Stephen & Marnie's Web Log

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Welcome to our Fulltime RV page, dedicated to keeping friends and family up to date and communicating our interests to others with similar interests.

Marnie & Stephen's Fulltime RV Weblog

Last updated 2011 December 31

2000 Monaco Knight 36Z

For our latest adventures be sure to see the Recent Adventures (Travel Page).

A couple of notes to help make sense of these mad ramblings:

It is latest-to-oldest entries so, reverse order
Steve writes the log so think of "I" and Steve as synonymous
Nobody reads this, not even Marnie, so I don't get any feedback - ever
The text and pictures line up nicely on my computer at my resolution only because it would be a little more work to create a seperate table per picture. If it bothers you email me and complain.

Our new home: 2/2 Condo

Trading Desk/HAM AV Cart

2011 December - Pacheco

Dec 1: Steve had his first ever appointment with a cardiologist. They caught a couple PVCs at the office but that had been diagnosed before. They sent him home with a "Holter" sensor for seven days. They also scheduled an Echo Cardiogram.

Dec 2: The representative for the free Home Depot quote for our Master Bath came and took measurements. A quote is forthcoming.

Dec. 3: We had a breakfast of German Bratwurst at the Walnut Creek Farmer's Market. We dropped off our groceries at home and then walked to the first pond in the Hidden Lakes Park. Yes, walking distance from the condo. On our way back we stopped to see the Center Community Garden and met Dave, the founder and main caretaker and Theresa. We had a long tour of the garden and David sent us home with armloads of Jerusalem Artichokes and Tomatoes! All is free for the taking for the public and working in the garden is voluntary. We love the idea but it is up to the community to respond.

Dec 7: Never forget Pearl Harbor.

Our internet provider has been Verizon for years so our earthlink account is only to preserved our email address at snmdubin@earthlink.net. $20/month is too much for an email address so Steve's new address is sdurbin64@gmail.com so please take note. So many entities have the address it will take a very long time to change over completely.

Dec 14: Steve had our mechanic (Timmons) install a deep cycle battery in the his Jeep. This can run the radios and medical equipment when we are camping without drawing on the chassis (starting) battery. While they were working Steve had a great breakfast, the Carnivore Omelet at Jack's.

Remember the old AV carts from High School, usually holding an overhead projector? Steve bought one for his trading desk, HAM radio, some medical equipment and a few other devices. This has proven to be a great solution to several problems. Though we have more room here than in the RV most of Steve's hobbies look like clutter and we really don't have a place for it. This way the trading desk etc. is portable and can be taken anywhere in the house and even outside in warmer months. Another cart like this one would serve great for the music equipment.

Dec 17: We responded to the Safeway ad for spiral cut ham for $0.99/lb We used to get two of these every year when we had a deep freezer. All they still had on the shelf was a whole ham shank but even with bone in that is cheap meat! We bought a 20lb-er!

Dec 24: We went with our Friend Sachin into San Francisco. We toured the Mission District including some street food at one of the many taquerias in the area. Steve had the Toast of Fish Saviche and the Super Taco. Sachin and Marnie each tried an entre'. The food really hit the spot. Plus Steve had been on his feet too long. We then went to catch a ferry tour but missed the last boat so we then had some wine at Cioppinos, walked back to Pier 39 for dinner at Wipeout. The plates were huge mounds of really good food. Usually I would consider skirt steak trash meat but it was pretty good. Steve had this and shrimp in the Surf and Turf. Marnie and Sachin both had the Fish & Chips which was also really good and way too much food! Steve spent the next day in pain and agony for doing too much walking :(

Dec 25: Merry Christmas! We don't exchange gifts any more but we tried to be generous to the charities we support and our nieces and nephews. This year we kicked off a thank-you card competition with the kids.

Dec 28: Datenight was at Magoo's Grill in Pleasant Hill. It was sureal, but good!

Dec 31: We spent a quiet evening at home listening to concerts, Rush in Rio and Pink Floyd P.U.L.S.E and playing dominos (Steve's first time). When... who should call? None other than Steve's close friend from High School and Guitar Mentor. It had been a long time and both had lost contact information. We actually have his wife to thank for the detective work. Happy New Year everyone!

This Months Brewery, Restaurant & Winery Reviews:

Magoo's Grill - (3.5 of Five)
(2011) The ambiance of this bar & grill was a little weird but we were there early for dinner, the few people that were there all seemed to know each other like in a smaller community. The servers were very pleasant and attentive and the food was great. Steve had the bacon cheeseburger which was generous and had a great smokey flavor. It went well with a Guinness. Marnie had the fish & chips. The fish was a little greasy but very good and the fries were crispy, just the way we like them. Dinner for two plus one drink was less than $20 plus tip.
http://www.magoosgrill.com/

Mission District Taquerias - (2.5 of Five)
(2011) There are so many Taquerias in the Mission District we could not try or even list them all. Steve had the Toast of Fish Saviche and the Super Taco. our friend Sachin and Marnie each tried an entrée. The restaurant was clean and the food really hit the spot. Steve's food came to about $7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_District,_San_Francisco

Wipeout - (3 of Five)
(2011) Wipeout, Pier 39 the plates were huge mounds of really good food. Usually I would consider skirt steak trash meat but it was pretty good. Steve had this and shrimp in the Surf and Turf. Marnie and Sachin both had the Fish & Chips which was also really good and way too much food! Our polite and friendly server Angel brought their only red wine, a "cabernette" and Marnie had a huge glass of Stella on tap. Dinner for three came to $90 with drinks.
http://www.wipeoutbarandgrill.com/

Jack's Restaurant & Bar - (4 of Five)
(2011) A new restaurant in downtown Pleasant Hill, we tried the Bacon Mac (not as good as Marnie's) and the Sunset Boulevard Burger. It was all good and a pleasant, if a little sterile, atmosphere. Steve found out they are open for breakfast and had the Carnivore Omelet which was very good. They were a little slow on coffee refills but there was a great view of the fountain.
http://jacksrestaurants.com/

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest Book Reviews:

     Homer – Illiad - Still working my way through this one...

     Bach, David – The Automatic Millionaire - Steve’s Thoughts: The target audience is renters that have not yet bought a home in which they accumulate equity. I’d recommend it to someone just starting out on their own.

     Latest Game Reviews:

     We have had the Nintendo™ Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others with similar disabilities.

     Tiger Woods 2008 (Wii) - The controls take a bit of getting used to but this is a fun game that we are both enjoying! On a particularly difficult shot you can feel your heartbeat in your club via the vibration of the controller.

     Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) - "Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging. Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and this one is no different in the difference. It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and we wish they would all stick to one method. On to of the non-intuitive control, the game is full of bugs. Sometimes the ball goes in the hole but it doesn't record it and you have to wait until the stroke limit or reboot the game to continue. Honestly, do they test these games before release?

