DVC art

Pleasant Hill, CA

I went to campus today to buy my books and find my classroom. I'm taking a class in the art department (intro to black & white photography - required for OT grad school). I stumbled upon this in my wondering around.

Mimi

Antioch, CA

This is Mimi. She is my other new dog roommate. Today at 6:30 as I was leaving, I found her in the front yard. I brought her in. When I got back at 7 she was sitting out side my bedroom door. She came and laid with me on my bed as I watched T.V. I think she was just lonely.

(BTC - For Nina)

California State Fair

Sacramento, CA

I went with some friends to the California State Fair today.

(BTC)

Reflective sunset

Vallejo, CA

I went to a bar B Q for the Cal Maritime Bookstore employees tonight. It is a pretty good place to get sunset and water shots.

(BTC One and Two)

My magic trunk

Oakley, CA

At work today we had a box someone had dropped off full of free stuff. There was a selection of snout costumes. I took the two types of costumes and disguised my snout. This was my friends' favorite.

(BTC - Other Snout costumes)

Cinnamon Apple

Antioch, CA

For the last few days I've been craving a cinnamon strussel. This is not it. But in trying to find a pastry store the last few days I did stumble across this today. I'll have one today and one for breakfast on Thursday.

Name that spider

Oakley, CA

Does anyone know what type of spider this is? It was at least an inch and a half big. I had never seen this type of spider before.

Back to the playground

Brentwood, CA

I finished a project at work (1 week ahead of schedule) and just needed to go for a drive at lunch. I ended up at the playground from April. I took about 15 more shots. I don't think I will ever tire of this spot.

New phone

Antioch, CA

I got a new phone this week. It is really great. I can now have conversations that last longer than 4 minutes. Nina called earlier this week and we talked for 30 minutes with no problems. It was great.

Poker winner

San Leandro, CA

I haven't played in like 8 months. I returned to the same table I used to play with. Usually I'm 5th one out. But not tonight. Tonight I went all the way. I beat Finn and Jonathan. It was awesome.

A burning in Pittsburg

Pittsburg, CA

I was all set to give you an update on the etch-a-sketch progress I've been making. But then tonight at 11:00 PM Wall's Rentals and the old Piedmont Lumber went up in smoke. They had fire trucks from every city near by and two ladder trucks.

(BTC - Fire trucks in waiting)

chicken sandwich

Oakley, CA

For the last two trips to Lumpy's my waitress has convinced me to "think outside the box" and "get away from only having a hamburger." Today she talked me into this chicken sandwich. She has yet to talk me out of my Coke, though.

game

Antioch, CA

There was a time in my life when I used to play games weekly. I haven't touched these since at least Christmas.

solenoid

Oakley, CA

I had a customer blow a solenoid last month and I just got around to fixing it tonight. Wiring is one aspect I don't enjoy dealing with in this job. There are so many variables. First I checked the connections to make sure it wasn't a loose wire. Then you check to see if it is one of the channels on the timer that's out. Then you check to make sure it's not the wire. Then you check to make sure it's not the valve. Then, then you replace the solenoid and you hope that solves it. Which it did. All in all it took an hour.

been busy all day

Oakley, CA

With half of Contra Costa County's fire department off fighting the Corral Fire and the Lockheed Fire, these guys have been pretty busy covering for other units.

Post 800, 799 pictures since day 1.

Sunday Evening at the ball park

San Jose, CA

(BTC one, two, three)

Empty house

Pittsburg, CA

The move is finally over. Now I can go back to sleep; Eating real meals; not sneezing every 5 seconds; not killing black widows; dealing with my own move.

moving someone else

Pittsburg, CA

I helped move my friends Bill and Marsha tonight. In fact, I helped them move Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and will be back here Saturday. Then - at some future date - I will drive my own truck to Utah with their stuff. Good times.

