COUSINS AND COUSINS-A REUNION

Toni Moore is my cousin by marriage. Her husband of 26 years, Commander James Moore of the Sheriff’s Department (deceased) is my first cousin. Our fathers were brothers.  But, our relationship goes deeper than that. I attended High School with Toni and introduced her to Jim. While visiting the archive, I discovered she was planning a family reunion and she asked me to join them. The afternoon of the Archive meeting, March 16th, I went with her to Costco to shop. Toni is handicapped and can’t drive. On the 17th, it was St. Patrick’s Day, she took me out to dinner for corned beef and cabbage. I think we licked the plates clean.

Her oldest son is Kurt Moore. He and my son Ken are close in age. We raised our kids together, often camping since no one had any money in those days. We all lived on tight budgets.

Her middle son, Todd, was closest to my son Doug’s age, and the two of them were pals growing up. Toni’s youngest son, Barry recently died and everyone is still trying to heal from loss. Todd lives nearby and is indispensable, taking Toni to her appointments, shopping and helping Todd keep up the place. He has one daughter, Briana, and I somehow failed to get a picture of her and her boyfriend.

The relationships get complicated for me to keep straight. Kurt’s youngest children Teddy and Alex, with Gramma Toni are the reason for the reunion. They live on the East coast with their mother and visit twice a year. They normally come for Easter vacation and this year came early. So, Toni planned an early Easter.

Always smiling, Leslie Nolan, is Bob Moore’s partner, who is a brother to Jim.  He doesn’t like having his picture taken and ruins your picture, if he has a chance to.  You have to get one surreptitiously.

Here he is with his nephew, Teddy.

Kurt’s oldest daughter, Sandy arrived with her husband Josh.  Kurt’s son, John is serving in the Army and couldn’t attend.

Now, this is Grandpa Kurt, hauling Sandy’s two newest members of the family over his shoulder into the back yard. He knows a little about how to handle young boys. They are Caleb and Jacob ages six and four, recently adopted.

It rained off and on all day, but no one melted. The kids played bean bag toss. Emma, Sandy’s daughter teamed with Teddy and Alexandria, Sandy’s half-brother and sister, and her father Josh.

Emma gets a big jump closer because she is the shortest and youngest in the game. Cousin works as well as any moniker, and “cousin” Teddy doesn’t mind.

As the day went on, the kids turned to hunting for treasure. Caleb is trying to figure out how to get up in the tree holding an egg.

An egg hiding in plain sight, up high, gives the older kids a shot at the eggs. Some contain money, some contain candy or little toys.

Heavy competition comes with a smile as Bob and Josh pair up with…

…Todd and Kurt.

Looks like Josh nailed it. The rules are much like horseshoes.

The kids enjoyed their treasures. Emma, in Easter finery, with a full bag.

Jacob enjoyed a green chick that is special because it has a squeaker inside.

Caleb liked his rubber Easter chick, too.

After dinner, everyone enjoyed dessert. Emma looking sweet 16 instead of 12 with frosting pink lipstick.

Alexandria, kissable in blue, is a freshman in High School.

Emma with her frosting lipstick plants one on cousin Alexandria.

Caleb wanted to try my camera. A quick learner, he took a bunch of pictures and did quite well.

 

This picture by Caleb is a tad blurry. But, not bad for a six year old’s first time with a sizable camera.

This one was my favorite, where he caught his little brother taking pictures with my phone.  Maybe photography in his future, but without a doubt, a good time was had by all. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE.

 

 

ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF’S ARCHIVE RE-ENERGIZED.

 

 

Dale Toussaint, right, has re-energized the Alameda County Sheriff’s Archive. Gary Nelson stopped by and took a shot at identifying a photo Toussaint scanned into his laptop.

Bill Selles and Dave Hoig pondered identities. Everyone who arrived knew everyone else, but some of the guys are new faces to me.

