OCT 09

I took my Catholic Big Brother Volunteer program "Little Brother" (Brian) to the military base I was assigned to here in Los Angeles. It was my last assignment prior to retiring JAN 08. There was a display of aircraft, classic cars, and motorcycles...so we decided to check it out.

AH-1 Cobra

UH-60 Black Hawk

HH-65 Dauphine/Dolphin

C-17 Lifter

1931 Ford

Jesse James Hershey Chocolate bike

B-25 bomber

Brian with P-51 Mustang

AH-1 Cobra

Auntie Michiko + Colleen + Kyoko

Colleen and her mom (and typical multi-course Japanese meal).

Additionally,

Brian and I went to the March Air Force Base Aviation Museum....here are some pictures:

C 141 STAR LIFTER

B 52

SR 71 BLACK BIRD (2200 MPH)

F 15 EAGLE

B 29 STRATO FORTRESS

AH-1 Cobra

AH-1 Cobra

SEP 09

Los Angeles doesn't have a football team...

so 70,000 people fill the void via UCLA football at the rosebowl (always sold out)....this week we played Kansas state.

The Catholic Big Brother organization enabled this trip...so me my assigned "little brother" decided to go root on the Bruins....(they won!)

Brian with "Bruin Burger" firmly crammed into his cake hole.

Tokyo to Los Angeles...over the Northern Pacific (near Aleutian islands bordering Russian airspace)...we passed a Korean Air 777-200 enroute to Los Angeles as well.
Calico ghost town (near Barstow California) train ride.

Calico was a silver mining town from 1820 through 1967...when it was bought by the Knott family (same family that founded the Knott's berry farm amusement part in California) and turned into a visitor attraction. The town was a near waste land when purchased...and had fluctuated greatly during its lifespan....having been burned down and rebuilt three times.

Colleen tried to intercept the Wells Fargo stage coach and got busted....

yarn spinner circa 1837

"...the new Sheriff in town is...................................a small Japanese girl?"

Suprising amount of visitors...even on a Thursday...and well AFTER labor day. We ran into Brazilians, Japanese, Russian, and French groups...and 10 to 12 buses at any given time.

Miss. Lucy Lane was the last living citizen of Calico...until she finally passed on during WWII.

Calico fire engine

We thought the entire visit would be lame...but the train ride, mine tour, asthetics, and over all presentation was actually quite good.

Hot day...100 degrees Farenheit...

L.A. County Fair doggies....

Colleen...milkin' it

T-Rex display at one of the County Fair venues....

oh my...quite tall!

All the displays moved and had audio as well...it was really cool from a child's perspective I'm sure.

early 1800's display

miniature town train model....my favorite part of the County Fair...has tons of really cool highly detailed places and people to review.

baseball game and moving pedestrians and cars within the miniature train model.

The entire (town) train model display approximated 80 meters (240') x 30 meters (90')...and would take a person a few hours just to review all the details worked into it.

Budweiser Clydesdales.........................huge.

AUG 09

Hit Disney Land this weekend...with Michelle, Cynthia, Cynthia's brother (Lance...and his wife and two children Kyle and Kelly), as well as two Japanese exchange students known as "I" and "A" (abreviated of course). As usual tons of fun and laughs...


This is the "Small World" castle...a historical icon of Walt Disney' vision of world peace.


At the top and bottom of each hour...the castle comes alive with a precession of figurines that march in a musical display....think coo coo clock on steroids.
Inside the "Small World" castle is a display of each region and country in the world...this is Japan.

Here is Cynthia and "A" doin' the twist during the day parade.

Part of the day parade down Main street.

This is Main street...a late 1880's early 1900's depiction of anytown USA.

Cynthia in the submarine ride.

Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear....

Pirates of the Carribean character played by Johnny Depp....not the real Depp of course...

The wax figures move, talk, and the ride takes you through a journey that is quite cool...

Michelle and Colleen on the "Indiana Jones Adventure" ride....that was cool too.

Two visiting students sponsored by Cyntia..."A" and "I."

Colleen on Main street.

Dave with Marti's mom....

bike club assembles at dawn....some b.s. for :15 minutes then "game on!"

L.A. sunrise...

Dave and Marti came to L.A. for a visit...enroute to Marti's family' home in La Puente.

Dave with (now completed) Darhuma-san doll.

