Christmas

A Christmas to remember
After 37 years of family Christmas’ experiences, this year was a little different with just the two of us being here at home. It was OK, and as you all have your own lives and families to consider, we heard from all of you through out the day with much to reflect on in our lives.
Rememberance from my past:
1960 Church groups collect toys, dolls, and hula hoops and then deliver them to our neighborhood (Hazelton Avenue). I guess we were considered an under-privileged community. Dinner at grandmother or Aunt Pat’s house would include the men leaving to raid the local Christmas tree Lot, (everything was free after midnight) so off they would go and bring back trees and wreaths that we would burn in the fireplace for a nice Christmas smell.
1970 – Mission, Ketchikan Alaska - What was supposed to be a White Christmas changed suddenly when it rained and melted the snow away. College students from all over, arrived home to spend the holidays with family. Being a small branch they gathered and provided memories and correspondence that still lives through today.
1971 – Mission, Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Plenty of the white stuff this year and cold -40. Drove to Kamloops on Christmas eve, eve, (Dec 23) to avoid morning travel in bad weather for district meeting. Arriving late for church late, (evening Sacrament Meeting) we snuck in the back door and grabbed the two closed available seats in the small chapel… just happened to be the Choir area however. When the choir stood, so did we, and though they covered for us well, it was probably the worst rendition I have ever heard of, “Oh Holy Night.” Spent Christmas eve with Part member family. Lots of fun tubing in the bitter cold. Next morning was Christmas and when we drove to the Indian reservation, we were the only Santa to many of the children.
Hope you have a Merry Christmas and please remember to make memories for your families.
Dad

The Airport

WHEN DAVID DROVE ME TO THE AIRPORT IN DENVER MONDAY MORNING IT WAS 22 DEGREES WITH A CRYSTAL CLEAR SKY. THE AIRPORT (STAPLETON) USED TO BE CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN BUT IN THE 90’S D.I.A. WAS BUILT ABOUT 20 MILES EAST OF TOWN. IN THE CLEAR MORNING AIR YOU COULD SEE 10-15 MILES OUT ON THE PLAINS ALL THE WAY TO THE NEW AIRFIELD WITH THE ONE MAJOR HIGHWAY ARTERY LIT WITH THE RED TAIL LIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE ON THE WAY TO GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THE FLIGHT TAKING OFF ON TIME AT 7AM WAS PHENOMINAL. EVEREYONE SHOULD IN THEIR LIVES WATCH THE SUN COME UP OVER THE ROCKIES. THE GRAND CANYON WAS TRULY GRAND AS WE RACED THE SUN TO CALIFORNIA. SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF LAS VEGAS WE STARTED OUR APPROACH TO LAX AND SOON WE WERE ON THE GROUND. AS WE LANDED I NOTED THE SPANISH STYLE BUILDING TO THE RIGHT THAT ONCE STOOD AS THE WELCOME MAT FOR ALL ARRIVING PASSENGERS TO LOS ANGELES. YES THE OLD TERMINAL STILL STANDS AT THE END OF AIRPORT BLVD NEAR WESTCHESTER. HOWEVER NOW IT IS A TERMINAL FOR PACKAGES LEAVING TO TRAVEL THE WORLD. THE TERMINAL BUILDING LOOKS A LOT LIKE OTHER TERMINALS STILL BEING USED AT BURBANK AND LONG BEACH TODAY,….ONLY SMALLER.

I REMEMBER WHEN MY FAMILY, IN 1954, WENT OUT ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS TO THE LITTLE AIRPORT, MEETING MY ARRIVING GRAND PARENTS. WE SEARCHED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE HOURS UNTIL WE FINALLY FOUND THEM NEAR THE ONLY BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA WHICH WAS OUT DOORS. THE ONE MILE SQUARE AIRPORT, BORDERED BY CENTURY, SEPULVEDA, IMPERIAL, AND AVIATION BLVDS. TWO RUNWAYS WERE ALLTHAT SERVED THE LANDING AIRCRAFT.

