Pacific Pinball Museum

D & I did not plan enough time for this outing, finding out the prior evening that the museum did not open until 2pm did not aid our planning. Despite user error and poor planing (unlike me, I know) it was lovely. 

I thought this race-car themed game was charming. The cars move around the track and count your laps for your score.

D was disappointed I beat him...by only 6 points.

Rows and rows.

D waiting to find out what "your future partner may be". Sadly we couldn't get it to work after I went. Thankfully, my future spouse may be "nice".

Arghhh! The clown puppet was creepy. You press buttons to make its arms and legs go up and down like a bad marionette, all while crazy music is playing. 

Scoring more than D.

Still scoring higher than D.

Can you see who is in the front row? That would be President & Mrs. Reagan. Nancy's red shirt says something about saying no to drugs.

D was thrilled when he finally played one of the games I had played and earned a score higher. It was a rare thrill in the series of machines we played in sequence. 

Beyond my artistic critique of the rather objectifying nature of many of the machine's designs, the visit was fantastic. There is a huge pinball show happening in Dixon in May, probably worth a visit. Something is magic about the combination of sounds and lights in a pinball game.

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.