Hey, thanks, Maggie, and everybody. What a great housewarming! Yes, I've been here in Santa Clara about 4 days now. Today was my first day on the job...there will be a fair amount of settling in and setting up, but I think I'm really going to enjoy working here. Kaiser takes excellent care of their patients, and their doctors. I very much like the docs, nurses, and other staff I've met so far. And they've just moved into a brand new clinic building, which is very impressive. You can take a virtual tour of the building here if you're interested.

And of course, the first piece of furniture I bought (my stuff will take another 3 or 4 weeks to get here) was a computer desk. The inflatable bed, comfortable though it is, doesn't really count as furniture. (It's made by the Swiss Army knife people, which does give one pause...)

Micca, I agree with you about plumeria. It's my favorite, too. I can't believe that I never knew about that plumeria garden at Koko Crater, which was only about a fifteen minute drive from my place. Oh well...I'll have to check it out on my next visit. One of the marvelous things about plumeria is that not only do the colors of the blossoms vary, but so do their scents.

And, as expected, it didn't take long to hook up with my Bay Area music friends. Mudcatter Ray Frank (DADGBE) will be camping out in my (very) spare bedroom this weekend after playing the contradance in Monterey, which I'll also go to. Bay Area music and dance...hooray!

Thanks again, folks. And have a Negra Modelo. (Maggie, how did you know that's one of my favorite beers?)

Aloha (always!),
Mark