NO FREEWAYS EXISTED AT THAT TIME OUTSIDE OF THE CENTRAL CITY. CENTURY BLVD. WAS THE MAIN ARTERY TO GET TO THE AIRPORT FROM THE HARBOR FREEWAY WHICH STRETCHED 8 MILES SOUTH OF DOWN TOWN (THAT’S THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TEHACHAPI HOUSE AND TOWN). NOT TOO LONG AFTER THAT, CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON WHAT WOULD BE THE SEPULVEDA TUNNEL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE AIRPORT TO SPREAD AND STRETCH THE 3 & 1/2 MILES FURTHER WEST TO THE BEACH. ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIAL AREA NORTH OF CENTURY EXPANDED THE AIRPORT TO THE RUNWAYS WHERE TODAY PLANES LAND OVERHEAD OF WHAT IS NOW IN-N-OUT. HALF OF THE COMMUNITY OF WESTCHESTER AND ALL OF VISTA PLAYA DEL REY WERE WIPED OFF THE MAP TO MAKE WAY FOR THE EXPANSION.

AS CHILDREN WE WOULD RIDE OUR BIKES FROM CULVER CITY UP THE SEPULVEDA HILL PAST THE LOYOLA THEATER TO THE NEW AIRPORT. WE RODE OUR BIKES ON THE ROADS, IN THE PARKING LOTS AND INTO AND AROUND THE TERMINALS AND RUNWAYS. NO FENCES WERE REQUIRED BECAUSE ONLY SOME CRAZY PERSON WOULD THINK OF GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE PLANES THAT WOULD BE TAKING OFF AND LANDING. ON THE WAY BACK FROM OUR ADVENTURES WE WOULD STOP OFF AT WHAT WOULD BE DESCRIBED TODAY AS AN OPEN AIR SWAP MEET. AIRPORT VILLAGE SERVED ETHNIC FOOD OF ALL NATIONALITIES BUT SOON EVEN THE VILLAGE WOULD BE GONE, GOBBLED UP IN THE PATH OF THE SAN DIEGO FREEWAY.

SOON AFTER THE OPENING OF THE NEW AIRPORT, THE LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN, (MYSELF INCLUDED) WERE INVITED TO TOUR THE FACILITY. WE ALL WALKED THE TUNNELS THAT RAN UNDER THE RUNWAYS BETWEEN THE STREETS AND TERMINALS. THE PRICE TAG WE WERE TOLD WAS A WOPPING 16 MILLION DOLLARS (NO LOCAL TAX MONEY) TO BUILD THE PLACE. ALL THIS MONEY CAME FROM THE $1 CHARGED EACH PASSENGER’S TICKET TO USE THE PLACE.

THE OPEN FIELDS FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE AIRPORT WERE ALL SOON FILLED WITH HOMES AND FREEWAYS LINKED EVERYONE CLOSER TOGETHER. PERHAPS THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH ALL THE OPEN PLAINS BETWEEN DENVER AND D.I.A.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS HISTORY.

DAD

The Drive Inn

WHEN I WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD, I CAN REMEMBER RIDING IN MY SOON TO BE BROTHER-IN-LAW’S CAR IN A RUMBLE SEAT WHERE THE TRUNK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. IN ONE OF HIS OTHER CARS I WOULD RIDE UP ON THE REAR WINDOW LEDGE, BACKWHEN THEY USED TO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE FONT AND BACK OF MOST CARS. AND THEY WERE ALL MADE IN THE UNITED STATES. NO ONE WANTED ANY OF THOSE IMPORTS…. TOO CHEAP AND THEY WOULD FALL APART.

I CAN REMEMBER DRAG RACING ON SAN FERNANDO ROAD WITH MY SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW AND PULLING IN FOR A MALT AT THE VAN DE KAMP DRIVE IN. MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER MEL’S DRIVE IN IN HOLLYWOOD, BUT I CAN STILL REMEMBER A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER EATERIES THAT FEATURED DRIVE-INS WITH CAR HOPS ON ROLLER SKATES. ONE OF MY CLOSE ASSOCIATES AND PATIENTS AT WORK, DID A MOVIE ROLL IN AMERICAN GRAFFITI AS WELL AS A STINT ON HAPPY DAYS WHERE SHE WAS A CAR HOP ON SKATES. THAT’S THE WAY IT REALLY WAS, TURN YOUR HEADLIGHT ON WHILE PARKED AND YOU’LD GET SERICE RIGHT TO YOUR CAR. A&W ROOT BEER STANDS, BOB’S BIG BOY WITH THREE LOCATIONS IN PASADENA , GLENDALE AND BURBANK, VERY POPULAR WITH THE YOUNGER SET. DOLORE’S DRIVE IN ON WILSHIRE IN BEVERLY HILLS AND SCOTTS DRIVE INN, IN PICO ROBERSON WHERE STILL THERE BY THE TIME I MADE IT TO HIGH SCHOOL.

