Sam

Sam is an egret who lives in the nearby Las Trampas Creek (aka Rio Jorge). Usually in the morning he is wading in the water looking for fish. He has been there ever since I can remember. I saw him fly only a couple of times, but he is large and magnificent when he flies. Every morning I stop on the bridge to look for him. If I don't see him for a few days I worry. I consider him my second favorite pet (after Morris, the cat, of course).

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We are going to Sister Hisako's place for turkey dinner.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

DRIVE ACROSS THE U.S.A. Oct.-Nov. 2007

I just returned from a drive across the US trip. We (my husband George, my childhood friend Akiko and her husband Kaoru from Tokyo) started from New York City in a rental car. We then drove to Chevy Chase, Maryland (where Gorge grew up), Washington DC, Winston Salem, North Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, Memphis, Tennessee, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada, Lake Tahoe, California and back to home in Saranap. It was an eye opening experience. The Hayashis and I did not get into any fights.

This is such a great country. We drove almost 4200 miles in 2 weeks.

We stayed in all kinda of accommodations.......Harvard Club in NY, Hay-Adams Hotel in DC, 120+year old B&B in Winston Salem, Vietnamese friend, Minh's house in Atlanta, etc. etc. They were all very interesting and memorable.

I am ready to drive across the country again. We need to do more states. This is such a big country.

When we came home, our cat Morris was waiting for us. He was sooooo happy to see us. He would not leave us alone as usual. It is nice to be back at Hilton House in Saranap.