Time To Go

A Gentle Reminder

This ancient sign on Camarillo's Ventura Blvd. sits over a long gone auto repair shop, but it is indeed time to go to Sweden.

SUNDAY

Paul Petrich

Paul dropped by on Sunday to say farewell, funny as always.

Mike, Vanessa and Laurie

We shared a great steak dinner Sunday night.

MONDAY

Ian, Debi and Cyndy Murphy

Went over to the Murphy's for a glass of wine Monday afternoon and we wound up at Money Pancho's Restaurant for great Mexican food and a rather spectacular Cadillac Margarita!

Joe Mollica, Laurie and Brian FitzGerald

After dinner Monday night, it was over to Cronies Sports Grill to see more friends.

Here you can see Joe sharing one of his patented wheezing laughs with Laurie.

With Koreen FitzGerald and Ben Todd

Two of Rio Mesa's BEST!

With Tom FitzGerald

Interesting as always . . .

Vanessa Contreras and Angie Perez

Their significant others, Mike and Scott, were there but I didn't get a photo of them.

TUESDAY

Westlake H.S. Football Hall of Fame

I was the Head Coach here from from when the school opened in 1978 to 1988.

Jim Benkert took over after me in the 1989 season and has been there ever since in that capacity winning 3 C.I.F. Championships.

He is in the process of gathering memorabilia for the opening of a Football Hall of Fame at the opening game of the 2010 season vs. Oxnard H.S.

The Hall is located at the top of the Warriors' hillside stadium and is going to be very special when it opens.

Lots to sort already!

Jim asked me to come take a look and help him close some information gaps from the years that I was the head coach.

I brought our son Mike with me as he and his brother Andrew practically grew up at the high school every summer.

We were duly impressed! Mike is going to gather and donate pictures, jerseys and anything else we have to help Jim and at the same time highlight the some of the very best years of my coaching experience.

Westlake's Stadium

Yes, that IS a Jumbotron on the scoreboard

The white building to the right of the scoreboard is the football only locker room thart rivals most college locker rooms I've visited over the years.

Packing for the Trip

Mike has an incredible ability to pack REALLY WELL!

Today was no exception.

What to take, what to leave behind?

Bridget the cat tries to stowaway

The In-Laws

Florene and Bill Gardner with Laurie

The last "Farewell Tour Stop" was at the home of my in-laws in Camaraillo's Leisure Village.

EXCELLENT Wild Cherry Pepsi!

Kevin Hicks front row

on the far left with the baseball cap

This is Kevin at the Seminar I put on a few weeks ago about coaching and/or playing American football in Europe.

He must have paid close attention because he called me this morning excited to tell me that he too is flying out to Europe on Wednesday!

Kevin just got hired to coach the Achei Crotone football team in the southern Italian town of Crotone which is located in the "heel" of the Italian peninsula.

Good luck Kevin!

Well, it is now time to tie up the never ending last few loose ends and then the adventure begins!