Nillytour 2004, San Francisco, Thursday 8/19

Thursday's flight to Atlanta was uneventful. Ginger called as I was getting off the plane and said she'd meet me at the boarding gate for San Francisco. I didn't know when we debarked that the luggage was ticketed through to SF, so I rode the train—fast!fun!—out to baggage claim, where the nice lady told me it was all taken care of, and pointed me toward the concourse and gate where the SF flight would board. Of course, coming from baggage I had to go through security again, but it was only a small delay.

Ginger was at the gate, and we boarded. She offered the window seat, but I took the aisle. The seat and footroom was much smaller than on the connecting flight, and the asshat in front of me dropped his seat back nearly into my lap, and kept trying to push back even further. I badly wanted to say something rude. It was a cramped and slightly miserable long flight, but I contented myself with wishing him boils in sensitive areas and concentrated on the fun waiting at the end of the journey.

We were met at the baggage carousel by Deb, Steph, and SailAweigh. Baggage acquired, we headed off to shoehorn bags and people into Deb's car, and then out into freeway traffic. From a warm suny day at SFO, the drive soon headed into real San Francisco fog—which Steph noted with some wonder was moving faster than the traffic!—and hills, then a drive along the beach for a view of Pacific Ocean! I was drinking in all the different styles of architecture, and as we drove through the park, the unfamiliar species of trees. We rounded a corner, and suddenly the car was nosing up to a wooden fence, and we were there. The green-painted Victorian stood tall behind its rose garden, and the front stairs led up to a door flanked by bay windows. The house really deserves a name, I think. It has an air of keeping secrets, and promising stories.

The afternoon is a blur of getting settled in, Sean, Lee and Nilly! arriving with NoiseDesign, Steph and Sail going off to leave their bags at their hotels and coming back, more people arriving, Deb making pan after pan of pasta as people arrived, wine flowing, talk, laughter. The bodies, the heat and the steam from the stove, plus the wine, made the kitchen very warm, so Steph and I wandered outside to sit in the glider and talk as the dusk deepened to evening. Another wave of people arrived, including Nicole and her friend Heather. People eddied up and down the stairs, inside as we got chilled and hungry, outside as we became too warm and made room for hungry new arrivals. David and Jacqueline arrived, bringing macaroons from the kosher deli and other delights. JZ wore a vintage cocktail gown, red fitted bodice and a gathered skirt over a longer black skirt. It suited her, especially with the black cape flung over it for warmth. Hec's flamey boat shoes suited him, too.

A few of the fabled Grabien cats were unfazed by a gaggle of strangers. Cappuccino the tiny golden lion was willing to share the sofa with anyone who was nice enough not to dispossess her, and rusty-black coated, kindly-natured Gadabout accepted petting as his due. The younger cats were more wary, but glimpses were caught of a smoke-grey coat, white feet, black marbling on ticked tabby coats, or a sheen of coal-black. Plans were made for Friday, and for the evening, and people trickled away. Finally Nilly and I brushed our teeth and closed the dining room door behind us. We talked as we combed out our hair and got ready to sleep. She said she loved my accent (I don't have an accent, do I?), and I said I was amazed by her lack of one. She was exactly as she posts on the board, but in three dimensions, not just two. What an incandescent smile she has, and a genuine warmth and sense of openness to new experiences. It radiates from her. Though I feel I've known her for years, that feeling doesn't dim the enchantment of spending time with her, of watching her discover and experience new things, of discussing familiar subjects, of hearing her opinion and point of view.

I could have slept on a bag of broken seashells by the time we said good night, but the foam mattress was lovely. It's impossible to believe it was a whole week ago!

Nillytour 2004, San Francisco, Thursday 8/19

Thursday's flight to Atlanta was uneventful. Ginger called as I was getting off the plane and said she'd meet me at the boarding gate for San Francisco. I didn't know when we debarked that the luggage was ticketed through to SF, so I rode the train—fast!fun!—out to baggage claim, where the nice lady told me it was all taken care of, and pointed me toward the concourse and gate where the SF flight would board. Of course, coming from baggage I had to go through security again, but it was only a small delay.

Ginger was at the gate, and we boarded. She offered the window seat, but I took the aisle. The seat and footroom was much smaller than on the connecting flight, and the asshat in front of me dropped his seat back nearly into my lap, and kept trying to push back even further. I badly wanted to say something rude. It was a cramped and slightly miserable long flight, but I contented myself with wishing him boils in sensitive areas and concentrated on the fun waiting at the end of the journey.

We were met at the baggage carousel by Deb, Steph, and SailAweigh. Baggage acquired, we headed off to shoehorn bags and people into Deb's car, and then out into freeway traffic. From a warm suny day at SFO, the drive soon headed into real San Francisco fog—which Steph noted with some wonder was moving faster than the traffic!—and hills, then a drive along the beach for a view of Pacific Ocean! I was drinking in all the different styles of architecture, and as we drove through the park, the unfamiliar species of trees. We rounded a corner, and suddenly the car was nosing up to a wooden fence, and we were there. The green-painted Victorian stood tall behind its rose garden, and the front stairs led up to a door flanked by bay windows. The house really deserves a name, I think. It has an air of keeping secrets, and promising stories.

The afternoon is a blur of getting settled in, Sean, Lee and Nilly! arriving with NoiseDesign, Steph and Sail going off to leave their bags at their hotels and coming back, more people arriving, Deb making pan after pan of pasta as people arrived, wine flowing, talk, laughter. The bodies, the heat and the steam from the stove, plus the wine, made the kitchen very warm, so Steph and I wandered outside to sit in the glider and talk as the dusk deepened to evening. Another wave of people arrived, including Nicole and her friend Heather. People eddied up and down the stairs, inside as we got chilled and hungry, outside as we became too warm and made room for hungry new arrivals. David and Jacqueline arrived, bringing macaroons from the kosher deli and other delights. JZ wore a vintage cocktail gown, red fitted bodice and a gathered skirt over a longer black skirt. It suited her, especially with the black cape flung over it for warmth. Hec's flamey boat shoes suited him, too.

A few of the fabled Grabien cats were unfazed by a gaggle of strangers. Cappuccino the tiny golden lion was willing to share the sofa with anyone who was nice enough not to dispossess her, and rusty-black coated, kindly-natured Gadabout accepted petting as his due. The younger cats were more wary, but glimpses were caught of a smoke-grey coat, white feet, black marbling on ticked tabby coats, or a sheen of coal-black. Plans were made for Friday, and for the evening, and people trickled away. Finally Nilly and I brushed our teeth and closed the dining room door behind us. We talked as we combed out our hair and got ready to sleep. She said she loved my accent (I don't have an accent, do I?), and I said I was amazed by her lack of one. She was exactly as she posts on the board, but in three dimensions, not just two. What an incandescent smile she has, and a genuine warmth and sense of openness to new experiences. It radiates from her. Though I feel I've known her for years, that feeling doesn't dim the enchantment of spending time with her, of watching her discover and experience new things, of discussing familiar subjects, of hearing her opinion and point of view.

I could have slept on a bag of broken seashells by the time we said good night, but the foam mattress was lovely. It's impossible to believe it was a whole week ago!