DRIVE IN MOVIES… DON’T EVEN ASK ABOUT MY GETTING ARRESTED FOR SNEAKING IN THE BACK GATE OF THE STUDIO DRIVE IN CULVER CITY. SOMETHING HAS NOW HAPPENED TO THEM AND THEY HAVE ALL GONE AWAY. THEY SEEM TO HAVE GONE THE WAY OF THE PUSH BUTTON TRANSMISSION ON MY FATHERS OLD PACKARD (WHICH I DROVE WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE) AND THE HELMS BAKERY TRUCKS TOOTING ALONG THEIR DAILY ROUTES. (ASK MOM ABOUT THE DONUT TRAY)

NOTHING COULD BE FINER THAT A COLD ROOT BEER IN A FROSTY MUG ON A HOT SUMMER NIGHT. THE $.05 COST FOR SUCH A MUG WAS SO RESTRICTIVE. BEFORE AIR CONDITIONING THAT THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO TO COMBAT THE SUMMR HUMIDITY.

AHH YES, I MORN THE LOSS OF THE GOOD OLE DAYS IN LOS ANGELES.

D

THE GREAT AVOCADO WAR

AFTER LUNCHING ON A GREAT AVOCADO SALAD IN SACRAMENTO THIS PAST WEEK WITH MY WORKERS COMP ASSOCIATES, THEY URGED ME TO TELLTHE STORY OF THE GREAT AVOCADO WAR.

WHEN MY MOTHER MOVED FROM THE EAST COAST TO CALIFORNIA IN 1950 (SHORTLY BEFORE MY BIRTH) SHE ENCOUNTERED A GREAT MANY THINGS AS WELL AS FOODS SHE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. OF COURSE THERE WERE ALWAYS ORANGES, WHICH WERE A REAL DELECACY FOR SOME ONE OUT EAST BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING NEW THT SHE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED CALLED AN A V A C A D O! WOW. AFTER HEARING ALL ABOUT THEM FROM THE GIRLS AT THE OFFICE, SHE WENT TO THE MARKET AFTER WORK AND PICKED OUT THE BIGGEST AND GREENEST ONE SHE COULD FIND. UPON ARRIVING HOME SHE WONDERED HOW ONE WOULD EAT ONE…. SHE POUNDED ON IT AND IT WAS A HARD AS A ROCK SO SHE FIGURED IF SHE COOKED IT LIKE A POTATO OR CARROT IT WOULD SOFTEN IT UP, THUS INTO THE POT IT WENT. AFTER AN HOUR OR SO OF BOILING AND TESTING IT, IT WAS A LITTLE SOFTER SO SHE CUT IT OPEN. THOUGH A LITTLE ON THE TOUGH SIDE IT WAS OK AS LONG AS YOU HAD A KNIFE AND FORK TO EAT IT. INTERESTING TASTE. THE NEXT DAY SHE TOLD THE GIRLS AT THE OFFICE AND AFTER THE LAUGHTER DIED DOWN, SHE LEARNED THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE RIPE ONES THAT GIVE JUST A LITTLE WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. EVER SINCE THAT DAY WE HAVE ENJOYED AVACODOS IN OUR DIET.

SOME 10 YEARS LATER AS THE FAMILY NOW RESIDED ON HAZELTON AVENUE IN CULVER CITY, UP AGAINST THE BALDWIN HILLS, MYSELF ALONG WITH A FEW FRIENDS DECEIDED ON A WARM SUMMER DAY THAT WE WOULD CLIMB THE HILLS TO SEE WHAT WAS UP THERE. LOOKING MUCH LIKE HUCK FINN AND TOM SAWYER WE TOOK OUT TO FOLLOW A WELL ESTABLISHED TRAIL THOUGH A NUMBER OF BACK YARDS. A HOUR OR SO LATER WE REACH THE TOP AND ENJOYED THE BEST VIEW IN THE CITY. YOU COULD SEE ALL THE WAY TO THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN, UN OBSTRUCTED BY ANY HIGH RISE BUILDINGS OR BAD AIR. JUST PAST THE CREST STOOD A HUGE CONVENT RETREAT, WHERE-IN THE NUNS HAD PLANTED AN AVACADO ORCHARD. INTERESTINGLY THEY NEVER PICKED ANY OF THE FRUIT. THE ORCHARD WAS THERE FOR WATERSHED AND SOIL CONSERVATION.