Latest Social Meetings - We met Dave & Theresa.

2011 November - Pacheco, CA.

6 Nov: We attended First Baptist Church, literally less than a block away. We enjoyed the service which is a series of technical study on Nehemiah. Steve showed Marnie the goat farm he found adjacent to the church. We then left straight for Martinez to try and find the Farmer's Market before they closed down. We were hungry and a short walk from the market is Copper Skillet Courtyard, though it was lunchtime we both opted for breakfast dishes.

9 Nov: Steve interviewed the handyperson our Realtor recommended, he will start work on the condo on Friday. We spent datenight at one of our favorite restaurants, Chopin Cafe', owned by the charming couple Evah & Janoaz. We then went to look at furniture at JCPenny and bought a cool, comfy recliner.

14 Nov: Our Handyperson has been going gang-busters around the condo. The Giant-Cactus-From-Hell is gone. Several neighbors thanked us for removing it. The bathroom was demolished in one day so we made an appointment with a custom bath company.

18 Nov: We had an appointment in Berkeley with Custom Spaces to discuss what we would like to do with our Master Bathroom. Both Catherine and Ashley were friendly and professional. Catherine came up with a great color scheme but as we were reading over the contract and discussing the project we had several red flags. The first problem is that while the design fees are reasonable our project would require additional architectural fees and confronting the HOA with the plan for approval. We are already close to $3,000 if we do that without even considering materials and labor! The second and more important flag is that Catherine felt the design would look outdated in about 12 years. I am guessing that is about when we would be looking at selling. We were a little bummed out but we don't think a custom bath is for us.

We discussed it all over a fantastic lunch at Barney's Gourmet Burgers. We both had the Baja Burger. By the time we were back on the road we decided to stop at Home Depot and price the pre-fab walk-in/roll-in showers and that is our new plan. Not as nice as custom but the price is more in line with the current value of the property.

Nov 24: Happy Thanksgiving! Sticking to our new tradition, we bought a precooked turkey breast at Safeway. Easy! This year it was very dry though :( Steve set up our Christmas decorations, a Nativity set we have had as a gift from Steve's mom.

Nov 28-29: Steve's stepmom came for a brief visit (Steve's dad died in October). She brought a beautiful shadow box representing his term in service to the Air National Guard. We had a nice visit with dinner at Tahoe Joe's whom did not disappoint.

Steve started some seeds (I know, November, but it is California) in a tabletop garden. We started Basil, Thyme, Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (seeds from the fruit we ate) and Jalapenos (seeds from the fruit we ate). All but the Jalapenos have come up and are showing proto-leaves. The Basil and Thyme are doing well enough to get their first transplant to larger containers.

This Months Brewery, Restaurant & Winery Reviews:

Barney's Gourmet Burgers - (4.5 of Five)
(2011) We both had the Baja burger (no bun) and Steve ordered a side of their Guacamole. It was delicious! Our server Carrington was polite and attentive. When we saw the word "gourmet" we both rolled our eyes and expected a $15 burger but the prices were quite reasonable. A glass of tea and two glasses of wine came to $38 plus tip.
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/

Copper Skillet Courtyard - (4 of Five)
(2011) Steve had the 2 and 2 (two eggs and two sausages[there were three sausages]) and Marnie had an omlete. The food was great. Jack - the owner of this charming restaurant was friendly and hard working, right along side the waitresses, waiting and bussing tables. Steve asked about the delicious coffee but didn't catch much but that it was local. Two can feast for under $25.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

Latest Social Meetings - We met Pastor Terry Murtha, "SantaClause Jim" & Jan, Barbara, Manito and Frank Peterson. Steve met our neighbors Anna-Laure, Jen, Dave, Russ and Daria and the property manager Michael Williams.

Our new home: 2/2 Condo

Master Bath Demo

This gorgeous nativity scene was a gift from Steve's Mom and we can finally set it up!

Images/Back Yard IMG_20111202_112716.jpg

Back Yard (Needs Work)

Tabletop Garden

Our new home: 2/2 Condo

2011 October - Pacheco

Oct 1-7: Busy! We spent last weekend moving and thank God for our friends Anne and Malena! Anne and Mosen were even kind enough to treat us to dinner knowing we would be too tired to cook. For those that wanted to see some more picture of our new home here are a couple:


Elder Condos	Pool	Fireplace	Dining	Kitchen	Master	Guest	Guest Bath

Guess we'll have to rename the log. :)

Oct 12: Steve's dad died.

Oct 23: Business meeting brunch, (I know, business meeting on a Sunday), but there was great food and drink. Later we gave an interview to Shane of National RV Parks.

Oct 25: Being out of the RV Steve doesn't have any HAM equipment set up. The mechanic disconnected the Jeep radio as it was draining the battery, not driving it enough. Well tonight Steve stuck a mobile antenna on the Coleman grill and got on the local net on 147.495 Nice to be back on the air! Setting up the TS2000 in half an hour has to be a record!

Oct 29: We put the RV on consignment at SkyRiverRV, Dublin.

Latest Brewery, Restaurant & Winery Reviews:

Tahoe Joe's - (3.5 of Five)
(2011) This is a Steakhouse restaurant and bar. Natalie our server was dignified and professional. We started with Calimari Steak Strips then Marnie had Joe's Steak Salad and Steve had the Roasted Chicken with a side of Joe's Steak mushrooms. All was good but the $65 bill seemed high for the atmosphere.

El Tapatio - (Three of Five)
(2011) A family Mexican restaurant with a separate bar, Ana, our server was friendly and polite. For an appitizer we shared Jalapeno Poppers. Marnie had the Carnitas and Steve had the Tres Amigos Fajitas. The feast came to $50.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest book reviews:

     Scott, Michael - Nicholas Flamel Series, Book 4 - The Necromancer - Twins are back in San Francisco and meet Scatty's Twin Sister. Meanwhile, Pernelle and Scathach are trapped thousands of years in the past. I saw this coming: Josh joins Nicholas' arch enemy, Dr. John Dee.

     Scott, Michael - Nicholas Flamel Series, Book 3 - The Sorceress - Pernelle is trapped on Alcatraz while the Twins and Nicholas are being pursued around London.

     Latest Game Reviews:

     We have had the Nintendo™ Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others with similar disabilities.

     Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) - "Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging. Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and this one is no different in the difference. It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and we wish they would all stick to one method. On to of the non-intuitive control, the game is full of bugs. Sometimes the ball goes in the hole but it doesn't record it and you have to wait until the stroke limit or reboot the game to continue. Honestly, do they test these games before release?

     World Party Games (Wii) - Marnie got this one for the Summo Wrestling but we haven't "unlocked" that game yet. The games are fun but the controls are not intuitive. Why would you lift the nunchuk to throw something? Do these people even test their games before they release them? Marnie has injured her shoulder so we won't be playing this game until she heals as it is very shoulder intensive. Steve's shoulders are both torn up but, he is tough (and usually on a cocktail of alcohol and pain killers for his back.)

