Genie at The Inadvertent Gardener asked what five things people don’t know about me were. It took awhile Genie but here it goes.

1. Just out of high school I took Horticulture classes at The College of San Mateo, just south of San Francisco. I was not really a very good student as my mind was elsewhere. Professor Graham sensed that and told me in his thick Scottish accent that I might be better of checking on a job that had just opened at Christensen nursery. I did and thus began my Horticultural Career. I never did get that degree and have never looked back.

1. Just before attending San Mateo College I took classes at Cañada College in Woodside. I would ride my moped (one of the first on the S.F. Peninsula at the time) from school to The Phleger Estate. I was an assistant estate gardener working with the gardener who lived on the site. This was the largest single land holding on the Peninsula, over 1000 acres at the time. This was truly a grand estate with a live in cook and maid. The cook would change into his chauffeur clothes and then drive these people in an old Lincoln Continental with the suicide doors. Our nearest neighbor was The Fioli Estate which is famous for it gardens. I would hike over to see what was going on when I wasn’t busy, or just didn't want to weed the rose garden. The Phleger Estate is now part of The Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

1. My taste in music runs the gamut. I am as likely to listen to Bach as AC/DC. It all depends on my mood. I especially like ancient music from the Renaissance. I was in the high school choir as a tenor. For a while what you could call me a part time "Dead Head.” We would go just about anywhere in the Bay Area, including Winterland to see The Grateful Dead Play. I drove a 1968 V.W. Camper Bus for many years. No, it wasn’t painted Psychedelic as this was 10 years after the hippies, although we did take some "trips" in it.

1. I love food and it’s only through occasional dieting that I have been able to maintain a decent weight. When I lived in San Mateo my roommate and I would go to San Francisco and blow our paychecks on fine food and wine. We were young gourmands. I will even BBQ in the rain, under cover of course. While I have trouble spending money on some things when it comes to good food I will justify it. I am in the middle of trying to drop about 10 pounds so I am still eating well, just trying to cut the portions.

1. I spend entirely too much time blogging. When I had the computer at home I would be up until after mid-night. Now that it’s at work I have to fit everything in during working hours. That’s good for a family life but has prevented me from interacting on line as much as I would like. I need a computer for home but keep putting it off, not being able to justify it at this time. When Monica walks by the office she looks in and gives me that look, "doing your blog again, huh?" I have even started leaning back just far enough that she can't see me when she walks by. I really don't think I am fooling her.