The Best is Yet to Be: July 2012

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Barber Family Reunion – Part 4

So much to do and see and so little time. On the last two days we did some things in small groups, doing some cousin swapping, and of course we also did some things all together—yes all 33 of us. Some went to the Fresh Market, others to Ghirardelli Square—the list is too long. Russ and I filled up the van (remember it’s a 15 passenger) and headed to Walnut Creek, crossing the bay on the Bay Bridge. Our passengers were Brad, Susan, Andrew, Sam, Lisa, David, Tanner, and Connor. It was wonderful to see our old house at 1523 Wicklow Court, the kids’ old school, Bancroft Elementary, our old church building, and Heather’s Farm Park--favorite places from days gone by. We walked around Countrywood Shopping center which is just a very short walk from our old home there. Brad and Susan had to head home Sunday morning, so Saturday evening Russ and I gave out certificates and candy to all the grandchildren noting their great behavior during the reunion. This is a tradition, and just when I thought we were all done, my children and husband did something very sneaky. I had no idea what they had planned. It was a TOTAL surprise. I was told that I was being given a “retirement” party since I had turned 65 this year. Brad made a special film of my life. The background music to it was Brad and some of the grandchildren singing, “I Often Go Walking.” So of course I started crying at the start—grateful tears for this wonderful family of mine. Joel and Julie put together a Jeopardy game, which mimicked the real one to a tee. All questions taken from events in my life. Then Lisa presented me with a book filled with pages written by the grandchildren—their memories of me. Well, this was quite enough, but there was MORE. Lori presented me with a gift certificate from all the children for a trip to New York City. My kids know me well. They know I love of big cities. I can’t thank my children enough for this wonderful surprise and honor. Well, the mood was so high and there was just so much love going all around, that we adults left the teens and kids at the Broderick House, while we walked down to Chili Pies and indulged in more pie and ice cream—a perfect evening except for one mishap. See pictures below for the details. Sunday we found a LDS church fairly close to our houses and of course we talked with someone who knew someone in our ward in Knoxville. (small world) Then we all went for a walk along Lands End, where it was so clear we could see forever (as the song says). The view of the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge were fantastic. We had perfect weather for every day of our reunion, and then Monday morning, when everyone was leaving, it rained. Perfect timing. Great reunion. Lasting memories. Thanks to Troy and Dan who did a lot of pre-planning and scheduling, running around, etc. that made the reunion run smoothly.

David, Lisa, Connor, Tanner, Susan, Brad, Sam,Sharlene, Andrew - in front of our old Walnut Creek home

1523 Wickow Court - Our old home

Attending church in downtown San Francisco

Allie sports her sling after falling down the stairs and injuring her shoulder

Trey, Russ, and Sharlene on the Lands End trail

View of the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge from Lands End

Brad and Sam on a trolley - one popular means of transportation

Buses - another means of getting places - Dan, Troy, & Andrew

Joel loads up his van as everyone packs to leave the reunion

After everyone had left the reunion and headed home, we drove back to Walnut Creek to visit some of our dear, old friends. We lived in Walnut Creek for just nine years, and yet the memories from that time period will always hold a special place in my heart. I would love to go back and live those years all over again. Besides spending time with some of our friends, we spent time walking through all the old haunts. I breathed in the air of yesteryear and longed for those simpler times.

Dinner with our good friend Pao Chen - in Walnut Creek

Sharlene and Donna in front of Donna's house on Wicklow Court

Our good friends Paul and Martha Burgess - Walnut Creek

More good friends - Dale and Carolyn Christensen

Surprise party and tribute to me - NYC here I come!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Barber Family Reunion Part 3

The second day we chartered a big tour bus, but we had the best of all worlds. We had a driver who took us exactly where we wanted as outlined ahead of time. We made the decisions when to stop and get out and how long to spend at each stop. Custom-made to our own family. And then we had our very own tour guide—Dan, who did a great job. We had more than enough room on the bus (as we had it all to ourselves), so we invited Dan’s parents and Dan’s brother’s two little girls to join us. And we’re glad we did as we shared in Noe’s birthday cupcakes when we got out at Twin Peaks. This was supposed to be a great view of the city, ocean, etc., but unfortunately the day we took the tour, we saw nothing but fog. But down in the valley, it was clear and sunny, as we explored many other city sights, including a stop at the Palace of Fine Arts and walking out on the Golden Gate Bridge. We drove through almost the entire city of San Francisco. We saw Fisherman’s Wharf, Civic Center, Union Square, AT&T Park (home of the SF Giants), North Beach, Crissy Field, Presidio, Coit Tower, Pacific Heights houses, the Financial District, Embarcadero and many other places. After the four-hour bus tour, we split up to see different sights. My group went to Alcatraz and others rode the cable cars and explored other parts of the city. After dinner at the food trucks (see Lori’s blog of Hale eating there), we gathered back to the Broderick House for a family talent show and Dan’s crossword puzzle contest. Sadly we took no pictures of the wonderfully talented grandchildren. And sadly, Russ and I did not win the crossword contest. But we celebrated 45 years of marriage on this day. (June 1) Great to have all our family close at hand for such a special mile stone. Evenings would often find us at Chile Pies, but I never took a picture there, either. The pie is out of this world and the ice cream superb. Just one of many good places we ate.