Colleen made her own pair of jeans...just thought it up and did it.

JULY 09

13 years of firing this thing I finally made good on my promise to own one after retiring from military obligations. Before anyone gets offended or surprised...please note this is more a memoir or trophy than a weapon. I have also fired tens of thousands of rounds with these things (some in anger). I can field strip it in seconds...minus light...I know it like the back of my hand.

I do not support a world full of weapons.

I do know two things for sure:

(1)as long as there are two or more people on this earth, bad people and wars will always occur ...and no matter how much educated folks postulate, debate, and theorize about peace via legislation...reality is meanwhile jackin' cars, invading homes, robbing pedestrians, and waging wars.

(2)I can count on ADT and LAPD to a degree... but it's that 20 minute wait until they arrive that I am responsible to cover. Now I can.

...'nuf said...all I can say is academians and liberal types vehimently argue this issue...right up until they are staring down the business end of a weapon held by a drug addict who wants nothing but your money or your stuff (to pawn). Yes...the dude is harmless probably...but I am not willing to leave it up to him. You can if you want to...not me.

Way on the other end of the spectrum of subjects...is this cool "dog" shirt that Colleen just made for me.

She knows I love dogs....all sizes and breeds...so out came the material and viola! Instant shirt.

Fits nice...I plan to where it out to dinner.

This is the "guitar" shirt I also got from Colleen.

...it fits great and I get to break it in at her mom's birthday dinner tomorrow night. Hopefully Jimmy Buffet is not there...he might want it.

Colleen and Kody painted the left eye of the Daruma doll....known in Japan as "okiagari koboshi" (tumbler doll) which depicts the Bodhidarhma (father of buddhism who lived in the fifth or sixth century AD) in the seated meditation position. The belief is that you paint one eye (right one) at the start of an event....and paint the remaining eye (left one) when the intended outcome occurs. The right one was painted the day Dave told us he left Hewlit Packard (HP) and was seeking another job. We prayed he would achieve his goal quickly. The left one completed the day Dave told us he achieved his goal. I guess it worked in this case.

Go karts and baseball games is the theme this month with "little brother" Brian.

Brian proceeded to kick my ass on all of the four tracks...with little effort at all. Damn kids today...no respect I tell ya' !

I should have seen it comin' when he mumbled somethin' about "cans" and "woop ass."

Dodger game was boring...as usual....but a little drama when a previous Dodger came back to Dodger Stadium...on the visiting team...and proceeded to kill one out of the park. Talk about "in your face" and embarassing silence.

Thank god we live very close to the ocean because most houses around here do not have Air Conditioning....while inland homes do. Not bad temps this July thus far...

JUNE 09

Kyoko needed a break from the 24/7 assisted living job she inherited when George' health degraded to the point where he requires close monitoring. Soooo...we took off North bound to a Danish village called "Solvang"...which is near Santa Barbra California. We ate at a landmark place called "Anderson's Pea Soup"...which has a pretty cool 1950's aura. Great food.

Kyoko couldn't resist the silly shot...

Speaking of silly...here's a silly lad who is so used to city life...that any open pasture shot is "remarkable" in his mind. Sad really.

I did a great bike ride from Solvang into (and through) the Santa Ynez valley....very cool rolling hills and open spaces with barely any signs of life at all.... a nice change of pace from Los Angeles.

I couldn't help but think of the "Dances With Wolves" theme music as I was riding along...

Colleen and I never get time alone...she works many many hours each day and barely has time to uphold her true love and hobby...crafts, sewing, quilting, knitting, beading, and apparel projects. So, we capitalized on the opportunity to take some time to go do nothing....for a bit....in Las Vegas.

We were really suprised to see how packed it was on a Sunday late late night hour....when most people are already gone to be in place for work Monday morning. It was quite crowded. Live bands, people dancing, and quite lively. With the economy being as it is right now, I was not expecting that much activity.

This area is called the "Fremont Experience"....and it displays a high overhead archway (like a tunnel of lights) light and video display each hour with a specific theme music. This month was 1960's hippie month due to the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Pretty fun all in all.

Our neighbors, Manny and Kimiko, invited us over for a BBQ dinner...and in true Japanese style, laid out a spread that took many many days following to finish.

