The Moraga Steps

I got to do something that I really wanted to the other day, I walked the Moraga Steps in San Francisco. The steps are located on Moraga St between 15th and 16th Avenue. The steps are a tiled mosaic that runs 163 steps up:

And once you have climbed all the steps-this is what you see:

The Moraga Steps are one of San Francisco's little hidden treasures that not many know about.

Music Monday: Songs with Blue in the Title

Music Monday: Here are some songs with the word blue in the title:

Hope you enjoyed these songs and are not having a Blue Monday but a good one.

South Point Thanksgiving Shootout

I almost forgot about this one. When I was in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week. I went to the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout at the South Point Casino. It is a woman college basketball tournament and it is something I do every year:

Maryland women getting ready

Maryland's Brionna Jones scoring a basket

Arizona St's Sabrina Haines with the ball

Maryland's Shatori Walker-Kimbrough with the ball

Arizona St huddling 

 ASU's Kesley Moos launching a three

Maryland's outstanding Head Coach Brenda Frese

Even though Arizona St. got boatraced by Maryland their players and Head Coach were nice:

Kelly Moos talking to the press

ASU Head Coach Charli-Turner Thorne

I didn't take many photos of the St.John's/Virginia game but here are the few I took:

Virginia's Lisa Jablonowski going up for two

Virginia's Lisa Jablonowski with the ball

St.John's head Coach Joe Tartamella hoping his team can win and they did

The South Point Shootout is always something that I look forward to every year. It is a great time for a great price.

My Bookcases

Every year about this time, I have a little problem-I add another ring around the old tree. Also, every year at this time in this post I tend to get a little more personal and reveal a little more about myself other than the things I see out in the world.

Over the last several weeks, I have been getting my bookcases together at home, I have basically four in the living room/office and a small one my bedroom. I finally got them organized (at least for me, after forever of being my usual super cluttered) and wanted to show them off and some of the dodads that keeps me going because they represent somethings that are good life:

These are the ones in the office. It contains a bunch of stuff other than books

The two in the living room

The little one in my room

You always need Marvin the Martian

I always  say I am going to do a project with these buttons

Balls thrown up in the crowd by different players during pregames

My daughter got me this hacky sack because she said looks like me

The coin was given to me by a former student whose dad was with the FBI for Super Bowl 50. Only FBI security received the coin

The manager of the hotel gave this to me when I stayed there four years ago because I would play with it on the lobby desk every time I would go in and out.

The oldest published (by date) I own. Written in 1952.

A really good friend for over thirty years gave me these as a gift because they know I love baseball and my hometown team:

And my one real keepsake from Desert Storm:

A Bible that was handed out to us. Somehow, I have kept it for 26 years

And my really favorite thing are these two pictures of my kiddos and I with the A's World Series Trophies. The first one was taken in 2007 and the second one was taken in 2014. I love it because I see the growth in them in all areas. They really keep me going and now that they are adults (She almost 21 and him 19), they are good people. (Hopefully, they don't get too mad that I posted these pics):

With A's pitching coach Curt Young

With 1972 World Series MVP Gene Tenace

 Sorry if I was too wordy and not all pics. Anyway thanks for sharing a (or whatever you drink):

Music Monday: What I am Feeling

Music Monday: Just some songs that I am feeling right now:

And because I am headed to the Oakland A's Fanfest at the end of the week (Something I am really looking forward to)

This is what I am feeling right now. Hope everybody has a great week.

A Walk in Copperopolis

Recently, I visited a friend who lived in Copperopolis. Copperopolis is is a small town about 40 miles east of Stockton. It was a big mining town that was famous for its copper mines. The mines closed in 1946 and the big industry the Sierra Conservation Center (SCC). SCC is one of the two prisons in the State responsible for the training and placement of male inmates in the Conservation Camp Program.

My friend drove me around a little bit:

First we drove by was Crystal Lake:

And then we stopped and walked around the Town Square area:

The Town Hall

Copperopolis Olive Oil Company. Turns out the owner went to the same high school as me

Reportedly, Mark Twain wrote one of his greatest works "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" while living in Copperopolis

And we ended up at the Yummy Ha!Ha! Ice Cream Shop. Where they had some great original art work on the walls:

Copperopolis is a cute and quaint  small town (about 3,600 people), if you are ever out that way give it a visit.