Cafe De La O

Happy Birthday to my Grandson

2012-01-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

Today would have been my grandson, Nathan Joseph Guardian, 11th Birthday. We'll miss him forever!

Easter 2001

My daughter Meranda and Nathan

Whiskey Radio

2012-01-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

My son Andrew and his band Whiskey Radio will be performing live tomorrow night at The Funhouse in Seattle, Washington. If you're in the area stop by and see him. Let them know at the door who you came to see.

Whiskey Radio can be found on Facebook

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T18:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years From my Family to Yours!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all my family and Friends - Randy

Happy Birthday Dad

2011-12-16T04:58:00.001-08:00

Andrew Salazar De La O
1923 - 1981

Happy Birthday to my father, the late,great Andrew De La O. He would have been 88 today. He was a good manthat worked hard to provide for his family. He was born dirt poor butnever wavered from his belief that the American Dream was hisbirthright. All that our family has, all that we have become is dueto that belief. It was my father that made it possible. He missedout, as many men do, on the fruits of his labor.

Happy Birthday Dad! Still love you,still miss you!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T12:32:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends! I hope you all have a great day. I'm thanking God today and everyday for my family, my country and life. Enjoy your dinner, I know I will. What are you thankful for?

Maddie's Home!

2011-11-15T16:07:00.001-08:00

Maddie is back home now and feeling much better. She was feeling good enough to go back to school today. Thank's to all of you for your prayers and concern. This photo was taken Sunday at the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, California.

Prayers for Maddie

2011-11-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

Maddie

Okay, family and friends, keep my granddaughter Maddie in your prayers tonight. She was taken to the Whittier Presbyterian Hospital. She has Peritonsillar abscess. We thought, maybe it was just a bad sore throat but it's something much worse. Here is a link if you're curious. We know she'll be okay but prayers are always welcomed. Thanks.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001981/

Tonight's Dinner: Green Chile and Pinto Beans

2011-11-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

Chile Verde made by my wife Jeri. Both Chile the green chile and the beans are from New Mexico.

Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-11T10:57:00.001-08:00

Happy Veteran's Day! Thanks to my son, Andrew De La O, Rafael Cortez, Lou Neubecker, Robert Fulton and all the other countless men and women that have served our country. America's truest unsung heroes. You all have my utmost respect. God Bless you all!

Vintage Photographs

2011-10-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

These are two photographs that I purchased recently. I thought they were worth saving and preserving.

I'm not sure where this photograph was taken, could be Anywhere, USA, or when but I'm guessing the 1930's but it could be older. I don't know anyone in the photo. I think it is so representative of another time.

Like the above photo, I don't know anyone in this photo but I found it interesting. This photo is from 1944 and taken in San Diego.

The caption on the photograph reads: Company 44-229 Naval Training Center, San Diego, California 1944Company Commander R.T. Lewis, G.Sp (A)

Remembering the Whittier Earthquake: October 1, 1987

2011-10-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

The parking structure for the old May Company and Hinshaw's Department
stores at Whittier Blvd and Painter Ave.

Twenty-four years ago today, Southern California was hit by what has come to be known as "The Whittier Earthquake". The earthquake, a 5.9 on the Richter scale struck at 7:42 am. Three days later, on October 4, Whittier was hit by a 5.2 aftershock.

I was at work that day, at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach. As luck would have it, I was in the head at the time the earthquake struck. I worked in a large hanger, Building 13, at that time. the restrooms were attached to the side of the buildings with an entrance from the inside of the building but more or less, a separate structure. Probably the safest place to be. Right outside the building was a railroad yard.

My first warning was a loud rumbling noise. It got my attention immediately. It became deafeningly loud. I didn't know what to think yet, there wasn't any shaking yet. My first thought was that a train had jumped the track and was heading straight for the building. it was so loud I figured it was going to come through the wall in a second or two. I honest to God figured that was my last day on Earth. Then the rocking and rolling began and then it hit me, it was an earthquake. The shaking was violent, like nothing I felt before, and I've been through quite a few earthquakes. I heard some screaming from the stalls next to me, doors slamming and lots of confusion. I decided to sit this one out (literally). I stayed put. It seemed to go on forever. My only immediate worry, once I realized it was an earthquake was the over hanging fluorescent lights. Somehow they held on.

I could hear screaming and a lot of other noise coming from inside Building 13. as soon as the quake stopped I went back inside the building and it was total chaos. Parts were thrown everywhere, women were crying, everyone was walking around confused. I went back to my job site on the upper fuselage in Department 509. From there we were being directed outside the building.

All I could think about was my family. At the time I was car pooling with Jack Nicholson (no, not that Jack Nicholson) and it was his week to drive, so I couldn't just leave. A few minutes later I found him and we decided we should go home. The drive home was eerie. There were reports on the radio of fallen overpasses on the 605 freeway (that turned out to be false0. We took some side roads home. Everywhere we went, people were standing outside their homes. No one wanted to go back inside the houses. Their was a strange silence in the air.

As we got to Whittier it was more of the same, people everywhere. Some homes were knocked off their foundations. I didn't know what to expect. I was afraid of what I might find at home. There were no cell phones in those days and all the phone lines were down. Jeri was eight months pregnant with Savannah at the time, and Meranda and Andrew would have been getting ready for school. We were living on Newlin Ave at the time of the earthquake. I found out a day or two later that Newlin Ave sits directly over the Whittier fault line.

When I got home I found everyone outside, sitting on the front lawn. The kids came running up to me and Jeri looked relieved to see me. Everyone was okay! I went inside the house and it was a mess. Cupboards and drawers open, broken dishes and glass everywhere. pots and pans scattered throughout the kitchen. There were cracks in the wall but no major structural damage. Our personal damage was minimal but it wasn't that way for everyone. Further down Newlin Avenue, several house were severely damaged and eventually had to be torn down and rebuilt. it was like that throughout Uptown Whittier. Uptown Whittier is an historical town with many old homes, some well over a hundred years old, so it goes without saying that they were not built to stand up to an earthquake.

The long gone Whittier Theater on the corner of Whittier Blvd and Hadley Street.

Greenleaf Ave in Uptown Whittier

The major damage though was in the business district, the "Village" section of Uptown Whittier. I don't know what the exact extent of the damage was but some estimates have been as high as $360, 000, 000. What ever the damage was financially, the physical damage was devastating, lives were lost, and other lives were turned upside down. Many of Whittier's historical buildings were lost, including the old Whittier Theater on the corner of Hadley Street and Whittier Blvd. I remember taking a walk to the Village with my cousin, David Robles, it was like a war zone with helicopters over head, police and firemen all around and many of the buildings in ruin. It would take years to recover. My uncle Henry De La O's upholstery shop, on Greenleaf Ave, was destroyed but was reopened a year or so later on Philadelphia Street.

A few days later we celebrated Jeri's birthday on the 3rd and the following morning, somewhere about 4:00am, we were hit with a 5.1 aftershock. If I remember correctly there were quite a few aftershocks but this was the worse. There was some humor to that morning. I grabbed a pair of Levi's and tried my damnedest to put them on. I was squirming like crazy but they just would not get past my knees. Jeri turned on the light and just started laughing. They were her Levi's I was trying to get into It seemed like almost immediately, there was a knock on the door. It was our friends, Sergio and Denise Billings and their kids. Their home took a harder hit than ours, they wanted to get out quick. We made breakfast and talked about the earthquakes. It was starting to feel like it was never going to end.

It eventually did end and is now a long ago memory. Twenty-four years ago today.

Taco Adobe

2011-09-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Yelp

Jeri and I ate at Taco Adobe recently. We had seen this small, cozy looking restaurant on Lemon Street, while looking through the antique shops at the Orange Circle, in the city of Orange and had been anticipating real southwestern comfort food. While the food is not bad, it wasn't what I expected. They call themselves a Southwestern restaurant but there is nothing southwestern about it. The food is Mexican, to be sure, but of a somewhat trendy or hip style. Not quite so commercial, like such restaurants as El Torito or Acapulco, just not exactly my style. Still, the place seems to be packing in the lunch crowd. So they must be doing something right.

Whenever the term "Southwestern" is used in a restaurant it usually denotes a style of cuisine pertaining to the Mexican American cooking of New Mexico and Arizona, or maybe more accurately, to the concept of "Southwestern Cuisine" as popularized by southwestern chef, Mark Miller.

Jeri had the green chicken enchilada, with rice and beans. The rice was more like a pilaf than a true Mexican or Spanish rice, and the beans were black beans. Black beans have their place in Mexican and other Latin cooking but there is no place for them in real, authentic southwestern cooking. The green chicken enchilada was made with something more akin to a salsa verde and made with tomatillos. An enchilada made, a la southwestern, would certainly be made with New Mexico chiles. I had tree soft tacos; one carne asada, one al pastor and one carnitas, and while they weren't bad they were nothing to write home about. The table salsa wasn't bad but it was too mild for me to eat with my tacos. They do have a "hotter" sauce but you have to ask for it. It was actually pretty good.

Now, it might be unfair, especially having recently returned from a vacation in New Mexico, and eating the real honest to goodness food of the southwest, to be so critical but I consider myself, if not an authority on southwestern and all forms of Mexican cooking, at the very least an avid aficionado and I just feel if you're going to call yourself a southwestern restaurant there should be some attempt, besides the name, at authenticity.

A better choice for a good Mexican meal in the area would be Jalapeno's on Glassell Street two blocks over. Their food is fantastic. A much better example of a Southwestern restaurant that, while somewhat trendy, has at least remained true to it's southwestern roots is Chimayo's (as in Chimayo, New Mexico) in Newport Beach. The food there is really, really good.

My overall opinion is that Taco Adobe is a good restaurant that serves good food but it is just not my cup of tea.

Taco Adobe
121 N. Lemon St.
Orange, Ca 92856
714-628-0633
www.tacoadobe.com

Happy Birthday to my Sister Evelyn De La O

2011-09-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today is my sister Evelyn's birthday. She is 62 years old today. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers today. Happy birthday Sis, love you!

My sister sometime in the early to mid 1950's

Evelyn during her senior year in high school (1966-1967)

This picture was taken sometime in the early to mid 1980's

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Cemetery, Silver City, New Mexico

2011-09-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

The entrance to St.Vincent Cemetery

The grave site of my great grandfather Antonio Salazar

The grave site for my great grandmother Josefa Bermudez Salazar

The original marker for Josefa B. Salazar

Our New Mexico Vacation and Field Trip

2011-09-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Burkes and Jeri in Mesilla, New Mexico

By Randy De La O

Jeri and I recently returned from our "Short but Sweet" trip to Las Cruces, New Mexico to see my cousins the Burkes; Rocky, Louie and their beautiful and gracious mother Elba. They all made Las Cruces come alive for us. Las Cruces and the surrounding towns and villages; Dona Ana, Mesilla and La Mesa, as well as Silver City, is where our family is from, We visited regularly when I was a kid. During our visits my father would load up on green chile and for several months afterwards, green chile was a main ingredient in our meals, usually in the form of Chile Verde or Chile Rellenos. As we were growing up, our father would talk about his days growing up in Las Cruces with his brothers and sisters. Over the years, New Mexico became sacred ground for our family, almost a mythical place. It is with that frame of mind that I approach New Mexico. Our last visit, a trip to Albuquerque, my father's birthplace, to visit my late friend Steve Wallace was 15 years ago, so we were long over due a trip.

De La O Road in Scottsdale, Arizona

On the way to Las Cruces we made an overnight stop in Arizona, where we stayed in Scottsdale and visited with my sister Evelyn at the Maryland Gardens Care Center in nearby Phoenix. It was a difficult visit due to her condition and one that I'll write about at another time. We did manage to find De La O Road in Scottsdale before we left for New Mexico and took some photos before jumping onto the interstate 10 freeway.

The Organ Mountains overlooking Las Cruces
This photo is courtesy of Phillyintheduke at Skyscrapercity.com

The first thing you notice when approaching Las Cruces are the majestic and imposing Organ Mountains, there is no escaping it. They loom like giant guardians of the city.After we got settled in our hotel (The Marriott's Fairfield Inn) we went to the Burke home and then on to La Posta restaurant in Mesilla, a legendary and famous New Mexican eating spot. It was jam packed, loud and had a great vibe. I had the fajitas with some green chile on top and Jeri had the Chile Rellenos, her favorite. The atmosphere at the ancient La Posta is great and everyone seems to know each other. According to legend, the famed U.S, Army scout, Kit Carson ate here.

La Posta in Mesilla, New Mexico
This photo courtesy of MacSmith on Flickr

After the meal we walked around the village of Mesilla, Mesilla is an old town, made up of old adobe brick buildings and includes several historic buildings but the one that caught my eye was the old jail and courthouse building that once housed Billy the Kid. The oldest bar in New Mexico, El Patio, is also in Mesilla. We didn't go in but it looked like a pretty happening place. Maybe next time. After the walk and a short drive around town we went back to the Burke home for some coffee and a visit before heading back to the hotel.

The Burke's Home

The next day, Saturday, we went to the villages of La Mesa, La Union and Dona Ana. In La Mesa we stopped for lunch at another legendary New Mexican eatery, Chope's, on Highway 28, in La Mesa. Chope's was outstanding but is probably just one of many really good restaurants in the area. I had a combination plate with chile verde con Carne, an enchilada and a chile relleno. Jeri again had the chile relleno plate. Everything was first rate, including the service and the company (the Burkes). Chope's is one of those places where you don't want to leave. The food is simple, tasty and real. The atmosphere is old school.

Elba Burke and Jeri De La O at Chope's in La Mesa, New Mexico

Continuing on Highway 28, we stopped at La Vina Winery in La Union, New Mexico's oldest winery, for a wine tasting. I'm not much for wine, a beer tasting is more up my alley but I didn't mind the wait, it was a nice place to visit. Jeri bought a bottle of White Riesling. All around us were Pecan trees, not just on highway 28 but virtually everywhere. Turns out Pecans are one of New Mexico's biggest agricultural products, right up there with green chile. Driving back from La Vina we stopped at Stahmann's Country Store for some ice cream. It was another, slower paced world for Jeri and I and we loved it. Seems like everyone knows everyone in New Mexico and they make time for some good old fashioned conversation.

Pecan Trees along Hghway 28
This photo courtesy of Samuel Gaytan and Gateway El Paso

We took Dona Ana Road to Dona Ana and the De La O Visitor Center. The village of Dona Ana dates back to the 17th century. This is where the bulk of our family history can be found. The visitor's center is the former De La O Saloon which was owned and operated by Roman and Guadalupe De La O., The saloon opened during or just after the Civil War. As far as I'm concerned, to be standing anywhere in Dona Ana but particularly at the Saloon/Visitor Center is to be standing on sacred and hallowed family ground. The center was closed, I figured it would be, since it was the Labor Day weekend. Still, just being there; seeing, and touching the building, and walking where my ancestor's walked was enough for me. That was all I really wanted and I accomplished that. I felt connected.

The De La O Saloon 1907

The De La O Saloon and Visitor Center 2011

Driving back to Cruces, Louie showed us some of the sights, including Fort Selden. Fort Selden was built in 1865 and was home to the famed 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, more famously known as the "Buffalo Soldiers".

Fort Selden State Monument

The Remains of Fort Selden
This photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Somehow, when you're having a good time, the time goes by too quickly. Evening came and after a walk through Mesilla and a tour through the Double Eagle Restaurant, "The Crown Jewel of Old Mesilla", we all went back to the Burke home for some coffee and some Green Chile Stew whipped up by Elba. It was a good way to wind down the day.

Jeri at the Hatch Festival sign just before entering Hatch

Chile roasting at the Hatch Chile Festival

On Sunday, after breakfast with the Burkes, we gave everyone a break and decided to drive ourselves to the Hatch Chile Festival in the town of Hatch, the epicenter of green chile in New Mexico. The smell of roasting chilies permeated the air and we could smell it as we approached the town. I was salivating. The sun was bearing down on us and it was hot. I found a nice shady spot to park the car on a dirt lot and we began our walk through Hatch. This was my first time at the Chile Festival, so I didn't really know what to expect. All I knew was this is the place for green chile and really, that is all you need to know. That being said, there is so much more going on, a little further up the road was the fair, and there are several shops in town that sell souvenirs, collectibles and other New Mexico food products, such as pecans, corn, pinto beans and various spices such as oregano and cumin, as well as dried, crushed, and powdered red chile. There's a little something for everyone, including clothing.

Shopping at the Festival

I wasn't exactly sure how I would store and transport roasted or fresh chilies back to California in the hot sun, especially since I still had a few days to go before heading home. I stumbled onto a vendor that was selling five pound bags of frozen green chilies, both mild and hot, I bought two bags of the hot chile but not before I walked over to the local hardware store and bought an Igloo ice chest and two bags of ice. This was on a Sunday. The chile was still frozen when I emptied the ice chest the following Wednesday. Can't go wrong with an Igloo ice chest. I bought a 20 pound bag of pinto beans on the advice from my friend Carlos Arriaga, a coworker at Boeing, Long Beach. He swears they're better than anything we can get in California. I'll let you know how that turns out. After another quick trip to Dona Ana in hopes of finding the De La O Visitor Center open (it wasn't), we headed back to Cruces.