2011 September - Concord/Pacheco, CA.

11 Sep: Steve still gets very emotional over the events ten years ago. Prayers for Friends and Families of the victims. On the only good note, it eliminated several suicidal terrorists.

13 Sep: After three weeks with the WalkAide® device Steve is getting around pretty good, no brace and no cane. Though, the cane might still be a good idea as the device doesn't keep you from falling if you do trip. If you didn't know he was paralyzed in that part of the leg you wouldn't even notice he is walking funny. Just a little slow. Hopefully, not limping will help his left knee and hip to heal or at least stop deteriorating.

25 Sep: We ran errands which included a stop at a local winery we found exploring Pacheco and Martinez. The Zinfandels, strong and peppery, reminded Steve of how they used to be before the vintners started lame-ifying them a few years ago.

29 Sep: We closed on the small 2/2 condo in Pacheco!

This Months Brewery, Restaurant & Winery Reviews:

Viano Vineyards - This quaint little winery is still run by family members. Sharon, our pourer, was kind and friendly and took genuine interest in us. The prices are very good especially considering how good the wine is. A bonus, the winery and tasting room were nearly walking distance from our home, a great find!
http://www.vianovineyards.com/

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

Latest Book Reviews:

Kiyosaki, Robert – Conspiracy of the Rich - Steve’s Thoughts: I got this one as an eBook and the charts were hard to see in Aldiko (haven’t found a zoom feature). The book repeats many of Mr. Kiyosaki’s mantras but dabbles a little further into conspiracy theory. Robert recommends a couple of books by Fuller that may be worth reading.

Latest Social Meetings - We met our newest neighbor, Pam, Richard, Ron, Andy, Marcia & Terry and Peggy

Sunny Acres 2011 Jul .jpg

Our new home: 2/2 Condo

Sunny Acres 2011 Jul .jpg

2011 August - Concord

5 Aug: We went to the free weekly concert in Blackhawk Plaza in Danville with friends Gila and Alex. The band was spot-on almost every song. It is open carry (alcohol not firearms) and the crowd is an older sophisticated population. Beware of cougars!

7 Aug: We piled in Marnie's Jeep and went exploring Real Estate and neighborhoods through Hercules, Pinole and Crockett. Hercules was very nice while Pinole is dominated by the oil refinery. Crocket was a charming old town but is very run-down and seedy.

10 Aug: We spent date day at the San Francisco MoneyShow™. Lunch was at the Mission Grille in Marriott and dinner was at Buca di Beppo. Dinner was great!

13 Aug: After some grocery shopping in the morning we decided to go see Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 at the theater. We started liquoring-up Steve a few hours before the movie and snuck a small flask to apply during the movie in the hopes of keeping his pain under some control. We both thought they did a superb job on the movie and stayed relatively faithful to the story. Afterwards we dined at ShaadZee Bakery Bistro and plied Steve with some more wine.

16 Aug: Steve was excited to try out the WalkAide® Orthodic device for Foot-drop Syndrome and was delighted that it worked immediately and effectively to allow near-normal walking with drop-foot syndrom.

18 Aug: We made another offer on a condo we previously made an offer on which they ignored. This time we solicited a counter which we will accept. Steve had an appointment to pick up the WalkAide Orthodic device but sadly neither insurance will pay for it. The Spinal Cord Injury isn't a "high enough level". We can make interest-free payments for 18 months if the doctor can't come up with a suitable diagnosis.

19 Aug: Since Marnie was off for a few days we picked our 24-hour move-out of the park. We stayed at the Hilton again and made a mini-vacation out of it. We found out Steve's dad was admitted to the hospital and is in ICU with some serious health issues. All we can do is pray and wait for news.

Latest Restaurant Reviews:

ShaadZee Bakery Bistro - (3 of Five)
(2011) Marnie had the bacon cheeseburger which was cooked to perfection and the sweet potato fries were somewhat crisp which is rare to find. Steve had the Salmon Plate which was a beautiful presentation, delicious flavors in the salmon, hard boiled egg, capers and vinegar. The only complaints we could have would be Steve's asparagus was a little tough (about 1/3 stalk) and we had a hard time getting refills on our beverages. Steve had the house red which was quite good. For the quality of the food we thought this was good value for two entrees and two glasses of wine for $42.
http://www.shaadzeebakerybistro.com/

Buca di Beppo - A short walk from the Marriot Marqui and BART Powel St. station this great chain restaurant served us up great tasting sausage appitizers and a pepperoni salad with a great bottle of Pinot Noir for $63. Our server Pete was fun and friendly and very helpful. Ask for the elevator if you are disabled.

Mission Grille - (3 of Five)
Located at the Marriot Marqui this casual dining room offers a quiet refined atmoshere. Marnie had the steak quesadilla but thought it was bland. Steve had the bacon cheeseburger and a couple glasses of St. Francis Zinfandel. Larry, our server was very professional.
http://www.marriottmissiongrille.com/restaurant/hotels/hotel-information/travel/sfodt-mission-grille-san-francisco-marriott-marquis/

44 Sports Lounge - (2 of Five)
(2011) Marnie had a cheeseburger with avocado and Steve had two eggs over-medium, a side of sausage links and a side of bacon (thinking we might split the bacon). The sides were $3.95 each and came with two pieces. So much for sharing. The atmosphere is struggling between a sports bar and a lounge and so offers a unique experience to the sounds of hip hop. Our meal including a glass of the house wine came to $35.
http://www.44sportslounge.com/joomla/

Methany's -
Marnie and Steve shared a bacon cheesburger and Marnie had the sweet potato fries. We both ate for $18 including a glass of wine.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest book reviews:

     Scott, Michael - Nicholas Flamel Series, Book 2 - The Magician - Another great adventure, this time the twins are in Paris with Flamel and Scatty.

     Allen, Dr. Terry F. – Making 36% - Steve’s Thoughts: Though the author does touch on option strategies the book is an advertisement for Terry’s Tips subscriptions. Sadly, while including commissions in historic performance the author fails to include the significant subscription fees. The author gives a simple explanation of Delta, Gamma and Theta in one of the closing chapters.

     Allen, James - As a Man Thinketh - The author makes the point that a person's environment and circumstances are a result, at least in part, the results of their thoughts. Moral, ethical, charitable and positive thinking will result in positive circumstances in a positive environment. Thoughts of stealing, moral depravity and other negative thoughts result in undesirable circumstances and environments. Whether you embrace this wisdom or rejected it, shouldn't everyone strive for better thoughts and behaviors?

     Riordan, Rick – The Olympians, Book 1 - The Lightning Thief - This fantasy is based on the Greek mythology and was very entertaining as our young Percy discovers who he is and is sent on a quest.

