Concours d'LeMons 2011

August brings the best car show ever that we attend -- the Concours d'LeMons.  Held during the same week as the prestigious Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach, and the Concorso Italiano (Ferrari, Lamborgini) show, this one is a gathering of "the oddball, mundane and truly awful" of the automotive world.

Last year, our two Trabants won in their class (Kommunist Kar).  Other classes including Rue Brittania (British cars), Needlessly Complex Italian, Der Self Satisfied Krauten Wagen (German), Soul Sucking Japanese Appliance, Swedish Meatballs, Rust Belt American Junk ( which always includes a complete category for American Motors, and  a string of Pintos) and Unmitigated Gaul (French cars),  There are always a handful that fit no category (as I will explain later) . In addition, the cars from the "24 Hours of LeMons" race (where no car could cost more than $500 to compete) are always showcased.

Last year the show was held at Toro Park in Salinas, but this year it was moved to a lakeside city park in Seaside, right across the street from the Seaside City Hall.  This charming little lakeside park was also the Canadian Geese migration path toilet for the entire state of California, as we quickly found out when we pulled in.

We brought two entries this year -- and got a two for one entry fee!  -- for our completely original and unrestored FMC motorhome, towing my 1961 Rambler American Convertible.  In order to be in the much-vaunted pre-show Cruise, we arrived on Friday afternoon just in time to unhitch the Rambler and get in line, cruising down through Monterey and out onto the 17 Mile Drive (having BSed  our way past the guards at the gate) with the rest of the Lemons.

LeMons along the shoreline of the Monterey Bay - 17 Mile Drive --- Carmel, California

Of course, the most fun of all on the cruise is chugging past the car snobs along the route that leads to the Golf Course and the show for the priceless jewels of the car world.  We always get lots of cheers and we aleays reply with as much frantic honking as we can muster.

Since we were NOT at Toro Park, where camping would have been quite nice with bathrooms and firepits, we had to hunker down in our motorhome in the parking lot of the Embassy Suites in Seaside between two car trailers, hoping nobody would roust us out in the middle of the night. Needless to say, between the glare of the streetlights and people coming and going from the nearby Chili's, we didn't get a whole lot of sleep.

The day of the show dawned overcast and chilly, but we got the motorhome into position and spread out our accouterments:  astroturf lawn (thank goodness for that -- protecting our feet from goose poop), picket fence, two planters of garish neon orange fake flowers, pink flamingos, our tiny barbecue, two plastic-web folding chairs, and a table covered with one of the last madras bedspreads to survive the 70's.  We gave the blow up palm trees a try, but one had a leak, and the other gradually wilted as the day went on.  On the table, we set our bribes for the judges, a bottle of limoncello and two "USA" baseball caps.

Everyone wanted to see the inside of the motorhome.  Yes. It is all completely original, down to the two-tone orange shag carpeting, orange formica countertops, gold striped velour upholstery, smoked veined mirrors in the sleeping area, and all of the fake wood paneling you could ever need .  Even some of the accessories, life the throw pillows, shower curtain,  and towels, are original.  Too retro cool!!!

Of course, we had to dress the part --Rod in his Concours d'Lemons T-shirt, and I in my orange tie dye.

The lovely RV (and my Rambler) were not the only LeMons at the event.  A large contingent of racers from the 24 Hours of LeMons race (no car could cost over $500) were also on display including :

                                         This lovely "Porche" -- we loaned them the flamingo lights

This Amazing Turbo Charged number 

                                                Close Up of Turbocharger

                             And several other awesome gruesome and hilarious anti-race cars

                                                          Love the Hood Ornament

  Of course, safety is always first, which is why there is an award for the most dangerous car.  I don't think
                                                       this one was the winner, though

                                                  Dose Eccccck-ees!

