Watching fireworks in American Canyon with my Mom and nephew JR.
[photos to come]
Category Archives: Friends and Family
Father’s Day Gardening…
After having a great Father’s Day with a big BBQ lunch for my brother… then a short nap… I work in the garden a bit.
I’m slowly cleaning up the Square Foot Beds and this evening I started collecting seeds from the dried up volunteer Wild Calendula plants so I can cut them down to make room for new plants. There were quite a few seeds and I’m sure several dropped before I got to collect them… but those will form the plants for next year.
As I was cutting the Wild Calendula, my Mom started cutting down the bolting Beets 
in a nearby square. These Beets are actually pretty old–they were planted May 2008… and I don’t have the heart to chop them down completely. I’ll just let them grow and pick off the young leave to use for greens… though I’m debating weather to move them or just let them stay at there current location.
I noticed that the volunteer Cerinthes are already dropping seeds…
I picked my first Plum fruit from the tree next to the sink. It’s not completely ripe but still good… sweet with a little tartness. Yumm!
Mongero Garden Plant Sale…
About two weeks ago, my Mom and Brother came home and were so excited to tell me about a house near downtown Vallejo that was having a plant sale. “A house” I wondered… I thought it was something like a garage sale with plants, but as they told me more and more about the various plants they seen, I because so curious… After eating lunch, I took my camera and headed there.
This house is owned by Tony Mongero, a local landscaper located on 225 El Dorado Street in Vallejo, California.
He loves to grow plants… and it shows. I was so surprised at all the wonderful plants, many which are not sold at the big chain home improvement stores. I never seens some of the plants except in TV shows and online.
[slickr-flickr tag=”Mongero Garden” items=”14″]
You can see more photo in my Flickr set “Mongero Garden”
Tony told me that he has plants sales about once a month and puts up sign around the area (which is how my Brother discovered the place). He also says that people are free to come in anytime he is in the garden and his gate is open. You can also call ahead of time and ask if you can come over. So if you go, tell him you heard of his garden through me :)
Toy Story 3…
22:34 Toy Story 3 (@ AMC Bay Street 16 w/ 8 others) 4sq.com/8Knjm1
Nanay Playing Concentration…
My Mom is playing a concentration game on her iPad and gets excited when she matches a pair of cards. It’s so cute and I bet it’s good for her memory :)
Ponyo on the Big iTouch
Last night I got the cutest voice mail from my great niece Mahliyah.
“Umm… Hi Uncle Joel, can I see, th, when um… I’m spending the night at your house, oh, can I see the iTouch and can I watch Ponyo on the big iTouch. Thank you… Here Mommy… bye.”
Arnel Pineda…
It was a busy day at work… and I’m starting to get a little stressed with a web site project that switched from simple to a little more complicated… plus our Studio Manager is still out on jury duty!… I wish they would hurry up with the trial already!
After work, I picked up my friend Darwin and we headed to his place. AJ was at his place and we all headed to the Pacific East Mall to have dinner at Daimo Chinese Restaurant.
As we were looking over the menu. AJ asked me and Darwin is the person sitting at the next table was Arnel Pineda (current lead singer for Journey). We looked over and he really did look like him. The group he was with kept taking photos so we were pretty sure it was him. At one point, Darwin waved and smiled and Arnel did the same… so I glanced over again and smiled and also waved… Me and AJ wanted to take a photo with him, but were to nervous/shy to ask… until both our tables were finished with dinner.
AJ wasn’t getting up to ask, so I got up the nerve and walk over to him and politely asked if he was Arnel Pineda. He was really nice and said yes… then I asked if we can take a photo with him… He agreed and someone at the table called over Darwin and AJ to squeeze together and take a photo.
I asked Arnel what he was doing here and he mentioned that he’s recording an album… I asked it it was for Journey or solo and he said Journey… So we thanked him and his family with big smiles :)
Thanks Arnel :) Here’s Arnel Web Site
After dinner, we went back to Darwin’s and went over some of his contracts that he’s looking over for a new condo he’s buying… He sure did talk for a long time on the phone with his realtor…
A Day Off From Work…
I had a dream last night that my brother was listening to Charice using headphones!!! That didn’t come true… I can hear her on the Mac…
My great-niece Mahliyah is smearing Chap Stick on her face.. I asked her why she’s doing that and she replied, “so my face won’t get ashy.” Later, I asked her again why she’s doing this and she corrected me… it’s so she doesn’t get rashes?…
She’s so cute… later, she requested “Baby” by Justin Bieber on YouTube and now she’s dancing for me!!! Hehe
My Mom is looking at my cousins photos on Facebook on her iPad and reading all the photo’s comments out loud… Hehe… It’s so cute!!!
