The other night my Wife and Son and I were on our way home driving along the freeway.  Track 13 from Royal Crown Revue’s Mugzy’s Move was on repeat for our 3 year old who was rocking out in the back pretending to drum the drum solo.  The band itself brought back memories of when my wife and I were dating, years ago, and how we would go out swing dancing with good friends at different venues throughout the Los Angeles area.

I peered down to the odometer in our 2006 H3; it read 79,997 miles.  My wife glanced over and saw the same thing.  It got me thinking again on one of my random thoughts I frequently have.  I had 3 miles to contemplate the last 80,000 miles.

The first thought that jumped into my head was, wow we’ve done a lot in the last 80,000 miles.

Our roadtrip of life:

Trips to the beach,

trips to the desert.

Driving to the vet to bid a final farewell to an old, loyal friend.

Monotonous trips back and forth from work.

A nervous, slow trip driving my wife and new-born son home from the hospital for the first time!

Trips to our parents’ houses, trips to our friends’ houses.

Trips to Apple Orchards,

and trips to the pumpkin patches,

Our first vacation with our son to San Diego.

Trips on dirt roads and mud roads and no roads…

And our special trips to the moon with my son even though we only stayed in the driveway.  Rolling up and down the windows and turning off and on the windshield wipers pretending we were driving ‘Lightspeed!’

The pounds of chalk on the tires and bumpers from our budding artist…

We’ve had trips driving somewhere but nowhere in general, driving and driving to get our son to fall asleep.

Mammoth

Grand Canyon

Yosemite

Highway 1

San Francisco

80,000 miles.  It’s a long way in a short amount of time.  I wonder what is in store in the next 80,000 miles!

We’ve done a lot and I know I’m missing a whole bunch.  Remember, I did only have 3 miles to think about it.

VALLEY CENTER, CALIFORNIA–A tell tale for us when we know Autumn is here is when we are on our way to Bate’s Nut Farm in Valley Center, California to go find our ‘Great Pumpkin.’

So we are a little bit late this year, however, this year’s summer has been pretty mild compared to years past so to call it Autumn now almost want to make you ask what happened to Summer?  I’m not complaining, Autumn is my favorite season.  The last couple of weeks we had been fighting a bug that we seemed to have picked up at Riley’s Farm when we went apple picking in early September.  Skyler got a bit sick from the Apple Cider and had the runs for few days which landed him in the emergency room with an IV to restore his hydration.  Poor little man.  He is back to normal now and so we ventured out to our beloved pumpkin patch.  We found our 94 pound behemoth and placed it proudly on our door step for this year’s halloween.

The other night I took a seat near the patio door and looked out on to the hill in the backyard.  This was a view I saw night after night when Skyler was much younger.  Every night I’d hold him in my lap, with his head resting on my chest until he’d fall asleep watching his DVD, Classical Baby.  I’d stare out and look at the trees on the hill.  A year and a half later, those trees have gotten taller.  A year and a half later, my son is so much bigger.  He’s standing there playing with his hot wheels on the coffee table asking me if I want to play with him.  I think this is how I will remember him.  I think back now on when he was much younger, much smaller and it’s hard to believe this is the same little boy.  I’m sure I’ll be saying this when he’s older, but seriously, life has a way to keep going while your world seems to be standing still.  Perspective.  He keeps putting things back into perspective for me.  Life truly is great, but I do need to get those trees trimmed pretty soon…

5 APRIL 2010–This past weekend we were able to spend time with some dear friends of ours, friends we’ve had for years.  It’s strange how things change yet stay the same.

We met up with Sam and his wife Susie and got a tour of their beautiful new home in Newberry Park.  Afterwords, we all headed over to Underwood Farms in Moorepark to find Shailen and his family.  They were out here in California from New Jersey to visit with friends and family for the week so we were excited to catch up with them.  The last time we saw them was when Sam and Susie got married in October of 2008.

Underwood’s Family Farm is a very cool place to go for everyone.  There are goats that wander around their area by use of overhead bridges that lead from one perch to another to their main enclosure.  There is a little play area with small tractors for the little kid and big kids too.

We found Shailen and Preeta and their children Riana and Dhilen, hijacked a wagon and started wandering around.  There was a small train that the kids rode and had  a great time.  Around the same area was  playground with close to life-like train and truck, a grass mound that had tunnels going through it and hay stacked in the shape of a pyramid.  The kids ran around and climbed a bunch of stuff.

There was a “Cow Train” made out of old barrels so we took a ride on this to see the property and scout out where the strawberries were to pick them later.  Skyler really liked it, so did Skye.  All I can say is, if you got to pee use the bathroom beforehand.  The bumps makes it a very exciting ride.

