He blogs! Once one falls out of the blogging routine, it’s hard to get back into it. As has been the theme of my blog lately, there’s much to say and much to catch up on (and I know my fans have been wanting a post, so you got it!). I’ve been to San Francisco and back since I last blogged — more on that later — but for now, I want to bid my Dad a safe journey back to California.
After an extended 15-month visit here in Saratoga Springs, my Dad decided that the Northeast just wasn’t for him. And I can understand that. The winters are damn cold and just aren’t for everyone. He did enjoy his time here — Jen and I will never forget all the dinners and movies and Scrabble nights — and he was a rock star at work, where his friends and coworkers appreciated and admired him. He met people with a California or Bay Area connection nearly every night, and had the most unusual run-ins that he never could have predicted (“Oh, you know former California Governor George Deukmejian, too? Let me get him on the phone so you can say hi”).
My Dad hit the road yesterday to begin the 3,000-mile journey west. We went out to brunch and had a send-off full of smiles and laughs. My mother-in-law came to the goodbye gathering, as did Hugh and Jami. My Dad touched a lot of lives during his time here, and although it wasn’t always easy, I think it brought us closer together. My Dad has always been a good friend, but the past year has made that more true than ever. And man, does time fly.
I’m really glad my Dad decided to embark on his Saratoga adventure, but I know being in the Bay Area is what makes him happy. Even more deeply than me, my Dad is a Californian at heart — he was the first baby to be born in Greenbrae, Marin County, California in 1947 — and the Bay Area is his home.
Now I just have one more reason to visit the Bay Area, my home away from home.
