2004 Notes & Updates
- Caribbean Cruise
- Oakland Raiders v San Diego Chargers
- Lions Club Pancake Breakfast
- Baseball and Bocce
- MWM Reunion and Wedding Bells
- Oakland A's v San Fransisco Giants
- GNOMES Annual Migration and the ACS Relay For Life
- Moving Time Again
- Skittles to the Doctor!
- Kayaking at Lake Mendo
- Montgomery Woods
Vacation in the Caribbean
Trish and I finally had a chance to break away for some vacation time in December. With a record cold-snap hitting Ukiah, warm climates were very attractive. So we chose a trip to the Caribbean on-board a Holland America Lines cruise ship bound for the Bahamas, St Maarten and the British Virgin Isles. The weather was beautiful, never dropping below 78 degrees and the only rain was at night.
On the right is our ship, the "Oosterdam" in the bay at St Maarten, our favorite port, where we did some shopping and kayaking during our brief stop. Below, also in St Maarten is a picture of the beautiful beach. And on the right, below is the pool on the aft of the ship. More on the Cruise Page.
Oakland Raiders v. San Diego Chargers
In November we made the journey to the Oakland Coliseum to take in some good food, tailgating and some Raider football. The bright sun and cool wind made for perfect weather for football (right). The game was not sold out, but there was still a large crowd in attendance in the losing effort for the Raiders. It was a good game, relatively speaking. The offense was alive and kicking, but the defense allowed too many easy pick ups. Below, right, Kerry Collins completes a pass to Doug Jolley in the second quarter.
Lions Club Pancake Breakfast
The Ukiah Host Lions Club held it's Annual Pancake Breakfast in September, signaling the return of the club's fundraising season. Along with the pancake feed, the club also mans the concessions stand for the High School and Youth Football games. With the funds we raise, we provide the Youth Football Teams with the funds to operate without having to charge the kids or their families to play.
On the right, Mike, Steve, Bob and Phil are the pancake crew for the morning. Below, I'm wearing my dad's Lions cap from his days in the club. Note my extraordinary skill at pouring batter. On the bottom right, Mike and Bob are providing the most essential element of the morning: Coffee.
Baseball and Bocce
Trish and I were on a Bocce Team this summer at Brutocao in Hopland. We had a great time, even though we didn't know what we were doing at first. On the right, Trish has just let her shot fly. Below, Mike is taking his shot as we relax.
September saw the end of our baseball season tickets as we went to the A's v Texas Rangers series. On the lower right, Rich Harden pitches to open the game on September 11.
MountainWest Visitors and Wedding Bells
Early July was quite a whirlwind here. We started the month with the Independence Day holiday and some vacation time. Doug, Rob and Ted (from MWM) joined us early in the week of the 10th. It was great to see the guys again. Below, Doug and Rob are playing some pool early in the week.
On the 10th Trish and I were married with family and friends in attendance. On the right, one of the table cameras picked up this shot of Trish and I with Noni and Dad. On the bottom, right, we're eyeing the cake with Rob and Ted.
There are more photos on our wedding page.
Oakland Athletics v. San Francisco Giants
The A's and the Giants held round 1 of the season's inter-league cross-town rivalry with a three game home stand for the Athletics on June 25-27. On saturday Rich Harden got the start, pictured left.
The Bay Bridge Series is always popular. The attendance on Saturday was over 55,000; the largest single-game attendance in MLB so far this season. Below you can see that many seats are occupied up on Mount Davis! Those poor folks can't even see the center fielder. Inset is Dave Henderson and Carney Lansford, hoisting the 1989 World Series Trophy in a pre-game ceremony, as Coach Ken Macha looks on.
On the bottom right, Harden induces a pop fly from Barry Bonds. The blooper still sent Jermaine Dye to the warning track. Barry homered later in the game, in a losing effort for the Giants. However, San Francisco took 2 of 3 in the series.
GNOMES Return to Irish Beach / ACS Relay for Life
In June, the GNOMES completed their annual weekend migration to Irish Beach for some relaxation, exercise and a general good time. On the right, Tom, Jim, Bruce and I are halfway through a 6-mile hike on the beach. We started at Manchester State Park and turned around at the creek near the Point Arena Lighthouse. Meanwhile, Ross, with his recent leg injury, stayed back at the house and did chores.
During the weekend, I made my way back to Ukiah to M. C. the American Cancer Society "Relay for Life". Pictured (below, right) is the group of Cancer Survivors preparing to walk the "Survivors Lap", signaling the start of the annual event.
Moving Time Again
After nearly seven years living at the Bush Street house, it was time to move on and find a new place to call Home. Beverly Sanders provided real estate advice and expertise and helped us through the process of finding a house and wading through all of the paperwork.
In May we moved in to our new home, pictured right and below. We also managed to hold on to the Bush Street house and have been working to get it ready for renting. It has been a very exciting time, but there's lots of work to keep us focused. Click here to view our House page.
Skittles to the Doctor!
Skittles had an abscess on her left hip and had to make an emergency trip to the vet in April. The staff at Mendocino Animal Hospital were kind and helpful and were able to see her right away. We left her with them for the day, but were able to pick her up later that evening. On the right, you can barely see the shaved spot on her backside. Not for the squeamish, the shot below right shows the drain for the wound. Below she is relaxing in the morning sun in the kitchen.
Kayaking at Lake Mendo
The weather broke in early March and we took advantage with a trip to the lake for some exercise in the kayaks. After working our way up the inlet we had some fun running down the river. On the right, Trish is just about to take on some water. Below, soon afterwards, she's pouring it back into the river.
We weren't the only one's enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures. Below right is one of the blue-bellied lizards that we saw getting sun out on the rocks.
Montgomery Woods
We took a day-trip to Montgomery Woods in January. With the recent rains there was lots of moisture and runoff in the area. The creek, right, could be seen running through the moss-covered rocks as we made our way to the grove.
Below, I'm next to a root of a fallen tree. On the right, Trish is standing in the grove. These shots give an idea of the scale of these trees. For a time, the tallest tree in the world lived in Montgomery Woods. It is still there, however another tree has grown past it. The Mongomery Woods tree is not marked in any way.
