My summer vacation

I have been inventorying things in boxes here at my mother's house this week. Now I have a new collection of boxes for my siblings to review when they pass this way again. Some are on the table, some are on the floor. I have also made inventory lists for the teak buffet in the dining room and the cupboards in the bathroom upstairs just in case any of you needed something to keep you busy when you are here.

The neighbors have been busy too. They have taken out some walls and the pool, but the workers said that they are leaving all the walls that are still up. They are moving the front of the house closer to the street, and they are not building a second story.It has not been all work this week. I perused another photo album, and look I put my sister first. Even though that is my old poncho, that is my daughter wondering at all the calendar pages on the ground. You should be able to recognize her by the stylish boots.

I took a drive down to see my older brother's new digs. This shot does not give a proper impression of the hillside into which the house is built, so trust me, it is steep.

We went to see some trees at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, because he does not have enough growing around his house.We took a short walk on the nature trail.
Redwoods are amazingly resiliant. This one is still living despite the fire scar.I have been out on my bike to explore places I once frequented. I remember more water and a dock in front of the old Sea Scout base. I see pilings where the dock once floated.When the tide goes out, it is easy to find the channel. I guess that has not changed, however the launch ramp that was once here is now gone.Where they retire phone poles? Modern art never ceases to amuse me.I am glad to see the pelicans are happy here. I remember when one was a rare sighting. This is just a small part of the flock.I was never alone out there by the bay. I saw lots of joggers and other cyclists on this part of the trail. On the paved sections, I even saw skaters.

This morning, I saw an egret snacking in Adobe Creek by the bike path that ducks under the freeway with the creek.

The good old days?

Either diapers hold things in better today or we change them more often, because I have not seen anything like this on the market for a while. I believe they are designed to provide a barrier between the cute little darling and the adult lap. I especially like the instructions to give to the professional laundry (take them out of the dryer promptly.)Mom had half a dozen, so I guess she must have needed them. I need to go for a ride now.

Bring back the good old days

Are we doing this all over again this year? Wear the right clothes, tell old people to vote? I remember this one, and Nixon did not win the Weekly Reader ballot in my (liberal) classroom in 5th grade. Let's bring back the bubble umbrellas though, they will keep our iPod headphones dry as we each live in our own little bubbles of sound. May the best man win, let's just hope he knows how to use a computer. I remember going to this place just after it opened. My siblings were quick to point out the water buffalo that shared my name, while nothing else in the world did.
Oh, the horror, TV ads targeted at children. This young lady made quite a difference in all our lives, alerting Congress to the danger of ads targeted at the young, so they banned them from the airwaves. Oh, I forgot they promised to do something. Now we have whole shows that feature product tie-ins to nag parents to buy. (Gotta have those Dora the Explorer shoes.)
I obviously need more to do than wander through these old Weekly Readers looking for news.

The state of the Golden State

This is a couple of days old, but it gives one an idea of why there is so much smoke in the air around here. This came from the Redding Record Searchlight, which has the best coverage so far, probably because they are in the middle of it all.

My sister wants her pictures

Car safety was not the issue that it is now. We often rode in this part of the car, the one that is parked in the garage as I speak. Of course, a proper tailgate has many uses, which are lost today.
I think that is my sister in the cage in the back.
Picking on the little brother.
I am not the only one who stops and takes pictures of my car.Of course, if she really wanted to see them, she could pull the albums down herself when she is here. They are where they have always been in her mother's closet.