BEING THE INDUSTRIOUS YOUNG MEN THAT WE WERE AT THAT RIPE AGE, WE DISCOVERED THAT, 1. THEY WOULD MAKE GREAT WEAPONS. (NOTHING LIKE BEING HIT BY A RIPE AVACADO) BUT EVEN BETTER 2. THE HARD ONES HURT WHEN THEY HIT YOU. BEING THAT MORMON BISHOP REDD, LIVED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WITH HIS EIGHT DAUGHTERS, AND DOCTOR GARRETT LIVED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, WITH HIS FIVE DAUGHTERS A WELL WORN TRAIL EXHISTED BETWEEN THE TWO HOMES. A WAR PLAN WAS HATCHED IN OUR HEADS TO WAIT IN THE TREES AND PUMMEL THE GIRLS AS THEY WALKED BETWEEN THE TWO RESIDENCES. AS CONTRIVED, THE PLAN WORKED WELL AS THE GIRLS SCATTERED AND RAN IN ALL DIRECTIONS SCREEMING. BOY WERE WE MEAN. FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THIS WAR ENDED, WHEN OUR MOTHERS DISCOVERED HOW WE WAISTED THIS FRUIT, THE GIRLS TOOK A CAUTIOUS RUN TO AVOID ANY INCOMING BOMBS ON THE TRAIL. IMMAGE THE REDD GIRLS HORROR WHEN THEY SAW ME IN CHURCH A FEW YEARS LATER. MY GUESS WAS THEY UTTER SHOCK. COULD ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF HAZELTON AVENUE?

HOPE YOU ENJOYED.

DAD

MEMORY LANE

THIS PAST WEEKEND I TOOK A SIDE TRIP ON THE WAY TO GRANDMA’S HOUSE BY WAY OF MONTECITO HEIGHTS IN EAST LOS ANGELES. I STOPPED BY A PLACE CALLED MOMS TAMALES ON PASADENA STREET THAT I SAW WHILE WATCHING DINERS DIVES AND DRIVE IN ON THE FOOD NETWORK. THAT MAKES AT LEAST FOUR PLACES I HAVE FOLLOWED GUY IN HIS SEARCH FOR GREAT FOOD AND MY FOOD WAS JUST THAT, GREAT. I ORDERED A HALF DOZEN TAMALES TO GO AND TWO FOR MY SELF THAT I SAT AND ATE ON THEIR OPEN AIR PATIO. AS I OBSERVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD I STARTED TO FEEL LIKE, “ I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE.”

AFTER LUNCH I DROVE UP PASADENA TOWARDS FIGUEROA AND THEN I FIGURED OUT WHY IT LOOKED FAMILIAR. OFF TO THE LEFT WAS A NEW METRO TRAIN STATION WITH THE TRACKS ON THE OTHER SIDE. ACROSS THE TRACKS WERE SEVERAL OLD HOMES AND VIOLA! I REMEMBERED TERESA STREET LOCATED THERE.

WHEN I WAS TWO YEARS OLD WE LIVED ON TERESA STREET AN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A HUGE STREET WAS JUST A SHORT ONE BLOCK LITTLE ALLEY. I REMEMBER WALKING WITH MY SISTER UP TO FIGUEROA ALL THE TIME AND WE WOULD TAKE THE TROLLEY CARS DOWNTOWN TO WHERE MOM WORKED. THE TROLLY CARS WENT EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY AND THEY WERE SO FUN TO TAKE. I BELIVE THE CAR FARE WAS ABOUT TEN CENTS, AND OF CORSE I WAS FREE. TROLLEYS RAN ALL OVER THE CITY AND WENT EVERYWHERE FROM THE BEACH TO THE MOUNTAINS. MOST ROUTES TRAVELED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF VERY BUSY THROUGHFARES TO KEEP THE TROLLYS AWAY FROM THE CARS THAT WERE TAKING OVER THE CITY. ON VENICE BLVD. A HUGE OVER CROSSING BRIDGE COVERED THE INTERSECTION AT LA CIENEGA WITH A TRAIN STATION BUILT ON TOP. MANY YEARS LATER AS A TEEN AGER I LIVED WITHIN A HALF BLOCK OF WHAT USED TO BE THE TRAIN STATION. DOWNTOWN TUNNELS MADE THEIR WAY UNDER BUNKER HILL WHERE HUGE VICTORIAN MANSIONS DOTTED THE VIEW. THE ANGELES FLIGHT RAIROAD RAN UP AND DOWN BUNKER HILL TO TAKE THE RESIDENTS TO THEIR HOMES. THE FAIR WAS AGAIN TEN CENTS. BUNKER HILL IS NOW LONG GONE. IT WAS RAZED TO MAKE WAY FOR SOMETHING CALLE URBAN RENEWAL.

