero

It rained one whole day so it wasn't all sunshine and outdoor fun, but mostly we were lucky with the weather. Tim left for Cape Town on Saturday and Maggie for London/Newcastle on Sunday. After dropping Maggie off at the Larkspur Airporter, I headed straight for the Station House Cafe to sit, watch, listen and be overwhelmingly in awe of my all time favourite musicians, Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Nina Gerber and Paul Knight on one of Paul's great evenings.

Tom Rozum, Laurie Lewis, guest star Maria Muldauer, Paul Knight, Nina Gerber at the Station House Sunday Nov 13

The first half of November was good. I guess the ancestors were pleased with us!

October in Inverness/Point Reyes

Perfect October weather meant lots more hikes for us this month interspersed with friends from near and far.

Early October we spent a night in Palo Alto so Tim could fit in all his Stanford meetings as well as enjoy a fun social evening with visiting Centre Directors - Santy from Madrid and Karen from Berlin at the home of Bob Sinclair, Executive Director here on the home campus, and his partner, Ai Leen.

Two days later we were having lunch at Kenwood in Sonona followed by a tour of White Rock, one of Napa Valley's wineries, with Andrew from Kyoto.

White Rock founding owner Henri behind the wines, Tim in the middle and Andrew on the right - time to buy some wine

The following Sunday we hiked to Arch Rock with Cape Town Stanford students Claire Gibson (2008), Bridget Connolly and Lucy Litvak (Spring 2010). Photo thanks to passing hiker.

Tim, Lucy, Sherry, Claire, Bridget

 
And the following weekend we did our annual 13 mile trek from Bear Valley to Bolinas on a beautiful warm autumn day. Lots of photos here.

From left, Doree, Anne, Chris, Bill, Tim, Lori, Sherry - Megan met us at Bass Lake

In between the fun of hiking we actually did get some planning work done for courses in Cape Town in 2012. And we booked some flights, not for the 6 months in Cape Town yet, but first things first. Tim will go to Cape Town Nov 12 for a week of meetings and will meet me in Madrid for the conference Islam in Europe hosted by the Madrid Centre taking place in Cordoba over Thanksgiving. Stanford students abroad will deliver papers relating to their courses on Islam in the country of their residence this quarter. We'll have side trips to Seville and Granada with expert guides. Sounds amazing and I just had to join this adventure.

I guess I should end on a birthday note because Saturday 29th October was a pretty magical day on the San Francisco Bay. Tim and I had lunch in Sausalito with Steve James, Tony Bucknall and Tim Jacques who were on a 9 hour layover in San Francisco travelling from Auckland to London. Added to the party was an Aussie friend of Steve's and the Brazilian girlfriend of his nephew, both living here in the Bay Area. We had a perfect window table that seemed to dangle over the water. The cosmopolitan company and lively conversation interspersed between ferries and yachts and water sports and stunning views seemed quite other-worldly.

A birthday to remember, but I forgot to take my camera ...

Home on the Ridge

I don't get around to writing about our humdrum home life because I think it's a bit boring compared with travel. But, since we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, let me try and describe the routine here on the Inverness Ridge.

It's not often warm enough to lounge outside but today happens to be balmy and I'm on the deck, computer on my lap looking out onto Tomales Bay. Pretty nice. That thin strip of blue is Lagunitas creek feeding into the Tomales Bay fjiord at low tide - high tide it's all blue. Some of those splodges of green across the bay are rows of vines; our local Point Reyes Vineyards produces a tasty Methode Champenoise.

Each morning Tim and I take a 3 mile walk around our ridge - up to the top and down again before breakfast. For the last few weeks we've ventured out on a 10 mile hike on Fridays. We pack yummy sandwiches as an incentive to reach a half way picnic point and feel really good by the time we're back home again. We've been lucky with the weather so far. Cool and foggy which is pretty typical for summer here.

The Inverness Ridge with its customary cover

One of our favourite trails with lots of shady trees

 There's lots of live music in our neighbourhood, the kind we like, Bluegrass. Locals night at Nick's Cove, some Sundays at the Station House Cafe and then, if we feel like a big excursion (an hour from home!) the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley hosts some marvelous shows. Last week we were there to enjoy an evening dedicated to Bill Monroe, founder of Bluegrass, on his 100th birthday. This was hosted by Laurie Lewis who brought some of the most versatile musicians onto the stage - Bill Monroe died in 1996 but his legend is alive.

We had dinner before the show with our Berkeley friends Nigel and Barbara Renton who we met in 2002 on a river rafting trip with Laurie and her partner, Tom Rozum.

We love it when children and grandchildren come to visit. Caitlin was here this last weekend with Randy and the twins, Will & Kai - lots of laughs and games with trains.

