June 2007

Newsletter

The summer has officially started with the profusion of Art & Wine Festivals. All the cities have them spread out over the summer.  The downtown streets are blocked off and stalls set up, together with local bands.  The 'arts' part is very loose. I've seen a lot of stuff that is not what I would call art!  It's also the only time that wine and beer is allowed to be drunk in the street.  It's quite a party atmosphere.

Our town also has a small vintage car show.  The car I loved best was a black Ford Skyliner. The retractable roof was an engineering feat. Flicking a switch activates 10 power relays, 10 limit switches, four lock motors, three drive motors and eight circuit breakers all attached with a staggering 610 feet of electrical wire.  This is what made the big steel top vanish into the outsized, rear-hinged trunk or come back out again. Read more about the Skyliner here.

Earlier in May, we went to San Francisco to see annual fireworks organised by a local radio station.  Sharon was house-sitting in Russian Hill and the views of the city from the apartment were tremendous, if cold. Next day we walked around the marina and North Beach area.  The photos are in the San Francisco page.