SSF Retirement

Last Friday night my father had his retirement dinner for his years of service at the South San Francisco Fire Department. All my friends can offer sighs of regret that there will no longer be fire station photo-op visits. I am however pleased to announce that other than being under-dressed (I should have known when D said to wear jeans...) I did not cause any of the racket produced during his official swearing-in ceremony. Where after watching the beginning a video (which was likely meant to be touching and powerful) my toddler self went in to hysterics with fear that the little girl in the burning apartment building was not going to be rescued. It's a surprising vivid memory of the part of the movie I watched. I don't remember being carried from the room among repeated screams to the effect of "She's going to DIE!!!" But I do remember arriving to safety in the foyer where there was tile on which to run around. I'm sure M will happily fill in details for those that want them.

No such breakdowns occurred at the dinner, the fit about appropriate dress was mild in comparison.

Sadly, this marks an end to the supply of South San Francisco gear my family has sported for decades. 

The dinner was held at the South San Francisco Basque Cultural Center. Adorable wood carvings on the wall.

One of the other gentlemen retiring told us all a story about D during his speech, D had shared the story with the family just moments before...

The last time both had been in the hall where we were seated was on a Saturday afternoon an hour before a wedding reception was set to begin. A sprinkler under the stage broke and the floor was covered with water...COVERED with water. D was the acting captain that day, they pumped the floor and dried it in 45 min (basketball court sized room), not a drip. Saved the wedding. The bride and groom took photos with D. 

Now he's on to bigger and better things. Though I can't imagine for that couple anything could have seemed bigger that day.

Q2

Q turns 2 this week. It's hard to believe she has grown so much.

She obviously thinks she is quite grown up. 

Anxious to open her presents. 

She really didn't know how to respond to the Dora doll. Can you see the angst in her face? She loves Dora, but the doll, apparently affected/called into question her entire young perception of reality.

Opening more presents.

She actually  sat still for a moment.

Still unsure about Dora...

Little J is not, he put that brush to work.

She heard music in the other room, like a moth to flame. She kept screaming "daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy" and hugging his leg.

She also joined in with some drumming.

 Wearing her bracelets.

Little J's using all their self control and patience waiting for cake.

Cake time!

Can you see the look she is giving her brother?

Finally!

Bed Books

Over the course of the week books accumulate on my bed. I cleared six off the top before retiring for the night. Uncomfortably, I missed one, hidden under pillows and blankets.

Barn Time

Saturday morning after G and I went to breakfast we headed for some quality barn time. I needed to get a box to take to my friend F, and we used the occasion to go through some other boxes out there from the grandmother. G stated opening boxes and she pulled out this light stitch cover, "wow" was all that made it out of her mouth.

Mountains.

 

Love the cheesy photo.

I've been so impressed with the grandparent's record collection, not what I had expected. Then I saw the name written on some covers, they belonged to grandmother's aunt. Suddenly the titles made much more sense.

Pennsylvania Dutch painted welcome sign. Need to do some genealogy, really couldn't tell you anything about my Pennsylvania Dutch ancestors.

What???? I'm assuming this is a brick of tea that you chip pieces off of? Copyright 1980? This brick of tea is older than me! It can't still be good can it? What a thing to save for three decades.

It does have fancy designs stamped on it.

Painted rooster box.

Grabbed this - can't wait to listen to it.

A very Versailles style Cinderella.

Just for B - he's making a shadow puppet over the cover. It's a bunny.