This sunrise (05:00am local time) during take off and climb out from Singapore to Bangkok Thailand. Typical hot humid climates cause thunderstorms all day and all night....but it is beautiful though.

MAY 09

Colleen, Carolyn Pratt (Colleen's friend from work), and I went to a quilt exhibit in Northridge CA. It was very well set up and presented we thought...and Colleen was able to muster up some inspiration, such that, upon arrival home, she immediately tore into two projects...a large blanket quilt, and a quilt hand bag too.

I liked the colors in this quilt...as did I many of the quilts. We had a great time.

Took my "little brother" (Catholic Big Brother volunteer program) Brian to a Dodgers baseball game...great seats behind plate.
post game just prior to fireworks display.

APRIL 2009

I was able to get my "little brother" Brian a guided tour of the 747 at LAX...he asked lots of questions so I assumed he was interested. The goal is to provide guidance on a career track or career field. The next step is to hopefully get him actively involved in Civil Air Patrol Cadet programs....a fantastic lead in track for military Academies and or military Aviator tracks.

Brian in front of engine #2 (of 4).

Colleen's childhood friend Rochele's family...husband David, kids Vincent and Olivia.

Colleen with her life long childhood friend Rochele....they live in La Jolla California...near San Diego CA. The kids are named Olivia and Vincent ages eight and eleven respectively.

Daniel, Sharon, and Colleen with newborn David...at their home in Chula Vista CA. (near San Diego).

Colleen holding "David"....a newborn which arrived recently to my good friend Daniel Ramirez..whom I have known for some years now via the military.

If you were to stand with your hands and legs extended fully...you would barely be able to fill the diameter of this engine inlet...just to give you some perspective on size.

This is a Russian freight aircraft called the Antonov...which I spotted while doing a brief stop over in Moscow.



Tokyo Japan to Chicago IL...North Pacific sunrise at 40,000 feet, Boeing 747-400

the roses are in a bloom cycle again lately...we are fortunate to have them cycling all year round

This is Singapore, near Clarke area....suprisingly organized city for a South East Asia metropolis.

Crew hotel is really nice...a 30 story brand new work of art.

The bowling shoe looking thing is a huge convention center. Wierd in a cool kind of way.

Singapore sky line...much bigger than most people think. Colleen and I went to the Puyallup Washington craft fair...which was supposed to be the nation's biggest craft fair, but all in all the logistical support was not great.

Puyallup Washington....ummmm, yeah not so busy.....just waiting for Opey and Auntie M to round the corner.

Soon after the picture Colleen was haulin' through the doors to the fairplex....but her expectations were a bit higher than the actual experience I'm afraid. Not terrible...but not great either.

MARCH 2009

Got a chance to visit Mike, Sue, and Malcolm. This is the new house they just had built in Seattle. It's very well done. Malcolm is getting so big so fast. Visiting them made me realize how lucky some people are to have immediate family living close by. That is not the case for us, so we visit when we can. Along those lines there is the possibility of a formal gathering end of Summer in celebration of Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary.

FEB 2009

The highlight of February is, by far, my big brother Dave coming to visit us in California. Above picture is the environment he rode through to get here....I don't know how he does it.

After long hard hours of riding I couldn't let him sit down without first fulfilling the corney camera rituals.
Dave is headed out to Tucson to see cousin Linda, and her family....then onto Texas to see two aunts and two cousins as well. Busy.

You know how we all become accustomed to anything over time. This is a typical scene at 40,000 feet....above the troposphere, about midlevel tropopause, and just below the stratosphere...you can see the curvature of the earth and the beautiful transition from atmospheric blue to space black.

This video shows the same perspective of the Earth and various atmospheric levels...and some 747-400 shots too...

JANUARY 2009

Colleen's mom received her long awaited Japanese kimono quilt. It takes a long long time to hand craft a quilt of this size. She was thrilled to receive a traditional Japanese hand made gift from her own daughter. Both Colleen and her mom just gravitated toward such craft skills....neither having formal training. At age 6 Colleen just decided she would start sewing...and proceded to sew doll dresses with no prompting or influence. It's in their blood I guess.

A few new designs were added which made it different from the other quilts.

each panel is different, and has it's own pattern/color theme.