The pace in New Mexico is slow and relaxing and yet I swear it seemed to pass quickly. I had volunteered to make dinner for everyone that night (Sunday) at Rocky's house and time was slipping away. We stopped at a local supermarket, Albertson's, to buy what we needed. As luck would have it they didn't have exactly what I needed, including the meat that I typically use, pork shoulder. We made a quick stop at another market and then onto the Burkes. Louie, a firefighter for the city of Las Cruces, was working that night so he wouldn't be there with us. I was speeding to get to the house. I hate to keep anyone waiting. It was after 7:00pm by the time we got there. The clock on my truck was still on California time and this is what I wa habitually going by.

Rocky's Home

Rocky and Vincente

I did my best to make my version of Chile Verde but I don't think it was my best. Still, everyone seemed to enjoy it and we had a good time with everyone, and in the long run, that's what matters. About 10:00pm or so, we headed back to the hotel.

Waffles at the Fairfield Inn

The next morning, Monday, we got up early, went downstairs for some breakfast - I should mention here that the waffles at the Fairfield Inn are the best I have ever had. I'm not trying to shill for anyone, especially a hotel chain, but when I find something this good, I just feel the need to share it. The waffle batter is Carbon's Golden Malted. There is a commercial waffle maker at the Fairfield Inn, you have to make your own waffle's. It was well worth the extra trouble. Anyway, we got up early, had breakfast and drove to Silver City to visit our cousin Tony Garcia, about 110 miles east taking the interstate 10 and Highway 180. Louie was going to meet up with us in Silver City. I'm a good one for missing off ramps and going in the wrong direction but we finally made it to Silver City. We had left Las Cruces a little later than we had intended and didn't reach Silver City til noon.

Silver city, New Mexico

Silver City, as you might guess from the name, is an old silver mining town, founded in 1878 and sits at almost 6000 above sea level. The cooler weather was welcomed. My father's mother, my grandmother, Gumesinda Salazar was from Silver City. My father also lived there, with an aunt, for a short time when he was still a young boy. Taking the Interstate 10 and Highway 180, Silver City is about a 115 miles east of Las Cruces. We found Tony's home, courtesy of Google Map, though once we hit town, it did take us a little out of the way before we found his home. Still, we did find it. We all introduced ourselves and we met Tony and his wife "Mo", short for Modesta. right off the bat Jeri and I felt as if we had known them both for years. Salt of the Earth types. Tony mentioned we were going to a nearby park to meet more family members, cousins; the niece and nephews of my grandmother Gumesinda.

Tony and Mo's Home

At the park we were met with an overwhelming sense of family and lots of good food. it was more than I could have expected. Louie arrived a few minutes later and was greeted with the same warmth. I couldn't help but think of all that I missed by not knowing all these good people. We all ate, got to know each other a little better, shared old photos and took some new photos. One of the topics that brought a lot of reminiscing and laughter was the misadventures of my uncle Larry, known by his original birth name, Lorenzo, in Silver city. Larry was a professional gambler and had many narrow escapes back in the day. All of the older cousins remembered my aunts and uncles, as well as my father. The people from my father's generation are thinning out and I enjoy speaking with someone that actually knew him.

La Familia de Silver City

Posing for the camera

The women folk

A little later in the day, after exchanging addresses and pone numbers and saying goodbye to everyone at the park, Tony and Mo took Louie, his son Vincente, Jeri and I on a tour of the town. From Tony I learned that my great, great grandfather Urbano Bermudez, owned much of the land in the old section of Silver City. He subdivided it an left or gave the land and homes to his descndents, where many of them live to this day. We also visited the old St. Vincent de Paul Cemetary, where I saw for the first time, the grave site of my great grandparents, Antonio and Josefa Salazar. It is from Antonio,Salazar that my father, as well as his brothers and sisters came by the middle name, Salazar. Josefa was the daughter of Urbano Bermudez. We ended the day with a meal at The Jalisco Cafe, on Bullard Street. Bullard Street became the Main Street when the original Main Street was washed away by a flood in 1895. Once again, the food was fantastic. this time Jeri had the green chile chicken enchiladas and I had the huevos rancheros, with green chile of course. Both were excellent choices. The Jalisco Cafe is a great little restaurant and I recommend it to anyone going to Silver City.

The Jalisco Cafe in Silver City

We went back to the Garcia home, looked through some old photographs and talked for a while. It was getting late now and night time was approaching. None of us wanted to leave but it was time. I won't soon forget our day in Silver City with my new found cousins. It was back to highway 180 and the Interstate 10 to Cruces and a final goodbye to Elba, Rocky, Louie, and Louies kids, Samantha and Vincente. It was hard for us to say goodbye. We miss them as I write this.

I had three goals when I left for Las Cruces. The first was to reconnect with family. Secondly, reconnect with .the past, and thirdly to eat as much green chile as I possibly could. I accomplished all three and got to share it with my wife. This was as good as it gets.

To all my primos that made this a vacation to remember Jeri and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Tony Bennett may have "Left his heart in San Francisco" but my heart is still in southern New Mexico, meandering down Highway 28 amidst the pecan trees, or heading north on Dona Ana Road toward the De La O Saloon, or sitting in Elba's kitchen eating her green chile stew. God Bless them all!

Remembering

2011-09-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ten Years ago today, I was at work at Boeing, in Long Beach, California. I saw a few co-workers standing around listening to the radio. I could see that something was wrong. The first plane had crashed into the Twin Towers but no one was quite sure what was going on. Was it an accident? The second crash confirmed our worst fears. America was under attack.

9/11 - First Moment of Silence

2011-09-11T08:59:00.001-07:00

We Will Never Forget!

2011-09-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

God Bless America.....

......and it's Heroes, we haven't forgotten you!

Heading to New Mexico

2011-08-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Jeri and I are headed for New Mexico. Tomorrow we will stop at Phoenix, Arizona and then it's on to Las Cruces, New Mexico where we will be visiting with our cousins, Louie and Rocky Burke and their mother Elba.

We'll also visit my cousin Tony Garcia of Silver City.The Hatch Chile Festival is also taking place on Saturday and Sunday, so I will definitely be getting my green chile fix this weekend. Another scheduled stop is the De La O Saloon and Visitors Center in nearby Dona Ana.

I will also meet the other Randy James De La O, who lives in Las Cruces, and who, by the eeriest coincidence also shares the same birthday, May 8th, with me, and last but certainly not least, after communicating for several years via email, cousin Juanita De La O Gordon and I will finally meet.

New Mexico has always been near and dear to my heart and I'm really looking forward to this trip!

Andrew De La O

2011-08-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

My son Andrew,bringing down the house, somewhere in Seattle

Trevor's Birthday Party

2011-07-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

My grandson Trevor's 8th birthday party at Golfland Camelot in Anaheim, California, July 24, 2011

Happy Fourth of July - 2011

2011-07-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

God Bless America

Memorial Day 2011

2011-06-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Andrew De La O: 30 Years.....

2011-05-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Andrew Salazar De La O

My Parents: Boyle Heights 1947

In the blink of an eye, that;s how fast the last 30 years have flown by. Today, May 7, 2011, marks the 30th anniversary of our father's death. He's been on all our minds lately. My mother and I were talking the other day and she remarked that the years that she spent with my father were the best years of her life. That makes me glad that she remembers him that way. Same with my brother Dennis, he remembers the 1970's as the time when we were all together, still a complete family. My mother was 52 when our father passed, my sister Evelyn was 31. My brother was only 16. My father passed the day before my 27th birthday.

Tomorrow I'll be 57, the same age my father was when he died. That's significant to me. A part of me thought I would never make it. Soon I'll be older than my father was. So in one sense, yes, it has been in a blink of an eye, in another sense, it was a lifetime ago. We'll be together again someday.

Today, before heading up to the high desert to celebrate Mother's Day with my wife and mother, we'll stop at my father's grave site to pay our respect and to remember.

Maddie's 7th Birthday Party at Penn Park

2011-03-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Photos from My granddaughter Maddie's 7th birthday party at Penn Park, March 12, 2011. Her actual birthday is March 2nd.

De La O Saloon Token

2011-03-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

De La O Saloon Token "Good for one drink"
DE LA O & DE LA O PROP.
Dona Ana, New Mexico (Dona Ana County), U.S.A.

Courtesy of Tokencatalog.com

De La O Saloon

2011-03-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

The De La O Saloon, Village of Dona Ana, New Mexico 1907

De La O Visitor Center in Dona Ana, New Mexico Opens

2011-03-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

Article and Photos Courtesy of Explore! New Mexico Blog

Doña Ana Poised For Future as Tourist Destination

The wagons churned along the Rio Grande over El Camino Real, advancing only a dozen miles or so each day. Travelers stopped at camps or parajes between Mexico City and Santa Fe. Most of those camps are distant memories, lost in the shifting sands of the desert and the changing course of the river. One of the camps has persisted into the 21st century. We know it as the village of Doña Ana.

On January 15, State Senator Mary Jane Garcia hosted the grand opening of the De La O Visitors Center in Doña Ana, culminating many years’ work of the many descendants who claim the name De La O and creating a focal point for community activities and tourists.

During the festivities, Sen. Garcia asked a show of hands of those who have come from the original De La O family. The senator is cousin to many of the village’s residents. She pointed to one man and asked if he was De La O, to which he concurred. Said the senator, “I’ve known you 20 years and didn’t know you were De La O. Hello, cousin!”

Those attending the grand opening included Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, several Las Cruces City Councillors,representatives of Doña Ana County government, and other dignitaries. Unlike most other similar events, this one had the festive appeal of a family reunion.

Doña Ana dates to the late 17th century. The village, if it could have been called that at the time, was abandoned throughout most of the 18th century. According to Robert Julyan in his book, “The Place Names of New Mexico,” the governor of Chihuahua created the Doña Ana Bend Colony Grant to alleviate crowding in El Paso. But it was not settled until 1843 when Bernabé Montoya led thirty-three settlers to the site. They named their settlement after the semi-legendary Doña Ana, who may have been Ana Robledo who had fled south during the Pueblo Revolt, or Doña Ana María de Córdoba, whose ranch was nearby.

Whoever the name honored, settlers were determined to remain in their village, to farm and to thrive. El Camino Real ran through the heart of the village. It brought not only travelers and trade but also bandidos. It was also prey to marauding bands of Apache. But it persisted.

Between 1845 and 1850, a decade before the village of Las Cruces was laid out, villagers built a church. It was about a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide. Its adobe walls were three feet thick and its windows high to prevent Indians and bandits from shooting at people sequestered there. Candles in chandeliers and sconces between the Stations of the Cross dimly lit the church. A single clerestory window above the nave close to the apse let in the early morning light to illuminate the altar during Mass.

During the Civil War, De La O opened a saloon about a hundred yards south of the church. Just north of the saloon, Werthheim opened a general store, and north of that was the residence of the Cavello family.

Those buildings have persisted into the present time, but barely. In the late 1970s, the church was about to be condemned and demolished. The adobe buildings down the street had faired better, perhaps because of their boxy single-story construction. The structures seemed destined to melt into history just as old adobe returns to the earth.

But the community, led by Sen. Garcia, had other plans. Over a decade, Doña Anans, including some at-risk youth, rebuilt the church. They made more than 17,000 adobe bricks to reconstruct one wall which had collapsed and to shore up other parts of the building. Using a design of local artist Jeannie De Lo O Carbajal, who designed the art adorning the I-25 underpass at Highway 320, artisans in Mexico built a new altar patterned on the original which had deteriorated too far to reclaim. They retained the church’s original vigas and corbels and conserved the original French paintings of the fourteen Stations of the Cross. The church today is used for special occasions, including baptisms and marriages.

Then restoration work shifted down Camino Real, which for nearly two decades has been called Cristo Rey, to the old saloon and adjacent buildings.

The L-shaped De La O saloon has been restored with two meeting rooms and the mirror-backed bar, just as it might have looked 150 years ago. Its adobe has been painted white and its walls hung with historical scenes of the village of two centuries ago. Behind the building is a brick placita with fountain, stone planters, and shade trees. The community now has a facility for activities, celebrations, and fiestas.

As funds permit, the Werthheim building will be restored as a mercantile museum and the Cavello house will become the site of a farmers’ market.

For those who think Camino Real is nothing more than two ruts in the desert, come to the village of Doña Ana and see what family can do.

If you’d like to see the restored historic buildings and walk along part of the original royal highway, take Exit 9 off I-25 and turn south on Thorpe Road (NM-320). At the modern Catholic church, Our Lady of Purification, turn left onto Dusty Lane, which bends around the church and becomes Cristo Ray Street.

Happy Birthday Andrew!

2011-02-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to our son Andrew on his 29th birthday.

At the Huntington Beach Pier

Andrew with his sisters Savannah and Meranda

Meranda, Andrew and Savannah - Solvang, California 1989

Happy Birthday Nathan

2011-01-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

Nathan Joseph Guardian

Today would have been our grandson Nathan's 10th birthday. Jeri and I spent the day with Meranda and the girls at the gravesite at Rose Hills. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a small picnic and remembered.

His life was so short and it saddens me that I have nothing new to add except to say that we all still miss him. He was a gift from God.

Savannah, Jeri and Maddie

Mariah, Meranda and Maddie

I'm not so sure letting balloons go was ecologically correct but what the heck.
Happy Birthday Grandson!

2010-12-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

The above photo is from a play last Sunday night, entitled Emmanuel: God is with us, at the House of Grace in Uptown Whittier. My youngest daughter Savannah played Mary. I thought the photo captured the moment.

From my family to yours, to family and friends across the country, God Bless you and Merry Christmas.

Great Tamales I have Known……..

2010-12-23T14:26:00.000-08:00

Juanito's Tamales

Jeri and I went to pick up our tamales today at Juanito’s in East L.A. It was chaotic and crowded and busy and I’m sure it will be even worse tomorrow. We had to wait an extra hour for the cheese and green chile tamales. We ordered a Champurrado, a hot thick drink made from masa and Mexican chocolate, and Bunelos, a flat crispy tortilla like desert topped with sugar and cinnamon. Both are very delicious and traditional. While we were waiting some guy came in to pick up his order, several dozen. The manager told him “I’m sorry but we gave your order away”, the guy seemed irritated but he agreed to come back later in the day, after being assured by the manager or owner that his order would be ready. Of course he said okay, the tamales are that good. The confusion is understandable because there was a constant flow of customers and they all wanted their tamales. It was better to humble yourself, bite your tongue and wait, rather than lose out on the tamales. We were there a few weeks earlier on the recommendation of Frank Baltazar Sr. and had already tried the tamales so we knew they were worth waiting for.

On the way home Jeri and I got to talking about all the great tamales we’ve had over the years from places that have either disappeared or changed hands. For years we have gone to Mary’s Mexican Deli on Whittier Blvd in Whittier for menudo and tamales, in fact I went there with my father when I was a young boy. A few years back the owner retired and someone else took over and it is no longer the same. They were at one time on par with Juanito’s but no more.

Another place was Yaqui’s in Santa Fe Springs, great tamales, in fact all their food was good and they made some really good salsa, hot just the way I like it. They too are a thing of the past.

La Pinata’s in Montebello is still in business and I still enjoy their food, especially the tamales. They fall just under Juanito’s and that’s no insult considering how good Juanito’s tamales are. Of course that’s subject to opinion. Their menudo is outstanding as well.

In 2003 Jeri and I were walking out of the market and heading for the truck when some guy standing next to a van said something to me in Spanish. I don’t speak Spanish so I looked at Jeri and she said “He selling tamales” “I’m not buying tamales from some guy in a van, let’s go” I said. He said something else to me and Jeri tells me “you can sample a few for free”. “Free?” says I. I looked at the van, a newer model, it was clean, and had the name of the business painted on the side. I looked at the guy, he seemed business like so I said “Free huh?” As it turns out I bought about four dozen tamales from him, red with pork, red with beef, green chile and cheese and whatever else he had. I prayed there wasn’t a Chihuahua in the bunch. These were tamales from Heaven. The corn husk was fresh and not dried. They were different than any tamale I have ever tasted. We got their card. The great thing about it was that they delivered. Couldn’t beat that.

Later that year, when we gave my son Andrew a going away party when he was leaving for the Coast Guard, I ordered a couple of hundred for the party. One day we called and the number was no longer in service. I don’t think I ever got over it. That as they say, was that.

About 1996, Jeri and I and the kids decided we were going to try to make our own tamales, with red chile with pork. We did a respectable job considering it was our first time. We gave some to our neighbors and they swore they were the best tamales they had ever tasted. I don’t know if they were being kind or if they were telling the truth but we thought they were good.

The worst tamales that I have ever had? I used to say to anyone and everyone that ”I never met a tamale I didn’t like”. I can’t say that anymore.

In 2003, Ed Hernandez and I were at work, finishing up our lunch, when some guy that I had never seen before walks up to us and says “Do you guys like tamales?” “Do we like tamales? Do birds fly?” Well“, he says “my son is a professional chef and he makes tamales. I’m taking orders”. He sounded so proud of his son. He gave us a list of the types of tamales his son made. He made them sound so good. I ordered four dozen at 60 bucks. Ed ordered three dozen, one for him and one each for his sons.

They came just before Christmas. I took them home and Jeri steamed them and put them on the plate. There are no words to describe just how horrible these tamales were. I’m still gagging. We threw them all in the trash. There are some things that a professional chef should never touch; a good burger, good fried chicken, burritos of any type and last but not least, tamales! I called Ed to see how his tamales were. He hadn’t tried his yet. I told him about mine. He didn’t sound too happy about it. When I talked to him later, he said he just tossed his tamales after we talked. A few months later the guy came around to see how we liked the tamales. Again, he was so proud of his son, I just didn’t have the heart to tell him. So I lied.

