San Francisco Beach

Ocean Beach 03, originally uploaded by Tom Hilton.

This is a picture from flickr.com that I came across in one of the blogs I read. The person who uploaded the picture put a tag of 'San Francisco' on it so presumably this beach is in San Francisco. Flickr.com has this neat feature where you can pinpoint exactly where an uploaded picture was taken, down to a few feet, using Google maps. It takes about a minute to do. I do it on all the pictures I upload. Unfortunately, the person who uploaded this picture did not do that.

I would like to know where this beach is, mostly because Connie and I are coming to San Francisco at the beginning February (work related perk) and we might want to visit such a pretty place. I suspect that some people from San Francisco read this blog so I have high hopes that someone who knows will post a comment or send me an email telling me where it is.

Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

John and Betty 2, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty sit at a table with Lorraine Fuller and Barb's mother.

At the party were all 4 of John and Betty's surviving children, 15 of 16 grandchildren (including all but one of Jim's step-children (Kim's children from her first marriage) and all 5 of the great-grandchildren. People had come from California, Texas, Virginia, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

John and Betty, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island Betty gives a speech thanking everyone while Uncle John looks on.

Earlier all her children and their spouses and almost all her grandchildren and their spouses gave speeches giving thanks for all she had done for them. Daughter Mary (the school teacher) organized the speeches, having weeks ago asked everyone to email their speeches to her and she had 3 x 5 index cards for everyone with their speeches printed on them which she handed to them just before they spoke in case they had forgotten what they had planned to say.

John and Betty's sons Tom and John

John and Betty's sons Tom and John, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty's sons Tom and John.

In Tom's speech he referred to his brother John as the philosopher, his brother Jim as the poet and his sister Mary as the only child.

Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

Mary Kim Jim, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty's daughter Mary, daughter-in-law Kim and son Jim.

Daughter-in-law Kim gave a very emotional speech in which she thanked Betty for having welcomed her so whole-heartedly into the family and completely accepting her (Kim's) children (from Kim's first marriage) as her (Betty's) grandchildren.

Najib and Saul

Najib and Saul, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Saul and Dave

Sau and Dave, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Vince, Najib and Saul

Vince, Najib and Saul, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_2, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_3, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_4, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_5, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora with Jesse Carapia (8 months old)

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_6, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_7, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Magalie and Najib

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Magalie and Najib, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Magalie and Najib at Nora's 18th Birthday party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, Iowa. This picture is historic because it is the first time Najib has smiled for the camera since he entered high school. We are going to make a midwesterner out of him yet.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Nora and Abrahn

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Nora and Abrahn, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora and Abrahn at Nora's 18th Birthday party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, Iowa.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Connie and Dave

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Connie and Dave, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie and Dave at Nora's 18th Birthday Party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, IA

Popeye Statue in Chester, Illinois

These are all photos from flickr of the Popeye statue in Chester, Illinois that is just a few hundred yards from my parent's house. They were all taken by different people at different times and from different angles.
















This statue also is in Chester, Illinois. It is, of course, Olive Oyl, Sweet Pea and the Jeep.

Jake, Estevan, Najib and Elwood hanging out downtown Rock Island, IL

Jake, Estevan, Najib and Elwood hanging out downtown Rock Island, IL, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Jake Blues, Estevan Mendez, Najib Lozano-Suarez and Elwood Blues hanging out in The District, downtown Rock Island, IL one evening.

the blues brothers downtown Rock Island, Illinois

me & the blues brothers - the district of rock island, originally uploaded by tarag.

Everyone knows that Jake and Elwood Blues were born in Rock Island, Illinois. People may not know that they have come back to Rock island as adults.

Najib and Connie

Najib 001, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Here is a picture of Najib Lozano-Suarez and Connie at an outdoor restaurant along the Rock River in the city of Rock Island, Illinois.

Najib is staying with Connie and Dave again. He and his mother have been in Savannah, Ga for the last 6 years or so. There seems to be some trouble in the Savannah schools between the Hispanics and the African-Americans and Najib, because of his long-standing friendship with some of the black students, was caught in the middle. As a result Najib asked his mother if he could do his senior year at Moline High School. Najib will be staying with Connie and Dave until his mother moves to the Quad Cities in a few months.

Najib finally got his citizenship papers a little while ago and after coming to Moline to register and attend the first week of school flew back to Atlanta Thrusday for his citizenship ceremony Friday morning and then flew back to Moline.

Dave and Connie visit Dan and Pat in Rockford

Dave and Connie visit Dan and Pat in Rockford, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

On Saturday, June 30, 2007 Dave and Connie visited Dan and Pat in their home in Rockford to sort through letters they had taken from Dan and Dave's parents house in Chester a few weeks previously.

