A Quote

"While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions."

- Stephen Covey

My Friend Jeff Johnson - Davis, CA 1957 to 2011

On April 21, 2011, my friend Jeff Johnson passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness.

I knew Jeff from my childhood in Davis, California. Jeff lived on a street very close to West Davis Elementary School that is now named the Cesar Chavez Elementary School. At that time, there were many kids in the neighborhood our age. It was a time when the town of Davis was very small. During the lazy summers, there was very little for young teenagers to do so we found ourselves obsessed with sports. The front of Jeff's house was our football field, basketball court, baseball diamond and tennis court. At night, we played the game "Kick The Can". I can vividly recollect the sparks flying off the can against the asphalt street as Jeff booted it. Since we didn't have a X-box or Playstation back then, we would even play the APBA Baseball Board Game in his driveway.

Jeff and I use to take our bikes to the Ben Franklin Dime Store and buy packs of baseball cards hoping we could score a Willie Mays. When the Sacramento Bee Newspaper was delivered, we would read the sports section line by line including the SF Giants box score from the last game.

One of Jeff's favorite games during the summer was Wiffle Ball. Jeff put up a broken Baseball Pitch Back Net and Frame against his garage door. The rules, if the Wiffle Ball hits any part of the net, it's a strike. Jeff was the master pitcher of Wiffle Ball, he could throw a Curve that broke 6 feet, a wicked Slider and a Side Arm pitch that dropped more than a foot. I could never hit Jeff's pitches and he was always up for a game of Wiffle Ball.

In later years, Jeff had a natural golf swing that transformed to baseball where hit could hit or golf a low fastball over any left fielder's head. 

It's been many years since I've seen Jeff. His passing has brought back many of the fine memories I had with him and our buddies during those lazy days in Davis, CA. He was a very good friend.

You can read Jeff's Obituary in the Davis Enterprise at:http://www.davisenterprise.com/obits/jeff-f-johnson/

A graveside service will be held on May 14, 2011, 4:30 p.m. at the Woodland City Cemetery, 800 West A St.

A New Book on Aging - How We Age by Dr. Marc Agronin

My Design Agency recently assisted Dr. Marc Agronin in launching his new website: www.MarcAgronin.com. Dr. Marc Agronin, is a leading Geriatric Psychiatrist in the United States and his new book is on Aging is: How We Age: A Doctor's Journey Into the Heart of Growing Old. Dr. Agronin is a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Medical School and is Director of Mental Health and Clinical Research at one of Florida's largest nursing homes.

If you are a caregiver or have parents, grandparents or loved ones, this is an excellent book. In most families, each family member may believe they know what is best for their loved ones. If there is Alzheimers or Dementia involved, it is nearly impossible for each family member to be objective. Dr. Agronin's book provides some professional insight into what it may feel like as we or are loved ones grow older. As we struggle with issues such as keeping our loved ones safe vs. quality of their life that they rightfully deserve - it is nice to hear reflections from one of the leading Geriatric Psychiatrists.

Memorial Service: My Uncle John Ogawa - Sanger, CA - 1923-2011

Jonathan Tamotsu Ogawa
May 1923 - April 2011

My Uncle John Ogawa passed away earlier this month. He was one of my dad's older brothers.

See his Obituary in the Sanger Herald


My memories of my Uncle John include:

I remember hearing a story of my Uncle John having a plant growing contest with my father Joe. My dad was winning the contest by a huge margin until his plant stopped growing. Apparently, my Uncle John cut off the roots of my dad's plant. My dad didn't think it was very funny but the rest of the family and my Uncle John got a big laugh out of it.

After World War II, my Uncle John returned from Europe on the Queen Mary after serving in the Military Overseas. I knew this because we saw a picture of soldiers on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, and Uncle John saw himself in one of the pictures.

When Uncle John was in the Trucking Business, he arrived a few times in front of our house with huge truck with a load of Christmas trees. He was on his way back home and dropped in to say hi. It was usually late at night and I'm sure the neighbors wondered why such a large truck was parked in front of our house.

Uncle John also owned Elm Auto and Dismantling in Sanger and was the definitive source for buying and selling your cars because Craig's List wasn't around back then. Instead, there was Uncle John's List of Used Cars. He was a great salesman and always convinced you he was getting you the best, mechanically sound car around. He found me my very first car, a Plymouth Duster that my dad liked much more than I did since it didn't go very fast. He also helped me buy a new 4x4 Truck, one of my first big purchases after college. I loved that truck! I eventually gave it back to him to sell and at the next family wedding - I saw his son, my cousin that was in law school driving my car - apparently he got a real good deal on it!

My condolences go out to my uncle's family and his wife. Here is a information on his Memorial Service on Saturday, April 16, 2011.

http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Jonathan-Ogawa&lc=7068&pid=150026431&mid=4622227&locale=en-US

Memorial Service
Saturday, April 16, 2011 | 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Lisle Funeral Home
1605 L St, Fresno, CA 93721-1117 | 559-266-0666
Driving Directions

Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/04/09/v-textonly/2344137/obituaries-for-sunday-april-10.html

Table Tennis

Table Tennis today.

The Baskin Robbins Mud Pie Recipe P-2 - The Best Ice Cream Pie in the World

Since I was a child, my family use to buy the Baskin Robbins Mud Pie P-2 with Jamoca Almond Fudge Ice Cream, a graham cracker crust and a bottom and top layer of thick fudge for our birthdays. I still believe that with all the different types of ice cream pies I've sampled, the Baskin Robbins Mud Pie is the best Ice Cream Pie in the World. These pies use to be pre-made and you could usually drop by and pick one up without ordering it. In the last several years, I noticed that Baskin Robbins has taken this item off their website and official ordering form although the picture still exists. On my most recent trip, I told the clerk that I wanted their Classic Mud Pie. Her reply, "What type of crust, ice cream and topping?" My reply, the pie exactly like the one in their picture menu. Her reply, "I have no idea what's in that Mud Pie in the picture." So as I was becoming increasing annoyed, I whipped out my iPhone and navigated to the Baskin Robbins site became even more annoyed when I couldn't find it. I finally googled around and found this picture below on one of their franchise websites.



So the next time I order this cake I'll bring a photocopy of the above picture with the following other information for the Baskin Robbins Mud Pie.

Ice Cream: Jamoca Amond Fudge
Cake Design: P-2
Crust: Gramham Cracker
Topping: Fudge (top and bottom)

I'd like to see Baskin Robbins bring back the Classic Mud Pie on their Menu. The Fudge topping is incredible and in my opinion beats any Snickers, Oreo Cookie or Heath Bar pie..besides if I want candy with my ice cream I'd go to DQ. BTW, the last time we ordered it for a family birthday, I noticed that there were not any leftovers...

My National Coffee Day Latte

Here's my cup of coffee I made for myself to honor National Coffee Day
with my La Pavoni coffee machine.