     Cramer, James A. – Getting Back To Even - Steve’s Thoughts: I didn’t get as much out of this book as I had hoped but I am not Jim’s target audience. I took notes on how he evaluates banks, as traditional methods do not work properly on these highly leveraged business structures. I would also like to point out that I have been using leveraged ETFs successfully for the last couple years EXACTLY the way he says not to in this book.

     Stroud, Jonathan - The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1 - The Amulet of Samarkand - This fantasy book introduces the reader to the Demon (djinn) Bartimaeus and a young apprenticed magician that, despite the risks of dealing with demons, summons the evil creature to get even with another magician. Though I don't fantasize about demons myself the book is entertaining and exciting as the author intended. The dry sense of humor is great but there are too many footnotes. I suppose you could skip them easily enough but I have a habit of reading all footnotes.

     Clason, George S. - The Richest Man in Babylon - This book is the basis for many that followed it. A great expository of the rules of gaining wealth in timeless metaphor presented as ancient characters in Babylon. This is a must-read to launch your financial education or as a refresher lest you forget these simple truths.

The recipe presented for digging out of debt is practical and possible if the creditors can be convinced to negotiate. “Would you rather receive nothing than something?” Promise with sincerity that you will repay the debt eventually. They may need to waive accruing interest or at least reduce it so the debt does not grow during your earnest efforts to repay. Today there are services that can help with this task. Some of them have a reputation for success with some creditor so check out the company before you choose one.

     R.A. Salvatore - The Hunter's Blades Trilogy - The Two Swords - This third book in eBook was a good read and a nice escape. Drizzt resolves his bondage to fear of the future and learns "what it means to be an elf." The book is an obvious lead-in to the next series. (Can't wait!)

     Latest Movie Reviews:

     Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - We bothed loved this movie and had a good time. We were thrilled with how well this movie was made and kept to the story as written. It was very exciting and seemed like only a hour long despite Steve's back problems making sitting through a movie very difficult.

     Latest Game Reviews:

     We have had the Nintendo™ Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others with similar disabilities.

     Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) - "Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging. Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and this one is no different in the difference. It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and we wish they would all stick to one method. On to of the non-intuitive control, the game is full of bugs. Sometimes the ball goes in the hole but it doesn't record it and you have to wait until the stroke limit or reboot the game to continue. Honestly, do they test these games before release?

     World Party Games (Wii) - Marnie got this one for the Summo Wrestling but we haven't "unlocked" that game yet. The games are fun but the controls are not intuitive. Why would you lift the nunchuk to throw something? Do these people even test their games before they release them? Marnie has injured her shoulder so we won't be playing this game until she heals as it is very shoulder intensive. Steve's shoulders are both torn up but, he is tough (and usually on a cocktail of alcohol and pain killers for his back.)

2011 July - Concord, CA.

2-4 Jul: Steve made Thai Tom Kha soup and a pork dip. It's a new recipe so it needs work. The flavor was missing something and we will need to convert ingredients to low carb. We also tried a recipe for Thai Iced tea and will work to make it low carb.

On the 4th we went to our friends Anne & Mosen's house in Mosaga (near Lafayette) with Laurie & Mike and Ali. It was a great time, great food and a great show. Late night for us though.

Happy Independence Day and thanks to all who served to keep this great nation free!

20 Jul: We shared datenight with our friends Sachin and Shelly where we did a progressive dinner in Berkley. We started at Jupiter for Lamb Kabaabs and their new Garlic Chicken Wings. We then visited Biryani House for Mushroom Masala, Lamb Seekh Kabaab and the Chicken Tandoori. Our friends then finished up with $1/scoop ice cream cones.

23 Jul: Our friend Robert treated us to breakfast at The Original Pancake House in exchange for Marnie donating blood with his church group.

This months restaurant reviews:

The Original Pancake House - (2.5 of Five)
Steve had the Ham & Cheese omelet which was huge and somehow "fluffy". The portion was enough for three meals. Marnie had eggs and bacon. All the food was good. Our server Jocelyn was friendly and helpful but must have been a bit overloaded as we had to ask for coffee refills and a take-home box twice. It was a very pleasant experience and I suspect two people would dine like royalty for less than $30 while two people could easily share an omelet for $11.

Biryani House - (3 of Five)
Cheap faire and great taste. Marnie and I shared the Mushroom Masala, Lamb Seekh Kabaab and Steve had the Chicken Tandoori. All were quite spicy and Steve paid for that the next day. No alcohol is served so we drank water. These three dishes fed us well for $13.

Mr. Lucky's - Marnie had eaten here once before. We stopped in to this Bar & Restaurant on a Saturday, Marnie had the Guacamole burger and Steve had the Bleu Cheese and Bacon burger and a glass of house Merlot. It was all very good and we will go back. The Manager made us feel welcome as valued customers. There is outdoor seating on the creek and we might try that some summer evening. Dinner for two came to $32 plus tip.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest Book Reviews:

     Stroud, Jonathan - The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2 - The Golem's Eye - Once again the Demon (djinn) Bartimaeus is summoned by the young magician John Mandrake to deal with another rogue Magician and his minions. The dry humor continues in this second book of the series.

     Mary Buffett - Buffettology - Here is another author that I don’t think ever really understood Graham and his mathematics. Warren gets credit for a lot of Graham’s methods. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I got out of this book when I wasn’t nodding off. Most notably I found the tax-free compounding of equity in a company quite compelling and subsequently added ROE as a factor in considering an investment.

     Clason, George S. - The Richest Man in Babylon - This book is the basis for many that followed it. A great expository of the rules of gaining wealth in timeless metaphor presented as ancient characters in Babylon. This is a must-read to launch your financial education or as a refresher lest you forget these simple truths.

The recipe presented for digging out of debt is practical and possible if the creditors can be convinced to negotiate. “Would you rather receive nothing than something?” Promise with sincerity that you will repay the debt eventually. They may need to waive accruing interest or at least reduce it so the debt does not grow during your earnest efforts to repay. Today there are services that can help with this task. Some of them have a reputation for success with some creditors so check out the company before you choose one.

     This months movie reviews:

     50 First Dates - A cute movie, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. The ending was somewhat unexpected.

     The Green Lantern - A couple funny parts. The ending was great!

     Rango - Better than we expected, we both laughed a few times as this chameleon tries to discover who he really is.

     Arthur - Marnie watched this one by herself, as Steve didn't care for the original version. Marnie liked it better than the original.

Latest Social Meetings - Steve met our newest neighbor, Dave.

Sunny Acres 2011 Jul .jpg

Sunny Acres 2009 Apr 7 018.jpg

SF Zoo - Mandril

SF Zoo - North American River Otter

SF Zoo - North American River Otter

SF Zoo - This American Bald Eagle is an amputee and is not in a cage, she cannot fly away.

