Out With the Old, In With the New

Above is the van the we no longer have.  We no longer have the payment as well.  We downsized to the beatup Corolla and Sam's lowrider Chevy truck.  Recently we were loaned a Jeep, thank you.  Sam likes the fact that the Jeep's windows roll down, something the Corolla's do not, which is a benefit when working in the warmer tempatures we have been having.

The Jeep notwithstanding, we are purging and downsizing.  The patio is full with much of the evidence.  When it is gone we hope to be a leaner, streamlined version of Garverzoo.  Part of the move that has been taking place over the years is the move to bicycles for transportation.  We live in a small town and there is not much that can't be done on a bike.  Especially if you are already considered the weird bike guy as I am.  We recently added a basket to Maureen's bike and she is doing some grocery shopping with it.  No, not all the way to Fresno and Whole Foods/Trader Joe's.  Just across town to the local super mercado.  My dream is to take the bus into Visalia with our bikes and ride to the Farmer's Market for shopping then ride/bus home.  I told you I'm the weird bike guy.

Here is the bike loaded after one of Maureen's trips. When we both get loaded up we can haul quite a bit of groceries.  Now imagine if we enlist all the children. . . Sorry, lost in my carfree dream for a bit.

Spring in in the Air?

Yesterday Maureen, Sam, Wilson and I went to Fresno to see Brad and do our once a month Trader Joe's/Whole Foods shopping extravaganza.  Annie went to the snow with a friend and missed the trip.  Much to her chagrin we went to a mall, sort of.  After lunch, Brad said that Gottschalk's was having a great sale, bankruptcy will do that.  Well, after rummaging through the racks of leftovers, we walked through the mall looking for a restroom.  Really sucks the life out of you, or "soul crushing" as Sam says.

Then on to TJ's/WF and a strange phenomenon.  Does anybody else have teen/early 20's young men that relish a trip to the market?  They get a cart and off they go.  Yesterday's special was Gogi berry/Antioxidant/detoxing jucies.  A four pak was cheaper than the chocolate covered macau nibs. $4 a packet times the twenty we ended up with adds up.  The conversation went something along the lines of, "Hey, I want some of those."  "Hey, I want some too."  "Hey, where did you find those?"  When Maureen heard the total and started checking the reciept she exclaimed, "Why all the nibs?"

After the TJ's/WF shopping, with a stop at Guitar Center which is near TJ's, we traveled to Clovis North High School where Brad is coaching swimming this spring.  Nice facility.  Great baseball field and pools.  Yes, pools.  Two 25 yard by 50 meter pools.  Probably $2+ million apiece.  Facilities are important in Clovis Unified.  After the outfield debacle we have been dealing with here in Exeter, to look on a green and flat outfield was pleasent and made me envious.

Overall a great day with Brad.

Baseball in in bloom and we had 4 games last week and five this week.  We won one we shouldn't have, never really mentally showed up for one and lost, and won two big that we should have.  Wils is hitting well and has pitched once.  He looks to be the pitcher that could be overlooked, but always gives a good performance.  This week will be a test.  We are in two tournaments and they overlap a bit.