Dad's Birthday

Friday was my dad's birthday, but I was working, and he was working and had other things to do Friday night. So Saturday I spent the day with him.

The day started at the glass study in Berkeley. I got there at 10:00 and we chatted while I watched him sculpt glass. He made hearts, and one flame sculpture, and I got to help with two gazing balls he made. They actually have my breath in them. He doesn't have the gazing balls on his site yet, but do go check it out. The hearts are very affordable, and make nice gifts. And the sculptures are great too, but beyond my price range.

For lunch I went on a quest for Long John Silver's. I had done a search on their web page, and it listed one in Richmond on San Pablo Avenue. I took down the address and put it in my navigator ready to go. I tried to call the store to see if they were still in business, but all I got when I called was a fax tone. So with low expectations, I set out.

It turns out that the shop does exist, is a KFC/LJS. and is right off of Interstate 80 on San Pablo. So I got the food, and we enjoyed LJS for lunch. Dad also invited me over for supper with him and mom.

Dinner was great with T-bone steaks, ceasar salad, and sauteed mushrooms and snow pea pods. And an incredible 1984 Rodney Strong. Apparently their wine in the 80s was really good. Now? Not so much.

And I did the Son thing, and helped out around the house. But in my way.

Dad and I tired to fix the panes on his greenhouse, but we couldn't get them in the tracks, so he's going to do some little work inside and caulk them closed.

I did get his e-mail working. When they switched over to AT&T DSL, dad chose to merge the primary account with his Yahoo account. You can do this because essentially AT&T e-mail is hosted on Yahoo. But this caused a big headache getting the passwords, protocols and such all right. Now, it's straightened out, and should work fine.

And then after dinner, I did a little first look and editing for some writing mom is tyring to get into. She volunteers at the Alameda County Clerk's office and marries people on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. She had such great experiences that her friends have talked her into trying to write a column or a book. So she asked me to look it over and see if it was entertaining. I told her I thought it would be if she expended things more, telling whole stories and not just little paragraphs.

And then for practice, I suggested she write a blog.

So until 11:00 last night, I helped her set up her blog. Once she starts posting, I'll have to throw a link up to it.

Now sometime today I have to find time to run and get my comic books.

Birthday - Part Two

Last night Jennifer and I went over to my parents' house to celebrate my birthday with them. We had a glass of wine, and then they had me open my gifts.

Dad gave me a piece of glass that he had created a few months ago, that I have been complimenting him on ever since I saw it. Once I find a place for it, I'll take a picture of it. It isn't the typical transparent colors he does, and the colors are just cool. I'm not sure how Jennifer feels about it, but it really drew me the moment I saw it.

Then there was another gift that is a sculpture from Africa, carved from serpentine. But it's a yellow-brown serpentine. It's called "Lovers" and is really cool as well. I'll get a picture of it up too.

And third, they gave me an orchid. I'll bring it in to work where it will get some sunlight, since the condo we rent is pretty dark. The orchid is eternally like the one above. I'll take a picture of the one I got and post that too.

Then they took us to Somerset in Oakland, outside of the Rockridge neighborhood. We all had a wonderful time with four different drinks (I had Hangar 1 Mandarin Blossom vodka, neat), four different appetizers (steamed mussels for me), and four different entrees (my choice: paella). And everyone was happy and full.