It covers a queen bed...just to give some perspective.

on a completely different note....this is just a thought...click to blow up the above graph...you will see how inherently smart the "market" is regarding recessions. We are now right back to where we "should" be with regard to real estate intrinsic values. Law of homeostasis is verified here I think. Just let the market be the market in my opinion...bailouts are simply band aids and don't fix the cause of the problems. Just a thought is all.

...."We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast...this is only a test."


Long Beach aquarium trip ...this is Sid the seal.

shark tank

here's Brian...he's 14 and lives close by. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Brian through the Catholic Big Brother Volunteer program.
Brian scaring himself after getting up enough nerve to touch the stingray.

Long Beach marina...if you click on the picture (blow it up to full size) you can see the Queen Mary in the back ground.

coral tank....again, click to blow it up and see the colors...amazing.

DECEMBER 2008

Colleen's latest project...a nine panel quilt illustrating Japanese kimonos. Take a look.... just click on any picture to get a full screen view.

all the panels are different...each one having it's own pattern and color scheme.

Note the farther away you view it...the more apparent the differences in each panel.

Colleen's aunts are receiving the only two quilts Colleen made...I kind of wish we could have kept one. Oh well.

The "Tokyo Traveling Trio" hit Los Angels this month. We decided to take them to a Lakers Basketball game because Sudo-san (far right) is an avid, trophied, and proficient guard in Japan.

Can't go to an NBA game on an empty stomach though...so we first hit California Pizza kitchen. The last thing they wanted was Japanese food....so I figured this was as far from Japanese as one can get.

Post game leaving Staple Center in down town L.A.

This is Yuda-san...he has travelled all over the world to date...and he sais the last time he saw an NBA game he was in the nose bleeds...and couldn't even see the players...so he was relieved to be sitting about 18 meters from the court this time.

I hope the trio enjoyed Los Angeles....they returned to Tokyo at least with some good memories...Disneyland, California food, NBA basketball game, and some new friends.

with ZERO prior practice and or experience...Colleen woke up and decided..."I'm going to make my own pants today." .....she wasn't kidding....in just a few hours....viola!...pants....and perfect lines too.

I know nothing about sewing...but, in watching Colleen construct this project....it did NOT look easy.

The end result was a perfect, tailor made, custom fit pair of work pants. Colleen is small...so it's very difficult to find her sizes in retail stores. She got fed up and did something about it.

NOVEMBER 2008

...meanwhile, in Portland Oregon....our trusy super hero "Malcolm Man" is faithfully guarding truth, justice, and the very silly way.

From left to right are Sue, Mike, and Dave.

Dave and Mike...making sure the Turkey doesn't "try anything funny."

Sue and Malcolm...who is getting so big, so fast. We are hoping Mike, Sue and Malcolm can make it to Los Angeles at some point...because there are so many things we want to show Malcolm before he slips into "young man" phase.

There he is....my big brother Dave....showing that bird who's boss. Get em bro!

It's too bad the Murray family is scattered so far apart.

Thanks Giving 2008......here in Los Angeles. A bit different from Portland/Seattle....70 degrees and sunny...as usual. Not exactly most people's "Fall" weather.....so I capitalized and did a long bike training ride with a Pilot friend of mine. "Burn it...earn it....then eat it." Pictured from left to right is George, Kyoko, and Glenn. It's rare to get everyone together at one time....and Colleen came through with a kick ass meal. While so many people world wide have nothing...I truly felt blessed this year.

Colleen with Michelle... a long time friend of many years. Michelle is close to adding an MBA to her accomplishment list....and she is proof that there are truly exceptional people out there...who never complain and never wallow in self pity (or blame everyone else for that matter). If we could just clone Michelle....the U.S. would be a much better place to live.

Colleen attended a three day class in San Pedro California. She said it was a great learning experience and she learned a lot of new craft and sewing techniques she will be able to use in her future projects. Pictured are some of her fellow classmates during a brief lunch break on day two.

The perfect buying storm...I had to pull the trigger on a few properties I have been watching for a long time. The buy prices have declined to that which is actually less than the build costs...so I jumped in. This is the Houston Town home...three bedroom two bath two level 1500 square feet. The complex is brand new (July 2008) and it is only 2 miles from down town Houston.

