I�m home now and working to setting everything to rights after being gone for a week. But before any more time passes, I wanted to record some thoughts from my week in San Francisco.

Sunday

The flight was, thankfully, uneventful. MM and I had previously arranged to meet some of the other Phoenix clerks for diner. We had dinner at Chow in the Castro district. It was, as usual, delicious. Both the staff and the clientele at Chow are always colorful and entertaining. The highlights of the evening were definitely the best strawberry sangria I�ve ever had and a sinfully delicious ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream. This culinary start to the week does not bode well for the scale.

Monday

It was an uneventful day for me work-wise, as I didn�t have any cases on today�s calendar.

After work, the Judge, MM, and I had a tasty dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant.

All in all it was a quiet day. No complaints about that from me.

Tuesday

My ability to select cases that will result in an easy, relatively quick disposition has again proven to be abysmal. My case today has resulted in yet another opinion being added to my �to do� list. Damn. This was supposed to be a slam dunk case. What the hell went wrong? Grrr. I�m not happy about this turn of events.

On a different note, despite the fact that the Judge and I often disagree on criminal matters, he�s still one of the coolest judges, ever. At his suggestion, we cut out of work early today to head over to Amoeba Records in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Yes. We took a field trip to Hippie Central with our judge. We all went a little crazy in Amoeba Records, buying more than we had intended to. But really, how can you say no to $4.99 cds?

Afterwards, we walked around a bit and ended up at a quaint little wine bar/restaurant for dinner. During our nearly two hour long dinner, we were subjected to the dubious entertainment (aka fucking annoyance) of another customer�s very loud cell phone conversation. No kidding, SHE WAS TALKING LIKE THIS THE WHOLE TIME. Things we were forced to learn about her: she flunked out of her last semester of college, for some inexplicable reason, she still thinks she can get into law school, she�s an only child, she�s concerned about her inheritance from her father, she likes animals, she wants another tattoo, she�s tired of fucking up her life, and she was annoyed at her dad.

So, after enduring her very long, very loud phone conversation, on our way out the door, the Judge told her that we were �so� pleased to have been subjected to her conversation. In the same charming way that she had screamed into her cell phone, she retorted, �Fuck you, it�s probably the best conversation you�ve heard all week.� Uh, no. But then. THEN. My Judge, ever so smoothly, ever so coolly, turned around and flipped her off. My judge flipped off the annoying phone bitch! How cool is that? The only thing that would have been cooler is if I could have gone back and informed �Ms. I Flunked My Last Semester of College but I Still Want to Go To Law School,� that the old man that had just given her the finger was a federal judge. That would have been super cool.

Wednesday

Well shit. The work just keeps poring in. If you�re keeping score, I�ve just had another opinion added to my list of things that must be accomplished. That makes six opinions, four of which I haven�t even started, that all must be completed before I can wrap up my term. Damn.

On a more positive note, we joined some of the local law clerks for lunch at a nearby farmers� market. I had the most delicious strawberries I have ever had. Everything was absolutely yummy.

And on an even better note, MM and I took a trip over to Good Vibrations after work. What fun! I, not surprisingly, spent more money than I should have. But really, every woman needs a convenient, travel-friendly vibrator. Or two.

Thursday

I wrapped up my work week today. Thankfully, today�s case will not require an opinion. I should be able to get this one written in under an hour come Monday.

Yesenia flew in today and met me at the hotel. I left the courthouse around 1 p.m., and she and I headed off to explore San Francisco.

We had lunch in Chinatown. Afterwards we shopped in Chinatown and Union Square. We bought the cutest little kimonos for Carissa and Rianna.

We had dinner at a great Italian restaurant in North Beach. It was a great start to the fun part of my trip.

Friday

Today is summed up in one word: WINE. Lots and lots of wine.

Our day started early with a ferry ride across the bay to Vallejo. There we were picked up by a limousine. Oh, yeah. If you�re going to tour the wine country, this is definitely the way to do it. We went to four different wineries. And we tasted. Then we tasted some more. We had a nice picnic lunch at V. Sattui (which, incidently, turned out to by my favorite of the wineries we visited). We tasted again. Then, yeah, we tasted.

I came home with five bottles of wine. But only because I forced myself to show some restraint. Like I said, the wines at V. Sattui were my favorite. I brought home four bottles of their wines. Good stuff.

Yesenia, who isn�t used to drinking, was a little tipsy on the ride back. Hell, I was a little tipsy.

We had a fabulous time. Napa is simply beautiful. I definitely want to go back and spend more time there.

Since we had been drinking all day, with relatively little food involved, we thought a good, hearty meal was in order. We went to The Stinking Rose, which refers to the garlic . . . in everything. It was delicious. Hell, if there isn�t anyone there to kiss goodnight, you might as well enjoy the hell out of the garlic � and we did. Yummy.

Afterwards, we endured the most harrowing cab ride. No. Really. I�ve been in a number of cabs, in a number of cities, and, by and large, they all drive like maniacs. But this man had a death wish! He was fucking insane! Yesenia was practically in tears, and I was pretty sure that she was going to throw up in the back seat. Hell. I almost wish she had left something for that asshole to clean up.

Saturday

This was our last day in San Francisco, and there was so much that we wanted to see and do. Basically, our day is summed up like this: trolley ride � a touristy must; Lombardi Street � yup, it�s crooked; Ghiridelli Square � chocolate, shopping, more chocolate; Fisherman�s Wharf � shopping, more shopping, gawking at people, more shopping; bay cruise � windy, really, really windy, but oh so awesome views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the city; Pier 39 � shopping, clam chowder, yummy fruity drinks, more shopping; walking until we were both exhausted; the most delicious carrot cake, ever; a late-night, quiet plane trip home.

It was a good week. Work went as well as it could. The weekend was loaded with fun and good memories. Yesenia had a blast. As did I. But, as always, it is good to be home.

Listening To: nothing
Reading: nothing
Feeling: glad to be home