RV Body Work

Saturday: (10/13) I started the morning by scheduling my next hike for this Friday. We'll hike the Los Tracnos Preserve. It's much easier being a follower than a leader. I can't wait for our usual leader to get back from his trip to Africa. I also did some more research for two other hikes. Ernie took me to Joanie's Restaurant for breakfast (lunch). I had a shrimp avocado and green onion omelet. Ernie had ordinary bacon and eggs. I tinkered with a task list. I cut some wood for Lou, Stopped by Fry's Electronics and got a good deal on a case for the new laptop. And a bunch of other things. For dinner, I stopped by El Gruellense Mexican Restaurant down the street and took a dinner to go. I stopped by and fed the cat and myself. I had a chili relleno, enchilada and flauta combo, all quite good.


Sunday: (10/14) I started my morning, about 10am, by visiting Spunky, Courtney's cat that I'm taking care of. After the cat was well fed, played with and otherwise taken care of, it was my turn. I stopped by the Hong Kong Bakery in Mountain View for a few things. A potato donut (something like a raised donut filled with a curry potato stew), a pork bun, and some egg tarts. This served as breakfast and lunch. When I finally got to work. I cleaned out the RV, removing anything of value, vacuuming it, and washed it. Now it's ready to go get it's ouch fixed. Lou and Dawn returned early about 16:30. Lou and I went to dinner at LUU Noodle House for some pad Thai plates and some egg rolls. Dawn went to her story telling group meeting.

Monday: (10/15) I was up very early. I hooked up the Jeep to the RV and was on the road at 0610. I wanted to get over to Fremont to California Camper Repair before the traffic picked up too much. When I started the RV, I heard a sound I haven't heard before. Some pump was running and continued to run. A vacuum or air pump. I've never heard it before. Possibly something to do with the air springs up front? Unusual for something like this to occur on the way to the shop rather than the day after. Something else for them to fix. I disconnected the Jeep at a nearby shopping center because there was no parking near the shop. Since I had 45 minutes before they opened, I stopped in at Jack In The Box for a Ultimate Croissant breakfast. I dropped the RV off at the shop at 0800. The shopping center I was parked at had a Harbor Freight store as well. I stopped in for a few things I "needed". When I got back home I went over to feed the Spunky the cat. My lunch was Chili and sausage. Lou and Dawn were busy wit happointments and enjoyed lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory in San Jose. Dinner was leftover artichoke chicken with rice and sesame pineapple coleslaw.

Tuesday: (10/16) Lou made sausage, eggs and home fried potatoes for breakfast. She has now re-taken the cat sitting duties. I tinkered in the office most of the day. Lunch was a Chinese cabbage and tofu salad. For dinner we stopped by the old Spaghetti Factory in Redwood City for some mizithra cheese spaghetti dinners. We also did a little grocery shopping at the Grocery Outlet there before heading home. Dawn stopped by Keplers Book Store in Menlo Park for their grand reopening. Keplers is an old independent bookstore.

Wednesday: (10/17) Cereal for breakfast. Lou was off early. I visited Spunky the cat and did a few things in the yard. Lou brought lunch home from Hong Kong bakery. I had a baked pork bun and she had something like a Chinese tomale. A rice flour pork and sausage filled thing. For dinner Lou made chow mein.

Thursday: (10/18) Don McMuffin for breakfast. Tinkering in the yard and putting things away in the shop in the morning. Chili for lunch. Worked on the walkway a little. It seems to be hard to get going again.  Lou made a pot of chili for dinner.

Coal Mine Ridge Loop

Friday: (10/12) Today was kind of busy. It started with taking Courtney to the San Jose Airport at 0545. I stopped by a donut shop for breakfast. While I was relaxing waiting for my hike, the dumpster was picked up. Evidently rather quietly, because I never heard it. Then, with just a little break, I was off at 0900 to my hike. 




It was just myself and four other hikers. 

 
We hiked out the Toyon Trail in Portola Valley. It was drizzly most of the hike. Not so much so that we ever got wet, just moist. These are some of the nicest trails in the area. The Toyon Trail has a couple of interesting features. The above bridge and a tree swing. 

 
Above left, one of the two lakes at the end of the Toyon Trail. On the right, the fall colors were showing on the Lake Trail.  I managd to lead the group thrugh the maze of trails that made our loop except for one missed trail where we had to backtrack .3 miles to get on the correct path. So our planned 6.9 mile hike became an 7.8 mile hike. I did manage to make it back with all hikers though. The cut on my foot didn't bother much at all.

After my post hike shower, I stopped by Chevy's Mexican Restaurant for a late lunch or early dinner. Since Courtney is gone, as well as Lou and Dawn, I am the cat sitter. Courtney's cat Spunky got my attention for a few hours before I returned home. More informaion on the hike is available here

Bye Bye Dirt

Monday: (10/08) I was awakened at 07:10 when I heard the door bell. I dashed out and found that the dumpster I had ordered had arrived. I had intended to get up at 07:30 to be awake by 08:00 after which I expected the delivery. When I called Friday to order it. I was told it would be delivered in the am, I didn't expect it so early. With the delivery  done, I relaxed a while trying to complete waking up. Breakfast was leftover pizza. About 08:30 I went to work. Ernie and I worked all day and moved my dirt pile, about 7 cubic yards, to the dumpster. For lunch we had super nachos from our neighborhood taco joint. Ernie made fettuccine with homemade meatballs for dinner.  Tomorrow I start digging again. I can get rid of 3 more cubic yards of dirt so I'll dig out for some more walkway at the rear of the house. Lou and Dawn are having fun in Sacramento.


