Proud Provider....
My Dad at that time wanted to buy my Mom all the latest appliances. From Ford's Department store right to Corralitos. We were the first on our block to have a dishwasher and the first to have an actual Sterreo as well. Neighbors would stop by to see the new appliances as my Dad performed a demonstration. We learned to load the dishes and hook the hose to the sink. It was a very big deal and neighbors were delighted when he pressed the on button and the thing roared to life. The Sterreo came with a record that showed how it distributed sound. Everyone would oh and ah, as they heard the sound of baby chicks go from one side of our living room to the other. Every week he bought a new record. From classicle and jazz, to light opera and folk. 1 Blake was filled every afternoon with music from every where. My parents wanted to fill our lives with what they hadn't had. Both of them coming from broken homes during the depression. My Dad flourished in his rail road job. Although He didn't even have a High School deploma, he was able to move up and provide fairly well for us. My Mother had two Sisters in San Francisco, so she regularly visited them. So of course She packed us off to the Museums, Tea Gardens, Macy's and the Zoo on a regular basis. And every summer my Aunts packed up my Cousins for summers in Corralitos.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
The Chistmass Pageant 1960.
The Grange Hall in Corralitos was used for the School Christmass Pageant and many other School events in the late 50's and early 60's. I remember a cold fall night when I was 5. All dressed up in my Angel outfit with wings and a somewhat askew Halo. The Grange was glowing in Christmass lights and decorations. It smelled of evergreen and hot cinnamon cider. Childern ran in and out into the darkness hooting with delight. The old boards creaked beneath our feet and and the sound system crackeled. I remember us waiting for our cue in a large group on the porch while our teacher hushed us in the darkness. We filed in thru the crowd of patents. I vaguely remember a boy angel being hoisted into the painted clouds by a somewhat nosey pulley and the parents cheering. Latter I got lost in the crowd and an old man and his wife picked me up and gave me ribbon candy untill my Dad came into view and I fell into his arms. I remember putting my face into his neck as he tried to dry my tears. His whiskers prickled my face and he smelled of Old Spice. I slept in my Moms lap in the old Studibaker as my Dad drove us back down to 1 Blake. Last week I went by the old building and saw it was still in use and in good repair. I stopped and went in during a senior event. The boards still creaked beneath my feet and a faint smell of evergreen filled my memory. Thank you Corralitos for saving it.
My Sister Gretchen tells me that my Dad, Bob Briley, built a Manger for Corralitos School in the late Fifties that was used then and for a number of Christmass pagents the School had at that time.
The Grange Hall in Corralitos was used for the School Christmass Pageant and many other School events in the late 50's and early 60's. I remember a cold fall night when I was 5. All dressed up in my Angel outfit with wings and a somewhat askew Halo. The Grange was glowing in Christmass lights and decorations. It smelled of evergreen and hot cinnamon cider. Childern ran in and out into the darkness hooting with delight. The old boards creaked beneath our feet and and the sound system crackeled. I remember us waiting for our cue in a large group on the porch while our teacher hushed us in the darkness. We filed in thru the crowd of patents. I vaguely remember a boy angel being hoisted into the painted clouds by a somewhat nosey pulley and the parents cheering. Latter I got lost in the crowd and an old man and his wife picked me up and gave me ribbon candy untill my Dad came into view and I fell into his arms. I remember putting my face into his neck as he tried to dry my tears. His whiskers prickled my face and he smelled of Old Spice. I slept in my Moms lap in the old Studibaker as my Dad drove us back down to 1 Blake. Last week I went by the old building and saw it was still in use and in good repair. I stopped and went in during a senior event. The boards still creaked beneath my feet and a faint smell of evergreen filled my memory. Thank you Corralitos for saving it.
My Sister Gretchen tells me that my Dad, Bob Briley, built a Manger for Corralitos School in the late Fifties that was used then and for a number of Christmass pagents the School had at that time.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Monday, January 1, 2018
The Story of Dishwater the Goat.
The 4H group has been around the Valley for years . Teaching young people about livestock and food. If you become a member, they give your child a goat, or a pig or rabit to raise. Eventually going to the fair and then the meat is harvested and given to the family to eat. Farming, we are an agricultural area after all. Now this idea really appealed to my Father. He'd been through the depression and knew hunger very well. My mother on the other hand had been raised on a farm and knew all to well about kritters, kids and the eventual out come. She felt it would be to traumatic. They went around it a bit with my Father winning out. And so Dishwater the goat came to live at 1 Blake road. This was about 1952 and I'd not been born yet. My two sisters about 4 and 11 played with Dishwater and dressed him up with little hats. When the time came, only my older sister was privy to his fate. When the meat was delivered, Mother dutifully cooked it, but would not, eat it. She left the table.
My parents never spoke of it again. Later when I came along and some of my young friends received their livestock to raise, my Mother was vigilant. When the 4H'ers came to the door, she rudly sent them away . Now, my Mother was never rude to anyone at that time, so for years this was a mystery to me. Untill, one day about a year ago I heard the story of Dishwater the faited goat. Now finally the story told, I understood my Mothers animosity towards 4H. I'm sure you can find kids in the valley today raising 4H animals. We are after all a farming community . Recently I found an old picture in my Mothers things. Two little girls, a baby and a goat wearing a hat.
The 4H group has been around the Valley for years . Teaching young people about livestock and food. If you become a member, they give your child a goat, or a pig or rabit to raise. Eventually going to the fair and then the meat is harvested and given to the family to eat. Farming, we are an agricultural area after all. Now this idea really appealed to my Father. He'd been through the depression and knew hunger very well. My mother on the other hand had been raised on a farm and knew all to well about kritters, kids and the eventual out come. She felt it would be to traumatic. They went around it a bit with my Father winning out. And so Dishwater the goat came to live at 1 Blake road. This was about 1952 and I'd not been born yet. My two sisters about 4 and 11 played with Dishwater and dressed him up with little hats. When the time came, only my older sister was privy to his fate. When the meat was delivered, Mother dutifully cooked it, but would not, eat it. She left the table.
My parents never spoke of it again. Later when I came along and some of my young friends received their livestock to raise, my Mother was vigilant. When the 4H'ers came to the door, she rudly sent them away . Now, my Mother was never rude to anyone at that time, so for years this was a mystery to me. Untill, one day about a year ago I heard the story of Dishwater the faited goat. Now finally the story told, I understood my Mothers animosity towards 4H. I'm sure you can find kids in the valley today raising 4H animals. We are after all a farming community . Recently I found an old picture in my Mothers things. Two little girls, a baby and a goat wearing a hat.
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