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.