Waybackmachineoctober2016

                                                                                                                           II

                            Cognito,ergo sum

                                                                        "Be Grateful"

                                                                     (Book 2 / Chapter 7)

      1:30 P.M.

            

            

         I'm back here again on my couch You Guys.  I ran to the Garage and saw Dais.  She says her paws feel good today and she even made the rounds up front.  She plans on spending the rest of the day laying in the Sun.  Hey!  Heathcliff the Rooster just crowed next door! 

      Boy!  There's nothing that makes me feel more "at ease" as when either Daisy or Mr. Steve says "Hey Mag" when they see me.  That makes me feel like this two acres is where I belong so thank Everyone for that you Guys.  I can't believe how fortunate I am to have friends.

     Hey!  Heathcliff just crowed again.  Daisy says a few years ago before I came to live here he sometimes crowed in the middle of the day.  But he stopped doing that way before I was brought here.  I sure hope one of the Hens had some babies so he's happy!  I smell a Juniper bush.

     Before I took my mid-day break and went up front to see Dais I hid my materials.  It was hard holding that heavy Encyclopedia in my mouth as I carried it up front so I could read the Georgia 'Keefe quote to Daisy.   That quote made her happy so that made me happy. 

     Now I feel kind of  "invigorated."  I've pulled back out all my materials and now I'll finish my second book and journal.  I told Daisy that in this seventh chapter I can tell by my outline that I'm going to write a lot about Baseball.  Mr. Steve will like that Dais says. 

     Oh!  There goes Heathcliff again.  He's doing just like yesterday.  And now I hear Blinky and Dawn barking over there.  Hey!  I just noticed that Rosie's barking too.  I haven't heard her in a long time.  Ah!  I nice cool breeze just came floating in off of the eastern desert.

    The Sun is almost all the way over the west side of the house now.  I've gotten a lot done so far today.  But I still have a whole half a day left.  Dais thinks that, judging by where the Sun is now hanging in the sky, it's probably about one thirty.  Well, it's back to work for me. 

     There are still so many things on my outline to cover today before dinner late this afternoon. But this is so fun learning new things.  Daisy can't believe how much I've accomplished so far.  Thank You Guys for the nice day and helping me think of things!

     Okay You Guys!  I just made a quick sign of the cross and now I'm ready to start again.  Dais has also noticed how Heathcliff is acting kind of strange.  But, no matter, I'll just do like Daisy  and think of Heathcliff's odd behavior as a good sign.  I hear Crows cawing.

     Dais says maybe Heathcliff just feels good knowing that the cold weather's over and it's now  Springtime; even though sometimes it still gets cold at night in Spring.  We also have some cold winds which at times come up at this time of year.  I just smelled a Lizard.

     I wonder if it's a coincidence that Heathcliff's crowing in the middle of the day on the exact two days I'm writing my three books?  Daisy says there were times in the past when he's crowed during the day but very rarely.  I just love Heathcliff's voice!  Thank You Guys.

      Sitting here on this couch, looking to the eastern horizon beyond our three Sheds; I see a lot of green.  And the light blue sky with a few small clouds is so pretty.  I wish every day could be just like this.  Birds, especially Crows, are swirling around.  Oh! I see the Lizard.

      Because our boss's favorite team is the Oakland Athletics who wear green as their primary color; both Daisy and myself now also like that color.  But I still kind of like blue too.  Daisy and I have a few favorite colors.  I'm going to look up "Photosynthesis."

     Dais say some time back Mr. Steve helped this one kid do a report on why so many plants are green.  From what it says here in my Encyclopedia the main reason is because of this thing called "Chlorophyll."  But it sounds complicated to understand.  That Lizard ran away.

     I guess, unlike most other "Living Organisms," most plants don't need to go out and get the food.  They just use photosynthesis to produce their own food right there within themselves.  The main reason why many plants have "Leaves" is because of photosynthesis. 

     This Encyclopedia says that the word photosynthesis is actually Greek and means "Putting together with light."  Glancing around and breathing in big breaths of air through my nose, I'm beginning to really appreciate the color green more.  I smell a Mouse around here.  

     According to my outline for book two I still have to write more about that town to our west called "Littlerock;" where Mr. Steve's brother Sam lives with his wife Yolanda and their three kids.  Our boss says Littlerock has this really great store called "Charlie Brown's."

   

     Mr. Steve told us that store Charlie Brown's has everything!  There's even a room where they have suits of armor!  Our boss likes the section where they sell miniature figurines.  You can buy an Ostrich egg and other unusual things at Charlie Brown's he says.  I see the Mouse.

       Daisy says Mr. Steve told her he and his Nieces Samantha and Cristina once went to Charlie Brown's and he bought them "Souvenirs" with logos of current bands like GREEN DAY.  They even sell Buffalo hamburgers like the ones they all ate over there on Catalina Island.

     Both Dais and I have wondered why the town where Mr. Steve's brother's family live is called Littlerock?  Maybe they have a lot of small rocks there Dais says.  We have a lot of big and small rocks around here too.  Our long driveway is made of "Gravel."  The Mouse is gone.

     Mr. Steve's brother Sam and his wife Yolanda have three children; Mathew, Sammy Jr. and Raqquel.  The oldest, Mathew, goes to C.S.U.N. so stays in Sylmar at his Grandparent's house.  Mathew's a good athlete.  Mr. Steve said in Baseball he has a strong throwing arm.

     Mathew "Umpires" Baseball games in order to make money.  And I guess lately his younger brother Sammy Jr. has been doing it too.  When he was young Mr. Steve also umpired.  But the pay was way lower then he says.   Boy, I'd sure like to make some money too!

      From what our boss told Daisy, being an Umpire or "Referee" is sort of like being a Judge.  At times you make mistakes and everyone is mad at you.  And even when you do your best to be "impartial" some of the audience are upset with you and yell out mean things.

     Daisy told me Mr. Steve is impressed even more in how his two Nephews Mathew and Sammy Jr. also work as "Officials" in other sports too.  Sometimes they work at the Football games and at other times at Basketball games.  That's so hard to do our boss told Dais.

.                                                                                                                         

                                                                             SAM / YOLANDA WITH FAMILY

     Mr. Steve's brother Sam and his wife Yolanda still have two kids at home; Sammy Jr. and his younger sister Raqquel.  Both are good in sports our boss says.  Sam and Yolanda are very good parents.  They have some Horses who live with them.  Oh!  I smell a Gopher Snake.

     In our boss's opinion he and his two brothers were pretty good Baseball players; Rock and Sam better than he was.  Mr. Steve still plays "slow pitch" Softball.  And his team likes when he pitches to them because he knows "where to put it" so they can hit the ball hard. 

      Daisy says when Mr. Steve's brother Sam went to Sylmar High he played Baseball on some good teams.  One time she told me, they came within just one game of going to play for the Los Angeles City Championship down there at Dodger Stadium.  Aha!  I see the Snake. 

      A city to the west of Sylmar is called "Granada Hills."  It's located next to Northridge where Mr. Steve, his brother Rock and their mom all went to College.  Granada Hills "Public" High School sports teams are called the "Highlanders" just like over there in Scotland.

                                                JOHN ELWAY (GRANADA HILLS "HIGHLANDERS")

 

         Dais told me in the late 1970's Mr. Steve's brother Sam and sisters Susan and Celina were at Sylmar High School.   Granada Hills also had good sports teams then.  And their best player was a guy named John Elway who eventually made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

      I guess that guy John Elway was a great Quarterback in Football.  But in High School he was also a good Baseball player too.  Daisy says she remembers our boss saying John Elway probably could've been a professional Baseball player.  That one Gopher Snake is gone now.

      Daisy says our boss has a few customers up there in the State of Montana.  A Parts Manager at one of them told Mr. Steve that because John Elway's father was a Football Coach; the family lived in Montana for a few years.  But in 1976 they moved to Los Angeles.

     According to Dais, Mr. Steve told that Parts Manager the reason John Elway's family came to California was because he got a job coaching at C.S.U.N.  1976 is the same year Mr. Steve started going there.  That's why John Elway went to Granada Hills High School. I smell Sage.  

     Daisy says she remembers our boss telling her and Millie about how that Parts Manager up in Montana said John Elway has a twin sister.  But, sadly, she died at a young age a few years ago. After graduating from High School John Elway went to College at "Stanford."

     This Encyclopedia says Stanford University is located up in Northern California.  It's named after Leland Stanford, a man who lived back in the 19th century.  He was California's Governor during the American Civil War and later even a Senator in Washington D.C.

                                    LELAND STANFORD (1824-1893) AND FAMILY

       According to my book two outline Dais has me scheduled to learn and write about how that guy Leland Stanford was part of starting the the first Railroad that went all the way across the whole country.  Daisy remembers how Mr. Steve admired Leland Stanford's wife.

      Daisy told me our boss once met a guy who knew a lot about Leland Stanford.  He said after Leland Stanford died his wife took over the running of things like Stanford University.  She was no "Pushover" that man told Mr. Steve.  I can hear some Wrens singing to the east.

      My Encyclopedia describes Mrs. Stanford as a good "helpmate."  From what that man told Mr. Steve about Leland Stanford's wife; she sounds kind of like his Grandma Córdova who was also a good, Strong-Willed" person who was capable of handling business matters.

       Later today I'll learn some more about Leland Stanford when I write about the "Big Four."  That's what they now call the really four rich men who were involved in the first what they call "Trans-Continental" Railroad.  That was four years after the Civil War.     

      Mr. Steve told Dais and Millie that even Athletes at Stanford have to study hard.  That is not true at many other Colleges where athletes are held to "lower expectations."  Daisy recalls Mr. Steve saying many, if not most Athletes, don't graduate.  I hear Crows cawing.

      Mr. Steve thinks they should just openly give "Stipends" for three or four years to Athletes in College.  Right now he told Dais, they get paid "indirectly" in dishonest ways.  Athletes are just Entertainers who make money for the College they go to.  I smell Juniper.

      From what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, he thinks Colleges should tell the Athlete that if you're smart you'll also get a College Degree.  But it's up to you.  If you want to just play sports you can do that too.  Oh!  I see Rudy the Roadrunner jogging bye right now.

      In 1984 Mr. Steve met a man named John Wooden.  In the 1960's and 1970's he had been one of the best College Basketball Coaches of all time for U.C.L.A.  Daisy has me scheduled to write more about Coach Wooden later.  He said Mr. Steve's idea sounded "interesting."     

      Tomorrow in book three I'm going to write about that guy O.J. Simpson.  That's where Daisy and I decided to put him when we were making the three outlines.  He went to U.S.C. but did not graduate.  That guy John Elway got a Bachelor of Arts degree in "Economics."

      One time Mr. Steve's brother Sam's Sylmar team played against John Elway's Granada Hills team for the Los Angeles City Baseball Championship.  Granada Hills barely won so got to play at Dodger Stadium.  I see a small Squirrel standing near Moe the middle Shed.   

 

                                                                     JOHN ELWAY

 

      After College John Elway played in the National Football League for the Denver "Broncos." He's now their "General Manager."  Daisy told me our boss has drawn the two Broncos logos.  In his subjective opinion she says, he likes the second most current one better.

      Daisy says our boss told her and Millie that John Elway has owned a few Auto Dealerships since he retired from playing Football.  Some have been in Colorado, the State where Denver is located.  And others have been here in Southern California.  The Squirrel is gone.

      Mr. Steve, Babette and that other girl Susan, have all at one point or another dealt with some of John Elway's Auto Dealerships.  In the late 1950's Mr. Steve's family lived in Greeley, which is town near Denver.  John Elway now has a Chrysler Dealership in Greeley.

                                                                                                               HORACE GREELEY (1811-1872)

        Even though I'm supposed to wait until tomorrow in book three; I kind of feel like writing about this man named Horace Greeley now instead.  Later I'll explain my decision to Daisy so she'll know why I did it.  The town of Greeley was named after Horace Greeley.

      According to what it says in this Encyclopedia, that man Horace Greeley was mainly known as the "Founder" and "Edditor" of a 19th century Newspaper called  the "New York Tribune." He was also a Congressman from New York for one term.  I smell a Gopher nearby.

     This is interesting.  Seven years after the American Civil War ended, in 1872, Horace Greeley ran for President but lost to former General Ulysses S. Grant.  He "popularized" a phrase; "Go west young man."  Ah!  That's why a town in Colorado was named after him.  

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865)

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER GARDNER

       I guess Horace Greeley helped found the "Republican" Party in 1854, six years before the Civil War.  Dais says Mr. Steve heard that there are some people who think Horace Greeley may have even been the one who named the new party.  The Gopher is near the big tree.

     From what it says here, the Republicans first "Candidate" for President was that guy John C. Fremont; and Abraham Lincoln was the second.   Republicans replaced the "Whig" Party in the 1850's.  I can hear some of our neighbor's Ducks over there quacking away.  

     Daisy says our boss told her and Millie how in the mid-19th century it was the "Democrats" who wanted to keep Slavery alive.  Republicans like Horace Greeley and Abraham Lincoln were against the "expansion" of Slavery.  That Gopher just ducked back underground.

     At the beginning of the Civil War President Lincoln only wanted to keep Slavery from going out into the western territories.  He told Horace Greeley his main focus was to "preserve" the Union.  Horace Greeley wanted him to free the Slaves earlier than he ended up doing.

     This is interesting.  In 1862, the second year of the Civil War, President Lincoln wrote Horace Greeley a letter which said that; If I could save the Union without freeing any Slaves I would do it.  If I could preserve the Union by freeing all of the Slaves I  would  do it."

       Well, it's back to my outline.  Littlerock, where Mr. Steve's brother lives with his family, is twenty five miles from us; about the same distance as a "Marathon" foot race.  Later I'll write about the ancient Greek city of Athens and why Marathon's are twenty six miles long.

      Hey Lord!  An intersection in Littlerock called the “Four Points” is where "Day Laborers" go looking for work.  Daisy says in 1985 the Tour Guide Haim said You and Your father Joseph, and Your four brothers too; were probably Day Laborers.  I smell a new Sage plant.

       As You know Lord, that guy Haim told Mr. Steve's Tour Group how in the original Greek version of the New Testament Your dad Joseph was described as a "Tekton."  That means "One who works with his hands."   So You and Your brothers were not just Carpenters.  

      Down there in Sylmar Lord, the Day Laborers stand in front of a Store called "Home Depot" hoping for work.  In 1985 Haim the Tour Guide said a Roman town called "Sepphoris" is where You and Your brothers most likely went with Your father Joseph to find work. 

     Our boss says it seems like there are fewer workers at Four Points; and Sylmar too.  Daisy says he thinks many of those kind of workers moved out of California to find work; probably to States like Texas.  Texas, where his brother Rock lives, still has a good economy.

     I see on my book two outline the next subject Dais has me scheduled to write about are these "ruins" nearby.  They're all that's left of a "Socialist Utopian" community that existed during the exact four years in which World War I was being fought over in Europe; 1914-1918. 

                                                                    LLANO DEL RIO

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

      Dais says our boss told her and Millie that even though those ruins are in the High Desert like us, they're located in Los Angeles County to our west.  Those ruins are all that's left of a town called "Llano del Rio" which means "Plains of the the River." 

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that those ruins were once a meeting hall for the community.  They're on the north side of the main highway and are kind of near where that guy Aldous Huxley lived with his wives in later years.  A Bronze Cow Bird just ran past in front of the Sheds.

       From what Daisy told me Llano del Rio was like a Hippie Commune from the 1960's or the Kibbutz Mr. Steve visited in Israel.  At least that's what our boss told her.  But they only lasted for four years; from 1914 through 1918.  There goes another Cow Bird.

     Dais told me that our boss has read about Llano del Rio and thinks it failed because human nature doesn't change.  Socialism, where everyone is supposedly equal, sounds good "on paper" he says.  But in real life some will always outrank others and be envied.

       In a Socialist society like when Russia was the "Soviet Union" owning "Material Possessions" or showing "Individuality" was what they call "frowned on."  Socialists think it's better when a group is more important and everyone shares everything.  I smell a Creosote bush.

      Later I'll write about this Chinese man named Mao Tse-tung.  Like all Socialists who believe in Karl Marx's ideas, he thought the economic system of "Capitalism" is bad; in part because it often "lends itself" to excessive and "unbridled" greed.  I hear a Crow squawking.      

                        

                                        WINSTON CHURCHILL WITH FAMILY

  

     I wrote down a quote in my outline by that man from England Winston Churchill.  He was a good writer Mr. Steve thinks.  I was going to use the quote tomorrow but I feel like using it now. He wrote; "Democracy is the worst form of government; except for everything else."  

     Dais says our boss thinks you could probably say the same thing in talking about Capitalism; which is now closely associated with Democracy.  Capitalism is not perfect he says.  But it's made bigger "Middle Classes" than at any other time in history.  I smell a Creosote bush.

     Mr. Steve thinks too many Americans seem to be willfully ignorant and uninformed.  That's what Daisy says.  There are times when he feels as though most Americans are way too shallow, superficial and even "Weak-Minded."  A Ground Squirrel just ran into the desert. 

     From what Daisy told me, Mr. Steve thinks many Americans are too easily tricked or fooled by Politicians; or people trying to "separate them from their money" as "Insiders" laughingly say behind the scenes in the "Gaming" field.  Fannie and Freddie are flying bye.

      Mr. Steve thinks most Politicians tend to make laws they think "the average voter" likes. The problem is he told Daisy is; the average voter is not informed on even the most basic of issues.  A good example is Mr. Steve's friend David who fought in the 1991 "Persian Gulf War."

      When Mr. David came home in 1994 people asked him where he'd been.  When he told them he was overseas fighting a war in Iraq most said; "Oh yeh, what war is that?"  They didn't even know about it.  Mr. Steve jokes the United States should become a "Epistocracy."

     

     So when Daisy told me this other Winton Churchill quote our boss once mentioned I had to run back here and right away add it into my outline; "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."  I just picked up the scent of Sage. 

                                            MARGARET THATCHER WITH FAMILY

       I wrote down another quote Mr. Steve mentioned a while back.  Daisy was right in thinking I'd be able to use it somewhere.  It's by Margaret Thatcher, who I'm named after.  It says; "The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." 

       Another thing I was supposed to write about tomorrow but feel like doing today is the subject of what they call "Laissez-faire" economics.  According to what it says here in this one French Dictionary I think the phrase Laissez-faire means; "Let them go" or "Let go."

     Yup!  Here in this English Dictionary the definition of Laissez-faire is; "An economic system in which business transactions between private parties or individuals are completely free from any government interference."  Mr. Steve thinks that's good and bad too.

     From what our boss told Daisy and Millie, the idea of Laissez-faire produces periods like the second half of the 19th century.  In America, after the end of the Civil War in 1865, the famous rich "Robber Barons" were around.  I'll write about the Robber Barons later.

      By the late 1800's European countries like England, France and Belgium were taking over the entire Continent of Africa; and not just along the coastlines.  Daisy says our boss thinks that Europe benefited the most from the Industrial Revolution so had better weapons.

      There have been countless times in history when a stronger culture "vanquishes" or simply conquers another group of people.  Most of time the survivors are made slaves.  From Alexander the Great until now this has happened.  Might has usually equaled right as they say. 

      I guess, from what Mr. Steve told Daisy, when a stronger modern country comes in and just takes over control of weaker countries it's called "Colonialism" or "Imperialism."  Sometimes they don't have to kill a lot of the weak country.  I can hear some Crows cawing.

NAPOLEON III (1898-1873) /  OTTO VON BISMARCK (1815-1898)      

 

     Germany only became a country at the end of the 19th century; when Otto von Bismarck was able to unite the German-speaking groups and beat France in the 1871 "Franco-Prussian War." Napoleon's Nephew was the leader of France then.  That big Dragonfly just went bye.

     In this Encyclopedia there's a picture of Napoleon III sitting next to Otto von Bismarck.  The caption says it after Napoleon III had surrendered with one hundred thousand French soldiers in 1971; six years after the American Civil War had ended.  I smell a Juniper plant.

     Oh!  This is interesting.  I notice that in my Encyclopedia it says Napoleon III was born on the 20th of April.  That's same date as that guy Adolph Hitler.  Both were Dictators.  Napoleon built modern Paris and Hitler was going to rebuild Berlin but wasn't able to do it.

          Dais says Mr. Steve thinks Germany looked around the world.  They also had modern steel things like ships and cannons too.  They didn't disagree with the unfair system of Imperialism but just thought they too deserved the right to take over some areas to exploit.  

     I guess, from what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, the European countries were way more advanced in technology because the Industrial Revolution had been going on since the late 18th century.  Their weapons allowed them the right to do what they wanted.  A Crow cawed. 

     Dais told me about Theodore Roosevelt.  His nickname was "Teddy" and the Teddy Bear was named after him.  He was from New York State and fought in the "Spanish-American" War in 1898; when the United States took Cuba and the Philippines away from Spain.   

 

                                      THEODORE "TEDDY" ROOSEVELT (1858-1919)

     Dais told me Mr. Steve has some cute "Stuffed Animals" sitting on the two beds in the Guest Bedroom; and some are Bears.  It would be such an honor to have a Stuffed Animal named after you.  Someday when I'm not afraid to go down the Hall I'll meet those Stuffed Animals.

     According to this Encyclopedia, after Teddy Roosevelt fought in the Spanish-American War he came back to America and became the "Governor" of the State of New York.  Then, in 1900 he was elected as William McKinley's "Vice President."  I hear a Wren singing. 

     This is interesting.  In 1901 President McKinley was assassinated just like President Lincoln was in 1865 and President Kennedy in 1963.  So Teddy Roosevelt, like Andrew Johnson and then Lyndon Johnson "inherited" the big job of being the new American President.

     There's a good what they call "Collage" of four pictures in this Encyclopedia.  It shows the two Presidents who were killed in office.  And below are images of the two men who stepped into the Presidency when they died.  What a coincidence how both were named "Johnson." 

     Teddy Roosevelt lived at a time this Encyclopedia calls the "turn of the century;" the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.  When we were putting my outlines together for all those months Dais said our boss that period was very important in the world's history.

     The Civil War ended in 1865.  Then, for the next thirty five years these guys called "Robber Barons" became extremely powerful and rich in America.  This was mainly because of modern things like steel, Trains or the using of oil.  I'll write about the Robber Barons shortly.

      One thing I know for sure.  Daisy told me our boss said those Robber Barons really did not like Teddy Roosevelt back then.  By 1900 they had gotten so rich that no one could even compete against them.  Teddy Roosevelt wanted to "curb" their power.  I can smell a Lizard.

      According to what it says in this Encyclopedia, Teddy Roosevelt, like most of the Roosevelt family, grew up in New York.  It was in his era that places like Llano del Rio developed.  I hear some Pigeons cooing.  And it's coming from the Patio roof directly above me.  

      Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie one time that Teddy Roosevelt was what would be called an "anomaly" now.  He was a "Conservative" but "Progressive" Republican who offered the poor a "Square Deal."  A Thrasher Bird just ran bye.  I now see the Lizard over there. 

      This Encyclopedia says that in 1901 when Teddy Roosevelt became the President he was only forty two years old.  In 1898 when he went down to Cuba to fight in the Spanish-American War he led a "Volunteer" Regiment.  Fannie and Freddie are flying bye right now. 

      In 1898 Teddy Roosevelt's Regiment ended up performing bravely against the Spanish.  They fought in the "Battle of San Juan Hill" and according to this Encyclopedia were called "Rough     Riders."  That Lizard just went underneath one of the rocks below the big tree.                              

                                                        "SPANISH-AMERICAN" WAR

     A picture in my Encyclopedia shows Teddy Roosevelt posing with some of the men he led into combat at San Juan Hill.  The caption says that many of the soldiers in the picture are from New Mexico.  Teddy Roosevelt wore glasses just like Mr. Steve does.  I can smell Juniper. 

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that, sadly, by the end of the 19th century Spain was very weak.  What in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries had been one of the most powerful countries in the world was in 1898 an "empty shell" he said.  I can hear a Crow squawking out in the desert.

      According to what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, Spain's once powerful Empire was what they call "disintegrating."   So the United States had no problem in easily beating all the Spanish forces in what would turn out to be a very short war.  I smell some Sage.

                                           BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL (JULY 1,1898)

                                                              PAINTING BY FREDERICK REMINGTON

                  

         Oh wow!  There's a really good painting in this one Encyclopedia that shows Teddy Roosevelt leading his men in a charge against San Juan Hill.  And it's by one of Mr. Steve's favorite artists named Frederick Remington.  Daisy told me our boss really likes Frederick Remington.

      Dais says a few years ago our boss met an older man from the State of "Oklahoma."  He said his Grandfather had "served" under Teddy Roosevelt in 1898.  He and Mr. Steve talked about the Rough Riders and how "One-Sided" that war had been.  I smell some Sage.   

     That man from Oklahoma told Mr. Steve some of Teddy Roosevelt's "people" were also from Arizona.  I guess one reason they were called Rough Riders is because at first they were intended to ride Horses as a Cavalry unit.  A Thrasher Bird just  ran under Moe the Shed.

      By the time Teddy Roosevelt's Regiment made it down to Cuba they were Infantry because the Horses had to be left behind in Florida.  On the day of the Battle of San Juan Hill Roosevelt was the only one on a Horse.  Teddy Roosevelt came from a really wealthy family.

      Because Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders were Volunteers they did not have to fight if they didn't want to.  It wasn't like in the 1960's during the time of the Vietnam War; when they had what's called a "Draft."  That means you have no choice about going into the military.

       Later today I'll write about the Boxer Muhammad Ali.  In 1967 he refused to be Drafted into the military during the Vietnam War.  Daisy told me that our boss Mr. Steve came within about a year of being drafted in 1973.  She says he still even has his "Draft Card." 

     The strong smell of Juniper just poured in from the east.  And now I can smell one of the Sage bushes too.  The scent of Joshua trees and Cholla cactus make me feel good.  Smelling them all at once reminds me of some of the other times when this exact same thing happened.

     From what it says here, Teddy Roosevelt's "First Volunteer Cavalry Regiment" was mainly made up of "Cowboys."   This was because they were "skilled" at "handling" Horses and were used to living outdoors.  In other words, they could be quickly trained for war.

     Looking to my right I see Libby the Horse over there in her Corral.  It's obvious she's old by the way she's plodding about.  Daisy jokes that Libby walk's like someone who, in old age, runs "not wanting to get injured."  That ideas has always seemed so weird to me.

      Mr. Steve told Dais and Millie one time that there have been professional Baseball players  who were fast runners when they were young.  But then they get older and begin to suffer some injuries.  So when they run they do it in a more "Flat-Footed" way.  A Crow cawed.  

     When Daisy and I were putting together my three outlines I was scheduled to write about the Spanish-American War tomorrow in my third book.   But now that I've done this much I might  as well just do it right now instead.  I can always mention it later anyway.

     From what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, by the end of the 19th century Spain had lost most of its Colonies.  Mexico broke away in 1821 and then, one by one, many of their other areas in the New World did the same.  And in 1898 the United States took Cuba too.

SIMÓN BOLIVAR (1783-1830)

PAINTING BY ARTURO MICHELEÑA

  

      Tomorrow I'll write about South America and this one man named Simón Bolivar.  I'm really tempted to do it now but I better just wait until book three when my outline says I'm scheduled to do it.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny the Crows are flying bye right now.

      I will mention how Simón Bolivar, a General from the area that is now "Venezuela;" is called the "George georgeton of South America." He helped "liberate" parts of Spain's Empire.  The uniform he's wearing in this painting shows the influence of Napoleon Bonaparte.

    

                                                            "U.S.S. MAINE" EXPLODES

PAINTING BY JOSEPH BOGGS BEALE

        According to my Encyclopedia, the Spanish-American War was "ignited" when an American naval Ship called the "U.S.S. Maine" mysteriously blew up.  It was "docked" in a Cuban harbor so many Americans thought it had been "sabotaged" by the Spanish.  I smell a Squirrel.

      A painting in my Encyclopedia shows the U.S.S. Maine exploding.  The caption says over two hundred Sailors were killed.  The United States blamed Spain who denied any guilt.  Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks the U.S. was probably looking for any excuse to go to war.    

        The Spanish-American War was short.  It lasted for only ten weeks.  Dais says our boss joked that the Spanish-American War is the kind of war everyone likes. It was the type of war people thought would happen at the beginning of the American Civil War.  I see the Squirrel. 

     World War I is another war where many people wanted to fight; thinking it would be short.  The Civil War and First World War turned out to be terrible wars of "Attrition;" which means they were long as each side tried to wear down the other like in some Chess matches.

     Mr. Steve told Dais the Spanish-American War is another example of a strong country taking advantage of a weak one.  Yesterday I wrote about the Mexican War of 1846-47.  By 1898 Spain had lost almost all of its empire.   The Squirrel is standing near Manny the Shed.

     The Spanish said the explosion that blew up the U.S.S. Maine came from within the Ship.  But it didn't matter.  The United States wanted war no matter what.  War was quickly "Declared" with little or no debate.  I just picked up the slight scent of a Creosote bush.  

     I was going to write about the Spanish-American-War tomorrow when I learn about this man named William Randolph Hearst.  But I might as well do it now.  William Randolph Hearst was a really rich man who owned some Newspapers.  That one Squirrel just ran away.      

 

                                         WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST (1863-1951)

 

      I'll still write more about William Randolph Hearst tomorrow in book three.  That's when I talk about his old house called Hearst Castle.  But I just kind of feel like writing about his family now instead.  I'll tell Daisy why I did it tonight when we go over this second book. 

      According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, William Randolph Hearst's Newspapers were know for what's called "Yellow Journalism."   Well, Daisy was right.  She said that Yellow Journalism was probably using "Sensationalism" to sell even more Newspapers. 

     This Encyclopedia says that William Randolph Hearst's Newspapers "fanned the flames" in getting people mad so they'd want to fight Spain in 1898.  It worked.  The United States invaded Cuba and within ten weeks sank almost all of the Spanish Ships in Havana's Harbor.

      Daisy says our boss thinks one reason why the Founding Fathers felt it so important to make the First Amendment in the Constitution about "Free Speech" and a "Free Press" was so they would be a "Check" or "Limit"on the government.  I hear some Wrens chirping.

     Aldous Huxley and George Orwell were likely interested in the subject of Free Speech and a Free Press.  That's what Dais thinks and I agree with her on that.  They tried to warn the public about what could happen when Newspapers and things like that are not objective.

     Instead of helping the public to be informed by objective reporting a Newspaper could even help the government to make people think they way they wanted them to.  Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks that Colleges could be used in the same way to Brainwash young people.

      Dais thinks that George Orwell's New Speak could be easily used to manipulate what people  think.  Look what happened in 20th century Russia, Germany and China.  Oh!  That Thrasher Bird named Theodora is running bye right now.  She wasn't around at all yesterday.

JOSEPH GOEBBELS (0000-0000)

         Dais has me scheduled to learn and then write about this Nazi writer Joseph Goebbels in my third book tomorrow.  But I kind of feel like mentioning him right now too.  Mr. Steve thinks he was the best "Propagandist" of all time.  I smell a Lizard somewhere nearby.

      One time when they were in Mr. Steve's Bedroom Daisy and Millie watched a good show on that guy Joseph Goebbels.  One thing she remembers is how it said that even his enemies and all of those who hated him had to admit how talented he was.  I hear Finches singing.

       I guess, from what Dais told me, during World War II the ones who "grudgingly" admired Joseph Goebbels the most were the opposing Allied propagandists.   They wished they could be as good as he was at "Spinning" the news and things like that.  I can see the Lizard.

        

         ARTWORK BY JULIA KOTERIUS

         

       Daisy says our boss thinks Joseph Goebbels, like Hitler a great speaker, is still influencing a lot of things today.  But, because he was a Nazi people don't want to know that.  I really like this one painted black and white picture of him here in this one Encyclopedia.

      Joseph Goebbels was small and had what they call a "Club" foot.  So he couldn't fight in the First World War.  World War I and this But he was really smart I guess.

       I'll write a lot more about Joseph Goebbels later.  He's important in the 20th century.  I just thought of him now because I'm writing about that guy William Randolph Hearst; who was so powerful they even made a movie about him.  A Lizard just ran bye right now.    

                                                                "CITIZEN KANE"

       Dais is so lucky!  Because she's not afraid to go all the way down the Hallway to the far end of the house; she's seen so many good things on tv.  One time her and Millie watched a movie called "Citizen Kane."  How did people even think of and invent something like a tv?

     Mr. Steve says that movie Citizen Kane is a very artistic movie.  According to what it says in this Encyclopedia it was made in 1941 and came out right before the Japanese surprise attacked us in December at Pearl Harbor.  A Train just whistled faintly to the north.

      Daisy says our boss read how many people think Citizen Kane was based on the life of that guy William Randolph Hearst.  This Encyclopedia says it's about this Newspaper "Magnate's" "ruthless pursues power."   Dais his says his dying word was; "Rosebud." 

        Mr. Steve was right.  He told Daisy and Millie that "Movie Critics" liked Citizen Kane when it first came out in 1941; but it lost money.  Mr. Steve thinks one reason it lost money is because of the attack in Hawaii.  But now it's considered one of the best movies of all time.

      Even though Citizen Kane was what they call "unprofitable," it was "Nominated" for nine of those Academy Awards.  And it won one.  Daisy says our boss it's a very well-filmed movie that uses light well.  At one time had a Videotape copy of it.  I smell an old Sage bush.

      Dais says that Dog Millie noticed how in Citizen Kane the Newspaper owner's mansion was named "Xanadu."  As I wrote yesterday; Xanadu was also the 13th century Chinese city where that Italian guy Marco Polo stayed with Genghis Khan's Grandson Kublai Khan. 

      The man who "Directed" that movie Citizen Kane was named Orson Welles.  Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks he was a really talented person.  I guess Citizen Kane was filmed in black and white and the way that man Orson Welles used light and dark showed how artistic he was.

                                                                                    ORSON WELLES (1915-1985)

   This is interesting. According to what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, that guy Orson Welles not only Directed Citizen Kane; he was also the Writer, "Producer" and even the main      Actor too.  Dais said our boss told her and Millie that Orson Welles was "versatile."                     

      I notice that this Encyclopedia describes Orson Welles as "innovative."  Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie one time that he filmed Citizen Kane well but also had good music in that movie too.    And he used "Flashbacks" to what they call "Narrate."  That was different he thinks.                   

                                                    "WAR OF THE WORLDS" (1938)

        Wow! In this one Encyclopedia there's a scary picture from this other movie called "War of the Worlds."  The caption says the movie was based on a "Radio Broadcast" performed by that guy Orson Welles in 1938; three years before he did Citizen Kane.  I smell a Lizard.

       Daisy told me Mr. Steve has a Cassette tape of that War of the Worlds Radio broadcast from 1938.  From what it says here, it was broadcast on Halloween night October 30, 1938; which was Grandma Trujillo's twenty fourth birthday.  Mr. Steve's mom was three then.

       A few years ago Mr. Steve met an old lady who grew from New Jersey.  Her parents heard the original broadcast of War of the Worlds; which is about Martians invading the world.  That lady's parents thought it was a News broadcast.  The Lizard is looking at me.

       Dais says what happened back in 1938 was that lady's parents tuned in after Orson Welles had started so they didn't hear the beginning when it was explained.  And there were almost no commercials so it seemed like a News Bulletin.  At first they thought it was real.  