The Stone House Bed and Breakfast in Chester, Illinois

The Stone House Bed and Breakfast in Chester, Illinois, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Dan, Pat and Connie relaxing on the front porch of the Stone House Bed & Breakfast in Chester, Illinois and chatting with the owner, Sandra Starr.

Spinach Can Collectables

Spinach Can Colletables, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

The Spinch Can Collectables store in downtown Chester, Illinois, home of E.C. Segar the creator of Popeye.

Statue of Popeye in Chester, Illinois

Statue of Popeye in Chester, Illinois, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

This statue of Popeye is just a quarter mile or so from Dave's parents house in Chester, Illinois. Chester is the home of E.C. Segar, the creator of Popeye. Standing in front of the statue are Hugh Barrett (Dave's father), Pat Barrett (Dave's sister-in-law), Bertha Barrett (Dave's mother), Dan Barrett (Dave's brother) and Connie.

Dave, Bertha and Hugh in front of the Wimpie statue.


This is mural next to the park in downtown Chester, Illinois where the famous statue of Wimpie can be found.


And here are Connie, Bertha and Hugh Barrett standing in front of that statue of Wimpie.


Dave, Bertha and Hugh in front of the Wimpie statue.

Dining at the Japanese Steak House

Dining at the Japanese Steak House, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At the Japanese Steak House- Vince Thomas, Tim Moran, Sue Moran, Nora Barrett, Connie Barrett, Marg Thomas.

Pot Luck Get Together at the Thomas'

June5_2007 002A, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

John Moran, Kim Moran, Marg Thomas, Jim Moran, Rita Coyne, Tim Moran

Pot Luck Get Together at the Thomas'

June5_2007 005, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie Barrett, Sue Moran, Nora Barrett

Pot Luck Get Together at the Thomas'

June5_2007 012, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Ken Pnto, Betty Moran, Tutu Pinto, Tim's friend Bob, John Moran, Tim Moran, Jim Moran, Pat Logan

June5_2007 016A

June5_2007 016A, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Jesse Carapia (3 months old) and Sue Moran

Pot Luck Get Together

Pot Luck Get Together, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Pot Luck Dinner at the Thomas' . Pat Logan, Tuto Pinto, Betty Moran, Jim Moran, Kim Moran, John Moran

Tim and Sue at the Thomas' House in Rock Island

June4_2007 001, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tim and Sue arrived today in Rock Island. Here we are enjoying some Harris pizza.

Tim and Sue at the Thomas' House in Rock Island

June4_2007 002, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tim and Sue arrived today in Rock Island. Here we are enjoying some Harris pizza.

Conversation in the Parking Lot

Conversation in the Parking Lot, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

On May 28, 2007 Dave and Connie went to Marg and Vince Thomas to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Silvis, IL to attend a going away party for Father Jerry Logan who was being transferred to a church in Peoria. In the parking lot afterwards we got into a conversation with former Silvis mayor Joe Terronez, an old friend of Vince's.

Miracles. just. happen.

Miracles. just. happen., originally uploaded by **TR.iPod.

I came across this beautiful photo while browing in Flickr

Miriam Makeba - Pata Pata

A very young Miriam Makeba sings "Pata Pata"

Tom Paxton and Pete Seeger sing "Rambling Boy" in 1965

This is just a fantastic video clip. Tom Paxton and Pete Seeger sing "Rambling Boy" on Pete Seeger's tv show in 1965.

Soccer Match Spectators

Soccer Match Spectators, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

It was beautiful weather Sunday when Connie, Nora and Dave went with Abraham and Tolin to watch them play soccer. Abraham, after starting the last few games, had to sit this one out until the last 15 minutes when he went in as a substitution.

Soccer Match, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tolin in the thick of the action.

Big Sur, California

, originally uploaded by Leviathor.

Here is another photo I found in Flickr. This is a picture of McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, California. This state park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a well respected pioneer woman in the Big Sur country. The park stretches from the Big Sur coastline into nearby 3,000-foot ridges. It features redwood, tan oak, madrone, chaparral, and an 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean from the Overlook Trail. A panoramic view of the ocean and miles of rugged coastline is available from the higher elevations along the trails east of Highway 1

Nice photo from flickr

, originally uploaded by mzie.

Here is a photo I came across when browsing photos in flickr that I thought was nice.

Trunk Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands

Trunk Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands, originally uploaded by Yirong & Rui.

This is a picture I found in FlickR by searching for "St. John Virgin Islands" FlickR makes it easy to blog on any photo. Once you have told Flickr about your blog(s) you just have to click on the "Blog This" icon above any photo that catches your fancy among the millions that have been uploaded and labeled public, type in your text, click Post and Flickr takes care of the rest.
This is Trunk Bay, one of the most beautiful places in the world. There is an underwater nature trail in this bay. You just rent the snorkeling equipment on the beach and swim along the trail, following the underwater signs.
We have started planning a return visit to St. John next summer.