AS I APPROACHED THE AGE OF EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD, I REMEMBER THEM PULLING UP THE TROLLY TRACKS FOR A NEW AND IMPROVED TRANSIT SYSTEM WHERE THEY USED GASOLINE AND DIESEL DRIVEN TROLLEYS CALLED BUSES. I THINK MANY PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THE END OF AN ERA WAS CLOSE. SOON ALL THE TROLLEYS AND RED CAR TRAINS WERE GONE AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS BROWN SCARED DIRT AND WEED STREWN MEDIANS THROUGH OUT THE CITY. SOON EVEN THEY WERE GONE REPLACED BY ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC LANES FOR CARS AND BUSES. I SADLY REMEMBER THE OVERCROSSING AT VENICE BEING TORN DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR A FUTURE FREEWAY OVER PASS (BTW THE SAME OVERPASS THAT FELL DOWN IN THE 1994 NORTHRIDGE QUAKE).

TERESA STREET SEEMED LIKE THE LARGEST STREET IN THE WORLD TO THIS TWO YEAR OLD. THE PENTICOSTAL CHURCH LOCATED DOWN THE STREET WERE WE WOULD SNEEK AT NIGHT TO LISTEN TO THE HOLY ROLLERS AS THEY WERE REFERRED TOO YELL AND RANT IN THE NAME OF RELIGION, WOULD GIVE WAY TO THE NEW TRANSIT STATION OF TODAY. THE BIG STEAM LOCOMOTIVES THAT CHUGGED DOWN THROUGH THE CANYON AND ACROSS FIGUEROA WOULD BE REPLACED BY THE DIESEL SANTA FE SUPER CHIEF PASSENGER TRAINS AND LATER BY THE LIGHT RAIL THAT NOW RUNS TO PASADENA.

MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE 57YEARS SINCE, BUT THERE AGAIN, HAVE THEY? THE ORANGE LINE LIGHT RAIL FOLLOWS THE LINE OF THE TROLLEYS THAT WE USED TO RIDE AND PERHAPS SOME DAY, THE LIGHT RAIL WILL TAKE PASSENGERS TO ALL THE PLACES I TRAVELED AS A YOUNG BOY.

THANKS FOR WALKING WITH ME DOWN MEMORY LANE. (AKA TERESA STREET). AS ALWAYS,

DAD

I AM WHO I AM AND YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE

I am today who I am because of the acts of many. I was raised by a single mother and three fathers who were a part of my life only for short periods. None of you can relate as you were raised by a mother and father. Though times were tough and many times moneys were not available for frivolous activities. You are today who you are because of the way we raised you. For the most part, you have all become decent, honorable citizens that participate in the lives of your own families and they will benefit from your efforts. Hopefully you have been a good example.

My birth father knew of my birth but didn’t bother to see me until I was about a year and half old. According to records on his death certificate he was married to another woman other than my mother. He led a double life with and had an additional family on the east coast. I can assume that he moved our small family to California shortly before my birth to hide us from his other family. I was born at home, two months ahead of the due date in Hollywood (121 ½ Rampart Blvd.- ½ block away from the 1st Tommy’s Burger stand) otherwise I would have been born in Dam Neck, Virginia. I can only remember meeting him once in my life. He died of a broken neck after diving into shallow water when I was 2 years old, with another woman signing his death certificate as his wife.

My second father came into our lives when I was five. A postal worker he envisioned himself as a movie star. He had appeared in the our gang comedies as the character Jacky (the boy with the crooked hat) as a child. His father, a camera man for MGM Studios when they had hand crank cameras, placed him in movies when he noted a vacancy that needed to be filled. Living only two blocks from the studios, he was a good close resource. His parents were English he was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada while his father was on location filming a movie. Divorce ended the marriage after 8 years when he could not accept their new found religion and alcohol took over his life.

My third father (Pop) was the savior of my mothers life and sanity. They married late in life and finally found the true love of which both sought for a long time. Each had baggage from prior marriages but both gained the companionship for which they needed. They were not the perfect couple but for better or worse, they are now, together, paving the way for the rest of us in the hear-after.