2011 June - Concord

3 Jun: Marnie and Steve took a long lunch to meet with our Realtor in the East Bay area to look at a couple of properties. The first condo we couldn't get in because the tenants were home and wouldn't come to the door. The next house was trashed and probably needed a bulldozer. The next house was cute, with a white picket fence, original wood floors from 1942 and a great kitchen and deck. A real possibility but then we saw a condo in Pacheco and are considering making an offer on it. Our choice was mainly based on condition and price.

10 Jun: We went out to McCovey’s Restaurant in Walnut Creek with our friends Anne and Mosen for a Paleo meal of buffalo burgers. It was very good and we all laughed a lot together. Though we didn't try it they are famous for a Blueberry Cosmo. Mike, our waiter, had the patience of a Saint and we tipped well.

18 Jun: We went into San Franciso to try Marnee Thai for lunch. We had a great meal with leftovers. Driving south along the coast we were looking for safe and easy beach access when Steve spotted the zoo. So completely un-planned we spent the rest of the day strolling through the zoo. The gorilla exhibit, the monkeys and the old seal exhibits stood out most to us. If you can hold out for the restaurant across the railroad tracks they serve wine and beer.

We had fun but of course Steve paid for the effort for many days afterwords.

Latest Restaurant Reviews:

Marnee Thai - (4 of Five)
There are two of these restaurants in the area, we went to the western one (2225 Irving) for lunch. We had The Tom Kha soup, Shrimp Pad Thai #46 (though we ordered chicken) and Prawns & Scallop Pad Phong Karee #44 served family style. The Pad Thai was a little too sweet but everything was delicious. Steve tried a Taiwan Red Wine which was strong and "earthy". Lunch for two with drinks was $45.
http://www.marneethaisf.com/

McCovey’s Restaurant - McCovey’s Restaurant - (3.5 of Five)
Eating low-carb or Paleo is really difficult when eating out but we were delighted to hear that this bar and grill has a Paleo-friendly menu from which we ordered wings and a meal of buffalo burgers. It was very good, cooked perfectly. Though we didn't try it McCovey’s is famous for a Blueberry Cosmo. Mike, our waiter, had the patience of a Saint and we tipped well. Half the meal for four plus drinks (dinner for two) came to $60 (though the ladies partook of two pitchers!)
http://www.mccoveys.com/

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest book reviews:

     Stroud, Jonathan - The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1 - The Amulet of Samarkand - This fantasy book introduces the reader to the Demon (djinn) Bartimaeus and a young apprenticed magician that, despite the risks of dealing with demons, summons the evil creature to get even with another magician. Though I don't fantasize about demons myself the book is entertaining and exciting as the author intended. The dry sense of humor is great but there are too many footnotes. I suppose you could skip them easily enough but I have a habit of reading all footnotes.

     Clason, George S. - The Richest Man in Babylon - This book is the basis for many that followed it. A great expository of the rules of gaining wealth in timeless metaphor presented as ancient characters in Babylon. This is a must-read to launch your financial education or as a refresher lest you forget these simple truths.

The recipe presented for digging out of debt is practical and possible if the creditors can be convinced to negotiate. “Would you rather receive nothing than something?” Promise with sincerity that you will repay the debt eventually. They may need to waive accruing interest or at least reduce it so the debt does not grow during your earnest efforts to repay. Today there are services that can help with this task. Some of them have a reputation for success with some creditor so check out the company before you choose one.

     R.A. Salvatore - The Hunter's Blades Trilogy - The Two Swords - This third book in eBook was a good read and a nice escape. Drizzt resolves his bondage to fear of the future and learns "what it means to be an elf." The book is an obvious lead-in to the next series. (Can't wait!)

     Latest Game Reviews:

     We have had the Nintendo™ Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others with similar disabilities.

     Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) - "Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging. Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and this one is no different in the difference. It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and we wish they would all stick to one method. On to of the non-intuitive control, the game is full of bugs. Sometimes the ball goes in the hole but it doesn't record it and you have to wait until the stroke limit or reboot the game to continue. Honestly, do they test these games before release?

     World Party Games (Wii) - Marnie got this one for the Summo Wrestling but we haven't "unlocked" that game yet. The games are fun but the controls are not intuitive. Why would you lift the nunchuk to throw something? Do these people even test their games before they release them? Marnie has injured her shoulder so we won't be playing this game until she heals as it is very shoulder intensive. Steve's shoulders are both torn up but, he is tough (and usually on a cocktail of alcohol and pain killers for his back.)

2011 May - Concord, CA.

5 May: Happy Cinco-de-Mayo.

11 May: Datenight was at Jupiter in Berkley, a great little bistro with savory appetizers including lamb, brie, stuffed pepper and a great many things we can't eat. After dinner we drove the short distance to the water and out on the pininsula to the park and walked out to where Steve took this beautiful boat picture.

16 May: Marnie's birthday we went to Outback for steak and Alice Springs Chicken. The French Onion Soup really hit the spot for both of us on a cold rainy day.

19 May: Steve took Marnie to the station to start her trip to visit family. Her sister graduated from radiology, congratulations!

21 May: Steve and Sachin had tickets to attend the Spring Fling event at Cline Family Vineyards. We got a guided tour at the top of the hill overlooking the vinyards and the two winerys. The Jami Jamison Band was jazz and classic rock and were very good. There was not enough seating but the food was real food. There were several salads, ribs and chicken. The breasts were dry and almost inedible but if you could find some dark meat it was good. The wine, as always, was great!

29 May: Marnie made it home safe and sound! Yea!

This months restaurant reviews:

Pete's Brass Rail & Car Wash - (3.5 of Five)
"There is no Brass Rail, There is no Car Wash, and Who the [heck] is Pete?"
The atmosphere is family pub with a variety of sandwiches and brews. Steve had the Danville Burger with pepperjack cheese added and a strongly hopped red ale. Marnie had a steak sandwich and the cider. All of it was delicious and our server, Leah was attentive and friendly. Dinner for two with drinks came to about $36.
http://petesbrassrail.com/

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest Book Reviews:

     Alice Schroeder - The Snowball - Billed as the only biography Warren Buffet has ever cooperated with, Warren's humor shines clearly through the anecdotes. The book is not always flattering and descriptions of his failures outweigh the successes to the point that you wonder how he was successful. I find the stories of how he got into some of the investments, like The Furniture Store in Omaha and Coke interesting. I also found that where Ben Graham and Warren Buffet were in disagreement I tend to lean towards Graham. There are many personal stories of family members and I found the multiplicity in intimate relationships distasteful.

     R.A. Salvatore - The Hunter's Blades Trilogy - The Lone Drow - The second book in paperback was a good read and a nice escape. Drizzt looks deep into his soul in the depressing (from his perspective) adventure.

