GOOD TIMES, GOOD TIMES...

     The plan for the day was for me to take kids on a bus tour of San Francisco, and for Taka to pick up Hanah from the airport. Unfortunately, my stomach declared a strike, and the tour of San Fran was postponed once again. I said "unfortunately" only for the appearances sake: I really didn't want to go on the tour and miss Hanah's return.

     Taka accepted change in the schedule with uncharacteristic for him philosophical attitude. He was, probably, so busy with his work that driving to the airport to get Hanah seemed unthinkable. He brings work home from the office, and there are many other, mysterious tasks that occupy him all weekend. Taka might have accepted my not going to the City, but he was not gracious enough to accept my reasons for it. So, picking up Hanah still fell on me!

     When I asked Sonny, Roberta and Reina, all of them wanted to go with me to the airport. Why did I have to ask? I wanted to just drive up to the terminal and send Sonny to meet Hanah there. Roberta told me that, she feels terribly cooped up sitting in the house, and I had to include Reina, - she must be very bored too, just studying English - day in and day out!

     All of us piled up in the car and went. I wanted to check if the flight was going to be on time, but got sidetracked. You know, what's coming, don't you?!

     When I was in the middle of the San Mateo Bridge (and we were running a little late), I heard my phone's message tone. With some wiggling in and out of my lane in traffic and colorful epithets running through my mind, I managed to extricate the phone from the purse and pass it to Sonny. "Hanah just wrote that she is still in Las Vegas airport! The weather is bad and the flight is delayed!"

     "OK, who is hungry?" - was all that I said. I might get annoyed at not being able to get my phone out easily, but what's the use of getting worked up about something that I can not control, like the airline schedules and the weather? 

     We got off the freeway in Belmont, I think, and headed for a shopping plaza which we saw from the road. A couple of turns around the giant plaza, and we chose Nubi Frozen Yogurt cafe to be
 our pit stop.                                                                

     That's the place where one can help oneself, choosing the kind of yogurt and toppings they want  and pay according to the weight of their cup.

You might think that Sonny here is advertising Nubi,
 but he is just trying to prevent me from taking his
picture.  


We had a good time! I discovered that, I forgot my camera, so Reina let me use hers. She, usually, doesn't like me to photograph her, and this time too, she sent me all the pictures except the one with her in it!
Roberta seemed to enjoy being in our company, although I worried that she'll get too tired or too cold. Here she is, shining at us out of her curls!

In Russia we call ladies or gentlemen of her age and disposition 

"God's little dandelions".

We still had some time to kill before Hanah's plane would arrive, so, after some more circling around the plaza, we went to a Hallmark store, where I got sucked into buying some cute cards. Nope, I don't regret it one bit!

     At the airport everything went smoothly: Roberta and I waited in a car next to the terminal, while Sonny and Reina met Hanah off the plane. 

     She was very rumpled and sweaty and tired. The temperature in Las Vegas rose to 111 degrees Fahrenheit. That's, practically, 44 degrees Celsius! To think, I almost die when it gets over 75 degrees over here, in the Bay Area! 

We came home. Taka showed his face, picked a few cherries from the table, asked us some minor questions and was about to disappear back in his office. "Aren't you going to say hello to your daughter?!" - I inquired, not very calmly. He turned back, asked Hanah about the weather in Las Vegas and walked away. My theory that he was raised by the bears seems to be proved yet again!