Monthly Archive: June 2006

kate~n~kel

Let the rest of your life begin!

Dsc04885 What a night! Especially for Kate. Kate was out of the house at 4:30 yesterday to head to school and get ready for the 7pm graduation. Outgoing seniors have a “memory walk” where they walk through the halls, visiting every area of the school. Teachers hang out by their classroom doors wishing them well, while posters placed all over the halls bid the seniors farewell on their last official day of high school.  We grabbed some salads and headed over to Tak Fudenna Stadium at 5pm so we could get a good seat.  Kelly, Staci, Barb and I sat with Kyle’s folks. We had saved spots for Sara and Cathy and even had team Vandenbusch sit right behind us.  The two hour wait for the ceremony to begin was nice, except for the weather. Gusty winds and even a few raindrops while we waited. The ceremony started at 7pm and by 9pm Kate was a high school grad. YAY!!!! A rush to the field and hugs and kisses all around,  take some pictures and then rush home to change to get ready for grad night 2006.

Held this year at Club Sport,  Barb and I had volunteered again to help out.  Working the 10pm to 2am shift, I dealt blackjack in the casino while Barb worked the information booth. They had the place set up real nice, with tons of things for the kids to do, food to eat, and prizes to win. At 1:30 the casino closed to make way for the evenings entertainment. A hypnotist captivitated the crowd and got everyone relaxed and ready for 3am breakfast. We left around 2:30 to head home. Kate got home sometime after 4am. Like I said, what a night! Check out some of the pics here.

bike

The Longest Day

Dsc04949 Actually, the day after the longest day.  Either way,   SUMMER IS HERE!!

Took out on an early evening bike ride to Alameda Creek Trail to the end of the bay last night.  In an effort to beat the heat, we left after dinner and  reached mile marker 11 at around 7:30. Still had plenty of sunlight. Note the long shadow that Barb casts in this picture. Beautiful out there?  You bet she is!

friends

The Art of the Self Portrait

Dsc04409_1 Pictures from the weekend show that my two darling daughters are following in dear old dad’s footsteps in pursuing the fine art of the digital self portrait. I started taking self portraits years ago when Barb and I first started dating and have used it so many times since to capture those special moments when no one is around to take a picture. There is some technique required to take a good self portrait. Dsc04815Camera position is vital as to not to show the picture takers arm holding the camera .  In these weekend pics Kate and Kyle ham it up in the way to a baseball game while Kelly and Kai smile big at the end of season water polo bbq. I love the fact that Kelly and Kate will keep up the tradition! Way to go girls. You make your daddy proud.
Barb and I spent the night at the Tollhouse Hotel in Los Gatos Saturday night. We were invited to a martini party at Barb’s girlfriend Tammy’s (and Brad) house. We checked into the Tollhouse and hooked up with other friends Ron and Marie who were also spending the night to avoid a late night boozy drive back to the East bay.  This was my kind of martini party!  I ordered a jack and coke martini on the rocks (what the heck, serve it a highball glass to boot!) and was good to go. Tons of great food too! Wow!!! I was impressed and felt my bacon wrapped water chestnuts did not compare to some of the epicurean delights that were served.  I didn’t get a chance to warn anyone about the “two toothpick” wraps that I had also stuffed with a jalapeno slice or the wasabi soy dipping sauce that would surely clear your sinus’ and singe your nose hair  if you had a bit too much. They ended up being all eaten so someone liked ’em. Thanks to Tammy and Brad for having us over!  It was nice to spend the impromptu night away. Our room at the Inn was very plush. We ordered in coffee, juice and toast up to the room and had a leisurely morning reading the paper while getting ready to check out.