       I guess that lady's parents were not the only ones who were fooled by War of the Worlds.  In the days afterward some were upset and angry at Orson Welles.  But he had gotten attention so in the long run it helped his career.  That Lizard just ran under a big rock.   

       Hey God!  I kind of fell like writing about William Randolph Hearst right now.  Days says I can do whatever I want in my books.  If I feel like changing things as I go along I can.  But, then again, I better just wait.  I just saw another Squirrel run out into the eastern desert. 

      I 'll still learn a lot more about that guy William Randolph Hearst tomorrow when I work on book three.  I'll write more about his Museum and also this one movie "Citizen Kane."  Dais told me Mr. Steve likes that movie.  I really would like to see that movie someday.

  "PATTY" HEARST   

 

        I think I will write right now about William Randolph Hearst's Grand Daughter.  Her name was Patricia Hearst but Daisy says everyone just called her "Patty."  According to Dais our boss thought she was really pretty and in some pictures looks like his dead sister Celina. 

       A few years ago Mr. Steve met a girl who was from Modesto; a city in Northern California. She knew a lot about Patty Hearst and what happened to her in the 1970's when our boss was in High School and College.  Dais says Mr. Steve used to have a customer up in Modesto.

HUTTON ARCHIVE / GETTY IMAGES

   

        That girl from Modesto was a little older than Patricia Hearst.  She and Mr. Steve discussed how Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the "S.L.A." and then brainwashed to be a "Terrorist" just like they were.  Oh!  Jack the Jackrabbit just sprinted across in front of me. 

      In this Encyclopedia are some really good pictures of that girl Patty Hearst.  One shows her standing in front of the S.L.A. poster.  Daisy told me our boss once drew that logo she's in front of.  Samson and Delilah are coasting bye right now; high up there in the blue sky.  

  

       Daisy says our boss told that girl from up north he had a "Flyer" he wanted to show her.  It was a "Wanted" poster for the S.L.A.; which stands for "Symbianese Liberation Army."  Mr. Steve told her he was not supposed to have it.  Ah!  I can smell a new Spring Sage plant.

      In the 1970's Mr. Steve's friend worked for the "Post Office" Dais told me.  He made copies of the S.L.A. wanted poster the "F.B.I." mailed to the Post Offices and gave one to our boss.  Of course that girl made a copy of his copy to show her father; who made another copy.   

ARTWORK BY QATHI GALLAHER HART 

       

     I still have more to write about the Spanish-American War.  In 1898 the Americans, besides destroying a lot of Spanish Ships, also won land battles like the one at San Juan Hill.  I kind of feel like learning more about what happened at San Juan Hill.  I smell a Cholla cactus.  

The U.S. Navy sank a lot of the Spanish Ships in Cuba and also destroyed some in the Philippines too.  A Crow just cawed.

     My Encyclopedia says, by winning the war, the U.S. ended up getting Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and this one island in the Pacific Ocean called "Guam."  This is interesting.  The term Rough Rider comes from that guy Buffalo Bills "Wild West" entertainment show.  

                              

                                                           TEDDY /ELEANORE / FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

  

     This is so amazing!  That guy Teddy Roosevelt was related to later President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  And he was related to "F.D.R's" wife Eleanor too.  Tomorrow I plan on writing more about Eleanor Roosevelt.  I hear a Motorcycle going by out there on Primavera Road.

     Hey God!  Daisy says once people make it into what they call the "Upper Class" many things in life become a lot easier.  So it must be true for their Dogs too she thinks.  Mr. Steve is not rich but as You know Daisy and I would like him even if he was really poor with no money.    

the Robber Barons like; carnegie, etc..        

Our boss thinks a combination of individuality and being a member of a group is the best way to live.  People want to own things for themselves and not have to depend on the group.  We own all our own tools and things like that.  Ah!  I see a new Roadrunner over there.

     According to Mr. Steve, another reason Llano del Rio failed was because there wasn't enough water for their nine thousand acres.  For a time they even raised their own food.  But it wasn't to last.  A Snake just crawled under Moe the middle Shed.  I'm kind of thirsty.

     I don't recognized the scent of that Roadrunner.  It's now standing on the side of the big Shed Jack.  I just picked up the scent of some of the Joshua trees.  Well, that new Roadrunner ran out into our back half acre; to the eastern desert behind the three Navy blue Sheds.

     Our boss told Dais in 1914 the average wage was two dollars a day.  So when the government  offered four dollars a day during the First World War it was hard for Llano del Rio's men with families to resist.  "Ambition" is normal Mr. Steve thinks.  So many left then.

     I think I'll "Take a Chance" as they say and go over to the entrance to our dining room and drink some water out of the gray bucket.  But I'll do it quick in case Mr. Steve just happens to come out on the patio.  Boy, I'm hungry too.  There were no snacks for us today.

     Boy, water is so great!  I was thirsty but now it's back to my writing.  And I can see that I'm not finished with Llano del Rio.  In 1918 those who remained there decided to move to the state of Louisiana; which is to the east of Texas.  They have Alligators in Louisiana. 

     Sadly, Mr. Steve told Daisy and I that community in Louisiana also eventually failed because of the Great Depression of the 1930's.  Mr. Steve still has a few customers in Louisiana.  I smell a Joshua tree.   Blackbeard and Anne the Crows are standing on Moe the middle Shed.

      Mr. Steve has worked for big and small companies.  He's noticed that when a group is small everyone cooperates.  But if that group grows to about one hundred the atmosphere changes and what they call "Backbiting" starts.  That might've happened at Llano del Rio.

     In 1985 when Mr. Steve and his Tour Group went to Israel they visited two "Kibbutzim."  In this Hebrew Dictionary it says Kibbutzim is "plural" for Kibbutz and is translated into English as "gathering."  Dais thinks a Kibbutz is probably like what Llano del Rio was.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy "Kibbtz Degania" was the first "Communal" Jewish "Settlement" to be established in Israel by these people called "Zionists."  That was in 1909, five years before the First World War; right about the time of Llano del Rio.    I smell a Sage plant.

     This Dictionary says Zionists are Jews who wanted to go back and live in Israel even though most Jews had not lived in that area since the first century A.D.   Hey God!  Israel is the place You gave to the Jews after they escaped from Slavery down there in Egypt.

     Hey Lord!  When You were down here living the Romans were in charge.  They were what's called "occupiers" of Israel.  As you know Lord, if a person didn't do what the Romans wanted they beat you up or just killed you.  They were kind of like modern Nazis Dais thinks.

     Well Lord, You predicted it.  You said that the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would be totally destroyed and that's exactly what did happen about eighty years after the Romans killed You.  The Jews "rose up" or rebelled against the Romans who they had to pay high taxes too.

     From what Mr. Steve says, if you did what the Romans told you to do and payed your taxes, then they let you practice your own religion.  But if they get mad at you the Romans had a joke saying they used with each other; "Give them the boot."  I hear a Crow cawing.

     Daisy says if a Roman said give someone the boot they meant; push them down, turn them over, put a foot on their chest; stab their throat with a Gladius sword.  The Japanese in World War II used bayonets on the end of guns to do about the same thing I guess.   

     Later today I'll write about the "Bataan Death March" of 1942.

     According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, in 79 A.D. the Romans under the future Emperor Titus came in and brutally "put down" that Jewish revolt.  Many of the Jews were just killed and the survivors were "sent into slavery" in what they call the "Diaspora."

     Hey God!  A You know, in the late 19th century some Jews decided they wanted to go back to live in Israel.  Those were the "Zionists."  They were tired of the long history of hatred the Jews had experienced for almost two thousand years since the time of the Diaspora.    

 

       There's a map of Israel in this Encyclopedia Lord.  It shows how the Sea of Galilee, where You and Your followers lived, is to the north.  As you know, Mr. Steve and his tour Group drove bye the "Golan Heights" in 1985.  They also drove near the "West Bank."

     I can see Lord the little line going north and south which represents the "Jordan River" on this map.  It connects the Sea of Galilee to the "Dead Sea" to the south.  Mr. Steve and his Tour Group went to those places; as I wrote about yesterday in book one.  I smell Sage. 

    Hey God! I'm scheduled to write about the Old Testament story of Sodom and Gomorah later.  As you know, if Daisy and I could go back in time we would like to see if You really did turn that guy Lot's wife into a pillar of salt.  I hear Crows cawing out there in the eastern desert. 

      This map shows how small Israel is.  Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie the city of Tel Aviv on the coast is only ninety miles from the southern end of the Sea of Galilee where Kibbutz Degania is located.  Los Angeles is about seventy miles from us.  I smell a Creosote bush.

     Three years after World War II ended, in 1948, the State of Israel was allowed to come into existence.  The "Holocaust," in which the Germans killed six million Jews, had just happened so Mr. Steve thinks many felt sorry for Jews.  Dais is glad there's a new Israel.  Me too!

  

      A picture in this Encyclopedia shows two "Orthodox" Jews aiming rifles.  The caption says they're helping to fight the Arabs in 1948.  You can tell they're Orthodox Jews by the hats they have on.  Also, the guy in the front has one of those special Jewish haircuts.

     Hey God!  That reminds me of the first time I ever noticed how Saint Francis and the Priests who followed him had those funny haircuts.  Dais says Franciscan Priests like the ones who came to California in the the 18th century sure do look different with their hair cut that way.

     Mr. Steve met a nice older man who's father fought in Israel's 1948 "War for Independence."  And he was wounded too his son told our boss.  That man said, like most new things in human history, modern Israel was "born in blood."  Fannie and Freddie are flying bye.

     From the day Israel was born in 1948 Arab countries tried to destroy her. This one map in my Encyclopedia shows how Egypt, Jordon, Syria and Lebanon, who surround Israel, all attacked. The red arrows shows the attacks; the blue lines indicate Israel's defensive positions.   

     Daisy says Mr. Steve told her and Millie that from the very beginning Israel has literally had to "fight for her life" so to speak.  In 1948 they were "scrambling" to organize their new nation while being viciously attacked from many sides.  A Crow squawked out in the desert.

     That man who's father fought for Israel's independence said was under siege "right from the get go."  They had few weapons so had to use whatever was available.  Israel at first would have a "Piece meal" military force.  I hear two Crows yelling at each other out in the desert.

          

                                                       MESSERSCHMITT BF-109 (1948)

                                                                                                                                   PAINTING BY RUDY AUGARTEN

       Daisy says Mr. Steve told her and Millie one time that as a kid he built models of World War II Fighter Planes.  One was the famous German Me Bf-109 which battled British Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes over England in the "Battle of Britain."  I smell a Creosote plant.

     Hey God!  In my Encyclopedia there's a good painting of a Me-109 in 1948.  But instead of German "markings" it has Stars of David painted on it.  Dais says our boss built a few Me-109's  but on one of them he put Israeli markings kind of like it shows in the painting.

     Mr. Steve used to show that one model Me-109 with Israeli emblems on it to others and often they would examine it.  At first they knew something looked unusual but couldn't figure out just what that was.  Rudy the roadrunner just jogged around the northeast corner of the house. 

     Once the people looking at the model Me109 realized what Mr. Steve had done they laughed and some even wanted to take it to show their fathers.  Dais says Mr. Steve likes doing things like that.  He "gets a kick out of it" as they say.  I smell a Squirrel around here somewhere.

     That man whose father fought the Arabs in 1948 knew about the Me-109's the Israeli's used in 1948.  He chuckled and said it was "ironic."  But the first modern Israeli's were desperate and had to take what was available.  "Beggars can't be choosers" as Dais often says.                             

        Tomorrow in book three I'll write about how many of the Russian women helped their men defend "Mother Russia" from the Nazi's during World War II.  Here in this Encyclopedia is a photo of a Jewish girl holding a rifle.  The caption says it was taken in 1948.

      I can tell that the Jewish girl in the picture is what Daisy would call a "Lookout."  She has a pair of little binoculars attached to her belt.  She kind of has a job doing what we have to do too. Oh!  What a coincidence.  I can hear Dawn and Blinky barking next door.

      Sister Rita Joseph told her class that males and females both have the capacities for good and bad.  Most males and females can fight or be leaders.  Tomorrow I'm scheduled to write about some of the good female leaders from the 20th century.  Two Pigeons just flew bye. 

      Mr. Steve thinks overall Margaret Thatcher was a good Prime Minister of England.  This one lady named Indira Ghandi led India for a few years.  Daisy told me that our boss has a book on a Golda Meir.  I'll look them up and write more about them tomorrow in book three.

   Tomorrow I'm scheduled to write about Israel's wars since 1948.  But I sort of feel like doing part of it now.  It would fit in here because this Encyclopedia says this man named Moshe Dayan was the second child born at Kibbutz Degania.  I can smell a Lizard around here. 

     In 1990 Mr. Steve was a Salesman for "Pace;" which would become "Sam's Club" after they were bought by "Walmart."  His job was to sign up "Business Members" and he often made his daily "Appointments" by calling off of these cards called "One Day Passes."  

                             

                                                                                        MOSHE DAYAN (0000-0000)

     Daisy says one time our boss was going over the One Day Passes on a Sunday night.  One had been filled out by a man named "Chaim."  Mr. Steve called him and asked if he intended to sign up as a member of Pace.  I can smell a Ground Squirrel somewhere around here.

     That man Chaim, who lived in Northridge, said he did want to become a member of Pace.  So our boss told him he could "streamline" the procedure if he could get twenty minutes.  That guy Chaim said "Sure."  So the next morning at eight Mr. Steve went to his house.

     On Sunday evening Mr. Steve took down that guy Chaim's information so he could make and then deliver the cards to him.  Dais says it turned out Chaim was Jewish but spoke Arabic so was one of Moshe Dayan's interpreters during the Israel's "Six Day War" of 1967.

     As soon as Mr. Steve sat down in that man Chaim's office he noticed the pictures on the wall and desk.  There were images of Chaim with people like Moshe Dayan and other famous people in modern Israel's history.  Mr. Steve ended up staying there for two hours.

                           

                    DAVID BEN-GURION (0000-0000)                GOLDA MEIR (0000-0000)

  On my outline it says that the next thing I want to write about is Sylmar; where our boss grew up.  Mr. Steve lived most of his life in Sylmar.  His parents and teenage Niece Samantha still live there.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny just took off and are flying away to the east.

      Down there in Sylmar Mr. Steve's parents and Samantha have two Dogs named "Bella" and "Rosie."  Both are girl Dogs.  Their Rosie is young like me.  Our Rosie next door is kind of old like Daisy.  Rosie in Sylmar doesn't look like our Rosie next door. 

     The Rosie in Sylmar is what they call a "German Shepard" our boss told us.  She's related to a brother named "Tito" who lives in Littlerock with Mr. Steve's brother's family.  Tito's friend is named "Ozzy" just like that singer Ozzy Osbourne.  I smell a Creosote bush. 

     I hear that Bella and Rosie are good guards just like Dais and me.  And Tito and Ozzy are really good guards too.  Even though I'm out here on the back Patio writing my book I'm still paying attention just in case Daisy calls or I need to guard our two acres.   

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                 BELLA AND ROSIE

 

      Bella is a gray "Pit Bull" Mr. Steve's parents rescued. Daisy says maybe some day we can go with Mr. Steve to Sylmar to see a real city and also meet Rosie and Bella.  Mr. Steve thinks Rosie and I would get along.  Blackbeard and Anne are coming back in from the desert.

     Our boss says Bella and I are about the same age.  Even though Daisy is nice and we get along great most of the time, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a friend who's from my own generation.  Mr. Steve jokes that Bella and I are "Dog Millennials."

     Because he and his parents were Tour Guides over at the San Fernando Mission for all those years they read about the native peoples who've lived in the area that would eventually be called Sylmar; or the broader San Fernando Valley.  A brown Thrasher Bird rand bye. 

   

                                                                                                                                                                                                            

      Dais told me our boss said when the Spanish first came to Alta California in the second half of the 18th century some of the Indians were called "Tataviam."  Samson and Delilah the Crows are floating bye right now; way up high there in the blue afternoon sky. 

     According to what it says here in my Encyclopedia, the name Tataviam means; "People who face the Sun."  The Chumash who lived in Southern California for thousands of years called the Tataviam Indians "Alliklik" which means; The "grunters" or the "Stammerers."

 

GABRIELINO VILLAGE OF "SA-ANGNA"

MARY LEIGHTON THOMSOM

     Mr. Steve met a man who was a "Tongva" Indian.  The Spanish called them "Fernañdeno."  They talked about how the Spanish named the California tribe near the San Gabriel Mission "Gabrielinos."  The Fernañdenos lived around the San Fernando Mission.  

     Daisy says our boss learned a lot from that Tongva man.  That's mainly because he was also interested in history Dais thinks.  He also knew a lot about the many important things that took place in the 16th century.  A cool breeze came in off of the eastern desert.    

     I hear a Pigeon cooing above me.  It's voice is coming from up on the Roof of the Patio.  I can also hear three layers of sounds coming from Birds to my front.  There are Birds near the three Sheds, close to the back fence and also farther out there in the eastern desert.

     Mr. Steve told us even in the early 19th century the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley had Olive trees.  The first Olive trees planted in Alta California were brought from Spain to San Diego Mission in the mid-1770's he says.   That Pigeon cooed again.

     Our boss says a Franciscan Priest named Father Iballa was "Assigned" to go and work at the San Fernando Mission in the early 18th century.  Later he "requested" Olive tree "cuttings" be sent from Spain.  I just love the sound of cooing Pigeons.  Now I hear two of them.   

     Mr. Steve says that man "Padre" Iballa noticed the "Soil" in the northeast Valley was kind of like the dirt back in Spain where Olive trees were grown.  But Sylmar did not become famous for Olives until about a century later.  Oh, Fred and Ethel the Pigeons just flew bye.

               

                                                                                                                                      

     Dais says she heard that it takes a few years before Olives actually start to grow on the trees.  But by the beginning of the 20th century there were big "Groves" of Olive trees in Sylmar.  Mr. Steve says the soil up here in the desert would not be good for growing olive trees.

     Down in Sylmar Bella the Pitbull is not mean like some other Pitbulls are.  Mr. Steve told us that his family does not raise vicious Dogs.  Daisy and I are not vicious either but, just like Bella and Rosie, we're really good guards and would be mean if we needed to be.

     Bella and Rosie share a big back yard. They're best friends just like Daisy and me.  Rosie was given to Mr. Steve's parents by his brother Sam's family.   Rosie's mom still lives in Littlerock and Mr. Steve told us she's also really good at guarding their property.

     In the 1980's and early 1990's Mr. Steve took pictures at Boxing matches.  One place he went to was in the Valley at a place called the "Country Club."  This is in the town of "Reseda."  One time he took pictures of an actor who was on this tv show called "The Odd Couple."

                                                             "THE ODD COUPLE"

 

     Our boss jokes that Daisy and I are his odd couple.  Daisy saw one episode of that show The Odd Couple and liked it.  It was about two totally different roommates; one sloppy and the other one neat.  Mr. Steve took pictures of the sloppy roommate she says.   

     Reseda, where the Country Club is located, is near this other town called "Tarzana."  For a time, before the big 1994 Northridge earthquake, Mr. Steve's sister Susan had what they call a "Condominium" there.  But it was destroyed in the earthquake.

     Dais says our boss once told her and Millie about this man who lives over in Africa named "Tarzan."  And she told me, the town of Tarzana is named after him.  Someday both of us really want to see the seven "Johnny Weismueller"movies about that guy Tarzan.

         

                                                                                                               TARZAN

     From what Mr. Steve told Daisy Tarzan's wife is named "Jane" and their son is "Boy."  They live in a really neat big treehouse and have a funny Chimpanzee named "Cheetah."  Daisy says our boss told her and Millie that Cheetah might be one of the smartest Chimps in history. 

     The San Fernando Valley is also where our boss's niece Stephanie, her boyfriend Rich, and their teenage daughter Cristina live.  They live in Northridge which is kind of near to Reseda and Tarzana.  Their house is close to the C.S.U.N. campus Mr. Steve says.

     Stephanie, Rich and Cristina have two very friendly "Staffordshire" Pit Bulls who are named "Angus" and "Betty."  They also have a little Dog named "Sparky."  Our boss says that's a good name for him because he has so much energy.  Angus and Betty are not mean.

     Someday Daisy and I would like to meet Angus and Betty too.  Daisy told me that if I ever get over my fear of riding in a car someday we'll be able to sniff them; as well as Bella and Rosie in Sylmar.  But, I am sort of still afraid of being in a moving car.  I smell a Creosote bush. 

 

                                                                                                              

                                                               ANGUS AND BETTY

   

  Our boss thinks Angus is named after Angus Young of AC/DC.  Angus and Betty are nice Dogs.  But, just like all of the Dogs in our family, they would fight to defend they're property  Mr. Steve told us he thinks Daisy an I would like Angus and Betty.  Oh!  I smell a Squirrel.

     Back in the 1970's Mr. Steve went to C.S.U.N.; near to where Stephanie, Rich and Cristina live.  To this day he says he still likes the atmosphere on h!college campus's.  He thinks Daisy and I would love "Cafeteria" food.  But, like Daisy says, there isn't much food we don't like!

     A few years ago our boss and his niece Samantha walked around the C.S.U.N. campus.  Mr. Steve showed her the Library was and also the Engineering Building.  After the 1994 earthquake Mr. Steve's friend Rick got a job replacing damaged water pipes on that building.

     In 1995 our boss spent a lot of time working in and around that Engineering Building he told Samantha.  While walking around C.S.U.N. Mr. Steve and Samantha discussed how his mother  raised five kids and then went back to college there.  I see the Ground Squirrel.

                                                                                                         

  

        Samantha knows her Grandma is a special person.  When she went to college she was always the oldest person in her classes, whether at Mission College or later C.S.U.N.  And she graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and earned a degree in Art History.  I smell Sage.

     The reason why Mr. Steve and his niece Samantha were at C.S.U.N. was to see a show by this really nice girl named Nancy Cartwright.  Dais told me she does the voice of this one kid named Bart on a really funny cartoon called "The Simpsons."  The Squirrel is looking at me. 

  

 "THE SIMPSONS"

 

     I've never seen the Simpsons but Daisy and Millie saw it once.  Mr. Steve has seen only a few episodes. Daisy told me it's about this funny family.  Maybe one of these days if I ever start going inside the house more the way Daisy does I can then watch more tv.

      For a long time Mr. Steve says he was on Nancy Cartwright's "mailing list." This was because in the 1980's he and Harriet were assigned to cover shows at a place down in Hollywood called the "Dianetics Center." Daisy has told me all about that Hollywood sign near there.

      

       Dais says Mr. Steve told her, as a teenager, his brother Rock worked as a "Counselor" at a Boys Camp at this place called "Griffith Park."  Our boss and his girlfriend Sandy visited him there and one time they hiked up to that famous Hollywood sign on the mountain.

   From what Daisy says our boss told her that girl Nancy Cartwright not only does the voice of Bart Simpson but she also does the voice for one of the characters on this other cartoon called "Rugrats."  Dais has never seen the Rugrats but would sure like to some day. 

     One of the few Simpsons episodes our boss did happen to see a few years ago had that one guy Johnny Ramone on it.  Dais thinks that I would probably like the Simpsons because of it's what they call  "irreverent" humor.  Mr. Steve also sometimes likes that kind of humor too.   

                                                           NANCY CARTWRIGHT

       Mr. Steve says Nancy Cartwright, like the Mael brothers from SPARKS went to U.C.L.A.  As he and his niece Samantha walked around the C.S.U.N. campus before Nancy Cartwright's show, Mr. Steve felt "nostalgic."  There goes our Fanny and Freddie flying bye.

      As they walked around the C.S.U.N. grounds our boss told his niece Samantha that only now does he more appreciate his days as a student.  When you're actually living a situation you tend to take things for granted and not give things even a "second thought" as they say. 

      On my outline I see that it's time to talk about our boss's second girlfriend Emily.  Before our boss was with Harriet his girlfriend was Emily.  She grew up in New York City, in a place called "Long Island;" and has a good sense of humor.  I smell a Gopher around here. 

     Mr. Steve's girlfriend Emily came out here to go to college.  She works at this place called the "Wooden Center" at U.C.L.A.; in the Athletic Department.  Dais says our boss told her that girl Emily is a smart person.  She has a lively spirit and is a decent human being he says. 

    After our boss graduated from Sylmar High in 1973 he then went to a "Junior College" called "Valley College" in Van Nuys.  Two years later his girlfriend Sandy also went there.  But then in 1976 Mr. Steve transferred over to C.S.U.N.  Oh!  I smell a Gopher Snake somewhere.                               

            

     Dais says our boss has fond memories of his time at Cal State Northridge.  But then he just took them for granted.  Ah!  There goes a long brown Gopher Snake underneath Moe the middle Shed.  I'm so glad Daisy taught me how to recognize all of the dangerous Snakes. 

     Even though that Gopher Snake looks to be over three feet long I know it's harmless.  I'll bet it knows there are a lot of Gophers coming up out of the ground today; attracted by the heat of the Sun I think.  It' great to be in Spring.  Oh!  I do smell a Gopher around here.

     In the late 1970's Mr. Steve and his friends spent a lot of time studying at C.S.U.N.'s "Oviat" Library.  People joked they might as well just sleep in a tent outside because they had to come back early the next morning anyway.  Someday Dais and I want to go to a Library. 

     Because our boss likes the atmosphere in Libraries so much now Daisy and I would like to see what the inside of a real Library is like.  I'll bet it would be great!  Hey!  Maybe we could start a Library for Dogs and Cats!  Mr. Steve says that most "Librarians" seem nice.

  

                                                       "OVIAT" LIBRARY / C.S.U.N.

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

  

     One time Mr. Steve and this girl named Olivia were studying at C.S.U.N.'s "Oviat" Library   when they filmed an  "episode" of this one tv show called "Battle Star Galactica."  From what our boss says it was sort of like a tv version of "Star Wars."  I smell that Gopher. 

     I guess on that night the producers of Battle Star Galactica set up these really big "Props" in front of the Oviat Library.  They looked good on tv Mr. Steve told us but "up close"  you could see right away that they were just made out of cheap plastic.  I see the Gopher.

     But Mr. Steve says, once those props were set up and "Dry Ice" smoke machines used to blow smoke around; it looked pretty good from a distance.  At least that's what someone told him a few years later.  He's never seen that episode but he'd sure like to someday.

     On that one episode of Battle Star Galactica the Oviat Library was supposed to be what they called an "Ice Palace."   And from what this other guy told our boss; at a "Wide Angle" from the distance it actually looked pretty good.  That Gopher just went back underground. 

           

                                       "ICE PALACE" / "BATTLE STAR GALACTICA"

     Our boss and Olivia decided to take a break and were going down this moving stairs called an "Escalator" when actors in white "Storm Trooper" type costumes were coming up on the other side.  As they passed each other Mr. Steve and the actors nodded at one another.  

     Oh my God!  That Gopher Snake just ambushed that Gopher.  It took just a split second for it to bite onto the Gopher.  Now he dragged him out of the hole and is wrestling him around trying to wrap around him.  Well, it looks like that's the end of that poor Gopher. 

     Mr. Steve's Niece Stephanie now lives in Northridge with her longtime boyfriend Rich and their daughter Cristina.  For a while they lived in this other town called "Granada Hills" which is nearby.  Oh!  I just noticed that Centipede I saw yesterday trudging past below me. 

     Daisy told me that sometimes when our boss thinks about the city of Granada Hills he recalls a friend from High School named Alex.  His family moved to California from New York City and "settled" in Granada Hills.  Alex was short but really strong Mr. Steve told Dais. 

     Some time back our boss told Daisy and Millie that he had a pleasant dream about when he and his brother Rock used to over to Granada Hills and play "Street Hockey."  They had a lot of fun.  Mr. Steve doesn't play Hockey any more but still has three taped Sticks.    

     Stephanie's boyfriend Rich grew up in New Jersey but his parents are originally from Cuba.  Cuba is kind of near to where Christopher Columbus landed when he came to the New World.  Mr. Rich works on "Cell" towers.  I just picked up the scent of a Sage plant. 

     A lot of people call Rich "Ritchie."  But Mr. Steve prefers to just call him Rich.  He's a very talented person he told Dais.  Rich is not only a good what they call "Handyman" who knows a lot about "Construction," but is also a good artist.  I hear Dawn barking.

     Mr. Rich gave our boss this coffee cup which he painted.  I've never seen it but Daisy has and says it's great.  It sort of looks like the artwork of that guy Ed "Big Daddy" Roth who I'm going to write about later.   A Wasp just buzzed past going from my right to my left. 

     Well, that Snake is now dragging the dead Gopher into a bush behind Moe the middle Shed.  Dais says sometimes it takes a few hours for a Snake to fully swallow its prey.  But I just noticed Blackbeard and Anne the Crows circling right above them.  They're hungry too.

     Dais says our boss has a collection of coffee cups.  Some were given out at sports banquets and others have logos like the Oakland A's or from the 1984 Olympics.   One was given to Mr. Steve by Rich who did the artwork on it.  Mr. Steve says Rich would be a good "Pinstriper."  

          

   

     In the early 2000's Rich played guitar in a really good Heavy Metal band called DRAGPIPE.  They're from New Jersey.  Mr. Steve has their 2002 album and has played along to it on drums.  But he admits he's not nearly as good a drummer as DRAGPIPE'S drummer.

     That Snake just dragged the limp body of that Gopher under Moe the Shed.  And Blackbeard and Anne Bonny have landed on the Shed.  But they know it's too late.  Yup!  There they go up into the air because they know they have no chance of stealing that dead Gopher.

        I just thought of something I feel like mentioning now.  It's kind of out of order in my outline but that's okay.  I think I thought of it because I mentioned Cuba when talking about Rich and his parents.  I'm going to write quickly about this guy named Ernesto "Che" Guevarra.

   

                                            ERNESTO "CHE" GUEVARRA (1928-1967)

                                                                                                       PHOTO BY ALBERTO KORDA

   

     The caption below the picture of Che Guevarra in my Encyclopedia says it's one of the most famous photographs in the world.  Che Guevarra was called the "Heroic Guerrilla Fighter" or "Guerrillero Heroico" in Spanish.  But Mr. Steve says some think he was just a killer. 

     I'll talk more about Che Guevarra in a few minutes when I write about this other man named Fidel Castro.  I guess Che Guevarra died in the country of "Bolivia" when he tried to "export" the Socialist or Communist revolution that happened in Cuba in 1959.

     In one of the closets in the hallway of our house Mr. Steve has a large collection of T-Shirts and Sports Jerseys.  At least that's what Dais told me.  And one of the T-Shirts is red and has the face of that guy Che Guevarra on it.  Samson and Delilah are now flying bye.

      Daisy told me our boss thinks Che Guevarra was just as important to the Cuban Revolution as that one other guy Fidel Castro.  I'm scheduled to write about both of them later when I learn about these things called the "Bay of Pigs" and the "Cuban Missile Crisis."

     Mr. Steve one time met a man from Cuba who didn't really like those guys Che Guevarra and Fidel Castro.  He said they took everything from his family in 1960.  To him Che Guevarra is not a "Martyr."  Now I really want to see that red Che Guevarra T-Shirt.  

       Daisy says that Cuban man told our boss he thinks Fidel Castro was secretly happy when Che Guevarra was killed down there in South Amrica.  Che was becoming even more popular than he was and he didn't like it.  Oh! I'll bet Mr. Steve will be interested in this.

     My Encyclopedia says the last things Che Guevarra said when his executioner walked into the room to shoot him; "I know you're here to kill me.  Shoot me coward.  You're only killing a man. Tell my wife to remarry and try to be happy."  I can hear some Crows cawing.  

    On my outline the next thing I want to write about is the economy.  Mr. Steve For years there were "throngs" of day laborers in front of the Home Depot in Sylmar.  But, just like at the Four Points in Littlerock, there are far fewer now.  A little Ground Squirrel just ran bye.

      Mr. Steve's father sometimes goes to that Home Depot Shopping Center in Sylmar.   When he does he often feeds some of the day laborers at McDonalds.  Hey God.  As You know of course, he does this because he thinks it's what You would want him to do.  Day laborers are poor. 

                      MR. STEVE'S PARENTS WITH LEE IACCOCA (1989)                

                                                                   PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

   

     When all the workers' recognize our boss's father's Car they begin chasing it while calling out loud “Patron, Patron” which is Spanish for “Boss.”  You know, Mr. Steve is our Patron.  Daisy jokes, if he says "jump," we say "how high."  He's like our "Benevolent Dictator."

       Because the "Construction" industry has been so bad there is less need for day laborers. Mr. Steve told us, for the first time in years, he was told that the population of California has actually gone down. He thinks this is partly because the "cost of living" is so high here. 

     One of Mr. Steve's customers from North Carolina came out out to California for a wedding last year.  When he and wife and kids got back home they couldn't believe how much people from California are paying in taxes; especially what they call the "Sales Tax."  

     Daisy says one time our boss told her and Millie that one of the reasons he now likes living up here in the High Desert is because there are a lot fewer people.  He says living here has changed him.  He now realizes how much noise and bad air there is in a city. 

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that it would be very difficult to go back and live in a big city again.  He jokes that he's now kind of "Spoiled" as they say.  The desert is not perfect but there is no place that's perfect.  Someday Daisy and I would like to go see a city.  

     The road system in Los Angeles, or in Southern California for that matter, is very familiar to our boss.  He knows it well because he lived and worked in Los Angeles for many years.  But he now feels more and more uncomfortable there because there are so many people.

     1977 has become a year Mr. Steve remembers well.  He was dating a girl named Susan.  She was really interested in Medieval history so they went to this thing called the "Renaissance Fair" where   Some people dressed up but I know our boss does not like to wear costumes.

     Dais says in one of the closets in the hallway Mr. Steve has a big collection of Jerseys, T-Shirts and Jackets.  They all have to do with either sports teams or musical bands.  But I've noticed our boss never wears anything with writing or images on it; even the Oakland A's.

     Back in 1977 Mr. Steve and that girl Susan went and saw this one movie about Boxing called "Rocky."  Dais has seen it and says it's so good.  This one Boxer who's not that good is given a chance to fight for the "Title" as they say.  Someday I really want to see that movie.

     Daisy and Millie are so lucky!  One time they got to see that movie Rocky.  Dais says the fighter is named  "Rocky Balboa" and he was what's called an "Underdog."  But he wasn't like the real Underdog who can fly.  I just picked up the scent of a Gopher around here.

     According to Daisy, in the movie Rocky had a really nice but shy girlfriend named "Adrian." Daisy and Millie thought Rocky's Dog "Butkus" was so good looking.  He was named after that guy Dick Butkus; the Chicago Bears Football player I mentioned back in book one.

               

  

     Dais says our Chief told her and Millie that Americans like stories about underdogs who have little chance at success in life.  And now,  that movie Rocky is known as one of the most famous American stories of that what they call "genre."  Aha!  I see the Gopher over there.

       From what Daisy says, in that movie Rocky the Boxing Champion named "Appolo" decides to give an unknown fighter a chance to fight him for the Championship.  And it turns out Dais told me; that guy Rocky Balboa is the lucky fighter the champion chooses to fight.

     So I guess by "pure luck" Rocky Balboa gets the opportunity and "Against all Odds" as they say, he "pulls off  an upset" and wins.  So he becomes the new World Champion.  Daisy told me it's such a happy ending.  I can see that one Gopher is now sniffing the air.

