Big Bear Historical Museum

This summer we made it a point to put things on the calendar for each week so that we'd do the things we always think of doing but don't. I have a list in my notebook of ideas or events that I find and when I plan the month ahead I check that list for ideas. This month was ice skating, this museum, a picnic, and Soak City. Earlier this week we met with friends to explore the museum and then have a picnic by the lake. It was a gorgeous day!

 

The Big Bear Historical Museum is small but very nice. The people there love telling everyone that walks by all about the things they have collected there. There is stuff about the people that lived there, how they lived, and why they came there. Native Americans, Loggers, Gold Miners, and more are all represented. 



 Here's Tom looking at pieces of an old shooting gallery they used to have in town.

 

Both the boys "bellying up to the bar" for some sarsaparilla. The guy told us that someone bought these characters from Knott's Berry Farm when they remodeled some of the peek in's, but his wife didn't like them in the house (gave her the creeps, me too!) so he donated them to the museum.



 

With some friends roping "cattle".



 

Talking to a teenage docent about the old truck parked here.

She really loved the museum and had lots to show us.

 

And then on to a picnic lunch! This is the place we stopped at. It's called Meadow's Edge. We've walked here before and next time we're going to bring fishing poles!

 

There were lots of robin's begging for treats, but I told them we had no juicy bugs.

 

We had an awesome day. I love finding new things to do up in the mountains. It's about twenty degrees cooler up there, so it's a nice break in the summer. And it's only an hour away. Big Bear can be pretty crowded on weekends since it's the only nice mountain area with things to do near Orange County but when we go on weekdays, we pretty much have the place to ourselves even in the summer. I can't wait to go again!



Father's Day Fun

We spent Father's Day with my Dad and Step-Mom at my brother's house! Good times. And I still don't have a recent picture of me and my Dad. Grr. I mean to take pictures when I'm at my brother's house, but I always forget. Here's what I have...

 



The family in the shade.

Bocce Balls!

Carson said I was not allowed to take the picture and took it back, right out of my camera.

Olaf and TJ attempting to drown each other with squirt toys.

Tom, seriously.

Superman can lift a quad!

Here's fun game. Ram the electric car through the person on the swing!
Oh, and Superman can THROW a scooter, too!

Batman and Superman team up.

It's kinda small for a Bat Mobile.

Ice Skating in the Desert

Boys on skates!

Yep, there is an ice rink in the desert. It's not our town, but close enough to go to and cheap enough to go often! I initiated an ice skating day with our local homeschool group. The boys had gone once a long time ago. Tom still remembers his one lesson at least what he learned before he knocked his head on the ice and ended up in the emergency room! I wasn't expecting them to like skating as much as they did. They loved it and want to go back very soon. I didn't skate. I know. I had every intention, but when I got there I just didn't want to. But I did enjoy sitting and  talking to my friends and watching all the kids skate. I'll do it next time. I promise!

Since we were going to the big city anyway, we stopped at Michael's for yarn and Target for some new tshirts. And then we had lunch at Chuck E Cheese. The boys couldn't finish off the last of their tokens and they had not desire to "buy" things with the tickets they had, so they donated them to the nearest little kids. That's always fun to watch. The other kid is usually shocked that they have received something so treasured. It's cute.

I forgot my camera so all I have are some pictures from my phone.

Tom takes the ice.

Jake couldn't resist recreating this scene from "The Wrath of Khan".

It was a great day and we were all beat when we got home. We had dinner and watch "Earth Girls Are Easy" (one of my faves, since Dad's not home). The boys gave me "the look" simultaneously when they realized it was a musical. Honestly, I forgot but if had told them that, they probably wouldn't have watched it. I love that movie...mostly because Jeff Goldblum is in it. 

Fear

I have something important to say. The past few days, listening to the talk about the federal government mining data from phones and internet use, I've grown more and more agitated. And it gets worse as I hear people dismiss the action as "a necessary evil". I had to stop and think about it today. I'm an anxious and worried person anyway, so I've learned over the years to stop and really think about what is making me nervous instead of tucking it away. I have questions I ask myself about the perceived threat and how likely it is of being realized. So I did that today.

What am I worried about it? Why does it make me so nervous? Why do I get physically ill thinking about what might happen? It goes back to 9 years ago and the fact that our local police and county government took a random phone number, my statements, and my behavior and turned me into what looked on paper to be a very violent person who had hurt people and stolen property at gun point. If you had not known me and had only read what the court papers said, you would have believed it. It took a lot of money, prayers, and support to get them to let me go. And they still believe that I am that person they made me out to be.

What could a federal government, with infinite resources and power, do with the same information about anyone? And how in the world would anyone fight it?

I won't let fear rule my life. I won't let the actions of a few dictate what I do with my life, what I read, who I talk to, or what I own. I will think for myself and make decisions based on what I believe is right, regardless of the threat to my person.

But I don't like the direction I'm seeing our country go in. I'm afraid, not for myself, but for my Grandchildren.

