About San Francisco: It's taken a bit of decompression to deal with, but I'm probably over the hump, so the rest...
About San Francisco: It's taken a bit of decompression to deal with, but I'm probably over the hump, so the rest will just have to taper. Anyway, the good parts include serendipitously finding Valrhona at the Whole Foods. Not exactly the ones I usually use (Manjari 64% is my go to), but it's more than acceptable (Guanaja 70% and Jivara 40%; I can blend them).
Other things: My nephew is a Stepford child. One year olds should complain more and listen less and just generally be more difficult. He's also an object lesson in observable extroversion and charisma. I suppose it's good that his parents are extroverted, because I'd get really annoyed at all the people constantly coming over and wanting to touch and hold him. He gets more and more energized the more people interact with him (number of people). It will make it difficult to turn him off and get him to nap. It's good thing that normally he goes to day care, his parents have a finite amount of energy.
Will have some pics to post, but went with SIL and the child to a thing called the Dickens Christmas Fair(e), which is held near where they live. It's basically the Victorian Christmas version of a Ren Faire. Some of which is quite elaborate and high end. The food is not so much, although they are sort of trying, and there is a lot more alcohol available than I remember at Ren Faire. I mean, they have an absinthe bar, along with more than one other location that serves alcoholic libations.
Also went with SIL and friends one night to a comedy club (I think it's a big time one) where we saw someone with whom I am unfamiliar who proved that you can spend an entire hour talking about your penis and associated subjects. Meh. Then her friends decided to meet other friends at a place called Cafe Prague where the 90's in Europe were alive and well. Techno, the music, the lights, the whole thing. Also, Europeans. Surprise. There was tasty beer, though. Got to hear amusing story about someone having trouble at the US/Canadian border. Sigh.
Meanwhile, if I had time and money, I'm sure I'd enjoy visiting San Francisco if I didn't have to interact with my brother and SIL. Further, it didn't occur to me, but I've never really been anywhere other than in the more central and touristy parts of the city. The parts laid out in grids with easy public transport and walk to all sorts of good stuff. They live out towards the edges of the city, which is a morass of nobody planned these streets, towns, and traffic patterns. What a complete pain in the neck. That, and nothing is a quick walk to anything. They do have a very nice view, though. Especially when the fog clears.
I was there to help because my brother had back surgery. While my SIL will never completely grow up, she really tries and she is the one who recognized that they were not going to be well able to deal while my brother was supposed to be resting and restricted activity. In theory, I would take the kid to day care and my brother would be resting most of the time so I could do some work and just help get things when he needed them. When the baby was home, I would help take care of him because he's very active and my brother was not supposed to be picking up anything, which therefore includes most anything caring for the baby.
My brother has a history of traumatic brain injury, which he has supposedly gotten some help with. However, he clearly still easily loses control of his temper under any significant stress (like back surgery - also he and his wife both are in newish jobs so taking time off is a thing). He's also a micromanaging control freak. It's partly because he needs to do some of it to keep functioning, but some of it is just who he is. That, and he knows everything and you know nothing and everybody is wrong and stupid, etc.
Basically, he is the worst patient archetype. Does things he shouldn't, doesn't do things he should, acts like an ass when challenged. Long list of it will not be here, because you can guess some and because I am venting, not trying to relive each precious miserable moment.
So I have no desire to go back any time where I can't avoid them for the most part. Also, it's kind of a pain to be where they are unless you have a car to go elsewhere, so why not just be elsewhere in the first place? Not San Francisco's fault.
Lastly, I was supposed to have a "day off" while there. Although it would have been rainy and overcast, I was still hoping to go hiking in Muir Woods. This didn't happen because there weren't any days off. That is not totally surprising, as neither my brother nor SIL are known for their advance planning skills. Another reason to be in or around SF without them.
So that's that. It was nice to talk with my SIL a bit, my nephew is a good kid who I hope will grow up in a less stressed out environment, and I might someday get back to Northern California in a better situation.
Other things: My nephew is a Stepford child. One year olds should complain more and listen less and just generally be more difficult. He's also an object lesson in observable extroversion and charisma. I suppose it's good that his parents are extroverted, because I'd get really annoyed at all the people constantly coming over and wanting to touch and hold him. He gets more and more energized the more people interact with him (number of people). It will make it difficult to turn him off and get him to nap. It's good thing that normally he goes to day care, his parents have a finite amount of energy.
Will have some pics to post, but went with SIL and the child to a thing called the Dickens Christmas Fair(e), which is held near where they live. It's basically the Victorian Christmas version of a Ren Faire. Some of which is quite elaborate and high end. The food is not so much, although they are sort of trying, and there is a lot more alcohol available than I remember at Ren Faire. I mean, they have an absinthe bar, along with more than one other location that serves alcoholic libations.
Also went with SIL and friends one night to a comedy club (I think it's a big time one) where we saw someone with whom I am unfamiliar who proved that you can spend an entire hour talking about your penis and associated subjects. Meh. Then her friends decided to meet other friends at a place called Cafe Prague where the 90's in Europe were alive and well. Techno, the music, the lights, the whole thing. Also, Europeans. Surprise. There was tasty beer, though. Got to hear amusing story about someone having trouble at the US/Canadian border. Sigh.
Meanwhile, if I had time and money, I'm sure I'd enjoy visiting San Francisco if I didn't have to interact with my brother and SIL. Further, it didn't occur to me, but I've never really been anywhere other than in the more central and touristy parts of the city. The parts laid out in grids with easy public transport and walk to all sorts of good stuff. They live out towards the edges of the city, which is a morass of nobody planned these streets, towns, and traffic patterns. What a complete pain in the neck. That, and nothing is a quick walk to anything. They do have a very nice view, though. Especially when the fog clears.
I was there to help because my brother had back surgery. While my SIL will never completely grow up, she really tries and she is the one who recognized that they were not going to be well able to deal while my brother was supposed to be resting and restricted activity. In theory, I would take the kid to day care and my brother would be resting most of the time so I could do some work and just help get things when he needed them. When the baby was home, I would help take care of him because he's very active and my brother was not supposed to be picking up anything, which therefore includes most anything caring for the baby.
My brother has a history of traumatic brain injury, which he has supposedly gotten some help with. However, he clearly still easily loses control of his temper under any significant stress (like back surgery - also he and his wife both are in newish jobs so taking time off is a thing). He's also a micromanaging control freak. It's partly because he needs to do some of it to keep functioning, but some of it is just who he is. That, and he knows everything and you know nothing and everybody is wrong and stupid, etc.
Basically, he is the worst patient archetype. Does things he shouldn't, doesn't do things he should, acts like an ass when challenged. Long list of it will not be here, because you can guess some and because I am venting, not trying to relive each precious miserable moment.
So I have no desire to go back any time where I can't avoid them for the most part. Also, it's kind of a pain to be where they are unless you have a car to go elsewhere, so why not just be elsewhere in the first place? Not San Francisco's fault.
Lastly, I was supposed to have a "day off" while there. Although it would have been rainy and overcast, I was still hoping to go hiking in Muir Woods. This didn't happen because there weren't any days off. That is not totally surprising, as neither my brother nor SIL are known for their advance planning skills. Another reason to be in or around SF without them.
So that's that. It was nice to talk with my SIL a bit, my nephew is a good kid who I hope will grow up in a less stressed out environment, and I might someday get back to Northern California in a better situation.
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