     Dais told me the Actor who played Rocky Balboa is named Sylvester Stallone.  One time at a Boxing Match at the Forum in the mid-1980's our boss took a picture of Sylvester Stallone.  On that night he was wearing a Baseball Cap for a movie called &ququot;Nighthawks." 

     A few years ago Mr. Steve saw a show about the actor Sylvester Stallone who played the part of Rocky Balboa.  The show said it was likely that the movie Rocky was based loosely on the life of a real life Boxer named Chuck Wepner.  A Crow just cawed faintly out in the desert. 

     I guess that guy Chuck Wepner was what they call a "Journeyman" fighter.  That probably means that he wasn't a very good Boxer Dais says.  Chuck Wepner was from the State of New Jersey; where our boss's Niece Stephanie's boyfriend Rich is originally from.

   

MUHAMMAD ALI / CHUCK WEPNER (1975)

   Daisy told me that guy Chuck Wepner got to fight Muhammad Ali.  But, unlike in the Rocky movie, he lost.  Mr. Steve told Dais that's often the way things go in "real life" as they say.  Ah! I  can see that the Gopher must've gone back underneath  the ground.                                                 

 I'm tempted to write more about that buy Muhammad Ali now but I better just wait until chapter ten later today.  His original name was Cassius Clay.  He was named after a 19th century "Abolitionist" politician from his home State of Kentucky.  I smell a Cholla cactus.                        

   From what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, that guy Chuck Wepner was known to get cut a lot.  And I guess Muhammad Ali did "carve" up his face; even though he did manage to knock    Muhammad Ali down.  But Mr. Steve says he accidentally stepped on Ali's foot.                                 

                                               MUHAMMAD ALI / CHUCK WEPNER

   

        Dais told me our boss has a friend named Gary.  He's a "Barber" who has worked for many years in the city of San Fernando.  Gary is also a Boxing historian.  Our boss says he knows a lot more about Boxing history than he does.  Gary said Chuck Wepner was "tough."

     Mr. Steve has a big book in his office called "The Pictorial History of Boxing."  Daisy told me it was written by this one man named Nat Fleischer.  He died in 1972 and for decades was the "Editor" of "Ring" magazine.  I'll refer to Nat Fleischer a few times later today.

      

                                                    NAT FLEISCHER (1887-1972)

     I guess Nat Fleischer's The Pictorial History of Boxing is now considered by many to be the "Bible of Boxing."  A picture in this Encyclopedia shows Nat Fleischer's New York City office. And behind him you can see the "Marquee" of the "old" Madison Square Garden.

     Chuck Wepner fought Muhammad Ali in 1975.  Nat Fleischer died in 1972; when Mr. Steve was in the 11th Grade at Sylmar High.  That Barber from San Fernando named Gary wondered at times what Nat Fleischer would have thought of the Rocky movies.  I smell Sage.  

     Dais told me our boss said Chuck Wepner's nickname was the "Beyonne Bleeder."   This was mainly because he was from the town of Beyonne, in New Jersey and was"prone" to get his face "sliced up" as they say.  Blackbeard and Anne just swooped past; moving to the east.

 

                                                                   CHUCK WEPNER / SONNY LISTON (1970)

 

     Wow!  In my Encyclopedia there's a good picture of Chuck Wepner when he lost to Charles "Sonny" Liston.  Daisy told me how mean-looking Sonny Liston was.  And he hit so hard.  Poor Chuck Wepner!  His face is so cut up his blood is "splattered" on the Referee's shirt.

     I'm scheduled to write about the Boxer Muhammad Ali later this afternoon and when I do talk about Muhammad Ali I'll learn more about Sonny Liston too.  He's now forever associated with Muhammad Ali; as is that other guy Joe Frazier.  I hear a Crow squawking.

     I want to be like that guy Chuck Wepner!  He was so brave.  I would fight like him if I were ever have to defend our land.  And Daisy feels the same I know for sure.  We'd endure a lot of pain to defend our boss.  Hey God!  Sometimes I wonder how courageous I am.

     Muhammad Ali later beat Sonny Liston for the "World" Championship in one of the most famous "Bouts" of all time.  But Chuck Wepner suffered seventy two stitches on his face after he fought Sonny Liston.  Nat Fleischer definitely knew about this fight.

      Dais was the first one who told me that when a movie is good it gets one of those "Academy Awards."  Rocky won one in 1977 but there were some other good movies too that year Daisy says.  One was about President Nixon and another on that guy Woody Guthrie. 

Another movie that won some Academy Awards in 1977 was called "Taxi Driver."  Someday Daisy and I really want to see that movie.  Dais told me Mr. Steve's girlfriend Emily liked it a lot and it definitely made an impression on our boss somehow.  A Crow just cawed.                             

 

                                                                    TAXI DRIVER

 

          Hey God!  In this one Encyclopedia of mine it says that the movie Taxi Driver was about a Vietnam War veteran who's a Taxi Cab driver in New York City.  He kind of goes crazy for a while but he rescues this young girl from being what they call a "Prostitute."

     Here in the High Desert one of Mr. Steve's new friends is named "Eddie."  He grew up in a place called "Staten Island;" which is part of New York City.  Mr. Eddie now lives in this other place called "Lake Los Angeles."  Jack the Jackrabbit just ran bye. 

     Mr. Eddie has sold things like hats for Mr. Steve.  But now he drives a Cab to make money.  Our boss knew Mr. Eddie was from back east as soon as he met him because of his "Accent."  His Niece Stephanie's boyfriend Rich, who's from New Jersey, has a similar accent.

     It was in 1970 when he was in the 9th Grade that Mr. Steve first met that guy Alex.  He and his family were Italian like Rick's family but spoke with "New York Accents."  Alex's parents were good, decent people.  His younger sister was pretty Dais told me.

     Daisy says in Mr. Steve's dream he and Alex shook hands and hugged.  Alex had a firm grip. So did his father.  When he first met and shook hands with Alex's dad Alex had warned him that when his father shook hands he had a "Vice Grip."  Two of the Pigeons flew bye.

    Alex told Mr. Steve that, as a kind of joke, when he introduced him to his dad he should shake hands really hard before his father had a chance to do it to him.  And Alex told him, with his left hand, slap his father's right shoulder hard too.  This would take him by surprise.

     So Dais told me, when Mr. Steve did as Alex told him to do it caught Alex's father totally "Off Guard" as they say.  Alex got such a "kick out of it" when Mr. Steve did that.  His father kind of laughed and said; "Alex!"  Mr. Steve used to like talking to Alex's dad. 

     One adjustment Mr. Steve had to make when he moved up here from Sylmar was how far you have to drive for everything.  Living in a big city if you need something you just go get it.  But if you live in a small town the closest "Store" is about ten miles away.  I smell Sage.

     Lake Los Angeles where Mr. Eddie lives is about twenty miles away yet is considered to be a "neighbor" of Piñon Hills.  Mr. Steve has told his Nephew Sammy Jr. that where they live over in Littlerock is twenty seven miles away; longer than the distance of a "Marathon."

       Mr. Steve read one time in a magazine that in 1977 the first female "Director" was nominated for one of those Academy Awards.  And this movie called "Network" was the first time an award was given "Posthumously." In my Dictionary it says that means after you're dead.  

     In August of 1977 Mr. Steve and his brother Rock visited and stayed in New York City.  Mr. Steve was twenty two years old.  It was on that trip that he first felt what real "humidity" felt like.   He didn't really like it.  Dais and I have wondered what humidity feels like.

     On that 1977 trip back east our boss and his brother later visited their Uncle Marty and his family in this city called "Morristown;" which is in the state of New Jersey.  This is across the Hudson Bay, to the east of New York City.  That Sparrow just flew away.

     A lot of Cubans like Stephanie's boyfriend Rich's parents live in New Jersey.  There are also many Cubans who live in Florida where Mr. Steve visited in 1995 with his one friend Armando. Mr. Steve has customers in both New Jersey and Florida.  I small a Creosote bush.

     Many people from Cuba "fled" when Fidel Castro came to power in the late 1950's.  Some of them were "Capitalists" like we are.  They had business's and liked making money.  Back in the 1950's people like Meyer Lansky made money through Cuban gambling Casinos.  

      Socialists or Communists generally think that "Materialism" is bad.  But as Mr. Steve says, even in Joseph Stalin's Russia and Mao tse-tung's China the ruling class lived way better than the working class.  A small gray Squirrel just ran bye in front of the three Sheds. 

 

                                                GEORGE WASHINGTON (1732-1799))

                                                                                                 PAINTING BY CHARLES PEALE POLK

 

      My book two outline says the next thing to write about is George Washington.  And I'll also write about him tomorrow in book three.  He was a good military General and America's first President.  Dais says our boss thinks he could've been a King if he' wanted to be. 

      Daisy told me our boss says many of the Founding Fathers thought religion and government should be totally separate.  Mr. Steve thinks this idea may have started in the early 18th century when some of the "Enlightenment" philosophers were Masons.  I smell a Sage plant. 

 

                                                   ROUSSEAU                 VOLTAIRE

  

     Tomorrow in book three Dais has me scheduled to write more about the Enlightenment and the "Freemasons."  Dais says our boss thinks both influenced the type of government the United States has now. Two of the Enlightenment philosophers were French.  I smell new Sage.

     One was named Jean Jacque Rousseau.  The other one is man called "Voltaire."   

     Dais says our boss told her even though George Washington believed in the "Separation of Church and State" he said; "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable."  Daisy told me George Washington was a Mason.    

     In this Encyclopedia it says that Morristown is where George Washington camped his army during some of the winters during the Revolutionary war against England.  This was when the the thirteen states "broke away" from the British Empire and became their own country.

       

     During the Revolutionary War in the late 1700's George Washington and his "Continental" army spent miserable Winters at this place called "Valley Forge."  But less well known our boss says is how they spent some just as horrible Winters near Morristown, New Jersey.

     It says here a lot of soldiers died of disease or froze to death.  And I guess it was so cold that a lot of men did what they call "dessert."  Daisy was right!  To dessert does mean a soldier leaves the army before he's given permission.  They kill you for that Dais says! 

     Daisy would survive Morristown because she has thick fur.  But I would've needed blankets.  Mr. Steve says George Washington died of this thing called "Pneumonia" and supposedly the last words he said to his family before dying were; "I die hard but I'm not afraid to go."

      When Daisy was helping me put together my three long outlines for all of those six months we decided to I'd write about George Washington's teeth tomorrow in book three.  But I kind of feel like doing it right now instead.  I'll explain it to her tonight after we eat dinner.

      Mr. Steve told us a lot of people think that George Washington's "false" teeth were made out of wood.  Bit it's not true.  They were made out of other real teeth from Horses, Cows and even other people.  Mr. Steve one time met a girl who knew all about the subject of "Dentures."

      In my Encyclopedia I just looked up a man named John Greenwood.  He was the "Dentist" who worked on Geoge Wshington's teeth.  Like a lot of people in those days, Mr. Steve told Daisy and me how George Washington had only really bad teeth.  I hear some Crows cawing.

                              

                                                   JOHN GREENWOOD (1760-1819)

                  GETTY IMAGES                      

       What would we do with no teeth?  That would be so terrible.  But Mr. Steve told us that in the late 18th century a lot of people had bad teeth.  By the age of twenty six George Washington had only one tooth left.  He hired a few Dentist's to make him fake teeth; or Dentures.

        But then he found John Greenwood who had a business in New York City.  According to my Encyclopedia, John Greenwood made George Washington four "sets of of teeth" in the last ten years of his life. Mr. Steve would like to go back in time to observe George Washington.

      Wow!  I wonder if Mr. Steve knows this?  It says here that guy John Greenwood even used the "Tusks" of Hippopotamus's to "fashion" some of George Washington's teeth.  Oh!  His dad was the first "American-born" Dentist and three of his brothers were Dentists too. 

                                    

                          PAINTING BY ARCHIBALD MACNEAL WILLARD            

         h

        This is so interesting.  If, at age fifteen, John Greenwood had not decided to volunteer to be a "fife" player in the Revolutionary War he might've been a Dentist earlier.  A fife is kind of like a flute so I know I'd like they way it sounds.  I can hear some of the Ducks quacking.

      My Encyclopedia shows a 1876 painting which celebrated the one hundred year anniversary of the United States.  Three brave men lead soldiers into battle and the guy on the right plays a fife.  Mr. Steve's mother studied the history and "Sociology" of this famous painting.

      Oh my God!  The caption says the painter "superimposed" his father's face for the drummer in the middle; just like Mr. Steve's mother used his face in her painting of Saint Ferdindnd III.  I love Mr. Steve's mom's painting of King Ferdinand III.  I even had a dream about it.

      When I go inside the house on Saturday mornings to watch our cartoons I always go over to the painting of Saint Ferdinad III.  Looking up at it makes me like our boss even more.  He does seem at times like a powerful King.   Daisy says "to a great extent" he is our King.

    

      Hey God!  Was it You who caused George Custer and his 7th Cavalry to be massacred by the Sioux Indians in 1876; the exact same year as the the one hundred year annivesary of the DeclRION ?

       

  Because I want to write about how females can do most things males can do I want to write now about this girl named Sybil Ludington who lived during the American Revolutionary War.  Her father was a militia officer who had fought in the "French and Indian Wars."

     In this Encyclopedia it says that Sybil Ludington was sixteen years old in 1777.  She was the oldest of twelve kids in her family.  The British were on their way to fight the American forces and Sybil's father needed to "alert" his soldiers to get ready for them.

     So, from what it says here in my Encyclopedia, that girl Sybil's father told his daughter to get on her Horse named "Star" and go out at night to tell everyone.  It was a rainy and stormy night and she got really cold but she did it.  A robber even tried to attack her.    

     In 1775 this man named Paul Revere had ridden a Horse at night to warn everyone that the English troops "were coming."  And later this writer named Longfellow wrote a famous poem about it.  Mr. Steve's mom memorized that poem one time in grade school.

     But Dais says our boss one time told her and that other Dog Millie how he thought what Sybil Ludington did was more impressive than what Paul Revere did two years before.  She rode forty miles in nine hours in pouring rain; twice the distance than Paul Revere rode. 

SYBIL LUDINGTON

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that when his family visited Washington D.C. in July of 2008 he saw a statue of that girl Sybil Ludington.  The same exact statue also stands in the States of Connecticut and New York according to my Encyclopedia.  I smell a Squirrel. 

     According to this Encyclopedia George Washington one time went over to Sybil Ludington's house and personally thanked her for what she had done back in 1777.  I'll bet her father was so proud of her just like I hope someday our boss will be proud of me.  I see the Squirrel. 

     Daisy's right!  We're lucky we live in a time of peace instead of war; even though "in reality" we've been at war in Afghanistan and other parts of the world for a decade.  Since about 2003 the United States has been sending American soldiers to many places around the world. 

 

     The United States and Russia, or Soviet Union, were allies in beating Hitler in World War II.  But then we became what's called "Mortal" enemies during the "Cold War."  And because both sides have Nuclear bombs life on Earth was threatened.  The Squirrel is gone.

     The Soviet Union collapsed in 1989.  So now there's only one "Super Power" left; the United States.  Daisy says Mr. Steve believes that means, whether we like it or not, America has to be the "Policeman of the World" for "the time being."  I can smell a Creosote plant.

     Mr. Steve's father fought in the Korean War in the early 1950's.  It changed his life; for good and bad.  He made friends but has suffered physically ever since.  Sometimes he has nightmares.  One thing it did is make him appreciate more the value of an education. 

     Thank You God!  I haven't had any bad dreams lately.  That bad Angel Lilith hasn't invaded my dreams for a while now.  Hey Stanley!  I always have to thank you too for being such a good Guardian Angel.  One of those Thrasher Birds just streaked bye; running on the ground.  

                         

 MR. STEVE'S FATHER IN MIDDLE

             

      Dais says that during the Korean War Mr. Steve's father got "Frostbite" in his legs.  They wanted to cut off his feet but he wouldn't let them.  He and these guys called  "Corpsmen," who are kind of like a Doctor, were able to save his feet but they were injured for life.

     On my outline I can see that the next thing listed to write about is the Korean War which took place in the early 1950's; five years after the end of the Second World War.  In my Encyclopedia it says that in June of 1950 North Korea decided to invade South Korea.

     

        My Encyclopedia says Japan's Meiji Government beat Czarist Russia in 1905 and conquered the Korean Peninsula in 1910.  But, when they lost World War II in 1945 they had to give up the area now called "North Korea."  I hear two Crows yelling at each other.

      I guess, because of what this Encyclopedia calls the "Vacuum" left by a defeated Japan at the end of the Second World War; our former ally, Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union, came in and what they call "occupied" North Korea.  So North and South Korea became separate.

  

 

    With both North and South Korea declaring themselves "Official" governments; they became competitors until "hostilities" finally broke out in 1950.  Blackbeard and Anne the Crows flew bye.  I'm sure they're still hungry.  And I'm getting a little bit hungry myself.

     It says here the Korean War wasn't  a "Declared" war for America but a "Police Action" of the United Nations Organization.   So we led a "Coalition" of nations against North Korea.  A lot of people died.  In 2008 Mr. Steve saw the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.

  

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                         PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

  

     Even though it wasn't a declared war the Korean War was still big.  The United States lost almost forty thousand men from 1950 through 1953; when an "Armistice" was declared.   And to this day Dais says there are two separate countries who still don't like each other.

       I guess in 1953 the border between North and South Korea was established along the "38th Parallel."  Mr. Steve's Nephew Jacob was in the Air Force and was stationed for a time in South Korea near the "Demilitarized Zone" along that "38th Parallel."  I smell a Joshua tree.

                                                             

JACOB CÓRDOVA

     Our boss's Nephew Jacob was later sent from South Korea over to Italy.  Jacob is now living back in Texas and works at this one store called "Costco."  From 1989 through 1992 Mr. Steve worked at a similar type of store called "Pace;" which is now "Sam's Club."

     Wow!  My Encyclopedia says 1950, the first year of the Korean War, was a year of "dramatic reversals."  The Capitol of South Korea, Seoul, "changed hands" four times!  At first the North Koreans conquered South Korea but then they were almost destroyed themselves.

     In late 1950 this General named Douglas MacArthur took a big risk and landed his American soldiers behind the North Koreans at a place called "Inchon."  This trapped the North Koreans but caused the Chinese to enter the war for North Korea.  A lot of people died in 1950.

  

    DOUGLAS MACARTHUR (1880-1964)

 

         I know that on my outlines that I'll be writing about that guy General MacArthur today and tomorrow.  That's mainly because he's very important to both World War I and World War II.  And he's important to the time between the wars and also the Korean War.

   Mr. Steve says he's noticed over the years that either people love or hate that man Douglas MacArthur.  His fans think he's the greatest General America has ever had.  He fought in World War I and II and then in Korea.  But his "detractors" call him a "Prima Donna."

     After the Second World War General MacArthur was appointed to be what Mr. Steve would call the "De Facto" King of Japan.  He had way more power than even the Japanese Emperor named Hirohito.  But then five years later the Korean War broke out.

 

.    Looking at this one map in my Encyclopedia makes it a lot clearer what that guy Douglas MacArthur was trying to do when he attacked at Inchon.  He had Marines like Mr. Steve's dad land behind the North Koreans who had invaded down into South Korea. 

     According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, there were some who criticized General MacArthur's plan as being too risky.  But it worked so he what they call "Turned the Tables" on the North Koreans.  Blackbeard and Anne are coasting bye right now.

     I guess, after Douglas MacArthur successfully landed at Inchon he then tried to trap and kill the North Korean soldiers in South Korea.  And from what it says here, with some really bloody fighting they "made a run for it" and tried to escape back up into North Korea.

     General MacArthur chased the North Koreans but then, when it looked like the war might be over quickly; or "by Christmas" as they say, the Chinese "Intervened."  They rescued the North Koreans.  So the war ended up going on for another three years.  I hear a Crow cawing.

     Well, Daisy was right.  She said our boss told her and Millie that when the Chinese attacked the American forces in late 1950 General MacArthur was so mad he wanted to drop some of our Nuclear bombs on them.  But President Truman said no.  I hear two Crows fighting.

     From what it says here in this Encyclopedia, some bloody fighting took place during the cold  Winter of 1950-51.  The extremely freezing conditions made it worse.  Boy, like Dais says, war is bad enough anytime but when you add in twenty below zero weather it's terrible.

     I guess after a few months everything settled into a stalemate like the one that happened in the trenches of World War I.  So then, from early 1951 through 1953 the Korean War became what this Encyclopedia calls a "War of Attrition."  I hear some Crows cawing. 

     According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, in 1951 the United States started heavy bombing of North Korea.  And soon the first ever "air to air" combat with Jets took place.  The Soviet Union then sent in some Russian pilots to fight against all of the American flyers.

      

                 SOVIET "MIG-15" BEING SHOT DOWN BY AMERICAN "F-86 SABRE"

ARTWORK BY JAO BASILONE

    Wow!  It says right here that during the Korean War about thirty percent of the population of North Korea may have died.  And I guess most were killed by bombs the United States dropped on them in the last two years of the war.  There goes Blackbeard and Anne.

     I just thought of something I want to add in here.  I'm supposed to write about this Baseball player named Ted Williams in chapter ten but I feel like doing it now. 

      TED WILLIAMS                                 JOE DIMAGGIO

Mr. Steve thinks that Ted Williams may have been the best hitter in Major League Baseball history; except for maybe Joe DiMaggio.  He's the last one to hit .400 in the Major Leagues.  I smell a Juniper plant.

     Dais says our boss read that Ted Williams' eyesight was so good he could "see the stitches" on a Baseball coming toward him right as it left the Pitcher's hand.  Mr. Steve has played Baseball for much of his life and is "Near-Sighted" so really appreciates that ability.   

     From what Dais told me, one time Mr. Steve said his father would've liked to be a Pilot during the Korean War but he's near-sighted too.  He thinks Ted Williams might've broken many of the hitting records if he hadn't lost a few years fighting in World War II and Korea. 

     Ted Williams became a Pilot and there's a good picture of him from the Korean War in this one Encyclopedia.  Sometimes Jets from Edwards Air Force Base fly past our house.  They go so fast.  Jack the Jackrabbit just ran bye in front of the three Sheds.  I smell Creosote.

t

                                                                                                    TED WILLIAMS

      It says here that during the Korean War Ted Williams flew a Grumman "F9F Panther" Jet
Plane.  Daisy told me that when he was a kid our boss once built a model of that Plane.  There's a picture of one in this Encyclopedia.  I hear some of the Ducks quacking next door.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that because Ted Williams eyesight allowed him to see the "seams" on a Baseball; this allowed him to "re-adjust" on his swing if necessary.  Three Finches just came in and landed on top of Moe the middle Shed.  Daisy likes the way Finches sound. 

      Later today in chapter ten I'll write about how Ted Williams, like the Boxer Muhammad Ali in the 1960's, lost a few years of his playing career due to things that were happening out there in the world.  Hey God!  Daisy and I really do want to think You do things for a purpose.

     Daisy and I can't tell it but Mr. Steve keeps saying his eyesight is getting worse.  The last time he went to what they call a "Batting Cage," whether batting right or left-handed, he couldn't hit anything over seventy miles per hour.  This is sad Dais thinks.  The Finches flew away.   

    Well, I guess that's about all I have to write about on the Korean War; at least for now.  And looking at my outline it shows that I still have a lot more to write about the 1977 trip back east that Mr. Steve and his brother Rock took.  I hear Dawn barking over there next door.

     Mr. Steve told Dais and me that it was a memorable trip he and his brother Rock took back east in 1977.  For a few days they stayed in  town, New Jersey with their Uncle Marty and his family.  The four Pigeons are flying bye right now; way up high in the sky. 

     Daisy says that in the late-1960's our boss's Uncle Marty was what they call a "Medic" during the Vietnam War.  Daisy thinks a Medic is probably like the Corpsmen who helped our boss's father save his feet.  They're supposed to help you if you get hurt or wounded. 

     When Uncle Marty came home from the Vietnam War he did something which is hard to do. He got an "M.B.A." from a College called "quot;Harvard."  I remember when Dais told me M.B.A. means "Masters of Business Administration."  I smell a Cholla cactus. 

     Mr. Steve once told Daisy and Millie 1977 is now called "The year the Bronx burned."  That's because in July of that year there was a "Power Outage" in New York City and people "looted."  Dais was right. My Dictionary says that means they stole things.  We never steal!

     While they were staying in New York City in that August of 1977 Mr. Steve and his brother decided to go to this place called "Yankeee Stadium" to see a Yankee's game.  So they drove over there in a rented car from where they were staying in this place called "Queens."  

     Our boss told Daisy and myself that back in 1977, as he and his brother Rock walked over to Yankee Stadium, they noticed that parts of this area, the Bronx, were burned.  It sort of looked like the pictures of World War II "bombed out war zones" Mr. Steve said.

   

                                                                                        

     Mr. Steve told us that they found out that earlier in 1977 some people rioted and even burned up some buildings.  In 1977 New York City was near bankruptcy.  Some of the tall buildings near Yankee Stadium looked "abandoned."  That means no one lives in them.

     But as they walked toward Yankee Stadium Mr. Steve's brother said; "I wonder if anyone lives in those buildings?"  Just then a lady stuck out of a window and hung some clothes on lines so they could dry.  Others walking along with them laughed out loud.

     While our boss and his brother were in New York City there a big garbage "strike" was going on.  The workers wanted more money so they refused to go out and pick up all the trash.  So all over the city were giant piles of trash were all over the place.  A Crow just cawed.

     As they walked toward Yankee Stadium back in 1977 Mr. Steve said it smelled sort of  bad.  Everyone laughed when this one guy yelled out loud; "New York!  Love it or leave it!"  Daisy says hopefully we'll never have to pile up our trash.  I hear more Crows cawing.

     Every week or so our boss takes all of our "Trash" and "Garbage" to this place nearby called the "Dump."  It's where people takes things they don't want anymore Daisy told me.  She says he'll soon probably take those three dead Joshua trees that fell over this Winter.  

     Mr. Steve told us one thing he remembers about 1977 is that this one player named Reggie Jackson was on the Yankees.  And during that season he got into a fight with his manager Billy Martin in the area called the "Dugout."  A flock of Sparrows just streamed past. 

                                           BILLY MARTIN / REGGIE JACKSON (1977)

 

    From what Mr. Steve told us managers seldom fight with players.  But Billy Martin had a bad temper.  He had been the same way as a player himself.  And in 1977 he thought Reggie Jackson had not "hustled" enough on a ball hit to him out in right field.

     Even though Reggie Jackson fought with his manager the Yankees ended up being the world champions in 1977.  They beat the Dodgers in the "World Series" that year.  Mr. Steve told us the Dodgers  had a really good team too during the 1970's.  I smell a Field Mouse.

                 

                                                    STEVE GARVEY, REGGIE SMITH,

                                                          DUSTY BAKER, RON CEY

     During the 1977 season the Dodgers became the first team in history to have four players hit over thirty home runs our boss says.  But the Yankees beat them four games to two in the World Series so Dodger fans were disappointed.  I see the Mouse near that dead Joshua tree.  

     In 1977 Mr. Steve's family had season seats so went to World Series games.  He told us Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in one game! That's the type of thing you never think someone could do; unless it was Babe Ruth of course.  But Reggie Jackson did do it Mr. Steve says.

                                                                                                     REGGIE JACKSON                                                          

     Because my boss is a lifelong fan of the Kansas City and later Oakland "Athletics" baseball team he had followed Reggie Jackson before 1977.  Before that season Reggie Jackson had gone from the "A's" to the Yankees as what's called a "Free Agent."  A Sparrow is singing.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and myself that it was kind of weird to see Reggie Jackson in any other uniform than the A's.  And he says, the Yankees have really boring uniforms compared to the very colorful uniforms that Oakland wore in the 1970's.  I smell that Mouse again.

     Again today Daisy and I haven't had any snacks!  And it's already past midday.  I was just thinking about the Hot Dogs sold at Baseball games.  Mr. Steve thinks that, because you're what they call a "captive audience" you have to pay more for things to eat and drink.

     Our boss has told us that he really enjoys the atmosphere at a Major League Baseball game. Even though you can buy the same Hot Dogs at the store he says, for some reason the ones you buy at a game seem to taste better.  Boy, that makes me kind of hungry.

                            REGGIE JACKSON

     Daisy says our boss told her and Millie that in 1972, when he was in the 11th Grade at Sylmar Hifh, ,Reggie Jackson "popularized" wearing "facial hair" in professional Baseball.  He came to Spring Training with a beard.  Two of the Pigeons are flying bye overhead. 

     Some didn't like it when that guy Reggie Jackson showed up at Spring Training with a beard but he didn't care.  Dais says from what Mr. Steve told her Reggie Jackson always had a "mind of his own" as they say.   Our boss is kind of like that and so am I Daisy thinks. 

     Hey God!  As You know, Mr. Steve told Daisy that sometimes not doing things the way most others are doing is good.  But there are other times he says when that way of thinking turns into complete disaster.  I sure hope that You're guiding me during these three days.

      From what our boss told Daisy and Millie, it was always "Tradition" that Baseball players be what they call "Clean-Shaven."  The only exception for almost a century was a Philadelphia A's catcher named Wally Schang who, in 1914, wore a mustache.  I smell Sage plant.

     Mr. Steve one time told Dais and Millie about how, during the 1930's Great Depression, there was this one Jewish Baseball team called the "House of David."   As a gimmick they wore beards and long hair as they "Barnstormed" around the country "eking out a living."   

     

     Daisy says one time our boss told her and Millie about that Jewish House of David team.  To make some money for their "Commune" back in Michigan, they went from city to city playing local teams.  That's what Barnstorming means.  I hear Dawn barking next door. 

     In 1985 Mr. Steve visited a "Kibbutz" in Israel.  My Dictionary says "Barnstorm" means "to tour."  Daisy says our boss told her the House of David team once offered that guy "Babe" Ruth a job but he turned them down joking; "It gets hot under them whiskers." 

 

BABE RUTH

     Dais says our boss told her and Millie about how one time that guy Babe Ruth once wore this fake beard for a joke.  He used to dress up as Santa Claus for Christmas.  I wish I could go back in time to see Babe Ruth.  Mr. Steve says he really liked being around kids.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and I one time that it's said that the New York Yankees started wearing vertical "pin stripes" on their home uniforms in order to make Babe Ruth looker thinner.  Babe Ruth is like Daisy and myself I guess.  He liked food.  I hear Pigeons cooing. 

     From what our boss told us Babe Ruth was one of the best Baseball players ever; even though he never "faced" or played against Black players like Satchel Page or Jackie Robinson.  But he did play at a time, the 1920's and 1930's, when the "competition was fierce."   

     When I was putting my outlines together Daisy told me our boss thinks what "sets Babe Ruth apart" from everyone else in the history Baseball is that, not only was he one of the best hitters of all time; for the first five years of his career he was a really "great" Pitcher.

 

 "BABE" RUTH (1895-1948)

     According to what Mr. Steve told Daisy, for the first five years of his "Big League" career that guy Babe Ruth pitched for the Boston Red Sox; to this day the New York Yankees biggest rival.  But then the Red Sox made the worst deal in history by letting him go to New York. 

    Daisy says that for many years Babe Ruth's 714 career home runs was the record.  But now two players have have passed him; Hank Aaron in the 1970's and Barry Bonds a few years ago.  Both are great hitters.  Daisy told me Hank Aaron is with Babe Ruth in the Hall of Fame.

      Hey God!  As You know, our boss told Daisy and Millie Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds were both really incredible hitters.  In 1971 on Mr. Steve's trip to Atlanta with his dad, as I mentioned earlier today, You graced him by letting him see Hank Aaron hit a Home Run. 

     Daisy told me that Mr. Steve has also seen that guy Barry Bonds hit three Home Runs; two as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and one when he was on the San Francisco Giants.  All were at Dodger Stadium.  I'm going to write about these things called "Steroids" later.

     Daisy says our boss once told her and Millie that he has a biography of a man named Walter Johnson, who was one the greatest Baseball Pitchers of all time.  In this Encyclopedia it says his family were Swedish.  They lived here in "Orange County" when he was a teenager. 

     I guess Walter Johnson threw right-handed and what they call "Side Arm." Dais was right.  It says right here that Walter Johnson holds records for what they call "Strikeouts" and his 110 "Shutouts" is still the all-time record.  That means the other team didn't score. 

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that Walter Johnson threw really fast.  His nickname was "Big Train." He had only  two pitches, "Fastball" and "Curve" but that's all he needed our boss says.  Mr. Steve saw this guy named Sandy Koufax pitch and he had only two pitches.

     In the era when Walter Johnson was playing they didn't have a way of measuring the speed of pitches our boss says.  But he read that Walter Johnson probably threw in the mid-90's miles per hour.  For those days that was really fast.   It says here he won 417 games.

   

WALTER JOHNSON (1887-1946)

     Dais says our boss told her Walter Johnson pitched against players like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner.  He was known for being friendly whereas Ty Cobb was kind of mean.  Ty Cobb used to call Walter Johnson a "Hayseed."  Dais and I have wondered what that means? 

     It says here in this Encyclopedia that this one time at Fullerton High School Walter Johnson  struck out all 27 batters he faced.  That's hard to do Daisy says our boss told her.  I guess Walter Johnson played for over twenty years for this team called the "Washington Senators." 

     Wow!  Walter Johnson sure was on a lot of losing teams!  And yet twice he won thirty games in one season.  Mr. Steve says that's hard to do.  And what's even more impressive he told Daisy and Millie; his record in 1-0 games was 38 and 21.  Mr. Steve told us about Steve Carlton.

 

                                                                 STEVE CARLTON

      In 1972 this guy named Steve Carlton had one of the best seasons a Pitcher ever had.  At least that's what Mr. Steve thinks.  In 1972 Steve  Carlton's Philadelphia Phillies were terrible.  Our boss saw them play the Dodgers that year.  And he saw Steve Carlton pitch.

     The Phillies record in 1972 was 59 wins and 97 losses.  Steve Carlton's record was 27 wins and six losses.  That means he won 46% of his team's wins.  His "Earned Run Average" or "E.R.A." was 1.97.  Mr. Steve told us that his "Slider" pitch was almost "unhittable" that year.   

     In the late 1980's there was a "Tack" business over in San Fernando called "Carlton's Feed." Tack means the food for Horses and things like that.  I see Libby over there in her corral.  She's walking around.  Dais is right. Watching her makes us feel good.  We like our lives.  

     Mr. Steve worked as an "Outside Salesman" for a company called "Pace" in the late 1980's. His job was to "Sign Up" business's to be "Members."  One business he signed up was Carlton Feed.  Jack the Jackrabbit just ran bye; zig-zagging quickly from side to side.

    Pace is now called "Sam's Club;" which is what they call a "Subsidiary" of the big "Parent Company" called "Wallmart."  Over in Texas Mr. Steve's Nephew Jacob works for this other company called "Costco" which is sort of like Sam's Club.  I hear Birds chirping.   

     Daisy says our boss used to "go over" the "One Day Passes" at the end of each work day and one time saw one filled out by a girl named Bonnie Carlton.  She was the owner of Carlton Feed  so he called her up and made an "Appointment" to sign her up to be a member of Pace.

     It turned out Bonnie Carlton was Steve Carlton's Cousin.  Mr. Steve told her about the game he saw Steve Carlton pitch in 1972.  She said she knew how good he was when they were growing up in Florida but she hadn't even seen him in many years.  I smell a Cholla cactus. 

