The First Week & Muir Woods

The first week in The City was mainly getting set up. We went shopping and checked out the local parks. Our favorite so far is Michelangelo Park. It has a community garden, a blacktop with a basketball court and a wall off which to blast soccer balls. The park is in the middle of a block that is situated on a very steep hill, so the playground area is two-storied with sand. The kids love the park, and it also has a shady area where I can read after Jacob and Aidan completely school me in soccer.

We ventured across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods over this past weekend. Karen and I went there shortly before we were married, and it seemed to be different than we had remembered, much more national parky... When we went fourteen years ago, we both remember parking and just sort of wandering into the forest. It didn't seem as guarded as it does now, which is fine because it also appears that there is a lot more foot traffic.

Caity & Isabel working on their Jr. Ranger packets.

Jacob was not too thrilled about going, mainly because we were getting up at 7:00 on a Saturday morning during summer vacation. We got to the forest, after a half-hour twisty shuttle ride, and started in on the trails. We'd only walked a little ways, when from the right a doe and her fawn came right across our path. I fumbled with the camera, so the pictures were all blurry, but that even seemed to soften Jacob's attitude.

Throughout the day, we must have hiked 3 miles or so. The kids did amazingly, and Karen and I held our own, too. The following day, we ran nine miles as part of our training for the San Francisco Half-Marathon at the end of July. By Sunday night, we were DONE.

 We found a little beach just to the north of the wharfs and just before Fort Mason. This may be our new favorite after-work spot.

Back in the SFO!!!!

Lisle Crocodile prepares for his trip.

Late in the afternoon on June 1, we arrived again in this fair and wonderful city. The house we are renting is so much more than we'd imagined, just a short walk to the Cannery, the Wharf, and the tourist pier... It's also a slightly longer walk in the other direction to the bookstores and museums of San Francisco's literary past. Ideal.

Just a view of Alcatraz from our deck.

Our upstairs dining room.

The hot tub. Yes! The hot tub. On our deck. On our roof! Yaaaasssssssss!

From our upstairs deck, we have a fantastic view of Alcatraz and Coit Tower as well as prime water-balloon launching cover. The best digs by far.

During our first week, we've done so much. Last weekend, we ventured back to Golden Gate Park and rented paddle boats. We all had a blast navigating the weird, radioactive green lake in our fiberglass vessels of death.

A wild calla lily. Bonus points to the person who can identify its significance.

We then took to the playground, with the legendary slide carved into the side of an enormous rock. The kids all took pieces of cardboard boxes and tossed sand down the slide to get maximum velocity. It worked about 28% of the time.

We also happened upon the gigantic carousel, and we all had to ride. Jacob took the frog, and you'll see what the girls chose.

Our first weekend in San Francisco was a blast. There will be more to come!