Spring has sprung!

We took the dogs for a walk down to the cafe by way of the creek for the first time since last fall.  Everything is so green and bursting with life. 

It also looks like a community group is putting in a large, subdivided community garden.  What a great use of otherwise wasted space upwind of the sewage plant where no-one in their right mind would want to build a house, although a few intrepid souls actually do live near it.  I wonder if the houses were there before the plant was built?

Papa's got a brand new bag

Woo Hoo, Craig finally landed a new gun, new shoes, a shiny new badge and a new job all in the last week!  The new gun is Glock 22 0.40mm, the new shoes are your standard issue black waffle soles, the shiny badge came with the shiny new job.  He's now working for a local security firm, pulling the night shift patrolling several residential areas.

 now, if only his trusty sidekick, Tex, could just go with him, all would be better than perfect.

Strange sights in Milpitas

Milpitas is a pretty typical Silicon Valley town with lots of quiet, tree lined streets.  My colleague and I went out there for a training.  We parked near one of these lovely trees.

as we were getting out of the car, we noticed that this particular tree seemed quite excited to be growing on the street ; )

That wasn't the only odd thing we saw on the trip, check out this roadway sign.

I mean, really, what the heck is Self-defense gymnastics?!?  So, if a mugger approaches you, do a back flip to get away?  Evade a carjacking with a front pike somersault ?  Little Jimmie have a problem with a schoolyard bully, teach him how to do the maltese cross, it is for the whole family as the sign says.