Tim, Caitlin with Will, Randy with Kai

Some visitors to look forward to - Erin and her fiancée, Dario, soon I hope. Tim's colleague Andrew Horvat from Kyoto, Lucy and Bridget, Stanford students from the 2010 Spring Quarter and our Northumberland friend Maggie Bassendine for a few days in November.

Travel - could I possibly write without a reference to leaving home? Tim goes to a meeting in Dallas next month, and in November we'll go to Cordoba over Thanksgiving where the European Stanford Overseas Centres will be holding a conference on Islam, an opportunity to learn about the evolution and presence of Islam in Western European, and hopefully see a bit of Spain.

Reunions

Reunion: The state or act of reuniting. A gathering of relatives, friends, or associates, at regular intervals, or after separation. A family reunion. 

Earlier in August Tim and I flew to Geneva, Illinois, close to Chicago, for a Stanton Family weekend reunion.Tim's cousins, children of his aunt Sis, have been meeting like this for years. This was our second reunion and the first time a representative of all four Stantons, Tim's father, his two brothers and Sis, were together. 

What made the weekend extra special was the visit to White Thorn, home of the Stanton family from 1930 on. Not only that, Bill and Jane Van Nortwick, organizers of the weekend, live in Bill's mother, Sis's home in Geneva.

White Thorn in Wayne, Illinois

Family Archery - that's Tim's dad with the bow and arrow

An air of strong connection prevailed over the weekend and we left radiating history and family memories recorded in our minds and on photos, all of which we took with us on a visit to Jim and Lucy, Tim's mum and dad, in Boca Grande, Florida. We spent a week with Tim's remarkable parents, hearing their stories and passing on some that we'd learned in Geneva.

The Stanton family reunion really linked into the obsession I've had this past year with Ancestry.com, searching for my relatives, building up a family tree, seeing how many descendants branched out from those initial couplings, so many years ago. I have gone back as many as 7 generations and met a lot of cousins online via Ancestry.com's message service, which resulted in actually meeting up with four in England, as per my June blog. Earlier this month, I added a fifth, 4th cousin once removed, Tom Miller, whose ancestor is the brother of my great grandfather, John Garlick's father-in-law. Doesn't seem too far removed, does it!

In front of the gorgeous garden at Tom Miller's Mountainview home in the San Francisco Bay Area

Chile Wrap Up and Home to the Sunny San Francisco Bay Area

Santiago, when we finally made it, was a treat. Not too cold considering it was midwinter with nice friendly people, good food and an interesting city to roam around on my own while Tim went to meetings. The director of the Santiago program, Ivan Jacsik, and his staff arranged a fun wine tasting and lunch at Santa Rita Vineyards when the meeting ended.

Nearly all the directors of the Stanford Overseas Centres, the staff in Santiago and Stanford, Palo Alto

Tim and I had arranged to stay in Chile after the meeting, to spend the weekend at a country lodge SW of Santiago with Ivan. Tim rented a teeny car and the three of us piled into it with all our luggage and set off to the remote Residencia Historica in Marchihue where we settled in for the evening, sitting in front of a blazing fire before dinner. The calm scene was interrupted by a slow rumble that began to shake, roar and yes, scare me stupid! Not content with living on the sleepy San Andreas fault, we travelled all the way to Chile to experience my first temblor since arriving in 2000. It was only 5.7magnitude. Nothing to get too excited over, according to the locals.

On Saturday we drove to the coastal town of Pichelimu to breathe in the cool Pacific air, take a hike along the sea wall, check out the local Saturday market, and enjoy another splendid meal - lunch at the La Gloria Restaurant. Ivan ate sea urchins and sea squirts - mmmm.... I didn't  have my camera that day so was unable to capture this delicate moment.

Back to our lodge for an afternoon siesta followed by another roaring fire sans earth tremor. Pisco Sours were ordered according to Ivan's excellent fine tuning, not too sweet, followed by more good food. After dinner the three of us began a very serious game of pool and ended the evening in much mirth.

Starter for dinner that night. A nicely dressed 'moulded' salad with mozarella topping. Pisco Sour not quite finished and a glass of Chilean red

And then the giggly game of pool. Tim in action, Ivan looking on

We returned to Santiago the next day with a stop at a very popular craft market. And more food. And then spent the night with Ivan in his beautiful apartment with the snow-capped Andes in his front yard. Monday we headed back to Buenos Aires, getting a last look at the magnificent mountains.

The flight back home was uneventful. Bit of a let-down after the 5 day outward journey!

It's good to be back in the Bay Area - perfect summer weather, not too much fog, long days and good hikes.

Santiago

We made it! This is the view from the hotel room

Unravelled Travel - Volcanic Disruption.