    This is kind of interesting.  According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, in 1924 that guy Walter Johnson pitched in his eighteenth year.  And finally after all of those years his team the Washington Senators made it into the World Series against the New York Giants.

     I guess because the Senators were playing in the World Series Walter Johnson got to meet the President.  At that time it was Calvin Coolidge.  There's a picture of them shaking hands here in this Encyclopedia.  There are a lot of Birds flying around out in the eastern desert.

                                                         .                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                          PRESIDENT COOLIDGE / WALTER JOHNSON

     Well, Mr. was right.  He told Daisy and Millie that he read that when Walter Johnson met President Calvin Coolidge they "hardly said a word" as they say.  It says here that both of them were really "understated" men who "barely said anything not necessary to say."

     From what our boss told Daisy and Millie, sometimes in what they call a "Non-Competetive" situation Walter Johnson "let up" so hitters who needed help could get a hit.  This really got that guy Ty Cobb mad because Walter Johnson always pitched hard against him.

                                                                                  

                                                                                              "TY" COBB (1886-1961)

   

      Well, now I know what Daisy was talking about.  She said our boss told her and Millie one time how the Detroit "Tigers" Baseball team, who Ty Cobb mainly played for, had two different "Old English" D's.  And Mr. Steve has drawn both of them at one time or another.

       I feel like writing about Ty Cobb.  Dais thinks if Mr. Steve could go back in time he'd go see that guy Ty Cobb play Baseball at the "Turn of the Century." Because our boss was the "Lead Off" hitter when he played in Little League he likes what's called  "Small Ball."  

      When Ty Cobb played a lead off hitter "coaxed" a "Walk" or "beat out" a "Single."  Then the next hitter "moved him over so he could get into "scoring position."  Sometimes the lead off hitter had to "steal" a second base if the second place hitter couldn't "get him over."

     A little bit later in this second book I'm scheduled to write about Mr. Steve's all-time favorite player named Bert Campaneris.  I'm tempted to do it now but I better wait.  Bert Campaneris and Ty Cobb would have liked talking to each other our boss told Daisy and Millie.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that, with the runner on second base, with one "Out," if the third place hitter can hit it to the right side of the field he can then move the runner to third base even if he "gives himself up" in making an out.  I hear our neighbor's Ducks quacking. 

     In every "Inning" of a Baseball game you have to get three of the other sides "Batters" out in order to end the inning.  Major League games have nine innings.  One inning is when both sides have batted.  Mr. Steve likes that Baseball, like Chess, has no "Clock." 

     According to what our boss told Daisy, in Baseball once a runner is on third base with only one out then even a long fly ball that makes the second out can "Score" a "Run" because the runner on third can "Tag Up" and "beat the throw" to the "Plate."  

      Mr. Steve as a batter, from the left or right side, has always been a pretty good what they call "Bunter."  Dais told me that means, instead of trying to hit the ball hard you "Square around" and just let the ball hit the bat and drop the ball softly in front of you.

     Daisy told me that sometimes a batter bunts in order to "sacrifice" or "give themselves up" in making an easy out; but moving another runner into scoring position.  From there anything might happen in scoring a run.  I smell a Lizard somewhere close bye. 

     Mr. Steve, when batting left-handed, was also good at doing what's called a "drag" bunt.  In "laying down" a drag bunt you hope to surprise the opponents who are on defense and "beat out" a base hit.  Ah!  I just noticed the Lizard standing on a rock under the big tree.   

     According to my book two outline the next thing I want to write about is how that guy Babe Ruth "saved" Baseball in the 1920's.  This was necessary for him to do mainly because of what happened in the World Series in 1919.  A Crow is cawing out in the eastern desert. 

     In 1919, the year after the First World War ended, some of the players on this team called the Chicago "White Sox" took money to lose or "fix"the World Series.  This was so rich gamblers could make money by betting on the other team.  That Lizard ran under the rock.

     Daisy says one time our boss told her and Millie about how, in 1919, the White Sox owner was really cheap.  So, some of his players were willing to "throw" the World Series.  According to my Encyclopedia this has now become known as the "Black Sox" scandal.    

 

                                                        1919 CHICAGO "BLACK SOX"

 

      There's a good picture of the 1919 White Sox in my Encyclopedia.  It shows circles around the eight players who got caught purposely losing the World Series.  They were all kicked out of Baseball after that.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny are flying bye right now. 

     I guess, after what happened in 1919 many fans didn't want to go to the Major League games anymore and "attendance" fell off.  This really scared the owners of the teams.  Until that point the Home Run wasn't nearly a important Dais told me.  I smell a Field Mouse. 

     Babe Ruth was one of the best left-handed Pitchers in Baseball for the first few years of his career.  He was on the Boston Red Sox then.  Later this afternoon I'm going to write about this thing called the "Curse of the Bambino." I can hear Dawn and Blinky barking.  

     When Babe Ruth was traded to the New York Yankees he was switched from being a Pitcher to an "every day" Right Fielder.  This was mainly because he was such a good hitter.  And he hit with power.  It says here he "ushered in" the era of the Home Run.  I see the Mouse. 

     Ty Cobb represented the period before the Black Sox scandal; when Small Ball was the way Baseball was played.  This was when Baseball was a lot like the game of Chess where tactics were important.  But to a certain extent that time was replaced in the 1920's. 

     Daisy says that Mr. Steve believes that in the entertainment business things can change really fast.  In 1991 he and his girlfriend Harriet saw how the Heavy Metal "Hair Bands of the 1980's were seemingly eclipsed almost overnight by the Grunge bands from Seattle. 

 

      Babe Ruth now symbolizes the new time when Home Runs were more entertaining.  And the fans came back because of what he did.  Daisy says our boss thinks power is more entertaining to people who don't really know a lot about Baseball.  That one Mouse is gone.

     Daisy says one time Mr. Steve told her and Millie that when Babe Ruth became really famous in the "Roaring" 1920's one thing that helped him was the widespread ownership of Radios.  Up until then you could only read about things but now you could hear them.

     In the 1930's over there in Germany Adolph Hitler would also take advantage of the fact that most people had Radios.  I'll write more about that later when I discuss this man named Joseph   Goebbels.  But Babe Ruth was lucky he hit Home Runs people "experienced."                                

   Well, I kind of wrote more about the Black Sox scandal than I'd planned on doing.  But that's okay.  I learned some new things and it fit in here.  But now it's back to Ty Cobb.  He was elected or what they call "Inducted" into the Hall of Fame because of his great career.                               

     A little bit later today I'm going to write about the history of the A's Franchise.  In 1968 they moved from Kansas City to the San Francisco Bay; or the city of Oakland.  But at the time of Ty Cobb they were called the "Philadelphia" Athletics.  I can hear some Birds chirping.                                s.jpg” width=”154″ />                                               TY COBB (SECOND FROM LEFT) PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS (1921)

  

      The reason why I mentioned the A's right now is because there's this picture from 1921 in my Encyclopedia.  It shows Ty Cobb as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics.  So, instead of an Old English D on his chest there's now an Old English A.  I smell a Creosote bush. 

     Daisy says Mr. Steve told her and Millie that many people think the only team Ty Cobb ever played for was the Detroit Tigers.  They don't realize he spent the last two seasons of his career as a member of the A's.  Reading about Ty Cobb makes me feel like running.  

     From what it says here, Ty Cobb set many "Records" and I guess some of them have to this day never been broken.  Mr. Steve told Daisy for most of the 20th century Ty Cobb was the "all time" career hits leader.  But he was often not a very nice person Dais says.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that the Hall of Fame building is actually located in this one city called "Cooperstown."  This is in an area they call "Up State" New York.  For a few years our boss had a customer in a town which was near Cooperstown.  I smell Sage. 

     Over the years Mr. Steve and the various Parts and Service Managers he dealt with used to talk about the Hall of Fame.  One of the Parts Managers knew a lot about Ty Cobb.  He said Ty Cobb had a good "Section" inside of that famous Hall of Fame building.    

    Our boss told Daisy and Millie Ty Cobb played as if he were angry all the time. He supposedly sharpened the spikes on the bottom of shoes in order to cut his opponents when he slid hard into a base.  Baseball shoes are called "Cleats."  Mr. Steve has a pair of cleats Daisy says. 

         

      Oh wow!  A picture in this Encyclopedia shows Ty Cobb, who was originally from the State of Georgia, sliding hard into home plate.  And the Catcher is trying to block him from scoring. Mr. Steve says to some people Ty Cobb now represents American toughness. 

     Well, I can see by my outline that I still have a little bit more to write about the early years of Baseball; especially that guy Babe Ruth.  I sure hope when Mr. Steve eventually reads what I've written today on some of the history of the Major Leagues he likes it.  

     Boy You Guys, this day is going so fast just like yesterday.  And for the second day in a row Mr. Steve has not given us any snacks.  I'll bet Dais is getting sort of hungry.  I know I sure am but I still have so much more work to do today.  A Jackrabbit just ran bye.

     I really feel like  chasing that Jackrabbit but I better not.  I have too much work to do.  I can always chase things day after tomorrow when I'm finished with my three books.  Dais says if she could go back in time to see one Baseball player it would be that guy Babe Ruth.   

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie Walter Johnson said in all of twenty one years pitching in the Big Leagues Babe Ruth hit the longest home runs off of him.  He joked when Babe Ruth hit the ball it "got smaller quicker."  Dais says Babe Ruth was very powerful!

      Our boss told Daisy and Millie that he read when Babe Ruth hit a ball "squarely" the sound was unlike the sound anyone else made; like a "cannon blast" one writer said.  Babe Ruth's forty ounce bat was heavy.  Many bats weigh about thirty two ounces Mr. Steve says.   

      When he was young Babe Ruth "acted up" as they say so was put by his parents in what they call a Reform School" that was "run" by the Catholic Church.  The "Disciplinarian" was named "Brother" Mathias.  Mr. Steve has known a number of Priests over the years. 

      Babe Ruth, whose real name was "George Herman" Ruth, was really impressed at how hard that guy Brother Mathias could hit a Baseball.  So he wanted to do that too.  I guess a Brother in the Catholic Church is not a full Priest but has to be a good example like one.

       I didn't intend to write so much abut Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb but I'm kind of glad that I did because I learned some new things.  And Dais is right.  Once I learn something I won't forget it.  Thank You God for giving me such a good memory.  I hear Pigeons cooing.

    

                                                                                                        (Chapter 8)

 

        As I'm starting to write chapter eight I glanced up and noticed the same Thrasher Bird I saw this morning.  It must really like that one Creosote bush; the one near the back fence just beyond the three Sheds.   It's standing again in that bush.  There must be food there.     

    Well You Guys, five more chapters to go today.  Just like yesterday when I wrote book one, the time is going so fast.  And also like yesterday, it doesn't seem like there will be enough sunlight to finish this second book.  But again today I'll just trust You Guys to guide me.

      I started writing about Babe Ruth because of the topic of hair styles and things like that. And now I 'll finish discussing that subject.  Daisy has told me that over the years Mr. Steve has had periods of time where he wore long hair and facial hair.  A Squirrel just ran bye.

      Mr. Steve went to parochial school from first through tenth grade and in that type of school they have what's called a "Dress Code."   In Elementary School at Saint Ferdinands everyone wore uniforms and there was definitely no long hair allowed for boys.  I smell Sage.

     Daisy says our boss normally doesn't care for "Socialism" like at Llano del Rio.  But he now thinks it was a good idea for the students to have worn uniforms at Saint Ferdinands.  That way no one looked better than anyone else.  The rich and poor kids looked the same.

     From what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, when he was attending Saint Ferdinands in the 1960's most things were more "Conservative" in many ways.  What they call "traditional family values" were more important back then.  I can hear Dawn barking faintly.

     From what Dais told me our boss said in the late 1960's and early 1970's hair styles changed.  The Beatles and other bands wore longer hair and so did the Hippies.  Mr. Steve noticed how his favorite bands like the KINKS or the TURTLES wore their hair long.

     Our boss thinks it's normal for every generation to rebel against their parents and what they call "authority."   And hair styles are one of the easier more obvious ways for young people to rebel against the "status quo."  Daisy has long hair and fur!  I smell Sage.

 

                                                                   BLACK SABBATH

 

       Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie one time that back in the 12th Grade when he was at Sylmar High, he had long hair and a beard.  Some people joked he looked like this guy named "Geezer" Butler; the bass player for a British band called BLACK SABBATH. 

       Later today in chapter ten I'll write in more detail about BLACK SABATH; especially their guitar player Tony Iommi who lost the tips of his fingers.  Dais says our boss has an old "Prom" picture taken with a girl named Peggy.  Daisy says he looked way different then.

                                         

                 MR. STEVE / PEGGY                               SAMANTHA / MISS PEGGY

 

    Mr. Steve didn't go to his own Prom but did take his girlfriend Sandy to hers; and also that girl Peggy to hers.  Miss Peggy is now the Principal at the Lutheran School where our boss's Nniece Samantha graduated from.  His other Niece Cristina still goes there. 

     In 1970, two years before Reggie Jackson showed up at Spring Training with the A's wearing a beard, a player named Dick "Richie" Allen wore a mustache and long sideburns.  At that time he was on the Chicago White Sox, who wore red instead of black that year.

                 

DICK "RICHIE" ALLEN

      In 1970 Richie Allen wore a mustache and long sideburns.  Mr. Steve one time told Dais that was two years before Reggie Jackson showed up at the A's Spring Training with a beard.  Rudy the Roadrunner just jogged bye.  And he just darted under Manny the Shed.

     Long hair and beards in the early 1970's "reflected" changes in society our boss says.  Richie Allen was such a great hitter the White Sox even let him smoke cigarettes in the Dugout back in those days.  Dais says you never see a player smoking in the Dugout now.

     In the 1970's some black people started wearing "Afro" hairstyles.  When Mr. Steve switched from Alemany High School over to Sylmar High it was the first time he ever saw an Afro.  He     thinks the first Major League player to wear it that way was Cleveland's Oscar Gamble.                                                                                        OSCAR GAMBLE

    Oh my God!  "Just for the heck of it" as they say, I looked up that guy Oscar Gamble in my Encyclopedia.  This picture of him when he was on the Cleveland Indians is unbelievable.  He       can barely even fit a hat on his head because his hair is sticking out all over the place.                    

From first through eighth grade at Saint Ferdinands our boss says it was "pretty much" the same classmates.  And for all of that time the only black kid was named John.  He was tall and     was a good athlete.  Daisy says our boss told her John also went to Alemany.                                   

     Even when Mr. Steve and his Saint Ferdinands classmates went to Alemany High School for ninth grade they saw few "African-Americans."  Things were more "Segregated" in the early 1970's he told us.  It was at Sylmar High where he met more black people.  

     Daisy says one time our boss told her and Millie that the term "Sideburns" originated from the way this one Civil War General named Ambrose Burnside wore his beard.  There's a picture of Ambrose Burnside here in this Encyclopedia.  He does have an usual style of beard.

     As I wrote in chapter one this morning, the Civil War broke out in 1861.  And once Robert E. Lee took over command of the Army of Northern Virginia he beat five different Union Generals in battle.  Ambrose Burnside was one of them.  Fannie and Freddie are flying bye.

     My Encyclopedia says General Lee "trounced" Ambrose Burnside in December of 1862 at the Battle of Fredericksburg.  Dais says our boss thinks Ambrose Burnside was not a good General. But then again she says, he was up against one of the best Generals of all time.

                                                   AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE (1824-1881)

     At Fredericksburg General Burnside kept sending soldiers charging up a hill against Robert E. Lee's "well entrenched" troops.  This one famous unit called the "Irish Brigade" started with 1600 men but only 256 survived the day.  They were slaughtered on that hill!

     Mr. Steve noticed that Ambrose Burnside shares a birthday with his brother Sam who lives in Littlerock.  Both were born on May 23.  In our family there are a lot of people born in May.  And I think I might've been born in May too.  I wish I could go back in time to find out.

               

                          IRISH BRIGADE                                                   ROBERT E. LEE

                                            BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG (1862)

     Our boss says Robert E. Lee, watching the carnage from "Marys Heights" said; "It is well that war is so terrible or we should grow too fond of it."  Mr. Steve said from what he's read of Robert E. Lee he seemed like a flawed but basically decent person.  I smell Sage.

     One time, after the Civil War ended in 1865, Robert E. Lee's family attended Mass. A black man walked up and knelt at the rail to take "Communion." No one wanted to kneel next to him until Robert E. Lee walked up and knelt beside him.  Then everyone took Communion.  

     Mr. Steve sells things to an auto dealership in Fredericksburg.  He's discussed the big battle that took place there with the "Parts Manager" who he deals with.  And they've talked about the way men wore their hair and beards way back then in the 19th century.  

     Our boss jokes "what hair I have left" is getting longer because he's been lazy about it and all of his life he's gotten his hair cut by a barber named Joe down in San Fernando.  But Joe's older now and is sometimes out sick; like now.  Joe's the same age as Mr. Steve's parents.

     Mr. Steve says he looks forward to a day when he drives past Mr. Joe's Barber Shop and sees a sign in the window which says "Open."  That will mean that Joe's back.  Oh wow!  I just now  noticed that way up high in the sky the four Pigeons are flying bye; going east. 

     Mr. Steve thinks he's ugly now; especially with such long hair.  But Dais and I really like how he looks no matter what.  We'd still like him even if he goes totally bald.  Daisy's kind of old too and jokes that she's glad she doesn't have to look in one of those mirrors every day.

     One time Mr. Steve and his friend Rick went to Pasadena, near where Jackie Robinson grew up, and met Richie Allen at this place called "Brookside Park;" near the Rose Bowl where Mr. Steve went to U.C.L.A. Football games with Emily.  Richie Allen was friendly he says.

     Mr. Steve told us Richie Allen, like Reggie Jackson later, got away with having facial hair because he was such a good hitter.  In fact, the White Sox even let him take his Batting Practice only when he felt like it!  This is very unusual our boss says.  A Train just whistled faintly.

     Like Babe Ruth, Richie Allen used a really heavy bat Mr. Steve says.  Because he had such strong but quick wrists he could "get away with it."  In Pasadena that day Mr. Steve and Rick were surprised Richie Allen was not as big as he looked on tv.   I smell a Joshua tree. 

REGGIE JACKSON

     But it was Reggie Jackson our boss told Daisy and I, who "popularized" facial hair in 1972. The "traditionalists" got upset but Reggie Jackson didn't care what anyone said.  An then, after that, more Major League players began wearing long hair too.  I hear Birds chirping.

     According to my outline the last thing in this seventh chapter that I want to write about on the subject of hair styles is how female humans wear their hair.  Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that he thinks females, because they've always worn long hair, change fashions more.

                                       

                          JAYNE MANSFIELD                                                           ELIZABETH TAYLOR                                                                        

 

       Daisy says our boss thinks that women's hair styles can change from one year to the next.  I  wrote down from memory in my outline that in 1955, the year Mr. Steve was born, many women like this girl Jayne Mansfield wore their hair with what they called "Barrel Curls."

     Just two years later in 1957, the year Mr. Steve's brother Rock was born, this famous Actress named Elizabeth Taylor wore her hair with "Soft Full Curls."  In book three I'm scheduled to write more about Elizabeth Taylor when I discuss a girl Pharaoh named "Cleopatra."  

       Wow!  I can't believe how fast this second day is going.  I'm already done with seven of the twelve chapters.  Oh!  I hear a Motorcycle going bye out on Primavera Road.  Whoever's riding that Motorcycle is going really fast.  I just love living here.  Thank Everyone.

Boy, I'm getting kind of  hungry.  I guess there won't be any snacks for Dais and I again today.  That's okay.  But I can't wait for dinner.  I feel so great right now!  Oh!  Rudy the Roadrunner is jogging bye right now.  Now he just stopped and is looking right at me.   

     I feel like chasing Rudy but I better not.  I'm sure Rudy is ready for me to run out there and chase him.  In fact, now he's bending his head to the side and giving me a quizzical look.  Well, Rudy just jogged away and is headed around the northeast corner of the house. 

     Wow!  I can't believe that I've already finished seven of the twelve chapters in this second book.  I'd say it's about two thirty judging by the position of the Sun up in the sky.  Five more chapters to go today.  Thank You Everyone!   There's a  Quail over there.

(Chapter 8)

       

         It's unusual to see only one Quail all by itself.  But Daisy thinks that sometimes the leaders of the group will send out scouts to try to find food.  It's kind of the way Ants do she says.  If that Quail finds something it will run back and get the other Quail in its group.

        Dais is probably in the Garage right now laying on her orange Tiger blanket; in her area next to the Refrigerator in front of the Utility Room door.  And if I know her she's also wondering if we'll get any snacks today.  That Quail just waddled out into the eastern desert.

     I'm getting good at hiding or "stashing" my materials under the cushions and blankets on this couch.  Even if our boss were to suddenly appear I can hide things fast.  Boy, our neighbors Duck are sure quacking really loud over there.  I wonder what Duck tastes like? 

     According to my outline I still have more to write about our boss's 1977  trip back east.  Mr. Steve and his brother Rock were driving across the State of Pennsylvania toward this one town called "Gettysburg" when the radio announced that the singer Elvis Presley had died.   

     "Elvis" dying was big news and everyone talked about it for a few days.  Elvis was just as big as the Beatles when he first came up in the 1950's.  Jack the Jackrabbit just ran bye Manny the far right small Shed and is now going out into the eastern desert behind the three Sheds.     

     Mr. Steve has a friend named Richard.  He thinks that Elvis's original guitar player named Scotty Moore was very important in the 1950's.  He helped create a style of music that was called "Rockabilly."   Three little brown Birds just landed on Moe the middle Shed.  

                                                                             SCOTTY MOORE / ELVIS PRESLEY

                               

       Mr. Steve's friend Richard believes that, other than Chuck Berry, Scotty Moore was the most important person in making the electric guitar the main instrument in what came to be called "Rock 'n' Roll."  Those three Birds on Moe all just flew off into the eastern desert.

     From what that guy Mr. Richard says, Scotty Moore's guitar playing in the 1950's influenced later guitar players like Keith Richards of the ROLLING STONES.  And the BEATLES George Harrison studied Scotty Moore too.  I see Libby the Horse over there in her corral. 

     Mr. Steve thinks it can be argued that even some of the 1970's "Punk" bands like X and the CLASH were influenced by that guy Scotty Moore.  In book three tomorrow I'm scheduled to write about Punk music from the 1970's.  I smell a Rabbit somewhere around here.

     Mr. Richard heard Scotty Moore's influence in many of the 1960's British bands; including LED ZEPPELIN'S Jimmy Page too.  And once that was pointed out to him Mr. Steve listened more closely and decided his friend Richard had been right.  I smell Sage. 

       I guess Elvis's original band were what they call "Middle of the Road" musicians who mainly played "Country" and "Western" songs.  But in 1954, the year before Mr. Steve was born, they played behind Elvis on the song "That's All Right."  The Bunny Rabbit is under Moe.

     Mr. Steve thinks Elvis' song That's All Right was important.  My Encyclopedia says it was a new "hard-driving" and "innovative" form of "R & B" music influenced by the "Blues" Scotty Moore was listening to at that point in time.  R & B means "Rhythm and Blues."    

                                                                               ELVIS PRESLEY (1935-1977)

      This is interesting.  This one Encyclopedia says that Elvis Presley was born in the same year as Mr. Steve's mother.  But she's still healthy while our boss told us that Elvis was "not in good shape" when he died back in 1977.  That one Bunny Rabbit just hopped away. 

      During the mid-1950's Elvis and his band played Rockabilly; which is now considered to be one of the earliest forms of Rock and Roll.  They and others were what they call "Pioneers" in that area.  Ah!  A nice cool breeze just came in from out there in the eastern desest.

      Daisy says our boss told her that back in the early 1980's there were some local Los Angeles bands who played Rockabilly concerts at the Nightclubs in Los Angeles.  Mr. Steve went to a few of those shows.  I just picked up the faint scent of one of the new Cholla cactus.   

      One "Roots Rock" band from the early 1980's was called JIMMY AND THE MUSTANGS.  One of the styles of music they played was Rockabilly.  Robert Plant, LED ZEPPELIN'S singer, and that guy Bruce Springsteen liked their music.  Another band was the BLASTERS.

                                                                                                     

                                                                             DAVE ALVIN (THE BLASTERS)

                                                                PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

   

      Daisy says our boss likes that band the

       Mr. Steve likes most Rockabilly music.  Dais says one time she and Millie listened to this band called the STRAY CATS in our boss's Bedroom.  Millie noticed that their drummer stands up in playing only one drum.  Daisy told me that single drum is what's called a "Snare." 

                                                                                                    THE STRAY CATS

        Daisy told me that our boss says The STRAY CATS were originally from New York City but in the mid-1970's went over to England where they blended Punk music with Rockabilly.  At first they were called the TOM CATS she says.  Daisy says Millie liked their music.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie the STRAY CATS were influenced by 1950's Rockabilly music recorded at a famous studio called "Sun Records."  My Encyclopedia says Sun Records was run by a man named Sam Phillips in "Memphis;" a city in the State of "Tennessee." 

SAM PHILLIPS / SUN RECORDS

          According to what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, Elvis, who was from Mississippi, in the early 1950's went to Sun studios to start recording music.  Some Rockabilly musicians like Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent made records there too.

Daisy says in his bedroom our boss has a collection of music.  Some are these things called "Cassettes" or "Compact Discs."  But he has a lot of vinyl records too she says.  He has records    by Elvis and also some of the other Sun Records musicians from the 1950's.                                     

                          JERRY LEE LEWIS, CARL PERKINS, ELVIS, JOHNNY CASH

  

       There's a good picture in this Encyclopedia that shows some of the musicians who recorded music at Sun Records besides Elvis.  Under that old photo it says these are some of the musicians who were "discovered" by Sam Phillips.  Ah!  I can smell a Lizard around here. 

     This is interesting.  I'll bet Mr. Steve knows this.  In 1956, the year after he was born, Sam Phillips sold that guy Elvis's contract for $35,000 dollars to this bigger company called RCA."   Some people think he made a huge mistake.  Boy!  I'd love to have $35,000!  

      According to this Encyclopedia it was after 1956 that Elvis had his biggest hits and later he even made some movies too.  Dais told me that our boss used to watch some of Elvis's movies at his Grandparents house.  Grandma Trujillo liked Elvis.  I see the Lizard.

      Oh!  My boss might be interested in this.  It says here that guy Sam Phillips ran a "virtual one man operation" at Sun Records and in 1956 was "struggling financially."  From what it says here Sam Phillips "simply wasn't able to keep up with the demands of a hit record."

     Daisy told me Mr. Steve said some think Sam Phillips deserves credit for "inventing" Rock and Roll.  And  I guess "Rock 'n' Roll" was a blend of Folk, Country and Bluegrass with what they call "Rhythm and Blues"our boss says.  That Lizard just ran away. 

      Well, Mr. Steve was right.  He told Daisy and Millie that some people say Rock 'n' Roll was "born" at Sun Records back in the 1950's.  I'll bet he knows this.  It says here that in 1951, when Mr. Steve's father was fighting in the Korean War, a song called "Rocket 88" came out.

      I guess some people consider that song Rocket 88 to be the first Rock 'n' Roll song.  A Rocket 88 is a Car called an "Oldsmobile."  The song was recorded at Sun Records and that guy Sam Phillips "Produced" it.  Dais says Mr. Steve has drawn the Oldsmobile logos. 

     This interesting.  I wonder if our boss knows this?  My Encyclopedia says Rocket 88 was at first "credited" to the band JACKIE BRENSTON AND HIS DELTA CATS.  But it was actually done by this other group called IKE TURNER AND THE RHYTHM KINGS.  

     Daisy says our boss once saw an interview with that guy Ike Turner who said Rock 'n' Roll began with that song Rocket 88.  Some day I really want to hear Rocket 88.  Daisy told me Mr. Steve thinks it's a pretty good song.  It has a good bass in it.  I smell a Creosote bush.

                                                              KINGS OF RHYTHM

 

        A few years ago Mr. Steve met this lady who knew people who knew that guy Ike Turner.  They said he had a temper.  In the mid-1980's Mr. Steve and Harriet saw a movie about how he at times beat up his wife whose name was Tina Turner.   I can smell a Jackrabbit.

       IKE & TURNER was a good band in the late 1950's and early 1960's Mr. Steve says.  He and his High School girlfriend Sandy used to listen to those old IKE & TINA TURNER songs. nbsp; Daisy thinks Tina Turner's a good singer and dancer.  I see the Rabbit under Moe.    

                                                              IKE & TINA TURNER

        Even though she isn't on my outline I suddenly feel like writing about that girl Tina Turner. Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks she's talented; and pretty too.  Until he started being so mean to her, I guess Ike and Tina Turner were a really good musical team.  The Rabbit's gone.

      In the late 1980's Mr. Steve's girlfriend Harriet got some tickets for a Tina Turner concert at the "Greek Theater."  The Greek Theater is below the Observatory where Laser Images used to do their Laserium light show.  Both are a part of Griffith Park.  I smell a Joshua tree.   

 

      By the time of the Tina Turner concert Tina Turner was not with Ike Turner any more.  She had her own band Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie.  Our boss says during that concert he thought for some reason about the song Rocket 88.  The Dragonfly just zoomed bye.

     Mr. Steve told Daisy he and Harriet were impressed at how well Tina Turner and the other girl singer / dancers could dance in high heel shoes.  Dais told me our boss noticed what nice legs Tina Turner has.  Tina Turner was in a movie Mr. Steve liked Daisy says.   

         

                                                          "MAD MAX, BEYOND THUNDER DOME" (1985)

      Mr. Steve likes "Dystopian" and "Utopian" books or movies Daisy says.  Tina Turner was in a movie called "Mad Max, Beyond Thunder Dome."  It's about this dystopian or bad world of the future like the ones described by Aldous Huxley and later his student George Orwell.  

     Dais and Millie saw Beyond Thunder Dome and Daisy says it makes you appreciate living in a peaceful time.  In the movie an Australia of the future is shown.  Daisy told me a nuclear war or something like that has happened and life in Australia is totally changed.

     The lives of the surviving Australian people in Beyond Thunder Dome has been turned into a brutal struggle for survival.  Daisy told me Millie liked how a lot of the people in that movie had "Punk" style haircuts.  Even Tina Turner wore her hair in kind of an unusual way. 

     That Actor named Mel Gibson, who's Australian, was also in Beyond Thunder Dome.  I want to see that movie someday.  From what Dais says, in the movie Mad Max, Mel Gibson, is living in Australia when modern civilization is gone and it's "Dog eat Dog" so to speak. 

       Mad Max goes to this town called "Bartertown."  Tina Turner plays the leader of this town.  But she has to share power with a Midget named "Master."  That's what Dais told me one time. Tina Turner tells Max he can stay in the town as long as he does her a favor.

       I guess, from what Daisy says, the Midget Master sits on the shoulders of this big muscular giant who wears a helmet.  His name is "Blaster."  Master rides around on Blaster's shoulders and tells him what to do.  Together they're called by the people "Master Blaster."  

 

                                                               MASTER BLASTER

 

      That movie Beyond Thunder Dome sounds like it would be so good.  Daisy told me in it Tina Turner asks Max to challenge Master Blaster to a fight inside this giant cage which is called the "Thunder Dome."  There's no escape once you're in the Dome to fight she says.  

      Tina Turner is hoping that Mad Max can kill Master Blaster so she can then take complete control of Bartertown.  Then she can be the Dictator and do whatever she wants to do and there would be no one to oppose her.  I hear some Crows fighting out in the eastern desert. 

     Dais says Max found out that Blaster cannot stand high-pitched sounds.  So during the match he used that against him.  The bloodthirsty audience is screaming for Max to kill the giant after he takes off his helmet.  He tears off the helmet but then refuses to kill the giant.

     According to what Daisy told me, it turns out that under that helmet Blaster is only a "feeble-minded" kid.  His big helmet was supposed to disguise that on his really muscular body was the head of a boy.  Samson and Delilah are flying back in from the eastern desert.

     Daisy says it's so amazing when Blaster's face is exposed.  So Max refuses to kill Blaster.  This gets Tina Turner really angry. 

       I was going to write about this one story called "The Man in the Iron Mask" tomorrow in my third book.  But thinking about Master Blaster makes me feel like doing it now instead.  Master Blaster reminds me of that French story about what happened in the late 18th century.

     

   

          Daisy is so lucky!  She and Millie one time got to watch a movie about the man from France who had to wear an iron mask for his whole life.  From what it says here in this Encyclopedia, it happened at the very end of the 1600's when Louis XIV was the French King.

        The movie Dais saw about that prisoner who wore the iron mask was based on a book that was written in the 19th century by that guy Alexander Dumas.  I mentioned him yesterday when I wrote about his book those three Muskateers.  I can hear a Wren singing.

    

                                      ALEXANDER DUMAS (1802-1870) WITH WIFE

 

         According to what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, there are many theories about who the prisoner in the iron mask could have been.  He must've been important Mr. Steve told Daisy because usually in history a person like that would simply be killed in secret.

       I guess in Alexander Dumas' book the man in the iron mask was King Louis' twin brother; who was born two minutes before he was.  Everyone in France would know his face so he had to be hidden from the public.  I can see Fannie and Freddie flying bye right now.  

       The French title of Alexander Dumas' book was; "L'Homme au Masque de Fer."  I just used my French Dictionary to look all of those words up.  Daisy and myself, we at times like the way other languages sound.  Daisy says our boss has known people from France.

      For most of history it was really bad if your parents weren't married when you were born. In many countries it's called "Out of Wedlock" and you're called "Illegitimate."  So maybe Daisy thinks, that man in the iron mask was one of the King's children?  A Crow cawed.

       Aha!  I knew someone was looking at me.  Jack the Jackrabbit is over there under Moe the middle Shed.  I recognize his scent.  This is the third year where Dais and I have been smelling Jack.  We're pretty sure Jack is a boy because we haven't seen any baby Rabbits. 

                     LOUIS XIV (1638-1715)                                                 "VERSAILLES" PALACE

     Tomorrow in book three I'll write about Louis XIV and his famous Palace at a place outside Paris called "Versailles."  That's where the Allies negotiated the peace after World War I.  Mr. Steve's sister Susan has been to the Palace at Versailles.  It has a nice garden outside it.

      Dais and I wondered why that King Louis would order a prisoner to always wear a horrible mask made out of iron?  That would be so terrible Daisy says.  What happens if the mask heats up?  It would burn your face bad.  Jack just bolted out into the eastern desert.

                

                    "VOLTAIRE" (1694-1778)                                MARK TWAIN (0000-00000)

   Mr. Steve likes Blues music.  And I remember Daisy telling me one time about how our boss liked some of the songs by a man called "Howlin Wolf."  It says here in this Encyclopedia that he "got his start" under "Producer" Sam Phillips.  Fannie and Freddie just flew bye.         

 

                                                          HOWLIN WOLF (0000-0000)

 

     There's a good picture of that one guy Howlin Wolf in this Encyclopedia.  Daisy told me that our boss once met someone who knew Howlin Wolf; which wasn't his real name.  He said Howlin Wolf was a big man; kind of like a Football player.  I hear Blinky barking next door. 

     Boy, I kind of got off on a tangent again.  That's okay.  At least I learned new things.  But now it's back to my outline and writing about the trip Mr. Steve took in 1977 with his brother Rock.  He recalls that the weather was hot and humid on that trip.  That's what Dais says. 