In one of the display rooms is a sign left by protestors during the riots on the U. C. Berkeley Campus. Blue Meanies was a term coined by the protestors given to Alameda County Sheriff’s Riot Squad when they switched from regular uniforms and dressed in mechanics coveralls by request of the deputies. Their uniforms reeked of tear gas from one fracas to the next. Mechanics coveralls could be tossed in the washing machine after each shift.  In fact, the Sheriff’s Department didn’t have a so-called “Riot Squad”. The Civil Unrest that began in Berkeley was the first of it’s type. During worker strikes or mob situations of the 1920’s and 30’s, the deputies waded in and beat senseless anyone within reach,  and jailed anyone who fought back.  The right to civil protest was not respected. Oldtimer, George Wisner, told me the Sheriff’s Department and Oakland Police Department came down hard on union organizers and strikers. It was policy to always take the side of the company. Another requirement of those early times?  You had to be a Republican to be a cop. Marc Thompson and a bunch of guys from squads one and two signed the Blue Meanie sign. He pointed to his name and I took his picture.

If you recognize your name, come visit and I’ll take your picture with the now famous sign. Well, famous among the deputies, anyway. The riots were an important thing for deputies. They were never paid overtime, and wages were decided at the whim of the board of supervisors. Old Captain Creel would give you compensatory time-maybe. Many deputies worked side jobs to make ends meet. Sheriff Houchins had no choice but to go the board and ask for contingency funds to pay overtime for deputies who were on the streets for 10 to 15 hour shifts while others covered regular duties with equally long workdays. The riots brought wages up to par with the rest of society.

People don’t think they can contribute anything of value to the archive. Behind Dale showing me this picture is a group looking at the Sheriff’s assignment board. We guessed it was from 1994. But the guys knew what year they were assigned certain shifts and they informed us the board was pulled off the wall in 1997. Everyone has knowledge of their time and place and can add to the history of the department in big and small ways. All are welcome on the third Thursday of the Month unless it is a holiday.

Bill Smith.

A woman named Connie came in. I thought she might be a retired deputy.

It turned out her husband was the retired Deputy. I didn’t remember either of their names but thanks to Pat Higgins, they are Richard and Connie Krimm.

Ralph Streicher, one of the new volunteers, with Bud Harlen, one of the old volunteers. The place was humming. Remembrances of the past were flowing like water along with plenty of laughter. And part of that hum was a busy Ralph Streicher. He kept saying, “I love this place.” He is the fastest talker I ever met. I know I’ve gotta get him to sit down for an interview some day. I’ve got three promised now. I keep telling myself life is getting easier with age and retirement.

Dave Hoig. Tell your friends.

Don’t wait. Get involved. Its fun to talk shop.

APOLITICAL APHORISMS

As requests for money increase in fury, and the political scene explodes before our eyes, I thought these Apolitical aphorisms would be a bit of fun. Especially fun for me since I discovered yesterday, I’ve been the victim of on-line fraud. More on that as I sort through several critical projects. The aphorisms were sent to me in an email and have been around for a longtime. Hope you enjoy them.

If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates.

~Jay Leno~

 The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

~Henry Cate, VII~

 We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.

~Aesop~

 If we got one-tenth of what was promised to us in these Electionspeeches, there wouldn’t be any inducement to go to heaven.

~Will Rogers~ 

 Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.

~Nikita Khrushchev~

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become Prime Minister or Premier; I’m beginning to believe it.

~Clarence Darrow~

Why pay money to have your family tree traced; go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.

~Author unknown~

Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel.

~John Quinton~

 Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.

~Oscar Ameringer~

 I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.

~Adlai Stevenson, campaign speech, 1952~

 A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.

~ Tex Guinan~

 I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

~Charles de Gaulle~

 Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.

~Doug Larson~

 There ought to be one day — just one — when there is open season on senators.

~Will Rogers~

ACCOMPLICE.