Living room of the town home. I also bought a two bedroom two bath single level condo. The complex has a waiting list because mortgages are out of reach for many more people now (due to the economy and new lending standards)....no one has $40,000 cash for down payments these days... and this developer incorporates a "rent to own" clause if they choose....bypassing the cash down requirement, thus opening the door to ownership for many who would not otherwise be able to own at all. I used my IRA through a self directed custodian to buy both units all cash...no loans. Cash rents are guaranteed by the developer (who has been operating for 25 years under the same name and has not ever missed a payment to 3100 investors...totalling 77 condo coversion projects...and is BBB listed all 25 years)....no management, vacancy, marketing, legal exposure, maintenance, or tenant interaction worries.

Three total units....two in Houston and one in Phoenix. I had also looked at a San Diego unit but the HOA financials failed inspection (they claimed they were solvent but I had a CPA go through their statements and found them to be just the opposite)...."caveat emptor."

The Houston complex is right in the center of the downtown urban high density zone...surrounded by New York Stock Exchange listed retailers, and the demographic is driven by a wide variety of industries, including petroleum, health care, insurance, and finance. Two bedroom two bath condo in Houston. My long time friend (from active military years), told me about the developer's condo conversion plan in 2006....and I have been following it ever since. Recently the prices for both units got so low I couldn't pass them up.

This the Phoenix Arizona complex...a golf course community two bedroom two bath condo coversion project (just like the Houston community). All three units (Houston and Phoenix) are brand new...purchased all cash...and I plan to hold them indefinitely as a source of cash income during retirement. More or less a passive, long term, hands off, back ground assets.

This complex is also brand new (converted March 2008)...and I visited it frequently while in college in Arizona. After I learned it went "condo" I started tracking it. I loved it when it was apartments, and I know the area well.....right near down town, adjacent 18 hole golf course, major NYSE listed retailers next door, high ranking school district (family renters - owners), close to Scottsdale boundary, diversified employer demograhic, expanding population, high density area, mass transit..etc etc.

Colleen with Trixie....who strangely enough wraps her paws around Colleens' hands when carried...not sure if that's affection, fear of falling, or a combinatio thereof. Trixie is doing much better. As you already know from previous posts, Trixie comes from many years of abuse, dire conditions in a puppy mill, and mistreatment. [She] has improved dramatically to date, and is slowly showing more and more affection over time...as her trust in us develops.

Kody is now the "veteran" and "original rat pack" mutt. He is starting to show his old age now, and we notice he is slowing down on many levels.

Now you see when we call him "Joker" some times....it looks like he's either high on laughing gas or mocking you.

OCTOBER 2008

Uncle Shun passed away, so many Maatsuura and Yoshimura relatives came together recently, to bid Shun farewell. George and his sister, Haru (first row, 2nd and 3rd from the right respectively) were glad to see each other after many years of not seeing each other. We will miss uncle Shun very much...he was a special man with a big heart and loving soul.
Trixie the squirrel hunter, thinking "I've got it cornered now!" Maybe no.
Two days later...still thinking she's "winning" this battle.
Garrett (center) is Colleen's friends' son...who just turned 10 years old...and had his party at a restaurant on the beach in Redondo Beach, California.

SEP 08

747 Captain Paul Grimes lives a few miles from us (in Palos Verdes...real nice area right on the ocean with tall bluffs and lots of people lookin' just like Thurston Howell III) and invited us to join up on a BBQ get together. [He] is a great cook and terrific host.
One of three little ones who provided tons of comic relief. This is a 6 month daughter of one of Paul's wife's friend....who is trying to figure out "why is everyone lookin' at me!?"
Colleen and one of several guests just shootin' it.
This is Paul's twin girls...both four and born only a few minutes apart. Very very funny girls....who spent the first :30 minutes sizing us up...thence by the end of the night they were hanging all over us and riding us like a rented mules.
...enter the rented mules.

We may be older, but we know who's in command for the moment....too cool they were.

AUGUST 2008

Bangkok...near Suvarnabhumi...typical eating choices include crazy loud dirty street vendors....or crazy loud dirty ally vendors.
Just outside the hotel in Amsterdam...very nice...just look both ways when near the bike lanes.
Leaving Amsterdam headed to Tokyo Japan...easier to see the city layout.

