I left off with the flurry of spring erupting in my back yard and the excitement of adventure on the horizon.

It was Spring Break for me, my first as a teacher. I decided to join the Academy of Art on their trip to Yosemite. For only $100 I was getting transport from SF to Yosemite, 2 days in the park, accommodation in a hostel and 2 meal a day. It was a fantastic deal! I was the only faculty on the trip, the rest being students and one group organizer. I wanted to come up with some alternate personality to exhibit on the trip since I did not know anyone and was going alone. However I did not have the confidence in my acting skills and revealed my true self, eventually. No one even guessed I was a teacher....

So we left downtown SF on a Sunday at 12noon. Crawled into the cramped back back seat of a 14 person van. I made friends quickly with the girl sitting next to me. Found out that her and many others were grad students and about my age as well. After about 4 hours we arrived at the Yosemite Bug hostel. They were assigning rooms and for some reason I did not want to be in the all girls dorm (they talk too much!) and waited until they picked me and 3 other guys to room together. I being very colorful and strange am put with 3 very normal looking guys who look very uncomfortable rooming with a girl. However, I tried my best to make it work and asked if they wanted to go on a hike really quick before dinner. We walked and walked passing the water hole and up a large hill, the sun was setting and we were on our way home, one of my roommates took this photo on that walk.



It was then coming to light the creative people I was living/traveling with. However, not many of them were tough hikers and as excited as I was about a 6 hour hiking trip the next day. Dinner, went to bed, woke up at 6am to take a shower in a cold restroom, and got in one of the vans leading to Yosemite Valley. Arrived in chilly frosty weather. Looked for a good hike: Top of Upper Yosemite falls and tried to recruit people to join me. I was pumped and ready to go. Here I am with my destination behind me. The top of the falls.

The trail stared out in some semi steep switchbacks, but with beautiful sunlight between the trees.


Many of the people I started off with were not keeping up. I kept waiting for them, but soon only waited for the last remaining few. Here is the view from Columbia Rock, about 1/3 of the way up. Behind me is Half Dome (that I was to hike to the top of on my next trip).

In this next picture is my friend who made it the farthest with me. Here we found a sneaky view of the upper waterfall, still much more to climb.

Soon the trail turned to snow. Only 2 people were still with me.

Incredible views:


I just had to make it to the top, even if I was alone. I heard it was only 20 minutes up. But through snow...


I finally reached the top


On the way down I saw some other people of our crew making their way up, saying they were going to find a different ride home because they were going to be late, not much of a good choice in my opinion. They did not get home until 9 or 10pm. However, on my hike down I saw rainbows in the waterfall:


The next day in the park we visited the sequoia tress in Touolomne Grove and even crawled through the center of one!

Here is all my crew on the van. Good times. Lots of snow.


Did I say lots of snow? About 4 feet or so. Here is our group crossing a 'bridge'. Notice were the railings are..


We then did a ridiculously stupid 'hike' up a dome to see a view of the valley. We ended up at the top of Turtleback dome. Here I am with my tough hiking partner.


Here and the view:


I happened to make friends with two very good photographers. This photo was taken at the top of Turtleback dome in the snow:


My friends took some great photos:




On our way home we passed through some gorgeous rolling green hills, some covered with green energy windmills (yay!). Such the glory of spring.

Dropped off downtown. Said goodbye. Received email addresses. Keeping in touch with new found friends.

Back in San Francisco I continued my new favorite sport. Aerial Silks!!!! I would go to Tyler's warehouse every Thursday to practice. Unfortunately the opinions of the roommates became a bit unfriendly and it ended. Here in my last hurrah (before I build my own mini version in my garage!).


The Friday before March 26th (our 3 year wedding anniversary), I surprised Chad with an unexpected camping trip. I had planned for us to go to Angel Island but the plans fell through and I ended up asking my roommate if I could borrow her car, she said yes and Chad and I were off up north. We drove around and found a campsite up near Sonoma. We happened to forget matches, pillows, wood, air mattress and etc. so that we froze all night long ending up sleeping in the back of the car. Oh, I am so happy to have my Chad.



The next day, not so fresh as a daisy, we went driving around the North Bay areas of Sonoma and Calistoga. I stopped and picked flowers.