Juanito's Tamales
4214 E. Floral Dr
Los Angeles, California
Tel: 323-268-2365
Fax: 323-263-8830

My Favorite Childhood Christmas Memory….

2010-12-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

My father and I - Christmas 1962

It’s important to me that I write down this memory. My mother and my sister have long since forgotten about it and my brother was yet to be born, and the Rio Hondo Hospital no longer exists. It’s part of my father’s history and a part of our family genealogy and history as well. Certain moments in a persons life should not be forgotten. With that in mind, I would like to share this memory.

We moved into our new home in Pico Rivera in November, 1962, a day before Thanksgiving. Christmas came quickly for us that year, adjusting to a new home, making new friends and getting to know our new neighbors and trying hard to return to a normal pattern. Christmas that year was a blur. It came and went without much ado.

The next year was a busy one for my parents, especially the second half, as they prepared to open a women’s clothing store, “Ann’s Dress Shop” at the old Hickory Hop Center in Pico Rivera. The store opened sometime in late fall or early winter of that year. I can’t quite recall exactly.

In the early part of December, 1963, my father was sick with the flu. I think he was worn out from the last year, between moving into the new house, working at his job and opening the store. His birthday on the 16th came and went, he turned forty that year. Not too many days after that I was awakened by my mother, it was very late at night. She told me that she had taken my father to the hospital and that he was sick with pneumonia. She seemed pretty shaken up.

It was just my Mother, sister Evelyn and me, my brother Dennis would be born the following December.. The house was lonely and quiet without my father. He was really sick and for a time we weren’t 100% sure that he was going to make it. We all prayed privately for my father. We continued to prepare for Christmas to keep busy, my mother did the Christmas shopping and my sister and her wrapped all the gifts and we waited.

A day came when I was able to go to the hospital to see him. It was the Rio Hondo Hospital in Downey. I wasn’t allowed to go to the room with my mother and sister, I think it was my age, I was nine. As I was sitting in the waiting room my mother called out to me and when I looked up, my father was standing at the doorway. I wasn’t allowed to go to him but we did talk for a minute before he went back to his room.

Christmas came and I made a decision that none of us would open our presents until my father came home from the hospital. It wasn’t negotiable. It was just another day of either moping around and waiting or keeping busy and waiting.

It was a few days after Christmas, December 28th, when my mother brought my father home. He was home. I couldn’t run out of the house to greet him fast enough. He was still in his pajamas and robe. I wasn’t used to seeing my father like this but I was just glad to have him home. By the time I reached my father I was in tears. We hugged and I just couldn’t let go of him, neither could my sister. I still remember his exact words “This is the best Christmas present I ever had”. We were all together again. December 28th was Christmas day for us that year. The following December, 1964 ,on the 26th, my brother Dennis would be born and twenty-four years later on the 28th, to the exact day, my youngest daughter Savannah was born.

When it comes to Christmas songs I’m old school. I still like the traditional songs I grew up with. I don’t care much for the newer stuff. It’s a generational thing. Below is a play list of some of the Christmas songs that our family enjoys.

Andrew and Anita De La O - Circa 1948

2010-12-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

My parents Andrew and Anita De La O, Circa 1948. The sign in the photo says the Long Beach Saloon but it could be anywhere in Los Angeles.

Today December 16, is my father's birthday. He would have been 87 this year. Happy Birthday Dad!

Freedom Isn't Free - Veterans Day 2010

2010-11-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

The C-17 Globemaster III and the Fourth of July

2010-07-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

On our way to Tom and Lori's to celebrate the 4th, Jeri and I made a short detour and stopped at the Angels Stadium in Anaheim to watch the C-17 Globemaster III do a fly by over the stadium. It was sight to behold. I see planes take off every day from the Long Beach Airport but I an still in awe every time I see a C-17 fly by. I know I take it for granted because I work on them and see them every day but watching the C-17 fly over the Angels Stadium yesterday reminded me of how proud I am to be a small part of the program.

C-17 Fly Over at the Angels Stadium

Tom & Lori's BBQ

You can see all the photos here: Fourth of July Photo Slideshow

Happy Fourth of July

2010-07-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of videos to get your patriotic blood stirring. When you're enjoying your BBQ and fireworks today and chasing it down with a few cold ones, don't forget to give thanks to God for being born in the greatest country in the world. If you weren't born here then give thanks that you made it here and If you don't like it here then don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Happy Fourth of July!

Real Life Adventures by Wise and Aldrich

2010-07-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

For my kids. Remember?

De La O Genealogy

2010-06-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

(An introduction of sorts)

Randy has invited me to post about various aspects of the De La O universe, and one of these strings will be dedicated to genealogy.

A small core of researchers in the extended De La O family has been working on the compiling of family trees and the determination of family origins and movement in the Americas. While most of the discussions have been taking place by private email, a few things have been posted here in Cafe De La O. By bringing together the various topics here into the blog-space, hopefully the range of interest will be expanded and contributions from others can be solicited in one place.

The one common ancestor of all the current researchers is our multiple-great grandfather, Pascual De La O (variants: Pascal, Pasqual, Pasquale), a fifth-generation ancestor for many of us, and his wife, Nicolasa Fernandes (variants: Nicolosa Fernandez, Nicolosa Hernandez).

Randy De La O is connected with the line of their son, Rafael De La O, while my line is through Rafael's brother, Buenaventura De La O.

We have evidence of ten children for Pascual and Nicolasa, and their descendants are much scattered. Slowly, we are piecing together the various family groups and tying together the lines, moving both forwards and backwards.

There are several interesting, orally preserved stories about various De La O relations, and because the historical remains are very scanty from Mexico and what was then Nueva Vizcaya (the area of the Southwestern United States), we are trying to collect these tales and also attempting to track down evidence. Future posts will touch on various aspects of these searches.

La Genealogía de la Familia De La O

Randy me invitó a que escriba sobre los varios aspectos de la familia De La O, y uno de temas será dedicado a la genealogía. Un pequeño grupo de investigadores en la familia De La O ha estado trabajando en los árboles genealógicos de la familia y los orígenes de la familia y de su movimiento en las Américas.

Mientras que la mayor parte de las discusiones han estado a través de email privado, algunas cosas se han publicado aquí en Cafe De La O. Reuniendo los varios asuntos aquí en el blog, esperanzadamente la gama de interés será ampliada y las contribuciones de otras se pueden solicitar en un lugar.

Un progenitor común de todos los investigadores es el abuelo de todos nuestros abuelos, Pascual De La O (variantes: Pascal, Pasqual, Pascuale), un progenitor de la quinto generación para muchos de nosotros, y su esposa, Nicolasa Fernandes (variantes: Nicolosa Fernández, Nicolosa Hernández).

Randy De La O está conectado con la línea de su hijo, Rafael De La O, mientras que mi línea está con el hermano de Rafael, Buenaventura De La O.

Tenemos evidencia de diez niños para Pascual y Nicolasa, y dispersan a sus descendientes mucho. Lentamente, estamos ensamblando a los varios grupos de la familia y atar juntas las líneas. Hay varias historias sobre la familia De La O, y porque los restos históricos son muy escasos de México y cuál era entonces Nueva Vizcaya (el área de los Estados Unidos al sudoeste), nosotros interesantes, oral preservados está intentando recoger estos cuentos y también está intentando rastrear evidencia. Los artículos futuros tocarán en varios aspectos de estas búsquedas.

(Apologías por la traducción española muy pobre.)

Buenaventura De La O

2010-06-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

The following article on Buenaventura was originally published in the October, 1963 issue of New Mexico Magazine by Maria Abeyta Vasquez. . It's an interesting article and a valuable piece of family history. This article has been sent to me by several family members, most recently Joseph Valles, Buenaventura's great grandson. Both Mary De La O Kersey, Buenaventura's great granddaughter and Juanita De La O Gordon have also sent me this article.

Click on the images for a larger, more readable, version, click on it again for an extra large view

Henry Huizar

2010-06-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Henry Huizar

I mentioned my father in law, Jeri's dad, Henry Huizar in my last post. I thought I would post a photo of him. He was a part of that old school mentality. Henry was born in Coleman, Texas, July 26, 1907 and died March 24, 1991 in Ontario, California..

He would always pronounced my name Rendy, and for years he would continually ask me "Are you still fighting". He loved his cowboy boots and was a Tejano (Texan) through and through. He stood 6" 2' and was solid. .He loved talking about the old days in Texas and I loved listening. He was a good man, a man's man. I still miss him.

Men Like Our Fathers

2010-06-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

My Father and I at Kern River 1979
Originally uploaded by randyman

Father’s Day

I love Father’s Day. It’s a time set aside for us dads to just sit back, enjoy a good meal with the family and reap the rewards for all our hard work. Makes me feel special. I’m lucky too because I have great kids. No, they’re not perfect and I don’t expect them to be but they’re good kids and they wake up everyday giving it their best shot. They work and take care of their own business. They make it easy for me to be a good father. My wife and I are proud of all of them, and of our grandkids too.

For some fathers it can be a bittersweet day. When I read the cards from a father’s perspective I can get emotional. As I read the words of the cards, or more importantly, the words that my kids write, I can’t help but think of my own father. We are both sons and fathers. We love our kids and we miss our dads. I might not always say anything but they know me well enough. So today I will celebrate Father’s Day with my kids and I will remember my father, Andrew De La O.

My father (second from the right) with some friends and coworkers at Baumann Bros. in Los Angeles, in the late 1950's

Men Like our Fathers

Tom Brokaw called the people of my father’s generation the “Greatest Generation”. I agree with him. The men and woman that grew up during the depression and then went on to fight WWII were a hardy and tough bunch. I didn’t know anything about that when I was growing up but looking back I can see how growing up during the depression and WWII era affected my father’s life and in turn, mine.

The men of his generation were old school and while it wasn’t their generation that birthed America, it was their generation that rebuilt it. They did it with hard work. Politicians and big business get the lion’s share of glory but it was men like my father, and yours, that put this country back on track. Getting up everyday, going to work, paying their bills, buying a home and car and creating more jobs in the process and raising their kids. They weren’t afraid to dispense out punishment if you screwed up.

I understand now why my father would keep me at the table till bedtime and make me finish what was on my plate. Or why when I left a room he would say “Turn off the light”. It wasn’t negotiable. My father was frugal and always had several $100.00 bills in his wallet. Just in case. They knew how to save. When something was wrong or broken at home he would find a way to fix it. It wasn’t always pretty but he always gave it his best shot. When there was something that he wanted to buy, he saved for it. He didn’t pile up the debt by using a credit card. That was for emergencies. The whole generation was that way.

With the exception of a few weeks in December of 1963, when he was hospitalized with pneumonia and was near death, my father never missed a day at work. It wouldn’t have occurred to him or men like him to wake up and say “Nice day today, I think I’ll call in sick and go to the beach”. You never heard one of them say “I’m stressing out” or “I have to find myself” They wouldn’t understand it. It would be a foreign concept to them.

My father could be hard man at times, it was his way, and he wasn’t perfect either but he was a man. He lived like a man. He had his rules and principles that he lived by and when he was right, and as far as he was concerned he was always right, he would stand his ground. He had his gentle side too. He wasn’t afraid to show his love to all of us; my mother, my sister and brother or to me.

My father’s word was his bond. He taught my brother and I how to shake a man’s hand. A firm grip and look’em straight in the eye. Let them know you mean business. These men were heroes to me and I’m not ashamed to say it. These are men worth emulating. Who is worthier of imitation than our own fathers?

My father in law, Henry Huizar, was cut from the same cloth. He was older than my father but like my father he was a man’s man. Right or wrong neither one of them took any crap from anyone. When a man make’s his own way in life, why should he? Cross them and you were likely to find a hand on your throat or a fist in your face or worse.

I read this once though I can’t remember where. It has stayed with me and always will. The words describe how I feel.

“If I could be half the man my father was, I would be twice the man that I am.”

My father in the Maravilla Projects in East Los Angeles during the 1940's

Lessons learned From a Father

My father spent his life teaching his kids how to live and how to survive. Sometimes we learned by listening to what he had to say, sometimes just by watching him. Often times it was the smallest things.

Some time around the mid 1960’s I went with my father to a friend of his, a mechanic, somewhere in Los Angeles to have some work done on his car. They were going to work on it together. Presumably, to save my father a few bucks. It was going to be an all day job so I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. I found this house that had a huge pigeon coop, a large tower really, you couldn’t miss it. The owner of the house had just brought his lawnmower out to his front yard. I walked up to him and said “Hey, mister, would it be alright if I looked at your pigeons?” He took me to the back and I went inside the coop. It was huge. It was filled with Fantails, Tumblers and other show birds.

Suddenly I had an idea. “Hey, mister, I’ll cut your lawn for a pigeon.” “One pigeon?” he asked. “Sure”. So I cut his front lawn, emptied all the grass and cleaned and swept the sidewalk. “I’m done” I said “Can I have my pigeon?” Done? You’re not done yet you still have to cut the backyard. The backyard?” I said, almost choking on the words. “I was only going to cut the front lawn!” “well, you didn’t say, so if you want the pigeon you’ll have to cut the backyard too or forget about the pigeon”.

I went to the back and for the first time I realized just how big a yard it was. I was sorry I had said anything but a deal was a deal. To this day I don’t think I have ever mowed a lawn that big. I hope I never have to. When I was done he walked up to me and handed me a pigeon. “Here you go” he said. The bird was what we called a “commie”, short for common. It’s the pigeon you see under a freeway or an over pass. A rat with wings. “This isn’t the one I wanted” I said “I thought I could pick one myself”. He wasn’t going to budge. “You never said anything about that, take it and get out of here!”

I was gone a long time and I was sure my father was going to be pissed. I walked up to the garage where my father was and sure enough he was mad. “Where have you been? He asked. He looked at me and I was a mess, covered with, dirt, dust and sweat, with a pigeon in my hand. “What the hell were you doing? What‘s that?” I told him what had happened. I don’t know that I ever saw my father angrier. When he was done with the car he said to me “Show me the house!” I didn’t want to say anything but I wasn’t about to tell him no.

The man was still in the front yard when we pulled up. He was watering his lawn. He had a look of smug satisfaction on his face and I think that really ticked my father off. The man saw us and he recognized me but he continued to water his lawn. “Wait here!“ my father said to me. He got out of the car and pigeon in hand, made a beeline to the man. My father had a certain way of walking when he was mad. There was no mistaking his anger. The man saw this, dropped the hose and started backing up. My father let him have it. He stopped short of hitting him. My father let go of the bird and I saw the man pull out his wallet and give my father something. My father got back into the car and handed me the ten dollars the man had given him. “Here’s your pay” He said. “”Next time use your head a little”. Lesson learned.

In 1973, when gas was about 35 cents a gallon and a guy could fill up his tank with a few bucks I pulled into the 76 gas station on the corner of Rosemead and Washington Blvds, in Pico Rivera. I only had a few bucks on me. The gas station attendant, a young kid, came up to the window and asked me ”How much?” This was before all the self service gas stations popped up. I said” Two bucks” he put the gas in and came back and said “That’ll be three bucks”. “Three bucks“, I said “I only asked for two!” “Oh, I thought you said three”. He seemed more embarrassed than anything else. “I’m only paying two bucks, that’s all I asked for”

When I got home I saw my father and said “Hey, I got an extra buck’s worth of gas right now” I told him what had happened. I was feeling so good about scoring some extra gas but the look on my father’s face told me that maybe it wasn’t so good. I should have kept my mouth shut. “You stiffed him?” he asked me. “They‘re going to take it out of his pay!” he said. “Well, I only asked for two bucks”.

I went to my room for a while and when I came out later I asked my mom “Hey Mom, where’s dad? “He went to the gas station to pay for the gas that you should have paid for!” She said. Her tone of voice said it all. He’s paying for my gas? I only asked for two bucks worth!” I kept insisting. I was feeling lousier by the second. She just shook her head and walked away. I felt myself shrinking away in shame. My father never said a word to me about it and I never brought it up. Lesson learned.

My father was an upholsterer at Landmark Fine Furniture in Los Angeles. He was one of the best in the trade. When things were slow at work he would find customers and do some upholstery work in the garage. He was always working. Once, he was doing a job for some woman in Palm Springs. It was a big job, a sectional, and it turned out to be a lot of work and to top it off my father had misquoted her on the price. He was going to break even and nothing more. My mother kept after him, as any wife would, to call her up and tell her he made a mistake. He wouldn’t hear of it. He had given his word and that was that. He completed the job and the woman was happy with her furniture. My father didn’t skimp on the job. He still gave her his best. Lesson learned.

Sometimes we inadvertently learn a lesson from our fathers. Case in point. It was about 1967 or so and we were on vacation. I can’t remember if we were in Palm Springs or Arizona. We were at a motel. My mother and my brother Dennis and I went to the pool. My mother didn’t swim so she was lying on a chaise lounge soaking up the sun. My brother was three, maybe four years old, so I took him to the kids pool. My father stayed in the room and as always he was either listening to the L.A. Dodgers on the radio or watching them on the TV. There was no pulling him away from a ballgame.

At some point my father came out of the room to get some ice. As he was getting the ice, some woman in a skimpy white bikini came to get some ice too. My father couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Who could blame him? My mother was watching him from the other side of the pool. My father got his ice but never took his eyes off this woman. He walked straight ahead, all the time just watching her.

