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!

Email me Nicole's or your cell phone number--I don't have either, Deena!

We do not own cell phones because we are philistine (eta: Luddite Philistine... we do not recognize the art of technology). Call the ramada downtown (Deb has the number on the call list on her table) and ask for room 691, only not right this second, because I'm in the lobby and can't run fast enough to answer it before you get disgusted and hang up.

Not a whole lot of time left on my little internet access clock but wanted to mention that I absolutely LOVE everyone!

AND I have pictures (to be developed at home) of Miss Deena receiving a simultaneous shoulder and back massage, sandwiched between two very lovely men.

Oofdah. We're back. This morning I collected Nilly at 9:00am, and then took her, Laura, JZ and Emmett on a walk straight up Tank Hill to see all the quirky, lovely houses on the heights and have the fantastic view from up there. Then we toured Haight Street where I stopped at Kid Robot and got Nilly a little Moomin figure. We scurried back to the car and drove to The Mission where in just thirty minutes we hit: Ruby's (local artist jewelry and gifts - named after the black pug who lives there, and who Emmett coos over); Borderland Books (science fiction and fantasy, where the hairless cat lives - though she was hiding - much to Emmett's disappointment); Paxton Gate (where I got my Hamlet Mouse. Nilly made faces at all the dead things.); 826 Valencia (aka, The Pirate Store) where I made Nilly wear a pirate hat for pictures.

Deb arrived with Jessica (whose blue hair looks amazing), Teppy and they collected Laura and Nilly for the wine tour, and we said our goodbyes. We were just about to leave, when KristinT and Lee and Sean spotted us, so we went back and did all the stores in reverse. Kristin bought the Uses of Lard broadsheet for her classroom. We walked them back to their car, and Kristin took them to the airport.

We are home and wiped. I can't imagine doing a wine tour on top of this, but thankfully they're all contentedly nestled in a car for most of it. They were very excited about driving across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yesterday, when I walked people through the park, we saw some turtles and somebody (not me) made a joke about turtle sex, and I saw Nilly wrinkle her nose in distaste. So now I know exactly the face she's making when she reads porny comments on the board.