Ooh, yay!

Just letting everyone back east know that, barring any snags or screwups on the part of SuperShuttle or American Airlines (there had better not be - I do have a crossbow and I know how to use it), Nilly will be heading out of SF tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., so all you Boston folks, get ready.

And please ping me if any additional info is needed.

We had a fabulous party. I had a lovely moment on the driving tour last night, when I took everyone down to Baker Beach/Fort Point to get some pictures of Nilly in front of the miraculously fog-free Golden Gate Bridge, and I turned her around to see the San Francisco skyline, glimmering in the distance, no more than some high cloud, and she momentarily lost her English, and got it back enough to whisper "it's SO BEAUTIFUL!", so I turned Ripper around with the headlights on and got a picture of her with the City behind. I hope her flash works...

Off to ring Kristin, and dry hair, and begin organising for wine country run and getting Teppy, Laura and Jess to SFO tonight.

OK, Lilty, 14 for dinner.

Deb, I think Jon and I have it covered on this end (we have her itinerary) but if there are delays or what not, we'll be checking online both on the board and on the airline site (in case y'all are, like, at the airport and not on the board!)

Does anyone know- is Nilly checking bags? Trying to figure out if the best place to meet her is at baggage claim or try to get up to the gate (which can be a bit of a clusterfuck depending on which gate) I think we'll try for the gate, but have the baggage claim as a fall back plan, but we need to know if Nilly will be needing to go there in the first place!

Oy. I'm hungry and babbling.

Went to Trader Joe's and picked up kosher party snacks. Also, per Allyson's recommendation, kosher wheat pita bread for Nilly to nibble on.

Somervillians- we picked up 2 bottles of wine (one white and one red), 2 6-packs of beer and 2 six packs of Hansens diet soda. Feel free to bring along any other libation that you feel would be appropriate.

I think we have plenty o' snack food though (and, Theo, dairy free stuff).

Your directions said there's a liquor store fairly close to your and Tom's place, right Nora?

Nora, Nilly will most likely be checking bags. I don't think she could swing the two I saw as carry-ons.

I'm posting from Deb's kitchen table. SailAweigh, KristinT, Bev and bethb are here and we're going to assemble people to go on the wine country tour. Unfortunately, Kristin has to head out and miss the tour.

Here is my version of the attack of the cat. I'm staying with Deb's downstairs neighbor, who is a great person and a wonderful artist, and the only thing she asked me to do was to be careful not to let out one of her cats, who becomes a deranged Mr. Hyde cat if he gets outside. My attention was fragmented by the fact that, just before I was about to leave, I managed to chip off part of the bonding on one of my front teeth--teeth I had managed to break some years ago aided only by gravity and a sidewalk. So I was worrying about meeting everyone looking like I was trying out for the sequel to Deliverance and worrying with an unfamiliar lock, and even though the cat was in another room when I started opening the door, he sped by me and out the door. He ran behind the house and then back in front of the door, where I made the mistake of trying to shoo the cat in. Yes, the cat does become very wild outside. I was then dripping blood all over the concrete. Deb and Nic finally managed, using a broom and hose, to get the wailing, screaming cat back inside, while I kept saying, "She only asked me to do one thing--keep the cat in." The scratches all seem to be healing fine, though, and I think everyone has forgiven me except the cat.

Deb and Nic put together a wonderful barbecue, with chicken, artichoke and garlic sausages, beef and salmon, plus a fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil salad, green salad, and marinated fruit salad, plus Consuela's pie and Deb's Chocolate Decadence.

Nilly is, indeed, exactly as you'd expect. She talks as easily and as enthusiastically as she posts.

Sounds like the rest of the weekend and the BBQ up in SF was wonderful, wish I could have had more time up there.

Heh- Matt, there is a liquor store in that little plaza-esque area with the Dunkin Donuts and the bus stop in front- but it is very slim pickin's. We suspect it may be a front for the mob. If you like Bud Light and similar, you're probably OK. If not, there's a great (if a bit pricey) place in Davis Square on Elm Street called Downtown Liquors that has a great wine and microbrew selection. You could hit that before getting on the bus.

I feel like you need a guide- yo, peeps, isn't there anyone who could hook up with Matt in Davis Square pre-party?

We missed you, Drew.

Deb's off to pick up Nilly, who has been spending the morning with Hec touring the Mission and visiting the pirate store, as well as Teppy, Jess, Laura and all their luggage, as Deb's putting them all on redeye flights tonight within minutes of each other, when we get back from wine country. Kristin, who met beth b for brunch and then brought her over to Deb's, is off to meet JZ and Hec for lunch before she turns in her rental car and makes her afternoon flight. beth b is here (and looking gorgeous in a coral sheath-skimmer dress), and so is 'dre. sfmarty just got here and as soon as Deb gets back with Nilly, Teppy, Jess and Laura, we'll divide up between the three cars and head out for the tour.

Tonight's my last night with my lovely roomie, Nilly, who kept nodding off in the car at the end of Deb's driving tour of nighttime SF. She was very cute, "I'm trying hard to keep my eyes open. I don't want to miss anything--it's all so pretty!" But it's sad that it's our last night together. She'll be on a plane in the morning and on her way to the east coast and the East Coastistas' tender care. The bright lights of San Francisco will be just a little less bright when she's gone.

I"m hoping to get together with Nicole and Deena--and whoever is still here tonight--because I love them both to pieces and I didn't get to spend enough time with them yesterday. I don't know what our plans are for tomorrow, but Ginger and I don't have to get on a plane till Tuesday afternoon. I'm sure Deb and her wonderful Nic, for all their unstinting and gracious hospitality, will be glad to have their house back. For me, the end of this fabulous weekend will still come too soon.

ETA--Did I say that Katerina B and her DH are wonderful people? Well they are. Katie brought me an armful of fresh lavender blossoms, still on the stems, on Friday night, plus a lavender wand she'd made. I still have to try and fit it into my luggage to get it home--don't you know even my dirty clothes are going to smell good?

Deena also had made and brought handmade goodies--bath bombs with scents like basil-lime, frankinsence and myrrh, amber and rose hips, jasmine, bergamot, lavender, and grapefruit--for everybody. She had the foresight to make and give handmade soaps to those of us heathen who shower, not bathe. So yeah, luggage gonna smell reeeally nice!

Yes, Yes, dinner would be wonderful! Call us.

We're sitting side by side in an Internet Cafe in our hotel, both of us a little whiny about tailbones and whatnot, but having a very good time.

We had brunch with Lee, Teppy, Jessica and Sean and got more hugs and snuggles before we said goodbye, then, being that I'm a big wimp, we've been hanging out in the hotel room resting my tired bones. (I'm pretty sure Nicole is sick of my company and just being exceedingly polite).

I will post more, I promise, but this blasted thing doesn't believe in ergonomic keyboards and I can't seem to spell properly on a normal one.

But, I am having SO MUCH FUN!