Recently I learned that perhaps, I was not the best father because I failed to be one who could listen, or one, whom my children could confide in. I caught the blame for that one child’s experimentations in life. I guess I thought by keeping a close tab on my children, being a tough authoritarian, and not letting you have a lot of freedoms that others may have had, didn’t work to make you into model citizens. I guess I failed because you all turned out so bad.

Well, so much for the trip down memory lane. Until next week.

Dad

another memory lane

When I was five years old and living on Armadale Avenue in Eagle Rock my mother left for a few days and came home with a step father. His name was Gilbert Hugh Porter and he worked for the post office at UCLA. We moved soon there after all the way to West Los Angles. My mother gave birth to a younger brother about a year later however he died soon after birth leaving me the youngest surviving of my siblings. The area was largely rural or a least in the stage of being built up. Lots of open fields and farms stretched towards the Pacific only four miles west. My step father didn’t like to be tied down to staying home in our apartment so most weekends and available holidays were spent at the beach, fishing. Our week end travels took us up and down the coast of California, where I had the experience of seeing much of California prior to the growth that would populate every corner of the Golden State.

This weekend I had the opportunity of re-tracing some of my earlier steps as a young adolescent. Prior to Freeways being built that take us everywhere, two lane country roads ran from one end of the state to the other. Needless to say it took forever to get anywhere without expressways. Several wrong turns or detours off the freeway this weekend brought back the memories of the long drives of long ago. The city, if you could call it that, stopped at Santa Ana and the highway ran along the railroad tracks to San Diego. San Juan Capistrano was a small town across the tracks. 25 miles down the road. San Clemente had a few homes around the historic train station. One gasoline station and that was it. In San Diego I thought the Ocean ended because it all turned to mud. Actually I was looking at the southern end of San Diego Bay. The area south became Mexico but as far as I was concerned Mexico was on another planet.

Mom and I walked across the border this time and walked along the roadway shopping where most of the Americans waited in their cars to get back into the USA. We rode the trolleys to the border as well as ride to Old Town San Diego. This is the spot where the Mormon Battalion laid claim for the United States to the territory of California. Some of the buildings though modernized were built then and have lasted till now. A morning journey to the A gold rush town of Julian was special and on the drive back we ended up taking the PCH to slow the journey down. It was nice to travel what was a two lane road from San Clemente to Long Beach. What is now built up most of the way now, was just a few small towns separated by long distances. Near Seal Beach, which is still somewhat open space on the military base, I can recall mountains of larger round metal objects with spikes coming out of them. They were all stacked very carefully in a very orderly manner. I asked what they were back then and my parents said their were mines. I couldn’t quite grasp what they had to do with mines (?Gold Mines) until as I grew older I realized they were explosive mines left over from World War II just 10 years prior. There were literally millions of these mines stored for years afterwards in this area.

Well enough of a trip down memory lane. Hope you enjoyed the trip.

Dad

Peach Festival: Hurricane, Utah

Had a thrill this weekend. After a long and hard week at work, full of stress and emotion, I left the office early on Friday headed to the Long Beach Airport and more stress. 150 of 150 seats sold on the JetBlue flight to Las Vegas. Though at the time I was number one on the standby list (it later changed to #2) I knew I was not going to make the flight. I even had an ace up my sleeve with an additional seat booked out of Burbank… But…. Holiday traffic was going to make it impossible to make the later flight on time. Then as if a miracle… 14 people who had checked in, didn’t get on the flight so I made it. In Las Vegas, a shuttle was waiting to St. George… I needed a weekend of fun and no stress and well on its way.

Got to ride on the Fire truck at the Peach Festival, with Adam driving and Daken, Ashlynne, and Paityn riding with as well. It was nice and just the break I needed. All of my worries and cares were gone. As I reflect back in my life, very few days can compare as to being as memorable. I recall being full of woe with a heavy heart about work problems and relaxing at big meadow for a few days stress break back about 1990. As I reflect on early married life with a small family I recall times stress and blowing off steam by putting a hole in the wall of the house we lived in on Avenue L-4 in Quartz Hill. As a child growing up I recall family stress happening but I don’t remember why. I do recall that as small as my family was (Divorced mother, married sister with a family of her own and a brother who lived his own life a coast away and hadn’t bothered to contact his mother or family for almost 20 years). Even as dysfunctional as we were, we coped and handled it together, and the stress passed.