We were able to pick our own fruit and vegetables.  We picked sugar-peas, carrots, onion, beets, lettuce, and strawberries.  Surprisingly for what we got, we only paid $9.99.  I thought it was a good price, especially for a “U-pick” farm.  Most “U-Pick” farms tend to be a little pricey.  This was not.

Dhilen picking carrots, and Skyler picking Red-leaf Lettuce.

Picking Strawberries.

Seriously, I’ve got to bring my tripod next time.  We all have a similar picture to this, except for each picture one of us is missing.  I’m missing in my picture but I know I was there.

So we figured out that Skyler likes older women.  First it was Sophie who is 7 months older than him, now he has a crush on Riana, a good 3+ years older…

Of course we had to take a picture with the Easter Bunny.  He headed back to Sam and Susie’s to start up our cool lunch.  The boys fell asleep on their way back, more like, with the help of cruising around the neighborhood, until they fell asleep.  Naps are very important right now.

We got back, put the boys to bed and proceeded check out our picked treasure of produce.  We had a great dinner and a great time with great friends.  Until next time.

Here is a quick video I put together in response to “Squirrel Fight” that was posted on YouTube.

I added Lalo Schifrin’s “Enter the Dragon” score to this with some minor editing to the original post.  It’s amazing how this music goes with anything. I used it before for a work video I put together to show how to regrip too. It makes it much more interesting.

Subtitles were also an addition. Click on full screen to be able to see the subtitles better.

I dedicate this video to The Bean and FG.

Enjoy.

This past weekend we headed over to Cabrillo Beach to show Skyler more tide pools.  We got there in the morning because that is the best way to plan the day with Skyler right now.  He still naps at around 1pm or 2pm for a couple of hours.  If he misses his nap it becomes a very long day.

Cabrillo Beach is a historic beach located in San Pedro, California. Cabrillo has two separate beach areas.  It is also home to a few famous landmarks, namely the 1.75 mile Los Angeles Breakwater which ends at the Angel’s Gate Lighthouse, the recently restored Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse, and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

We had just visited the tide pools in Laguna Beach a couple weeks earlier and realized he really liked seeing the wildlife in the water.  Laguna Beach had the anemone police out so we couldn’t touch anything but this time Cabrillo Beach was unpatroled…

We made it to the parking lot and parked in front of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.  The tide pools are on the ocean side of the breakwater/jetty.  After a short walk about a quarter mile down we arrived at the tide pools.

There were tons of anemones everywhere.  We showed Skyler how you can gently push down on the anemone it would squirt water.

While looking around and exploring Skye found two large spiral shells.  We took a picture of them since we are not allowed to take anything from the beach.

We had a nice time at the tide pools, the water was beginning to return so we had to pack it out of there.  We’ll have to go back this summer when it’s a little warmer.  More photos at my photography website, CounterPointPhotography.com

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Here is a little information and history I found on the Carousel on the Santa Monica Pier.

The Carousel presently in the Hippodrome is Philadelphia Toboggan Company #62, a 3-row carousel that began its career in Cumberland Park, in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1922.  It was emplaced at Santa Monica in 1947-8. As an intact carousel by a first-rate manufacturer and of the general period represented by the Hippodrome, its presence contributes to the integrity of the structure, since it maintains the building’s historic use.  The interior of the Hippodrome is, furthermore, being restored to its original appearance to provide an approximation of the historic setting of the former carousel.

Santa Monica Carousel

-National Historic Landmark Nomination.

Rose Parade 2010

Is there a better way to start off the new year than to go to the Rose Parade?  There might be.  But this year, there was no better way to celebrate the new year than to head down to Pasadena, California, and find a spot on the parade route. One of Skye’s students was able to get us up-close and personal seating on the parade route with excellent parking.  This helped out so much, especially with Skyler.

The night before we set and packed the car so all we would have to do is get up, get Skyler dressed and head out the door.  Skye’s Mom and Step Dad were coming too so they were going to meet us at 5:30am when we were set to head out.  Nicely everything went as planned.  Before long we were already in Pasadena and could see the crowds of people.  The GPS didn’t help much since as you got closer to the parade route the more we found barricades blocking off streets.  We had  a printed out map for where were were to park so I just used that.

We found the parking.  It was a block away from the Pasadena City Hall and about half a block away from the parade route.

The reserved seats we had were across the street from the post office and on the street.

This was the view we had of the parade.  We actually were sitting on the street level as the floats passed by.

The floats were impresive, the crowd was respectful and everyone had a great time.  We saw Oscar DeLaHoya hanging over a balcony behind us and Jack Hanna on a float.  Now where else can you say that but at the Rose Parade?

Skyler loved watching the bands, especially the drummers.

