Sept 29, 2001

Jena and Bri along with many of their friends are in the marching band at their school, Weaver Junior High, and I some how got volunteered to be a Band Mommie. This means walking along side the band as it marches in local  and distant competitions, carrying cold water, aspirin, hair spray, bobby pins and anything else the kids might need along the way. Actually, it was fun and we have some great memories. This was our first of many band reveiws.

There are times when the parents are not needed before and after the parade, so we take advantage of this time to get away from the mob of teachers, kids and parents to see what there is to see.

While touring Antioch, David brought up how depraved Bri was. She had never had an artichoke or avacado, so we were introducing her to the world, one letter of the alphabet at a time. She had never traveled, at all, and the ferry in Vallejo to San Francisco is just down the road....

We headed off to the local Goodwill to buy jackets, as we were dressed for the typical hot central valley weather.  Not only did we find jackets that I will wear until I die, there was this whale. A giant stuffed whale, probably three feet long. Jena loves dolphins, this guy was only five dollars, and the look on my face as I hugged this huge stuffed animal told David I was not leaving the store without him.

Back to the school where Weaver took most of the awards as usual, we blew bubbles from the stands and screamed till we were hoarse as the awards were announced.  Walking to the car, David and I are waiting for Bri or Jena to notice the strange black and white protrusion sticking out of the backseat window. What a delight that was when they realized what it was. Then we announced 'The Plan." Jena insisted on letting the whale watch out the window during the ride to Vallejo, and at one point I realized she was in a panic, holding onto the very end of his tail while the rest of him was trying to swim the freeway. David saved the day stopping on the freeway and bringing the whale back into the car.

We took the ferry to San Francisco, first ferry rides for all three of the girls, took a cab to Chinatown, wandered the streets, ate at the Pot Sticker, walked downhill back to the wharf, snagged a ferry home, and plopped two exhausted but happy girls in bed by midnight.

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