Dan and our driver and Dan's father, Dan

Sam and his Grammy (Susan, too)

Our comfy bus

Troy, Tanner, Russ, Noe, Trey - Notice the reunion T-shirts?

Fogged in at Twin Peaks

The Palace of Fine Arts

Windy on the Golden Gate Bridge

A ferry took us from San Francisco over to the island to see Alcatraz - looking back on the City

These grandkid inmates are wearing tour guide ear phones (?)

Typical inmate room at Alcatraz

Just one of the two crosswords puzzles Dan made for us

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Fourth Barber Reunion -- Part 2

So here we go: our first full day of the family reunion. We rented a 15-passenger van so we could help cart people around when we couldn't get adequate public transportation. Day one found us at the beautiful Golden Gate Park, eating a picnic lunch, playing frisbee, kick ball, football and celebrating Allie's 17th birthday. The grandchildren explored all the big trees and had many games of their own going on. After the park, everyone went their own way exploring the City, while Russ and I took Allie's birthday cake back to the house, because we had tons left over. Then we all met up in China Town. So many fun stores to explore. Our destination was dinner at Empress of China where we had our own private room and were served 7 courses of delicious Chinese food. Our room was on the 2nd floor, with huge windows overlooking the City highlighting Coit Tower in the background.

Russ was so happy when he found a parking spot big enough to fit the van!

Troy and Dan surprised Allie with this beautiful and delicious cake for her birthday celebration (thanks to Lisa for pix)

Afton, Hale, Sharlene & Allie

This tree is HUGE!!! All those people around the tree are part of our family.

The grandchildren couldn't resist climbing all the trees

Sharlene walking through China Town

Empress of China Restaurant

We had four huge round tables: two for the adults and two for the grandchildren. It was a beautiful room and just perfect for our big family of 33. I think the grandchildren loved having their own tables with no adults there to tell them to stop eating the sugar from the little packets.

Afton and Lydia in our wonderful reunion T-shirts

Just look what we started?!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Fourth Barber Reunion -- Part 1

We held our 4^th Barber Family Reunion in San Francisco. Three families traveled there from Tennessee (one of them driving there), two families traveled from Utah, and Troy and Dan live in San Francisco. They played host and helped all of us to not get lost, find the best places to eat, etc. and they helped us make the very most of this reunion. Thank you Troy and Dan.

For me, the very houses that we stayed in were what made this reunion fun and unique. We actually rented three houses, but two were originally one house. The houses were located on Broderick Street, about five blocks from Golden Gate Park and were built in the late 1800’s. They were FANTASTIC!!! So Part I of the reunion report will be dedicated to the houses we stayed in and the street we lived on for our five day reunion. Each unit had a full modern kitchen, living room, dining room, at least four bedrooms that would sleep 10 and three bathrooms. Each unit also had several big screen TVs and its own laundry room.

The two combined houses had four levels with side by side entry doors. The lower two floors were called the Broderick Royale and the upper two floors were called the Broderick Victorian. The Broderick Royale was the main gathering place where we met each night for games and visiting. Sharlene and Russ stayed in the bedroom on the main floor of the Broderick Royal, with Allie in a separate alcove sleeping couch and Joel and Jenica and six boys on the lower floor. Brad and Susan and their boys and Lori and Scott slept on the main level of the Broderick Victorian, with all the girls (except Allie) sleeping in the two bedrooms on the upper level. This was a very unique level that included a turret room off one of the bedrooms that had a great view of the city.

The third house was about three blocks down Broderick and was called the Nopa Place. Lisa and David and Julie and Allen slept in the two bedrooms on its main level and five boys stayed in the two bedrooms downstairs. It was the more modern of the three houses. We loved the location and the kids found plenty to do inside the homes. Many nooks and crannies to explore.