hike

Summer Hike – Mission Peak

Dsc04965 We were trying to think the last time we had been up Mission Peak and the best we can remember was around Thanksgiving last year. We talked several times about going up during and after the rainy season to check out all the wild flowers. The weeks went by, the rain stopped and the hills slowly turned brown. After a couple of false starts, we finally made our way back up to Mission Peak this morning.Dsc04979  Barb and I headed out around 9:30am. Good thing it wasn’t the hottest day of the week because it got pretty darn warm making our way up. We rested at all the usual spots. The seasonal pond was still surprisingly full. Our way up the backside of mission peak from Ohlone did give us some shade. Shady single trail from the pond to the “whomping willow” was  great. Stopped at a couple other shade spots along the way and then huffed it the last 45 minutes in full sun.  I brought a camel-back of ice water and Barb brought a water bottle and a icy Gatorade too.We needed it all on this hike. The usual Fremont wind was really no where to be found on this summers morning. We made it to the peak in just over 90 minutes. Rested, Hydrated. Dsc04984 Fueled up with orange slices, strawberry and blueberry medley and some mixed nuts. We spent about a half hour on the peak. Very peaceful up there. Not many hikers at all. A welcome breeze started blowing as we made our way back down. Back to the car and air conditioning full blast all the way home!!!

friends

Party Party Party

Dsc04918_1Dsc04915_1Dsc04917_1 Grad week is over. HOORAY!! Kate’s grad party on Saturday marked the end to a whirlwind of activity. Seventy-five of our friends and family stopped by to congratulate us and wish Kate well as she gradutes high school and heads off to college. The day was great. Anyone who is anyone in the Flaherty friendship circle was there. Thanks for coming by! We are glad that you could share in our success on what turned out to be a wonderful day. Enjoy the summer!

Check out all the grad week pics here.

sports

High Def World Cup – Lovin it

Soccerball_4 We are really enjoying watching the World Cup this year on our High Definition TV. Two games a day for the last few weeks (three games on the weekends!) Great play too! The only thing we don’t like is the over acting of the players when trying to draw fouls. I think bad acting should be a yellow card offense. The purity of soccer is what is
attractive. And the crispness of the hi-def broadcast makes like you are there.

My family was introduced to soccer in the 60’s. Anne Marie dated (then
married) a soccer player. Aladdin Rodrigues played football at Westmoor
high and was a great athlete. I remember that he separated his shoulder
and was forced to find another sport. I think that’s when he started
playing soccer. He played for San Jose state in college and was part of
the  soccer renaissance in the south bay. The Spartans were a great team
with many great players. Manny Hernandez, a legend in San Jose, who went
on to play a couple of years in the early professional soccer league,
was one of the most exciting players I have ever seen. The battles
against USF and coach Steve Neguesco were epic. The pre-game meals
we all went to, the after party celebrations. I spent a lot of time in
San Jose during those days and soccer was life. We were part of the
team during an exciting time. Coincidentally, San Jose state is where
Krazy George got his start. He cheered at many SJS home games and really
brought the whole game experience to another level. I think he really
was Krazy!

Around the same time, I joined the Westlake International Soccer Club. We
played our games at Crocker Amazon in San Francisco and at the polo
fields of Golden Gate Park, against all the teams from the city. Our
practices at Westlake Park were coached by Pierre Martin’s dad, Michelle
(French Chef) and by a German auto mechanic named Herby. We really did
have an international flair, even hosting a Canadian team one summer for
two weeks of soccer and sightseeing.  We did get to play a game at
Balboa Stadium one weekend. A big deal for us. It was where the San
Francisco Soccer Football League played games. Spent a lot of Sundays at
“Bal” with my sis watching Aladdin play soccer. Soccer in the SFSFL is
a microcosm of the world cup. Seeing Sons of Italy play the Portuguese
Athletic Club, or the SF Scots Vs Concordia (the Germans). Guadalajara
against El Salvador!  Many many great soccer matches were played here
with just as much international fervor as any world cup match.

