We had a simple birthday celebration for Naomi. This is the way it is when you have a good swim birthday.
With swimming into its final stretch with league and city championship meets going on, there's very little time for anything else including birthday celebrations. We'll do something more substantial for Naomi later.
Here's a short video from part of our celebration.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
One Year Later...
It has been exactly one year today now since our dear friend John Komaru passed on. Life has gone on, but certainly it has been different without him. We still think about him often and from time-to-time his name will come up in conversation.
One of his colleagues yesterday at John's former engineering firm sent out a very nice email. The email simply stated "All – just take a moment today to remember John Komaru. His unfortunate death a year ago tomorrow was a shock to us all. I still think about the good times we had on the 237/880 project and how John brought so much to our team. He was a good friend to us all and a skilled professional." ~ Jack Tone
In another recent conversation, we were talking about our backgrounds. One person mentioned that she is now a chief deputy in her agency but does not have a college degree. She was able to get to where she is because of a unique state program to train people who have no formal engineering education to become engineers. I shared John's story with the group. His undergraduate degree was also not engineering related, but he did graduate work in an engineering field. John persisted to pass the Engineer-in-Training test, which admittedly is probably the harder exam because it covers subjects spanning a wider range. Following this he sat for and passed the professional civil engineers exam. I always greatly admired John for this achievement.
I understand that John was also remembered at the Institute of Transportation Engineers conference that was held last week in Anchorage, Alaska.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we were able to visit John at his resting place. Here are a few photos from our visit.
The following are places where donations can be made in John's memory:
Cal Opportunity Scholarship
http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/home/donate.htm
Friends of Rollo
http://www.friendsofrollo.com/
American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
One of his colleagues yesterday at John's former engineering firm sent out a very nice email. The email simply stated "All – just take a moment today to remember John Komaru. His unfortunate death a year ago tomorrow was a shock to us all. I still think about the good times we had on the 237/880 project and how John brought so much to our team. He was a good friend to us all and a skilled professional." ~ Jack Tone
In another recent conversation, we were talking about our backgrounds. One person mentioned that she is now a chief deputy in her agency but does not have a college degree. She was able to get to where she is because of a unique state program to train people who have no formal engineering education to become engineers. I shared John's story with the group. His undergraduate degree was also not engineering related, but he did graduate work in an engineering field. John persisted to pass the Engineer-in-Training test, which admittedly is probably the harder exam because it covers subjects spanning a wider range. Following this he sat for and passed the professional civil engineers exam. I always greatly admired John for this achievement.
I understand that John was also remembered at the Institute of Transportation Engineers conference that was held last week in Anchorage, Alaska.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we were able to visit John at his resting place. Here are a few photos from our visit.
The following are places where donations can be made in John's memory:
Cal Opportunity Scholarship
http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/home/donate.htm
Friends of Rollo
http://www.friendsofrollo.com/
American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Snow in Late June?
On where, on where can this be? Check it out! This is a snow drift almost as high as the building. The picture was taken on our recent road trip.
Take a guess! We'll post the answer in a future entry.
Take a guess! We'll post the answer in a future entry.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Clover's Home
Clover will be three years old this fall. For those of you who have never seen her home, here are a couple of photos.
She's upgraded her home once courtesy of Dorothy's ingenuity, She definitely has plenty of room in her current digs.
Here's an aerial view of her palatial home.
Here's a close up of Clover in her sleeping room.
She's upgraded her home once courtesy of Dorothy's ingenuity, She definitely has plenty of room in her current digs.
Here's an aerial view of her palatial home.
Here's a close up of Clover in her sleeping room.
Debris from Japanese Earthquake Tsunamis to Hit West Coast
The experts are saying that debris from the Japanese earthquake tsunamis will eventually hit the west coast of the U.S. It's just a matter of time. We've bookmarked a site called "Beachcombers' Alert!" that can be found under our Links that has information on this subject. Check it out.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
We Was Flocked!
We awoke to a flock of flamingos on our lawn one morning.
They were everywhere!
Yes, that's right. We had been flocked! This is a school fundraiser.
They were everywhere!
Yes, that's right. We had been flocked! This is a school fundraiser.
Drug Relapse
Edgar Hansen on the Northwestern talks about a close friend and crew mate who missed "shove off" due to a drug relapse:
Shame
Guilt
No Dignity
Remorse
Lost
Sounds like someone coming off a relapse
Shame
Guilt
No Dignity
Remorse
Lost
Sounds like someone coming off a relapse
Cal Bears Baseball - Team of Fate?
Cal Bears baseball was on life support earlier this season due to the university budget cuts. Although the program has been reinstated because of fundraising and generous gifts from alumni, it seems that the team is still playing as if these are their last games.