     R.A. Salvatore - The Hunter's Blades Trilogy - The Thousand Orcs - This is the first eBook I have bought for my droid. It was a quick read and is part of a trillogy about the Dark Elf Drizzt and his friends. I have the second book in paperback and the third in ePub.

Marina at Berkley

Overlooking Cline Family Vinyards

Empty Beaches in NC

Sunny Acres 2009 Apr 7 018.jpg

2011 April- Concord

4 Apr: Steve met with our Real Estate agent in the East Bay area to look at a couple of condos. They were both okay but both had stairs. We will think about it and maybe just keep looking.

9 Apr: Our agent has a dieing father so we have another Real Estate agent to work with. We drove around to look at several condos in the area, and the neighborhoods and have three we want to look in to so far. We liked the last one enough to make an offer. We gave a large enough earnest money check to really get their attention. It's an REO (Bank Real Estate Owned) so we don't expect any negotiations.

14-15 Apr: We received and signed a counter offer so by Monday we should be under contract. We will get very busy during our due diligence period (they call it something else here) and we only have 30 days to close without penalties.

23 Apr: We ran errands and had a delicious lunch at Mazza Grill. We are looking at appliances in order to create our move-in budget if we get the condo.

26 Apr: The bank signed the final offer last night. After a long day talking with the mortgage broker we went to Chevy's Mexican Grill with some of Marnie's coworkers. The only appetizer Steve thought he could eat (besides Tecate) was the wings. Blood sugar was 175! What's in that sauce, sugar?

27 Apr: Steve read the combined Hazard and Tax reports tip-to-tail today, nothing too frightening, earthquakes and "Low" flood exposure in the event of a dam failure. After researching the only reservoirs in the area it is not a concern but we might carry flood insurance as it is cheap.

The deal was killed by the fact that there was only one parking space available for the unit, no extra parking.

Latest Restaurant Reviews:

Mazza Grill, Pleasant Hill, CA - Another new restaurant, Mediterranean, in downtown Pleasant Hill, we were served Shawerma Meat Salads by a friendly man named Ed. The food was savory and delicious but they did not have an unsweetened beverage that Steve could drink. We enjoyed the cafe' style atmosphere but next time we will get the meal to go.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest book reviews:

     Angie Sage - Septumus Heap Series, Book Five, Syren - This too book was a very enjoyable story in the saga. It didn't seem like the last. After looking online, indeed there is a sixth book called Darke and a possible movie. http://septimusheap.wordpress.com/ Official Blog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septimus_Heap wiki/Septimus_Heap

     Angie Sage - Septumus Heap Series, Book Four, Queste - This book was a very enjoyable story in the ongoing saga. It is obvious the author was deeply inspired by Tolkein (The Lord of the Rings) and Rowling (Harry Potter). This is an enjoyable and easy read.

     Alice Schroeder - The Snowball - Billed as the only biography Warren Buffett has ever cooperated with, I have just started it and already love it. Warren's humor shines clearly through the anecdotes.

     Angie Sage - Septumus Heap Series, Book Three, Physik - I liked this story very much as the reader shares as Septimus grows in knowlege and power. It is obvious the author was deeply inspired by Tolkein (The Lord of the Rings) and Rowling (Harry Potter). This is an enjoyable and easy read.

     Latest Movie Reviews:

     Going The Distance - Marnie said it was cute.

     Tangled - We watched this together and were pleasantly suprized and thought that it was cute.

     Black Swan - This was an intense movie, Steve didn't watch much of it (drama) but Marnie watched the whole thing.

Latest Social Meetings:

This month Steve met Curtis and his dog Dina who has a brain tumor. Curtis plays guitar, very well and so Steve might have someone to play with. Steve also met Bob and his dog Prince and the neighbor Dorothy.

2011 March - Concord, CA.

7 Mar: Before our trip up to Mendicino we had our Mobile RV Mechanic (Randy's) pull the Port side awning off to replace the material. It has been raining almost every day since so he hasn't been able to put it back on.

27-29 Mar: We drove up to El Dorado and rented a house with some of our dearest friends. We caught up on Sunday night and then hit the wineries on Monday. We did Boeger and Lava Cap first, both make great wines! We then visited Sierra Vista and Latcham and we all bought wine to have with dinner and Carrie's famous mussels. We had wine and hot tub (I know, bad combination) and then made an early start the next morning as our friends had a long drive ahead of them. Marnie and I stopped and Joanies for lunch on the way in and breakfast on the way out. This cafe' is a real gem and we can recommend it. You can see all our restaurant and winery reviews at our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

We also found out Steve's stepmother has breast cancer, your prayers are coveted.

     This months restaurant reviews:

     Bo BBQ & Catering, Lafayette, CA - A couple of different people recommended this restaurant to us. We were completely pampered by the hosts and servers. We had the Brisket and a side of Pork Ribs. It was all very good. They have a wood fired BBQ and the smells and flavors permeated the premises. Even though slow cooked, the meat was very moist and flavorful. They run out of sausages by Wednesday so pop in on a Friday if you want to try them. I guess we have to go back!

     Sunrise Bistro, Walnut Creek, CA - We have eaten breakfast here before but we had an awesome dinner Friday night. Marnie had Turkey Meatballs over a side of spaghetti squash. Steve had the Fiesta Burger (no bun, no potatoes) and the side of their mozzarella eggplant. The house red Cabernet was good and went very well with Steve's meal. Our service provided by James was stellar. The meal for two was an excellent value at $37 plus tip.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest Book Reviews:

     Alice Schroeder - The Snowball - Billed as the only biography Warren Buffett has ever cooperated with, I have just started it and already love it. Warren's humor shines clearly through the anecdotes.

     J.K.Rowling - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - One of Steve's dearest friends, Mark, was in the UK on business and brought us back a copy in English. The version released in the US was changed to American English and there are some subtle and some not so subtle differences. It is always a pleasure to re-read these books.

     Robert E. Howard - Almuric - I (Steve) thought I had read all of Howard's books but I didn't remember this one. Howard is one of my all time favorite Fantasy authors and the entire collection is available as free eBooks in the public domain. Strangely, the name of the planet is missing in the text of my copy. There is just a space, "...since I have been on ." I assume the title of the book is the missing name. Regardless, it works and this was another great story.

     A. C. Clayton - The Rig-Veda and Vedic Religion - I downloaded this free eBook thinking it was an actual copy of the Vedas. It turns out to be a commentary on the Vedas. The text is poorly rendered by the scan where titles, footnotes and page numbers are found in the middle of the text. The book contained enough information and quotes from the Vedas to satisfy my curiosity and to eliminate my desire to read a copy of the Vedas in the future. I cannot, however, in good conscience, write my thoughts on the Hindu religion from a Christian perspective as I have with Mormonism and Muslim. The Hindu religion is an ever-changing and flexible belief system to which I could not do justice in describing with my limited knowledge based on this book, the internet and my Hindu friends.

