Paco got a ‘few’ hits – Sat. June 30, 2018

Steve wrote that Thursday evening was a beautiful evening for baseball in Traverse City, MI. Paco was up 6 times (double header) and hit 10 RBIs. This last hit wasn’t pretty, but it worked! I wish I knew how to post the video. But here is the still picture as he was about to make his last hit:

Yesterday Clark and I, and a bridge partner, Marie Leonardini, went to 5:30 mass at St. Ignatius for a mass being said for Erin. I had called a couple of weeks before the May 31st one year anniversary of Erin’s death, but this was the first available time to have a mass said.
On the way to the church, I had called Español to make a dinner reservation, and found out that they were closed for vacation until July 9th. So, afterwards, the 3 of us went to Urban Jack’s for dinner.

Barbara

Graduation Party for Matt Muldavin – Sun. June 24, 2018

Yesterday we went to a graduation party for Clark’s grandson, Matt Muldavin, who graduated from UCLA last weekend with majors in Econ and Spanish. Matt is the son of Clark’s 3rd son, Dan, and wife Anne who live in Elk Grove, a few miles south of Sacramento. Before starting work in San Francisco at the end of the summer, Matt leaves next weekend for Spain where he will spend a few weeks practicing his Spanish in Seville.

Matt, on the right, with his Dad Daniel, also a UCLA grad, and with Clark on the left.

Dan has a 5-hole putting green in his backyard. He organized a putting tournament. It was the first time that I had putted in 9 years, and I did so badly.
There was also ping pong in the garage. Dan won the Sacramento City Championship 5 times when he was around 12 years of age, and Clark used to love to play ping pong. But, now Clark can’t grasp a paddle because of the arthritis in his hands.

Matt with his 2 grandfathers: Clark, Matt, and Grandfather Bill Tobin from Middletown, south of Clear Lake.

That is Matt’s mom, the dynamic Anne on the right, hugging Clark’s oldest son Jim. On the left is Eric Hedgecock who was a next door neighbor of the Muldavin boys when they were growing up. Eric’s wife, Jill Hedgecock, had a proof copy of her book, Rhino in the Room.

A couple of hours before the party, Anne had barbecued pieces of chicken breast (delicious) and beef, I think tri-tip. The temperature was about 100 degrees, but lots of shade umbrellas made it quite bearable to be outside for a while.

Thanks, Dan and Anne, for a fun party!
Barbara

Clark and Craig – Sat. June 23, 2018

Clark and youngest son, Craig – June 20, 2018

A couple of nights ago Clark’s youngest son, Craig, came to see Clark. Craig and his wife, Sue, live in Kansas City, MO. They were in town for a few days for Sue to have semi-annual medical tests here in Sacramento. Sue was diagnosed with metastasized melanoma about 7 years ago.

Craig’s shirt says, “The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you”. Though he has no technical background, Craig is quite fascinated by modern physics, and reads about such topics as string theory, which I know nothing about.

Barbara

Happy Father’s Day – Sun. June 17, 2019

Clark’s Father’s Day celebration began on Thursday when his son, Scott, came up from Marin County and took us out to dinner at Evan’s Kitchen. The guys had the prime rib special which includes their salad which Clark particularly likes and it also includes dessert. They chose the chocolate molten cake which is yummy.

Clark and son Scott.
Scott spent the night, then the next morning he was out of the house by 6 am planning to take a bicycle ride along the American River Bike Trail after a stop at Starbuck’s. Then he headed home to San Rafael.

Today Clark and I played bridge, and a 54% made us 4th of the 8 pairs who were playing.

From bridge we headed to dinner at Brandon and Lisa’s. Lisa cooked a delicious cauliflower risotto and Brandon barbecued steaks and very tasty swordfish.. It was a cauliflower night because for an appetizer I took Green Giant Veggie Tots which were made from cauliflower.

Joleen Hecht, Brandon, Clark, Barb, Lisa, Chuck Hecht

I enlisted Beckett to take the above picture. He rejected and erased the first one that he took, then produced this photo of 6 smiling faces.

It was kind of Beck to break away from his sword and Lego dinosaurs to take the picture for me.

Clark received phone calls from sons Jim who was in Ventura, Dan who was driving back from his son’s graduation from UCLA, and Craig who is in Kansas City.

Happy Father’s Day to all.
Barbara

Joshua Brown and Rebecca Brown Graduation Party – Tuesday, June 12, 2018

My niece Kathy Canty Brown and her husband Lloyd Brown had 2 graduations in their family this month. Kathy is the daughter of my late brother Tim and my sister-in-law, Pat Canty. As the invitation says, Joshua graduated from Cal State, East Bay, which is located in Hayward. And Rebecca graduated from Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland and is headed to USF for college, possibly majoring in English.

Below is a picture of the Brown family taken at Joshua’s graduation Friday morning, June 8th, from Cal State East Bay:

Rebecca, “Little” Lloyd, Joshua, Kathy, and Lloyd
Kathy is about 5’8” tall, but she looks so tiny amongst those tall men!