Shibuya Japan (near Shiodome)...world's busiest street intersection.
Singapore...near Clark. Great river restaurants and vendors...very new city...lots of new buildings going up.
Utapau Thailand (South of Bangkok)...lots of sharks..but excellent diving.
Bangkok near the hotel...another quiet, clean, and docile eating adventure. ;-)
Thai food doesn't use 1/10th the rice content of neighboring Asain countries for some reason. This is a typical main entree....a leaf, and a bucket full of meats.

Shibuya again...from Nike store at Miyazaki mall 2nd floor. Pretty sick. Trains are even more densely compacted with people.
Meiji shrine, Tokyo.
Aunti Michiko came over to show us a video about Okinawa.
Intermission ice cream break....mmmmmm
George sais "where's the other dog?".....(reply from Kyoko-san): "we don't have another dog!" Oh boy...this could get silly.

JULY 2008

This is Colleen's friend Jacqueline Hurwitz...who lives in Hancock Park...a former coworker from Colleen's previous company.
Trixie is quickly assimilating into the new home. She is less shy, less inhibited, more communicative, and her health is now much much better. She came from a very poor environment prior to being rescued. We love her so.
Kody is also very cooperative in allowing Trixie full reign of the entire household...free to do whatever she wants with no jealous or possessive repercussions from Kody. Kody is a very generous little lad and he already treats Trixie as a best buddy.
Colleen and I rarely get to do anything formal...so we were happy to attend her law firm's 100th anniversary outing at the Beverly Hills Hotel. We had a great time and I so very much enjoy spending time with Colleen...I married a great girl.

Pictured with Colleen are her co-workers and friend Carol (center) and Bonnie (right).

a few of The Beverly Hills Hotel guest list includes (or included): John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Frank Sinatra, Betty Davis, Sandra Day O'Conner, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Steven Spielberg, etc etc.

This fits the law firms profile because their client list reads like a Dow Index company list...or a "who's who" rag: Boeing, Paramount Pictures, Intel, Ford, Marilyn Monroe, the Doors, the Beatles, MGM Grand, Walt Disney, Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Muhamad Ali, etc etc etc.

JUNE 2008

FOOD: while millions are starving elsewhere in the world...we figured we would celebrate our apathy by dining at a really cool historic site known as "Magic Castle" in Hollywood CA. The theme is true to it's name...with many short duration shows throughout the evening. There were many pretty cool "wow" effects....such as an owl at the entrance which you must politely ask permission to enter...through a hidden door disguised as a library book shelf....and another owl perched at the bar which will answer questions you ask of it while nodding it's head and gesturing. The food was good, the asthetics were terrific, and the history was pretty cool too. All in all a good time. [We] had a party of twelve...pictured above is our friend "Paul" who we find particularly cool.

FURRY FAMILY MEMBER: This is "Trixie"...the newest rescue adoption dog. She was rescued from horrible conditions and she is slowly coming out of her defensive shell and opening up to her new guardians. We miss KC terribly...but we also welcome Trixie as a means to carry on and continue fostering dogs that people treat terribly. So far so good...Trixie is pretty relaxed and is accepting her new home just fine. We approximate her to be six to seven years old, which is right around Kody's age..thus they are perfectly matched.

Here's Kody....half rabbit, half dog, and 100% cooked out. He has been very very welcoming to the new addition (Trixie) and we are very suprised at how NON-possessive and or aggressive he is toward Trixie. Kody was acting very depressed after losing KC...but now he seems better having a "buddy" to hang with. So far so good.

MAY 08

FAREWELL TO OUR LITTLE GIRL....K.C.

K.C. finally decided it was time to go. We are very very sad, yet at the same time happy she is no longer suffering. She had difficulty with even remedial tasks due to the congestive heart failure symptoms (heart blows up like a balloon, wind pipe becomes obstructed due to enlarged heart, gagging for air-weezing, lungs fill with fluid, etc etc) caused by a failed ventrical valve in her left atrium chamber. [She] also had infectious bowel disease, and liver disease.

We miss her so very much. The house will never be the same without her. Her life long friend Kody, misses her the most I think. I know we all go down the same road eventually, it's just hard seeing all the reminders and missing her wagging tail, loving ways, and unconditional love.

"we love you and miss you KC...we will see you real soon."

This is Colleen's latest project. A formal gown which she made from scratch. [She] just thought it up and executed. The plan is to wear it to a formal coming up in a few months.