We saw it coming but it happened so fast there was no stopping it. My father fully clothed and wearing a hat walked straight into the kids pool. From the other side off the pool you could hear my mother laughing with pure joy. The whole place was laughing including the girl in the white bikini. My father shot straight up out of the water in complete shock, holding an ice bucket filled with water and then he just burst out laughing. He was a sight. He was a good sport about it. Several lessons learned here.

Nothing pleases a father more than knowing you were listening to him, paying attention to what he was trying to teach., even the most trivial and mundane things. When I was growing up it was my job to pull the weeds and take care of the yard. My father’s pet peeve was the dirt being left on the roots of the weeds. By the time the trash can was filled it would weigh a ton. He wanted the roots shaken so the dirt would fall off. I rarely shook them.

Years later, in 1978, when Jeri and I moved into our first home in Uptown Whittier on Newlin Avenue, I was working in the yard, pulling weeds of all things. My father stopped by for a visit. We were talking while I was working. I was pulling the weeds, shaking the dirt off and then tossing them into the trash can. “So you were paying attention” He said. I looked up at him and he was smiling. We locked eyes for a few seconds. I smiled back and then continued to pull the weeds. The moment was not lost on me. I learned a hell of a lot more than just the proper way to pull weeds from my father over the years but that moment is locked in my mind. It was symbolic, perhaps, of a son who had learned a few things from his dad.

Happy Father’s Day to my brother, son in laws, uncles, cousins and friends and to all you guys out there taking care of business. Enjoy your day .

“Eulogy” Remarks for Frances (nee Roggero) Ludwig De La O (by Larry Ludwig)

2010-06-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

The following is the eulogy given by Frances De La O's son Larry Ludwig and reprinted here with his expressed permission.

By Larry Ludwig

Good Morning. On behalf of the family we would like to thank you for coming to our Mother’s funeral today and also those of you having Mass said for Frances. We would like to acknowledge the presence today of her last surviving sibling, her sister, our Aunt Josie Roggero.

When I learned of Frances‘ passing last week, I was at a loss of words. What does one say when one loses a mother? What does a mother mean to her children. Finally thoughts came forth. A mother is she who gives us life, who births us, who nurtures & raises us, is our role model, gives us our education and the tools to survive and make a good living, gives us our moral compass, who gives us her unconditional love, who is always there for us. This was Frances.

A sympathy card from cousin Sandi Lehnhard notes a mother is remembered for her laugh, her smile, her voice, her style, her strength, her poise, her gifts, her joys, her words, her grace, her eyes, her face. Frances was all these and yet more.

She was our good friend, and a friend to all our friends, regardless of stature, rank, class, race, religion, ethnicity, be it school classmates, neighbors, roommates, co-workers, visiting dignitaries, they were always welcome, always made to feel “at home”, as part of the family.

She always was encouraging and appreciative of our efforts, but could also exercise “tough love” to teach us a moral lesson, or practical survival living skills.

She gave us a life-long home, both physically and spiritually. No matter where on the earth we may have been, be it throughout California, the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, we always had a home, our foundation, our home base to return to, a refuge, a place of “loving warmth and welcome. Every year without fail, a Christmas “care package” was shipped replete with holiday cookies and seasonal goodies.

She was a great role model in the morals department…always honest, always a woman of her word, her word WAS her bond. Her personal behavior always above board, exemplary.

And if she ever was suffering be it physically or mentally, she never let on, never burdened us with her aches and ills…putting forth a constant aura of optimism and good hope.

She may have been small in physical stature, but small was no indication of weakness. As her husband Larry De La O would say, she was a “tough old broad”….from doing heavy-duty farming chores and herding cows on horseback in the San Pedro hills as a child; to driving solo her three children (Leslie, Lynne, Larry) twice across the United States during the 1950’s (before automatic transmission and air conditioning); to driving those children (once again solo) along with nephews Howard and Robert through the then very macho “bandolero-pistolero” Mexico of the early 1960’s from Mexico City through mountains, jungle and desert to the Arizona border; to single-handily planning the logistics and carrying out the business dinners and parties of her husband Harvey Ludwig several times a year.

On a more personal note, she was a superb cook, preparing Grandmother Ludwig’s German dumplings and Christmas Kuchen pies, Grandmother Roggero’s raviolis, and her own tamale casserole, stuffed bell peppers, pineapple upside-down cake, caramel popcorn balls..and always happy to share her recipes with whomever expressed an interest.

She loved gardening, especially raising flowers, succulents, herbs, vegetables and fruit trees, her homes’ yards always garden oases for all to enjoy.

She loved dancing, thriving in exhibition ballroom dancing with husband Larry, and music, especially Italian songs and opera arias. Her favorites are being played today: “Torno a Surriento”, “O Sole Mio”, “O Mio Babbino Caro” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, the Intermezzo from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, and Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood”

In closing I would like to share a few comments, in addition to those cited from cousin Meredith Binsacca and family friend Maria Feeney in the “obituary”:

From the Roggero family, cousin Sharon: “In her heart ‘Aunt Francie’ was clear love and grace, with humor plus beauty. She was a large positive influence in my youth and life. She was always there for me.

From the Ludwig family, cousin Robert: “Three things immediately come to mind when I think of Frances: her love for others, her love of life, and her wonderful sense of humor and inner peace. Frances always made me feel welcome, loved and showed how to enjoy life to the fullest. She was always the optimistic, caring adult with the perpetual, upbeat attitude and hugs. She was the nicest and most loving person I have had the great fortune to meet and interact. I remember her fondly and treasure those wonderful memories. To be included in her personal circle was truly magical”

And from my friends and former co-workers, Griselle and Gilberto Apodaca, Griselle writes “Our memories of our mothers never fade. They truly remain present in our lives. My memories creep up on me at the most unexpected moments. Just listen…and you will hear Frances whispering in your heart”

[ Funeral Services were held for Frances at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Los Angeles, on June 9. Frances passed at her residence in Calabassas, California, on June 1, of natural causes, at age 93.]

Guest Book for Mary Frances De La O

Frances De La O

2010-06-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Frances De La O with my parents, Andrew and Anita De La O and younger brother Dennis. Circa 1970

More bad news to report. My aunt Frances "Panchita" De La O (nee Roggero), the wife of Larry De La O, has passed away. Aunt Frances died on June 1. She was 93.

There will be a service and burial at Calvary Catholic
Cemetery on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at ll:00 a.m. Their
address is:

4201 Whittier Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323)261-3106

It's been many years since I have seen my aunt Frances but if you knew my uncle Larry, you know that Frances was the only one that could keep up with him. They were quite a pair. Both Larry and "Panchita" were ace dancers and performed many times over the years at city and private functions. I have fond memories of her and remember her as a sweet and caring woman with lots of patience. Our condolences to the Roggero family.

Cesar Chavez Day

2010-03-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

Cesar Chavez 1927 - 1993

Today is Cesar Chavez Day, it is also his birthday. Cesar Chavez was an ordinary man that took a stand against injustice. He dedicated his life to improving the working conditions of the migrant farmworker. He remained a humble and hard working man all of his life. He died an extraordinary man. Viva Chavez!

Anita Salazar De La O

2010-03-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

The above photo is of my aunt Anita Salazar De La O (Ann D. Alley)and is a follow up to an earlier post on this site. Annie graduated from Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles in 1947 (I'm not 100% sure of the date).

And Later....

2010-03-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

... Meranda's "Piece de Risistance" Spaghetti with meat sauce, a salad and some good garlic bread.

Before and After

2010-03-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

Meranda and the girls are staying with her grandmother this weekend in Spring Valley Lake. She sent me this photo via her cell phone of the breakfast she made this morning. Over easy eggs, chorizo con papas and homemade beans and tortillas. It doesn't get any better than this. She said I would be sorry I missed it. She was right.

Before.....

.....and after

A Chip off the Ol' Block.........

2010-02-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

Andrew sent us these photos of the meal he cooked for Anaphon on Valentines Day. Seafood with linguine, ceviche and some good wine.

Following in the tradition of the men in our family, Andrew has learned his way around the kitchen and then some. As far as I'm concerned every man should know how to fend for himself when it comes to cooking, Nothing says independence like a man that can rustle up his own meal.

El Tepeyac Mexican Restaurant-Boyle Heights

2010-02-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

El Tepeyac, small, informal and always busy. (That's Jeri at the extreme left).

Last Saturday Jeri and I drove over to El Tepeyac, an east L.A. institution,otherwise known as Manuels. It's on Evergreen Street just north of Chavez Ave (formerly Brooklyn Ave), in Boyle Heights. There is always a line in front, especially at peak hours but the wait is worth it. East Los Angeles has changed over the years but it's still old East L.A. at Tepeyac. The owner, Manuel Rojas is a big part of the restaurant's success. He's a small man with a big personality. He opened the restaurant in the mid 50's. The place is known for it's burritos. The king of burritos here and anywhere else for that matter, is the Manuel's special. You will need pallbearers to carry it to the table and a pitchfork and shovel to eat it. The "smaller" burrito, the Hollenbeck, is still bigger than most other places. This is what I had on Saturday. Jeri had the chicken enchiladas.

El Tepeyac is very communal and informal and you will find yourself talking with someone sitting in next table. You will also find all kinds of people here, people from outside of east L.A, and sometime from out of state. El Tepeyac has been featured on several television shows, especially those showcasing large portions.

I started eating at El Tepeyac back in the early70’s when I was in high school. My buddies and I would go there after partying on the weekend. I don’t remember what the hours were or what time they closed but it seemed they were always opened, no matter what time we went. I once ate one and a half Manuel's Special. I was seventeen and in my eating prime. I found out later that Manuel started paying $500.00 to anyone that could finish a Manuel's Special. I never tried it again and I wouldn’t do it now. Another item that was on the menu but I’m not sure they still serve, was a Torta de Guacamole. It was called a Torta but it was pretty much a burrito stuffed with guacamole. It’s been so many years that I can’t remember what else was in it. I’m going to look for it next time I go. Speaking of guacamole, El Tepeyac does a great job with theirs.

The Hollenbeck Burrito (with chile verde). The "little burrito".
That large object protruding from the bottom of the photo is my stomach.

Address, phone number and map

Review on El Tepeyac at Laist.com:

El Tepeyac Cafe: Pull Up a Seat at Manuel's Place

Anita Salazar De La O: "Before I Go...."

2010-02-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

In 1987, after being diagnosed with cancer my aunt Annie wrote a small booklet called, "Before I Go", where she expressed some of her thoughts during her illness. I renewed my relationship with her during her illness after not seeing her for a number of years. She was a beautiful person, inside and out, incredibly intelligent and a wonderful singer and guitarist. I am grateful that I had the chance to know her. I'm hoping that her words and thoughts will give you some insight into her life. Annie, born Anita Salazar De La O, on December 28, 1928 and died in January of 1989. She is the daughter of Santiago Madrid De La O and Gumesinda Bermudez Salazar and was my father's youngest sister. Click on Annie's photo for a larger view.

My Thoughts on Living and Leaving

By Ann D. Alley

TO MY FRIEND MICHAEL A.

Before I go, I want you to know that I am having the time of my life.

On June 19, 1987, after many tests and a biopsy, my pulmonary specialist called at 7:45 a.m., to tell me that I have cancer of the lining (pleura) of the left lung. I had just awakened when the telephone rang. At first I thought I might be having a horrible nightmare or that he had made a mistake. As he continued to explain that this cancer was something called mesothelioma and that it is inoperable and untreatable, it dawned on me that this was indeed a nightmare - but also my reality. He asked me if I had any questions, and of course I was not prepared with a list of questions. Later in the day, and especially as I talked with some of my family, and closest friends, the questions presented themselves. He had said that he didn’t know how much time I have left. I was thankful for that . Later on in time I was even more thankful, as I didn’t want any limitations placed on my newly developing plans and goals, of which this booklet became.

It just happened that on that same day , June 19, my good friend Tonia came to clean my home. I told her the latest developments in what had been four months of question marks. She left a wake of forgotten small tasks that day. All day I was too stunned to cry and she thought it was bravery.

The reason I am writing this booklet is that, in the days that followed, while making my calls, I found myself comforting others who were not ashamed to cry about my news. I also began to receive calls from other people who had played some kind of role in my life; among them the sweet wife of an ex-boss I had left three years ago. She explained that she had dreaded making the call, as she thought it would be terribly difficult and depressing. Instead, she said, she felt uplifted. She suggested that I write down my thoughts, many of which I had shared with her. I reflected on this and decided it might be a good idea and it was cinched when I went to see my doctor. He had suggested that I take a part-time job, feeling that it would take my mind off of “the big C.” I told him “Forget it. Working half of my week and trying to recover from the work the other half is not my idea of fun. Besides, ” I told him, “I have too much to do. I’m planning to write a booklet called Before I go” He agreed that it would be a good idea and perhaps his other patients could benefit from it.

The more I thought about it, the better the idea seemed. Also, about two months before, I had received not one, but two catalogs featuring the video writer which I am now using. I didn’t see how I was going to swing paying for a machine which would cost me approximately $650. I put it all in God’s hands and guess what? Three people expressed their desire to help pay for it and I allowed them to do it. I told myself it had to be right, my writing the booklet. So I started.

Thought: Placing the situation in God’s hands. This would be difficult to do if you didn’t believe in God. My belief is that we are putting the situation in the hands of the “God within,” which might also be viewed as taking responsibility for what happens in our lives. Here’s a “for instance” : I had always said that I didn’t want to grow old enough to be in a “rest” home. Wish granted. I had always said that I didn’t want anybody cutting into my “bod.” Wish granted. I always said if I ever had cancer I wouldn’t want radiation or chemotherapy. Wish granted.

Thought: I feel privileged to be given the information concerning my death before it happens. How many people can say that? I have been given the opportunity to “clean my slate” before I “graduate” from Planet Earth. This includes telling the world about my situation in order that I can express to others and others can express to me. How many times have people said “If I had only known”? It is amazing and rewarding how many people have expressed their love for me. You see, this enables all of us to clear our conscience, if there is anything to be cleared, before I go. It has also given those wonderful people , who always seem to want to make others happy, the opportunity to do something nice: the beautiful receptionist at the place where I had worked for only one month, the lovely lady who cuts my hair (every couple of months), and a former boss all expressed their desire to be their for me, no matter what time of day or night, if I needed someone to talk to.
Then there’s the old “glass-half empty or half-full” cliché. When you have been given this opportunity, you can do many things which you have always wanted to do. These are fun things, as well as duties to be performed. This is the time to nurture yourself and let others nurture you. One of my dearest friends remembered how much I like her chicken soup. She brought me over some of her “Mother Debbie’s chicken soup.” For those of us who are nurturers this can be difficult; many of us have been self -sufficient all of our lives but now we can allow others to do for us. The simple act of picking up a half-gallon of milk for me gave a friend of mine pleasure (and I thought I had imposed on her). In the past I would have said “Oh no, I can pick it up myself.” This same lady helped to pay for the video writer I’m using. People are so happy to do their part in making your life easier. What a lesson this has been for me.

This is our opportunity, too, to be whatever we have missed being. For me, it was being a little girl. I was given responsibilities very early in life; I felt as if I had missed out on being a little girl. I am now buying that same little girl candies, ice cream; I have allowed her to stay up late, to sleep late; I am being kind to her, just as I would like to have been treated as a child. I, who grew up without sweets, am now enjoying them. A friend brought me a little doll dressed up as a candy-stripper. I have sat that little doll on my lap so that we can both watch TV. You may think that sounds silly, but in nurturing my little girl, I am loving my adult self. I was treated to a new toy. This video writer I’m using has given me many happy hours, taking my mind off of my “situation.” It will feel much better to exit after loving myself. A friend suggested that loving oneself is selfish. Not so. Loving oneself and selfishness are not interchangeable.

And talking about nurturing , the Sunday after I had been given the news by my doctor I was fixing my breakfast when it occurred to me that I was eating some leftovers which I would never have served to any good friend so I threw them out and treated to only fresh, tasteful food. My thoughts then moved another step: I should move my fine china into the kitchen and use it every day. What a treat! Having done this, the good silverware followed. Talk about feeling elegant!

I continued to be nice to myself. I brought out a poem which a friend of mine had written about me eleven years ago. At the time she wrote it I thought “She is writing about the person I’ve always wanted to be.” Now, as I look back, I think that just maybe I have earned that poem (when had I changed?) so I framed it and gave it prominence in order that every now and then, in passing, I would see these words and learn to believe in myself.

The night after the doctor gave me the devastating news I happened to be alone all evening. At about 11:00 p.m. I walked out to my balcony and looked at an unusually clear sky, thinking, as I saw the stars, “Sometime soon I’ll be up there” That’s when a feeling of peace descended and I became unafraid.

I have been amazed at how many people care about my departure. A psychiatrist called me “brave.” I don’t think I’m brave; brave is when you’re afraid to do something and go ahead and do it. I can’t take any credit as I’m not afraid.

I have learned, too, during this time, to take pleasure in those duties which, in the past, I had found distasteful . In the beginning I made a conscious effort to “enjoy” what I was doing. By “consciously “ my tasks all day long I found that the day took care of itself and turned out to be a happy one. I don’t know when it stopped being a conscious effort and I really began to enjoy every task. Now I don’t “have” to do my dishes immediately after I eat. I do something else which I enjoy. After that I return to the kitchen and by then it is especially fun to wash and dry my good china, as I love looking at it and touching it. Thus my days are filled with joyful things. Also, if I feel a little tired I lie down to rest, however long it takes to restore my strength and bring back my enthusiasm for the job at hand. This is getting ridiculous. Would you believe that in this “joyful” frame of mind I cleaned out my oven? What a sicko.