We tried to find something nice to do together (mud bath?) but everything was pretty pricey. But then we decided on Harbon Hot Springs. http://www.harbin.org/intro.htm It was an amazing time!!! Chad, decided to break out of his prude mode and accept the 'clothing optional' bathing. We undressed in the unisex dressing room, rinsed off in the mosaic showers, and then made our way to the warm pools that were out in the open looking up at the newly budding spring trees, where we sat for quite some time. We then moved up to the sacred hot pool enclosed in a little hut decorated with undersea creatures. Boy, that pool was HOT!!!! I could only stand it for a minute or two and then came the best part...the cool pool where you felt a certain process going on in your body. This was the most amazing system, and I understood now why the Romans liked it so much. We then lay out the sun for a while amongst the multitude of nude humans. It was wonderful to lay in the sun, in a secluded canyon, with not clothes on. The best mini vacation ever!

So we had to come back to SF early enough to start our sugar party. Sarah, me, and a few other of our friends were doing Lent this year. We had not eaten any sugar for the past 6 weeks and as of Sunday March 23 at 12:01am we were free to eat all the sweets in the world, and boy did we! But first we had a job to do.....burn our Christmas tree!



It had been hanging out in our back yard for quite some time and I cannot tell you how scary it was to see that tree go instantly up in flames in our back yard fire pit. The neighbors looked over in horror at the instant 10 foot flame shooting out of the freaks' backyard. There are still black steaks on our outdoor oven.





So then, at midnight the sugar party began! We spread the whole of our sugary delights on the living room floor and gorged ourselves until our bellies ached, like little kids on Halloween.


The next day (yes, this is still the same weekend!), was Easter and we had planned to go to an Easter egg hunt in Mountain View Cemetery, as we did last year. We filled our eggs we acquired last year and got dressed up in our Easter finery. I had found a bridesmaid dress that just needed a little work at a thrift store and covered it with fake flowers.



but the best part was my hair....



A bird's nest!



Everyone else got dressed up too! I love my friends.

Kalico and Tyler looking so cute even in black on a spring day.



Sarah and Erik, such a lovely couple.



Isaak, Autumn and Karen.



Kalico being the beauty she is:



Sarah and I posing with the pumpkin (where the hell do you get a pumpkin in March!?)



Even Karen and I's shadows looked good!




We played lots of games, like rocket balloon contests:



Chad loved this game:



Even things like "light the cigarette with the sun!"





All of our toys made a mess.



I love my Chad!!!!!!



It was a fantastic day with our great friends. It was so nice to celebrate the wonders of spring (and eat sugar again!!!!).



Only a few days later was Chad and I's official 3 year anniversary on the 26th of March. Chad surprised me with a short trip out of town and took me to one of my favorite childhood restaurants The Old Spaghetti Factory, were of course I ordered mizithra cheese! He was so sweet and gave me a card. I too gave him a card which held tickets to go on a evening tour of ALCATRAZ!!!

We went that Sunday, March 30 at 4pm to Pier 33 where we caught a ferry to take us to the island. Chad got dressed up in a suit and could not decide between 3 ties, so he wore all three!



We jumped on Chad's scooter (it's name is Okapi). This is how Chad gets to school everyday at SFSU.



I ride on the back.



But the scooter ride is very different from the boat. We watched the city get smaller and smaller in the distance.



Once we arrived at Azkaban...wait...no, Alcatraz, we took up the audio tour and walked around the prison and the grounds. It was strange to think of the years of lives wasted behind those bars (I appropriately wore my prison uniform).



Chad was stunned. Here as a free man in a place so filled with feelings of restriction and anger.



The view from the inside looking out.



However, the best part of the prison was the hospital, only open to evening visitors. It was amazingly creepy with peeling paint and old gurneys.







Chad really liked the hospital. He became very thoughtful.



Also, the grounds around the prison were very interesting and beautiful in their own way. Alcatraz is the "island of the sea birds" and was literally covered with seagulls.



The view of San Francisco completely entranced it's prisoners who dreamed of one day returning to civilization. Such a deep divide.



We were there to watch the sunset through the Golden Gate Bridge. Chad and I are so happy.