July 7th
Tim and I set off for Santiago, Chile. First a flight across the country to Washington, Dulles. Then a short wait til we board the Buenos Aires flight.

July 8th.
We're sitting in the Red Carpet Club in Dulles Airport, Washington, in the same seats we occupied less than 24 hours ago. Why are we still here? Well we really did board a plane and set off for Buenos Aires last night, in luxurious business class, with the special service that comes with travel in that class on a newly reconfigured United plane with lie-flat seats - oh sweet sleep!

And it was indeed a wonderful night with starry skies outside. Only problem was when we woke, the map showed us heading north,  not south, somewhere near the northern tip of South America. Never mind I thought, my TV screen had not been working at all and Tim's was showing us heading north so the whole system obviously needed re-booting.

Not so. A short while later the captain's voice announced a slight change in plan. Chile's Puyehue volcano was spewing a fresh cloud of ash closing down the airport at Buenos Aires. So our plane was turned about and redirected to Miami, to refuel. And then, two hours later, we were shuttled back to Washington, Dulles, IAD!

And now we have checked into tonight's flight to Buenos Aires, in Economy class, a long night ahead of us.

I would rather go home!

July 9th 
Over a flight of dry Rose wines for me, an Argentinian malbec for Tim and a couple of late afternoon snacks in the wine bar at the airport, we realise we should spend the night in Washington because we can only get on a Buenos Aires - Santiago flight on Sunday night. 

The United representative works magic and gets us upgraded seats for Saturday night's flight and here we are now in the Westin hotel, waiting for our flight tonight, in the comfort of fluffy white sheets with food vouchers to spend.


July 10th
We've landed in Buenos Aires! And once again we're seated in the Red Carpet Club, for the fourth consecutive day, waiting for our next flight to Santiago. At least we're in a different city/country!

Around midday today the ash cloud returned and put a stop to all flights in and out of Buenos Aires. We're on tenterhooks. Will the ash clear by 8:50pm when our flight is due to leave? 


July 11th, Day 5 and we are still not in Santiago - our flight last night was cancelled. We spent the night at a delightful hotel, the Bel Air, in the Recoleta district of Buenos Aires and woke to discover that the earliest booking out of here to Santiago is Tuesday 10:15.

We walked the streets of BA today making up for the hours we've sat in airport terminals. Tiring, but blissful. Tonight we're booked into a highly recommended restaurant close by, the Fervor. And according to the airline websites, lots of flights left EZE airport today, so hold thumbs we'll get to Santiago tomorrow!

Tim having coffee at the Bel Air hotel this morning

Dog walker outside our hotel adds some color to the street

Visiting England

Nearly a month since I last posted a blog - shows how seductive London is. The final week in Cape Town was all about packing. Very boring. Here are some English highlights -

Naz makes some adjustments for a walk on Wimbledon Common with Gareth & Cameron

Cameron learning to stick out his tongue at his dad

As always, I've enjoyed my stay with Gareth and Naz especially getting to know new grandson, 3 month old Cameron. It's been wonderful being part of their home for two weeks, watching Naz, such a devoted mum, walking the three dogs most mornings, added walks with Gareth some evenings, lunches. and suppers, and meetings with long standing friends: Maggie Bassendine from Northumberland and her Australian partner, Roy Jackson, for lunch at the British museum, Mary & Rob Whitfield in Reigate. A great shopping day in London with Clare Dillon, lunch with Ian Jones from Oxford, and also Steve & Anne James and Brenda Bucknall.

Rich rewards on a visit to Hull to find the graves of ancestors. I met my 4th cousin once removed on Ancestry.com. Jo Robinson lives in Hull, as does her mum, Pauline. We drove to Hook, Swinefleet and Whitgift, three towns that feature prominently in our ancestors lives. In the churchyard at Hook Pauline was the first to find this grove of Garlick graves. Someone in the family must have had some money way back then ...

Pauline Searby, my 4th cousin. with me, in the midst of our ancestors 

The remains of my ancestors. The LH grave is my 4th gr grandfather Jonathan Garlick.

Jo Robinson was not the only 4th cousin once removed that I would be meeting on this trip. A week after Hull I set off to Wadhurst by train to meet Stephen Withers who whisked me off to his home to meet his cousin, Donald Green, both 4th cousins once removed on my paternal grandfather's mother's side. I also met Don's wife,Sylvia, on Ancestry.com - it's a marvelous resource! Stephen's wife,Jane Ann made us introductory tea after which we retired to the local pub for lunch, followed by more tea, this time with scones and clotted cream - yum!

From left, Stephen, Don's wife, Sylvia, Stephen's wife, Jane Ann, & Don

Lunch in the pub at Rotherfield. Don on the left, Stephen in the middle.

 Home at last - Thursday June 23rd, Californian time - a whirlwind 6 months!