It's amazing how a pile of meaningless fabrics can be transformed into a beautiful gown by sheer talent.
My biggest kick is watching Colleen work at these projects....I can be sitting right next to her speaking to her...rambling on for :20 minutes....thence finally realize [she] hasn't heard a word I just said.

That's why I call her the Mad Scientist....all I see is smoke pouring out of her ears and she is completely unaware of what's happening around her. Complete focus.

This is what happens when you have many days off and time to kill.....you start building things just for the sake of building things. This bird feeder seemed like a great idea...but the birds are really wary to feed off of "big, white, new, bird eating, monster thing" just yet.

APRIL 2008

By far the highlight of April was seeing the family...after many years of not being able to get ALL the Murray boys under one roof simultaneously. I wish I could experience more of these type reunions....anyway, above is Mike and Dave's new cars...not quite "twins" but certainly similar. VW GTI series is a smokin', agile little rocket...think Mini mixed with nitro.
Colleen and Dave were enlisted by Malcolm to put together his new toy....which came in a million pieces of course. Suckers.
Who let this awnry lot in here!? The restaurant reserved by Mike ("Pair" I think it was called) was very nice...with no specific region or theme holding it back, it was a menu that you just didn't know what to expect...like you would at a place that hangs a national flag or theme over it's door. Very well done.
Malcolm is getting so big so fast....my goodness. He already carries a conversation such that you can simply "talk" to the lad...rather than reason in baby talk. He will be quite an intelligent one I think. Poor Sue (my brother Mike's wife) got nailed with a wicked virus just as a boat load of people invaded her home for a re-union. Wonderful! I felt terrible for her.
Dave and Colleen completed the toy construction phase with approval from the Willy Wonka Certified Appraiser himself...who of course wanted to know about "other" toys about two hours later.

Malcolm showing Colleen how it's done in play land. It's amazing how fast kids can readily grasp ever changing themes, controls, features, and modes...whereas adults spend half an hour just searching for a FAQ file for help.
Mumsy Murray keeping watch over the roost. "A spot of tea and stiff switch is in order to rule these guttersnipes!"
Dad with Marti....whom received the Purple Heart award for braving the Murray clan family comedy hour a few times around the dinner table. Marti is (by far) one of the coolest, well grounded, level headed, personable people you could ever meet....so we are hoping we didn't scare her off too much.
A table for ten, a family I haven't seen (collectively) for years, some cheap Chinese food, some beer, and way too much time to kill.....could be trouble man.

MAR 08

Easter Bike Training run...from sea level to 5000 feet...14 miles of helatious grade. Man was that hard.
4000 foot maker....lungs were really burning (being a sea level non thinned blood type)
The prize at the top of the mountain....my friend Greg lives at the peak...never before had beer tasted sooooo good.

Taste Of Tokyo (TOT) in Downtown L.A. Sunday 16 March 2008. Left to Right are....Tim, Sandy, July, me, Colleen and Kyoko. Left side of the table are Colleen's cousins whom she hasn't seen in many years.


Kyoko at home after having cooked one of her standard nine course Japanese spreads.
Auntie Michiko....whom Kody just loves BTW....
Colleen....looking normal, but (if people only knew) fighting eye and migrain pain DAILY. The girl never complains...yet never fails to uphold her responsibilities as a manager. Most would quit given the same conditions.
George and Uncle Shun contemplating what exactly it is they are looking at. Could be tomato...could be tumble weed?
....one hour later..."it still hasn't grown!....what's wrong with this plant!?....is it nap time yet?"

Colleen was picked to model a dress while attending a designer's weekend seminar. [She] tried to pretend she didn't hear her name being called in hopes of not being picked.....to no avail. Being skinny has it's downside.
The Seminar originators....some of which are well known and achieved on the "runways" and amongst designers.
Only one of several groups at the seminar. Colleen had a "blast" and learned many techniques which separate the average from the truly exceptional.



This Rusty...the newest family edition...whom followed Kyoko home today (20 MAR 08). No collar and very under fed. Estimates are 8 months old and hasn't eaten in weeks. Looks to be part Retriever, part greyhound, part shepard...basically a mutt.

Legally we had to bring Rusty to the Animal Services shelter in order for any owner to claim him. However, I have registered my name as "First Right Redemtion" in the event no one claims him by 25 March. The Shelter scanned him for a microchip...but found none...so I estimate Rusty was abandoned......people are such idiots.