Thought: Allow people their sadness about your departure. One of my dear friends taught me that. As she was sad and weepy I said “Don’t be sad.” She informed me that she couldn’t stop being sad just because I said she should stop. By telling her not to be sad I was negating her love for me. So now, whenever anyone expresses their sadness I thank them and I comfort them.

It is important to observe the beginning of new life. I love African violets and have been growing them for about fifteen years. It’s fun to plant the leaves and watch them develop into full grown plants. Recently, when they needed repotting, some of the leaves broke off. I’ve never had the heart to throw away a broken leaf, so after repotting the violets I was left with about seven broken leaves. Instead of throwing them out I decided to start new plants for my friends, especially those who admire my violets. It gives me a good feeling to watch these little miracles. They’re a long ways from becoming full grown plants and I’ll probably lose a couple, but it feels good to know that there is new life starting in my home.

One of the positive things that I am experiencing at this time is that I see everything with “new” eyes. This is the way I felt when I first began to paint. I began to notice different colors in everything. Nothing is one solid color. Even a chair which is painted all the same color is really different hues because of shading and highlights. When I first started painting it was all I could think of, sort of like being in love. Now I look at everything and everyone both as if it were my first, and also my last time.

People can’t believe me when I tell them that I’m enjoying life more than I ever have before. It’s because instead of dwelling on my condition, I am taking time to savor everything while I can. Those things which I have always taken for granted have become special events. I have also found that happiness is not something you can look forward to, nor does it depend on where you’re going or where you’re coming from, but it does depend on how you approach what is happening in the now, which is the only thing that is real.

I have discovered that, if I read or watch something funny before going to bed, I feel much more peaceful than if I watch, or listen to the news. It used to be that I had my bedroom radio set on a news station all the time. Now it’s too upsetting; I watch “Taxi.” It’s so silly! When I went in to have a biopsy done, the doctor explained to me that at certain times he would tell me to take a deep breath and hum; I asked him, “In what key?” I’m sure he forgave my corny sense of humor and it made me feel better.

I have discovered that I am a night person . Now that I have the choice, I prefer to stay up late and getup late, instead of getting up at 6:00a.m. as I had done all of my life.

Things I’ll miss: I love the texture of raw cashews as I crunch them; Hispanic love songs; the beautiful view from my third-story apartment; the recent beautiful, summer days with huge clouds and blue skies; my nephew Carl playing the piano while I cook and sing my heart out. Most of all, I’ll miss all the dear people I love.

Helpful: I went back twenty-five years and put all of my snapshots in chronological order, in albums. This gave me an opportunity to review my life. I shed many tears, but when I finished I felt complete. As of this writing I am duplicating some tapes I did in the early 70’s with my guitar, which I will give to a few of my loved ones. Nothing professional, mind you, just a reminder of my love for them, mistakes and all.

I found that it’s alright to cry with my family and my friends. (remember, it’s always more difficult for those left behind.) lately, I have received so much love that I feel as if I am underneath a very warm sea and all the water around me and above me is the love and devotion that people express. What a way to go!

Redundant thoughts: It’s so strange, the way things from my childhood are now popping up. I ca still hear my mother telling me to wear clean panties just in case I should be involved in an accident in the street. Did your mother tell you the same thing?

I can’t help thinking of the things I won’t have to do any longer. Do I still need to watch my cholesterol? Prevent cavities? Paint the bathroom? (Gosh, I hope I don’t come back as a paintbrush.) I was walking along the other day on my way to have a sonogram done and I saw a man spit and it went ‘way out. I always wondered, when I was very young, if I could accomplish such a feat. I ended up with dribble all over my chin.

The other day my brother and I went out, drank some beer and ate some tacos “like in the old days.” He allowed me to steal a water goblet, watching for the waiter while I dropped it in my handbag. If I know Henry, he left a tip large enough to pay for the table, but he allowed me to have my fun.

Along the same lines I see the humor in different situations. For instance, the other day I was putting on a pair of panty hose. I had both sides up as far as my ankles, then I had to laugh as I wondered what I would do if someone yelled “Fire!” Then there was the day I was so distracted that I applied deodorant to only one side. I chuckle over small things like that.

A friend gave me a cute little “Snoopy” picture which I stuck on the back of my front door. It said “F___ it.” Of course I had to put a yellow Post It over it out of respect for those persons who wouldn’t approve. Why do we worry ourselves so about what other people think, when Earth is only a flyspeck in the Universe? Pretty soon these issues will no longer exist for me.

Something that bothers me: People that do not take the opportunity to express themselves. They deny your departure because the can’t handle it. I’m informing everyone whose life I’ve touched in some way (as you’re getting ready to exit you become aware of how many there are.) There are a very few people who treat me like a child and say, “You’re going to be alright. The doctors probably made a mistake. Don’t worry” or “let’s not talk about it.” better yet, when I was asked how I was, I told someone that I was having pain. She said, “Oh dear, maybe it’s your imagination.” What an insult! Saying this may take their mind off of what is happening to me, but I’ve always faced problems squarely and cannot begin to imagine what it would feel like to delude myself about anything. I suppose that facing life squarely is why Planet Earth was not my idea of fun and am now able to accept leaving it. I have asked those who are closest to me not to avoid the subject of death, cancer and especially my situation. It offends me to think that I am not allowed to discuss what is uppermost in my mind. Besides, this is a pretty heavy load to carry alone.

Speaking of leaving, on the way out I bumped into myself and discovered the person I had always wanted to be. It feels good to finally like the me that I became. Well, gotta go now. I hope I get a bon voyage party. Bye, Bye.

Bobby Espinoza 1928-2010

2010-02-03T17:21:00.000-08:00

Bobby Espinoza passed away December 24, 2010. Bobby was the son of Atanacio and Victoria Espinoza, my great grandparents. His ashes were interned at Rose Hills Cemetery on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Rest in peace uncle Bobby.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Death Valley National Monument: Set I

2010-02-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

The following photos were taken by and of my father, Andrew Salazar De La O, approximately 70 years ago during his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Death Valley, California. I believe these photos were taken with my father's old Eastman Kodak box camera. Some of the photos are of poor quality, still because of the content of these photos, they have both genealogical and historical value.

The handwritten caption on the back of the above photo,
presumably written by my father, reads
"This picture speaks for itself"

Above and below: My father Andrew S. De La O

My father Andrew S. De La O

Furnace Creek Camp-Death Valley

CCC, The Men, The Work, The Legacy

Vintage Photos of Lawrence "Larry" De la O

2010-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

Memorial Service for Uncle Larry De La O

2010-01-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, January 23, 2010, a memorial service and a grave site visit was held at the Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles. It was a small, intimate service with family and friends including members of the American Legion, of which Larry, a U.S. Army veteran, was a member. Along with members of aunt Frances' "Panchita" family, nieces and nephews of Larry were in attendance, including, Jimmy Caldero, Gloria Jean Miramontes, Gary De La O and myself. There was also a Mariachi band that played several songs including "El Rey" which was dedicated to my uncle. Larry was buried in the Roggero family plot. The service was given by the Roggero family.

I had not seen my uncle Larry in several years. My memories of him are from years ago. He was my father's oldest brother. It pleases me to know that he found peace and happiness with aunt Panchita and that they built a life together. It became apparent during the service how much Larry meant to her family and it occurred to me that it was their loss. My condolences to the Roggero family on their loss. Rest in peace uncle Larry.

Click the arrow to start the slide show

Family Photos with Larry De La O

2010-01-19T05:18:00.000-08:00

My father Andrew (R) with my uncle Larry circa 1960

at our home in Santa Fe Springs, California

My father Andrew, Uncle Larry and my brother Dennis

early 1970's

Me and Dennis, Uncle Larry, my father Andrew, Uncle Jimmy
and cousin Gary De La O
The Summer of 1972

Lawrence "Larry" S. De La O Has Passed Away

2010-01-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

Lawrence "Larry" S. De La O, 96, passed away December 23, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. He is survived by his wife, best friend and companion of forty two years, Frances "Panchita" De La O.

Born in New Mexico and raised in a two-room Dona Ana adobe, Larry worked cotton and vegetable fields in the Southwest, and ran a successful shoe-shine boy operation before riding the rails to Southern California during the Great Depression. There, life as a pachuco helped develop his business skills as owner of pool halls, night clubs and pawnshops, and his talents as jeweler, ace pool shooter and expert card player (including work as a Nevada casino pit boss). An extraordinary musician, dancer, singer and entertainer, he played any number of instruments by ear, joining mariachi groups and forming personal friendships with Mexico's Golden Age entertainment stars, including José Alfredo Jíménez, TinTan, Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete. (José Alfredo dedicated his masterpiece "El Rey" to Larry.) An Army veteran, a man with a genius memory and an unbounded sense of humor, a prolific creative joke-teller, a loving husband and caring dad and grandfather, a generous humanitarian at heart, and life-long friend of members of the Raymond Apodaca Family of Las Cruces and the Fountain Family of Old Mesilla. Larry is and will be greatly missed. He was "one of a kind".
A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. at Calvary Mortuary 4201 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90023, 323-261-3106. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the American Legion.

Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on January 17, 2010

The Guest Book will remain online until 2/16/2010

Ode to Forgetfulness

2010-01-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

If you have ever walked into a room and can't remember why you went there or if you have ever looked for your glasses while you were still wearing them then this video is for you. Check it out. It's pretty funny.

Pechanga Casino and Resort

2010-01-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California is the premiere Casino and Hotel in Southern California and while it's not quite the Belagio or Mandalay Bay, it is somewhat reminiscent of old Las Vegas, at least in atmosphere. It has all the usual; slots, blackjack, poker, pai gow and has some really good onsite restaurants along with a food court. My wife Jeri and I had breakfast at the Pechanga Cafe. The Breakfast buffet was outstanding, though there could have been a few more choices. I also had a Philly Cheesesteak at the American Classics at the food court. I would have had two but it was getting late. There is also first class entertainment at the Pechanga Showroom, most recently Merle Haggard performed there, which is why we were there in the first place.. There is also professional boxing, with a fight schedule in February 12, of this year. Joe Frazier will be on hand greet his fans.

Our room was on the ninth floor and we had a great view of the golf course and the clubhouse, along with the hills that form the Temecula Valley. The rooms were clean, the bathroom was very roomy and the room itself was as good as any I have stayed in. The bed was comfortable. The service at the hotel was outstanding.

The Pechanga is located in wine country and is just a few miles from Old Town Temecula, which is filled with antique shops and restaurants. In May one of the big local events is Western Days. If you're there for the weekend there is plenty to do.

Two views from our room overlooking the golf course

The Clubhouse

Merle Haggard Concert at the Chino Downs Ranch-1982

2010-01-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Jeri and I at the Chino Downs Ranch concert parking-1982

Merle Haggard and friends at the Chino Downs Ranch in Chino, California 1982

Merle Haggard at the Pechanga Resort and Casino-2010

2010-01-10T09:47:00.000-08:00

Merle Haggard and the Strangers at the Pechanga Showroom

Jeri and I first saw Merle Haggard in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch and again a few years later at the Universal Amphitheater. At the time Merle Haggard was already a certified star and a country music icon with few peers. This past Friday night at the Pechanga Resort and Casino, almost 28 years later, he was without peer. That he has aged and mellowed is undeniable but like a fine vintage wine “The Hag” has only improved with age. He wears the mantle of greatness well and has eased comfortably into a living legend in the music industry.

My daughter Meranda, knowing how we feel about Merle Haggard gave us two tickets to the concert for Christmas. We couldn’t wait. When Haggard came onto the stage the crowd showed it’s appreciation, standing and cheering as he walked from one side of the stage to the other, grinning and waving and showing his appreciation as well.

He spoke for a few minutes and then opened with “Working Man Blues”, my favorite Haggard song.. He sang the late Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and while Cash owns that song, Haggard did his old friend proud, singing and playing as only Merle Haggard can. He went through many of his past hits and the selections seemed to be spontaneous and a few came at the urging of the crowd, as was the case with “Swinging Doors” . The crowd stood and cheered when he sang “Fighting Side of Me”. If anything, Haggard plays with more passion than ever. Haggard was in an extremely good mood as he joked and chatted with the audience, much more so than I remember from his earlier concerts. He seemed to relish his age and his life experiences and it showed in his performance.

I’m not sure what the seating capacity is in the Pechanga Showroom but every seat seemed filled. The showroom was large enough to hold a good crowd but had an intimate feel to it. It was the perfect venue for Merle Haggard. Friday’s concert was one of those moments you never want to end.

Thanks for the tickets, Honey!

Proud To Be An American . . .

2009-12-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

The following was written by my friend Rick Farris and I thought it was worth sharing on this site. Congratulations Monica, we're proud to have you and proud of you!

By Rick Farris

This past thursday, December 3rd, Monica was sworn in as an American citizen with more than 900 other immigrants.
The ceremony was held in Montebello, at the Quiet Cannon, in the same room where boxing matches are held on occasion.

This is something my wife has waited for since arriving in this country on December 4, 1995.
Monica left Brazil 1989, full of dreams that could not be realized in her country.

She first went to Portugal, then to France, and then Holland. Learning the language of each country she lived in.
Monica's true love is language, and she has always had a goal to learn to speak as many as she can fluently.
When she arived in America, her ultimate dream, she didn't speak a word of English. Today she speaks it fluently.

When we arrived at the Quiet Cannon, Monica was nervous, she had waited her entire life for this moment.
Watching the ceremony was a great experience for me, as an American. We tend to take things for granted in this country.
This was a reality check for me. Sometimes we don't appreciate just how much we have.
On this day, more than 900 new American citizens didn't need to be reminded of how great America is.

As I watched the ceremony from the guest area, I was deeply touched to see a dozen American military personnel recieve their citezenship.
Young men and women from all over the world, already in the U.S. military, were becoming citizens. This brought a tears to my eyes.
A video was played on a large screen in the front of the auditorium, a message from President Obama, welcoming the new Americans.

Monica had tears in her eyes thruout the ceremony. She had finally achieved her ultimate goal. Monica is now a proud American.
And I am proud of her. She is quite a lady. I guess I just got lucky.

-Rick Farris

Tacos, Birthday Cake and Cars

2009-10-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Jeri and I spent the day with our son in law Tom, daughter Lori and our grandkids, Sidney and Trevor, this past Sunday. Saturday was Jeri's birthday and we were invited for some of Tom's famous homemade tacos, and cake and ice cream. At my request Tom brought out all his cars and showcased them for Jeri and I.

His collection includes a 1947 Plymouth Coupe, a 1960 Impala Coupe, a 1961 Impala Sedan and a 1972 Chevelle SS (my favorite). All have been entered in car shows in and around Orange County, California

Click the white arrow on each photo frame to start the slideshow

1947 Plymouth Coupe

1961 Impala Sedan

1960 Impala Coupe

1972 Chevelle SS

Tom & Lori's House

Children's Hospital Los Angeles: Kelvin Montagner Remembered

2009-09-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Kelvin Montagner and Billy Bush

By Rocio Montagner

Today I woke up with a call from our good friend Billy Bush from Access Hollywood. He wanted us to know that my son's memory lives on. He spoke on the radio today KBIG 104.3 Childrens Hospital Telethon, about my son Kelvin Montagner and how he touched his life when he met him at Childrens Hospital. You see my son had cancer and CHLA took care of him. Billy donated $5,000.00 in his memory today. It is not until you go through such a horriable time basically living at the hospital to try to save your childs life that you realize how important it is to help! The monies go towards the Life Specialist program who have wonderful people who help the kids cope with their illness & help them forget by having game rooms for them where they can escape for a little while coloring, painting & playing games! I know how important this is! Remember I lived it! I also know how difficult these ecenomic times are but I think if we all just make a small donation cummalative it will make a difference!! So please donate $5.00 by texting 9099 CHLA! Or call in (800) 817-4KID today! Make a difference you never know when your child may need to be cared for, your niece or nephew! Whats $5.00?? Those of you who can afford a bit more

PLEASE!!! Call in!!
Thank You!!

P.S. Here is a picture of my son Kelvin with Billy Bush on his Birthday! Yes he spent it in a hospital bed at Childrens Hospital. The hospital made it a happy time for him

Road Trip Photos

2009-09-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Last week Jeri and I took a mini road trip to Napa Valley in California's Central Coast. We took the Pacific Coast Highway and the 101 Freeway. Along the way we stopped at Santa Barbara, Solvang, San Simeon, Big Sur, Monterry and Aptos. We went through San Francisco but did not stop. These are just a few of the photos that we took. I'll be posting more during the week.

Click on Any Photo for an Enlarged View

View On Black
Pigeon Point Information

View On Black
Bixby Bridge Information

View On Black
Big Creek Information

View On Black
The Franciscan Winery Website

Sunset at Seal Beach

2009-09-13T13:23:00.001-07:00

Click to Enlarge the Photo

View On Black

Jeri and I were at the Seal Beach Pier yesterday evening. The timing was perfect and I got this shot of the sun going down.