And of course there was my Rambler and several other classic junkers to admire and snicker over

                                           Semi-art car tinfoil covered van next to Pacer

All in all, it was a fun filled day with much to see and do.  To read more about the Concours d'LeMons, have a hysterical chuckle, and see all of the pictures, check out these links:

http://www.concoursdlemons.com/

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110821/CARNEWS/110829987


http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q3/2011_concours_d_lemons_crap_crap_and_more_crap-auto_shows       (This link shows our  motorhome with a hilarious description and all of the other "prize" winners)

My Pal Bob

Not long after I took over managing the paratransit program at CCCTA (from which I retired in June 2010), I got a call one day from a gentleman at Rossmoor who asked  me if we could set up a van to take seniors from Rossmoor to the Trader Joe's in Lafayette once a month to go shopping.  I said I would meet him for lunch and we could talk about it. Over grilled cheese sandwiches in the little diner cross the street from Rossmoor, Bob Caplow and I hashed out a plan for a shopper's bus to Rossmoor one Sunday a month with fares that would be affordable.  Bob lost no time beating the bushes for sponsors to help pay for the service and putting out the sign up sheets for the "Rossmorians" to sign up.  Bob and I talked on the phone frequently and became friends.  I found out that he had been an east coast engineer for most of his life and had worked on the Manhattan Project (wow).  Bob and his wife Norma had lived at Rossmoor for about eight years at that time and they did not own  a car, taking the Rossmoor bus and County Connection buses everywhere, and for some doctor appointments, the ADA paratransit LINK.    After a couple of years of successful Trader Joe's shuttles, Bob let me know that his wife was ill and was going to Stanford Medical Center for treatment.  Not long after, Norma passed away.  I found out and attended her funeral, the first Jewish funeral I had ever attended.  It was sweet and Bob was absolutely shocked to see me there.    I walked with him down the hill from the service to where everyone was parked and gave him a big hug.

Bob turned over the shuttle to someone else but we continued to communicate from time to time via email.  Bob was an up to date guy who knew his way around a computer.  One day he sent me a little video clip of a song his grandson had written and was singing accompanied by his guitar -- Don't Worry, be Caplow"  It was so evident from that video that Bob was well loved by his kids and grand kids, and had been all his life.

When I retired, Bob was one of the people to whom I sent my home email address. Keep in mind that we had only met each other face to face TWICE during this time.  Bob turned 90 in 2010, and his kids threw him a big party.  Bob met a lady he calls a "JAP who is not a JAP" (Jewish American Princess) and they became companions.  She is 87.

A couple of months ago Bob emailed me that he was undergoing treatments for prostate cancer.  He asked if he could call me in the event that he was unable to book a ride for his cancer treatments, saying that he mostly took LINK and the volunteer drivers from the American Cancer Society.   I emailed back and said OF COURSE I could take him, and wouldn't it be lovely to have lunch, too?

It turned out that Bob needed a ride on July 29, so we arranged a meeting place at the Rossmoor Clubhouse, and went out for a delightful lunch.  A new bistro had recently opened up at Rossmoor that was pretty darn swanky and had very good food -- no institutional bland chicken breasts and rice for these active seniors!!!  Around us, groups of  silvered haired ladies celebrated birthdays, and grandparents ate lunch with their grown grandchildren, while Bob told me more tales of his youth and adventures.   We both agreed that life was pretty darned good and we were pretty darned lucky!!!!

AT the clinic, all of the nurses and office ladies knew Bob, and he brought gifts of fruit for them all.  While he had his treatment, I read a National Geographic (I completely love NG but have never subscribed myself).  When Bob came out, he asked the receptionist to take our picture, so here it is:

I sure hope I get to have many more lunches with my buddy Bob in Walnut Creek.

Best Weekend Ever

Yes, indeed!   What could be better than a weekend with friends you love, great music, good food, perfect weather, good wine, and a Rolls Royce to carry you around?

Never mind that the Rolls looks like a Chevy Malibu!!!! It's ours temporarily before it gets shipped to a customer in Austria.  pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon?????

Had to be this past weekend!!!!!!   Linda and Virgil came up and we went to see kd lang at the Mondavi Winery.  Such a fabulous venue!!!!   Not too big -- maybe 1000 people or so, all grown ups with no drunken brawls, outrageous behavior, or annoying people who talk all though the concert.

Under the arch into the winery entrance the stage was set and the acoustics were perfect.  Everyone had lawn seating, and there was food and wine to purchase, although we brought our own picnic supper that I had lovingly prepared --- chicken liver and mushroom pate with a baguette to spread it on,  chilled cucumber soup, shrimp salad stufefd tomatoes,  apple peanut salad, and lemon bars for dessert.  Oh yeah, and our water bottles filled with Hendry 2006 blush wine  and another of chardonnay.