I loved my mother and what she did to make sure, I/we made it. I am today what I am because of her dedication. I was afraid to do anything really bad because of how disappointed she would have been in me. Thank you family, for giving me a great weekend. Now at home for a day before returning to work, I am happy and ready to face the world for another week. Sad to see summer coming to an end, happily looking forward to autumn and the peace that comes from watching the seasons change.
As Always, Dad

Sayings of the the week,
“Life is hard… but its even harder if your stupid!” John Wayne
“What we obtain too easy, we fail to respect.” Unknown

again this week

As I drove down hwy 14 this afternoon I was afraid of traffic and congestion that would be caused by the fire that has been burning in thea area. It was really interesting to see all the copters and planes dumping the pink stuff. At one point I witnessed a copter with a long cable and flares attached dangling from the bottom headed up the hill. I guess he was going to start a back fire with the flare to keep the fire away from Acton. To listen to the news, one would think that the fire was burning into the community....not so... just bad reporting. The fire was actually at the top of the ridge about 10 miles to the south. When I got to Grandmas, The fire had actually burned all the way around the north end of the valley from La Canada all the way to Sylmar.

This reminded me of when I was 6 years old. Our family had a small cabin in the Malibu hills that we would weekend at. I remember sitting in the car near the junction of the Ventura Hwy (Now the 101 Freeway)and Las Virgines Canyon road. We had been evacuated from the cabin and with the the fire at our tails we fled to the roadhouse (owned by Spade Cooley-another story). The fire came over the hill and burned towards were we waited and then suddently stopped. We all pulled into Melody's parking lot (resturant down the road) and had dinner. While there the owners came by to check on the customers. I met their daughter Melody (much older than me - she was 15). Her mom was real nice as well and after meeting her dad, we learned that he was a Mormon and a bishop to boot. They lived in Rudolf Valentinos house in the Hollywood hills and the Mrs. talked church with my mom. She told he to call the church and see if they would pick me up and take me to the Mormon sunday school. Wow, this was my first contact with the church and all because of the surrounding disaster. Eventually (six years later) the family was contacted by two stake missionaries (Elder Roberts -best friend don's dad, and Elder O'Rullian) and eventually baptised into the church.

Wow it is amazing how the memories come flooding back with just a little reminder.

As always, Me

this the week that was

JESSIE AND CAMMI CAME DOWN TO SPEND PART OF THE WEEK WITH NANA. THEY SEEMED TO HAVE FUN EVEN WHEN WORKING THE SNOW WEDDING RECEPTION. SUZI CAME IN WITH KAYLEE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND LEFT THE NEXT MORN WITH ALL THE GIRLS. THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE OQUIRRH MOUNTAIN TEMPLE DEDICATION TO ROUND OUT THE WEEK.... HOPEFULLY THEY HAD FUN HERE IN CALIFORNIA. JAKE CALLED TO SAY ITS GETTING HARDER TO STAY CONSENTRATED ON HIS WORK WITH ONLY 5-6 DAYS LEFT PRIOR TO RETURNING HOME TO ST. GEORGE. I BET RAQUEL (R2) WILL BE GLAD TO HAVE HER MAN BACK FOR THE TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE BIRTH OF THE TWINS.

SHAWN MCINESS SPOKE IN CHURCH TODAY AND ENCOURAGED US WRITE OUR JOURNALS SO THAT THOSE WHO FOLLOW WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT US IN OUR DAY AND AGE. SHE READ FROM DAN'S FAMILY JOURNALS FROM THE CIVIL WAR. HERE WE ARE PRESENTLY LIVING THE HISTORY THAT OUR GRAND CHILDREN WILL BE READING ABOUT IN HISTORY BOOKS.