Dennis De La O

2009-08-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Some of you have asked me about my brother Dennis. Following is an interesting article from the Orange County Sheriff's Blog that will bring you up to date. I have also included a few personal photos of Dennis and his family. Randy

Sheriff's Community Services Officer
Dennis De La O

By Jessica Najdowski

On almost any day you can find Sheriff’s Community Service Officer Dennis De La O in the Aliso Viejo Police Services’ weight room helping his co-workers get into shape.

He tailors specific exercise routines in order for his co-workers to get the maximum benefit from the workout.

“He helps them with their workout, coaches them on a daily basis. He is like a personal trainer,” said Senior Sheriff’s Community Services Officer Karen Lee-Vargas.

“When in the weight room Dennis is very dedicated to helping out his employees any way he can,” Sr. CSO Lee-Vargas said. “His willingness and determination help those around him become fit and healthy.”

Dennis has become an inspiration to his fellow employees, for helping to create fitness plans for them and by encouraging them to eat a healthy diet. Mr. De La O’s excitement about healthy living has made the work environment a more positive and healthy place, according to his co-workers.

At the beginning of his ten year career at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Mr. De La O worked at the front counter of the Aliso Viejo Station. He later supervised an inmate work crew.

His current responsibilities include supervising the Community Work Program work crew, which maintains and cleans the building. He also ensures that the station is in compliance with environmental protection laws and OSHA standards.

“Dennis has a very high work standard and always does an exemplary job in any task he has been asked to complete,” Lee-Vargas said. Dennis also makes sure the parking structure is clean and free of debris from the neighboring hills and homes. “When he sees something that needs to be done or is asked to do something he always does an outstanding job,” said Lee-Vargas.

It is apparent that Dennis De La O has had a very positive impact on those around him and is successful in sending out a message of healthy living. He is extremely dedicated to his job and the well-being of others. Out of the kindness of his heart, Dennis makes enormous efforts to ensure that those around him are happy and healthy and the best that they can be. Such an inspirational and positive individual as Dennis should be commended and thanked for the wonderful job he is doing!

Dennis enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and is very much a family man.

Dennis and Samantha

Rafael and Margarita De La O and Other Family Photographs

2009-08-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted anything. It goes like that sometimes. I do have some great photos that have been passed on to me by our cousins. The photo of Rafael and Margarita De La O and their daughter, our Tia Gregoria is a photo I thought I would never see. The photo of Rafael, Margarita and Gregoria was sent to me via an email attachment by our cousin Juanita De La O Gordon. Rafael and Margarita are our great grandparents so this is special to us. I am just guessing but it is possible, in fact it is more than likely that this photograph was taken at the old Rancho De La O, which was still in Rafael's possession at that time.

I also have two photographs of my aunt Delia. The photos were sent to me by her son, my first cousin, Hugh Rowlett. Delia is my father's oldest sister and the daughter of Santiago De la O and Gumesinda Salazar. Up until I recieved these two photos I had never seen a photo of my aunt Delia. I had never met her befrore so this is a first for me.

Click on any photo for a larger view

Rafael and Margarita De la O with their daughter Gregoria.

Delia De la O Rowlett - 1947

Delia De La O Rowlett-May 1965

Five more photographs were sent to me by our cousin Barbara Lisa Wideman. Lisa contacted me a while back and sent me the following photos. My apologies for taking so long to post them. Lisa is a descendent of Cosme De la O. Cosme and Rafael are brothers and both are the sons of Pascual De La O and Nicolasa Fernandes. The photgraphs are of members of her family. Our thanks to our Prima Barbara Lisa.

Barbara Lisa Wideman

GGG Grandfather Pasqual De La O
GG Grandfather Cosme De La O
G grandmother Francisca Lopez
Grandmother Juanita Lopez
Mother Edna Wray
Barbara Lisa Wideman

Edna Wray (Barbara Lisa's Mother)

David C. Serna (Barbara Lisa's first cousin)

Barbara Wray Serna (Barbara Lisa's Aunt)

Leola, Leo, Juana, Olga, & Barbara Wray - about 1931

Happy Birthday America!

2009-07-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July

To All my Family and Friends
God Bless America!

Origins of the De La O Family in the Americas

2009-06-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

Following is very interesting email and Genforum thread shared with us by our cousin Joseph Valles, Richard Barela and Daniel De La O of Mexico City. Thanks guys!

Dear Daniel,

Many thanks for posting your message! And your English is perfect; it is my Spanish that is poor.

Several De La O relations in the United States have been trying to get to primary historical documents in Mexico for some time, but so far none of us has been able to go. Your communication is very welcome indeed! (I have added it at the bottom for others to see)

Some of us have been aware of the various clans of De La O in Veracruz, Acapulco, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Peru and Chihuahua, but we have not discovered how they are all related exactly.

All the members of our group trace our heritage back to Cristobal De La O and particularly his son Pasqual, whose children all moved from Senecu in Chihuahua, a town that no longer exists, to areas around Dona Ana and Mesilla in New Mexico. We have no substantial records yet of Cristobal's generation, nor of his ancestors. We know you are able to have access to some very old material in Mexico City, and hopefully there are traces of information to be found that will be able to link all the various De La O families together.

If you are willing, please send what details you can, particularly if you can work with GEDcom documents. We will be happy to share what we can. Appended is an outline of the Cristobal De La O line from Chihuahua / Dona Ana.

Joseph Valles

Our group consists of:

Joseph Valles jvalles@hotmail.com
Juanita De La O Gordon jgordonnm835@gmail.com
Carol Herrington caroljoyceherrington@yahoo.com
Randy De La O randyman0508@yahoo.com
Gwynne Chastain G1Chaz@aol.com
Mary Kersey dm.kersey@verizon.net
Michael DeLaO midelao@msn.com
Henry Turrey turrey@cox.net
Cindy Fahrbach genie_research@hotmail.com
Frank Romero

Gwynne and I have met here in Atlanta, while Mary Kersey, Michael DeLaO, Juanita De La O Gordon and Randy De La O have just this year met each other out in California--Randy has photos of this up on his website at:

http://andrewsalazardelao.blogspot.com/

It is an extremely exciting thing that 6th and 7th generations of the descendents of the children of Pasqual De La O--widely separated in time and space--have been able to find each other and meet after having been apart for 5 generations!

______________________________________

From Daniel De La O

Hello, everybody, I'm writing from Mexico city, hope you can understand my english. My name is Daniel De La O I was born in Acapulco (1974) in one of the oldest families in the port. I'm a researcher for the Mexico College, and during my masters degree I made an investigation about one of the first De La O in the pacific of Mexico. I was surfing the net when I discovered this site about the De La O genealogy and I was amazed to read your mails about the origins of the name. I don't know exactly about the other family lines from which you may decent, I do know that the cuban line is the one that migrated to florida, and that there are three mexican origins known of the De La O: Veracruz, Guadalajara and Acapulco.

This last one, goes all the way back to 1561 when Fray Andres de Urdaneta receives the order of sailing from Acapulco to the philipines, with the objective of finding islands nearby the chinesse continent and japan that may serve to the spanish rute of silver and gold. One of the companions of Urdaneta was the young Alonso De La O who came to Mejico with his brother in search of fortune. His brother stayed in Veracruz and became a merchant, I haven´t found much about him, although there is a lot of De La O's in Veracruz.

Perhaps your parents come from that line...

Anyway, Alonso didn't stay with his brother because he wanted to follow the religious path, and started the process to become an agustino like urdaneta, but it wasn't an easy thing, because the De La O in Spain from which these two brothers came, had Moro blood in their veines. This is why if you feel like you have a nose or some other arab like characteristics you don't know were they came from, well, ok, you are not crazy. As matter of fact, you have to know that Spain had a couple of centuries of ocupation by the moros. There is not a clear reason of why Alonso didn´t go with the others to Japan, but the thing is that he stayed in Bahia de Santa Lucía, today Acapulco to build the first chapel. We know this because Urdaneta, as most agustinos, kept a record of his travels and evangelizations, and in the Acapulco old archive is a copy of these records. He stayed in the port working in the construction of the chapel, which didn´t go well because it was more urgent the edification of a fort, eventually the fort of San Diego.

Alonso started to make money when the turnaroute was ready, but sorry he didn´t became one of the richest colonizers on the port, however he was married to Anita (don't ask me the surname) and had children and died. How do I know about that marriage? Thanks again to the agustinos, who keep records of everybody married in those years, and were kind enough to receive my petition in Spain for the information concerning this affairs. That's all I could find about Alonso, it took a lot of research in the old, I mean OLD mexican archives, so don´t expect to be able to google something about it with out a bunch of readings before you.

The next I can tell you is that Alonso and his children, and his brother in Veracruz, lived in a very special time, marked with the continuous crossing of merchandise and people. So is not surprise to speculate that they had children with different people over those years. For example, in Acapulco was a small but very well registered slave trade for the portuguese and holland. A lot of De La O in Acapulco are clearly african descendent, so of you have black characteristics in your resemblance it may be possible that you come from this line. Although the veracruz De La O have a lot of mixture with black people too, there are more mulatos, white person with black, that the acapulco's (black with indigenas).

In other things more recent, you may probably be related to María De La O a very important women rights' fighter in Mexico. And perhaps you are related with Genovevo De La O who fought the revolution following the Zapata's ideals, he tried to help the poor and is consider a hero.

Finally, my research has pointed one of the origins of the surname in France, in the region of la Vierge de l'eau. Which means Virgin of the Water, this place is famous because the Virgin Mary apeared over a water spring. Someone took the surname De l'eau, -probably happened around the 1485 by orders of the Vatican (long story)- and consequently when he or she moved to Spain the name changed from eau to O, because the word eau is pronounced exactly like the letter "O" in spanish. I'm sure that the ones of you who speak spanish will understand it better. After one or two generations the name became De La O, hiding it's relation to the virgin. This may be the origin of De La O and it would say that your surname actually means: of the Water... Daniel of the Water...
Well is almost four in the morning here in Mexico, and I hope I've been helpful to you. I'm at your orders in this mail daniel.delao@gmail.com.

I wish to you all the best, the best of fortunes, the best of lucks, the best of health the best of everything, my dear brothers, my dear sisters, where ever you are...

Daniel.
________________________________________

De La O in NM c. 1890''s

Re: Meaning of De La O name?
Richard Barela (View posts) Posted: 13 Jun 2009 8:43PM GMT
Classification: Biography
Surnames: De La O, DeLaO, delao
I found your post interesting and collaborates with what I found on the De La O name history on geneology.com from Daniel Antonio De La O in Mexico City. While attaining his masters from Mexico College he researched the family name and found some facts similar to yours. He notes the name originates from the french "la Vierge de l'eau", referring to the Virgin appearing over a spring of water in France, and literally means "of the water" with "eau" meaning water in french; when pronounced having an "O" sound in spanish. When the De La O ancestors moved to Spain the name transformed to its current. This appears to be the origin of the church name you mention in your post. Daniels post is very interesting and I have pasted it below for anyone interested. Daniel also states that it was a command from the Vatican around 1485 that "someone" take the name "de l'eau." I found that very interesting and quite believable.
My gr gr grandfather was Severio De La O, son of Pasqual De La O, son of Cristobal De La O. My grandma was Juanita De La O Barela. (my thanks David)
Richard Barela

__________________________

Meaning of De La O name?
JValles (View posts) Posted: 12 May 2003 1:42PM
Classification: Query
Surnames: De La O, Delao
The name De La O refers to the Virgin Mary at the moment of the birth of Jesus. What is missing that makes this clear is this name for the Virgin Mary in full, "Nuestra Senora De La O". This name for the Virgin Mary is sometimes rendered "Nuestra Senora de la Redonda". In English, this could be, The Virgin of the Parturition".

Some have said the the "O" refers to the cry of the mother during birth, or of the child afterwards. Others have said that it refers to the fullness of pregnancy, and still others say it refers to the alpha and omega, i.e., that the birth of Jesus is prophecy fulfilled.

There is a church, with a black Madonna, at Salinas de Anana in Spain with the name Nuestra Senora De La O. After the habit of past times, its use as a family name might mean that the family originated from there, or from the locale of another church with this name, or that someone took this name in honor of the Virgin.

Ozomatli to Perform on NBC's Today Show - Wed. June 17th

2009-06-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

What's up, Ozoheadz?! We've got some AMAZING news to share with you all - Ozomatli will be performing their summer jam "After Party" on NBC's Today Show THIS WEDNESDAY, June 17th. Set your DVR’s for the 8am hour! Not the Tonight Show, the TODAY SHOW! Big mainstream America bananas ya’ll!

The band will be featured in the show's profile on Latin music along with their live performance. This is all part of their series entitled "We The People", which is focusing on the Hispanic population in the US. For more information on this series and to post comments, go to: http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/12/1963669.aspx

We need all Ozoheadz to come out in force and post post post on MSNBC.com and the Today Show’s website about how smart they are to book Ozo on their show! (You really came out for us when we did Dancing With The Stars, and all of your posts made the ABC execs take notice! Cause Ozoheadz Rule!)

Check your local listings for scheduling and programming and make sure to spread the viral word that Ozo is going to be on the Today Show!

Thanks for all your support.
- Ozo

The Passing of Gregorio D. Barela and Danny Lucero Jr. R.I.P.

2009-06-14T15:51:00.001-07:00

I recieved the following emails from our cousins Joseph Valles and David Alper informing me of the deaths of two of our relatives; Gregorio D. Barela and Danny Lucero Jr. Thanks to both of you for sharing the news with us, however bad the news is. I want to extend my family's personal condolences to the family and friends of Gregorio and David.

Randy De La O

(Email dated June 13, 2009)

Dear Richard, Randy, Lisa, and Joseph:

On the heels of announcing the passing of cousin Gregorio Barela--and father of Richard--I regret to inform you of the passing of cousin Danny Lucero, Jr., of blessed memory, on 5-18-09. Coincidentally, this date was the date of the latest Cafe de la O. newsletter. This passing was stated in the May 22 Albuquerque Journal obituary which I've attached. Danny was preceded in death by his father as well as his mother, who was Enedina Lucero-Escareno, and stepfather Robert Escareno. Our hearts and prayers go out to Danny's brothers and sisters: Yolanda,
Laura, Cindy, Jerry, Mark, and Benjamin--who are Richard Barela's first cousins--and to all other members of Danny's extended family.

With sympathy, love, and peace--

Cousin David Alper

(Email dated June 14, 2009)
Randy, Lisa, and Joseph:

As mama used to tell me: "Un poco de atencion vale mas que dinero." One inquiry about Danny and one letter to Richard has had a big impact on Richard, more than I imagined. With that thought in mind, Randy, thanks for the Cafe de la O. web/letters and opening my eyes to the awesome de la O family. Lisa, thanks for your ongoing love, support,t and interest in furthering our family ties. Joseph, thanks for your communication that put me in touch with Randy and members of your family. There's so much more to learn and family with whom to connect. Soon, I hope to share birth and marriage announcements too. If they're not happening now, it won't be long before they will. I think that we'll have more relatives to share in the coming months, G-d bless all of you, and Randy, may He keep your son, Andrew, safe too in his military duties..

Love,

David

Dear David,

Thank you for informing me of Danny Boy's passing. It was a complete shock to me and just as unexpected. I pray the Lucero family has found peace as I am confident Danny Boy has found.

This news has tempered my excitement of your sharing the De La O family tree you have compiled. Seeing all my aunts and uncles, as well as cousins of every degree, brought the happiest tears to my eyes that I haven't experienced in a long time. The childhood memories (and the tears of joy) the family tree brought back are some of the happiest in my life and I am in your debt for sharing this with me. The De La O family is one of the most kindest, loving families and I will always remember the joy of one of my uncles or aunts coming to Las Cruces
to visit and the fun we had together. When Uncle Joe (Jose) would start playing his guitar and everyone would encourage my dad to sing along with his beautiful voice showed me the love they all had for each other. I truly miss those times.

You mentioned the Cafe De La O newsletter. I would really like to have access to the newsletter if that is at all possible, and any past issues. It sounds very interesting. Once again, thank you for allowing me to share in all the work you have done. I can't begin to express my gratitude and hope all is going well.

Sincerely,

Richard Barela

Obituary for Danny Lucero Jr.

March 03, 1952 - May 19, 2009

Lucero--Danny Lucero Jr. (D-Boy) a resident of Albuquerque, NM went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ forever on Monday, May 18, 2009, at the age of 57. Danny was preceded in death by his father Danny Lucero; and his mother Enedina Lucero-Esacreno; and his stepfather Robert Escareno. He is survived by his sisters, Yolanda, Laura, and Cindy Lucero; his brothers, Jerry and wife Julie, Mark, Ben and wife, Mila Lucero; his surviving nephews and nieces as follows, Russell, Derrick, Jeremy, and Andrew McGinnis, Suzette Salazar, Jessica Knox, Stephen Walton, Erin Benavidez, Brandy and husband Jonathan Mercer, Brittany, Brigitte, Sarafima, and Aleksandra Lucero. A Celebration of His Life Service will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2009, 1:00pm, at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 8550 Saul Bell Rd, NW, Albuquerque, NM. Services will be ministered by Pastor Dennis Dunn, and the church family of FMBC. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to: FMBC-Danny Lucero Foundation (a street ministry), 8550 Saul Bell Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87121. Please visit our online guestbook for D-Boy ”Danny” at RememberTheirStory.com

French

7121 Wyoming blvd. NE

(505) 823-9400

(The following is from an email from Joseph Valles
dated June 12, 2009)

Note: following the obitueary for Gregorio Barela are the guestbook signatures

Dear Cousins,
Thank you, Cousin David Alper, for letting all of us know of Gregorio Barela's passing. Yes, Cousin Gregorio was a relation of Juanita De La O, one of Severo's daughters. This is Cindy Fahrbach's side of the family.