Pinochle, Woodpeckers, and Demolition Derby

Now THERE's a Saturday! It was pretty stinking hot yesterday and we didn't do much of anything. Dan washed the truck because he has to go down into the city for work next week and he took Tom to Walmart in the morning, but we spent the rest of the day laying around staying cool.

It was 106 outside, but our swamp cooler kept it 80 degrees inside and raised the humidity so it felt cooler...as long as you weren't too active. So we played Pinochle! Dan taught us and at first the boys were literally forced to play. If I had said we were going to learn a new card game, the boys would have flat our refused or made my life miserable while we did play. But DAD said it was happening and they gave in. They didn't like it at first, but once we got the hang of it they had a good time.

I got distracted by a whole family of woodpeckers outside the window for a bit. I've heard them chattering a lot lately and thought there might be a family of them in the tree outside and when I turned around, three of them were right there outside the window! I watched for a bit and then got the camera. Then there were five of them! I had to take pictures through the window because I was worried that they would fly away if I opened the door.

There are five woodpeckers in this picture!

This is when I went outside. I got this picture just before they flew away.

We had been planning on going to the "Night of Destruction" at Perris Auto Speedway for months, but dang it was hot and we were worried it was going to be miserable. The boys really wanted to go though, so we had dinner and headed down to the track. It's about an hour away. I'm glad we went because by the time we got there at 7pm, it was 75 degrees! and when we left it was 65! It was a great break from the heat.

Here are some great pictures of the race. We love going to this every year. It's just so darn exciting to watch cars try to kill each other!

This is the figure eight race. Loads of potential for carnage. Twelve cars in this little space!

One of the best things about the races! Kettlecorn!

Lined up for the first demo derby qualifiers.

How can I not be a bit proud hanging out with these handsome guys?!

The figure eight 'trailer' race. This one is fun. Most of them lose what's on their trailers and then they become obstacles. Great fun when they hit broken boats and jet skis!

Cleaning up the track before the spectator race.

This reaction is to what cars are going to be in the spectator race! 

This dune buggy, which didn't do so well.

And this nice bug, which also didn't do well. Don't worry. They didn't wreck them. It's for time, two cars at a time on opposite ends of the track. There were some nice cars out there. Now the boys want to get the 914 running and see if they can win! 

Check out this crazy car. He was only in the figure eight race and he won. Hardly fair though. Everyone else has beaters and he has this bad boy. Fun to watch the other cars try to hard to knock him off the track!

What are my nerd boys doing between races? Marveling over the periodic table of elements app on their IPod and how it has different charts for sorting by group or weight or discovery...sigh.

No demo derby is complete without a good car fire.

Some of the carnage. It's just not as good on camera though. You have to BE there!

And a bonus roll over! There was a fight after this. The race was over, this car was flipped on its side and another racer didn't stop in time and hit another car behind this one. No big deal, but it could have been and testosterone and adrenaline was pretty high by this time. No one was hurt. 

It was an exciting night. I really wonder why more of my friends don't come to this. It's cheap and it's fun for the whole family. Thanks to my Dad and Bonnie for turning us on to the event last year! We're thinking we might go to the next on in July as well. They are going to have a "roll over contest". I don't know what that means exactly, but it sounds like fun! 

The Wrath of Moby Dick

We watched "The Wrath of Khan" last night. We've been on a bit of Star Trek kick lately. Funny thing is that I've never been much of a fan until now. Dan used to watch the tv show when he was a kid and we started watching them on Netflix after dinner.

I'm reading Moby Dick right now. Man that book is long! Half of it is about whales themselves and whaling. I can't wait to see the movie. I've only seen pieces of it. But last night we're watching Star Trek and I realize it's the Moby Dick theme. There are hints though, so I didn't think of it all on my own. The most prominent book on Khan's shelf is Moby Dick right near the beginning. And Khan quotes the book a couple times during the movie. But think of it. Khan has gone mad seeking revenge on Kirk. Kirk did not deliberately ruin Khan's life. He believed he was doing what was best by putting Khan and his people on a deserted but viable planet to live out their lives. Khan was stranded and they couldn't get off the planet to hurt anyone.

Moby Dick was the same way. Ahab tried to kill him to harvest his oil, doing what humans do. Moby Dick defended himself and attempted to get away, in the process taking Ahab's leg and maiming him. It wasn't out of maliciousness or malice, but defense. Ahab took it personally and believed that Moby Dick was a demon sent to destroy him, and went crazy and to his own destruction seeking revenge.

As Spock would say, fascinating.

Today's events!

Up early to work on the dirt bike! They've been waiting for Dad to finish cleaning up the garage so that they could work on this bike. As I write this, they are waiting for me to take them to town for some supplies. :)

How many bikes do we need on the porch? Sheesh!

And the chicks have moved out to the hen house from the porch. They still need to be cooped up though. They are too small to be out and about. Too many things that can eat them! But they like this space a lot.

So much to do today and it's going to be hot! I am thankful that I'm not in Palm Springs today, supposed to be 111 degrees, and I'm not in the path of a tornado or hurricane. I'll just sit here and be happy with my 100 degree "dry heat".