I am spending most of my time meeting up with old friends, and catching up. The boring part is repeating my story, but then I get to hear their stories, always new and interesting. The privileged visits are those when we actually get to do something together, like a hike (Hamilton Mountain in the Columbia Gorge with Rachel), or, of course, a whole weekend in Sonoma with Claire. The many conversations also work as therapy for me. As I am telling my story over and over, it takes on a life of its own, becomes detached from me and my emotions, and this distance is allowing me 1. to see more clearly, and 2. to look at it all with interest and wonderment, rather than just freaking out at the uncertainty of my life.
On the outside not much has changed since my last post. The apartment in Switzerland still hasn't sold and we have some major decisions to make. The plan still is to clean it out next month. I still don't have any plans as to what I'll do when we are done with the job, simply because I just can't make plans. Yesterday I submitted an application for a position with the Oregon Community Foundation. I have the skills and the experience for the job and I think I have a good chance of getting it. That would mean a quick departure from Switzerland, probably as soon as early August. The Swiss job still is pending too, so staying also is a good possibility. Default, i.e. I don't find a job, still is to return to Portland on September 15th. I was not planning to look for work here during this visit, but when I saw the posting I just couldn't ignore it. It's the perfect job for me, and I am the perfect candidate for the position.
Sonoma with Claire was relaxing, low-key, perfect. Neither one of us had ever been there. We rented a car at the airport. Not having been at the wheel for over a year I let her drive while navigating us through rush-time traffic. The fact that she knows the city really well helped, except that she found out that getting around in a car is very different from walking! Once we were in more laid-back Sonoma I mustered the courage to drive, Claire navigating with her iPhone, which I would have been incapable of doing. The highlight was coming back into the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge, for once enjoying the very slow pace caused by the heavy Sunday night traffic. I discovered the existence of the Golden Gate Bridge in grade 4, and this is when I decided that one day I would travel and see the world. Despite my repeated visits to San Francisco, I still get emotional when I cross the bridge.
On the way out of the city we decided to take advantage of the fact that for once we had a car to check out something interesting on the way, and I proposed the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, in the North Bay. DO NOT PLAN TO VISIT THIS REFUGE. It is merely a pull-out along the highway and we didn't recognize it as possibly being the Refuge as we first drove by. By the time we knew we missed it, we were not able to make a U-turn until we arrived to the next town (Vallejo), some 10 miles down the road. Along the highway, driving at 55mph with the rest of the traffic we could see egrets and pelicans from the corner of our eyes and were looking forward to checking out the wildlife viewing area which we had missed earlier. We were so disappointed: the noise from the highway prevented us from hearing any birds (there were supposed to be clapper rails), and the short trail led across a dry and garbage-strewn field. Desperate we tried to bushwhack to find water, but only got mired in mud.
We opted to explore the wine country on rented bicycles, on a relatively flat route. Despite Sonoma being just a little over one hour's drive from San Francisco, we enjoyed not being in the car. Unfortunately Claire turned out to be very allergic to some of the local grasses, and so the next day we decided to head out to Point Reyes, which I had wanted to explore for a long time. The fog cleared just as we hit the coast. We drove all the way out to the lighthouse, checked it out, and headed for Stinson Beach where we finally were able to take a walk on the beach, without Claire sneezing. I had forgotten the noise of the pounding surf and the pungent smell of the Ocean - we sat for a long time on a rock, taking it all in, watching the tide come in.
Thanks:
- Marianne: for being such an easy-going host, for chasing me up Council Crest.
- Katharine and Byron: for lunch, your flexibility and driving me all over the place.
- Kathy: for your trust and generosity in lending us your gorgeous and peaceful apartment in Sonoma
- Linda: for lunch in one of my favorite restaurants (Marco's in Multnomah Village) and the ride to the dentist.
- Beth: for rides to yoga and the tips and encouragement to really work that job application.
- Pat: for being my unconditional professional cheerleader for over 2 years. For encouraging me to see the bigger picture.
- Jody: for organizing coffee with the pool ladies and for returning from the pool to pick me up despite the fact that I didn't contact her! What did I do to deserve such loyalty and service?
- Ernst: for accepting to keep on serving as my trusted mailbox despite the repeated extensions. For the good food and wine (the noodles were just fine!).
- Claire: for a very relaxing mother/daughter weekend. I treasure every minute we get to spend together.
- Rachel: for a day amid wildflowers, for identifying them, and for the stroll in historic downtown Camas.
- Randy: for making time to catch up despite the pressures of the legislative session.
- Jill and family: for a simple and warm time all together. It felt like family. Thanks for letting me use your printer.
- Bill: for lunch and half a life time of friendship.
- Ricardo: for lunch and keeping an eye on my lawn mower!
- Ron and Ria: for keeping scores (and for the rides, the home-cooked meal, the laughs)
- last but not least: Peg, for being persistent, for keeping on trying to reach me on the phone.
Mother and daughter hiked up to a viewpoint above Sonoma.
Taking in the Pacific Ocean.
I am doing it: driving across the Golden Gate Bridge!
Mt. Adams from the Hamilton Mountain trail, in the Columbia River Gorge.
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