The Bears don't seem to care to do things the easy way. In the regionals at Rice University this past weekend, the Bears promptly lost their first game to Baylor with their ace pitching. This meant that to advance to the super regionals, the Bears would have to play their way out of the losers' bracket in the double elimination format. They proceeded to advance by beating Alcorn State and Rice only to find the undefeated Baylor Bears waiting for them. In this double elimination format, the Cal Bears would have to beat their brethren Bears from Baylor twice to advance.
The Bears won the first game 8-0, a game that was not a must win game for Baylor. In the nightcap game for all the marbles, the Bears again with their ace on the mound promptly worked themselves into a 7-1 hole. The sun seemed to be setting on the Bears' season. No amount of fundraising would help them this time.
But due to a series of fated, fortuitous events that included...
1. With the Bears still down 7-3 to start the 8th inning, the first Bears quietly were retired, arguably two of the Bears' better hitters.
2. That's when the Bears sprang for a single and a home run to quickly make it 7-5.
3. But in the top of the 9th, due to 2 errors on one grounder, Baylor gets one run back to make it 8-5.
4. In the bottom of the inning the Bears get a lead-off single, a crack in the door.
5. The next Cal player hits a perfect double play grounder that goes through the legs of the Baylor infielder. More fate?
6. Now the Bears have runners on 1st and 3rd.
7. Next batter hits another ball that has double play written all over it.
8. To start the double play, Baylor throws to 2nd base for the first out; but as Baylor starts the second throw to 1st for the double play, the Cal runner on 3rd breaks for home.
9. Baylor catches this and charges the runner headed for home to get him into a rundown. Being that Baylor was up 3, the correct play for them would've been to complete the double play and let the Bears score their one run.
10. So the rundown ensues, but Baylor makes another error by forgetting to cover home plate. Cal gets a gift without getting the 2nd out recorded against them. Still 8-6 Baylor.
11. Cal scores another run to get to within one run.
The Bears find themselves in the situation in this video:
The Bears don't seem to care to do things the easy way. In the regionals at Rice University this past weekend, the Bears promptly lost their first game to Baylor with their ace pitching. This meant that to advance to the super regionals, the Bears would have to play their way out of the losers' bracket in the double elimination format. They proceeded to advance by beating Alcorn State and Rice only to find the undefeated Baylor Bears waiting for them. In this double elimination format, the Cal Bears would have to beat their brethren Bears from Baylor twice to advance.
The Bears won the first game 8-0, a game that was not a must win game for Baylor. In the nightcap game for all the marbles, the Bears again with their ace on the mound promptly worked themselves into a 7-1 hole. The sun seemed to be setting on the Bears' season. No amount of fundraising would help them this time.
But due to a series of fated, fortuitous events that included...
1. With the Bears still down 7-3 to start the 8th inning, the first Bears quietly were retired, arguably two of the Bears' better hitters.
2. That's when the Bears sprang for a single and a home run to quickly make it 7-5.
3. But in the top of the 9th, due to 2 errors on one grounder, Baylor gets one run back to make it 8-5.
4. In the bottom of the inning the Bears get a lead-off single, a crack in the door.
5. The next Cal player hits a perfect double play grounder that goes through the legs of the Baylor infielder. More fate?
6. Now the Bears have runners on 1st and 3rd.
7. Next batter hits another ball that has double play written all over it.
8. To start the double play, Baylor throws to 2nd base for the first out; but as Baylor starts the second throw to 1st for the double play, the Cal runner on 3rd breaks for home.
9. Baylor catches this and charges the runner headed for home to get him into a rundown. Being that Baylor was up 3, the correct play for them would've been to complete the double play and let the Bears score their one run.
10. So the rundown ensues, but Baylor makes another error by forgetting to cover home plate. Cal gets a gift without getting the 2nd out recorded against them. Still 8-6 Baylor.
11. Cal scores another run to get to within one run.
The Bears find themselves in the situation in this video:
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Weeds Rule!
Yes, Ryan played a weed in the first grade school play. He wanted to be a weed and his wish came true. One of the rules was that the kids could not ask for a part. The teachers decided who was going to play which part.
The play "How Does Your Garden Grow" is a play that the first grade class does each year at our school. The weeds are always boys. Probably not too many girls if any at all who want to play the part of a weed. But the weeds usually steal the show because they get to do a rap song during the play.
Ryan played the role of the stubborn weed.
The play "How Does Your Garden Grow" is a play that the first grade class does each year at our school. The weeds are always boys. Probably not too many girls if any at all who want to play the part of a weed. But the weeds usually steal the show because they get to do a rap song during the play.
Ryan played the role of the stubborn weed.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Uncle Chee's 70th!
Happy Birthday Uncle Chee!
Ryan: Who's Uncle Chee?
Me: One of Mom's uncles.
Ryan: Oh...
Me: Remember Tyler? He's Tyler's Ojiichan.
Ryan: I think I remember Tyler.
Me: I think when you see him you'll remember who he is.
Ryan: Who's Uncle Chee?
Me: One of Mom's uncles.
Ryan: Oh...
Me: Remember Tyler? He's Tyler's Ojiichan.
