’04 October

October 11

Christa got to do eeeeverything! And the woman who runs the ranch said Christa was a remarkably natural rider and a sweet and smart young woman.

Here’s a link to the story for Christa’s HORSE Day.

October 30

I went with Angela to the zoo – she had to look for black and white pictures for her black and white printing class. I however, get to Photoshop!

Everybody wanted to be square. I have no idea why.

And then there’s this…

…and This!

You can poke your head up into those domes. Gives the kids a real kick. Actually, it’s the parents who get a kick out of showing the kids.

A sweet zoo family.

We went in the late afternoon and on the down side most of the animals were sleeping or lolling around waiting for dinner. On the up side which far outweighed the down side, the howling clamoring children were not in evidence. We strolled peacefully from place to place and could walk up to any rail without disruption.

One of the Innumerable advantages of being Retired. Just like you know it is!

At the petting zoo. Mostly they had goats but it wasn’t a stinky icky pebble-poo place like goat pens usually are.

October 26

Here are a few pictures from before the Susanville trip.

Encounter at the airport – where I took Charis for her very first Just Us Day with Granty.

Margaret! Right out of surgery having had a total knee replacement and rearin’ to go. She had not passed one second with her eyes open before she was bugging the nurses to get her exercise going.

This was the day we took Sandy out for her birthday paper party and lunch.

Angela and I spent a few minutes snapping pix at a nursery. Yeah yeah, trite, but fun.

October 20

Click Here: so Aiko can visit her son.

October 17

Click Here: Calib’s Catalina Adventure!

October 12

I went with Lourdes for a little mini birthday celebration at Malibu Creek State Park since due to the SMC class I’m missing all the Monday Nights (and all the birthdays!), even more than before I Retired, which was Not the plan.

The lake, always a charmer, as is sweet Lourdes. I made her stand there. She was really good at that eye-rolling bit which she learned no doubt from her children.

Hey Lourdes. We had fun!

We took one of the side trails I’d never been on before. Different every time!

October 5

Angela’s grandfather’s funeral. Except for the sky…

Liz, Angela’s mother, found this on the internet (I didn’t include all the verses…). The other quoted expressions are also from Liz.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake, From the skies.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep.
May the soldier or sailor, God keep.
On the land, or the deep, Safe in sleep.

Thanks and praise, For our days,
‘Neath the sun, ‘Neath the stars, ‘Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know, God is nigh.

The pallbearers.

‘The front right; Dad’s only son Richard Lingor; the eldest of my generation. Behind him is the handsome man you know best (ps that’s my wonderful son Darryl!), behind him is Dad’s great grandson Jonathan Barragan; the first of the great grandchildren. His mother is Melisa, my sister Cathi’s daughter.

Opposite side: on the front left is Dad’s grandson David Aispuro; son of my sister Anne Marie Aispuro. Behind him I think is a young man who is first cousin to Jonathan on his father’s side. Behind him is grandson Adam; Cathi’s son.’

They had a mass and then the priest came ‘from St Joseph’s Catholic Church. Dad attended services there since spring of 1955, but wasn’t much of a joiner or volunteer after we all left the associated schools.’

Of course not. It seems he was too busy FISHING. ‘…he was a charter member of the Beer & Bass Association, founded in 1979. Please be aware that in the grand scheme of things, there is life & death, but above that is FISHING!’

This is ‘the color guard from AmVets, an organization of veterans helping one another obtain their benefits. As an honorably discharged, decorated WWII veteran, Dad qualified for the Color Guard, a plot at the veteran’s cemetery which he chose not to take and a headstone which has been ordered…

‘…And of course the flag which was presented to the surviving spouse.’

The West Covina Forrest Lawn.

An interesting war story: ‘Dad spoke German exclusively until he reached school age where the nuns taught the kids to speak English, so that probably came in handy here and there. He was stationed in England during WWII and although he was shot down over Germany 3 times he was never captured… He had been provided a false passport showing that he was a German citizen but never had to use it.’

That German could have come in Very handy I’d say!

‘He joined (the Legion) when his Moose Lodge closed; almost 5 years ago; many of the members moved over with him. He was very proud of the membership.

The guys that came (the AmVets) were retirees who volunteer and take great pride in what they do.’

Survived by:

‘Sterling Lingor – wife since February, 2000.
Children:
Richard Lingor (& Carolyn), Elizabeth Drake, Cathi Miller ( & Jack), Mary Rudd, Anne Aispuro.
Grandchildren:
My children Steven Drake and Angela Drake.
Cathi’s: Melisa (& Luis) Barragan mother of: Jonathan 14, Cassandra 9 & Alexandria 5 Barragan, and Adam Moore.
Mary (& Nick – deceased January 2004) had Melody (& Mike) Day, Heather Rudd and Andrew Rudd.
Anne’s: Sonia (& Josh) Pitts, mother of Sabrina 3 & Justin Pitts 9 mo., David (& Holly) Aispuro, Dianna Aispuro, mother of Skylar Aispuro 5.

Dad had 6 brothers and 2 sisters, 1 sister: Marie attended with her husband Marvin Hovland. The survivors include Jerome, Earl, Clem & Paul but not necessarily in that order.’

October 4

Althea is M!ARRIED! What we had here was one complete set of a Hhappy Bride and a Hhappy Groom. Happy!Happy!

I might make a link to a bigger version of this collage?

Marija and Brian. Marija was complaining that if she died today she wouldn’t have a picture for her coffin. How’s this one Marija…since Brian is here to stay anyway…

That’s right, I’ve gone over to The Dark Side.

The smallest vehicles that can pull a camping trailer are mid-sized trucks and mid-sized suvs. The exception is a Chevy Astro Van which is what I had settled on, but when it came down to actually buying a machine that ranks so low on the good-machine scale, I just couldn’t do it.

So here it is, a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. 29,000 miles. It pulls 5,000 pounds without breathing hard. Without breaking a sweat. You can’t see around it and you can’t see through it. Honkin’ nasty thing. I know I know I know.

Honestly, you don’t have to tell me…

Nancy, at the debates. Having a mini-fit. But she was happy in the end.

I am so behind! It’s gonna take another day or two just to catch up with the pix I’ve already got…

Ken had another festive dinner party this time in honor of his sister visiting from Chicago.

We met for a Sunday dinner at the Grove for the Premier of the Ben Pomerantz, (Writer/Producer/Director/Actor) first major release entitled ‘Ben and Dan’s Late Mid-Life Adventure’ being a nature documentary of their 10 day road trip through Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Grand Tetons.

Ten days of complete delight doing the trip and twenty days of intense labor to make the movie and then the endless pleasure of the memory of both.