California Dreaming II

The drive South from SF was lovely, and Waze dropped us right in front of Zambala House, the historic hotel my nephew Henry obtained for my sister. I'm so proud of that young man -- he built a wildly successful business on his own. Well, not really. He had the full support and love of his beautiful wife, Valerie... So here he is, in his mid 30s, already treating his beloved mother to vacations. My kind of man...

We met Sue, and it was delightful. Life throws curve balls, and one was that she and I didn't speak for awhile, and last were physically together three years past -- also in Half Moon Bay. Well -- the reunion was delightful. She told me she laughed more during our time together than she had in awhile.  I reminded her what the ladies had always said about me: I'm a magic man...

As we were talking, the door was nosed open -- literally. Henry and Val's enormous, Marmaduke-like dog Rocco was in the place! This big fella is truly a dog of a generation -- sweet, enormous, and hilarious.  He made himself right at home with some crotch sniffs, and then plopped down his 150 lbs or so on my feet, waiting for scratching.

Henry and Val were gorgeous, as always. Henry could be Steve McQueen's son, and Valerie Angelina Jolie's sister. They met in high school, went off to SF together for college, and married 8 years ago, and act like new lovers. Wifey noted that one never sits apart from the other. They speak to each other so lovingly, and smilingly. It is truly a sight to behold -- how much they love each other -- and not in a suffocating way. Valerie just got back from a trip to Morocco, of all places, with her best friend, and Henry is headed with his closest surfer bud to Mexico for a pre wedding surf party.

They each have rich individual lives, but when together, still give off electricity. My only regret, and it's NUNYA, as D2 taught me (none of your business) is that they've decided not to have children -- at least the kind without fur. I just wonder how gorgeous and amazing a child of these two would be. But again -- this choice is their sacred one -- and they hear from plenty of folks how, if they did life again, they would NOT have had kids -- so there it is.

We parked Rocco in the back of the SUV -- his crate during most outings. It never gets very hot in Half Moon Bay, and so slightly opened windows give Rocco a great place to hang.

We went to lunch at a charming, quirky cafe -- sort of the description of all the places in the throwback California beach town.

From there, we headed to our hotel, the HMB Beach House, and it lived up to its name. We had a small suite right overlooking the ocean, and  I cracked open a bottle of wine from the Sonoma weekend -- Kenny and Joelle were schlepping home two full cases, and there remained a single orphan bottle after they packed up. Everyone loved it, along with the gourmet chocolate we had bought, and I had some craft vodka Kenny had bought for me, knowing I'm a clear ETOH guy, instead of wine lover.

We had wonderful conversation, and then I brought us to the business I had at hand:  we all stood up, faced the sea, and toasted our wonderful Grandma Sunny, whose yahrzeit had just passed. We spent some time telling loving Grandma Sunny tales -- there were more than we had time for -- and it was a tribute I know she'd have loved. She always adored Henry and Val -- she giggled at how pretty her grandson's wife was.

Susan reminded us to toast Dad, too, and we did. We miss both of them so...

Afterwards we drove to Moss Bay, and a historic restaurant there, supposedly haunted by The Blue Lady, who was murdered during a lovers' quarrel. We didn't see her, but did have some great food, and afterwards took our cocktails to the deck, where firepits were roaring. We met a couple there, and the fellow was familiar with Visalia, Sue's small Central Valley town -- and we all enjoyed the scene together.

Tuesday Val had a meeting for work, so Wifey and I checked out of the hotel, and drove back to Main Street and Sue's place. Henry and Rocco joined us, and we went for breakfast.

Afterwards we drove to the state park on the Pacific, and found a bench overlooking the sea -- a gorgeous beach mostly empty, as the water was too cold to swim, and the waves that day not big enough to surf. But we watched dogs frolicking in the dunes and water. Rocco rolled around the clover, literally --- enjoying his best dog life --and then he sniffed his way back to the car.

We went to Valerie and Henry's house, and caught up with Val. The place is the definition of charming -- anti-clutter, which I so admire and wish I had, and perfect for these two young lovers and their big, furry son.

We drove to a Chinese place and had lunch, and then back for a final sit down at Sue's hotel, where we bored the young folks with tales of our family from the mid 60s on. They actually seemed to enjoy them.

There were tearful goodbye hugs, and then Wifey and I were on the road to SFO. The reunion was perfect -- Sue and I are back, as Governor Schwartzenegger would say.

We'll all be together again in January, at D2 and Jonathan's wedding. Val and Henry have spent their own time with those cousins, and they all truly dig each other. It should be a fine time in South Beach -- no Rocco, though -- he'll be on his happy dog ranch, where he goes when his humans travel.

It was an uneventful red eye home. I slept most of it (thanks Xanax!) and am now back in the Miami state of mind.

Kenny dropped by last evening to use my notary skills, and we had a few drinks on our porch as Wifey slept -- it takes her longer to get over time changes.

We noted our tropical versus cool surroundings. We toasted, we two products of Levittown Public Schools -- about how our lives have turned out. As Kenny said, if he was offered what he got (amazing medical and US Navy career, loving wife, two wonderful sons, and financial security) back in '78, he'd have said "Yeah -- sign me up."

And indeed I feel exactly the same...