     Dr. David Jeremiah - The Coming Economic Armageddon - I was excited to read this as Dr. Jeremiah brings together Bible prophesy into one coherent description of how things will be. I am glad that he agrees that those of us that are believers will be with Christ before the really bad things start happening, but we still need to understand and share information for those who will accept Jesus Christ during the tribulation (period of disasters physically, financially and politically). Like Dr. Jeremiah says in his sermons, "If you think you know who the Antichrist is, you've been left behind." Some of the events leading up to this period are happening now! If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your saviour, don't wait another second, ask him into your heart now!

     This months movie reviews:

     Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) - Better than we expected, we both laughed out loud several times.

     It's Kind of a Funny Story - Too much vomit in this one, Steve left the room to go read. Marnie thought it was okay. Parts were funny.

     Due Date - We both agreed to turn this one off after about 10 - 15 minutes. It has to be a pretty bad movie for Marnie to walk out on it.

     Love & Other Drugs - Marnie watched this on her own. It was not what she expected and felt Steve wouldn't like it. She thought it was okay.

     Family Man - I (Steve) didn't like this movie. It reminded me of Groundhog Day and a few other similar stories so it wasn't very original and not very thought provoking for me. I like Cage and he did a good job with the role.

Guinness sorting tax receipts.

Radio-Controlled Mouse.

Casper Beach.

"The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted dessert isle..."

2011 February - Concord, Mendocino & Fort Bragg, CA.

5 Feb: We met our friend in Walnut Creek and he treated us to a Mediterranean dinner at Pomegranate. Marnie and I both had the Gyro Spicy Salad, it was really good. We saw his new loft condo, very nice.

6 Feb: Superbowl Sunday Marnie went for a hike with her friend Ann and Steve took in his favorite sermons on TBN. We watched Sherlock Holmes together and then Steve put on the pre-game shows. Had to change to golf a few times to wait out some country western music. Neither one of us can stand even hearing if we can help it.

We were both rooting for Pittsburgh, so they lost. Steve made guacamole and burgers and Marnie made chicken-rollups.

14 Feb: Instead of celebrating Valentine's Day we celebrated Guinness' 14th birthday. Steve bought the materials and made a remote control mouse for him.

19-21 Feb: Off to Mendocino. This is one of the things we really wanted to do while we are still here in the Bay Area. We took the motorhome and Steve's Jeep up to a little camp ground in Caspar Bay called Caspar Beach RV Park. We were literally a few minutes walk from the ocean here. There is lots of wildlife in the surrounding woods, we saw deer and raccoon.

We went to the sea glass museum and a thrift store. We went to Glass Beach and picked up about a quart of sea glass. Not sure what we will do with it. We took several strolls on our beach and even took Guinness down to the beach in his carrier. Careful of dogs we let him out at a stream outlet to start. He got up the courage to climb out when we let him but after a few seconds on Steve's lap he climbed back in his carrier. We took him closer to the breakers and he didn't like that at all! Time to go home! How many people take their cat to the beach?

We met Donna, a camp host and HAM radio operator. Steve had a nice chat on antennas.

For the most part the mini-vacation turned into a hunt for dining. We had a great dinner at the Mendocino Hotel, Marnie had the fish-n'-chips that rivaled our favorite at Cliff House and Steve had a really good burger with Brie and Bacon, Yum! We liked it so much we ate here twice.

Steve makes a great breakfast of bacon and eggs but In Fort Bragg we stopped at Perkos Cafe for a second breakfast of coffee and sausages and to get on the Internet. The sausages were good but greasy. We also ate and sampled the beer at North Coast Brewing Co. Again, Marnie had the fish-n'-chips and the onion rings were the texture of Funyuns. All very good. Steve had a sausage sample appetizer (hot, hot and hotter) and drank most of the 12 beer sampler. The Red Seal Ale is the best beer but all of them were good.

After what seemed like a great trip it also seemed ruined. When we got back to our site in Concord our RV sank to the axels in mud

(lots of rain while we were gone I guess).

23 Feb: The park staff dug out the RV and using a pickup truck pulling and the RV at full throttle we got her out. They put us in a more level spot while they put gravel down in the other space.

26 Feb: 29° F here this morning! That doesn’t happen often. Steve made scrambled egg and salmon omelets, yum!

     Latest Restaurant Reviews:

     Mendocino Hotel, Mendocino, CA - Marnie had the fish-n'-chips that rivaled our favorite at Cliff House and Steve had a really good burger with Brie and Bacon, Yum! We liked it so much we ate here twice.

     Perkos Cafe, Fort Bragg, CA - The sausages were good but greasy. Coffee was good.

     North Coast Brewing Co. - Marnie had the fish-n'-chips and the onion rings were the texture of Funyuns. All very good. Steve had a sausage sample appetizer (hot, hot and hotter) and drank most of the 12 beer sampler. The Red Seal Ale is the best beer but all of them were good.

     Pomegranate, Walnut Creek, CA - We sat outside, on the street. About half the tables are outside and half inside. Marnie and I had the Gyro Spicy Salad. It was really good. Our friend treated so I am not sure what the total was but I suspect two people could dine well for $30 for what we had.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest book reviews:

     Loftis, Larry B., Esq. – Investing in Duplexes, Triplexes & Quads – The author makes a pretty convincing argument about purchasing 2-4 unit properties as opposed to single family or five-plus units. An opinion I can agree with, at least for beginner investors. The author fails to take his own annual expense assumptions into his calculations on cashflow, a pet peeve of mine. If you don’t already have your own formulas and assumptions you might want to be careful of the formulas in this book.

     Esther Friesner - Wishing Season - I liked the cat, Boabdil. About halfway through the book I really thought it was finished. It got a bit strange from there. It was still and enjoyable read.

     Latest Movie Reviews:

     The Social Network - Marnie watched this one by herself and she thought it was good, but not something Steve needed to watch.

     Sherlock Holmes - Some parts were funny but overall the movie was just okay.

     Inception - This wasn't bad, it reminded us both of The Matrix.

     Iron Man 2 - This movie, like the first, seemed so long we both gave up on it and watched the rest the next day.

     Latest Game Reviews:

     We have had the Nintendo™ Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others with similar disabilities.

     Monster Hunter (Wii) - Still working on this one... I finally got through the Capture Great Jaggi Quest after a dozen tries! I am level three now. I had to take a break after all the frustration. I have gotten better at controling the character but it is still not intuitive.

     Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) - "Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging. Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and this one is no different in the difference. It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and we wish they would all stick to one method. We will update the review after we have had it longer.