       The week before Elvis died, while staying at a Hotel in Queens, our boss read that the "Son of Sam" serial killer was caught.  It was big news. My boss's father and brother are named Sam but they're nice and wouldn't kill someone unless they had to of course!

               

   When Mr. Steve and his brother were in New York City in 1977 there was a "Garbage Strike."  Piles of trash were everywhere.  It smelled bad my boss says.  It was hot and the thick humidity added to an uncomfortable atmosphere.  But a new city to explore made it not so bad.

    After the New York City garbage strike ended in 1977 our boss says the trash was loaded on these "Tugboats" and then dumped out in the Atlantic Ocean!  There were stories about trash washing up on shore as far south as the state of North Carolina!

     In 1977, while walking toward Yankee Stadium to see a game between the Yankees and the Chicago White Sox, the piles of trash and rundown "Tenements" nearby made everthing seem so old and dirty.  And the roads seemed narrow compared to California he says. 

     I just used my Dictionary to look up the word "dilapidated."  One time this customer of Mr. Steve's in Philadelphia used that word to describe parts of his city when they were discussing his 1777 trip back east.  Our house is not dilapidated Daisy told me one time.  

     Daisy said that one time our boss told her about how back in the year 1977 he and his brother Rock visited the "World Trade Centers" which ended up being blown up in 2001.  They looked down on the Empire State Building which that giant Gorilla stood on.

     Mr. Steve and his brother were taken to the World Trade Center by their Uncle Marty.  And after that he took them to see the New York "Stock Exchange."  Mr. Steve's father, in the late 1960's and early 1970's, had the first school for "Stock Brokers" in California.

     

                                                     NEW YORK "STOCK EXCHANGE"

    When his dad taught his students how to pass the test to become a Stock Broker he had a big poster on an easel set up in the front of his classroom near where he lectured.  This oversized picture was of the "chaotic" floor of the New York Stock Exchange. 

     Mr. Steve is thankful to his uncle Marty for taking him and his brother to see the New York Stock Exchange in 1977.   Looking down he remembered that poster in his father's classroom so was excited to actually get to see it "in person" as they say. 

     Another place their uncle Marty took Mr. Steve and his brother Rock to see in in 1977 were the "World Trade Centers;" or the "Twin Towers" as they were called.  Both skyscrapers were over one hundred stories tall.  Our boss was not comfortable being up so high.

     Mr. Steve says up on the one hundredth floor of the "North Tower" he kept thinking this was  too high up in the air.  You even look down on the "Empire State Building." His brother Rock  said; "I'd hate to be up here in an earthquake."  I'm afraid of heights!

                 

                                                            WORLD TRADE CENTERS

      Mr. Steve said on September 11th of 2001, these men called "Terrorists" "hijacked" and then flew big airplanes into the two World Trade Centers.  Both burned up and then fell right down to the ground.  Nearly three thousand people were killed our boss told us.

     Since 2001 the United States has been fighting a "global war" against "terrorism."  Mr. Steve knows someone who fought in Iraq and later this other place called "Afghanistan."  Our boss's nephew Jacob was for a time stationed in Iraq at this place called "Ur."

      

  

     Mr. Steve remembers the Tuesday the Twin Towers were blown up.  As usual he walked into his office at fifteen minutes until seven but on this particular morning this guy named Dennis ran up to him and kept saying over and over; "How did you know?" 

     As Mr. Steve walked over to his office others crowded around him.  That Brazilian man Eber the Bookkeeper was there and so was this girl named Susan.  Mr. Steve taught Susan how to be a salesman in the early 2000's.  I just heard a Crow caw faintly out in the eastern desert. 

     Our boss's clock radio goes off at fifteen minutes until five so he already knew that two planes had flown into both buildings.  And within minutes of him getting to work the South Tower, even thought  it was the second hit, collapsed.  They watched it on tv.  

     Even before "9/11" our boss and Dennis had talked about how New York City symbolized two things; "Liberalism" and "Capitalism."  That's why our enemies want to destroy it so much Mr. Steve said.  He told Dennis about a man named Osama bin Ladin and "Al-Qaeda."

OSAMA BIN LADEN (1957-2011)

 

     Even before 9/11 Mr. Steve had told that guy Dennis that you didn't have to be a prophet like Nostradamus to predict that terrorists would attack New York City.  Al-Qaeda had already tried to blow up the World Trade Center buildings in 1993 but failed he said.

      I just looked up the word "clairvoyant."  Our boss used that word one time.  I guessed right on the correct spelling.  That makes me feel so good because once I learn something I almost always remember it.  I really like learning new things.  I'm so very lucky! 

 

      Wow!  I finished that last chapter pretty fast.  I can't believe that it's already about two in the afternoon.  I've gotten a lot done in the last two days and seem to be on schedule.  This is so great to have a project like this to work on.  Thank You Everyone up there!

     Oh darn!  I just noticed that, according to my outline, I forgot to write a few things about New York City in chapter seven.  Oh well, I'll just put it in here.  Looking out into the desert makes me have patience when I make mistakes.  That Monarch Butterfly just went bye.    

      Dais says one time Mr. Steve told her and Millie that he thinks that because New York City still symbolizes Liberalism and Capitalism someday it will get bombed again.  Even at the time of World War II in the 1940's New York City symbolized those two things. 

     In our boss's opinion Daisy tole me, if the Germans had succeeded in developing the "V-3" Rockets at the end of the Second World War that man Adolph Hitler would probably have tried to bomb New York City.  But luckily the war ended in 1945.  I smell a Creosote plant. 

     Our boss believes that someday either Los Angeles, Chicago or New York City will again be attacked.  It could be by another country like Russian or China; or one of the growing number of terrorist organizations from around the world.  Or it might be someone from here. 

     After the Second World War German scientists, as "spoils of war," were brought to America in Operation Paper Clip.  Some had worked on the V-1 and V-2 Rockets which bombed England in 1944.  The most famous German scientist was named Wernher von Braun. 

        

                                                                         WERNHER VON BRAUN (1912-1977)

 

   Mr. Steve jokes that it was Werner Von Braun's brain that got us to the Moon in 1969.  In this Encyclopedia it says he worked on the V-1 and V-2 Rockets during World War II and brought his knowledge to America afterward.  Dais thinks Werner von Braun must've been smart.

       To our northwest is Edwards Air Force Base.  This is one of the homes to this big organization called the "National Aeronautics and Space  Administration;" or "N.A.S.A." for short.  N.A.S.A. was the organization mainly responsible for the United States landing on the Moon.

     In 1996 Mr. Steve was working for his friend Rick.  They got a job replacing this really big and heavy World War II era hot water boiler inside Edwards Air Force Base.  They did this at the "Dryden" Space Center which was under the control of N.A.S.A. at the time. 

     Because Dais admires Underdog because he can fly she's always interested when our boss tells us things about man's history of flying.  If she could use Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine Daisy would probably go back to 1903 to see those guys the Wright brothers.  I smell Juniper.

                              ORVILLE (1871-1948) AND WILBUR (1867-1912) WRIGHT

 

    My Encyclopedia says these bothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, were the first ones to invent and build an Airplane; though some dispute this.  The Wright brothers had a Bicycle repair shop but got more interested in trying to be the first people to fly.

     It says here the Wright brothers at first were experimenting with what they call "Gliders."  They went from their home state of Ohio to North Carolina to do their work.  In 1903 they did more than just glide.  A big group of Sparrows just flew past moving towards the east.

     I guess those Wright brothers went to North Carolina because its beach's had breezes; and soft sand just in case they crashed.  The "three-axis" control system they invented, to steer and maintain what they call "equilibrium, is still being used to this day.  

      From the Wright brothers first flight in 1903 human beings eventually flew all the way up to the Moon in 1969.  And, in the 1950's, a lot of the later "Astronauts" in the "Mercury" and later "Apollo" space programs worked as Test Pilots it says here in this Encyclopedia. 

     Looking to the east I can see a white vapor trail up high in the light sky.  I'll bet it's a jet from Edwards Air Force Base.  Dais loves seeing vapor trails but I'll bet she's laying in the back of the garage right now.  I see Fannie and Freddie the Crows flying around out back.

     Since High School, at different times, Mr. Steve has worked for his friend Rick in what they call the "Mechanical Contracting" field.  In 1996 they removed and replaced this giant hot water boiler from the "Dryden Flight Research Center" inside Edwards Air Force Base.

     Dais says one time our boss told her he read about a Test Pilot named Alan Shepard.  In 1961 he was the first American into outer space.  And he was the fifth person to walk on the Moon.  He even hit golf balls on the surface of the Moon!  I smell a Lizard somewhere.

             

                                             ALAN SHEPARD JR. (1923-1998) GOLFING ON MOON

        In that one magazine article where Mr. Steve read about Alan Shepard he noticed that Alan Shepard shared a birthday with his nephew Sammy over in Littlerock.  And he also noticed that both were named after their fathers so were what they call "Juniors."

     Daisy also told me that our boss has at times wondered if it was a coincidence that when they landed on the Moon in 1969 the Constellation Orion could be seen on the horizon?  Maybe it was only by chance Dais says.  Ah!  That Lizard just ran and ducked under a rock.  

     According to my Encyclopedia that astronaut Alan Shepard and his wife one time got to meet President Kennedy and his wife Jackie.  And at the same time they also met the Vice-President who was Lyndon Johnson.  He became President after President Kennedy was shot.

 

                              ALAN SHEPARD AND WIFE MEET THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

     Dais says one time our boss told her and Millie that the place where the American Presidents get to live is called the "White House."   Mr. Steve saw it in person in 2008 she says.  And that's where Alan Shepard went when he was introduced to the President.

     From what my Encyclopedia says Alan Shepard was what's called a "Descendant" of a man who, in 1620, was one of the "Pilgrims" who first came over to the New World.  They came on this ship called the "Mayflower."  Many died on the voyage from England. 

      After World War II the United States and the Soviet Union competed to "acquire" as much of the German "brain power" as they could.  At least that's what our boss told us.  We got Wernher von Braun but the Russians got some smart Germans too Mr. Steve says.

     Over in Texas Mr. Steve's nephew Jacob, who was in the military for four years, just bought a  gun called an "AK-47."  And looking in my Encyclopedia I see that "AK" stands for "Avtomat Kalashnikova."   Mr. Steve told us the AK-47 is one of the best guns ever made.

     The Germans were the first to develop the "Assault Rifle" during the Second World War.  But the Russians were able to capture some of them and gave them to his man named named Mikhail Kalashnikov.  He came up with the AK-47 by studying the German's model. 

        

                               STURMGEWEHR 44                                                                   MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV

                                                                                                                                                          

     During World War II Adolph Hitler called the first Assault Rifle the "Sturmgewehr" or the  "Storm Rifle." That Russian man Mikhail Kalashnikov studied it and the American M1 Garand to create his "hybrid" AK-47.  I'm so glad I have these Encyclopedias!

     I just picked up the scent of a Gopher but I don't see anything.  Mr. Steve doesn't like it when Gophers and Ground Squirrels make holes near our three Sheds because then they might what's called "erode" or "undermine" the ground around them.  Aha!  I see the Squirrel. 

                                                                         

 

       The Gopher came up out in our back half acre. He's sticking his head out and sniffing the air.  It isn't near any of the Sheds so that's good.  I think I'll get up and take a quick drink of water out of the bucket near the sliding glass door.  I love water!  Thank You for water God.

     That was great!  Water is so good.  We're in a drought but so far we still seem to have plenty of water.  Right near where Daisy is probably laying right now in the Garage are four five gallon bottles of this special type of water called "Sparkletts."  That Gopher is gone.

     Heathcliff the Rooster crowed again next door!  Maybe he's just happy that we're now going into Springtime and the days will be a lot warmer?  I feel good too.  I really did a lot of writing yesterday but today's a new day and I still have a lot to do.  A Sparrow landed on Moe.  

    On the outline for book two I see that I still have a lot more to write about our boss's 1977 trip to the east coast.  It was on that same trip he and his brother Rock drove over to this town in Pennsylvania called "Gettysburg" where a famous Civil War battle was fought.

     This morning I dealt a lot with the what happened in the last two years of the Civil War.  But now I want to find out about that three day battle at Gettysburg.  I know already it took place on the same days in 1863 as the surrender of that one city named Vicksburg out west.  

      Dais told me that our boss has studied the American Civil War since he was about ten years old.  He and his friend Neil used to practice drawing by copying the pictures shown in magazines and books.  Some of those were images from the Civil War Daisy says. 

 

      Oh my God!  I'll bet this one picture in my Encyclopedia of three captured Rebel soldiers at Gettysburg is the one Daisy told me our boss drew when he was twelve.  The caption below that picture says the three men are waiting to be "taken into custody" as they say. 

      From what Dais tells Mr. Steve drew the picture of those three prisoners about the same time he drew his first picture of that guy John Bell Hood.  And he also copied images of some of the other Civil War Generals too.  Our boss says it easier to draw a face with a beard.

     According to my Encyclopedia The Battle of Gettysburg took place over three days on July 1, 2 and 3 of 1863; the third year of the Civil War.  The Confederate army went into that battle with over sixty thousand men while the Union "fielded" about ninety three thousand.

     General Robert E. Lee, who led the southern army at Gettysburg, believed that old saying; "The best defense is a good offense."  Mr. Steve's father has always believed the same thing.  So. in July of 1863, Robert E. Lee decided to "invade" the north.  I smell a Lizard.

     It says here General Lee's 1863 invasion was his second try at "taking the fight to" the Union Army.  In 1862 he'd attacked "Maryland" and fought a bloody battle at "Antietem."  But it was what they call "indecisive;" a "draw" or what they call a "tactical stalemate."

                                                                                   BATTLE OF ANTIETEM (1862)

     Robert E. Lee won defensive battles in 1861 and 1862 when Union armies invaded The South. But he thought if he could destroy the Northern army "on their own soil" in a "climactic" battle he could threaten Washington D.C. and then maybe end the war.  I see the Lizard.

      I guess by 1863 General Lee had beaten five Union Generals like Ambrose Burnside.  Before the battle at Gettysburg President Lincoln appointed this man named George Gordon Meade to  command the Union "Army of the Potomac."  It says here he was "undistinguished." 

  

                                       GEORGE MEADE (1815-1872) / ROBERT E. LEE

 

    The Potomac is a river Daisy says.  In 2008 Mr. Steve and his family stayed at this Hotel which overlooked the Potomac River when they all visited Washington D.C.  During the Civil War the main eastern army was named after the Potomac river.  The Lizard ran away.   

     According to this Encyclopedia George Meade was described as "unassuming" but extremely "prickley."  Others called him "an old  goggle-eyed snapping Turtle."  But he courageous and is now said to have "stood up to Robert E. Lee" in and around the town of Gettysburg.

     Robert E. Lee's Confederate army was the "Army of Northern Virginia."  He never intended to fight at Gettysburg.  He was hoping to capture "Harrisburg" which was a railroad junction and the Pennsylvania state capital.  Mr. Steve has a customer over in Harrisburg.

     In July of 1863 General Lee's army was low on supplies my Encyclopedia says. So he gave his permission for some of his troops to go into Gettysburg to look for shoes.  But just to the west of the town they ran into Union troops and had what they call a small "skirmish."

         Mr. Steve and his brother Rock spent three days at Gettysburg back in 1977.  They stood on that road where that first fighting started.  I guess on that first day of what would be a three day battle more and more soldiers from both sides began to "converge" on Gettysburg.

     From what is says in my Encyclopedia General Lee could hear guns to his south and was kind of upset because he had given orders not to "engage."   But as the sounds of gunfire got louder he knew a battle had started.  I hear some Crows cawing faintly out in the desert.

     I guess General Lee ordered his army to stop their move on Harrisburg.  On a map he saw  right away that Gettysburg was a "hub" or "crossroads" town where a few roads went through.  So he immediately decided to "consolidate" his troops to the north of Gettysburg.   

     What started as a small skirmish "escalated" into a huge battle my Encyclopedia says.  More and more soldiers kept showing up; the Confederates from the north and Union troops from the south.  Dais told me our boss has some authentic soft lead bullets from the Civil War.

     I guess over those three days in early July of 1863 at Gettysburg thousands of soldiers died in "vicious" fighting.  Mr. Steve told us in 1977 he and his brother drove all around the battle sites near Gettysburg.  Daisy says Mr. Steve bought this thing called a "Bayonet."

  

   A bayonet is a long blade that attaches to the end of a musket or rifle.  It's used for stabbing an opponent like a spear.  From what Dais told me our boss still has that bayonet, which is not a replica, hanging on a wall in his office.  She says it's called an "Enfield" bayonet.

     Mr. Steve and his two brothers played Baseball as kids.  And of all those they played against in Little League only one made it to the Major Leagues; a pitcher named Pete Redfern. Our boss batted against him and told Daisy and me that he was very hard to hit off of.

              

                                                                      PETE REDFERN

    

     At Gettysburg in 1977 Mr. Steve and his brother picked up a broadcast of a Baltimore Orioles game on the radio of their rented car.  Pete Redfern, who was an "All American" at U.S.C., was pitching for the Minnesota twins against the Orioles.  I can really smell a Joshua tree.  

     It was a very hot and humid day in August so our boss and his brother decided to go back to their hotel room to watch Pete Redfern pitch on tv.  A few years later it was Pete Redfern who threw the first pitch when the Twins started playing in the "Metro Dome."

    Mr. Steve admires that guy Pete Redfern because he's an example of overcoming what they call "adversity."  In 1983 he and friends were in Newport Beach and Pete Redfern dove into the water but it turned out to be too shallow.  Crows are cawing out in the desert.

     Pete Redfern broke his neck Mr. Steve told us.  If he had been a professional athlete he most likely would have drowned.  But luckily for him his friends noticed what had happened and they rescued him.  A big Jackrabbit just hopped up to the gate behind the Sheds.

     In the years after his accident people tried to help Pete Redfern.  Mr. Steve thinks he was so lucky to have had a good, decent wife.  To this day he's what they call "confined" to one of those wheel chairs.  Daisy and I sometimes say some prayers for that guy Pete Redfern. 

     Over three days our boss and his brother hiked and drove around the Gettysburg battlefield.  They even went to this place called "Devil's Den" where a famous picture of a dead Confederate "sniper" was taken.  Devil's Den is a big "rock formation" Mr. Steve told us.

                                                                     DEVIL'S DEN

    

      Daisy says our boss has a few books about the battle of Gettysburg.  And she told me that Mr. Steve once told her and Millie that people now think that picture at Devil's Den was most likely  "staged" by some of  the photographers.  They just positioned a dead body in there.

       My Encyclopedia says the Army of Northern Virginia was composed of three "Corps."  And it was the 2nd Corp, led by a General named Richard Ewell, which arrived first from the north at Gettysburg on July 1.  It was about one in the afternoon.  A Crow just flew bye.

     General Ewell was called "Old Baldy Head."  He was short and had red hair so some people said he was like a little "Bantam Rooster" when he got mad.  He was courageous that's for sure. Oh my God!  Heathcliff just crowed next door just when I wrote about Roosters!

     Heathcliff crowed during the yesterday and now he's doing it again.  I'll bet Dais is noticing this.  Right now, looking to the eastern desert beyond our three Sheds I see a lot of Birds flying about.  Someone on a Motocross motorcycle just zoomed bye out on Primavera Road. 

     According to this Encyclopedia General Ewell's troops beat the Union soldiers which met them on July 1.  These Union soldiers then retreated through the streets of Gettysburg to take up a position south of the town on "Cemetery Ridge" and "Culp's Hill." 

 

                RICHARD EWELL (1817-1872)                      THOMAS "STONEWALL" JACKSON

 

      My Encyclopedia says Richard Ewell took over command of the 2nd Corp after Stonewall Jackson was accidentally killed at the Battle of Chancelorsville.  Ewell himself had already been wounded a few times and even lost a leg below the knee by that point in the war.

      This is so interesting!  In the afternoon of July 1 Robert E. Lee sent General Ewell an order that said "if practicable" he was to take Cemetery Hill south of Gettysburg.  This is because it was the "high ground."  But I guess General Ewell didn't think it was practicable.    

     I guess from what it says here General Ewell didn't attempt to take Cemetery Hill because his men were exhausted from fighting all day long and he had reports that Union cavalry might be approaching from the west; which would have exposed his right flank.

     Dais says one time our boss told her and Millie that in his opinion for sure Stonewall Jackson would have tried to take Cemetery Hill on day one.  And if he had succeeded the battle might've been different.  Blackbeard and Anne are swirling around above the eastern desert.

     But General Ewell, who was just as brave as Stonewall Jackson, did not "take the initiative" as they say so Robert E. Lee started day two with the Union soldiers "entrenched" on Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill.  So he would have to be the one to do the attacking.

     This is interesting.  That other General, Longstreet, urged Robert E. Lee to "swing around" and get behind General Meade's army.  Then they would be between The Amy of the Potomoc and Washington D.C.  But General Lee wanted to fight "right then and there."

     The Union soldiers who had been chased through the town of Gettysburg were ordered to "dig in" on Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill.  They used gravestones on Cemetery Ridge; as well as rocks and tree limbs to "hastily" build small trenches and "fortifications."

     It says here in my Encyclopedia that the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most bloody and brutal days of the entire war.  Meade's men were formed defensively in a kind of "fish hook" shape.  I can see that on this map in my Encyclopedia.  I just love maps!

     All day long on July 2 the two armies "slugged it out" on the fields or in the woods around Gettysburg.  It was a hot and humid day so this made it worse.  From what it says here there was a lot of "hand-to-hand" combat.  A Crow just cawed in the desert to the east.

       The second day of the battle ended in a stalemate like what had happened the year before at Antietem.    Thousands of soldiers were killed or wounded.  The "tide ebbed and flowed" all day long.  Both sides fought hard.  Dais and I sure hope we never have to fight in a war.  

      According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, because the first two days at Gettysburg had ended in a stalemate like in Chess; everything still "hung in the balance" as they say.  So I guess Robert E. Lee had some "hard decisions" to make.  And he did.

    At Gettysburg in 1977 Mr. Steve and his brother stood on the ridge where, on the third and final day, July 3, General Lee ordered an all out "Frontal Assault" on General Meade's army.  It was called "Pickett's Charge" and must have been incredible to see our boss says.

     Daisy thinks our Chief would go back to see Pickett's Charge if he had a Time Machine like Mr. Peabody and Sherman.  Thirteen thousand men "Assaulted" a "Well-Fortified" Union line  and many died doing it Mr. Steve says.  I still hear Crows cawing out in the desert.  

                                                                                                PICKETT'S CHARGE

 

       The reason why the July 3 attack at Gettysburg was called Pickett's Charge is because the man who led it was named George Pickett.  After the war he said General Lee had made a big mistake.  But the person who gave him the order was James Longstreet; who felt bad.

         Late in the day of July 2 this one man named J.E.B Stuart arrived back in the Rebel camp. His Cavalry units were usually General Lee's "Eyes and Ears" but he had been "out of touch" for a few days.  It says here that Robert E. Lee was kind of mad at him at first.

                                                                    GEORGE PICKETT (1825-1875)                                   JAMES LONGSTREET (1821-1904)

        Mr. Steve thinks that in July of 1861 Robert E. Lee had great confidence in his men and his "Blood was Up" as they say.  He'd beaten all the Union General's sent against him so also had confidence in himself too our boss thinks.   I see a Gopher to the side of Manny.

     My Encyclopedia says General Lee's "audacious" plan for day three was to have Ewell's 2nd Corp attack Meade's army up on Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill from the north.  Then J.E.B. Stuart's Cavalry would swing around to the east and attack from that direction.

     Before Picket's Charge General Lee ordered his Artillery to  "Soften Up" the Union lines with a massive "Barrage" of cannon.  It says here that the noise was so loud it could be heard all the way over in the  city of Philadelphia; which was over one hundred miles away! 

     Daisy says one time this guy told our boss about how some people think the sound produced by the Rebel "Cannonade" on day three at Gettysburg would be "equivalent" to ten Marshall Amplifiers "set to ten."  He said some of the gunners even went deaf; or lost their hearing. 

     Well, Mr. Steve was right.  He told Dais and Millie that, unfortunately for the southern army  in those days Artillery made a lot of smoke.  So Edward Porter Alexander, in charge of Artillery, could not see that his "Shells" were landing "to the rear" or behind the Union lines.  

     

                                            EDWARD PORTER ALEXANDER (1835-1910)

     Because there was so much smoke produced by his "Cannonade," Edward Porter Alexander, even though he had really good Binoculars, couldn't see that his "Bombardment" was landing beyond the "dug in" Union lines.  So he didn't kill hardly any of them at all!

     Wow!  I guess the Confederate Artillery destroyed a lot of wagons and killed many Horses  "parked" behind the Union lines.  Dais will be interested in that.  Oh!  I just noticed Libby the Horse walking around over there in her Corral.  And I see a lot of Crows flying about. 

 

 

      As General Meade's men "Hunkered Down" close to the ground they must've been at least a little bit worried knowing they were on a place ominously called "Cemetery Hill."  Dais says she would have prayed then.  Me too!  I know for sure we'd say some Hail Mary's.

     Daisy says our boss once told her and Millie that some people say that guy Porter Alexander might've been ordered by Robert E. Lee to fire purposely beyond the Union defenses because he thought Meade's reinforcements would be waiting just to the rear.  A Crow cawed.

       When Mr. Steve and his brother were in Gettysburg in 1977 they were told that, behind the Union lines, were soldiers with guns.  They were ordered to shoot anyone who tried to run away once the fighting started.  The Russians and Germans did that too during World War II.

     After the many "screaming" Confederate shells finally stopped George Pickett asked James Longstreet if he should commence the charge.  But our boss says Longstreet, knowing it was not going to succeed, couldn't even speak and just shook his hand and turned away.

       Mr. Steve thinks the sight of thousands of gray and brown clad soldiers emerging from the trees and out into the open must've been incredible.  It says here the Southern ranks seemed to be in "perfect formation" as they marched forward.  A Squirrel just ran bye.

                                                                                                                          

      It says here that on Horseback George Pickett led his men toward the Union lines.  Mr. Steve thinks at first the only sound was probably drummer boys playing and keeping the marchers "in cadence" or proper formation.  It must've been an awesome sight he says. 

      I guess all the Union troops "held their fire."  This must've been hard.  Dais told me that she would want to start shooting immediately before they got too close and I would too.  It would be kind of scary to see all those guys with guns moving towards you.  A Crow cawed.

     As the southern soldiers got closer to the Union lines they began to run and also scream their famous "Rebel Yell."  Daisy thinks it probably sounded like the way Indians yell when they fight in a war.  I wonder if that's how the World War II Japanese "Banzai" yell sounded?

      

     It says here because that artillery barrage aimed at the Union lines before Pickett's Charge had had been so ineffective Meade's lines were really strong.  In fact, only a few of their cannon had been destroyed as Robert E. Lee had hoped.  The "Stage was Set" as they say. 

     When Pickett's men were halfway across that field they entered a "Killing Zone" as the Union artillery "opened up" on them.  Holes were ripped in their ranks in "swaths of destruction" but still they kept charging "headlong."  A lot of Crows are wheeling above the desert. 

     Ugh!  From what it says here in my Encyclopedia when Pickett and his men got within range the Union cannons started firing this thing called "Cannister."  Dais once told me that Mr. Steve said cannister is like "Buckshot" out of a shotgun; only on a much bigger scale.

     Cannister will "shred" a man, Dog or Horse into small pieces.  And when the Union cannons started firing that is exactly what happened to many of Pickett's men.  Boy!  It must've been like Hell on Earth as Dais says.  But they kept coming.  I just heard a faint Train whistle. 

     In the 19th century it was an honor or "privilege" to carry the flags into a battle.  But it also made you a target.  So, if the guy carrying the flag was killed someone right away picked up the flag.  It says here a few men died carrying the flags on July 3 for Pickett's Charge.

       Finally, at one point the Confederate soldiers made it up to the Union lines and vicious hand to hand combat took place.  For a time it looked like they might break through.  A man named Lewis Armistead put his hat on his sword to encourage his men.  I hear Crows cawing.

      

                                                            "HIGH WATER" MARK

      It says here after "horrendous" fighting Pickett's men were eventually "overwhelmed" and killed in such large numbers they had to "retreat."  Armistead died and so did a lot of his men.  It was later called the "high water mark" of the Confederacy.  A Crow just cawed.  

      From what our boss once told us the term high water mark is more than just symbolic of the actual battle on that third day at Gettysburg.  From then on England and France decided "once and for all" not to "recognize" the Confederacy as a legitimate separate country.

       When the surviving Confederate soldiers retreated back to their lines after being what they call "Repulsed" General Lee, on his gray Horse "Traveler," met them, dangerously exposing himself.  He apologized to his men and said it was all his fault for what had happened. 

      Nowadays General's have radios to communicate but in the 1860's they didn't.  So Robert E. Lee didn't know that Ewell's assault before Pickett's Charge, and J.E.B. Stuart's Cavalry had already been stopped.  Well, there goes Heathcliff again crowing next door.

     According to this Encyclopedia before Ewell's men could even attack from the north on July 3 the Union artillery "beat them to the punch" and killed many of them.  And Stuart's Cavalry was "intercepted" by these Union Cavalry units who came from the state of Michigan.

         GEORGE A. CUSTER (1111-1111)                                                        CUSTER AT GETTYSBURG

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              PAINTING BY MARK MARITATO

      On the third day at Gettysburg the man who led the Union Cavalry attacking J.E.B. Stuart's Horsemen was George Armstrong Custer.  He would later be famous after the war as an Indian fighter but in 1863, at twenty three, was the youngest General in the Union Army.

     It says here that on July 3, J.E.B. Stuart's four thousand Cavalrymen were to get behind the Union lines and attack from the east; to form a "Pincer" movement with Pickett's men.  But they never made it.  Custer's brigade who attacked them were nicknamed the "Wolverines."

 

                                                         J.E.B. STUART (1833-1864)

 

      J.E.B. Stuart was what they call "Flamboyant."  But so was George Armstong Custer who was even more "Ambitious."  When Custer "spotted" Stuart's men he attacked even though he was outnumbered ten to one.  He really surprised Stuart, slamming right into him. 

     My Encyclopedia says after Custer and his men from Michigan "tore into" Stuart's "people" what they call a wild "saber slashing melee" took place.  Stuart's movement was what they call "blunted" or "Nipped in the Bud" or "Pre-Empted."  I hear some Crows cawing. 

     It says here after the battle at Gettysburg Robert E. Lee was able to save what was left of his "shattered" army and make a "perilous" escape back to Virginia.  President Lincoln was angry that General Meade didn't "follow up" his victory and annihilate Lee's Confederates.

     Mr. Steve thinks the main reason why General Meade didn't slaughter the Army of Northern Virgina was because his own army had been badly "Mauled" as they say.   There were over fifty thousand "Casualties" at Gettysburg.  That means dead and wounded.  I hear Crows.

 

    This is interesting.  The only civilian casualty at Gettysburg was this one girl named Jenny Wade.  A "stray" bullet hit her in the Kitchen where she was working on July 3.  Mr. Steve and his brother Rock visited the house where she was killed way back in 1977. 

     Wow!  On the day Jenny Wade died, up there on Culp's Hill, this Confederate soldier named Wesley Culp was killed.  His family owned Culp's Hill!  It was so ironic Daisy says.  He was on the side attacking his own family property!  Hey God!  Did You cause that to happen? 

     Oh my God!  This is so interesting.  When that one guy Wesley Culp died assaulting Culp's Hill he might've been carrying a letter that was intended to be delivered to Jenny Wade.  It was from a Union soldier named Jack Skelly; who was what they call her "Fiance." 

      In my Dictionary it says that the word fiance means; "The man to whom a woman is engaged to be married."   So that means he promised to be with the girl no matter what.  Dais told me it's a very serious thing to be "Engaged."  You have to commit to work as a team. 

     According to this Encyclopedia that guy Jack Skelly died a week after Gettysburg.  So that means he never knew his girlfriend Jenny Wade was already dead.  And how amazing is it that Wesley Culp just happened to get killed attacking his own families property!   

 

  

          Well You Guys, I can't believe I've almost finished eight chapters.  I'd say it's about two thirty based on where the Sun is.  This day, like yesterday, is going so fast.  I'm having so much fun learning new things!   But I still have a lot to write about the American Civil War.

     Wow!  It says here that nearly seven hundred thousand men were killed on both sides during the Civil War.  And there may have been twice that many wounded.  I guess a lot of the soldiers during wars of the 19th century lost arms and legs.  Fannie and Freddie just flew past. 

  

                               ROBERT E. LEE                                            ERWIN ROMMEL

 

      Robert E. Lee, like Erwin Rommel in the next century, preferred to be aggressive and "Take the Initiative" in war.  Twice during the American Civil War he invaded the North.   I notice that a word used to describe both men is "audacious."   I hear Dawn barking next door.  

     Dais told me that Mr. Steve says he read how Erwin Rommel studied what Robert E. Lee did during the Civil War.  But I guess after his defeat at Gettysburg he was forced to spend the last two years of the Civil War on the "Defensive.  I can smell a Lizard  nearby.

     This Encyclopedia says that Richmond was the capitol of the the Confederacy.  So, after his defeat at Gettysburg Robert E. Lee adapted and became a good defensive General.  And I guess he did it too.  Oh!  Heathcliff just crowed over there in our neighbor's yard.

     Mr. Steve has a customer in Richmond.  And over the years he and the Parts Managers there have discussed the Civil War.  Our boss told them he walked around the cemetery at Gettysburg. One told him one of the cemetery's in Richmond called "Hollywood."  I see the Lizard.

                                                

                                                        JEFFERSON DAVIS (1898-1889)                                                

                                               

      That Parts Manager said Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery is really big and has some famous Rebels buried there; Jefferson Davis the Confederate President, George Pickett and also J.E.B. Stuart.  That Lizard just ducked between rock around the bottom of the big tree.

     Two United States Presidents are buried at the Hollywood cemetery over there in Richmond; James Monroe and John Tyler.  I wonder why that cemetery over there in Richmond is called Hollywood?  Oh wow!  I just heard Heathcliff the Rooster crowing again next door.

     One time a "Service" Manager at another Auto Dealership in Maryland told Mr. Steve about the "Alexandria" National Cemetery in Washington D.C.  It was set up during the Civil War for those soldiers who died in the hospitals.  But it's a small cemetery he said.

BLACK UNION SOLDIERS

 

      That Service Manager over there in Maryland told our boss that Alexandria Cemetery was the first place where blacks and whites were buried together.  In those days that was amazing Mr. Steve says because the people up in the north were just as racist as southerners.

     President Lincoln, by today's standards, was a "Racist" our boss thinks. For most of his life he thought the "Innately" inferior black race could not live alongside innately superior whites.  He told this man Frederick Douglass in 1861 that blacks should be sent back to Africa.

     Even though I'm scheduled to write about Frederick Douglass tomorrow in book three when I talk about Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and the O.J. Simpson trial, I feel like I need to mention him now too.  I'll just add him in here.  Hey God.  Thank You for guiding me.

                                   

                                                 FREDERICK DOUGLASS (1818-1895)

     From what Dais tells me Mr. Steve has a book about that guy Frederick Douglass.  He had an amazing life.  He was a Slave from the State of "Maryland."  Daisy says our boss told her and Millie one time that a lot of Roman Catholics like us live back there in Maryland.