                                Here are Cindy and Linda enjoying some Hendry Ranch Rose
                                                  before the sun went down at Mondavi

kd lang enthralled the crowd and look how close we could sit!!!!   Where else can you have that kind of experience?  I have to say lucky, lucky, lucky all over again.

So could the weekend get any better?????   In fact, YES!!!!  On Sunday morning, Linda and I did a short (2 and an half mile) walk around the Avenues, then went with the husbands for breakfast at the Black Bear Diner.  Mmm-- those biscuits!!!  Those country fried red potatoes!!!!  That California omelette!!!!!!  So much food we packed up over half of it to take home.

After that, off to Old Town Napa for the first (and I hope not the last) "Porchfest"  which invlved about 40 different music groups on porches all over Old Town playing for free.

There was a Celtic Duo

And a string quartet that played Beatles tunes (wonderful!!!)

There was also a solo acoustic performer

Not to mention a soul combo on the porch of the Migliavacca Mansion

And the very entertaining Myths Cats whose entire repertoire consisted of songs about food (One Meatball, Yes we Have No Bananas,  Jamablaya )

                                                           There was a little Rock and Roll

                                            And a smattering of Bluegrass, too

   All within walking distance of one another.  The streets were filed with people walking, biking, roller blading, and a cadre of Segue riders.  There were people pushing strollers, walking dogs, and navigating with maps clutched in their hands showing all of the venues and all of the houses.   There were old people, young people, tourists, locals and everyone in between, all enjoying another perfect day in Napa.

    To put the final cherry on the top of our hot fudge sundae (Sun day), we ended up at Foster's Freeze for ice cream cones and root beer floats.

                                          Life is good, right, Linda?   Life is VERY VERY GOOD!!!

Lucky, lucky, lucky!!!

God, I cannot believe how lucky I am to have ended up here in the amazing Napa Valley with a house in the country, an adequate retirement income, an amazing husband who will always be around because (in his words) "I can't wait to see what will happen next", lots of cats, roses to cut for my table, intoxicating weather, and no reason to go anywhere but here.

There is so much going on here, as well as so much beauty, that we are constantly entertained and amazed.  Just this past week, we have been to TWO outdoor theater Shakespeare venues for FREE -- Much Ado About Nothing and The Compleat Works of Shakespeare Abridged.  Very fine performances outdoors, free, and totally engaging.  What better excuse to pack a picnic and a bottle of wine and head downtown (only about two miles way) for a charmed evening?  

Shakespeare in the Park 

Calistoga Tamale Festival 

  In recent months we have been to the Skip Long and Father's Day Car Shows, a Tamale festival in Calistoga, a symphony performance of Beethoven's Ninth, a benefit documentary at the Cameo Theater, St. Helena Sidewalk sale, the Sonoma Jazz Festival with Sheryl; Crow, an Open House at Phil Glashof's sculpture studio, a performance of Hank William's Lost Highway, the Fourth of July parade in American Canyon, and these tow great Shakespeare performances.  This is not to mention our own Mexican Train Tournament party and Mary's retirement party in Sacramento.

Retirement rocks and all of the wonderful things we have been experiencing just make me SO GRATEFUL for all of the blessings in my life.

On Saturday Linda (from Kenosha) and her husband Virgil will be coming from Fremont to  join us for the final concert in the Mondavi Summer Concert series -- k d Laing and Sis Boom Bang.  We'll bring a picnic and buy some wine there, and enjoy the music.  Then on Sunday, there will be a series of "porch concerts" by local musicians in Old Town, and we will be sampling everything from bluegrass to string quartets, moving among the neighborhoods on the porches of historic houses.

What fun!!!!  

Walking

It's a pretty simple thing, walking.  You dress for the weather and make sure you have sturdy shoes, and find a scenic route, and off you go.

Walking has changed my life.  Signing up for the Susan G Komen Three Day has energized and motivated me.  I still don't know if I can ACTUALLY walk 20 miles a day for three days in a row, but I am eager to try.

