San Francisco East Bay Travel Group Meeting - March 11 and 21, 2023

PREVIEWS

Future online meetings (2nd Saturdays except as noted):
April 8, 2023 @ 11am PT, online
May 6, 2023 @ 11am PT, online (1st Saturday)
June 10, 2023 @ 11am PT, online (see note below, may need a guest host)

Future in-person meetings:
Thursday, April 20, 2023 @ 11:30am @ Gepetto's
(no in-person meeting in May due to my travels)
Thursday, June 22, 2023 @ 12:30pm PT @ The Veranda

The March 11 meeting is all about ex-pat life. Ponygirl813 will share her stories of life in Rome!*

I will try to find pictures of my flat in rural Hampshire, near Basingstoke, where the bathtub was in the kitchen. I'll explain why my first bath was a very cold one! Oh, and perhaps the story of what I (almost) had in common with Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey.

More recently, I've got some horror stories about ex-pat documentation. Nigel, be prepared to say "I told you so!"

this sounds all great stuff - me please, CWsocial

Hi. This should be very interesting. Please count me in for the expat stories meeting.

We hope to make the March 11 meeting but not sure about the 21st. We’re having some windows repaired having made the appointment months ago. We won’t know what time until the day before.

We will be available for that very interesting online meeting on the 11th. Please send us a link!

I plan to be at both. No travels to report until April!

Please include me for the 11th!

I'm a yes for the 11th, can't wait!

Nigel, do you have any life as a long-term ex-pat stories you'd like to share?

just a couple.... ;-))

Hi! I'd love to join you online, 3/11.
Excited to learn and meet everyone.

Judy

Thanks Catherine.
I should be good for both this month.

Please add me for 3/11

Thanks

I have sent a message with the meeting link to everyone who has replied above.

There is still room for anyone who would like to join as we hear about ex-pat life from ponygirl813 and others who have lived "abroad."

Looking forward to attending both!

Christine, I just sent you the link. Glad you can make it!

Electrical work happening this week chez Avi; I think it's settled down but please be patient if there's any glitchiness, and I can assign another host if worse comes to worst.

Do you remember the cheeky lyric from Elvis Costello

"They say that travel broadens the mind, 'til you can't get your head out of doors" ?

In that case, I'd like to install a wider door so that I can keep on traveling!!

I will check this thread about 30 minutes prior to the meeting start. We still have space if you'd like to join!

We are headed for a local overnight trip so I will be joining via my phone while being a passenger in the car. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻 it works out ok. As you know I’ve been looking forward to this!

I'm glad you're not driving and zooming!!

See you all online in 3 hours - from your car, from your living room, from a hotel somewhere - everyone is welcome!

It figures. My furniture delivery guys just called to say they'll be here in 20 minutes at 10:45am PT. (They were supposed to have been here and left already.) I'll join the call and hope that I'll be back on at 11am, but please start without me. Ponygirl813, the floor is all yours. I will wait until later to show my few pictures of life as an expat in the south of England.

Today's deep dive into 3 expat experiences (one much longer than the others and ongoing) was fun and intriguing. It reminds me of the time I went to the office hours of a prof visiting from the LSE and she ran through a list of what she said would be typical background reading for someone in my major and I felt like she'd thrown me into a well -- the British way is depth over breadth.

There's a 60% chance of precipitation for March 21st. If it's light showers, I can get us a table in the covered space between the buildings. If it's pouring rain, that still might not be fun.

Please check back here for updates nearer the date.

The chance of rain on March 21 is now 83% and 50 degrees. I propose 2 options:

Option 1: March 21 at Jack's Restaurant in Pleasant Hill
Jack's has an indoor/outdoor patio, covered, but open on the sides, perhaps with wind/rain screens that may be closed if it's really raining. It's not far off 680, just north after you turn off Hwy 24. It's an order-off-the-menu restaurant. There aren't prices on the menu, but it's mid-range pricing, more expensive than the options at the Veranda.

Option 2: March 23 at the Veranda
The forecast is 58 and partly cloudy, but (way) lower chance of rain.

I don't like changing the date, but the Veranda wouldn't be fun if it's pouring rain.

Please let me know which March option you could make, and which is your preference if you can make both. The backup plan, if nothing works, is the previously announced April 20th at Geppetto's.

We've been to Jack's though it's been some time. It's good but not the variety available at the Veranda, and as you said, costs more. The window people are supposed to be here between 10:30 and 12:30 on Tuesday and will not take too much time so it's possible we could still make it on Tuesday. Changing the date might be problematic for some. Whatever the group decides is fine with us.

I'm pretty sure I can do either date.

Jack's looks good to me - I've never been - but I have work meetings both days.

OK, the rainy meetup on Tuesday is canceled.

We are confirmed instead for Thursday at 1230 at the Veranda!

Avi, if your work schedule should suddenly clear up, please join us! It's easy to grab an extra seat.

I plan to be there.

We plan to be there, too.

Planning to see you all on Thursday.

It's pouring and blowing in Concord, I'm glad we're not there today! See you on Thursday instead.

Confirming that it’s at 12:30 at Veranda. We might have gotten blown away today and not in a good way.

Yes, 1230 at the Veranda.

I was keeping an eye on the big trees in the neighbors' yards. Some branches down, but the trees are still standing. And all of a sudden it's quiet. Maybe it's over for tonight?

Ugh, nope...

No power here at my house.

Sorry, I won’t be able to I make the meeting on Thursday. Hope to see everyone next month.

Oh geez, I hope that is fixed quickly. We'll miss you!

I missed checking this site so missed the Saturday meeting. Sadly, I have a class on this Thursday. Hopefully April.

I'm sorry we'll miss you tomorrow, Patty. I hope we'll see you for one or both of the April meetings!