Lake San Marcos

Clara Mae Trotter Celebration of Life

 My wife's mother, Clara Trotter, passed away last month.   Her children pitched in to throw a Celebration of Life in her honor.

 We held it at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, Nevada since Clara lived in that town.  This is how the room looked when we arrived.

 The Brewery Arts Center is just a few blocks from the Nevada State Capitol Building.

 The venue is very nice and we would highly recommend it to others who need to hold an event in Carson City.  The building itself was built in 1865 as a brewery and has since become an art center.  Hence, the name of the building.

 It was a beautiful day.

 Clara's favorite singer was Elvis Presley, so we brought her painting of the King to the celebration.

 Our son Ron Barker emceed the event and did his usual wonderful job that included a slide show set to music that Clara loved.

 My wife also gave a speech...

 ...as did her sister Debbie...

 ...and her sister Becky.

 I tried to catch everyone who attended in at least one photo, and I apologize in advance if I missed anyone.   Several of Clara's siblings attended including Dan and Debbie as well as Rick and Sandy.   Her children Laura, Debra, Tony, and Becky were also able to attend, as were several other relatives including grandchildren and great grandchildren.

 Friends, neighbors, and coworkers also attended.

 Speaking on behalf of Clara's children, we would like to give a huge thank you to everyone who attended.

Our daughter-in-law Mary with our newest grandson, Ames.

 Mary, Ames, and Teo.

 Our son David holding his brother's son Ames.

 David with his children Troy and Teo, as well as his brother's son Ames.

 David with Ames.

 Ames with his father Ron.

The whole family pitched in to buy food for the celebration.

 The Brewery Arts Center has quite a history, and they have a hallway full of memorabilia from the last 150 years.

 Some photos from way back when.

It was a very pleasant event. 

Mother's Day Dinner

 We started the Mother's Day celebration early on the family night out.   Lucy joined us, and the boys gave her Mother's Day cards.   A very enjoyable meal at Old California Mining Company.

Here are Teo, Lucy, and Troy.

Lucy reading one of her cards.

Pizza Nova!

Teo's turn to pick for the weekly family meal, and he picked Pizza Nova!  Here are Troy and Teo watching their pizza being made.

 First the sauce!

Well, maybe this one wasn't theirs, as they didn't have pineapple on it.  But theirs was going to be made soon!  Fun to watch.

Ten Albums I Listen To Often

 In October 2009, I posted about what I considered the top 20 rock albums ever.  I reviewed that list recently and, for the most part I still agree.  I'd probably kick Black Eyed Peas, AC/DC and a few others out, but it was a solid list.

But it is no longer relevant to me.  What albums do I listen to the MOST, rock or otherwise?  That is almost an entirely different list.

One that has been a favorite of mine since the 1970s is Red Headed Stranger.

And I still listen to it often and appreciate it as much as I did in the 70s.

 The last 2 or 3 years I have been listening to GrooveSession a lot.  They are a band from Ontario, California that we see live as often as we can.  We really enjoy their music such as California Hurricane,  Barefoot Boogie (especially live!), and Peace and Love.  We don't understand why this band isn't nationally known.  They deserve to be.

 Cake is a Sacramento band that I have adored since I first heard their music.  The Prolonging the Magic album is superior from beginning to end.  Just fantastic.

I wish it had my favorite song (Short Skirt / Long Jacket) but I love the album just as it is.

 Another album I just adore.  Luxurious,  Harajuku Girls, Rich Girl and so much more on this really well made recording.

 There is so much I love from Steely Dan that picking one favorite is very very difficult.  I kept rotating between Pretzel Logic, Aja, and Kamakiriad.  I finally landed on Pretzel Logic but man was it close.

 It is hard to believe that something as awesome as this was made almost 100 years ago.  Sure the recording quality is lacking, but the guitar, the voice, and the mastery of the art of music comes through loud and clear.

 Yeah, I'm mellowing in my old age.  I like everything I've ever heard from this man, and have been to two of his concerts.

I'll go again, just give me a chance.

 My wife was a big Benson fan when I met her, but I really didn't get totally onboard until I heard this record.  It is such a piece of art.  I still listen to it often.

 I never grow tired of hearing this album.  Ever.

In fact, I heard a song from this while shopping at Home Depot over their intercom and it almost brought me to tears.

Another album that my wife and I both thoroughly enjoy.  I still listen from time to time, but not as often as I used to.  So #10 is hanging by a thread and will likely move to #11 sooner or later.

What will replace it?

I probably haven't heard that album yet.

Troy Art

Our DNA Lineage

 The whole family did the DNA test!

Here are my results.  Based on all the genealogy I've done, not much of a surprise to me.  Half of my family tree is Mormon.  The other half from England.  The DNA test has now backed up my research.

Here are my wife's results.  She has always said she's Irish/Scottish, and again the DNA test backed that up.  The surprise was that I've got myself a Scandinavian woman!  Guess we shouldn't have been surprised given the blonde hair.

 And here are the offspring that resulted from the above mix.  Our eldest son picked up all of my wife's Irish/Scottish and Scandinavian, and a bit of my English.  But none of my Mormon?

 Our second son picked up all of the Irish/Scottish and all of the English, but none of the Scandinavian or Mormon.

 And here are our second son's kids (our grandkids).  He married a woman from Morelia, Mexico which is in Michoacan.  And the DNA test picked that right up!

Notice the Mormon is again detected and he pretty much picked up all of the English he could from his ancestors.  It looks like his mom must have some English in her also!

And his second son:  he got the English, the Scottish/Irish, and the Morelia influence.

Pretty interesting stuff!