Weekly Wrap-up: Pumpkins, a party, and a visitor from Texas

On Thursday, I took these pictures of favorite street of mine in the Rockridge neighborhood of north Oakland.  I walk it every month or so when I go for a check-in with my sleep doctor (no more meetings after January--cured!).  I always admire the craftsman houses, some updated, some not, all with personality.

Love the paint job on this house. And now white pumpkins to match.

 

 

 

Definitely fall

 

 

 

If you squint, you'll see the figure on the porch that always surprises me.  It's a mannequin .

 

 

Just about buried in leaves

 

 

 

I love the polka dot pot

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

My sister's friends threw her a 60th birthday party in San Jose.  Jerry and I drove down for it and spent the night at the Fairmont San Jose.  Table for 20,  wine pairings, cupcakes:

 

 

At Savory Kitchen, San Jose

  

 

 





Fall centerpiece.  She was the first baby born on Thanksgiving Day, 1953, at San Jose Hospital.

 

 

 

A circle for each course's wine glass

 

 

My sister thanking people who enrich her "universe," as she gracefully put it

 

 

Her fans listening to toasts

 

 

Her friend and neighbor, Julie

 

 

 

Birthday girl (center, wearing glasses) with admirers

 

 

Chocolate, vanilla, and banana cupcakes for dessert

 

 

 

I went with the gardener (we forgot our party clothes; fortunately brought the shoes and scarf, and the "festive" clothes suggestion turned out to be open to wide interpretation.) 

 

 

...which were still in a garment bag when we got home.

 

 

 

View from our hotel room: A harvest moon rising over downtown San Jose and  the San Jose State campus

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

And we had a visitor from Texas, Jerry's son, David.  They took hikes for three days, and David showed us how to consume most of a meatloaf in one night (no, seriously, it was flattering).

 

 



 

 

                         It's startling to see someone you met when he was 15 now wearing bifocals.

 

 

Loved having you, David.  And thanks to his wife, Michele, who is a commercial airline pilot and can wangle near-free flights for him.

 

 

* * * * *

 

Another reminder:  Only five days left to bid on the 45" square, machine-washable quilt I made to benefit the Berkeley Food Pantry.  Highest current bid: $275.