Stories of family, creativity, and diverse distractions.

Author: Walt

Grand Tour of the West: Day 7

February 23, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

The next morning we went into San Francisco on the bus with Earlene. Got off just off Market Street and walked down to Chinatown. Looked around. Saw many old curios, a lot of jade. Stopped at a little shop and saw a wild animal exhibit. Bought some Chinese fortune cakes which was unfortunate as they almost made me sick.

Google (ND) [driving directions Burlingame to San Francisco] Retrieved 2/9/2021

Took a cable car out to Fisherman’s Wharf which was the high spot of our visit. We walked out on one of the piers and saw the little sail boats which are used by the fishermen, mostly Sicilians. There were many fishermen on the wharf, mending nets, and they all spoke some language foreign to us. They use trawl nets and drag the bottom for prawns, scallops, abalone, oysters, crabs, clams, and other shellfish. There were several Navy vessels at the dock and out in the harbor we could see the dim outlines of the fleet in the haze. Also we could faintly discern Alcatraz.

February 23, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

The next morning we went into San Francisco on the bus with Earlene. Got off just off Market Street and walked down to Chinatown. Looked around. Saw many old curios, a lot of jade. Stopped at a little shop and saw a wild animal exhibit. Bought some Chinese fortune cakes which was unfortunate as they almost made me sick.

Google (ND) [driving directions Burlingame to San Francisco] Retrieved 2/9/2021

Took a cable car out to Fisherman’s Wharf which was the high spot of our visit. We walked out on one of the piers and saw the little sail boats which are used by the fishermen, mostly Sicilians. There were many fishermen on the wharf, mending nets, and they all spoke some language foreign to us. They use trawl nets and drag the bottom for prawns, scallops, abalone, oysters, crabs, clams, and other shellfish. There were several Navy vessels at the dock and out in the harbor we could see the dim outlines of the fleet in the haze. Also we could faintly discern Alcatraz.

Grand Tour of the West: Day 1

February 17, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. This is that story.

We left Pocatello Idaho on Sunday morning, February 17, 1946. Had breakfast at the home of our friends the Jacobsen’s. The Andersons, Fran, and John Streckenfinger were also there. Took pictures just before we left.

The Grand Tour of the West – 1946

Carl and Georgie, late 1930’s.

When the US joined WWII in December of 1941, Carl and Georgina (my parents) were living in southeast Iowa. Mom worked for A. Guthrie & Co., an engineering firm, as the executive secretary for the project superintendent, constructing an ordinance manufacturing plant in Middletown, IA. Dad worked for the local Ford garage as a mechanic. They were engaged to marry the following Valentine’s day.

There’s Something Happening Here. But it’s actually pretty clear…

Our usual schedule, to the extent that a blog this young can call anything “usual” as yet, has been to do two posts a week, on Tuesday and Friday. And that’s still the plan. Most of the time…

Reuniting the Band: It’s about time!

Clock bits. PCO Michelle

My initial email blast to my old players and select friends generated quite a bit of response. One person declined (and one never replied), but everyone else seemed enthused. Most of them had been getting even less gaming than my wife and I, and they were pretty excited to have a chance to game and socialize with old friends in faraway places.

But the next question was invariably “When do you want to play?” And that’s where the trouble started.

So you want to reunite the band?

Did you have a gaming group in your younger days? Would you like to get them back together? Read on, my friend, and I’ll tell you how to do it. I’ve been there, and done it, and you can do it too!

Song Parody: Spinning Cloud

To the tune of “Spinning Wheel” by Blood, Sweat and Tears. Original song written by Don Juan /Vee Pea Smith.

Listen to the original here!

What gets built, gets blown down
Spinning cloud watch it go round
Blow down the silos and the mobile homes
See the flattened cornfield where the spinnin’ cloud roams

Hello world!

Why hello there, amazing person! I must compliment your amazing powers of discernment in visiting our humble web abode.

Relax, read a few posts, and enjoy!

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