New Way of Life

January 28, 2006

I am finally able to admit that the journal/blog has become a way of life for me.  I loved writing it in Rome and have missed writing at home.  So, I have once again taken up computer and Word to continue my personal journey through my life.  It probably won’t be as exciting as Rome or as challenging, but maybe I can make some of it fun and interesting.

Our day to day life here has been a lot of catching up on friends, business, my passion at CCA and golf and exercise.  Unlike Rome, I have immediately upon returning begun to have the weight battle that has plagued my entire life.  How can you not gain any weight on Pizza and Pasta and then suddenly feel like you are a whale.  It must be the water. We haven’t been home much for dinner, but our friends have played host with a vengeance.   Our pals, Sandy and Kent Larson, hosted us for a dinner last week that was so good that it reminded me of the best of Italy.  Creamy polenta with little lamb chops and wonderful company.  The wine here is bolder than in Italy and the Larsons are wonderful hosts.  They’re off to India for three weeks.  Not to make anybody competitive, but last night’s food at Steve and Martha’s with a fabulous Beef Bourgione was fabulous along with great friends equal to the task of eating and socializing.  This is not a food column but sometimes people really outdo themselves.  Kimberly’s sister and brother in law entertained our family when we first got home with another fine meal of lamb and a wonderful soup.  Not a bad way to come home - just makes it easy to eat too much. 

It is surprisingly easy to check back into life in San Francisco/Sonoma.  My routines have a level of comfort to them and I know the language.  There are some interesting things going on at CCA that I will journal as they happen.  What an exciting place.  Our new Chairperson Ann Hatch is settled in the job and not only enjoying it but doing it well.  As much as I miss the action, it feels good to let go of the work. I am having lunch with the redoubtable President Michael Roth next week and will soon be up to speed.  There is lots to do at my work and the challenge is to find enough time to be the “retired” guy for at least part of the time. 

I will firmly state that I would like to improve my golf game.  I wonder if writing that will make it happen. I doubt it, but I am hoping so.  My golf buddy, Mr. Lewis Cook, is returning from South America having played several million holes of golf since I went to Rome.  I checked his handicap at the club the other day and it will be hard for me to get cash out of his wallet with his inflated handicap.  I will be lucky to keep my house and food on the table.  I must improve rapidly if I am to survive.  My last few times on the driving range proved it to be a really hard game. 

It will probably come as no surprise that I upon my return I was met by a new car.  It is a beauty, a Mercedes Benz SLK 350, hardtop convertible.  It is not very big and not terribly fast but terminally cute.  They are all over the place and it cost less than the Porsche.  Maybe this will be my dream car.  I always think I am buying the right car even though I never seem to keep them very long.  So far, I like it. It seems responsive and fast enough for me.  For the record, it is sliver with a black interior and Kim who’s not a car person, likes it. 

Yesterday in my office, I started to sort through the hundreds of digital photographs that we took in Rome.  I took over a thousand pictures and we threw away many more.  It is a daunting task.  My computer skills are very meager, but with the help of my daughter Diane and Nancy T, I made the first pass at a slide show.  Very rudimentary, but it has the blessing of being quite short.  The music is the Pacabell Cannon and we did some effects that move the slides around and make it look like a good first effort to me.  Lots of work left to be done to complete this task.