     World Party Games (Wii) - Marnie got this one for the Summo Wrestling but we haven't "unlocked" that game yet. The games are fun but the controls are not intuitive. Why would you lift the nunchuk to throw something? Do these people even test their games before they release them? Marnie has injured her shoulder so we won't be playing this game until she heals as it is very shoulder intensive. Steve's shoulders are both torn up but, he is tough (and usually on a cocktail of alcohol and pain killers for his back.)

2011 January - Concord, CA.

2 Jan: We went out to breakfast at Sunrise Bistro with friends.

3 Jan: Steve had his SCE physical evaluation for Hartford in Stockton, CA. We made a trip out of it and left early enough to have a nice lunch at The Creamery Restaurant and to see a little more of the town. Stockton is not a place we would want to live or buy.

8 Jan: Tonight was the DVO Christmas Party. Steve's first. The food was great, especially the salmon and the brisket. The open bar served bottled wine and somehow Steve managed to get four glasses due to a happy mistake of refilling at the bar right before the servers brought wine to the table. And Marnie didn't want hers so... (A little too much but not bad.) Steve met several people but Jamie and Lordis & Richard really stood out because of how friendly they were. Matt and his wife were also very friendly. Steve didn't meet Laurie but, man, she was a great dancer!

9 Jan: Happy Anniversary! It has been 12 years of marital bliss for Steve and Marnie! We went to a nice dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House again. It is nice to play dress-up every once in a while.

We both had the fillet and then Steve had a small lobster tail. The steak was not quite as rare as we usually like it but the lobster was perfect (be careful, it's hot!). We shared a great bottle of Frank Family Zinfandel.

Steve created a new page dedicated to his medical resources
to maybe share with others with similar problems or interested friends and family.

14 Jan: One of Marnie's coworkers drives for a limo service and he offered to take a group of us in to San Francisco (Daly City) for dinner at Kome Japanese Seafood Buffet. We had an educational dining experience in that we didn't know that sea snails, sea slugs or some of the other items were even edible. Steve tried most of them and, writing this the next morning, would modify that as barely edible.

16 Jan: We spent the after noon visiting Cline Winery and then a great late-lunch/early dinner at Sonoma Cheese Factory. We stopped at Roche for a suprise barrel tasting.

20 Jan: Our friend treated us to lunch at Swagat Indian Cuisine in Concord. The food was all great.

26 Jan: We went to Berkley to try Jupiter for dinner, recommended by our friend Ginny. We had a great time and really good food!

27 Jan: We had a very nice Paleo (Marnie's Easy Pork Carnitas recipe) dinner with friends. Sophie seem to take a liking to Steve and kept running up and tapping him on his leg in one of the hyper-sensitive areas. How do they just know? Marnie still maintains a talent for finding open wounds and bruises.

I listed our friends link for a timeshare in Sedona, check it out on our link for stuff for sale.

     This months restaurant reviews:

     Jupiter, Berkely, CA - What a great place, the courtyard is an oasis from the busy streets. This is also a brewery so Steve tried the Stout, it was as good as what we used to make, and that is saying something! We shared the brie and lamb skewer appetizers and both were really good! We also shared a small pepperoni pizza and it too was savory and delicious. Our server, Emina, was friendly and courteous and we could not have had a better time. The bill came to $44 after a generous tip.

     Swagat Indian Cuisine, Concord, CA - The food was all great. We had given up on Indian food after experiences at other resaurants and these dished have gotten us excited about Indian Cuisine again.

     Sonoma Cheese Factory, Sonoma, CA - We've been here before so we brought a friend. Steve's favorite is still the double bleu cheese burger with no bun. Three of us had double burgers and a bottle of Pinot Noir for $30.

     Kome Japanese Seafood, Daly City, CA - A group of us and friends got a free limo ride into San Francisco and had dinner here. They had a giant sushi buffet, separate soup buffet and then two more hot food lines with duck, pork, beef, chicken and every kind of edible seafood you can imagine (plus several we never imagined being edible). $20.95 per person plus drinks.

     Ruth's Chris Steak House, Walnut Creek, CA - Expensive but you get what you pay for. Expect to be pampered. We like our fillets rare if it is good meat. This is a great place for a special occasion, we have spent two anniversaries here. This last time We both had the fillet and then Steve had a small lobster tail. The steak was not quite as rare as we usually like it but the lobster was perfect (be careful, it's hot!). We shared a great bottle of Frank Family Zinfandel. A fancy meal with al la Carte sides and a bottle of wine can run over $250 for two!

     The Creamery Restaurant, Stockton, CA - Steve had the Pastrami topped hamburger, no buns, no fries. It was messy but very tasty. Marnie enjoyed their Ruben Sandwich. The atmoshpere is diner/ice cream shop.

     El Charro, Lafayette, CA - This is one of our favorite Mexican Restaurants so we have eaten here several times. Marnie had a great chicken dish and Steve tried the Arroz con Pollo, sans Arroz (rice). It compared favorably to the same dish at Casa Bonita in Flagstaff but needed a little more cheese. The Bloody Mary was terrible, barely drinkable, but one must not let alcohol go to waste.

For more Restaurant Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest winery reviews:

     Roche, Sonoma, CA - We had a barrel tasting served by a nice friendly pourer named Jonathan. After the barrels we tried a couple of the same wines bottled two years ago and we all decided we didn't care for their wines.

     Cline Cellars, Sonoma, CA - This great winery is still our favorite in Northern California. The entire operation is self sufficient using solar power and the wines are all great. They specialize in Steve's favorite, Red Zinfandel. We became club members at this winery which yields discounts at both Cline and Jacuzzi across the street.

For more Winery Reviews visit our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.

     Latest Book Reviews:

     Dr. David Jeremiah - When Your World Falls Apart - I received this as a generous gift. I find David's and other's personal stories of pain and tragedy encouraging. At his suggestion I sat down and started writing all the times I have prayed to God and how he answered, including when I accepted Jesus Christ and asked him in to my heart, mind and soul. I realized that I had written my personal testimony and found powerful encouragement and affirmation of my belief and faith that God will see us through no matter what disaster we face.

     Esther Friesner - The Sherwood Game - The story of a computer game and androids running out of control. Plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and a semi-love story. Some adult content that some will find offensive (as intended by the author to develop the villians).

     Dr. David Jeremiah - The Coming Economic Armageddon - I was excited to read this as Dr. Jeremiah brings together Bible prophesy into one coherent description of how things will be. I am glad that he agrees that those of us that are believers will be with Christ before the really bad things start happening, but we still need to understand and share information for those who will accept Jesus Christ during the tribulation (period of disasters physically, financially and politically). Like Dr. Jeremiah says in his sermons, "If you think you know who the Antichrist is, you've been left behind." Some of the events leading up to this period are happening now! If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your saviour, don't wait another second, ask him into your heart now!

Anniversary Dinner At Ruth's Chris

A nice Zinfandel

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