     Mr. Steve has a customer in Baltimore which is in Maryland.  They've discussed Frederick Douglass and how he was born  a Slave near a town called "Cordova."  But when he was about twenty years old he escaped by dressing up as a Sailor.  A Thrasher Bird just ran bye.

     Frederick Douglas, disguised as a Sailor, crossed through another northern Slave State near Maryland; Delaware.  That's what our boss told Daisy and according to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, Frederick Douglass eventually "made his way" to New York City.

                                                      ANNA DOUGLASS (1813-1882)

     This is interesting.  It says here that once Frederick Douglass was in New York City he sent for the girl who he would marry.   Her name was Anna and she was already free.  They met as teenagers and she was five years older than he was.  I smell a Horned Toad. 

     There's a picture of Anna Douglas in this Encyclopedia.  She looks like a nice lady.  Our boss told Dais she was a hard worker.  Employed as what they call a "Laundress" it was her who got the "Seaman's" uniform for her future husband.  I smell a Rosemary plant. 

     When Frederick Douglass escaped from Maryland back in 1838 Anna gave him most of life savings.  She even sold one of her beds to get him some more money to use.  I hear some Pigeons cooing up on the Patio roof above me.  And I can see their shadows on the ground.

     Frederick Douglass and his wife were married for forty four years and had five children.  Mr. Steve's parents have been married for fifty eight years!  He once told Daisy that even though he's never been married, he admires couples like that.  Oh!  I see the Horned Toad.

     My Encyclopedia says Frederick Douglass and his wife left New York City and moved to New Bedford in the State of Massachusetts.  They joined a "Methodist" Church which had members who were what they call "Abolitionists."  That means they wanted to abolish Slavery.

     Later today one of the last things I'm scheduled to write about are some of the things that live in the Oceans.  One of the things I'll learn about are "Whales."  In the 19th century the town of New Bedford was "Whaling Port."  Later I'll write about a book called "Moby Dick."

     Frederick Douglass taught himself to read and write when he was a Slave.  And he was what they call in this Encyclopedia "articulate."  Our four Pigeons are flying bye; all moving out into the eastern desert beyond the three Sheds.  That Horned Toad disappeared.

     From what Mr. Steve told Dais, that guy Frederick Douglas was so intelligent the white people couldn't believe he had been a Slave.  So he wrote a detailed book about his first twenty years as a Slave.  After that Daisy told me, everyone had to believe him whether they liked it not.

                  

                     SOJOURNER TRUTH (1797-1883)                  HARRIET TUBMAN (1822-1913)

         Two famous black women attended to same Church as Frederick and Anna Douglass when they lived in "New England."  One was named Sojourner Truth and the other one was Harriet Tubman.   Mr. Steve's last girlfriend was named Harriet too.  I smell Creosote.

     According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, Harriet Tubman helped Slaves like that guy Frederick Douglass to escape slavery.  Even tough she was only five feet tall she led "Raids" to free other blacks.  Wow!  She even carried a "long gun" and knew how to use it.  

     Harriet Tubman, along with Frederick and Anna Douglass, was part of the "Underground Railroad" which helped Slaves escape up there to Canada.  This is interesting.  During the Civil War that lady Harriet Tubman worked as a Nurse, Cook, Scout and Spy. 

     From what it says here, that other lady Sojourner Truth "recruited" ex-Slaves to fight for the Union in the 1860's.  In the picture of her in this Encyclopedia she looks like a friendly person.  One of those Thrasher Birds just flew bye; veering out into the eastern desert. 

     It says here in this Encyclopedia that Sojourner Truth picked her own name.  This is sort of interesting.  Her first language was not English but Dutch and she's now known as much for her work advocating women's rights.  She had five kids and a son died on a Whaling Ship. 

    In the ten years that led up to the Civil War in 1861 Frederick Douglas became an important person.  He came to represent the idea of "Anti-Slavery" or abolitionism.  He proved that Blacks can be smart.  Most whites, north and south; never thought that possible.  I smell Sage.

      According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, Frederick Douglas is now also known for his support of "Women's Rights."  He even went to a now famous 1848 "Convention" held at a place called "Seneca Falls;" in the State of New York.  A lot of famous women were there.

      In my English Dictionary "Democracy" is defined as; "Government by the people."  But Mr. Steve told Daisy, even back in ancient Athens, Greece, females were not included.  In 1848 one of the main issues discussed was "Voting;" or "Suffrage."  American women wanted the vote.    

                      

           SUSAN B. ANTHONY         ELIZABETH B. STANTON            LUCRETIA MOTT 

                 (1802-1906)                                   (1815-1902)                                    (1793-1880)                                                                                                                                                 

       This one Encyclopedia has pictures of three women who wanted the right to vote and make decisions on the issues of the day; Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth B. Stanton and this lady named Lucretia Mott. A nice cool breeze just came in from the desert.  The Chimes are ringing.

      Oh!  I smell Rosemary.  And the chimes are really making pretty music as each chime hits against all the other chimes.  Hey Blessed Mother!  Are you there?  I think I feel Your presence right now.  Is it because I'm writing about females at the Seneca Falls Convention? 

    &nbsnbsp; At Seneca Falls in 1848, the year after the United States won the "Mexican War," the women discussed the right to vote.  They saw no reason why they were denied that right. Dais says our boss thinks women now take for granted the right to vote.  I smell a Lizard around here.

      According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, women did not get the right to vote in the United States until 1820; two years after World War I ended.  So that means it took seventy two years to get it.  Two of the Pigeons are flying bye right now; moving to the northeast.

        This is interesting.  New Zealand, just above Australia, was the first Western society to give women the right to vote in 1893.  And other European countries, like the U.S., did the same after the First World War.  I see the Lizard standing on the wall near the sliding glass door.

      Wow!  The women of France didn't get the right to vote until 1944; the year of the Normandy invasion or D-Day.  The Germans were still occupying France; the "Puppet" Vichy government in power.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny are flying bye; squawking at each other.

      My Encyclopedia says, women in Switzerland couldn't vote until 1971; when Mr. Steve was in 10th Grade at Alemany.  Daisy told me our boss said there are countries in the world even today where females have little or no power.  That Lizard is looking at me right now.

    

                                                   SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (0000-0000)

 

   Mr. Steve thinks that in the last year of his life President Lincoln changed his mind about the character of blacks.  This is because he saw that they could be just as brave and courageous as white soldiers.  Even back in the Revolutionary War blacks also fought well too.

 

                                                                                        SALEM POOR (1747-1802)

    

     My Encyclopedia says during the Revolutionary War, even though George Washington didn't really want them, there were blacks who fought against the British.  And one was named Salem Poor.  He  He fought at The Battle of Bunker Hill.  They even made a stamp for him.

     What made Lee's loss at Gettysburg even worse was the fact that over to the west Vicksburg fell too.  One time this man told Mr. Steve it was what they call a "Double Whammy."  Early in July of 1863 was not such a good time for the Confederacy our boss says.

     Our boss told Dais some people think the loss of Vicksburg over in the Western Theater was even more important than Gettysburg.  As I wrote this morning President Lincoln called it the "linchpin" of the Confederacy.  Oh! I see a Lizard over there next to the big tree.   

    

      Once that guy General Grant captured Vicksburg the Confederacy was cut in half and their main supply line was cut off.  As I wrote this morning, it was after his victories in the west that General Grant was called by President Lincoln back east to face Robert E. Lee.

     Our boss thinks one of the things that made Robert E. Lee a good combat field commander was his ability to change from offense to defense.  For the next year and a half after Gettysburg he was  "methodically" pushed back toward Richmond by a "relentless" Grant.

      So, while his friend William Tecumseh Sherman was taking Atlanta and then Savannah after his March to the Sea, General Grant was trying to beat Robert E. Lee.  And, from what it says here, they had some bloody battles.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny just flew bye.

     If the Army of Northern Virginia had beaten General Meade's Army of the Potomac in July of 1863 history may've been different Daisy thinks.  We might have two America's.  Mr. Steve's brother Rock and his sons would be in another country. I'm glad we have just one country.

     Libby the Horse is looking over here in this direction.  Dais is right.  Libby's lucky.  Many old Horses are melted down to make this thing called "Glue" when they get too she says.   It never ceases to amaze me how humans figured out things like glue.  I smell a Cholla cactus.

     My Encyclopedia says "Adhesives" used to repair of put things back together were used ten thousand years ago to attach ax heads or to repair pottery.  Dais says our boss has a few types of glue.  A big gray Ground Squirrel just sprinted past; right in front of the three Sheds 

     Oh!  That white "Elmer's" glue that Dais told me about was invented in 1947; two years after World War II ended.  It says here "Super Glue" was discovered by accident during the Second World War and perfected later.  Max the little Hummingbird just flew bye going fast.

      I kind of spent more time than I thought I would writing about the Battle of Gettysburg.  But that's okay.  It was a very important event in the history of the United States.  At least that's what Mr. Steve thinks and I want to impress him when he someday reads my three books.

  

(Chapter 9)

  Mr. Steve has told Dais and me that after he and his brother got back to California in 1977 he more fully appreciated living here on the "West Coast."  He liked New York City and all of the other places they saw but thinks he likes it here better.  I hear Crows cawing faintly.                                                                                                                                                                        

     Sylmar sits in the "Foothills" of the San Gabriel Mountains.   Our boss came back from his 1977 trip to the east coast in late August of 1977.  Looking at the same mountains he'd looked since age six; he came to appreciate them more.  I smell one of the Creosote bushs. 

     Mr. Steve now realizes that sometimes when you're around something all the time you don't really appreciate that thing.  He once had a customer in Kansas who told him he'd never visited the "Wizard of Oz" Museum.  Mr. Steve would like to someday visit that Museum.

       I think I'll write about that man who wrote The Wizard of Oz. His name was L. Frank Baum.  Daisy has told me how Mr. Steve read about him a while back.  He lived most of his life back in Kansas with his family.  Two Pigeons just flew bye; heading out into the desert. 

     I was going to write about L. Frank Baum tomorrow in book three when I write about that band KANSAS and that guy named John Brown.  But I feel like doing it now instead.  Mr. Steve has met people from Kansas.  He told Daisy they've always "come across" as decent.                                                          

                                                            L. Frank Baum (1856-1918)

     Wow!  My Encyclopedia says L. Frank Baum died when he was only sixty two.  That seems so young.  Mr. Steve is fifty eight.  But I guess L. Frank Baum smoked a lot of cigarettes.  He died in the last year of  World War I.  I hear some Crows cawing out in the desert. 

     Because most people have the potential for two sides, Mr. Steve says L. Frank Baum has to be judged by the times he lived in.  He was like many people in the late 19th century.  He said it was "Survival of the Fittest" in a Darwinian sense; or "Kill or be Killed" so to speak.

     L. Frank Baum, like many people back then thought; "Whites, by the law of conquest, by the justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent.  And the best safety of the frontier settlers will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians."

     Dais says Mr. Steve thinks that the ability to commit what is now called "Genocide" may be built into human beings.  People seem to like to hurt or even kill the people they hate.  That will probably never change he thinks.  Blackbeard and Anne are flying bye right now. 

     Even in 2014 United States, which our boss thinks is one of the most "Tolerant" places ever in history, if circumstances change people won't be as "Open-Minded.  That's what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie one time.  He thinks violence is "Hard Wired" into humanity.

     A few years ago Daisy says, our boss met this one man.  He said most Scientists think warlike  behavior in people only came about when Civilization developed.  Once settled, the ownership of land for farming became more important.  At least that's the theory Dais told me. 

     But that man, who knew a lot about Archaeology and believed people will kill when there are things to be gained and they are confident they can get away with it.  He says the study of history proves it in most cases.  Mr. Steve agreed with him Dais says.  A Crow just cawed.

     Hey God!  As You know, Mr. Steve thinks it's highly likely that bands of Hunter-Gatherers at one time or another killed for selfish purposes.  Some people think that "Cro-Magnon" humans may have "killed off" or "wiped out" those other humans called "Neanderthals." 

     Hunter-Gatherers lived in a really dangerous world where it was possible to be food for giant Lions or things like that Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie.  And he thinks there had to have been disagreements over areas near water or maybe good caves.  I smell a Juniper plant.

      But God, as Mr. Steve says, You created people with only a violent side.  You also created in Human Beings the unique capacity for compassion.  Daisy thinks both of us are examples of how that's true.  I probably wouldn't be alive to be writing this if not for that she says.   

     Because most things are getting "Proportionately" bigger with each passing year and century Mr. Steve thinks it's probable that, with advancing technology, in this century some leader will most likely kill more people than Mao Tse-tung, Joseph Stalin or Adolph Hitler.

     Dais told me our boss once read how L. Frank Baum was a failure at almost everything he did in life.  But he was a success at the most important thing; being a good husband and father to his four sons.  This Encyclopedia describes him as a "devoted" husband.  I smell a Lizard.

 

                                         L. FRANK BAUM'S WIFE AND FOUR SONS

       I've never seen the movie that was made out of L.Frank Baum's famous book.  Dais has and says it's unbelievable.  She told me that other Dog Millie was what they call "Blown Away" when they saw it.  Daisy wants to see it again and I really want to see it too.  I see the Lizard.

     Daisy thinks that guy L.Frank Baum must've been smart.  How could anyone have thought of something so amazing as the story about that place called "Oz."  And yet, he never really got to see what he did in his lifetime become a success.  I smell a Creosote bush.

     Wow!  When L. Frank Baum died he left only one thousand dollars to his wife and four boys in his "Will."  That's what it says in my Encyclopedia.   Many "Publishers" rejected his book and even when it was published in 1896 at first it didn't sell.  The Lizard is gone.

 

         Even though it's not really on my outline I think I'll write about how L. Frank Baum's story The Wizard of Oz was made into a movie over thirty years later.  Mr. Steve does not like singing and dancing in movies and plays but Daisy says The Wizard of Oz is one exception.   

      Dais says The Wizard of Oz is partly about how this one girl named Dorothy gets lost but is lucky enough to find three males she can trust who want to protect her in trying to get back to her home.  But before she gets back they all go through a lot I guess. 

      From what Dais told me, in the movie The Wizard of Oz Dorothy lives with her little Yorky Dog named "Toto" in the State of Kansas.  Toto is a smart Dog I guess.  He even knows how to escape when people try to steal him Daisy says.  I can smell one of the Sage bushes.

     A huge Tornado breaks Dorothy's whole house off of the ground and it flies away.  It lands in a totally unfamiliar place to Dorothy.  It turns out to be a place called "Munchkinville" in the land of "Oz."  Munchkins are short little people who like to dance and sing.

     Daisy says while Dorothy and Toto are in Kansas the movie is filmed in black and white; or what our boss would probably call "Sepia-tone."  But when Dorothy's house lands everything is in bright color.  Jack the Jackrabbit just ran out into the desert behind the three Sheds.

     According to what Dais told me, in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house is flying around up in the air she looks out the window.  She sees some men rowing their Boat in a the middle of the storm.  But there's no water around up there Daisy says.  I smell a Joshua tree.  

     Finally, when Dorothy's house comes back down to the ground it lands on a Witch who was wearing these sparkly red shoes and black and white striped socks.  Then, the people who live in that area start to slowly come out from their hiding places Daisy told me. 

     Daisy says that the people who lived in the area where Dorothy's house landed were called "Munchkins."  They call the dead Witch the "Wicked Witch of the East."  Munchkins are small Dais says. And they're happy how the house landed right on top of the Wicked Witch.

 

  

     When Dorothy and her little Dog Toto come out of the house they see the dead Witches legs sticking out from underneath the house.  Daisy told me Millie noticed right away that the Witch was wearing striped black and white socks.  I hear the Ducks quacking next door.

     Dais says the Munchkins are so happy that the Wicked Witch of the East is dead.  They're all singing and dancing when there's an explosion and a lot of smoke.  Another Witch appears and is riding around on her magical broom.  This is the "Wicked Witch of the West."

    

       According to what Daisy told me about that movie The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is scary.  She wears all black; including a tall pointy hat.  And she has green skin with long fingernails that look like claws Dais says.  Millie was afraid of her laugh.

   Daisy says it turns out that the Wicked Witch of the West is the sister of the Wicked Witch of East.  She's mad at Dorothy and Toto for killing her sister.  But what she really wants are the red shoes her dead sister is wearing.  The Munchkins are afraid of her I guess.

     But then, all of a sudden Dais says, a bubble appears and floats down to the ground.  A third Witch shows up but this is a good Witch.  This is the "Good Witch of the West" and is so pretty Dais told me.  She wears pink and even gets to wear a good crown on her head.    

  

      The Good Witch of the West sees what has happened.  The Wicked Witch of the West wants those red shoes but when she goes to get them the Good Witch uses her magic "Wand" to make them go onto Dorothy's feet.  This really makes the Bad Witch mad Dais says.

     When the Bad Witch tries to take the red shoes off of Dorothy they're stuck like glue and will not come off Dais says.  Dorothy doesn't want the shoes and tries to give them back but can't so the Bad Witch threatens her and her Dog Toto too.  Then she disappears in smoke.

     Dorothy asks the Good Witch to help her and Toto get back to Kansas.  The Good Witch says she can't help her but maybe this Wizard who lives in a place called "Emerald City" can.  When Dorothy asks her how to get there she says to; "Follow the yellow brick road."

     From what Daisy told me, Dorothy and her Dog Toto follow that yellow brick road.  Pretty soon they meet three companions; a Scarecrow who wants a heart, a Tin Man who needs a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants to be braver and more courageous.  I smell Sage.

     Dorothy and her three new friends, along with Toto, then begin walking to the Emerald City where they hope the Wizard will help them.  Dais says on the way they meet talking trees and all the while the Bad Witch up in her black Castle uses a Crystal Ball to watch them.

  

   At first, from what Dais tells me, when Dorothy and the others finally get to the Emerald City no one will let them come in.  They have to try a few times.  Once they're allowed to come into the city it's so amazing Daisy says.  There's even a Horse that's a unique color.   

     I can see Libby over there in her Coral.  Right now she's just standing there.  Her skinny tail is moving back and forth, swatting away the Flies.  Looking to my front I can see a few Flies in hovering in front of the three Sheds.  Please God, keep the Flies over there. 

     According to what Daisy told me, once Dorothy and the others are taken to meet the Wizard he tells them that he will not give the Scarecrow a brain, the Tin Man a heart or the Cowardly Lion courage without a condition.  Libby is now looking over here in this direction.

 

    Daisy told me that when Dorothy and the others were in the room with the Wizard of Oz all they can see of him is his big face projected up in the air above a big fire.  His loud voice makes the Wizard seem intimidating and scary.  Oh!  I just picked up the scent of a Snake.

     The Wizard of Oz told Dorothy that before he'd help them they first had to pass a hard test.  They had to go back outside of the Emerald City and steal the Wicked Witch of the West's magic broom.  Then they had to take that broom back to the Wizard.  I smell Sage.

    

       According to what Dais told me, the Bad Witch has an army of Monkey's that have wings and can fly around like Birds.  Looking at the eastern desert beyond our three Sheds, I see some Birds zooming around.  Oh!  I see the Gopher Snake over there near the big tree.

     Those flying Monkey's are what I'm the most curious about if I ever get to see that movie The Wizard of Oz.  I'd like to see some Monkey's flying.  That would be so incredible; and I know for sure Daisy would like to see a flying Monkey too.  I can smell a Creosote bush. 

     Daisy says the flying Monkey's will do whatever the Bad Witch tells them to do.  She orders them to go out and attack Dorothy and the others; who are at that point trying to figure out how to steal her magical broom.   That Gopher Snake just crawled under a rock.   

 

     The flying Monkeys find Dorothy and her group in this dark forest Daisy says.  They beat up the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion too.  The Monkeys then kidnap Dorothy and her Dog Toto.  Both are flown back to the Bad Witch's Castle up on the mountaintop.

     Samson and Delilah just floated in and landed on top of Jack the big Shed.  Now they're both looking down and scanning the ground below them.  I'll bet they also smelled that one Gopher Snake.  Ah!  A nice cool breeze just came floating in off of the eastern desert.

   

  Once Dorothy and Toto are in front of the Bad Witch the first thing the Witch wants is to get the red shoes.  But when she gets near them electricity shoots out and prevents her from taking them off.  then she remembers that she has to kill Dorothy in order to remove the shoes.

     Daisy says that little Dog Toto is so smart.  When the Bad Witch is not looking he escapes and even manages to get out of the Castle too.  Then he knows from memory exactly where to go to find the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.  He leads them to the Castle.

     I guess, from what Dais says, besides her army of flying Monkees, the Bad Witch also has her own military units who carry big spears.  They guard the Bad Witch's Castle and sing in really deep voices as they march around.  I can hear some Crows cawing faintly.

    

    

  I know one thing.  One reason why Daisy liked The Wizard of Oz is because Dorothy and her three companions eventually became good friends too.  Daisy really likes movies about friends.  I've noticed that about her.  I hear Pigeons cooing above me on the Patio roof.    

      As You know God, Dais wants to think that sometimes in life You arrange to have things like Dorothy meeting the Tin Man, The Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion.  And even though I also believe in Free Will like Mr. Steve, I kind of want to think You do things like that too.  

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that for years the movie Wizard of Oz was shown on tv.  So he and his brothers and sisters saw it a few times.  But my Encyclopedia says when it came out in 1939 it was not an "immediate success."  Two Pigeons are flying out into the desert.

     This is interesting.  My Encyclopedia says that in 1956, the year after Mr. Steve was born and a year before his brother Rock "came into the world" as they say, the showing of the Wizard of Oz became an "annual event."  Even Mr. Steve's father liked watching it in color.   

     This is interesting.  It says here that it was L. Frank Baum's Mother-In-Law who suggested he write.  This was after he'd failed in many things trying to make money.  Daisy told me how there are two Witches in The Wizard of Oz; one is good and the other one is bad. 

      According to what Dais told me, Mr. Steve read a magazine article that said it's rumored the "inspiration" for the "Good Witch of the North" in The Wizard of Oz was L. Frank Baum's Mother-In-Law.  The article said she and her daughter were good women.

      Mr. Steve jokes that many men don't like their Mother-In-Laws very much.  But in L. Frank Baum's case he was lucky that wasn't true.  I guess, from what our boss told Daisy and Millie, he appreciated how fortunate he was to have such good women around his four sons.     

    

                                                                                                                                        

    

My Encyclopedia describes him here as what they call a "devoted" husband and "admirable" father.

      Daisy says our boss read much of L. Frank Baum's book.  It was called "The Emerald City" at first.  Mr. Steve says, in his subjective opinion, L. Frank Baums' "Oz" fantasyland is not as well-described as Tolkein's "Middle Earth" or C.S. Lewis' "Narnia."

     Mr. Steve told Daisy that in L. Frank Baums' book there are violent scenes that aren't in the 1939 movie.  In one scene the "Tin Man" cuts off the head of forty wolves with his axe.  And in another scene forty Crows are strangled.  Two Crows are squawking out in the desert. 

As their Plane landed at International Airport in Los Angeles after they returned from their trip Mr. Steve remembered reading about how that band the MAMA'S AND THE PAPAAS wrote their song "California Dreaming" because they were "Homesick" for California.

  

THE MAMA'S AND THE PAPA'S

     Mr. Steve told us he read that John Phillips of the MAMA'S AND THE PAPA'S said he and his wife Michelle were in New York City in 1963 during a cold Winter.  They thought about how nice it would be to be back in warm California.  Now Twinky's barking too. 

     It was in the middle of the night that man John Phillips got the idea for his song California Dreaming I guess.  He woke up his wife and together they were inspired to write their song.  I've never heard it but Daisy has and says I'd like it because it has a good flute in it. 

     Sadly Mr. Steve says, Los Angeles now gives him the same "Claustrophobic" feeling he had driving around New York City in 1977.  There are just too many cars he says.  And parts of Los Angeles are starting to get "Run Down" too; just like New York City in 1977. 

  

                                                                NEW YORK CITY

                                                                        

      Mr. Steve and his brother saw a game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium in 1977.  During that season the White Sox wore all black uniforms he told us!  And in the season before that they even wore short pants or "Cutoffs."  Dais says she'd like to see that. 

      Aha!  I knew I was being watched.  And now what do I see?  There's a Ground Squirrel over there poking its nose out from under the Creosote bush over to my right.  Mr. Steve cuts down most of the Creosote and Juniper plants but he likes the way that one looks.  Me too.

  

   "A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN"    

 

   Tomorrow in book three Dais has me scheduled to write about how, during World War II in the 1940's; there was an all female professional Baseball League.  They had to wear skirts and were good players Dais says.  She and Millie even saw a good movie about it.

     From what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie in the 1970's the White Sox were owned by this one man named Bill Veeck.  Mr. Steve says his last name rhymed with "wreck."  He was one of the most "Colorful" owners in Major League Baseball history.   I smell Libby the Horse.

         

                                                                      BILL VEECK

 

     Mr. Steve was right.  In my Encyclopedia it says Bill Veeck was known for "Showmanship."  As owner of the St. Louis "Browns," in 1944 during World War II, with many players away at war; he hired this outfielder named Pete Gray.  Pete Gray had only one arm! 

     It's probably true our boss thinks, if World War II had not been going on that guy Pete Grays wouldn't have been able to play in the Major Leagues.  But still he says, Pete Gray must've been pretty good if the St. Louis Browns were at least willing to give him a chance.

                           

                                                            PETE GRAY (1915-2002)

     Because our boss has played Baseball for much of his life he admires what Pete Gray did in 1944.  He told Daisy and myself that Pete Gray is a good example of how sometimes in life you have to adapt to your particular circumstances or "fall by the wayside" as they say.        

     It says her that in the mid-1950's Bill Veeck gave pitcher Satchel Page a job even though he was way "past his prime" as they say.  He knew Satchel Page, some say the best pitcher of all time black or white; was in real need of money.  Money is so important!

     

          SATCHEL PAGE (1906-1982)                                   EDDIE GAEDEL (1925-1961)                     

     This is so interesting.  Wait until Daisy hears this!  It says here in my Encyclopedia that Bill Veeck's most famous "Stunt" happened in 1952; three years before our boss was born.  He hired this one little "Midget" named Eddie Gaedel to what they call; "Take an at bat." 

     What it says here confirms what our boss told Daisy and Millie.  That guy Eddie was ordered not to swing his miniature bat "No matter What."  So, because his "Strike Zone" was so small he took four pitches and took a "Walk."  The gimmick worked.  I'm still writing about it. 

     Mr. Steve told Dais and me that in the 1980's the Anaheim Angels hired a left-handed pitcher named Jim Abbott.  He had been born without a right hand.  But he was still able to use a "Mitt."

                                                                                                                     HIStory of angels names

  The Angels were called the "California" Angels back then our boss says.

                       

                                                                      JIM ABBOTT

     That guy Jim Abbott later went to pitch for the New York Yankees.  And from what Mr. Steve told us he even pitched a "No-Hitter."  Dais says Mr. Steve thinks, like Pete Gray, Jim Abbott is an example of successfully adjusting to life's "curves" and never giving up.  

       Yup!  Libby's looking in this direction.  I sensed her over there.  And in looking over there to my right I see Cher the Cat below that clump of Joshua trees in the southeast corner of our two acres.  Usually she hunts at night but probably smells the Field Mice.  I sure have been.

       

 

      Well, it's about three in the afternoon and still no snacks again today.  Oh!  Heathcliff crowed again next door.  Hearing him during the day is a pleasant surprise and I like it.  Hey You Guys, is Heathcliff's crowing a good luck sign that You're sending me?  I sure hope so.

     According to the outline Daisy helped me with I still have to write a lot more about Baseball; especially Mr. Steve's favorite team the Oakland A's.  Because he's always drawn a lot, our boss looks closer than most at sports uniforms and things like that.  And me and Dais too.

     I'm tempted to write about the history or evolution of the Philadelphia, Kansas City and then Oakland Athletics; or "A's."  But, I better just wait until tomorrow.  That's when Daisy has me scheduled to do it.  Dais and I want to think that it's a really interesting topic. 

     Mr. Steve said Bill Veeck's 1977 White Sox uniforms were "too much black."  They looked just like the White Sox uniforms from the turn of the 20th century.  Dais told me our boss thinks they gave up the cutoff shorts because it was probably painful to slide at times.    

     Daisy said Mr. Steve told her and Millie the White Sox, like the A's, have had a lot of different uniform "Designs" over the years.  Unlike some teams like the Yankees and Dodgers who never change their uniforms; the White Sox and A's have changed their many times.

     Ironically Mr. Steve told Dais, there have been times when the White Sox actually had some of best designed uniforms.  But, he understood what Bill Veek was doing in 1977.  Those uniforms got attention.  I just heard Max the Hummingbird as he zoomed bye just to my front. 

     Mr. Steve knows, being an artist, at times ugly things are effective. He's drawn the White Sox logo, as well as other logos, so knows what a nice logo they have.  But in 1977 they weren't a very good team so, just like the Browns back then in the 1950's; needed a gimmick. 

     In 1977 the Oakland A's, in Mr. Steve's subjective opinion, had the best uniforms in Baseball.  But he knows many would totally disagree.  A lot of people would have said that the "Swinging A's" uniforms were horrible!  They were "Gaudy!"  But my boss really liked them.

 

FINLEY

  

This one man named Charles O. Finley owned the A's in 1977.  He'd bought the "Franchise" in  1960 when they were called the Kansas City "Athletics."  From the early 20th century all the way until 1955 they had been the Philadelphia Athletics.  Mr. Steve was born in 1955.

      The Philadelphia A's had some of the best teams of all time.  A few of their players are in the Hall of Fame.  Those guys Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played against some of those A's teams.  I just picked up the scent of that one clump of Joshua trees to the left of Jack the Shed. 

      Charles O. Finley was Irish.  So three years after he bought the A's in 1960 he changed their color scheme from "Navy" blue, red and white to "Kelly" green, yellow and white.  Tomorrow in book three I'll write in a lot more detail about the history of the A's uniforms.   

      During the 1960's Charles O. Finley gradually made the A's a better team.  Daisy says he had a "General Manager" but he was really the General Manager.  Mr. Steve thinks he was a good judge of talent.  Two of the Pigeons are flying bye; way up there high in the blue sky.

      In professional sports the worst teams get to pick the earliest in what's called the "Draft" of the best young players.  In the 1950's the Philadelphia and then Kansas City A's were not good. And even after Charles Finley bought them they remained pretty bad Dais told me.

       Charles Finley moved the A's from Kansas City to Northern California back in 1968; when Mr. Steve was thirteen.  From then until now they would be the "Oakland A's." 

             MARTIN LUTHER KING (0000-0000)        ROBERT KENNEDY (0000-0000)

 

     A lot of things happened in 1968.  Over there in the Vietnam War the North Vietnamese did the surprise attack called the "Tet Offensive."  And first Martin Luther King and then Robert Kennedy were assassinated.  There were a lot of "Race Riots" then Dais says.

               

                                                     CHARLES O. FINLEY (1111-1111)

  

      Charles Finley sold the A's in the mid-1980's and the new owners changed the team colors to a darker "Forrest" green. But in 1977 it was bright green!  Many people hated the A's uniforms then.  Like our boss, green is now Daisy and I's favorite color.  I smell a Mouse.

     After High School in 1974, while attending Valley Junior College, Mr. Steve and his girlfriend Sandy worked for a "Pharmacy" at a Hospital in Lake View Terrace.  Sandy's mom, a nurse, got them the jobs.  Our boss was a driver while Sandy worked "Behind the Counter."

     The Pharmacist where Mr. Steve and Sandy worked was this Japanese-American man who everyone called "Moose" because his first name was "Mitsubi."  He was a big Dodger fan.  And in 1974 the Dodgers played the A's in the World Series.  The A's won easily.

     Moose knew Mr. Steve was an A's fan.  He got really mad when Oakland beat the Dodgers in that World Series.  So Mr. Moose told our boss he hated the A's uniforms; calling them "puke"  green.  He was not the only one then who had that opinion Mr. Steve says.

     Mr. Steve says "forever" it was "tradition" that Major League teams wore white uniforms at home and gray on the road. But Charles Finley didn't care about tradition so had the A's wear any number of color combinations or what they now call "alternate" jerseys and pants. 

     More alarming to baseball "purists" was Finley putting the A's in white shoes!  Some "howled in outrage" our boss says.  But  Charles Finley could care less because he was a "visionary."  Mr. Steve likes "royal" blue but green is now his favorite color.  Ours too!                       

     Mr. Steve says before they were the Kansas City Athletics the A's were based in Philadelphia for sixty years. While in the "City of Brotherly Love" they won championships and their mascot was an Elephant.  The owner and manager was named Connie Mack. 

     Some Hall of Famers like "Lefty" Grove played for the Philadelphia A's.  They were one of the best teams in Baseball in the first two decades of the 20th century and later were a rival of the Yankees at the time of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the 1920's and 1930's.

          

CONNIE MACK  

    Our boss says the main reason the A's used an Elephant mascot was because John McGraw, the manager of the New York Giants, made fun of the A's; calling them "white Elephants."  Mr. Steve told us John McGraw thought this would get Connie Mack mad.

     But Connie Mack just adopted an Elephant mascot.  One thing that made that man Connie Mack unique our boss says was that, unlike all the other "Field Managers" then and ever since, he never wore a uniform but instead dressed in a suit and tie on the bench.

                       

     Dais says our boss told her the Oakland A's often have good teams even though they're what's called a "small market" team.  They can't compete with "large market" teams like the Dodgers or Yankees.  They don't have the "resources;" which just means "money" Daisy says.

    Mr. Steve says in 1960 when Charles Finley bought the A's they were bad.  In the 1950's they were known jokingly as the Yankees "Farm Team" because many of their best players ended up in New York City.  The most famous was this guy named Roger Maris.

                                      ROGER MARIS (1934-1985)                      

     Roger Maris was a left-handed hitter just like Babe Ruth.  For a long time no one thought the single season Home Run record of 61 by Babe Ruth could be broken.  But Roger Maris did; even though he got to play 162 games versus Babe Ruth's 154.  I smell a Creosote bush.

     If  Daisy could go back in time I'll bet she'd go back to 1961 when our boss was six years old.  That was the year Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's Home Run record.  There must have been so much excitement.  But Mr. Steve says it was a lot of stress and anxiety for Roger Maris. 

              

  

      According to what Mr. Steve told Dais, in his subjective opinion, Roger Maris and also Hank Aaron's home run records for a single season and a career are the "Gold Standard."  When the records were broken the players were taking "P.E.D.'s

mark mcguire   sammy sosa barry bonds

 

       When Charles Finley bought the A's their only good player was a Cuban named Dagoberto or "Bert" Campaneris.  Once Mr. Steve started "following" the A's Bert Campaneris became his favorite player.  He studied Campaneris closely and tried to play like him. 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

     Like Bill Veeck Charles Finley also used gimmicks to try to gain attendance when his teams were bad.  That's what Mr. Steve told Daisy.  One time he had Bert Campaneris play all nine positions in a game; the only time it's been done in Major League history. 

    Bert Campaneris was a good what they call "Lead Off" hitter.  And because for a few years in Little League at S.I.B.L. Mr. Steve was a lead off hitter he studied Bert Campaneris closely.  He learned a lot from Bert Campaneris and he's shown young kids what to do too. 

    Our boss not only offensive things from Bert Campaneris.  Some of the things he observed had to do with defense.  There are times when you have to try to fool the "Base Runner" when he's sliding in on you and you're receiving the throw.  I smell Jack the Jackrabbit.