Gregorio D. Barela "Chief" (1931-2008)

D. "Chief" Barela, 76, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, January 31, 2008. Gregorio was born on November 20, 1931, in San Ysidro, New Mexico to Juanita and Felipe Barela. In 1951 he was married to Irma M. Nevarez. Gregorio will always be remembered with love as "Chief", "Dad", "Grampa Dad" and "Uncle Chief"
Gregorio is survived by his sister, Erminia Merlano of Las Cruces. He is also survived by 3 sons and 2 daughters, David N. Barela and wife Elvira of Tucson, Arizona, Julia N. Silva and husband Xavier of Las Cruces, Cathy Barela of Las Cruces, Richard A. Barela and wife Sara of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Patrick Barela of Las Cruces, 14 granddaughters, 9 grandsons, 10 great-grand-daughters, 12 great-grandsons, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Throughout his life Gregorio was also blessed to have made many friends.
Gregorio was preceded in death by his wife Irma, parents Juanita and Felipe, son Gregory and 3 sisters and 5 brothers.

Gregorio served and retired from civil service as a crane operator for the U.S. Navy.

A Prayer Vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, February 7, 2008, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral, 1240 S. Espina. The Funeral Mass will also be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral at 10 a.m., Friday, February 8, 2008, with the Most Reverend Ricardo Ramirez, CSB officiating. The Rites of Committal will follow immediately after the Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral Columbarium. A reception will then be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall.

At Gregorio's request services are being provided by La Paz-Graham's Funeral Home 555 West Amador, Las Cruces, New Mexico. To sign the guest book vist www.lapaz-Grahams.com

Guestbook entries:

February 20, 2008

I love you Dad
~

Richard Barela,

Colorado Springs, Colorado

|
February 09, 2008
Dear Barela Family,
I had the pleasure of meeting Uncle Chief 2 years ago for the first time when Albert took me to Las Cruces to see where his life began. Upon meeting Uncle Chief as he walked over to the family his personality and laughter told me he was truly a Barela. It was so wonderful to meet him and talk with him,it seemed like I had always known him.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you an may God Bless You All.
Sincerely,
Albert's wife Esther, Son Vincent Albert and daughter Bridget Dina Barela

~

Esther Barela,

Los Angeles, California

February 09, 2008
Dear Family
My memories of my Uncle Chief will always be of a man that I have loved. My memories of going fishing and hunting with him as a child have stayed with me always. Sorry for your loss.
You have lost a wonderful father and mother.
Sincerely Yours,
Cousin Albert Henry and family, The Barela's.

~

Albert Henry Barela,

Los Angeles, California

|
February 07, 2008
To all my cousins my deepest sympathy. I can still se him walking in the door making his almost daily visit to see my Mom. He had nick names for all of us. Such a delightful, kind and caring person. I know he is happy in Heaven with Auntie Irma and his brothers and sisters. What a reunion.

Love you

~

Margaret Smith,

Austin, Texas

February 06, 2008
grandpadad was a very caring and loving man and we will miss him very much he will always be in our heart and in our prayers.

~

Monica & Angelina,

Las Cruces, New Mexico

February 06, 2008
You will be greatly missed. When you look down from heavn that your heart swells with pride from the legacy you have left behind.

~

M. Paul Quintana,

Wasilla, Alaska

|
February 06, 2008
TO MY MOST LOVING FAMILY. WE WERE SO BLESSED TO HAVE A FATHER LIKE DAD. SO FULL OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER. WHICH WAS PASSED ON TO US. MY PRAYERS WILL BE PRAYED DAILY FOR US ALL.

YOUR LOVING
SISTER,AUNT,COUSIN
CATHY BARELA

~

CATHY BARELA,

LAS CRUCES NM

|
February 06, 2008
Barela Family,

I am very sorry for your loss. Please know that your family is in my prayers. God Bless You All.

~

Sonja Quintana,

Mesa, Arizona

|
February 06, 2008
TO A GREAT MAN AND FRIEND. MR BARELA WAS A NICE PERSON, AND A JOKER. HE ALWAYS SHOWED LOTS OF RESPECT AND COMPASSION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE BARELA FAMILY. MR BARELA WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

~

ELOY SANCHEZ,

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico

From: alperd2@aol.com
To: rand90606@aol.com; elgazzar2@astound.net; jvalles@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:37:55 -0500
Subject: Obituary for Gregorio D. Barela "Chief"

Message: This obituary for cousin Gregorio "Chief" Barela, of blessed memory, is from January 2008. It contains updated information regarding family members. Randy, you may have already seen some of this information. According to my info, Gregorio descended from the Severo branch--brother of Cosme de la O. Regards, cousin David Alper,

Please visit the Obituary for Gregorio D. Barela "Chief"

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lcsun-news/obituary.aspx?n=gregorio-d-barela-chief&pid=102721182

Click on the link above or cut and paste the url into your browser's address bar.

Andrew's Visit

2009-05-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, from May 7th t0 the 13th, our son Andrew visited with us. He was stationed in Seattle while in the Coast Guard and has continued to live there since leaving the service. This was the first time we had seen him in two years. It was a great visit. Him and I were originally going to take a road trip together, destination unknown, possibly Las Cruces, New Mexico but with Mother's Day on May 10th we decided to stay close to home. Below are just a few of the photos that we took.

Alaska Ailines Flight # 542 Arriving 10:15 am Long Beach Airport, Thursday May 7, 2009

Below and Above: Hugs and Tears

Mariah, Andrew, Maddie and Lucky

Meranda, Andrew and Savannah

Chowing Down at Frantones in Downey

Andrew and Maddie

Deedee, Rich, Tom and Lori

Savannah and Josh

Andrew Manning the BBQ Pit

Everyone Enjoying Andrew's Cooking

Savannah, Lori, Andrew, Meranda and Deedee

The De La O Clan

Andrew and Family Friend Ed Hernandez

At My Mother's House

Above and Below: Relaxing in Grandma's Back Yard

Grandma's Kitchen

Maddie, Meranda, Andrew and Grandma

At the Hot Sauce Store at The Farmer's Market on Fairfax

Above and below: Andrew in His Enviroment, at The Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood

In the Backyard, Meranda, Andrew, Mariah and Lucky

Above and Below: saying Goodbye at the Long Beach Airport

Alaska Airlines Flight # 545 Leaving for Seattle (SeaTac) 6:30 Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Spanish Parish Records

2009-03-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

President Obama's Address to Congress

2009-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Republican Respose

Happy Birthday Son

2009-02-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday and God's Blessings to our son Andrew, 27 years old today

Daughters and Fathers, and Growing Up.

2008-12-28T11:12:00.001-08:00

Today is, Savannah’s, my youngest daughter, 21st birthday. My wife and I have gone through this four times before, with the other kids. What makes this time so significant is that this is our youngest. It marks a turning point in our lives. All our kids are now grown up. She still lives at home but she has one foot out the door. Any day, any moment, someday soon, she’ll say to my wife and I “Mom, Dad, I’m moving out” or “I’m going to leave California” or perhaps “I’m getting married” or any number of fearful thoughts that have played in my head over the years. I’ve gone through it four times before but each time was like the first. This time it will be the last. I’m a grandfather six times over. You would think I would have it down pat.

Daughters! So different than sons. A boy we understand. We’ve been there, we understand. We know what mistakes they are going to make, we know now how to correct it because we learned the hard way. We understand it too when they reject 90% of what we have to pass on, until someday in the future the light bulb goes on and they realize the “old man” knew what he was talking about. From the very beginning we raise our sons to be men. We raise them to be independent. To stand on there own two feet.

Daughters on the other hand, we raise them and try our damnedest to keep them “our little girls” despite the evidence to the contrary everyday that she is becoming a young woman. We are never, ever prepared for it. It hits us head on, like an out of control semi truck. We see the changes coming but we shake our heads in denial. A dress that means so much to them, a secret talk with mom that they just can’t share with you, or the first time you see them dressed up and ready to go to a school dance. We see the physical changes. You hear a sound coming from deep within, you know what it is, you know it’s the sound of your heart breaking as your little girl is growing up.

We are never ready for the first knock on the door either as some kid, probably a nice boy, but certainly not someone good enough for my daughter, comes to take her away from you (the little shit!). The wife staring at you with piercing eyes, pleading with you not to embarrass your daughter. What women don’t know or maybe they do, and just secretly hope that you are the man for the job despite their interference, is that it is a father’s role to be an asshole. If the father of a daughter is not known far and wide as an asshole, than he is not doing his job. When a boy comes knocking on a girls door, especially my daughter, he better already know who I am, his knee’s better be shaking and his voice better crack, at least a little. One day someone will knock on the door. It will be “the one”. It will be the one that will not go away, nor will he be intimidated. Maybe he’s already knocked. I am prepared and I am unprepared.

There comes a time with every child when we have to let go, at least on the surface, because as every father knows, you never really let go. We do come to understand though, that at some point, we have turned them over to God and the world, and we pray that everything we have taught them will finally sink in. Even more so, we pray that the mistakes we made with them will stay in the past and be forgotten. When you have done all that you can do, you have done all that you can do.

Tonight my wife Jeri and I will take Savannah, a young woman now, and her boyfriend Josh to dinner at a restaurant of her choice, she’ll probably pick Italian, it’s her favorite. We’ll laugh and talk about what ever people talk about when they are having a good time. She’ll be old enough to order a drink if she chooses but she probably won’t. I’ll be looking at her, probably holding back a tear or two. I’ll be remembering a lifetime. I’ll still see a little girl. It’s how I’m wired.

Happy Birthday Honey, From All Of Us!

At Tom and Lori's

2008-12-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

We took this video at my daughter Lori's house in Yorba Linda this past Saturday on December 20th for an early Christmas, since we were going to be out of town visiting my mother in Spring Vally Lake during the holidays. My grandson Trevor was hitting the mitts. He had already been hitting them for a while before being video taped. A future champ?

Andrew Salazar De La O

2008-12-16T05:07:00.000-08:00

Andrew Salazar DeLa O

Decenber 16, 1923-May 7, 1981

Andrew Salazar De La O, a man from New Mexico, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, a brother-in-law, an uncle, a father-in-law, a friend, a hard working man, an upholsterer, a union leader, , a union steward, a union president, a lender but not a borrower, a giver but not a taker, a boxer, a fighter, a baseball fan, especially the Dodgers, a gymnast, an arm wrestler, a showoff, a Pachuco, a lover of music, a singer, a guitar player, a dancer, a lover of life, a teacher of life, an outdoors man, a camper and hiker, a lover of green chili, a decent cook, a man who enjoyed a good movie, a protector of those he loved, a man’s man, a man with flaws, a man who loved to remember the old days, a man who enjoyed a cold beer, a man with a temper, a man who made mistakes, a man who worked hard to correct his mistakes, a sometimes impatient man, a proud yet humble man, a man who saved his money, a homeowner, a man who liked to talk and joke, a man who loved his wife and kids, a man who died too young, a man who was cheated, a man who knew only one of his grandchildren, a man who missed out on seeing all his grandchildren grow up, a man who missed his father, a man who never missed a day of work, a man who did not grow old with his wife, Anita, a man who lived and died in California, a tired man, a man who at long last accepted Jesus Christ as his savior, a man who is missed by his family, A man who will not be forgotten. He was and is all this and more. Today would be his 85th birthday. Happy Birthday Dad. I love you.

Somewhere in East Los Angeles,

Sometime in the 1940's

The summer of 1972

PoFolks Restaurant

2008-11-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

Jeri and I stopped at PoFolks, in Buena Park, this morning for breakfast. I'm not sure wha's going on lately but we have been having a streak of bad luck. The bad luck streak was still in effect this morning. Breakfast is served til 11:00 and we just made it, getting there at 11:00am. There weren't too many people in there today but for some reason it took about 15 minutes to get us seated.

PoFolks is known for it's southern style cooking, at least in theory, Once upon a time they were a top of the line restaurant, attracting hungry diners leaving Knott's Berry Farm looking for some good eats. It's become a tourist trap. I take some resposibility. I should have known better.

I ordered a country fried pork chop with two sunny side up eggs, home fried potatoes and biscuits and gravy. Jeri had two eggs over easy, hash browns and bacon, with toast. Did I mention that it took 30 minutes before we were asked if we wanted coffee? 10 minutes before we got our coffee and another few minutes before we ordered. I can't explain why we didn't walk out. As the waitress, Christine, was taking our order, she leaned on our table, just a little too comfortable and tells my wife and I, "I am just so tired you know, I'll do a better job for you when you come back next time". My wife and I just looked at each other. I asked for an orange juice with my breakfast and her response was "Okay but you'll have to keep reminding me, I'm bad with drinks". Again, my wife and I just looked at each other.

I should mentioned that none of the waitress' looked very sanitary and hygenic. To a girl, they were sloppy with messy hair that looked like it might end up in our food. You can bet your bottom dollar I checked before I ate.

Sometime later, and by now, sporting a five o'clock shadow, our waitress brought our food to the table. She reached in front of me to lay the plate down, and just as the plate was within an inch of the table, another customer called my waitress. Instead of putting my plate down, she hangs onto it as she goes to see what the customer wants, She's holding my plate in front of her as she talks. I'm worried, not knowing if she was a spitter or not. She comes back puts the plate down and again tells us how tired she is, and how much better the service will be when we come back next time. my wife and I continue to exchange glances.

My wife looks at my plate and then at me and says in her most sympathetic tone "those home fries look horrible, would you like some of my hash browns?" They were every bit as bad as theylooked. The pork chop was dried but the crust was greasy. In a word, the food was lousy.

Anyway, to make a short story long, as she brought us our bill, she apologized continously for her sloppy service. Now niether my wife nor I complained the whole time we were there. Though it might have showed on our faces. She aplogized because she knew, instictively that she was doing a lousy job, at our expense. As she was talking, I was writing my review.

Then I said to her as she was complaining, "You know, I write reviews for a ratings website and I'll be doing a review of the restaurant,...and your service. Suddenly, she snapped to attention, and I mean that literally, she staightened up and asked me, suddenly in a concerned and compassionate voice "How was your food? My response was "At best? Barely adequate" "And the service? she asked. "You tell me." I said. There was a shift in power now. She looked at me and said in a small pitiful voice "it sucks?" "Well. there you go, it sucks. Your words not mine" but what did I do? "Well for starters you brought me apple juice. I ordered orange juice to which she responded "Oh yeah, that's right, I'll go get it" "Never mind were going".

She ran and told the manager that I was writing a review on the restaurant. Suddenly I was getting the full treatment, but it was too late, we were leaving.

Veteran's Day 2008

2008-11-11T06:28:00.001-08:00

Working with Dried Red Chiles

2008-10-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

Cookbook author, restaurant owner and television chef
Zarela Martinez shares her technique.

David Moreno

2008-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

I ran across this old photo of my cousin, the late David Moreno, taken at my parents house in 1975. It sure brought back a lot of memories. Good memories. In a lot of ways, David was more like an older brother to me. More then once he was also my protector. I still miss him. He is the son of Angel (Joe) and Margeret Moreno. David was in the U.S.Army in the late 60's and early 70's and and he served in Vietnam. David is buried at the Riverside National Cemetery.

David Moreno 1951 - 1992

Cousins Sal Sanchez Jr. and David Moreno 1975

(click the photo for a larger view)

Old Family Wedding Photo

2008-10-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Click on the photo for a larger and better view

This photo was given to me by my aunt Bea. It is my great aunt Peewee's (Hortencia Espinoza) marriage to Frank Wartaza. The wedding was in Los Angeles, approximately 1993 0r 1934. To the left of the bride is my maternal grandmother Mary Osuna (Born Espinoza). The man to the left of groom is my maternal grandfather Augustine "Augie" Osuna. To my knowledge this is the only surviving photograph of my grandfather. The little girl in the front is my aunt Bea (Beatrice Osuna).

Click on the photo for a larger and better view

Paul Newman 1925 - 2008

2008-09-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

R.I.P.

Mother to ask Congress to award son Medal of Honor

2008-09-18T17:47:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Yahoo News

By CHELSEA J. CARTER, AP Military Affairs Writer

The mother of a Marine who witnesses say covered a grenade with his body to save comrades in Iraq plans to appeal to Congress to award her son the nation's highest military honor after learning it was denied by Defense Secretary Robert Gates because of questions about his final act.

Rosa Peralta said Thursday she made the decision after a Marine general told her that her son, Sgt. Rafael Peralta, would be awarded the Navy Cross rather than the Medal of Honor because the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade.

"I'm going to see what can be done, because I'm not satisfied with what they want to do now," she said in Spanish.

President Bush singled out the Marine's actions in a 2005 Memorial Day speech, saying Peralta "understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them."

"The president spoke of him. So how is this now possible that they do this," Rosa Peralta said.

She said she was considering rejecting the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for valor in combat that can be awarded to a Marine. Peralta will be the 24th recipient of the Navy Cross for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I still don't know what I'm going to do," she said.

The question about whether to award Peralta the Medal of Honor centers on whether the mortally wounded Marine, who was shot in the head and upper body, could have intentionally reached for the grenade and covered it with his body.

"There was conflicting evidence in the case of Sgt. Peralta as to whether he could have performed his final acts given the nature of his injuries," said Capt. Beci Brenton, spokeswoman for Navy Secretary Donald Winter.