Clark and I went down to their graduation party on Saturday. It was at Pat Canty’s house in Discovery Bay in the Delta, about 18 miles east of Stockton. Clark was very relieved when Brandon, Lisa, and Beck offered to drive us down. It is only 1 hour and 20 min from Sacramento, but Clark was glad not to have to make the drive home.

Graduate Joshua Brown with his proud Mom, Kathy.

Rebecca bought herself a USF flag, and strung it up on Sat. morning.

This is Joshua and Rebecca’s older brother, “Little Lloyd”, so called to distinguish him from his father, Lloyd. Little Lloyd is the IT Director for Bentley Schools. The K-8 school is located in Oakland on the Oakland side of the Caldecott tunnel. The 9-12 school is located in Lafayette.

Lloyd is barbecuing salmon and onions. Earlier he had served barbecued prawns, the biggest and most delicious prawns Clark and I have ever tasted. Each prawn must have weighed 4 oz. Lloyd had gotten up at 4:30 am to get to Half Moon Bay by 6 am to meet his favorite fish monger, who selected the best slab of salmon for Lloyd. Lloyd also barbecued ribs and hamburger sliders.

My sister-in-law, Pat Canty, the proud grandmother. She had just been out in the party boat for a ride around the Delta for the first time in over a year. Her dog, Spike, put in an appearance later in the afternoon.

Kathy with her Uncle, Jim Canty. Jim is the middle of my 3 younger brothers. Tim was the oldest, and Bob is the youngest.

Beate Dietz-Reid and Jim. They had just returned from a 3 week trip to Europe visiting Beate’s native Germany as well as Prague and Krakow.

Lloyd talking with Beate and Jim. In the background Little Lloyd is chatting with Bridget Canty.
Bridget is the widow of Kathy’s brother, Jim. Jim died of ALS 14 years ago at age 40.

Beate, Brandon, Clark, and Barb are relaxing after a great meal.

Brandon and Beckett (seated at the bottom of the stairs) went for a swim.
Lisa (seated holding towels) and Beckett went for a ride in the party boat.
Beck liked it when they got to open water and the boat could go fast.

It was a fun day!

Barbara

Memorial Luncheon at North Ridge CC – Wed. June 6, 2018

Today was a luncheon at NorthRidge CC in memory of Barbara Gordon from our former social bridge group. Barbara died on May 22nd. She was an only child, never married and had no living relatives. Barbara had taught Home Economics and Art in Junior High. Her church group has been very supportive of her and Barbara belonged to a birthday club and bunco group. Members of those groups attended the lunch. There were 27 of us sitting at 2 long tables. Each introduced themselves and spoke of how they knew Barbara.

Barbara was an original member of our social bridge group which formed in 1969 and disbanded about 2 years ago.
Here is a photo of our bridge group at the memorial:

Sue Mecum, Barbara Wheeler, Mary Claire O’Connor, Donna Logsdon, Mary Ann Stewart, Kathy Cunningham
That is a photo of Barbara Gordon behind Mary Ann’s left shoulder.

Thanks to Mary Claire for arranging the lunch.

Barbara

Berry Cobbler at Brandon and Lisa’s – Wed. June 6, 2018

Brandon and Lisa had not seen Patricia yet this visit, so yesterday evening Lisa and Brandon had us over for homemade berry cobbler. Yum.

Clark Brandon Patricia Lisa
It was a delightful evening to sit outside.

Clark Barb Brandon Patricia

Patricia is preparing to leave for the airport to return home to Denver. Her 10 day visit has gone by all too fast, but she needs to return to return home. Her granddaughter Elena graduates from the University of Denver this week.

I am already looking forward to her visit the last week of August when we play in the Regional in Santa Clara which ends on Labor Day. Patricia will stay over for the Sectional here at Orangevale the following weekend.

Barbara

Patricia and Barb at Insight Coffee – Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Yesterday after bridge Patricia and I went to Insight Coffee in the nearby Pavilions Shopping Center. Patricia is used to having an Americano at Starbucks, but we thought that we would try Insight where she had 4 shots of decafe espresso over ice with added milk and sugar. They don’t have half and half, but they have their own healthy milk.

Patricia ordered an almond croissant for us to share which turns out to have been made by Estelle where we had pastry last week. Patricia’s son Tom had suggested that she return to Estelle before heading home. So, Tom, we didn’t follow your suggestion exactly, but we did get to eat Estelle pastry again.

Here is a selfie photo which Patricia took … her arms are longer than mine.

Patricia and Barb sharing an almond croissant at Insight Coffee.

We were in a celebratory mood because we had come in 5th of 11 E-W pairs with a 50% game and had “scratched”, i.e. we earned a fraction of a master point. Today was a different story. We were 5th of 6 E-W with 42%. This was our last game before Patricia leaves tomorrow. We played 15 sessions of bridge in the 10 days she was here.

Barbara