     Daisy says Mr. Steve told her and Millie one time that in Baseball if it's a bad throw and you miss it you still "hold the tag" on the runner as if you caught it.  This makes him hold on tighter to the base thinking he'll be "tagged out" if he comes off of "the bag" as they say.

     Mr. Steve thinks that Bert Campaneris, as a Shortstop who took a lot of throws, studied other veteran players.  He most likely had the "tag routine" done to him because he stole a lot of bases so had to slide into second and third base a lot.  Oh!  Jack is looking at me.

      Bert Campaneris, from what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie, was on some really bad losing teams in Kansas City.  But he learned that as a fielder when a throw "gets away" you pretend you caught the ball.  Otherwise the runner will realize he can easily go to the next base. 

   Because the Oakland A's are our boss's favorite Major League Baseball team now both Daisy and I really like them a lot too!  Looking to the east out to our back half acre I see a lot of things that are green now but later this Summer will be more brown and yellow. 

                          

BERT CAMPANERIS     

  

     Our boss says in that game when Bert Campaneris played all nine positions he also pitched; throwing right-handed to right-handed batters and left-handed to left-handed hitters.  Our boss throws right and left-handed; and is what they call a "switch hitter."

     Mr. Steve played Soccer when after he transferred from Alemany to Sylmar High School.  He says he wasn't that good at it but could kick the ball using either foot.  I told Daisy about my idea to start a Soccer League for Dogs.  But she doesn't think there's much call for it.    

    Bert Campaneris was Mr. Steve's favorite player even when the A's were still located back in Kansas City.  But once Charles Finley moved the team out to Oakland in 1968 our boss had more of a chance to study Bert Campaneris a lot more closely.  I smell Juniper.  

     Mr. Steve says you often can learn by "observing" others doing what you want to learn.  As a right-hander he learned to "drive" a golf ball by watching this man named Arnold Palmer.  And he watched Pete Michelson to see the proper technique for driving a ball left-handed.  

     Our boss thinks Bert Campaneris was a smart and skillful runner.  He knew when not to try to "stretch" a single into a double or a double into a triple.  He "knew himself" like the Oracle at Delphi said to do.  Mr. Steve got "thrown out" a few times trying too hard to help his team.

     In Mr. Steve's subjective opinion, if Bert Campaneris had played for the New York Yankees in the late 1960's he'd be a lot more famous.  That's what Daisy thinks.  The Yankees were not a good team so the New York City "hyper" media would've "hyped him up" so to speak. 

     Daisy says our boss told her and Millie that Bert Campaneris' "sliding" ability so amazing.  There were times when he was like a Boat gliding or what they call "Hydroplaning" over water.  And he was really good at the "pop up" slide; just in case the ball "got away."   

                          

BERT CAMPANERIS

   Mr. Steve thinks, of those he's seen in person, Bert Campaneris was the best "bunter" and the fastest right-handed batter "out of the hole."  This means running from the Batter's Box to first base or, running from a "dead start."  Bert Campaneris "accelerated" quickly!

   Over the years my boss has come to know a little bit about "Drag Racing."  As a teenager he and his friend Tim, who's still a good mechanic, took his Chevelles to the "Street Races"in the middle of the night.  Like his Chevelle's, Bert Campaneris was a "Burner."

   Besides being a "potent weapon" on offense, Mr. Steve thinks Bert Campaneris was also good on defense. Being fast, as a "Shortstop" with "range," he got to balls other Shortstops didn't get  to and then had a really strong throwing arm.  A Thrasher Bird just ran bye.                                  

                                      

BERT CAMPANERIS 

 

     Mr. Steve told us that, as a rookie, Bert Campaneris, even though he was small, hit two home runs in his first game; only the fifth man in history to do it.  When he retired he was seventh all time in stolen bases with a total of 649.  That's a lot our boss says.  I smell Sage.

     Six times Bert Campaneris led the American League in "steals."  And, as a Shortstop, three times he finished first in what are called "putouts."

Wile E.

His nickname was "Campy" and his symbol became the cartoon Roadrunner from the cartoon.  My boss says he was a really fast runner!

                           

      Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks one of the main reasons Charles Finley made his lousy team wear white shoes was Bert Campaneris's speed and running ability.  It was a gimmick because when he ran in white shoes it sort of looked like little pistons going up and down. 

      According to what Mr. Steve told Dais and Millie, watching Bert Campaneris running from first base to third base on a base hit was like a "work of art" or, a "clinic."  And the way he ran and then slid into third base when he hit a triple was like watching a "Ballet" dancer.

     Wearing white shoes when running "all out" or "at full speed" made Bert Campaneris seem kind of like a machine.  And, like Mr. Steve, he was a good "bunter" so his speed created many problems for the other team.  Mr. Steve is not a fast runner but tries to be a smart runner.

    In 1968 Charles O. Finley moved the A's franchise from Kansas City to the "Bay Area" out here on the west coast.  So Bert Campaneris and his wife and kids went with him.  From then on they would be called the "Oakland" Athletics.  I hear the Ducks quacking next door. 

     My boss says that Charles O. Finley was at times even more "eccentric" than Bill Veeck!  To some that would seem hard to believe.  But not to Mr. Steve Dais says.  He knows all of the things "Finley" did over the years.  Charles O. Finley was what they call "one in a million."                                         
             

                                                nbsp;                       

    The flag of Ireland is green, white and orange.  So, being Irish, "Charlie" Finley used bright  green as the A's "primary" color but substituted yellow for orange as their "secondary" color.  Mr. Steve told us, breaking with tradition, he put the A's in "loud" uniforms.

     The A's under Charles Finley were the first team to wear yellow "sanitary" socks under their outer "stirrup" type socks.  Until then the only color used was white, period!  Our boss says, for a few years, the San Diego Padres also wore yellow sanitary socks.

        

 

   Once Charles Finley put the A's in their more colorful uniforms many other teams began to do the same.  Our boss attended games in San Diego when the "Padres" primary color was brown  with yellow and white as their secondary colors.  Dais likes brown.  Me too.

     The reason the Padres wore brown was because of the Franciscan priests who manned the Missions in the late 18th century. The first "Alta," or "Upper" California Mission was set up in San Diego in 1769.  Our boss has also been to that Mission.

     Like the A's green, brown made the Padres unique Mr. Steve says.  And, for a few years they even wore white shoes just like the A's.  But now he says, they wear boring navy blue like so many other teams.  Navy, or dark blue, is what's called a "neutral" color.

     Sadly Mr. Steve says, Finley's bright green was replaced by a dark "Forrest" green when  new owners bought the team in the early 1980's.  But he says, at least they kept both white and yellow as their secondary colors.  Even today no one else wears green.

     Mr. Steve loved those bright green A's uniforms; especially after they won five division and three world titles during the 1970's.  They became what's called a "dynasty!"  For our boss those were his "good old days."  But he didn't appreciate that until much later.  

           

    

     Charles Finley was called a "nut" by many because he went against tradition by pitting the A's in white shoes and color-coordinated uniforms and equipment.  That's what Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie.  Ah!  A nice cool breeze just came in off of the eastern desert. 

     Bill Veeck was the first Baseball owner to put a player's name on the back of his jersey.  That Chicago White Sox player was name named Ted Klyzewski.  I smell a Lizard nearby.

     While still in Kansas City Mr. Finley replaced the Elephant as the team mascot and instead began using a Mule just like Molly who used to live out in the corral with Libby.  The new A's mascot was named "Charlie O" and he even wore a hat! 

            

     When Mr. Steve told us that Charles Finley used a Mule as his mascot I right away liked him; besides the fact that our boss likes the A's.  Some thought Finley a "nut" but others say he was  "ahead of his time." Our boss says he added "color" to Baseball.  Daisy thinks he was smart.                                                  

        In 1977 when Mr. Steve and his brother Rock saw the White Sox play the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium they had to park their car in a tall parking structure.  This was a big difference from the wide open and large parking lots all around Dodger Stadium.                                                                                                   

                                                  OLD AND NEW YANKEE STADIUMS

   In 1977 when our boss and his brother Rock saw the White Sox play the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium they had to park their rented car in a tall parking structure.  This was different from the big wide open parking lots at Dodger Stadium.

     Parking their car Mr. Steve says and his brother walked to Yankee Stadium.  There were big piles of garbage everywhere.  It smelled bad.  One guy yelled out; "New York, love it or leave it."  Everyone kind of laughed when he said that.

     Yankee Stadium is in the "Bronx" our boss told us.  He says it was dirty in 1977.  And almost everywhere else that they went in New York City in 1977, even this big park called "Central Park;" he got a feeling there were way too many people there.

     Our boss says New York City is cleaner now but just as crowded.  It stopped using "creative accounting" so financially are in better shape now.  But many American cities still "fudge" the numbers and borrow money to "cover operating deficits" Mr. Steve told us.

     Cities and states make deals with employees in "Unions" our boss says. They promise to put money into "Pension Funds" for their "retirement."  But sometimes the people who run cities and states don't put in enough money to pay for these "obligations."

     Other cities need to do what New York City was forced to do Mr. Steve says. Some politicians don't want to raise taxes to meet future obligations and Unions would rather take the long-term risk of underfunding pension funds instead of layoffs or "benefit" reductions.

     Mr. Steve believes it's not right for cities and states to keep using "cash budgeting" practices that let them "inflate" revenues, put off "costs" and make the financial burdens worse for future generations like his nieces and nephews.  Daisy thinks this only makes sense.

     Daisy jokes we should form a Guard Dog Union with our neighbor's Dogs.  She says we could what they call "collectively bargain" with our boss's to get paid.  But she told me, that wouldn't work because then they'd just replace us with these Dogs called "scab" Dogs.

                                                                                                                                                                                 

    Wow You Guys!  This day, like yesterday, is going so fast.  I've already finished seven of the twelve chapters in today's second book.  I don't eve feel tired at all.  All of you Guys are giving me energy.  I feel all of the life all around me.  I just picked up the scent of Juniper. 

      I see that, according to my outline for book two, I still have more to write about Mr. Steve's 1977 trip to New York City.  In fact, even though I'm scheduled to write about it later, I kind of feel like looking up and writing about that place called Madison Square Garden now. 

      According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, there have been a few Madison Square Gardens.  In the last three decades of the 19th century there were two places that used the name Madison Square Garden I guess.  I wonder why they called it a Garden? 

   

     There's a black and white picture of the third Madison Square Garden in my Encyclopedia.  It was built in 1925 during the "Roaring Twenties."  I guess over the years many really famous Boxing matches were held there.  I just picked up the faint scent of a Lizard.  

     1925, when the third Madison Square Garden was built, was seven years after World War I had ended.  This is the same building shown in that photo of Nat Fleischer's office.  No wonder he had his office there.  He could just walk next door and go see the fights.

     This third Madison Square Garden in the picture is also where the American Fascists used to hold their Conventions in 1939.  My Encyclopedia says in 1968 a new Madison Square Garden was built.  I see the Lizard standing on the wall next to the sliding glass door.

      

                                                                                        PHOTO BY DANIEL ACKER

     When Mr. Steve and his brother Rock were in New York City in 1977 the drove past the newest

the next thing to write about is music; especially the music from the mid-1970's.  Daisy told me our boss thinks 1977 was important. 

     "Punk" music was becoming popular in England, New York City, Los Angeles and other parts of the world in 1977.  Mr. Steve says in the 1970's there was this one nightclub in New York City called "CB GB's.  Many important bands started out there he told us.

               BLONDIE                                                                        TALKING HEADS

    

     Our boss told Daisy that back in 1977 bands like the RAMONES, BLONDIE and TALKING HEADS were all playing at CB GB's.  But Mr. Steve and his brother Rock had not yet heard of any of them yet.  In "retrospect" he says, he wishes he "knew then what he knows now."  

     Mr. Steve and his brother Rock might've gone to a show at CB GB's had they known about what was going on.  But, like he jokes, "At the end of the day, what can you do?  You just have to accept some things as they are and not as you would wish them to be."

     Just before our boss's 1977 trip a classmate named Marla joked that, using Hegel's Dialectic method of thesis blending with antithesis to form a synthesis which becomes a new thesis, there should soon be a "melodic" Hard Rock band with a female singer soon. 

     Then, when Mr. Steve and his brother Rock were driving their rented car around New York City a song came on the radio called "Barracuda;" just like the Fish.  They were in Manhattan driving past that place called "Madison Square Garden."  I smell a Mouse.

                   

                                                                           HEART

      It turned out that song Barracuda was by a band called HEART who were mainly two sisters from a city called "Seattle."  Mr. Steve recalled what Marla said.  Heart's sisters are sort of like a "girl Sparks" Daisy jokes; and "paved the way" for Pat Benatar our boss says. 

     That girl Marla predicted correctly because in 1976 "melodic" Rock bands like Boston, Rush and AC/DC were popular.  And female singers like Linda Ronstadt, Patti Smith, and Blondie did well.  So she thought, there could be a synthesis of the two things.  I see the Mouse.

     Daisy's told me about this other band from the 1970's called ABBA.  They were from Sweden, which is one of the "Scandinavian" countries where the Vikings came from.  Mr. Steve has some customers who who sell Swedish cars called "Volvos."  The Mouse ran away.

                 

                                                                                                                  ABBA

                                                                                                           

     Before I came to live here Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie about ABBA. She remembers him saying how ABBA was two husband and wife couples and that back in 1977 his girlfriend Sandy heard and then liked their music.  Daisy says she likes ABBA now too. 

     I want to hear some ABBA songs!  Mr. Steve says he came to like a few of their songs too; even though friends made fun of him.  But he didn't care.  If  Sandy liked ABBA then he was at least willing to try to like them too.  Besides he says, some of their songs really were good.

     Dais told me ABBA have a song called "SOS."  I want to hear it.  She says it has good singing and piano and is kind of a "happy sad" song.  She says our boss likes music which has the feeling of agony and ecstasy; like some of the religious music that composer Bach wrote.    

     Mr. Steve says the music of Sparks and Abba make him feel what they call "nostalgic" for his time with Sandy.  He told Daisy and Millie that, looking back on those days, he now realizes he never appreciated them like he should have.  A Snake is sunning itself near the tree. 

         Our boss points out to those who dislike ABBA that Ray Davies of the Kinks, Pete Townsend of the Who and John Lennon all liked SOS.  He later heard that a "Punk" band from England called the Sex Pistols' song "Pretty Vacant's" main "riff" was inspired by SOS. 

          Mr. Steve "chuckles" thinking about how they dressed in the 1970's.  "Platform" shoes were "in."  ABBA wore those Daisy says.  Our boss still has some of those funny-looking shoes in one of the bedroom closets Dais says.  I want to see them!  The Snake crawled away.  

     At one time our boss was going to give those platform shoes away to this one group called the "Salvation Army."  But others convinced to keep them and now he's kind of glad he did because he shows them to others as a joke.  He also has clothes made out of "Polyester." 

     That band The Ramones were just starting out in New York City in 1977.  In the late 1980's, Mr. Steve and his girlfriend Harriet were at Burbank Airport picking up Harriet's friend when  Harriet noticed the RAMONES also sitting in the waiting area.  I smell a Lizard.   

     That one time at the Burbank Airport Mr. Steve didn't want to bother the RAMONES.  He and Harriet had talked about his 1977 trip before. A few years later our boss read that guitar player Johnny Ramone was a "Conservative" like us.  Aha!  I see the Lizard. 

     Mr. Steve says many entertainers are what they call "Liberals;" even though they don't like being called that and prefer "Progressives."  One Rock musician who's a Conservative is named Ted Nugent.  A nice cool breeze just came in from out in the desert behind the Sheds.

             

                                                                   TED NUGENT

     Ted Nugent is originally from Detroit like IGGY AND THE STOOGES our boss told us.  In 1977 Ted Nugent started his own band but before that was in this other band called the AMBOY DUKES Mr. Steve says.  That Lizard is now running under Moe the Shed.

     Mr. Steve has a lot of customers in Texas where his brother Rock lives with his sons Jacob and Rocky Jr.  One of his customers told him that Ted Nugent bought land in Texas and hunts Pigs. Mr. Steve used to play drums to one of his songs called "Cat Scratch Fever."

     Fro what our boss has read or heard about that guy Frank Zappa he sounded like he was kind of a Conservative.  He didn't like too much government and thought that "victimhood" should not be "catered to" because it just produced more and more self-pity.

     Even before I lived here Dais liked the RAMONES fast-paced songs; especially this one called "Blitzkrieg Bop."  Mr. Steve jokes their "three minute sprints" influenced Punk bands but like Iggy Pop, they never seem to have made that much money.  I hear a Sparrow singing. 

     Daisy and I would have liked to meet the Ramones but, Mr. Steve tells us three of the four members of the band have what's called "passed away."  Daisy says this is a nice way of saying they died.  Too bad!  But, as Dais says, we still have their music!  I see the Sparrow.

     Our boss told Daisy and I that Joey Ramone, the singer, looked sick when he and Harriet saw him at Burbank Airport.  He was really pale, "as white as a sheet of paper" Mr. Steve says.  And he seemed to be as skinny as a "refugee" to our boss.  That Sparrow just flew away.  

     Joey Ramone was tall and died of cancer a few years later Mr. Steve told us.  They named a street in New York City after him.  Mr. Steve noticed that Joey and Johnnie Ramone didn't seem to be too friendly with each other.  There seemed a "coolness" between them. 

     Mr. Steve has told Dais and me that New York and Los Angeles each have their good and bad aspects.  But his 1977 visit to New York City made him appreciate more the good things about California; like wider roads and more open spaces.  I smell a Cholla cactus right now.

   &nnbsp; Overcrowded cities of cement and asphalt did not appeal to J.R.R. Tolkein our boss says.  He "idealized" the old "rural" lifestyle with its humanity; over a world of "unemotional machines."    Ray Davies of the KINKS has written songs about this bleak future.  

     Mr. Steve likes the writing of J.R.R. Tolkein and his friend C.S. Lewis.  Their Christian faith influenced their work he thinks but it's also apparent he told us that they were very influenced by the pagan world.  He is too and now Dais and I are interested in that subject.  

     As nice as it is to live in California Mr. Steve says, there seems to be more bad things about our State than ever before.  Down in Los Angeles there now too many people and cars.  Many business's are leaving California our boss told us.  A Crow just cawed faintly to the east.   

 

   In California Mr. Steve thinks the taxes are too high.  So, many people and their animals are moving to other States where there's more work and the "cost of living" is lower.  But, usually  we do have better weather.  Dais and I are sure glad we don't have to pay taxes! 

     Many of the business's our boss and his friend Rick have dealt with for years in "Mechanical Contracting" are "picking up" and moving out of California.  They're re-locating to places like Texas where it's more "business friendly" compared to our state.  I smell a Joshua tree.

                    

         Hey You Guys I'm done with chapter eight.  And now in chapter nine I can see that I have listed to write about things up here in the High Desert.  And I want to write about music too.  Fannie and Freddie just flew past and are moving toward the eastern desert.

     Mr. Steve has told Dais and myself about this man named Eddie "Spaghetti."  Over there in Phelan, near the Stater Brothers, or sometimes next to the Rite-Aid store, to make money, Eddie is allowed to set up a drum kit and play music.  Mr. Eddie was born with no arms! 

      Even though Daisy's bad Angel is named Eddie we know that there are some good Eddie's too.  Mr. Steve knows another Eddie who grew up on "Staten Island" in New York City but now lives near us.  He used to sell things for Mr. Steve but now drives a "Taxicab."

     From what our boss says Eddie Spaghetti sets up what's called a “Public Address” ("P.A.") system and then sings and plays drums to "pre-recorded" music in which the singing "tracks" have been removed. Mr. Steve puts money in his bucket.

                                                                   EDDIE "SPAGHETTI"

                  

     In order to play Mr. Eddie wears what's called "Prosthesis" or fake arms.  Because Mr. Steve also plays drums, the first time he saw Eddie play he was impressed; and stunned. He says it was a "reality check."  Daisy and I are grateful we have legs!  A Sparrow just flew bye.

      Our boss says Mr. Eddie's right-handed so uses his right foot on the Bass or "kick" drum and his left foot on this thing called a “High Hat.” His feet make up for a lack of arms.  Because of his limited “range,” the High Hat is turned at an unusual angle; as is his "Floor Tom."

     On hot days Mr. Eddie needs someone to wipe sweat from his face. Knowing Eddie makes our boss appreciate simple things he takes for granted; like opening up a door or getting dressed. At times Eddie plays harmonica in the same way Bob Dylan did.  I smell a Gopher.

     Daisy told me what a High Hat is.  She says the "crash" of Cymbals is kind of scary because it sounds like thunder.  She knows I'm afraid of thunder and lightning. I hide in our garage during storms.  I shiver but Mr. Steve and Daisy calm me down.  I see the Gopher over there.

     Our boss likes the music Mr. Eddie plays; Elvis, the EAGLES, CREEDENCE.  He also plays a song called "I'm a Believer" by that talented band from the 1960's the MONKEES.  Daisy and I heard it one time on our boss's Boombox radio.  The Gopher's gone.

      I was going to write about this girl named Helen Keller tomorrow in book three but I think Daisy is right.  I'm going to write about her now because we both get the same feeling about her as we get when we think about Mr. Eddie.  Helen Keller was blind and couldn't hear.

     According to what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, Helen Keller got very sick when she was just a small baby.  It left her permanently blind and what they call "Deaf."  That means she couldn't hear anything.  Looking out into the eastern desert makes me feel good.

     Looking at the desert beyond the three Sheds I can see and hear Birds flying around.  I can smell so many of the new Spring scents.  It's too bad Helen Keller is here right now to see what I'm seeing.  Thank Everyone.  Mr. Steve told Dais that Helen Keller could smell.

     Hey God!  Daisy says it's a good thing You sent that girl Anne Sullivan to help Helen Keller by communicating through "Sign Language." She was like Helen Keller's Guardian Angel and was almost blind too.  Two of the Pigeons are flying out into the eastern desert.

 

                         HELEN KELLER (1880-1968) / ANNE SULLIVAN (1866-1936)

  

     Hey Lord.  Helen Keller really believed in You like Daisy and I do.  There's a picture in this Encyclopedia that shows Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan.  This is so interesting.  Helen Keller's father was a Captain in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. 

     I guess Helen Keller's Grandfather was a Civil War General for the South.  Wow!  Robert E. Lee was Helen Keller's Grandmother's Cousin.  This is interesting.  I guess Helen Keller ended up being one of those Socialists like Karl Marx.  I just picked up the scent of Creosote.

     Dais and I are so happy to have you and Ramona as our Guardian Angels Stanley.  I'm sure glad we have you guys around.  I think you've been watching out for me yesterday and today because Mr. Steve hasn't discovered what I'm out here doing.  Thank you Stanley.

      In the picture in my Encyclopedia it shows Anne Sullivan reading to Helen Keller.  And the caption says she's "communicating" through the use of sign language.  I see that Anne Sullivan is making sign language in the palm of Helen Keller's hand.  I smell Sage.

      Dais says Mr. Steve admires Helen Keller.  I can see why.  My Encyclopedia says, even though she was blind and couldn't hear, Helen Keller became an "Author" and "Teacher."  And she was the first blind and deaf person ever to earn a College degree.  I smell a Lizard.

 

     Well, Dais was right!  She said our boss told her and Millie that Helen Keller really liked Dogs like us.  A picture in the Encyclopedia shows her hugging a Dog.  Dais thinks Helen Keller would be good to work for and protect.   Wait until Daisy sees this picture.  I see the Lizard.

     Helen Keller lived to be eighty eight years old I guess.  And the whole time she couldn't even see or hear anything.  Daisy is so right.  That would be such a hard thing to do!  But Dais told me our boss says Helen Keller had a really good sense of smell.  I smell a Juniper plant.

     I wonder if Mr. Steve knows this?  My Encyclopedia says Helen Keller was a "Co-Founder" of the A.C.L.U.  Yesterday toward the end of my first book I wrote how A.C.L.U. stands for the "American Civil Liberties Union.  I can hear our neighbors Ducks quacking.

     Yesterday I wrote about how Mr. Steve's girlfriend Emily, who works at U.C.L.A., got him a job taking pictures of PETER, PAUL AND MARY for their "Newsletter."  My Encyclopedia says Helen Keller worked for women's right to vote and also workers rights.

           

                                                        "THE MIARACLE WORKER"

    

       Daisy told me a while back our boss met a lady who knew an Actress named Patty Duke; who played the part of Helen Keller in a movie called "The Miracle Worker."  It must've been about Anne Sullivan because she did a miracle in communicating with Helen Keller.

     That one lady told our boss how Patty Duke was a good, decent person who was a really good mom.  She herself had a very "difficult" childhood that lady said.  Her parents abandoned her and her two siblings when she was about six yearsold.   

Mr. Eddie at times plays what they call "Country" songs because a lot of people up here like that kind of music Mr. Steve told us.  Daisy says at times our boss also plays drums to Country and Western songs.  Oh!  That Gopher just stuck his head out of the hole again.  

     Dais say one singer our boss likes is from the 1950's.  His name is Hank Williams Sr. and Mr. Steve's parents also like many Hank Williams' songs too.  Daisy says Millie liked the songs that had what they call "Yodeling" in them.  Daisy knows how much I like yodeling songs. 

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie Hank Williams Sr. seems to have influenced later musicians like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and that on guy Bruce Springsteen.  I guess his music is now called "Honky Tonk."  That Gopher is gone again.  It probably smelled me over here.     

   

                                                    HANK WILLIAMS SR. (1923-1953)

     Mr. Steve says many people think of Hank Williams Sr. as a "Legend."  One reason is that he died young at the age of twenty nine.  Tomorrow in book three I'm scheduled to write about this thing called the "27 Club."  Those are musicians who died at age twenty seven.

     From what my Encyclopedia says Hank Williams Sr's father was badly injured in World War I.  So his mother had to raise he and his brothers and sisters alone.  Glancing up, I can see that Blackbeard and Anne Bonny are coasting bye in almost perfect formation. 

     Hey God!  Our boss once told Daisy he thinks the hardest job in the world would be to raise children by yourself.  He's never had any kids so really admires what they call "Single Parents."  His Niece Stepahnie did it for a while but luckily You sent her that  guy Rich.

     I guess that man Hank Williams Sr. started playing guitar at age six! And at age eight he took lessons from this man named Rufus Payne who was an older Blues musician.  It says here that he traded music lessons in exchange for some food Hank Williams' mother cooked. 

 

     Dais says Mr. Steve has a longtime customer in North Carolina.  And as with the other Parts Managers he deals with, at times have had to decide on what color hats and shirts to get.  Colors are a very subjective thing; I like red and you don't.  I hear Dawn barking next door.

      Our boss says pink and sky blue are subjective colors. Some think of them as too feminine.  But "Tar Heel" blue is the State color of North Carolina. One time that one Parts Manager told Mr. Steve that Hank Williams Sr. died in the back of a Powder" blue Cadillac.      

      Mr. Steve once told Daisy and Millie that Hank Williams Sr. seems to have been one of those musicians who "mine their own troubled life in order to write songs.  That Parts Manager over in North Carolina told our boss that Hank Williams Sr. got married at a Gas Station.

     Well, Mr. Steve was right.  He told Daisy and Millie that Hank Williams Sr's biggest problem was that he drank too much.  Mr. Steve has known a few people who have died from being what they call an "Alcoholic."  Samson and Delilah just landed on Manny.

     Oh!  I'll bet our boss will be very interested in this.  It says in this Encyclopedia that the last words Hank Williams Sr. said before he died were "No thanks."   I guess someone asked him if he wanted something to eat.  Samson and Delilah are now looking at me.  

       Dais says one Hank Williams Sr. song Mr. Steve's parents like is called "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."  It's so sad she says.  Samson just jumped down onto the ground and is now looking under Manny; to see if there's something he can kill so he and Delilah can eat.

     Oh my God!  This is such a great quote by Hank Williams Sr!  I guess a Reporter asked him why people liked his songs.  And he said; "Everybody has a little darkness in them.  Now they may not like it.  Don't want to to know about it.  But it's there."

      Hank Williams' then told the Reporter; "I'm talking about things like anger, misery, sorrow, shame.  And they hear it. I show it to them.  And they don't have to take it home.  They expect I can help their troubles."  Samson and Delilah just "took to the air" as they say.

      I just thought of something I feel like writing about. Daisy says our boss told her about the first singer from that band AC/DC.  His name was Bon Scott she told me.  And just like Hank Williams, he also died in the back seat of a Car on a really cold night. 

     That Parts Manager in North Carolina told our boss that Hank Williams Sr. died of a Heart Attack.  This other guy, who used to be a "Roadie" for a band called STATUS QUO, told Mr. Steve one time that he heard Bon Scott drank too much but then froze to death.

                 

                                                              BON SCOTT (1946-1980)

 

      A while back Mr. Steve told Daisy that he'll always remember Bon Scott because he was born on his birthday of July the 9th; and he died on February 19 which is his ex-girlfriend Harriet's birthday.  Daisy says our boss told her that Bon Scott also played the drums.  

     Daisy says Mr. Steve one time told her and Millie that Bon Scott and also Malcolm and Angus Young were actually Scottish.  But their parents moved to Australia when they were young.  Mr.   Steve knows about this other famous man from Scotland named William Wallace.                                   

                                                            "BRAVEHEART"                                                         

    Someday I want to see this movie called "Braveheart."  Daisy and Millie saw it and Daisy told me it's about when Scotland fought against the British way back in the 13th and 14th centuries.   Braveheart is mainly about that guy William Wallace.  Dais says it's pretty good alright.               

 Hey Lord!  As You know Dais told me our boss likes the historical movies made by that guy from Australia named Mel Gibson.  He played the part of William Wallace in Braveheart but he    also was what they call the "Director" who films the movies.  A Crow is Squawking.                    

    Another Mel Gibson movie I want to see Lord is the one he made about when You died.  Daisy and Millie saw it and it was kind of terrible.  It showed just how mean the Romans were back in   those days.  Dais says it seems liked some Romans enjoyed hitting people.                                        

   Tomorrow in book three I'm scheduled to write about this one other Mel Gibson movie called "Apocalypto."  It's about the Mayan civilization and Dais told me our boss liked it; even though  some people have criticized it.  I think I would like Mel Gibson's movies.                                         

      My Encyclopedia says William Wallace was a landowner who led the Scots in trying to break away from England.  Oh wow!  William Wallace was six feet five inches.  That was tall for those days.  George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were also tall.  I smell a Joshua tree.                                                              WILLIAM WALLACE (1272-1305)                          

                

   Dais was right!  This Encyclopedia says when the English beat the Scotts they hung William Wallace.  And then his dead body was "Drawn and Quartered" which means it was cut into four pieces and hung up.  That was done in order to warn others.  I hear a Crow cawing.                      

    Tomorrow I'll write about a Pirate named Captain Kidd.  The British did something similar to him.  But in his case, after he was hung, his body was put in a cage.  Then that cage was hung in   the Harbor so everyone could see his body rot.  Fannie and Freddie just flew bye.                           

    I've never heard any songs sung by AC/DC's first singer Bon Scott.  But Dais has and she told me someday I have to go into our boss's Bedroom so I can hear some of those songs.  Oh!  There goes that big Drgonfly zipping past.  He sure seems to be in a really big hurry.                                                                                     

      Hey God!  You know how Daisy told me about that one AC/DC song called "Let There be Rock?"  Bon Scott sings on it and Daisy says it's good.  Of course Dais probably likes it because the title seems like a reference to when You said "Let there be light."

     Hey Blessed Mother!  Dying in the back seat of a Car by yourself in the freezing cold would be terrible.  That's what Daisy thinks and I agree with her.  I wonder if Hank Williams and Bon Scott had a chance to pray before dying?  I hear Crows cawing out in the desert.

     As You know Blessed Virgin, both Dais and I sure do hope that before we die we get a chance to say a quick Hail Mary.  We got that idea form Mr. Steve and he got it from the Nuns at Saint Ferdinands.  Of course we definitely do know that it's kind of a selfish request.

     Hank Williams Sr. had a son named after him.  Dais told me that and it says right here in this Encyclopedia.  I guess Hank Williams Jr. is also a good musician "in his own right" as they say. Rudy the Roadrunner is jogging bye.  But I'm not tempted to go after him.

     A what they call "reoccurring theme" of my three books is how difficult it is to be the son of a very "accomplished" father.  Mr. Steve told Daisy that it's hard to follow "in the footsteps" of someone that was as great as Hank Williams Sr.  His son even tried to kill himself.

 

          HANK WILLIAMS WITH JR.                                             HANK WILLIAMS JR.                                                                       

   From what our boss told Daisy, that guy Hank Williams Jr. is probably most famous for his song played before the "Monday Night" Football games.  He may've tried to kill himself because of the "heavy burden" of "living in the shadow" of his father he thinks.                                           

    Mr. Steve thinks that over the years since he died Hank Williams Sr. has influenced a lot of other musicians; and not just the Country or Western musicians.  One time he told Daisy and me about this guitar player named George Thoroughgood.  I smell a Joshua tree.                                 

GEORGE THOROUGHGOOD

      That guitarist George Thoroughgood sometimes sounds like a harder Rock version of Hank Williams Honky Tonk style.  At least that's what Mr. Steve thinks.  And he also thinks ZZ TOP seem to have been influenced by Hank Williams Sr.  We really like ZZ TOP.

      Well, I did it again.  I got way off topic in writing about Hank Williams and his son.  I also hadn't planned on writing about that guy Bon Scott.  I kind of just felt like it.  But now I'm going to finish talking about Mr. Eddie; the armless drummer who plays in Phelan.

     Even with no arms, that guy Mr. Eddie "keeps a steady beat" Mr. Steve says.  One song that he plays along to is called "Ring of Fire."   It was done originally by this one guy named Johnny Cash.  From what Dais says our boss likes that song.  I smell a Cholla Cactus. 

     Dais says our boss once told her and Millie that he was told that the main reason why Johnny Cash always wore black was that he thought it brought him good luck.  In other words, it was a "Good Luck Charm."  Max the Hummingbird just zoomed out into the desert. 

     Dais and I really like that song Ring of Fire whenever our boss plays it loud on his Boombox.  This is when he's watering our trees or out doing yard work.  I remember that one time some of those big military Helicopters flew bye.  I smell a Lizard somewhere around here.

     Johnny Cash's wife June Carter "co-wrote" Ring of Fire with her husband it says here.  Dais likes the "Mariachi" sounding horns on Ring of Fire and thinks it must be really hard to play a trumpet.  I prefer the way harmonicas or flutes sound.  I see the Lizard on the dirt.

       

JOHNNY CASH AND WIFE

    

     Mr. Steve says June Carter seemed like a decent woman who had a good influence on Johnny Cash.  He might've died from alcohol or drugs if not for her he thinks. She got him to realize how he was ruining his own life.  That Lizard just ran out into the desert behind the Sheds.

     Lord?  Just like You sent Stanley and Ramona to be Guardian Angels for me and Daisy; Dais thinks You  might use people like June Carter as a sort of Guardian Angels too.  At times she's thought You sent Mr. Steve to be our Guardian Angel.  I love Angels!

     Back in the 1980's our boss told us that there was a band from Los Angeles called WALL OF VOODOO .  Mr. Steve saw them play and thought their music was a mix of "Electronica" and 1960's Italian "Spaghetti Western" movie soundtracks.  Dais says Millie liked their songs.