Ryan: I think I remember Tyler.
Me: I think when you see him you'll remember who he is.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Friday, May 06, 2011
Who Can Go Higher Ojiichan?
A once in a lifetime photo?
Ryan: I wonder how high I can get in this swing?
Ojiichan: Watch how high I can get!
Ryan: I wonder how high I can get in this swing?
Ojiichan: Watch how high I can get!
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Ryan's Family Circus Trip Through Lawton Park
Ryan scooters down a path....
.....up the path.....then down a path...whoa, that was too fast....have....to....bail out!
Push the scooter over to the playground....
.....drop scooter and helmet.....and run up the slide!
Scoot through the play set over to the climbing ropes....bounce, bounce, bounce.....
.....keep talking to oneself....and hop, hop, hop.....
......through the second play structure to jump off....ooofffff.........
.....Mom, I'm thirsty!
.....up the path.....then down a path...whoa, that was too fast....have....to....bail out!
Push the scooter over to the playground....
.....drop scooter and helmet.....and run up the slide!
Scoot through the play set over to the climbing ropes....bounce, bounce, bounce.....
.....keep talking to oneself....and hop, hop, hop.....
......through the second play structure to jump off....ooofffff.........
.....Mom, I'm thirsty!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Clover Gets Nails Clipped
The one activity that Clover is not fond of is getting her nails clipped. Dorothy is the nail clipper in our home. Here are a few photos from today's nail salon session.
Dental Visit and Ebisu
Dorothy and I had a chance to get away from the kids for a short while today. It didn't matter that this was only made possible because we had a dental appointment in San Francisco and Dorothy's sister was able to watch the kids for us. After the appointment, we sampled a trio of edamame, maki sushi, chirashi shushi, and shioyaki salmon at one of our favorite restaurants in the City, Ebisu. We actually tried to get a table at Hotei which is a noodle restaurant owned by the Ebisu owners just across the street from Ebisu, but the place was full. If your appetite is for ramen or other noodle dishes, then Hotei should be your destination. Ebisu does not feature much in the way of noodles. The one new item for us was the trio of edamame which featured the usual salted edamame, and then two variants: togarashi lime edamame and lemon garlic edamame. Our usual use of togarashi is on udon or other noodle dishes so having it on edamame was a first. The lemon garlic edamame reminded us of eating garlic fries. Thumbs up from us!
Mission San Francisco de Solano
In California, one of the subjects covered in fourth grade is the history of California missions. These missions were significant in the early history of what is now California. The establishment of these missions led to missionaries being sent to California by the Spanish government and forever changing the state's history.
The teaching of this part of California's history in schools has not been without controversy. Critics have pointed out that in instances the teaching has been sanitized of some of the less palatable elements of the relationship between these new Americans and the Native Americans. Missionaries converting the natives to Catholicism using techniques viewed by as being overly coercive. Natives attacking missions and then suffering for such actions.
General Mariano Vallejo was responsible for establishing Mission San Francisco de Solano in what is now Sonoma, California. Later in life, Vallejo played a key role in the conversion of California from a Mexican district to a State, including naming of the counties in California.
It turns out that Mission San Francisco de Solano would be the last of the 21 missions established in California. It was also the only mission that was established after Mexico's independence from Spain. It was the last mission established because of the secularization of the missions.
Ethan along with the other fourth graders visited Mission San Francisco de Solano. The field trip included sketching the mission, a visit to the barracks, a visit of the mission, lunch in the town square, and a short walk to Vallejo's home. The interesting aspect of the field trip was that Ethan's class only saw one of the other two classes just once until the end of the field trip when it was time to re-board the buses.
The songs in the slide show below are "El Album" by Aterciopelados (a folk band from Columbia) and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day. Enjoy!
The teaching of this part of California's history in schools has not been without controversy. Critics have pointed out that in instances the teaching has been sanitized of some of the less palatable elements of the relationship between these new Americans and the Native Americans. Missionaries converting the natives to Catholicism using techniques viewed by as being overly coercive. Natives attacking missions and then suffering for such actions.
General Mariano Vallejo was responsible for establishing Mission San Francisco de Solano in what is now Sonoma, California. Later in life, Vallejo played a key role in the conversion of California from a Mexican district to a State, including naming of the counties in California.
It turns out that Mission San Francisco de Solano would be the last of the 21 missions established in California. It was also the only mission that was established after Mexico's independence from Spain. It was the last mission established because of the secularization of the missions.
Ethan along with the other fourth graders visited Mission San Francisco de Solano. The field trip included sketching the mission, a visit to the barracks, a visit of the mission, lunch in the town square, and a short walk to Vallejo's home. The interesting aspect of the field trip was that Ethan's class only saw one of the other two classes just once until the end of the field trip when it was time to re-board the buses.
The songs in the slide show below are "El Album" by Aterciopelados (a folk band from Columbia) and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day. Enjoy!
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