But once the sun went down they did not let us explore much more. We took a look at some of the ruins (my favorite things there!).



We hopped back on our ferry boat and made our way back to SF. A wonderful time!!!!!





Chad faced the lights of the city as we came in on the boat. I love this silhouetted photo.



So there is the end of March 2008, more to come......

The beginning of April started out with much stress as I began to write the first parts of my online version of the History of Fashion class I teach. I had to do the outline and a few scripts and start filming my videos for the class, something I am no good at! I have no career in acting, whatsoever!

But, as usual, I escaped from my stresses of the week on the weekend and went to a great archery themed birthday party for my coworker Cat on April 6th. It was located at the archery range in Golden Gate Park, right next to the Pacific Ocean. We started off with a glorious gothic picnic. Happy Birthday Cat!



Some of us did not dress so goth but instead tried for the medieval look, like me and my 'sister' Jessica.



Cat had on a wonderful outfit of leather scraps from Dark Garden with a corset made of the most interesting leather.



Chad really enjoyed playing as well.



Our target was George W. Bush. Don't shoot Chad!!!



Karen looked so pretty in the flowers!



After the festivities, Chad and I went to the ocean that was just next to the archery field. OH, how grand it is to live next to the sea!



I love this absurd photo! Windmill + Spaceman + Oblivious Girl.



Chad and I drove back to Potrero Hill, all the way across the peninsula of SF, in 12 minutes! Pretty fast for a 50cc scooter!

During my stint of not eating sweets during Lent, I found a love for making smoothies at home. They are so yummy in the blender. I like to share them with Chad and Sarah. They taste great with a bit of added protein powder or BLOOD!



The next week I donated blood at the Blood Centers of the Pacific, but did not use it in my smoothies.....Also, Chad and I got ready for a a very special visitor....Chad's long lost brother Tommy Nilto. We found him in December of 2007 and this visit would mark the first time Chad and Tommy have spent time with one another in the last 22 years! He flew in from Hawaii, the big island, where he now lives, on Friday April 11th during a major heat wave in SF, after being stuck in the airport overnight. While I was at work that day, Chad and Tommy went shopping for BBQ fixins. We were joined that evening by our roommates Sarah, also from Hawaii, and Marley with her boyfriend Dan. We cooked up some mean shishkababs, and I ate my first bacon in 12 years because it looked so yummy wrapped around a mushroom Hawaiian style.



Chad and Tommy seemed instantly like brothers. Both very funny.



After the yummy BBQ Sarah burned her mail since she does not own a shredder.



Over that weekend we had a really great time with Tommy. Sarah was great as well, helping us to understand the native talk of Pigeon and joining us together with Hawaiian culture. We also joined Marley and Dan on Saturday at their housewarming party at ate incredibly yummy food again. On that Sunday we went to the Thai Buddhist Temple (Chad and Tommy's mom is Thai) for their Sunday lunch only to find that it was a special day. Songkran day, or the Thai new year. There was dancing and water fights. Tommy would tell us his stories about the times when he was in Thailand for the event.



Chad and Tommy also had the same taste in food in common and pigged out on massive bowls of the Thai soup. Tommy would tell us that their mom would make this from scratch every week (this is probably the biggest motivator for Chad to find his mom).



We then went to a waffle party at my boss Autumn's house (where Tommy witnessed our crazy friends contact juggling in the park), only to return to the Thai temple for a second bowl of soup (Tommy loved it!!!). He then spent the rest of the day traveling around town with Chad going to some of the tourist places, like the seals at Pier 39.



That night Sarah, Chad, and Tommy all got drunk at the local bar.



Chad and Tommy are now great brothers again. Tommy is so glad to have us as family. We will be returning the favor and visiting him August 14-19, which will be an amazing time (Sarah is coming too!)

Photos taken with Tommy's new digital camera.







Soon after these photos were taken Sarah and I began revamping the garden into a full fledged Vegetable garden. It was LOTS of work with LOTS of blisters and aching backs.



Sarah was smart and wore a corset, and sun bonnet. Her skirt, however, was not too practical, but she looked so good! I love Sarah!!!!



Things were getting increasingly busy and stressful for me with the online class (it still is!). But I get to enjoy perks to my job like going to the Academy of Art Graduation Fashion show on Friday April 25th. It was a big deal and Chad and I got all dressed up.