And in the meantime, I have discovered a whole world of nature, perseverance, friendship, and camaraderie along the way as I train.  I have discovered new places (the River Trail in south Napa, the Skyline Ridge Trail, the short River Trail between Lincoln and Trancas, the new little park at the end of Soscol and Silverado Trail), strengthened friendships (Judy, Mary, my aunt Carol and my Curves workout buddies), music (I listen to my ipod when I walk alone) and inner resolve as I try new things -- 11 miles in Sacramento with Mary!!! Walking from the house to Redwood Road all by myself !!!   Walking to Yountville with Mary!!!!   Hiking the Skyline Ridge Trail with Judy!!!! Exploring the back roads of St Helena with Carol!!!!  Short walks around the Avenues with my husband!!!

And Saturday -- a really fun walk with my workout buddies from Curves.

Bless Brita for putting this together!  We all got together on a cool and foggy early Saturday morning.  From left to right there was Marion (with Odie, the wheaten terrier), Brita, Cindy, Clarice, Sylvia, Faith, Diane (behind Faith), Jill, Jean and Amy.

The trail along the salt marshes and edge of San Pablo Bay is really a wonderful adventure.  Along the way there was much to see.

Herons and egrets in the marshes, and the changing color and texture of the plants and water.  A view far across the water in the mist was breathtaking even on this cool and misty morning.

Everyone teased "City Girl" Faith over her apprehension about loose dogs, fear of cats, and wild things in general.  By the end of the walk, she had been dubbed "Nature Girl", a title that will probably stick!!!

We all walked at our own pace, and here are Jill and Jean, followed by Clarice, with Faith, Amy and Brita in the background.

These Century Plants along the trail were just one of the sights to see. The trail was paved, comfortable, and wide enough for all of us as well as bicycles.

Marian, Odie, and Brita followed by Faith and Amy, stroll up the trail edged by driftwood .

And what a great group!!!  Diane, Marian and Odie, Clarice, Jean and Jill look refreshed and ready to take on the world!!!

And at the end, we all had to have proof that we had actually finished!!! Cindy, Brita, Sylvia and Amy .

Since we started early (8:00 am), I began my day refreshed, energized, invigorated, and clearheaded.  It's so much fun and so good for me that when I do not walk (or do something else physical like yoga, zumba, or the Curves circuit), I feel stiff and foggy all day.  So even if all I can manage in a day is a little walk of 3 miles or less, I have come to miss it when I cannot do it.

And as a result, my body thanks me, my mind thanks me, my heart thanks me, and I am filled with gratitude and peace.   Many thanks to Sylvia for sharing the photos  so everyone can see them!!!!

4th of July

The Fourth of July definitely means that summer is here!!!!!  For twenty years now, we begin celebrating on the THIRD of July when we go "up the hill" to Ann and Ray's house, sit on the roof, and watch the fireworks below us that Silverado Country Club sets off.   Sometimes we have our root beer floats BEFORE the fireworks, and sometimes we have them after, but those root beer floats are a family tradition that we never skip.   I cannot remember a time when it was not clear enough to see the fireworks go off.  In recent years, we have watched the downtown Napa fireworks from our balcony on the Fourth, and we can see almost all of them, except for the ones that are set off below the tree line.  

Before we had the balcony, we would go back up the hill and watch from there.  You could see fireworks from all over -- American Canyon, Benicia, Vallejo, Pinole, and sometimes even Crissy Field in San Francisco on an especially clear night.  Back in the day, the rooftop would be crowded with our kids, Raymond & Sue and their kids, sometimes even Pat & Robert and their kids.  Thee days it's just me & Rod, Ann & Ray.   

This year, we brought BBQ ribs, coleslaw, corn and baked (soy) beans up the hill on the third, and played Mexican Train before it got dark, and after the fireworks were over, waiting for the traffic to clear.   Rod drove the 1934 Auburn replicar down to the house for the parade the following day. 

And, on the Fourth. as we have done for about ten years, we drove classic cars in the parade carrying various  local dignitaries in American Canyon.  Rod judges the classic vehicle entries, and I usually drive the best classic with the mayor or one of the council members.  This year, I drove the mayor (Leon Garcia) in the 1958 Impala convertible.  We decorated the car with glittery "USA"letters, American Flags on the two antennas on the back, and a big flag that the Mayor brought on the hood, along with a red white and blue bow adorned with glittery stars on the hood ornament.  

                                                           Cindy with the Impala 

Other cars were the Auburn  driven by Rod's Dad, the '56 Cadillac Convertible driven by Shuree and her boyfriend with Councilmember Joan Bennett, and the 1974 Cadillac Convertible driven by Rod -- with the parade's Grand Marshall.   

