More Union Station

UnionStation3, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Here is another picture Connie took at Union Station in St. Louis (near where Dave thinks he left his camera.)

Union Station, St. Louis

UnionStation2, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

The old St. Louis railroad station - Union Station - has been converted into a shopping, dining and entertainment mall including a large Hyatt hotel. Connie took a pictures of Dave with interesting things in the background. (Dave also took picturesof Connie but later lost his camera, including those pictures.)

Gateway Arch, St. Louis

HotelRoomView, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie and Dave just visited St. Louis. This picture was taken from our hotel room window. Obviously we downtown, just a couple of blocks from the arch.

Field Trip to the National Maritime Historic Park in San Francisco

Field Trip to the National Maritime Historic Park in San Francisco, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

I took this photo on our recent trip to San Francisco but had not posted it to this blog yet, not thinking it was one of the best I had taken.

I just received an email from Emma Williams, Managing Editor, Schmap Guides that this photo has been short-listed for inclusion in the second edition of the Schmap California Guide, to be published at the end of May 2008.
She said:
"While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. Photos are published at a maximum width of 150 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr."

Tim, Sue, Dave and Connie in Chinatown

Tim, Sue, Dave and Connie in Chinatown, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tim, Sue, Dave and Connie visit Chinatown in San Francisco, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008

Balanced rocks in Sausalito

Balanced rocks in Sausalito, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saturday was a beautiful day in Sausalito. As Tim, Sue, Connie and Dave saw the sights they came across this fellow who was balancing rocks on the beach in Sausalito. People in the crowd who saw him do it assured us that they were just balanced and no epoxy or tricks were used.

Tim, Sue and Connie in Sausalito

Tim, Sue and Connie in Sausalito, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tim, Sue and Connie in Sausalito with the Bay Bridge and San Francisco in the background.

Bridgeway Street in Sausalito

Bridgeway Street in Sausalito, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Looking down Bridgeway Street in Sausalito with San Francisco in the distance.

Irish Yoga

Irish Yoga, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Tim, Sue, Connie and Dave all thought this T-Shirt was funny when they discovered it in a store in Sausalito

Tim and Sue Visit Connie and Dave's Hotel Room

Tim and Sue Visit Connie and Dave's Hotel Room, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

During Connie and Dave's trip to San Francisco Tim and Sue visit them in their hotel room

Chinatown, San Francisco, California

Chinatown, San Francisco, California, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Dave and Connie visited Chinatown.

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie and Dave visited Fisherman's Wharf in San Franciso on Feb. 8, 2008. It must not have been a good day for fishing -- the boats weren't out.

Connie in San Francisco, with the Balclutha and the Eureka

Connie in San Franciso, with the 1886 square-rigged ship Balclutha behind her, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie in San Francisco, with the 1886 square-rigged ship Balclutha and the steam ferryboat Eureka behind her.

Tug Telco, National Maritime Museum, San Franciso

Tug Telco, National Maritime Museum, San Franciso, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Dave and Connie visited the National Maritime Museum on the Hyde Street Wharf, next to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco and saw this retired tug boat.

Update

Dec. 2, 2009 I just received the following email referencing this picture:

I came across your picture of Tug Telco on the web. I was one of the pilots from 1973 to 1978. Our primary function was to set anchors for the Pacific Telephone cable barge. We had approximately 186 miles of submarine cable throughout the bay. I spent 4 years in the Navy as, ironically, an airdale, but I knew port and starboard and could tie a squareknot. The captain of the barge was a man named Ralph Budke who pretty much ran it from 1946 to 1984. Ralph was a survivor of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. He was a Chief Boatswain's Mate when he was discharged. His seamanship was exemplary and unquestionable. The tug was not very shipshape when I started driving it. A coworker named Mike Murphy spent about 6 months bringing the wood and brass into shape. It also had the privilege of being hauled out every 2 years to remove barnacles. It was powered by a 3208 Cat diesel and could go about 16 knots which would scare the hell out of you. We had splice points at each of the bridges and islands. When we cleaned it up we painted the stack with the blue and gold bell logo which would really confuse people, trying to figure out what a phone company was doing with a tug. When training, we would go to Angel Island or Tiberon and have lunch. Pretty good duty, huh? By 1984 fiber optics had replace all the undersea crossings and the need for a barge and tug was over. Pacific Telesis sold the barge to Pacific Salvage and the tug was donated to the Maritime Museum. Over the years I have spoken to the rangers about what the tug did and they asked me to be a docent. I live near Lake Tahoe and it would be hard for me to be there very often... Sorry for rambling on. Paul Tomasello

Connie and Dave Vist San Francisco, Connie on a Cable Car in San Francisco

Connie on a Cable Car in San Francisco, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie and Dave were visiting San Francisco from Feb 7 - 11, 2008, a perk of Dave's job. Here Connie was riding a cable car.

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.