The initial recommendation that he receive the Medal of Honor went through reviews by the Marine Corps, U.S. Central Command, the Department of the Navy and ultimately up to Defense Secretary Gates, Brenton said.

After all the evidence was scrutinized, officials determined that it "did not meet the exact standard necessary to support the Medal of Honor," she said.

But Rosa Peralta said she was led to believe her son would get the Medal of Honor in a November 2007 telephone call from an undersecretary of the Navy, who she says told her the nomination was to be forwarded to the White House.

Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said there was a June 2007 Navy recommendation for the Medal of Honor, but it never went to the White House because Gates didn't approve it.

He said that because there was some contradictory evidence, Gates instead took the extra step of asking five other individuals to review the case — a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, a Medal of Honor recipient, a civilian neurosurgeon who is retired from the military and two forensic pathologists who also are military retirees.

The five were given medical reports that had not been available in the initial review. They thoroughly reviewed the case again, including inspecting the evidence and re-enacting the event, Whitman said.

"Each independently recommended to the secretary that the evidence did not support the award of Medal of Honor," he said.

Gates made his decision this month.

A Medal of Honor nomination is typically made by the military, approved by the Department of Defense and conferred by the president. But a nomination can also be made through a special act of Congress and then bestowed by the president on behalf of Congress.

The Medal of Honor comes with about $1,000 a month special pension in addition to other military pensions.

Peralta was shot several times in the face and body during a house-to-house search in Fallujah on Nov. 15, 2004, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

According to witness accounts, Peralta lay mortally wounded on the floor of a house and grabbed a grenade lobbed by fleeing insurgents. His body absorbed the blast and he died immediately.

In a rare move, the Marine Corps Thursday released a redacted copy of the Medal of Honor nomination by Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski and an investigative report detailing the "friendly fire" shooting of the sergeant.

The report found sufficient evidence existed to believe that Peralta was probably shot by a fellow Marine and that a gunshot wound to the head and injuries to the head from a grenade caused his death.

The nomination, which relies on witness statements, forensics, bomb fragment analysis and an autopsy, concluded that although Peralta was shot in the head, he made "a conscious, heroic decision to cover the grenade and minimize the effects he knew it would have on the rest of his Marine team."

The nomination details Peralta's actions in the final minutes of his life, with several witnesses recounting how the Marine lay face down and used his arm to pull the grenade to him. It also says a forensic analysis of Peralta's clothing and flak jacket show the grenade was underneath him when it exploded.

Peralta, who was assigned to Hawaii's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, moved to San Diego from Tijuana as a teenager. He was 25.

___

Associated Press writers Pauline Jelinek in Washington, D.C., and Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Some upset Marine sergeant won't receive Medal of Honor

2008-09-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of USA Today

By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A rare decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reject a Marine Corps recommendation that one of its heroes receive the Medal of Honor has angered Marines who say Sgt. Rafael Peralta sacrificed his life to save theirs.

Peralta's family was notified of the decision Wednesday by Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski, a top Marine Corps commander. Col. David Lapan, a Marine spokesman, said he was unaware of any recent award nomination that was denied in this way.

A Gates-appointed panel unanimously concluded that the report on Peralta's action did not meet the standard of "no margin of doubt or possibility of error," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. The argument about whether to award Peralta the nation's highest military honor centers on whether a mortally wounded Marine could have intentionally reached for the grenade after suffering a serious head wound.

For his actions during a Nov. 15, 2004, firefight in Fallujah, Iraq, Peralta will receive the Navy Cross, the service's second-highest award for valor. The citation said Peralta, 25, covered a live grenade thrown by insurgents.

"I don't want that medal," Peralta's mother, Rosa, said Wednesday. "I won't accept it. It doesn't seem fair to me."

The decision is "almost like somebody called me a liar," said Marine Sgt. Nicholas Jones, 25, who was with Peralta that day. Jones, a recruiter, said Peralta's actions have become part of Marine Corps lore, as drill sergeants and officer-candidate instructors repeat it to new Marines. "His name is definitely synonymous with valor," said Jones, who was wounded by the grenade blast.

"I know for a fact that I would have been killed … and that my daughter, Sophia, our new baby, Sienna, would not be here or coming into the world. And that my son, Noah, would have grown up without knowing his dad," said Robert Reynolds, 31, a corrections officer and former Marine who was with Peralta that day.

In a Marine Corps investigation of the attack, Natonski said, "I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt" that the gravely wounded Peralta covered the grenade.

Natonski, commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., appeared disappointed by the news he brought the family, said David Donald, Rosa Peralta's son-in-law. "He felt like Rafael deserved the Medal of Honor," Donald said.

Peralta's heroism has become Marine Corps legend, Lapan says. He said those closest to Peralta are likely to be upset by the decision, while others will see the Navy Cross award — given to only 17 other Marines in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts — as quite an honor.

Peralta had been shot in the head before he covered the grenade, a Marine investigation said. The report concluded he was hit by a ricochet that likely came from the gun of another Marine while they were clearing insurgents from a local home.

After he was wounded, the report said, Peralta scooped an insurgent grenade under his body, absorbed the blast and died, according to five of the Marines who were with Peralta during the firefight.

Gates appointed a five-member panel led by retired Lt. Gen. John Vines, the former commander of multi-national forces in Iraq, to reinvestigate reports of the battle. The panel also included a Medal of Honor recipient, a retired military neurosurgeon and two civilian forensic pathologists, Whitman said. He declined to provide their names.

After the panel made its recommendation, Gates made his decision last week, Whitman said. He declined to provide any explanation other than the facts did not meet the standard for a Medal of Honor.

Five men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq, one for service in Afghanistan. All were posthumous.

Peralta first came to the United States from Mexico without legal documentation as a teen and joined the Marines the day he got his green card on April 17, 2000. He later became a naturalized citizen.

The Marine Corps assembled extensive material supporting its Medal of Honor request, including witness statements, ballistic and forensic evidence and several medical opinions.

According to that investigation, Marines scrambling for cover after an insurgent threw a grenade toward them plainly saw Peralta reach with his arm to "scoop" the grenade under his body.

Scorch marks were later found on his flak jacket, along with embedded pieces of shrapnel and a part of the grenade fuse, the reports show. "There's no way that grenade got under the center of mass of his body without him putting it there," said Reserve Marine Lt. Col. Scott Marconda, who investigated the incident in 2004 as a major and judge advocate. "I'm not a cheerleader. It is what it is. And my point is: I believe that he did that."

The Marine investigation highlighted a key area of controversy: whether the gunshot wound to the back of Peralta's head from a ricochet left him unable to function.

Col. Eric Berg, an Army pathologist who autopsied Peralta's remains, said in the 2005 report that the head wound would have been "nearly instantly fatal. He could not have executed any meaningful motions."

Berg said Monday that he stands by his conclusions. Four other experts — Peralta's battalion surgeon, and two neurosurgeons and a neurologist who examined the autopsy reports — said Peralta could have knowingly reached for the grenade. They say the ricochet was traveling at a "low velocity" and would not have immediately killed him.

Regardless, Jones said, Peralta is still a hero. Not receiving the Medal of Honor "won't change what he did out there."

Contributing: Alan Gomez

Carlos Santana feat. Rob Thomas - Smooth

2008-09-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Carlos Santana feat. Rob Thomas - Smooth @ Yahoo! Video

Carlos Santana & Sarah McLachlan - In The Arms Of An Angel

2008-09-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Carlos Santana & Sarah McLachlan - In The Arms Of An Angel @ Yahoo! Video

September 11, 2001, Lest We Forget........

2008-09-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

......In memory of all those that lost their lives.May God Bless America.

HISTORY's 102 Minutes That Changed America- 5 Min Sneak Peek @ Yahoo! Video

Roasting Green Chiles on a Griddle or Gas Burner

2008-09-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

Cookbook author, restaurant owner and television chef

Zarela Martinez shares her technique.

The Greek Festival, Santa Monica Pier and the Venice Whaler

2008-09-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Jeri and I went to the 2008 Greek Festival in Los Angeles at Saint Sophia Cathedral on Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles. It was supposed to be a really big event, lot’s of good Greek food, entertainment and Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the guest hosts. Their website made it sound like it was a really big to do. I was really looking forward to it. I had small breakfast so I would be at my full eating capacity when we got there.

I needn’t have bothered. I can’t remember when I have been so disappointed. It was so small that within five minutes we had made a complete circle and seen everything, which wasn’t much, let me tell you. It cost five bucks a piece, which I thought was a bargain, until I actually went inside. It was a small commercial rip off with nothing to do or see. There were several eating booths and I thought, “well at least we’ll get some good Greek food.” We walked around a bit and decided to get some lamb, with rice, feta cheese, olives, small tomatoes and Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). The plates were $13.50 a piece., but again I thought “what the heck, at least I’m getting some real Greek food“. I mean, if not at a Greek festival being held at a Greek cathedral, then where. Right?

I should have eaten at McDonalds because if this wasn’t the worst meal I’ve ever eaten it was at least, in the top five. The lamb, was cooked and that was it. Nothing Greek about it. just cooked, overcooked in fact, dried, tasteless lamb. The rice was tolerable, the Feta cheese was decent, but barely the size of a small pinky. The olives thankfully were from a jar and were the only good thing on the plate but hardly worth the money we paid. I paid $27.00 dollars for the privilege of eating junk. The sodas were $2.00 a can. I was trying to make the best of it but once we were done there was nothing to do. We already covered that in the first five minutes. We passed by a Greek pastry booth and got some baklava and cookies. Those were just okay or maybe by that time I was just soured on the whole experience. They did have some dancers there but the way everything was laid out, you couldn’t really see the dancers unless you were right up front. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita stood up, said a few words and thanked everyone for having them there. Poor Tom and Rita, at least Jeri and I were able to leave immediately, they had to stick around for three days and keep a smile on their face. That’s why they get paid the big bucks.

We were going to go home but I told Jeri let’s just take the 10 west and see what’s ahead today. The kids are grown up now but we still have the habit of rushing home as if the kids are waiting for us. They aren’t. We ended up at the Santa Monica Pier for awhile. We were going to eat at Bubba Gump’s on the pier but the food looked so commercial and I had already wasted money on junk earlier in the day at the festival. I was on a mission to get something good to eat.

As we were walking around I was craving an ice cold beer. Then It hit me. The Venice Whaler is just down the road in Venice. The Whaler was recommended to me by my friend Brian from Detroit. He was in town a while back visiting his cousin and stopped there for some beer and food. I had no idea where in Venice it was but somehow I found it. We weren’t disappointed. I parked the truck and we walked over to the Whaler. It’s two story building, a bar and restaurant. We headed upstairs first and it was really crowded with locals having a good time, watching a game on one of the televisions. The bar was packed and there were no tables so we went back downstairs. It was little quieter than upstairs but still filled with lots of people. A game was on the television and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Jeri got a Miller Lite and I had Sam Adam’s. They were ice cold and went down real good. We settled on the Fish and Chips. They were good. What really made it nice, was our table was right next to a big open window, more like French Doors really, so we were practically eating Al Fresco. The beach was just across the walkway. We took a walk on the pier and around the area. I made a mental note of several restaurants, including an excellent Italian Trattoria that we had eaten at years ago, a Mediterranean restaurant, a Mexican restaurant and several small cafes.

It was late by the time we left for home. I was a little unfamiliar with the area since it had been years since I had been to Venice. I found the freeway on ramp but it was closed. It took me a while to find an on ramp. In fact, I was sort of lost and just could not find an off ramp, and I’m not the kind of guy to ask anyone either. I could almost hear Rod Serling in the back seat saying to someone, anyone “ A couple; one idiot and his wife, in search of good Greek food and a good meal have instead found themselves searching for an eternity for an on ramp,.. to the Twilight Zone. My wife thought she heard something too. Eventually, I found an on ramp and headed home. The Greek Festival was a joke and a dud but all in all it was good day.

Margie's BIMS: What's Going On?

2008-09-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

To all those that have been following Margie's BIMS on a regular basis and are wondering what happened to her. She is okay. We are having a problem getting her back online and in the Blogger system. As soon as we figure out the problem. Margie's BIMS will be back. Thanks for reading. I know she appreciates it and she works hard to get her BIMS out like clockwork.

MARGIES BIMS

2008-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

TRUE TEAMWORK-1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-27***

SPORTS BRINGS OUT THE BEST AND THE WORST IN PEOPLE. THE NEWS MEDIA OFTEN FOCUS ON THE WORST. THOSE WHO COMFORT PLAYERS WITH "IT'S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE THAT COUNTS; IT'S HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME" SELDOM MAKE WORLD NEWS. BUT ONCE IN A WHILE THEY DO.

AFTER A BASEBALL TEAM FROM GEORGIA DEFEATED A TEAM FROM JAPAN IN THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES, ONE REPORTER WROTE; "THE BOYS FROM WARNER ROBINS LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION OF THEIR INNER CHARACTER FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. THEY PROVED AGAIN, IT'S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE THAT COUNTS. IT IS, HOW YOU PAY THE GAME."

WHEN THE LOSING PLAYERS BROKE DOWN IN TEARS, THE WINNING TEAM MEMBERS STOPPED THEIR VICTORY CELEBRATION TO CONSOLE THEM. "I JUST HATED TO SEE THEM CRY." SAID PITCHER KENDALL SCOTT, "AND I JUST WANTED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I CARE." SOME REFERRED TO THE MOMENT AS "SPORTSMANSHIP AT ITS BEST."

IT WAS INDEED HEARTWARMING, BUT IT POINTS OUT THAT SPORT-EVEN AT ITS BEST-IS AN IMPERFECT METAPHOR FOR CHRISTIANITY. IN SPORTS, SOMEONE ALWAYS LOSES. BUT WHEN SOMEONE IS WON TO CHRIST, THE ONLY LOSER IS SATAN.

FOR CHRISTIANS, TRUE TEAMWORK IS NOT ABOUT DEFEATING OPPONENTS; IT'S ABOUT RECRUITING THEM TO JOIN OUR TEAM.

LORD, TOO OFTEN I VIEW AS MY ENEMIES THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW YOU.
HELP ME LOVE THEM AS YOU LOVE THEM.
HELP ME GENTLY SHARE YOUR TRUTH WITH THEM.
HELP ME SEE THEM AS PART OF YOUR GREAT MISSION FIELD.

TACT IS THE KNACK OF WINNING A POINT WITHOUT MAKING AN ENEMY. I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

HAVE A HAPPY, BLESSED DAY***************
BIBLICAL INFORMATION MINISTRIES-BIMS

MARGIES BIMS

2008-08-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

THE GREATEST RACE -1 CORINTHIANS 13*****

AS THE OLYMPIC GAMES OPEN TO BEIJING, THOUGHTS GO BACK TO ERIC LIDDELL. A FORMER CHAMPION IMMORTALIZED FOR HIS SURPRISING GOLD MEDAL VICTORY IN THE 400 METERS DURING THE 1924 GAMES IN PARIS.

A YEAR AFTER HIS TRIUMPH, LIDDELL WENT TO CHINA, WHERE HE SPENT THE LAST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE AS A MISSIONARY TEACHER AND RURAL PASTOR. THERE HE RAN THE GREATEST RACE OF HIS LIFE AGAINST OPPONENTS WE ALL KNOW-DIFFICULT CIRICUMSTANCES, WAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DISEASE.

CROWDED INTO A JAPANESE INTERNMENT CAMP WITH 1,500 OTHER PEOPLE, ERIC LIVED OUT THE WORDS HE HAD PARAPHRASED FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 13:6-8- "LOVE IS NEVER GLAD WHEN OTHERS GO WRONG.

"LOVE FINDS NO PLEASURE IN INJUSTICE, BUT REJOICES IN THE TRUTH. LOVE IS ALWAYS SLOW TO EXPOSE, IT KNOWS HOW TO BE SILENT. LOVE IS ALWAYS EAGER TO BELIEVE THE BEST ABOUT A PERSON. LOVE IS FULL OF HOPE, FULL OF PATIENT ENDURANCE; LOVE NEVER FAILS."

ERIC SERVED THE OTHERS IN CAMP, WHETHER CARRYING WATER FOR THE ELDERLY OR REFEREEING GAMES FOR THE TEENS. WHEN HE DIED OF A BRAIN TUMOR IN FEBRUARY 1945, ONE INTERNEE DESCRIBED HIM AS A MAN "WHO LIVED BETTER THAN HE PREACHED." IN LIFE'S MOST DIFFICULT RACE, ERIC LIDDELL CROSSED THE FINISH LINE VICTORIOUS THROUGH LOVE.

O FOR A LOVE THAT KNOWS NO END,
A LOVE THAT IS STRONG AND PURE,
REACHING AFAR TO BOTH FOE AND FRIEND,
SO DEEP IT WLL ALWAYS ENDURE.

LOVE ENABLES US TO WALK FEARLESSLY, TO RUN CONFIDENTLY, AND TO LIVE VICTORIOUSLY. I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TME.

HAVE A HAPPY, BLESSED DAY****************
BIBLICAL INFORMATION MINISTRIES-BIMS

Ozomatli Update

2008-08-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

If you are watching the Olympics this month keep an eye out for our cousin Bully (Raul Pacheco) and Ozomatli. They will be appearing in this commercial which will be airing this month during the Olympics. Thanks to cousin Lisa Velasquez for sharing this with us.