FLASHBACK JOURNAL ENTRY (DELAYED FROM 1963)
I WAS BAPTISED INTO THE CHURCH 29 NOVEMBER 1963 AT THE SANTA MONICA STAKE CENTER. SEVEN DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS ASSASINATED. MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR LITTLE LA CIENEGA WARD WERE MORTFIED AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS ALSO SIX DAYS AFTER MY 13TH BIRTHDAY. ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963 AT FIVE MINUTES TO ELEVEN WHILE IN ART CLASS AT PALMS JR.HIGH SCHOOL, JUST PRIOR TO LUNCH, THE PRINCIPAL CAME OVER THE P.A. SYSTEM AND ANNOUNCED THAT PRESIDENT HAD BEEN SHOT WHILE RIDING IN A MOTORCADE IN DALLAS TEXAS. TWENTY MINUTES LATER THE P.A. CAME ON AGAIN AND ANNOUNCED THE PRESIDENT HAD DIED. I DIDNT KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT THIS... I WAS NOT A KENNEDY PERSON AND HAD SUPPORTED NIXON IN THE ELECTION, HOWEVER LIKE MOST OF AMERICA, WE FOLLOWED THE KENNEDY PRESIDENCY LIKE WE WERE OBSERVING CAMALOT IN REAL LIFE. MOST OF THE GIRLS AT LUNCH WERE CRYING AND I LIKE MANY OTHERS I FELT THE LOSS. HIS STRONG LEADERSHIP HAD TAKEN US THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS IN AMERICAN HISTORY,(THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS) WHEN THIS COUNTRY CAME CLOSE TO A NUCLEAR HOLOCOST. HIS LEADERSHIP AND FACE TO FACE WITH THE COMMUNIST LEADER NIKITA KRUSCHEV CAUSED THE ENTIRE WORLD TO STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF LEVEL HEADS DIDNT PREVAIL. THE CRISIS ENDED AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS OF STRESS. NOW OUR LEADER WAS GONE AND WE WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. PRESIDENT JOHNSON WAS NOW THE PRESIDENT. AS A YOUNG JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT I WOULD READ AS MUCH AS I COULD FIND OF THE ASSISINATION AND FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.

Mom says its about time I re-posted to the blog... but I really dont have much to say.... so.... here's a good joke I just heard.

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House in D.C.; one from Kentucky, another from Tennessee and the third, from Georgia. They go with a White House official to examine the fence. The Georgia contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. Well, he says, I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me. The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then says I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me. The Kentucky contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700". The official, incredulous, whispers back, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?" The Kentucky contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence." "Done", replies the official. And that, my friends, is how our government works!

Always... Dad

Politics in our life

“We should all become involved in the process of Political activities, otherwise we will Abdicate power to those who’s desires are entirely selfish.” Gordon B Hinckley 1996, BYU devotional

The day after the presidential election I was asked if I was depressed at the outcome, since I had so obviously not been a supporter of the winner, and voted for the candidate that only mustered 47% of the vote. My answer, confusing to some, “No, I am not depressed, I participated in the process.” Why would I be depressed just because my candidate didn’t win. I wish the new president no ill will and hope that he is able to be successful and accomplish many great things. I pray that God will help him in his endeavors.” I will stand for my beliefs and help others to achieve better understanding and in the long run we will all be better people.

I am extremely surprised by many who voted as I, who are far too negative at the outcome. who’s thoughts, exhibit no hope or confidence in the future. It is as if all is lost and there is not hope. To these people I leave the following thought, When confronting life’s problems, have a positive attitude and vow to observe the following , Be Brave, be Faithful, and be True to your personal beliefs. A be supportive and through that support you will find comfort as with the entire world.

As Always,

Dad

2009 Travel and Vacations

Well it has been a while since I have written anything to this blog, so I guess it is long over due.

To begin, Mom and I have our travel calendar prepared for the year.

Feb 1 Cedar City
19 Alpha Mtg – Newport Beach
21 Stake Conf
Mar ? St George – Anderson Wedding
? Possible Seattle Weekend
April early Utah – Visit Family
25 Alaska Cruise
May ? San Antonio, Texas
June ? Hawaii
July ? Hawaii if not June
Aug ? Synthias Wedding
Sep ? Seattle
Oct ? Possible NorthEaster Fall color tour
Dec 25 Possible Maui

Any changes or additions can be added by just letting me know what and where you want added.

As you may well see, we have booked the first big trip. April 25 we depart Los Angeles on the Norwegian Star for a seven day cruise to Alaska. Since it is a re-position cruise where the Mexican Riviera cruises are over and the Alaskan season starts, we are able to leave directly from Los Angeles instead of flying to Seattle to begin. Most of our cruise is at sea with our 1st port of call being Juneau, Alaska. We then sail inland passage to Ketchikan, Alaska and down to Vancouver, B.C. Ending there. Needless to say we are looking forward to the trip and it should be very relaxing. Oh yeah, the best part, the cost is only $63 per day per person…. Nice huh?

This does leave a few other options open for all of you, if you so wish. I still have two open weeks with Interval international that can be used this year, as well, one week timeshare in Honolulu, and an additional week in Las Vegas at the Tahiti Village Resort. The latter can be traded through Interval to anywhere else as well…. Please let me know if any of you need or want to use any of these weeks.

Well take care everyone… see most of you next week,

Dad