                                                     Ray Driving the Auburn 

                                                      Shuree, Todd and Joan Bennett 

                                                  Getting Ready for the Grand Marshall 

It is always blistering hot and my foot is always tingly hot by the end of the parade from keeping on the brake the whole time as we S-L-O-W-L-Y cruise the 2 mile parade route with the Mayor and his wife greeting all of their neighbors as we pass by.   We almost always pass on the festival held in the park with bounce houses, hot dogs, and local crafts.  Too hot for that!!!!!!

                                               Driving Mayor Garcia and his Wife 

At home, I marinated steaks provided by Ann, made potato salad and a cheesecake, and took my Rambler out for a cruise around the Avenues.  It is pretty easy to drive and I look forward to getting it spruced up and showing it off. 

Then the Napa City Fireworks on the balcony followed dinner of the grilled steaks, grilled squash/mushrooms/onions, potato salad and cheesecake.  More Mexican Train preceded dinner  (I won this time !). 

And I always think back to the holidays of my youth.  Which Fourth of July celebrations were the best?  The one at Simmons Beach on a blanket when I was a teenager besotted with my first love?   Or the first summer in California, when we went to the beach in Santa Cruz and watched the fireworks lying on our backs in the sand , stoned and seeing animals in the shapes of the smoke clouds?   And always the intoxicating heat of a summer night that makes you want to stay awake all night long looking at the stars, the moon, the bugs swarming around the street lights, and breathing in that sweet night air. 

Sixteen Again

July First marked the one year anniversary of both my retirement and my smoking cessation.  My how the time does fly.  Rod and I drove to Fairfield and bought me a car -- yes my own classic that ACTUALLY runs although it does need some minor work -- paint, a new top, refastening of the door panels, installation of shoulder belts.

But the coolest thing -- it is a 1961 Rambler American convertible.  This means that my mother was on the assembly line when this car was made -- and she more likely than not added something to this very car.  PLUS she had a 1961 Rambler American coupe (beige and bronze, as I recall).  And FINALLY -- my first car was a 1963 Rambler American convertible -- only difference in this one is the black interiors, the grille, and it is a standard shift, not an automatic.

My first car -- I got it when I was 16 not long after I got my license. It was brand new and I loved that car!!!  I carpooled all my girlfriends to school (Sharon Naydihor, Pat Clark, Paula Mohr, Kay Daun) and we drove it to Chicago (got lost on the south side one time and scared the wits out of ourselves) Great Lakes (oh, the sailors!!!!!!), Milwaukee (my first Chinese meal at Toy's) and everywhere.  I remember the summer after I graduated, we were tooling down Washington Road when "Satisfaction" came on the radio.  We pulled over, jumped out of the car, and all got out to dance!!!!   And of course, we drove it to the bars -- what were they thinking???  Putting the bars where you could drink beer at 18 way out in the county so that you had to drive home along those dark 2 lane roads with a good buzz on??)  We called that car "the Playmate" and I had a big red rose taped to the antennae .  When Clark gas (a subsidiary of Esso) had their "Put a Tiger in Your Tank") slogan, I had my tiger tail attached to the gas cap!!!.

We hauled bales of hay for a club fall dance, and rode around in the winter with the top down and the heater blasting away. We went to the beach (Simmons beach) and the lake (Paddock Lake) cruising on Friday night, and to Dry Dock (where I met Jerry Ochs).    And one night, when I was visiting Sharon babysitting, someone sideswiped my precious car while it was parked in front of the house.  I was devastated!!!!

I also remember one night driving to Racine at night and hitting a huge bank of snow that had drifted across the highway.  I spun around several times and as luck would have it, there was no one else on the road.  And another night driving home when I ALMOST rear ended a truck on the road that was driving with NO tail lights!!!!

And of course, everyone knows that Ramblers are the best because the seats fold down.  And even though in a convertible, they couldn't go ALL the way down, I do recall they went down far enough!!!!

But strangely enough, I don't think I have any pictures of my high school wheels and that kind of makes me sad.

I am looking forward to making more happy memories in my NEW Rambler!!

Here's a shot of   bringing her home. 

I'm naming her Marylyn, after my mother