We got dressed up at Dark Garden. Always good photo ops there.



Even though I forgot(!) our tickets we got in (good thing my students were working the door). We mingled for a bit and got interviewed about our outfits, then made our way into the big tent to watch the highly anticipated fashion show. It was fantastic as usual, but I was not as enamoured with the clothes as last year, but her are some of my favorites.

There was some really fantastic men's wear. I love these glasses.



These fairy tale inspired wood dresses were pretty amazing as well.



I am pretty proud of the school I work at!(this photo is taken right outside the class room I teach in, just to the left of the the photo)



April went really fast, school (with my 4 classes and online class) were really taking its toll. I was very much looking forward to May 14th, the last day of classes, were I could take a small break. In the meantime I was planting seeds and plants in my garden, eagerly waiting for them to grow (photos to come of that!). We even bought some seedlings from the local high school, but many of them died.

The beginning of May also marked the beginning of Chad's new schedule 6pm to 6am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and every other Wednesday. This schedule cause me much heartache and insanity. I was so depressed and lonely during this time, and it was only the beginning.

The day after my last day of classes Chad and I joined in on the SF Bike to Work day, though we bike to work everyday, but it was so neat to see so many people on bikes (even thought it was so so hot that day). I love riding a bike.

Also, with my new found freedom of the end of the semester, Chad and I went to Death Guild on Monday, May 19th where we had not been since January. Yay, another ocassion to dress up. I wore my white wig, which I have had since I was 16 (11 years ago!!!). That night I met some new friends (Rick, Daniel and Tiffany, who I am to later describe our fun adventures together).





May 24th Chad and I celebrated 9 years of being together. Chad whisked me away from work to enjoy a classical music concert in an old Victorian Church. We had such great time!

But on May 26th I whisked Chad away as well on a trip to Yosemite for 4 days! We rented a car and drove with Marley and Dan who went on part of the trip with us. The scenery along the drive was amazing with golden rolling hills. I loved the part when we went through the hills covered with windmills.



We camped in Hodgdon Meadow Campground and on our first day just went on a 2 mile walk to the sequoias and explored the nearby meadow. So nice to be away from the city!.



While at the Sequoia grove Dan, Marley and Chad all crawled through the center of a downed tree. I did not do it this time for it is muddy and I did it in March on my last trip. I love this photo of Dan and Marley inside the tree.



Chad inside the tree too.



It was so pretty there. The sun was going down for our first night in the woods.



We went back to the campsite and made a yummy hamburger dinner in the dark. Tried to go to bed early for we were getting up a 5am(!) to begin our 18 mile hike the next day to the top of Half Dome!!!!

On the road by 5:45 am we drove the 30 mins to Yosemite Valley. Along the way during the early morning sunrise we saw a spectacular view of the canyon filled with luminescent fog above a shining silver ribbon of the river. We stopped the car to take a look, it was so breathtaking. We would have many views that day that would take our breath away.

Once we arrived in Yosemite Valley and parked, Marley and I prepared some PB+J sandwiches for the hike.



We needed a lot of supplies for this big hike, but were determined not to stay overnight and to do it in one day. We were on the trail just before 7am. Only an hour in we were making good headway up the canyon and up up the mountain.



Soon we passed over the river and then started hiking along side it, until it turned into a waterfall. This part of the trail was called the Mist Trail for the steps beside Vernal Falls are always covered in mist (or ice!). It was quite the work out, but still, this was just the beginning.



We were soon at the top of the falls and still made our way, practically vertical at this point, up the mountain. Again we were hiking next to a waterfall (Nevada Falls), this one we got to look over the edge



Now we were in little Yosemite Valley. About a mile across of flat (!) land. Chad liked the flat land and trees.



Unfortunately it was pretty cold and overcast. But it suited well. Here is one of few glimpses of sunlight (I love this tree),



We ate lunch and were on our way...up!

After we left the valley, along the trail, Chad and I hid behind a tree and scared Marley and Dan so bad they almost peed their pants!!! A little later they bombarded us with snow balls. It was fun, even though we were exhausted.

Up Up and UP we went. It got colder and mistier. Soon,as we were nearing the top (we thought!), it started to SNOW!