It was a cold, early morning but we all had a great time!  What really impressed me was the fact that we could actually smell the flowers on the floats!  Pretty cool.

Here the link to all the pictures from the Rose Parade.

Rose Parade on CounterPoint Photography

Well my wife, son and dog just got back from our daily evening walk around the neighborhood and my adrenaline is still pumping.  It’s still pumping not because of our meandering walk, but more so for the run-in we had with a neighbor, and I use neighbor in the sense that this person lives in the neighborhood.

Here’s a little back-story to what lead to what occurred this evening.  Recently I decided I needed to loose weight, get more active and live a more healthy lifestyle.  The past few years have been wrought with the stress of a nightmare remodel and the happiness of our son Skyler born.  My lifestyle had changed with the times becoming sedentary and day-in-day-out hum-drum.  It was now time to change that.  I started a diet and increased my activity.  I now get up every morning at 5:30 and go for a 1 mile walk with our dog Luigi, I go for a short 10 minute walk at lunch when I can and another 1 mile walk with my wife, son and dog in the evening.

Mind you, when we moved to this neighborhood one of the best qualities that we loved about living here is the neighborhood.  All the neighbors wave and say hi to you if they are going for walks or playing with their kids in their front yards.  Skyler is part of the Ticatica Kids Club.  Ticatica is the name of our small street.  We know the neighborhood gossip lady, and are luckily on her good side.  We’ve been invited over to our neighbor’s houses for USC football games or the occasional cigar in the backyard.  Ole, one of the few remaining original owners in his late 80′s, lives at the end of the street.  He keeps an eye on the street for everyone walking down the street shirtless in San-a-belt baby blue cut off pants that are pulled up two inches above is belly button.  He speaks of stories of World War II and shoots the trespassing skunk that get too close to his backyard.  All in all it’s really a nice quite and safe place to live.

A couple of months ago our neighbor, Al, from across the street, warned us about a little chihuahua that chased him and his 3 year old grandson up the hill.  A few weeks ago we found that dog.  On my route there is a street called Kiska Drive.  On this street there live two dogs with short man syndrome.  The worse of the two is a stupid chihuahua.  We have been chased a few times by mindless dog, when one time, about a month ago, the dog chased Luigi and me with Skyler in the hiking backpack up the street when the owners saw this, piled into their car and raced up the hill to get him, all the while you could hear the father yell at his daughter and his daughter yelling at her father about the dog.  She jumped out of the car, swooped up the dog and returned to the car yelling, “It’s because he hates you too.  That’s why he runs away!”  No apologies to us, but it didn’t matter, I  just turned and kept going up the hill thinking to myself I don’t need to be a part of this.

This brings this story to about two weeks ago.  Evening walk, Skye, Skyler in the stroller, Luigi and me, we were walking up Kiska Drive.  The dogs were out.  I’ve had enough of this.  If the dog were to even get near kicking range of Skye, Skyler or Luigi, he was going to know it.  Normally I am a peaceful, animal loving person, but when an animal threatens my family it’s a different story.  I walked over to the front door the whole time with this ‘Rat’ dog snapping at me.  I rang the doorbell and the 9 year old daughter answered the already wide open door.  I firmly said how this was not the first time this has happened with their dogs barking and trying to attack my dog while we were walking on the street, the next time this happens I would call animal control.  She picked up the dogs and put them inside and closed the door.  Problem solved, so we thought.

This evening’s walk.  We turn the corner on Kiska Drive and low and behold the little rat dog was out and going after Luigi.  The rat dog’s mother was out and noticed this going on, she came over to grab the dog but the dog kept barking and charging Luigi.  I was pushing Skyler in the stroller, Skyler was watching from the safety of his stroller, Skye had Luigi on the leash and Luigi was trying to back away from being attacked by the psychopathic rat dog.  The owner finally grabed the dog, no apology, and headed back to take the dog in, as she did she stopped and turned around to say, “Are you the ones who yelled at my daughter and threatened to call animal control?!”

Mind you, we hadn’t even said anything to this lady so for her to assume this was a pretty big leap.  I told her, “I warned your daughter that this dog is always out and tries to attack us when she is out.”  Obvious enough since the rat dog just did it again.

At this point she through out a few swear words, told us to call animal control, cussed us out again and headed back inside.  This is where it got worse.  Her husband walks out of their backyard and starts yelling at me.

Snapshot picture at this momment: I’m pushing our two year old son up the hill in the middle of the street trying to cross it, Skye is walking Luigi on the sidewalk across the street and this gang banger husband in a wife-beater tanktop and tattoos is coming after me.

“Hey F**ker, you want to start something?!”  I think he repeated that a few times as I ignored him and kept walking up the hill.