Our green house minus its wall.


Where the old dirt pile was located is now filled with the plants from the rear of the house that had to be moved for the walkway.

Tuesday: (10/09) I chipped away at digging out the walkway and filling up the dumpster. Not really productive today. Only a half dozen loads or so. Looks like I'll run out of dumpster space before completing the dig. Pizza for breakfast, apple fritter for brunch. Leftover fettuccine and meatballs for lunch. Chili and sausage for dinner.


Wednesday: (10/10) Cereal with a banana for breakfast. I spent the first half of the day digging and moving dirt to the dumpster. The dumpster is almost full now but I still have more dirt to dig out and will probably have some extra. I finished for the day about 13:30 and cleaned up for lunch. I stopped by the local Jack In The Box for a sourdough cheese steak sandwich, fries and a milk shake. I then drove out to Portola Valley and took the hike I'll be leading this Friday. It's a good thing too. I got lost and hiked a couple of extra miles but now know how to do the hike I described in the notice I sent out to my hiking group. I didn't want to get everyone lost. So my test hike was about 9 miles and I finished up at 18:30 just before dark. The trail is quite nice. I stopped by our local Panda Express Chinese fast food joint for some chow mein and orange chicken for dinner. Today was a two shower day, once after dirt moving and a second after me moving.


Thursday: (10/11) Cereal and yogurt for breakfast. I spent the morning doing the final few loads of dirt. I managed to top off the dumpster and called for its pickup. In doing so, I managed to cut a good chunk of skin off the bottom of my foot. Since I just had a couple of loads of dirt to dig out I just wore my crock shoes and my foot slipped out against the shovel. I do hope it doesn't interfere with my hike tomorrow. Chili beans and sausage for lunch. For dinner, I went by Chili's Restaurant for a chicken fried steak dinner. I received an orientation from Courtney on the care and feeding of Spunky, whom I'll be taking care of for a few days.

Silicon Valley Code Camp At Foothill College

Saturday: (10/06) I was up fairly early and enjoyed cereal with banana, yogurt and honey.for breakfast. I was then off early to attend Silicon Valley Code Camp at Foothill College. Interesting and free, what more could I want.  I was there until 6pm attending seminars on everything web and programming related. Lunch was provided by the Code Camp. I had pizza and chips because the sandwich line wasn't moving. Lou and Dawn were busy with their usual weekend activities and also preparing to go on a little trip to Sacramento. Fresno, and Bakersfield starting tomorrow. For dinner we all went out to Sweet Tomato's restaurant.

Sunday: (10/07) Lou made fried muffins with ham and eggs for breakfast. I was off again to the Silicon Valley Code Camp. Another interesting and informative day. Lou and Dawn headed for Sacramento about 14:30. I made it home about 16:30. I had pizza for lunch at the Code Camp and pizza for dinner compliments of Papa John's. I got one of their two million pizza give away pizzas which Ernie and I enjoyed. Pizza is good anytime.

Arastradero Preserve Hike

Friday: (10/05) Lou made pork chops, home fried potatoes and eggs for breakfast. I was off on a hike in the morning at the Pearson Arastradero Preserve with my Meetup hiking group. Lou was off to get the new car serviced.



The Pearson Arastradero Preserve is low in the hills just above Stanford University. We had really good weather considering how hot it has been this past week..Jessica and Susan, members of the group, are on the home stretch above.


A couple of dead trees looked something like art pieces.

Lou made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Dinner was Lou's chow mein.

A New Laptop

Thursday: (10/04) I have been searching for a new laptop to replace my bigger one that I've had for nine years. It is a real power consumer when we travel and is about as slow as a computer can get, compared to newer models. Trying to find a good computer show is getting difficult. Many have closed in the past couple of years. I found the one I liked at Best Buy, an Aspire V3-551, a 15.6" machine with a good assortment of features and a really low price. The little Aspire I got Dawn a few months back has been a good machine so that also influenced the decision. This post was made using the new laptop. I spent some time in the evening starting to set it up. Breakfast was cereal and yogurt. I stopped by Jack In The Box for a hamburger for lunch. For dinner Lou made chow mein.

A Bunch Of Little Tasks

Wednesday: (10/03) Leftover enchiladas for breakfast.


I spent a little time stripping the forms from the concrete pad and cleaning up. It really looks shiny after being sprayed with water to help it cure. Finally, this morning, the insurance adjuster arranged to come by to look at the RV. I guess I shouldn't be negative. It was three weeks ago today that I started the damage claim, found out I wasn't covered, appealed the denial because I was supposed to be covered, coverage was restored and now the adjuster came by. So, In a couple of days we should be able to get the repairs started. I spent a little time later in the morning looking at new laptop computers before Lou called and asked me to come down to remove some grout from the kitchen sink in San Jose so it can be recaulked. On the way I stopped for lunch at a Chinese buffet that I just happened to pass by. Last night we had stopped by Harbor Freight and bought a new multi-function tool to remove the caulk but the vibrations bothered Lou's wrists. After I got the grout out, Lou caulked the sink with some matching brown caulk. It should better seal the sink now. We stopped by for avocado smoothies after our work was done at the nearby LUU Noodle House in downtown San Jose. Then we each went our own ways back home. I continued laptop looking and Lou found her own interesting stops. Dinner was leftover egg foo young that Ernie made lastnuight. I've never had  egg foo young with meat and mushrooms before.  Very good.