Steam Trains

Following on my recent entry on trains, Sunday Debbi and I drove up to see my old friend Rob (well, he's not actually that old...) and his 2-year-old son Henry, and Rob took us to Tilden Park in Berkeley to see the steam trains. These are miniature (but still fairly large) steam engines which include both a large-gauge rail open for public rides and the smaller gauge Golden Gate Live Steamers which are primarily for hobbyists, but which provide rides on Sunday afternoons. Which, fortunately, is just when we went!

I haven't seen Henry (or Rob, for that matter) since my birthday party in January. Henry is motoring around pretty good, and talking fairly well, although sometimes in an unknown language. Rob pointed out that the trains are pretty neat to us, but they just about blow his mind. He got excited every time the train blew its whistle and stood up to see the steam shooting from the engine.

The several lines of track must cover several acres of land. It's a very impressive lay-out, and I'm sure Rob's right that it's basically the product of a bunch of railroading geeks living out their dream. More power to 'em!

I'd never even heard of this site before, and had a great time visiting it.

Rob's wife was out of town for the weekend, so he'd suggested we get together. After some haggling, we drove to visit him mainly because I don't know of good places down here to occupy a kid or a german shepherd. It was a great visit anyway, and I got to seduce his cat Lucas (who is blind and has a very wet nose!) while we watched football while Henry took his nap.

Henry is certainly a little powerhouse. Watching him take in everything around him was pretty neat. I admit that I was starting to have kid fatigue by the end of the afternoon, though; I still don't think that parenting is for me. (Changing diapers definitely feels like it's not for me.) Still, it was nice to visit.

Rob and I have been friends for about 20 years now. I don't think I have any friends I've known longer. That's pretty impressive.

Anyway, he seems to be doing well. Busy with work and with parenting, never mind their planned housing renovations. Which is why we only see each other a couple of times a year...

No doubt you've heard that the Anaheim Angels beat the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The series went 7 games, and was the lowest World Series ever. No doubt Ceej is disconsolate, though she hasn't updated yet.

I was rooting for the Giants, but I'm not terribly shook up about it. The Angels are also a team I like, and they certainly earned their victory with a great and surprising season. The Series was actually kind of painful, since it seems likely that both teams have made their final push before entering a rebuilding process - the Giants due to age, the Angels due to having a bunch of contact hitters who put up career years as well as a barren farm system. So whoever lost was really taking it in the arm; it's doubtful either team will be back next year. Unlike, say, the Twins, who very well may be beginning a run of playoff appearances.

The Giants, really, lost the series in Game Six, when they blew a 5-0 lead. It wasn't due to poor decision-making, though, it was just that the Angels managed to collect runs off the Giants' best relievers. That happens sometimes. Game Seven was the game of bad decisions, when Dusty Baker started the eminently hittable Livan Hernandez over Kirk Rueter. I'm not a big believer in Rueter's stuff, but he'd shown himself to be more able this year than Hernandez to shut down opposing teams, and indeed he did just that in several relief innings in the game. But Hernandez had already allowed the crucial four runs early in the game, and that was all the Angels needed.

Baker's decision to lift Reggie Sanders for pinch-hitter Tom Goodwin (Tom Goodwin??) in a crucial situation and his decision not to include Damon Minor on the postseason roster were also bizarre and probably damaging decisions. Mike Scioscia is himself a somewhat peculiar manager, but his decisions don't seem as blatantly bizarre as some of those by Baker. Baker seems to have many good points, and evaluating managerial quality is hard, but one wonders if his propensity for sticking with his veterans is more damaging than his ability to manage a roster is a plus.

Supposedly the Cubs are pursuing Baker for next year. A hapless bunch of mostly-mediocre veterans, Baker seems almost the perfect manager, but if he's smart he'll stick with the Giants or seek a team which less of a reputation for abject futility.

As for the Angels, they put 41 years of failure - including a couple of heartbreaking postseasons - behind them. For a little while, they're the LA team, overshadowing the Dodgers. And you'd think that that would be something to gladden even a Giants fan's heart, just a little.

Saturday Debbi and I went to Michael Walsh's 35th birthday dinner, at a nice little patio restaurant called Caffe Riace in Palo Alto. The food was good (and I are too much bread, as always). Plus we hung out with Lucy, Lunesse and Trish, plus a couple of non-journalling friends of Michael's. I noticed that we all seemed to be a bunch of smartasses, which struck me as kind of funny. But hey, at least we're smart!

It was a fun time. Thanks for inviting us, Michael!

Life has just been a whirlwind recently. I'm struggling to keep up with things like paying bills, mainly because I'm so busy with other things. I'm at least nominally keeping on top of stuff, though.

I finished my dental check-up and cleaning, and got a cavity filled last week. It was about as positive a dental experience as I can recall having; I think this guy's a keeper.

And it looks like my mortgage refinance is just about finished. I should be signing off on the escrow paperwork tomorrow. That'll be nice to have behind me; plus I should get a little cash back because it's taken long enough to finish that I've built up a little more equity in the meantime. Mortgage lenders are swamped lately, so if you're thinking of buying or refinancing, start soon, because it could take a couple of months to close escrow.

All of which also explains why I haven't been updating very often, either...