We even went to the world cup final in 1970. Although via closed-Circuit
TV at the COW PALACE in San Francisco. It was a huge deal. Italy vs.
Pele and Brazil. I think every Italian from North beach was there, flags
waving, cheering, singing. I remember that we were rooting for Brasil
and Pele. Good thing too because that Italians had spent themselves in a
fierce semi-final match against Germany. Brazil ended up coasting to a
4-1 victory in the final. Pele was carried off the field triumphantly on
the shoulders of his teammates. Tears streaming down his face, having
won his 3rd world cup winners medal and played in his last FIFA world
cup match.

No Surprise then that our kids played soccer. What a great sport. You
know from these pages what exciting times we have had over the years
going to our girls soccer games. Even better than the world cup!!
Unfortunately, it looks like Kelly and Kate’s soccer days are over.

This Years world cup final is shaping up to be a good one. With most of
the traditional powerhouses moving into the quarter finals, the
possibilities are endless!  Maybe even another Brazil vs. Italy rematch!
This time in High Def!

animals

Finger Lick\’in Good

Dsc04842 “DAD!! THERE’S A CHICKEN IN THE GARAGE.” Kate yelled as she got home the other day. Not something you hear everyday in Fremont.  Turns out our backyard neighbors pet chicken got out and was snooping around our garage.  I think the poor thing was lost and just trying to get home. We aren’t really familiar with how to deal with chickens. We figured  if we chased it into our backyard it would fly back over the fence and home. No such luck. It ended up in our front yard where Niya was  just itching to get a piece of it. We ended up going around the block to notify its rightful owners who quickly came and retreived their beloved pet.

kate~n~kel

Class of 2006 – HAPPY GRADUATION

2006_2Scan0007_4Our baby graduates tonight. After 12 years of primary education, our young Kate steps onto the field of Tak Fudenna Stadium tonight to receive her high school diploma. We are so proud of you honey!  You have been pushed, prodded, bribed, threatened and praised. All with the intent of getting you to this point in your life. It may seem like the end of a long journey, but its only the beginning. The last 12 years have only prepared you for what is to come.  And the best is yet to come! You are a beautiful, bright, smart young lady, who can do anything you want to do with your life. Just Do it!!

Love you!

bike

Canyon Classic 2006

Canyonclassic2006_1Barb and I finished our 3rd and final organized ride of the year yesterday. We started with Tierra Bella in April and then the rain soaked Strawberry Fields Forever ride in May, and finished yesterday with the Canyon Classic.  It all started  Friday night with a carbo-loading meal of Pasta,  Roast Beast,  mozzarella, tomatoes and spinach. Appetizers and dessert, all prepared by Marie and Ron and hosted at their place in Pleasanton.  Tammy and Brad were in on the ride and there for dinner too. A great tradition has started! I think Marie and Ron should cook dinner for all our rides. Molto buono!!!

vacation

Aloha Kahuna and Family

Camellos1_1 The Camello family moved to El Dorado Hills yesterday.   Mike, Ann and fam pulled up deep roots in Fremont and moved to the Sierra foothills.  Clan Camello were part of two of the best vacations I’ve ever been on.  The Disneyland trip (along with Sturm Family) was memorable because it was Me, the Kahuna and Ted,  along with 11 girls (wives and daughters) in the happiest place on earth.  The (still) number #1 vacation in the Flaherty memory banks was 10 days in Maui with the Camellos.  Sharing a 3 bedroom oceanfront at Menehune shores. Listening to Imua on the way to  morning snorks, dinner time pupus and anytime nadas. Camellos_1   Everything clicked for us that week,  cementing our friendship forever. Back in Fremont our kids grew up together, went to school together and played soccer in both Fremont league and high school. We saw Barry hit 661, went on a couple of good bike rides and hoisted a few together too!  Everyone needs a friend like the Kahuna. Those bastards in El Dorado Hills are lucky to have him!  If there is a saving grace in the move to the foothills, its that they are just off the freeway on the way to Tahoe. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see each other even more in the future! I sure hope so. Either way, you’ll be missed!