The fluorescent green lichen was electric in the fog and snow.



Soon we came to this enormous rock face covered with the steepest staircase, we were almost there...we think...

We made it to the top!


Only to find, that we still had so much more to go, and it was STRAIGHT UP (notice the ant-like people crawling up the rock face via cables).



We heard the rock was covered with ice and many people were backing out of climbing the last stretch. We did not think we were going to do it with the terrible weather conditions so we sat down and had a bite to eat. Chad ran off for a bit, but it seemed he was gone for quite a while. We ventured over to the cables only to see Chad half way up the cables.



Soon Marley and Dan are on their way up too. I stayed behind with the back packs (and the rude thief squirrels). I did not think it was worth it and I was beat! I am FREEZING while I am waiting. Chad eventually comes back down and we find a rock to hide behind from the wind while Marley and Dan are still at the top exploring.

Ok, so Chad, Marley and Dan made it to the top of Half Dome, and I ALMOST made it....

Now the long long long journey to the parked car 9 miles away from us.

We decided to take a different trail down just to see something new. Just when we were switching to that trail at the top of Nevada Falls it begins to pour, and I mean POUR rain on us. We have nothing to cover us and just wait it out, soaking wet. We begin the trail along a cliff that had mini waterfalls raining down on us for the first 5 minutes. Finally it kind of stops and we make it back in to the forest. It was such a pretty fairy land. I do not know how we still had energy to take this photo.



More and more down hill. Our feet hurt, we need more water but are drenched. There are puddles eveyrwhere.



The last few miles were agonizing! Here we are at a sign near the bottom telling us it is 8.2 miles to the top of half dome. 16.4 mile round trip. We still had another .8 miles to go to the car. A total of 18 MILES, 5,000 ELEVATION FEET up and down each way, and 11.5 HOURS hiking. Were were BEAT!




Not looking forward to our wet tents, wet wood, and a cold dinner, we went to Midpines where I stayed at the hostel in March. Tried to eat dinner (we were so weak) and then went to the SPA!!! Sauna, Hot Tub and a hot shower can do wonders. We got back to our wet tents by about midnight. It was a LONG day.

Marley and Dan left the next day and Chad and I were on our own with a car. We drove along the Tioga Road in the north. We mostly stayed in the car that day. Listening to VNV Nation or Between the Buried and Me. It was a joy. We drove higher and higher in elevation until there was 5 feet of snow lining the road.

We stopped and looked at a partially frozen lake. Snow all around. I LOVE CHAD!





There was a great lookout point along the road where we stopped. I loved the rock on the mountain with the boulders dropped by melted glaciers. Very surreal.



We even stopped by an enormous mountain lake with white mountains surrounding it. Again, breathtaking. We almost went through to the other side of the park, but then turned around and went back (it was cold and snowing!).

We then traveled south again into Yosemite Valley. Just as we were coming into the valley, it started to hail, very hard. It was scary driving! But we made it up to the Tunnel View look out. Talk about breathtaking! My eyes teared up when seeing this view. I shrieked with joy, just like John Muir. You must see this view before you die! It was like Rivendell in the flesh with all the beautiful waterfalls.



We then went down in to the Valley and went to the Ahwahnee Hotel, built in 1927. We bought ice cream and sat in the sun room feeling like rich people. We marveled at the enormous fireplaces that you could walk into.



The dining room was amazing...



We ate in the valley again for we knew our wood and tent would still be wet back at the campsite. We went back, well fed and again exhausted and fell asleep.

Next day we packed up and headed out of the park, only to return again to go to Hetch Hetchy in the north part of the park. It is said to be similar to Yosemite Valley, and so it was, but just its little sister. Still magnificent cliffs and waterfalls, but just not as tall. There was an enormous dam built in 1923 making the valley into a lake. John Muir's last fight, and he lost. The dam is an eyesore, but the lake is beautiful.



There was even a tunnel at the other end of the dam. Another great photo of Chad.



We then headed back to the city. We picked up cherries, peaches, and strawberries at a fruit stand, they were yummy. We even stopped in a tiny 19th century mining town. Then back to the city, back to civilization.

And that concludes the month of May. More to come.