For a small community, Murphys offers great Little Theatre. The Black Bart Playhouse used to be the home of the Black Bart Players. My husband and I were theatre buffs and at one time belonged to the Fremont Players.  George and I both had acting roles and behind the scenes roles in Fremont and I did a play for the Newark Players, and George did a season with Oakland Reperatory Theatre.  Those were great times and great memories and great friendships made. It was a natural to become supporters of the Black Bart Players when we moved here. We have attended hundreds of theatrical productions, both professional theatre in San Francisco, Santa Clara and even New York City. One of the the best plays I’ve ever seen was God’s Favorite, right here in Murphys by the Black Bart Players when they performed at the old Native Son’s Hall. I no longer remember his name, but the male lead was a local teacher. His performance was stellar and made the play memorable.

The Accomplice is the product of Murphys Creek Theatre Company and was directed by Maryann Curmi. This twisting, turning plot is full of surprises and comedy and kept me and son, Ken, and daughter-in-law Laurie enthralled to the end. No slapstick, real comedy.

A comfortable lobby with snacks, beer and wine for sale, makes a night of theatre even more enjoyable. Having been so occupied with my new building in Oregon, I’ve not been to a play in many months.

Don Bilotti, Maryann Curmi, Paul Del Gatto and Celeste Fiory all have professional theatre credits, so talent is oozing out of this cast and it shows. Not to short the rest of the cast, Joe Conn, Graham Green, and Michelle Low have had gobs of theatre experience from Joe, an East Coast transplant and both Michelle and Graham local work of renown. What I was most impressed with is the number and variety of projects the Murphys Creek Theatre Company employs. Just read the schedule for 2015. There is something for everyone. And, whatever you do, don’t miss ACCOMPLICE. More than a play, its an experience.

The ACCOMPLICE runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through April 26th. What a blast. Don’t miss this one.

For tickets you can call 209.728.8422. You can also go to their website-www.murphyscreektheatre.org. 

MYSTERY SOLVED, AND WATER NEWS.

The rains have been welcoming if disconcerting with multiple lightning strikes, gloom, and water cascading down my driveway. The news is, despite this pleasant drink of water, the drought will continue.

The reservoirs are no longer holding enough water. I have a well and expect to get it up and running to bastion my property against the drought. It hasn’t been operated in over ten years. The aquifer may be empty and not suitable.  Time will tell.

New tires will be rolling me to Oregon at the end of this week for some needed input into the house building job. The tires will be installed this morning.

FLASH- The Mystery Santa was neighbor Peggy Morris. I called once with no answer but finally spoke to her last night. What a delightful thing to receive this lovely Christmas letter in my EMAIL box. Too fun!

Peggy denied being the mystery Santa of the second letter. Hmm!  I’m narrowing down the suspects.

Ciao

 

 

 

 

 

THE PLOT THICKENS.

I tried to find out who the mystery Santa is who left a Christmas Card in my physical Email box. No one will fess up. Yesterday, I found a second one, only the mystery Santa made sure I’d get it. It was in my regular mail box. This Santa likes valentines day. Hmmm!

I’ve called every neighbor who passes by my box and knows me well besides Cindy and Gary who said it wasn’t them. Sharon and Bert, Brian, Suzy and Ron, Sherry and Rob, Karen, Jan, Patty and Ott. I have two more households to reach today that were not home when I called. But then?

Neighbor Kristi Darby says, just accept it and “Get a life.” To you Kristi, I have a life. Every morning I get on this machine and learn something. I learned this morning that sewage water that goes through a treatment plant is pure enough to drink. Actually I’d heard that before but this time, The Brewing Company from Hillsborough, Oregon is making Poop beer. They have permission from the powers that be to do it. And, they are posing an important question. Why use precious well water to grow thirsty almonds. How about recycled “poop” water? You have to be innovative if you are a Californian. And, Kristi, only part of my life is spent in the morning on this machine. So, when I get some poop beer, I’m going to invite you over for a sip!

In the meantime, I’m searching for the mystery Santa because I want to laugh WITH that Santa. I’m so glad I live in this neighborhood.