“Hey little Sh**, I’m talking to you!” was another thing he said, (hey at least my diet’s working huh?)

I took a mental note: cell phone is in my left pocket, we are in public, if anything happens I can’t drop the leash to Skyler’s runner/stroller because we are on a hill.  I stopped and squared up.

I really don’t remember much that he said, I was trying to stay calm as he went off on being mister macho, ape man.  He was basically pissed off at me for telling his 9 year old daughter to keep their dogs inside.  Apparently his 9 year old daughter embellished the story of what happened saying that I yelled at her and threatened her and scared her.  I refreshed his memory of the time they drove up the hill to pick up their dog from chasing us and he began to calm down, realizing he was in the wrong.  Skye stepped to help ease the pressure of the conflict.  I apologized if I scared his daughter and also stated that his dogs scare my 2 year old son so I am just protecting my family.

He finally backed down, hopefully realizing the whole story.  I offered my hand and he shook it, turned around and he walked home.

It is surprising to me how people can get so angry at something so small that the first thing they want to do is go beat someone up.  This was the closest I’ve been to getting my ass kicked since I was bullied in 7th grade by a red-neck 8th grader.

When we got home, there was a part of me that wished I pulled a Bruce Lee meets Chuck Noris on this looser but what good would that have done.  Skye tells me we did the right thing, and I know we did.  It makes me think how lucky I am.  I have a family who loves me and a family I’d do anything for.  This poor looser guy yells at his daughter, probably beats up his wife and his dogs don’t even like him.  I feel sorry for that a-hole.

Note to self: Kiska Drive is now off the route.  I need to expand my loop to 1.5 miles anyway.  Kiska Drive Rat Dog Man is a still an A-hole.

Continuation from our recent trip to New York, back in May of this year.

Dinner at Gasho's

Saturday started off a little late. It was nice to sort of sleep in. Because of the time change Skyler wasn’t getting up until 8am. That was pretty cool, only thing about that is that we had a late starts in the morning. This morning Skye had some errands to run with Charlanne, so Skyler and I headed to some random park. It wasn’t the best of parks but it served it purpose. When we got there we were the only ones there. By the time we left there were like 10 other older kids running looking for trouble. A few days earlier we had bought Skyler a sand pail and shovel from Target. I brought that with us to the park here so Skyler could play in the sand box. There were kids that were circling us like vultures because they wanted to play with Skyler’s sand toys. Mind you, these kids weren’t 2 years old or 3 or even 4 years old. They had to have been at least 8 or 9 years old. At one point, one of the kids tried to reach for the pail and I said, “I don’t think that’s yours.” That made him back off to regroup.

Skyler - Cold Spring Harbor

Soon after that Skyler was done with the park and so was I so we got back in the car. It was hot so we headed to the mall. When we got to the mall there was a little carnival set up in the parking lot with the usual cast of strange “carnies” manning their stations. We walked around but there was really not much for Skyler to do so we headed into the indoor mall. We found a smoothie stand and ordered a peach smoothie. Skyler loves those. He pretty much finished the whole thing.

On our way home we drove past a White Castle. Skyler had fallen asleep in the backseat so I pulled into the drive-through. I ordered some sliders. Those things are greasy, but good. I think a couple of greasy sliders every couple of years is all right.

Skyler looking for a rabbit

After the nap Skye was free for the rest of the day. We decided to drive up to Cold Spring Harbor. Charlanne had told us there was a fish hatchery up there that one of her patients goes to with her boys. It was only about 20 minutes away but seemed like it should be farther. We drove though the town and it reminded me of Vermont.

We found the fish-hatchery but it had just closed. The parking lot was connected to an old church that sits on a large pond. We decided to walk around and check out the scenery.

Skye and Skyler at Cold Spring Harbor

As we walked up to the side of the church there was a very nice sight. Canadian Geese were swimming around the pond as a mother and daughter looked on. The mother had to have been in her late 80s or early 90s, the daughter in her 60s or 70s. There were just sitting on a bench looking out over the beautiful, picturesque landscape; it was such a nice memory being made for them.

Skyler at Cold Spring Harbor

We walked around the fed the geese, chased a rabbit and Skye and Skyler found some old Easter eggs. It looks like the church must have had an Easter egg hunt and not all of them were found, until now…

Skye and Skyler - Cold Spring Harbor

We had a dinner reservation at a Japanese steakhouse called Gasho’s where we were to meet up with Charlanne’s Mom, Ruth and Step-Dad, Neal. It was a restaurant like Benihanas, where the cook cooks in front of you. There was some minor drama involved when we got there but things worked out and we had a nice time. It was entertaining.

Skye and Skyler - Cold Spring Harbor

We came back to the hotel. Had a swim in the pool and went to bed.