Tuesday, February 10, 2009

a Day with Dad at work...

Foxy Lettuce, Fresh Express, Driscoll Strawberries, Tanimura and Antle, Dole... Next time you're at the Produce section flip the package over and see that it comes from Salinas, CA. There are 47 produce companies in Salinas - they don't call it the Salad bowl of the nation for nothing! 

There's Dennis! Brandon and William were both born at CHOMP, or
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, also known as the Ritz!
It's a pretty Plush place to be as far as Hospitals go... While hospitals aren't
usually on my list of Sights to see while on vacation, the Wonderful lady that
bought our house works there and we are still Friends so I popped in to see her...
Also, CHOMP has undergone some pretty fantastic Expansion projects since we
left so I thought I would check it out. It's nice but I am happy to Leave it behind!
Just outside the new Birthing center is this Tribute to Hank Ketcham who
was a Long-time Peninsula resident. We used to take the boys to the Dennis
the Menace park at Lake Elestero almost every weekend when they were little
boys. One of dad's clients married Mr. Ketcham's widow. She's very nice
to my dad. And, we appreciate people who are Nice to my dad!
After CHOMP we popped over to one of the Estates dad manages in Pebble
Beach... Here is the note Doctor so&so's wife left letting Dad know the last time
the house plants were watered before they Flew back home
Dad goes into the house every few days, empties the Mailbox, throws
away the junk mail and leaves their Mail-mail on the table in the den. Dr.
and Mrs. so&so will be back in April. Until then, they know dad will pop in...
and make Sure things are okay... things like Making sure those
Golfers out there don't accidentally shatter a window! 
another Beautiful day in Pebble Beach!
See? Spanish Moss isn't just found in Wilmington and Charleston!
Dr. so&so is a BIG Golfer... I thought only Women collected shoes like this!
Dad's other job is to start the Cars and take them for a spin now
and then... It's a tough job riding around Pebble in Bentley's,
Porsches, and Ferrari's but someone has to do it!
They're good for another month or so!
Last time Brandon visited, Dad had a hard time
getting him out of that black Porsche!
We stopped over to see Mom... She came to take delivery of another
client's Lexus. Mrs. so&so backed into a post the Last time she was here so she
asked Mom to let the Lexus dealership into the garage when her car was repaired.
While she waited in the house, Mom pulled her car into the garage too... 
my parents have been doing this for going on 20 years and it still
amazes me how these Gorgeous homes, set in the most beautiful place
on the planet can ever come in Second to anybody's main residence. I mean,
no disrespect to the good folks of Nebraska, but this client lives in Lincoln. I've
been to Lincoln Nebraska, and given a choice, I would pick Pebble Beach every time!
But don't listen to me... My dad says he can't Understand how I could choose
Winston-Salem, North Carolina over this. So I'll just be quiet now...
on our Way to the next client's house we stopped at the Lodge...
where some Golfers were practicing for the AT&T this week
that Guy looks like he knows what he's doing!
dad and I stopped in at the Beach and Tennis club for a hot tea for
him and a hot Chocolate for me. It was cold and Windy today... The
AT&T is in town so I expect it to pour any minute, Ha ha!
say it with me - Ahhhhh....
it always Cracks me up to see the golf course near our home in North
Carolina turn brown in the Fall and winter. That doesn't happen here!
Never, ever
the Best place for a hot beverage on a Chilly day!
there's Dad!
Heaven!
the Doorman walked over to ask if I needed help with any Bags as I got out of Dad's
car... I told him No, I just wanted a photo of the Lodge without him standing at
the door... He laughed, and dad called me a Tourist. Which, technically I am!
But I'll be back one day to stay...
meanwhile, behind me these guys are Putting...
or is it, Puttering?
Off to our Next client stop... Mrs. so&so called to say she had a little
something for Dad she wanted to give him before his surgery. When dad
told her I was in town she said We HAD to come over now because she HAD
to meet me... What a sweet lady! While we were chatting, she told me she didn't
know what she was going to do without my Dad because she counts on him to call
people to have things Done for her... Dad asked her what she needed done and she
mumbled something about needing a Painting put up. Normally, dad would call Marco,
the handyman he keeps on call for his Clients, but dad told her to just give him a hammer
and he'd do it for her. You should have seen her Light up! Here's dad measuring...
Mrs. so&so just lost her husband last year... Dad told me sometimes he thinks
she calls him just to have someone to Chat with. She was sure happy to see me
and Dad this morning... She told me this is a portrait that was done of her in 1984
of course, seeing how Well he hung the painting, Mrs. so&so asked Dad if he
might also hang a Mirror for her before her son visits next week. And, you know
my dad - he can't say No to anyone! So I watched... As we left, Mrs. so&so gave Dad
a book she said she picked up at Borders on the recommendation of a friend...
This client asked dad to buy her a car after her husband died... Dad
said he'd be happy to make the Arrangements for her to have whatever
she wanted Delivered. Dad said he almost declined to help her after
she told him she wanted him to Negotiate to buy her a Prius
after Dad was done Working, we met Mom for lunch
 at Islands in the Del Monte shopping center
Look! It's where Fresh Choice used to be...
after our Lunch we headed back home... On our way we stopped
on Cannery Row and walked a bit
Look! It only took twenty years, but the vacant Lot where that, hotel coming
soon sign always hung on the chain-link fence finally has a Hotel! It's called 
the Intercontinental and from the looks of it, it was Worth the wait! 

Wow! Huh?
mom and I popped into one of the
new Shops across from the hotel while Dad parked
Mom found something we couldn't Live without!
back over to the Hotel we walked along the outdoor Terrace
Inside, we saw this Cool light fixture that
looks kinda like a Jellyfish and changes color
the Light-play on the ceiling is also Very pretty!
further down Cannery Row we see the Monterey Bay Aquarium
How many times did we take the Boys there? LOTS!
I didn't eat all of my lunch so we stopped to feed it to the Gulls. I also
brought Peanuts for the squirrels, but they must have had the day off
click to Enlarge
seagulls are the Same everywhere - throw some food up in
the air and they are happy to Entertain you
I admit it. I am Easily entertained!
especially by This!
that was dad asking me (for the 100th time in 72 hours since
I arrived), Don't you wish you lived here again?
Oh! We also popped into the old Fort Ord PX earlier today!
Love the PX prices - I picked up two bottles of my Nina. A bit
less expensive here than at Macy*s at home, and No tax!
Driving around Ft. Ord you see most of the Buildings in this
condition. This happens to be the old Maintenance building on post
I remember it well because on that Ramp is where dad backed up the U-haul
he drove here from Kansas in 1985, and unloaded my MGB that he packed into
it before he loaded up our Household goods. I'll never forget the reaction
of those GI's that helped my dad guide my car out of the Back of that truck!
See what I mean? There are Memories here for me at every turn!

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