                                                               WALL OF VOODOO

     WALL OF VOODOO used to play their own version of Ring of Fire Mr. Steve told us.  And he likes it even better that Johnny Cash's original version because their version is heavier.  Daisy told me WALL OF VOODOO have this one really good song called "Mexican Radio."

     Along with a deep sounding guitar Mr. Steve says he liked how WALL OF VOODOO added their own "throbbing techno" melody to Ring of Fire.  He thinks it gave them a kind of "eerie" sound which makes them sort of unique.  Dais thinks I'd like Wall of Voodoo.

     Dais says our boss thinks WALL OF VOODOO probably liked the "Soundtrack" music used on 1960's Italian Spaghetti Westerns.  At times their music sounds kind of dark and "brooding" like the songs from those old movies.  Daisy told me about this actor Clint Eastwood.

                                                            "DOLLARS" TRILOGY

  

         Dais says our boss likes "Westerns" and in particular Italian Western movies.  Some people think they're too violent.  From what Daisy told me Mr. Steve likes the famous trilogy of movies Clint Eastwood was in from 1964 through 1966.  I want to see them someday.

        The music in Spaghetti Westerns is kind of dark Dais says; even though she's only seen one of the three "Dollar" movies.  Mr. Steve told her that band METALLICA at one time started their concerts by playing a tape of a song called "The Ecstasy of Gold" from one of those movies.

        One of the reasons why our boss liked that Charlton Heston movie called Major Dundee was because the music was also kind of dark.  That's what Dais thinks.  The music in Major Dundee also had whistling and weird, eery sounds in the songs.  I smell a Joshua tree.    

      Mr. Steve played WALL OF VOODOO'S version of Ring of Fire for Daisy.  She says they have a "percussionist" who also played pots and pans as well as drums.  But he died so our boss says he feels lucky to have seen him play.  Frank Zappa did a version of Ring of Fire.

     Our boss thinks June Carter Cash seems proof of that old saying; "Behind every great man is a great woman."  Mr. Steve told us this is not always true but in Johnny Cash's case it seems to have been true.  He says we're lucky this is true in our family.  Birds are chirping.  

     From what our boss has told us the women in his family, both Córdova and Trujillo, have been good partners for the men.  In fact he says, it's very unlikely this family would be where they are today if it hadn't been for the help his Grandmothers gave his Grandfathers.

                                         MR. STEVE'S MOTHER, GRANDMA CÓRDOVA, FATHER

                               SAN FERNANDO MISSION (NEXT TO THE "CÓRDOVA" FOUNTAIN)

      Our boss's Grandmother's were great women when they were alive. And his mother still is a great woman.  Mr. Steve's father has told others that if he hadn't married the type of woman he did he never could have accomplished what he did.  And he accomplished a lot! 

     One of my goals in life is to be a great female Dog.  I want to be smart like Mr. Peabody while Daisy admires Underdog because he can fly and is so good looking.  As for courage, she thinks Joan of Arc should be admired; having been burned at the stake and all. 

     When Dais sees Fannie and Freddie or any other Crows swirling up high in the sky she's just amazed at the ability to fly.  So am I!  I can't even imagine what it would be like to be up there looking down.  I can see Crows flying around right now as a matter of fact.

     I'd be too afraid to fly!  It seems like such an amazing thing to be able to do.  And, even more incredible is how humans could have figured out how to fly in planes and helicopters. We live to the southeast of Edwards Air Force Base.  I hear Sparrows chirping away happily.

     Daisy and I both want to make our boss proud of us and be decent female Dogs.  Once I finish our story he'll be so surprised.  I can't wait!  I wonder why again today he still hasn't given us a snack?  I guess he's too busy working in the house.  I smell a Field Mouse.

     Mr. Steve told us that, as a singer June Carter Cash was very good "in her own right."  She grew up in a  family of musicians.  Our boss has about her and is reminded of the BEATLES' Paul McCartney's relationship with his wife Linda.  Oh!  I see the Field Mouse.

                                    PAUL / LINDA McCARTNEY

   

     Our boss has studied the American Civil War.  He has the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant and told Daisy and Millie he thinks Grant's relationship with his wife Julia was similar to that of Johhny Cash and his wife; and also like Paul and Linda McCartney's marriage. 

     Obviously trust and respect were important in all three cases.  Mr. Steve thinks that, in being a famous musician, it's probably hard not to be tempted by all of  the female "Groupies."  Daisy and I know what those are.  Well, that Field Mouse just ran under Moe the middle Shed.   

     Grant, Civil War General and later President, was considered to be a "drunk" by some.   We learned a new Spanish word the other day! It's "borracho" or a "drunkard." But Mr. Steve says Grant probably was not an alcoholic.  Birds are now flying about in every direction.

     Grant said the only time he drank "to excess" was when he was "bored" or "my wife Julia wasn't around."  Mr. Steve thinks Grant may have been allergic to alcohol because he would be "spinning" or "falling down" drunk after just one drink.  I smell a Creosote bush.

     As I wrote earlier today, in late 1863 President Lincoln transferred Grant from the Western Theater and given "overall" command of all Union forces.  By then Robert E. Lee had beaten a number of General's, one after the other.  I can hear the Ducks quacking.

     Our boss told us when General Grant first took over some complained to President Lincoln about his drinking.  But Lincoln joked they should find out which brand of whiskey Grant drank so he could send a barrel of that whiskey to all of his other Union Generals. 

     Dais says one time our boss told her and Millie that from what he's read Grant doesn't seem to have been a "drunk."  In his memoirs he said he'd rather charge at a "Battery of Howitzers" than endure one second of his wife or kids looking at him in a disappointed way. 

     Mr. Steve thinks General, and later President Grant obviously valued his wife Julia's trust and respect so would not have wanted to get drunk in front of her.  A Howitzer is a big cannon Daisy says.  That Dragonfly just flew bye me.  I heard it coming from far away.  

     

          GENERAL GRANT                      JULIA GRANT                      PRESIDENT GRANT

                                                                                                                                                               

     Mr. Steve says Julia Grant was not good-looking.  She was "cross-eyed," short and stocky.  But she was a decent woman and Grant seems to have trusted her "common sense."  She raised four children well; educating even her daughters it says here; rare in those days.

     Our boss told us that Grant often got depressed.  And, "more often than not" it was his wife's steady nature and basic good sense that brought him out of it.  Julia Grant was a good partner who was brought up in a  wealthy family but willingly became poor to marry Grant.  

     This Encyclopedia says up until the Civil War Grant had failed at almost everything he tried. But Mr. Steve told us his wife Julia never gave up or "lost faith" in him.  When no one else even believed in him she did.  And our boss told Dais and myself he never forgot that. 

     There was one time when, with four children, Grant and his family even had to move back in with her parents.  This was humiliating but had to be done.  Our boss told us up here in the High Desert this is happening quite a bit right now.  We're lucky Dais says!

     Mr. Steve says that later in his life Grant said he preferred the company of his animals to the company of people; except his family.  Mr. Steve says the older he gets the more he thinks along those same lines.   If that's the case Dais and I are fortunate!  A Sparrow is singing.  

       

       Daisy's right!  She always says we should never take anything for granted and be thankful for every day of our lives.  We sometimes think about Mr. Eddie, the armless drummer. What would we do without legs Daisy says?  Thank You God for giving us good legs.

     Mr. Steve told us about this band from England called “DEF LEPPARD.” In the mid-1980's their drummer named Rick Allen, who's right-handed, lost his left arm in a Car accident. Mr. Steve told Dais he faced what's called a "Crossroads" moment in his life then.

  

                                                                     DEF LEPPARD

     In 1987 Mr. Steve and a friend also named Steve to see DEF LEPPARD play on a "circular" stage at the “Sports Arena;” in downtown Los Angeles.  His friend wrote for the L.A. Times and Rick Allen had re-learned how to play with one arm.  "Circular" means "round."

     Our boss told Mr. Eddie about the DEF LEPPARD concert and how their drummer adapted.  He also told Mr. Eddie about how Pete Gray played Baseball with one arm and Jim Abbot even pitched a No-Hitter with only one hand.  They had to adjust or "Fall by the Wayside."

             

                                                                      RICK ALLEN

      Daisy thinks for that guy Rick Allen losing his arm had to be what our boss would say was a "Wake up Call."  So he re-learned how to play on "modified" drums where his feet could trigger pre-recorded sounds.  Ah!  I smell Rudy the Roadrunner around here. 

     Mr. Steve says he hopes that Rick Allen is grateful that the other members of DEF LEPPARD were not "Cold-Hearted" and gave him time to re-learn how to play drums. Dais says that shows what basically decent people all of the other guys in DEF LEPPARD must be.

     Hey God!  Did You have a higher purpose for DEF LEPPARD'S drummer to lose his arm?  Is his purpose now to inspire others?  He can be like Eddie the armless drummer over in Phelan.  I  just noticed that Rudy the Roadrunner is jogging out into the eastern desert. 

                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                            VIVIAN CAMPBELL

                                                                       PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

       Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that when he and his friend Steve saw DEF LEPPARD back in 1987 DEF LEPPARD had a guitar player who later got replaced by this one other guy named Vivian Campbell.  I just picked up the scent of one of the new Spring Creosote plants.  

      Dais says our boss one time took pictures of Vivian Campbell when he was in Ronnie James Dio's band.  That concert was at the Forum.  Later Daisy has me scheduled to write about that guy Ronnie Dio.  He replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the singer in BLACK SABBATH.

LOS ANGELES SPORTS ARENA

                                                                                                                                     PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

 

           I know that Daisy has me scheduled to write about the Sports Arena when I talk about the L.A. Coliseum which is next door.  But thinking about that DEF LEPPARD concert makes me feel like doing in right now instead.  Dais says our boss has been there many times.

         According to what Mr. Steve told her, Daisy says Mr. Steve has seen U.S.C. Basketbll games at the Sports Arena.  And he and his girlfriend Emily attended events like Boxing during the 1984 Olympics.  I just picked up the scent of one of the older Sage bushes.

     In the late-1980's and early-1990's Mr. Steve and his girlfriend Harriet went to the Sports Arena to see the L.A. Clippers play Basketball when Harriet's father had Season Tickets.  In the  1980's Mr. Steve took pictures of the Boxing matches down at the Sports Arena.                             

     Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie how good bands have played down there at the Sports Arena; like Pat Benatar, PEARLJAM and GREEN DAY.  That guy Michael Jackson did concerts there   when he was at his most famous Daisy says.  I can hear some Finches singing.                                 

      I guess, from what Mr. Steve told Dais; some people make fun of the Sports Arena and say it's too old.  But Mr. Steve says he sort of has a "Soft Spot" for the Sports Arena.  He has some     good memories of that building.  Two Pigeons just flew out into the eastern desert.                         

                    

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

PHOTO BY EBET ROBERTS / REDFERNS

        Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie Bruce Springsteen, who's from the State of New Jersey like his Niece Stephanie's boyfriend Rich; jokingly called the Sports Arena; The dump that jumps."  But he was saying that because he liked doing concerts there Mr. Steve thinks.

      This is interesting.  According to what it says here in this one Encyclopedia, the Sports Arena was opened in 1960; when Mr. Steve was five years old.  And in that same year it was the site of the Democratic National Convention where John F. Kennedy made a speech.

                                                                                           

                               MR. STEVE'S BROTHERS (LOS ANGELES MARATHON)

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

       Another thing Mr. Steve associates the downtown area near the Coliseum and Sports Arena with is the annual L.A. Marathon.  In the late 1980's his brothers Rock and Sam ran in it a few times and Mr. Steve and Harriet drove them home afterwards.  I smell Creosote.

      Well, back to my outline.  I'm kind of glad I wrote about the Sports Arena now instead of later when I talk about the Coliseum.  I still have a little bit more to write about Eddie Spaghetti who plays drums with no arms.  I hear some of our neighbor's Ducks quacking.

       Mr. Steve plays drums so admires Mr. Eddie for not being “perezoso.”  That's the Spanish word for "lazy."  I guess "flojo" is slang for being lazy.  Mr. Steve's friend Julio at work says flojo can also be interpreted as a person being sort of "loose" or "careless" too.

      My boss has played, umpired and coached Baseball for most of his life.  He thinks that guy Mr. Eddie's what they call in sports a "hustler" who "tries hard!"  So no matter what he has to be admired and encouraged.  Someday I really want to meet Eddie Spaghetti. 

     When he watches Eddie play Mr. Steve says he feels gratitude for our drab and at times dull lives.  Blessed Mother?  As You know, because of the influence of the Nuns at Saint Ferdinands he says Hail Mary's and says one when walking away from Mr. Eddie's concert.

      Giving Eddie money makes Mr. Steve feel better.  Eddie puts things in their "proper light,” or “perspective.” Mr. Steve does a lot of artwork so to not have his hands would be miserable; "Hell on Earth" he says. Only blindness would be worse.  Rudy is near Moe the Shed.

     Our Chief was taught by the Nuns at Saint Ferdinands, and his parents too, that everyone has their own particular “Crosses To Bear.” He says he prefers his crosses over not having his arms.  Thank You Lord for giving Daisy and me good legs!  I just smelled a Gopher.

      One indication that the economy is bad is the amount of  “Garage Sales” now.  Our boss tells Daisy and me that they're "cropping up everywhere like weeds."  That's not a good sign for the economy but our boss sometimes buys things we need or that he just likes.

     Mr. Steve tries to buy at least one thing at Garage Sales.  He's always collected flags and built or collected military "Figurines."  At one Garage Sales he bought two Crusader Knight figures.  Mr. Steve, Daisy and I like learning about the "Crusades" of the Middle Ages.

     Hey Lord?  Our boss says in the"Medieval" period in Europe some Popes convinced other men to go to Israel and kill Muslims in Your name.  Their "Crusade" was to take back the city of Jerusalem because the Muslims had captured it a few centuries before that.

      Daisy's right!  We should be really thankful we don't live in a time like the Middle Ages when almost everyone was poor and people killed each other all the time.  We have to appreciate the moment because things can change fast she says.  Ah!  I just smelled a Gopher again.

    Near the sliding glass door into the house I see this chair with armrests around a toilet seat.  My boss bought it at a Garage Sale and it's for an emergency like an earthquake.  Mr. Steve can just dig a hole in the dirt and then put the chair over the top of it.  I'd like to see that. 

     I still remember when Dais explained to me what a bathroom was.  She thinks there must be some special tubes or areas under the ground where all the water our boss uses goes because you never see it.  We wonder how people ever thought of such things?   I see the Gopher.

      Dais says people use soft paper like the tissue our boss uses to clean our eyes to clean their behinds after they go to the bathroom.  She would notice this because she's so hairy that every month or so our boss has to clean and trim her behind.  The Gopher is sniffing the air.

     Oh!  Blackbeard the Crow just landed on the back gate; in between Manny and Moe, the two smaller Sheds.  Daisy noticed that Crows "hop."  Yup!  Blackbeard jumped down on the ground but he can't see me because his bad eye is facing in this direction.  The Gopher smelled me.  

     Blackbeard just turned his good eye towards me.  I don't see his girlfriend Anne anywhere.  Daisy and I really like it when Mr. Steve tells us things about Pirates.  The real Blackbeard the Pirate had a big warship that he called "Queen Ann's Revenge."  The Gopher's gone.

                                BLACKBEARD (1680-1718)                                        ANNE BONNY (1702-1782)

                                                                                                                        

     In the Encyclopedia it says that Blackbeard the Pirate was English.  In the early years of the 18th century he raided ships in the "West Indies" and  terrorized the British colonies on the east coast.  And I can see that his real name was probably Edward Teach. 

     Oh!  Blackbeard the Crow's girlfriend Anne just showed up.  Daisy says our boss once told her that the real Anne Bonney was never Blackbeard's wife or girlfriend.  In my Encyclopedia it says that she was Irish.  Looking at our back half acre I see a lot of green right now. .

     Daisy told me that Blackbeard the Pirate's goal was to scare you into surrendering so then he could take your boat "intact."  But if you didn't give up then he was really mean.  That kind of sounds like what Atilla the Hun and Genghis Khan did in their day.  I smell a Cholla cactus. 

     Well, Blackbeard the Crow just "Took to Flight" as they say.  And now Anne Bonney just lifted off and is flying to catch up with him.  Crows are so amazing.  Dais says at times she feels kind of envious and jealous when she see's Crows flying.  Not me!  That would be too scary.

     In Blackbeard's time there were no "repeating" guns.  So he made a "Customized" what they all "Bandolier" to go over his shoulder.  It had "Holsters" which held three "single-shot" pistols and some knives too.  I guess there are two ways you can spell "bandoleer."   

     Blackbeard also used a sword called a "Cutlass." Daisy says Mr. Steve has a replica cutlass in his office.  I hear Blackbeard looked "fearsome."  He braided his long beard into "pigtails" with ribbons tied in.  And he put lit matches under his hat before going into battle.  

      Writing about Blackbeard makes me want to look up and then write about this one other guy named Captain Kidd.  I'm scheduled to write about him tomorrow in book three but I suddenly just sort of feel like doing it right now instead.  A Thrasher Bird just ran bye.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KIDD (1645-1701)

    A painting in my Encyclopedia shows Captain Kidd, who was Scottish,  burying two treasure chests.  The caption underneath says there have been many rumors about whether Captain Kidd buried treasure before he was hung for being a Pirate.  I hear some Crows cawing.                        

    Dais says our boss thinks Captain Kidd, whose first name was William, was possibly unjustly executed for being a Pirate.  He was born in Scotland but moved to New York City.  During the      17th century the American Colonies were still a part of England.  I smell a Lizard.                       

    Also during much of the 1600's England and France were enemies; one Protestant and the other more Catholic.  So the American Colonies, under the authority of Britain, hired sailors like William Kidd to go out and raid French Ships.  They were called "Privateers."                               

    I guess, from what it says here in this Encyclopedia, when Captain Kidd captured this one Ship near the Indian Ocean it turned out to be owned a powerful and influential Englishman.  So Captain Kidd was arrested and taken to England to stand trial.  I see the Lizard.                           

      Hey! This is kind of interesting.  According to what it says here in this Encyclopedia, Captain Kidd was hung on May 23, 1701.  Mr. Steve's brother Sam over there in Litterock was born on     May the 23rd.  A Ground Squirrel just sprinted by in front of the three Sheds.                                

CAPTAIN KIDD HUNG

     From what Daisy says, our boss thinks Captain Kidd was unlucky.  The British government seems to have needed a "Scapegoat" to show they were serious about fighting piracy on the High Seas.  That Lizard just went under one of the rocks around the bottom of the big tree.                   

    Poor Captain Kidd.  The first time they hung him the rope broke so they did it again.  Then, his body, like with William Wallace's body, was hung up to display it and warn others not to be a Pirate.  I can now hear Dawn and Blinky barking faintly over there next door.                                

Wow!  I guess Captain Kidd's corpse was put in a metal cage and hung in the harbor of the Thames River near London.  For three years it rotted away and from then on until today people  have looked all over the place for his buried treasure.  Fannie and Freddie just flew bye.               

    This is interesting.  One place where people looked for Captain Kidd's buried treasure is in Connecticut; where Mr. Steve's sister Susan lives with her sons.  Another place is Long Island in New York City; where Mr. Steve's ex-girlfriend Emily grew up.  I smell a Sage bush.                         

     I've told Daisy that maybe someday I'll get up enough nerve to go deep into the house.  Then I'll see a Bathroom with my own eyes.  There are three of them in our house Daisy says. But, for now, there's no way I'm going all of the way down that long, narrow Hallway!  

     I don't mind going into the Living Room to watch our Saturday cartoons!  Dais thinks I'm just being silly.  She says if I went into our boss's Bedroom or office I could see all of the many things he has.  Dais says that Mr. Steve even has a few long spears in there too.

    Another thing our boss bought at a Garage Sale recently was a small "Die Caste" model car.  This means it's made out of metal and the doors, trunk and hood open up.  The reason Mr. Steve bought it is because it looks just like one of his 1968 "Chevelles."  I smell a Mouse.  

                                                                 DIE CASTE (1969 SS CHEVELLE)

     That Die Caste Chevelle Mr. Steve bought is a 1969.  He owned two 1968 Chevelle's.  The 1968 and 1969 models had the same basic "body style" he told us.   So Mr. Steve admits he has what's called an "emotional “soft spot” for Chevelle's; especially the 1968 Chevelle's.  

     For most people that Die Caste would be “junk” our boss says.  But for him it's a "treasure."  Mr. Steve told us when he saw it in a box of stuffed animals, his heart almost “skipped a beat.”  He thought he might be "seeing things."  He had to reach in and take it out.

      When our boss asked the lady having the Garage Sale how much she wanted for the Die Caste she asked; “How much do you think it's worth?” He told her; “If it were brand new from a place like the Fairfield or Danbury Mint it would be worth over fifty Dollars."

     But, our Chief told the lady having the sale; "because it's not in a box and is so dirty I'll give you ten dollars for it.  It looks very much like a car I used to have when I was younger.”  That lady said right away without even hesitating at all; "Take it! take it!  

      Mr. Steve told me and Dais he felt "like a little kid in a candy store" or a kid at Christmas after he brought that Die Caste home.  He took about an hour to clean and polish it.  He could not believe how much it looked like his second Chevelle.  I smell a Joshua tree. 

  

                                                      MR. STEVE'S 1968 CHEVELLE

               

 

   Mr. Steve "street raced" his Chevelle's in the middle of the night on "San Fernando Road."  He told us about 396 “big block” motors, Hooker "headers" and other things he and his friend Tim put on those Chevelle's.  But we don't understand what a "carburator" does. 

     I just smelled Libby.  Aha!  She's over in her corral looking in this direction and is probably wondering what exactly I've been doing over here on this couch for the last two days.  I also see her tail swatting away Flies.  So far today there haven't been too many Flies over here.

   Mr. Steve told us that Libby's an an old Horse who would most likely have been "put down" if not rescued by our neighbors.  Dais says that's just a nicer way of saying that she would've been killed.  We're all so fortunate to be alive around here!  Thank all of You Guys! 

 

     Mr. Steve told us about another type of Horse called a "Quarter" Horse.  They're not as big as race Horses but run really fast too.  He says Horses are just as important in the history of people as are us Dogs; maybe even more important!  I just picked up Libby's scent.

     When the first people arrived in North America after the last Ice Age, in about 10,000 B.C., there were no more Horses there our boss says.  But the "irony is" he told us, the Horse had originated in North America and migrated north and then east into Siberia.  

                                                 

     Our boss said Eohippus was not the only type of Horse living in North America then.  These other type of Horses migrated north and then west over a "land bridge" like the one later used by people going the opposite direction from Siberia.  This was thousands of years ago. 

     While Horses disappeared here, they multiplied in Siberia once people tamed and then began using them for war and peace.  Mr. Steve says after that the biggest Empires ever conquered came about largely because of man's use of the Horse.  I see Libby over in her corral.

  

          GHENGIS KHAN                      MONGOL EMPIRE                    MONGOL HORSEMEN

     I just used my Encyclopedia to look up that man named Ghenghis Khan.  In the 13th century  his Mongols conquered the biggest empire to that point in time.  And they did it riding Horses; or in their case "short-legged Ponies."  A group of Birds just flew bye above me.

     The Mayans, Aztecs and Incas conquered the biggest empires in North and South America in the times before Columbus. Mr. Steve thinks one reason why their empires were small compared to the Mongols was that they didn't have Horses to give them more "range."

     On my outline the next thing I want to write about are the Native peoples who lived in Mexico before Cortez and the Spanish arrived.  Dais says our boss is re-reading a book about this place called called "Teotihuacán."  Our Pigeons just flew bye overhead; moving to the east.

     

                                                                    TEOTIHUACÁN

      My Encyclopedia says Teotihuacan began in about 100 B.C.   It's about thirty miles to the northeast of Mexico City; which used to be Aztec Tenochtitlan.  It was abandoned by the time of  the Aztecs I guess.  Archaeologists say it was "sacked" in 550 A.D.                                                   

   Teotihuacan was either invaded or had an "internal" revolt.  During that time I guess there was also a big drought.   It says here for many years Teotihuacan was as "advanced" as any city   in the world at that time; even China.  I can hear some Crows squawking.                                     

      Well,  Daisy was right.  She said our boss told her that so little is known about the people of Teotihuacan that it's name is actually Aztec from centuries later.  In the "Nahuatl" language it     means either "Place where Gods are born" or "Birthplace of the Gods."  I smell Sage.                  

       It says here that no one knows how much the later Aztecs were influenced by the people who lived inside Teotihuacan.  But it is known that they definitely influenced the Mayan empire that   existed at about the same time.  Well, there goes the Crows Samson and Delilah.                                                                                                                                                 

     Teotihuacan was the biggest city in the New World for a time. They even had some apartment complexes for common people to live in.  Looking at this map of the city I can see that the main  road is called "Avenue of the Dead" and the big pyramid is dedicated to the Sun.                                     

    I'd like to go back in time to see Teotihuacan when it was thriving.  A few years ago this girl named Jennifer, who Mr. Steve tutored on taking the S.A.T. test for college, went to Mexico and   climbed up one of Teotihuanaco's pyramids.  She thought of our boss up there she said.                

   Oh!  I just noticed that on the map of Teotihuacan that two of the main temples or pyramids were dedicated to the Sun and Moon.  Someday I want to see the Sun / Moon Plaque which Dais  says hangs at the end of our Hallway in the house.  It's white and gold.                                             

    I guess three of the main structures in Teotihuacan were built in a pattern which kind of looks like the pattern of the three stars up in the belt of the Constellation Orion; just like the Egyptian  pyramids are over there on the Giza plateau.  I wonder if our boss knows that?                                                                                                    

   My Encyclopedia says the people of Teotihuacan were "avid" watchers of the night sky.  Like the Egyptians and Babylonians they were "great astronomers." I'll bet that's why Orion was so    important to them.  Jack the Jackrabbit ran past the Sheds.                                                               

   From what it says here the politics of Teotihuacan was based the State religion.  And like the Mayans and Aztecs, their religion required them to practice what's called "Human Sacrifice."      This is when they killed people to keep their Gods happy so they wouldn't hurt them.                     

    Mr. Steve says human sacrifice, like beheading and hanging, has not been unusual for much of history.  The Aztecs took their victims to the top of a pyramid and then would either club them    to death or just rip out their beating hearts and offer it up to the Sun.                                              

My Encyclopedia says the Greeks and Romans at times sacrificed people to "appease" their many Gods; and so did the Celts, Babylonians and the Egyptians too.  This is interesting.  I guess  the Comanche Indians at times sacrificed people.  I hear Crows squawking.                                   

    I kind of feel like writing about the "Mayan" culture now instead of tomorrow in book three as I had planned.  That way I can also

write about that Mel Gibson movie "Apocolypto. 

Like the Aztecs in Mexico and the Incas down there in Peru, the Mayans are    called Pre-Columbian.  And they also disappeared after being around for centuries.                       

                                                                                                                           

Daisy says one time our boss told her and Millie about how he met a girl who knew a lot about the Mayans.

    Someday I want to have my own copy of the Bible.  Then I can read all the stories like the story in the Old Tesatament about Abraham having to sacrifice his only son Isaac.  Daisy thinks that's   an interesting story too.  Oh!  A Jackrabbit just went under Moe the middle Shed.                                                                                                                                                      

    In 1985 Mr. Steve's Tour Group went up to an area in Jerusalem called the "Temple Mount."  It's above the Wailing Wall where the ancient Jewish Temples were once located. Hey God!  Is     it where You tested Abraham's faith; asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac?                                     

  God?  Daisy and I are sure glad You sent that Angel to stop Abraham from killing his only son Isaac.  But didn't You already know in advance how Abraham would obey You?  But, I guess        You were testing his free will.  That's what Dais thinks.                                                                      

    My Encyclopedia says that today, up on the Temple Mount, there's a Muslim Mosque called "Al Aqsa" and this other building called the "Dome of the Rock." The Dome of the Rock has a    roof made out of solid gold!  I'm surprised no one doesn't steal it.                                                    

It says here that the Dome of the Rock was built over a big rock where Abraham almost killed his son and later the Prophet Muhammad "ascended" up to heaven.  Mr. Steve and his Tour         Group went inside to see that big rock.  Oh!  I hear some Pigeons coming.                                       

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

      Daisy says Mr. Steve told her and Millie he and his Tour Group went to the "Mount of Olives" and the "Garden of Gethsemene."  Hey Lord?  Daisy and I sure wish we could go back in time to when You were there with your twelve Apostles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Hey Lord!  As You know our boss told Dais and Millie that from the Mount of Olives, looking to the west, he liked how you can see not only the Temple Mount but also the whole "Old City" of Jerusalem.  Our four Pigeons just flew past up above me.                                                                   

From what Mr. Steve says, from the Mount of Olives you look across this place called the "Kidron" Valley and see the ancient wall which surrounds old Jerusalem.  And you can also see the top of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the "Hurva" Synagogue.                                      

Mr. Steve told Daisy and Millie that just outside the eastern wall of the Temple Mount is a big Jewish cemetery.  From what he says they've been burying people there for many centuries.  We have three Dogs in our cemetery on the south side of our two acres.                                                                                                                                                                                 CAIAPHAS (0000-0000)

 

Hey Lord!  Dais and I wish we could go back in time to when the Jewish "Sanhedrin" and their leader Caiaphas sent soldiers to arrest You.  The Apostle Peter fought back and cut off the ear of that soldier but Dais and I would've tried to bite them hard.                                                              

Both Daisy and I Lord would like to travel back in time to see how You miraculously put that man's ear back on and then told Your Apostles You had to allow Yourself to be arrested.  That     was probably the bravest thing You ever had to do.  And You did it for us!                                                                                                                                                                                                           Well, I didn't plan on writing so much about Jerusalem but just felt like it.  And I just noticed that I still have a few things to write about Mr. Steve's second Chevelle.  I feel so lucky to be able to write about Mr. Steve and also our lives here in Piñon Hills.  Thank Everyone!                          

    Our boss's second Chevelle was royal blue with a black vinyl roof. Both of his Chevelle's were fast but his second one was really fast because it had a much bigger engine with more what they call "Horse Power."  Mr. Steve had that second Chevelle for about eight years.                             

     

1968 CHEVELLE THAT LOOKS LIKE MR. STEVE'S CAR

     Because our boss and his friend Tim used to go to the "Street Races" with his Chevelle's both Daisy and myself know that what's called a "Drag" race is for a quarter of a mile.  And we also know that Quarter Horses were bred for sprinting.  I like to run fast too.

     Mr. Steve said Quarter Horses are the most popular "breed" in the country because of their speed over short distances like a quarter of a mile.  And their compact bodies are good for "tight maneuvering" he says.  This is why Cowboys like them.  I wish we could own a Cow.

    Cars are so unbelievable!   It's astonishing the things people have come up with!  And to think we're lucky and have three "vehicles."  I really like our truck and two cars even though I'm still afraid to ride in them.  Daisy thinks that I'm just being so silly about that.

                             

    

     Years ago Mr. Steve met a guy from Indiana who had a 1969 Chevelle.  When they found out  they shared a birthday on July 9th, they laughed at the coincidence. Daisy wishes we could go back in time to see our boss's Chevelle's.  I'd like to see Mr. Steve as a teenager!

     Dais told me that Die Caste Chevelle is sitting on the divider between the kitchen and dining room; right in between the models our boss built of a Viking “Long Ship” and a green World War II German Jet from World War II called the "Me-262."

           

     My Encyclopedia it says the “Messerschmidt-262" was the first “operational” Jet in History.  And just like the Viking Long Ship changed history five hundred years ago the Me-262 did the same.  The Germans lost World War II but came up with many modern things. 

     Mr. Steve told us no kid could afford to drive his Chevelle's now because of the price of gas.  In 1971, when his father bought his first Chevelle for him from his friend Rick, gas cost 28 cents a gallon.  I know what a "Rice Rocket" is!   They go really fast!

      At another Garage Sale recently Mr. Steve bought four used Compact Discs; or "CD's.”  He played them this morning on his Boombox as he cut weeds.  Three are by these 1980's bands from Australia; Men at Work, Midnight Oil and INXS.  AC/DC is also from Australia.

 

          MIDNIGHT OIL                          MEN AT WORK                          INXS                     

       Mr. Steve has been playing along to his new CD's Daisy says.  He likes the Saxophone on Men at Work songs.  I  like the flute on that one really good song called "Down Under." And he tells Daisy and I he likes the "funkiness" of INXS's song "New Sensation." 

     Daisy thinks it's sad the singer from INXS killed himself like that writer Ernest Hemingway did.   She says he was probably depressed.  At times I get depressed too but then Daisy makes me realize that even though we don't have perfect lives we're better off than most Dogs. 

     The fourth CD our boss bought at that Garage Sale was by a 1970's "Funk" band called Ohio Players.  Our boss played this song called "Roller Coaster" really loud on his Boombox as he cut down some weeds up near the front fence.  Daisy liked that song too.

                     

                                                               OHIO PLAYERS

     Daisy likes "Funky" music and I'm beginning to like it too.  I really like that one song Roller Coaster but I'd never actually ride a real Roller Coaster.  Dais says we'd have heart attacks.  I still go into a panic just riding in a car!  Mr. Steve doesn't like scary rides either.

     Lately our boss has been thinking about his sister Celina.  On their trip to Israel in 1985, in the city of Jerusalem, our boss, for the only time, danced with his sister.  This was in a really small, "makeshift" Disco in the basement area of a Hotel where they stayed. 

     In June of 1985 some of the music that was popular then was; Midnight Oil, Men at Work and INXS. So a number of the songs Mr. Steve and his sister Celina danced to were by these three Australian groups.  When our boss was buying those four CD's he remembered that night.

                                                        CELINA CÓRDOVA (1963-2003)

     Mr. Steve's sister Celina died in 2003.  Since then at times Mr. Steve has thought about that  night in Jerusalem.  Celina was a talented "seamstress" who made these blankets called "quilts." Every winter our boss thinks of Celina when he pulls out one of her quilts.

     Another reason why at times our boss what he calls "reflects" about that 1985 trip is because their Grandma Córdova went with them to Italy and Israel.  He has pictures of her in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and a Synagugue in Capernaum.

     Dais and I wish we could go back in time to get to know Mr. Steve's Grandparents.  It seems like they were very interesting people Dais says.  But now they're gone but are still alive in our boss's thoughts and memories.  Mr. Steve is like me in having a good memory.  

     Our boss says he's grateful for that 1985 trip.  But as he plays along to his new CD's he has what are called "mixed emotions."  He thinks about how talented his sister Celina was and also about the way his Grandma Córdova was before she got Alzheimers.   

 

                                                                                      

                                                            GRANDMA CÓRDOVA

   For years our boss's Grandma Córdova drove a school bus.  Mr. Steve went with her on a few  occasions.  He says his Grandma was "fair but firm" to all the kids who rode her bus.  She never "suffered fools " easily as they say. As long as they didn't "act up" everything went fine. 

     Grandma Córdova was a "no-nonsense" type of person our boss says.  I agree with Daisy!  It's too bad we could never have met our boss's Grandparents.  It's at times like this that I sure wish we had our own Way Back time machine like the one Mr. Peabody has.

     Well You Guys, I'm done with nine chapters.  I'm going to hide everything and take a break.  I want to go see what Dais is doing.  Besides, I can hear Dawn and Blinky barking.  Oh!  There goes Daisy but no one is doing their alarm barks.  I think I'll go see what's happening.