--
Now if I may rant for a few minutes...I believe that service is a good thing and that you should give service as your time allows, but not as your heart dictates. If you have 4 hours to work, come give 4 hours and work as those that are in charge direct. No matter if you do nothing but move dirt from one place to another, I feel that as long as you are serving as those in charge direct, you will receive a reward. (My dad believes in Carma and believes that good Carma will be brought back onto you. I believe that when you are in the service of your fellow being you are in the service of your God. I believe that as I serve my God he will bless me.)
On Thursday night there was a man who came to work. In the Mormon church he would be called the High Priest group leader. As the night progressed I had some other names for him, which I won't share. This man was constantly telling Bill that it wasn't worth packing certain items and that they should get thrown away. Sometimes when Bill wasn't looking he would throw stuff in the truck. (I would dig out some of it). This HPGL is in Finance. He is not a radio engineer and he sure as heck is not one of the top radio engineers for one of the UC schools in the area. And so while it may look like junk to him, these items are stuff Bill needs. Your job, when you come to do service, is to provide the assistance that is asked of you, not to sort the pile for what you think is valuable. This guy and I exchanged comments on a few other points and it won't be long enough before I see him again. And if I ever move again, I'm sure as hell not inviting him. I do however, would like to go over to his house when he moves, and throw away his crap.

Kentucky Bound

Antioch, CA

For 18 months now all I have heard about was Melinda's desire to go to Kentucky. When she opened her mission call he was so excited that her mission including Kentucky. When she first got out in the field - there was only one area in Kentucky for Sisters and she was anxous to go. Then they closed that area and I got a letter saying how sad she was. Then they opened 2 sister areas in Kentucky but president told her she didn't talk enough to go to either one of them. Well guess what. I got a letter today telling me that for what she thinks is her last area - she's going to Kentucky. I hope it is everything she thinks it will be because I think it's going to look a lot like Tennessee.

Quarters for cholesterol

Oakley, CA

After the ride on Monday, I kept waiting for the hurt to kick in. It never did. It turns out 6 miles - on a bike with low tires, squeeky breaks, and a need-to-be-lubed chain - isn't too much for me and thus I don't really need to train for the 10 miler in September. So today I went to back Lumpy's for lunch.

sunset from a hill

Antioch, CA

I now live on a hill where there are all these great places to take sunset and elevated pictures. Unfortunately, those spots are all owned, so I stood on the sidewalk tonight and tried to get shots between the houses and without trespassing.

birds be drinking

Bencia, CA

Tonight I started training for the charity bike ride. I went to Benicia state park and rode for 6 miles. I saw a 3 foot snake and these guys.

(BTC)

Sorting out

Antioch, CA

Yesterday I sorted through my books and my clothes and am getting rid of three boxes of each. However - some books I'm not ready to part with yet.

just a tip of sun

Vallejo, CA

Tonight I went and saw Tom Rigney and the Flambeau at the Cal Martitime Summer Concert. With cajun and zydeco music in the back ground I watched this beautiful sunset.

**edit** For those that are curious (cough dad cough) - the sun is setting behind Mare Island.

Amy in a pinch

Vallejo, CA

The definition on a good friend: Someone who is willing to be your Photo of the day when you suddenly realize at 10:45 that oh crap you forgot to take a picture and only have 75 minutes left.

New 4 legged roommate

Antioch, CA

This has got to be the friendliest pit I've ever met.

The cheeseburger I'm going to miss

Brentwood, CA

On Monday my help was requested. In late September I will ride my bike for team BORP not Bombs. The fundraiser is an effort by BORP to raise money. BORP provides competitive and recreational sports for people with disabilities. (I used to be an assistant coach for their Power Soccer program).
Next week I'll start training for the bike ride which means days where beauties like this are enjoyed are going to be less often. I'm glad to help BORP, but I'll miss burgers from Lumpy's.

coming along

Antioch, CA

Now I just need to sort stuff and throw stuff away.

left over tomatoes

Antioch, CA

I love french fries and ketchup.

tread

Vallejo, CA

While technically I'm moved out of my storage units and moved into my house, I can't find my floor or bed, so I'm staying in Vallejo for a few more days. Each Saturday night a semi tractor parks in the drive way. Today I went out to photograph it.

returning to nature

Near Vallejo, CA

This is my mother & father's former couch. My parents were always really good about taking in strays - children whose parents' didn't know how to relate to them My parents worked hard to create a safe environment where my friends and my brother's friends could go if they needed some where safe.
Today, helping me move, were two young men that have a place that they go when life at home gets too intense. After Goodwill turned down my parents' old couch one of these two young men asked if they could have it for their hang out. I said sure. So we moved the couch into this wooded area and now (and until the first rain) they have a place to sit in comfort and wait for the world calm down.