The best ride ever!

Malibu 2008

Scarlett liked her sunglasses that opened up.

Teresa with her glamour butterfly.

Mombo enjoying the house.

Abby enjoying someone else's house, Espie's.

I didn't even realize I was missing a lens.

No sightings of Cindy Crawford but we did get to sit in Engine 99's cab at the Malibu Fire Station.

Even More Photos

Sue in jail.

This is the Union Church up on the hill.

Empty safe inside the demolished courthouse.

Looking west across the remains of the courthouse.

Now looking east through the courthouse arch.

More from Hillsboro

The jail was located next to the courthouse for easy access.


Sometimes the outlaws from Hillsboro would be housed in the jail and when it was overcrowded they were relocated to Kingston, NM down the road.

Courthouse: The county seat was housed in Hillsboro where a beautiful two story courthouse was constructed on the hill. This is all that remains. Most of the bricks were relocated to Truth or Consequences, down the road. Dad said T/C used to be called Hot Spring but was renamed after the popular radio program. Hillsboro is trying to restore the building but it looks like it'll take a lot of dinero.

Public Porta Potties were not so friendly. Lots of wipies needed.

Dad was in the east cell, a pretty big area for one person but small for the groups of bad guys that were probably held there.

Hillsboro NM

Mombo, Dadbo, Dana and I went to Scottsdale, Deming, Hillsboro, Silver City, Tucson and back home in 4 days. We drove over 1550 miles according to the new Mercedes. Here are some photos.

Dana hung out with a 5 week old kitty;

Th red building is an art school;

Romie Chavez (relative???) is buried in the Hillsboro Cemetery on the hill;

Welcoming sign;

Hillsboro Fire Department.

My interview with Grandpa

[This was the presentation I gave for my class.]

Greetings! I chose to interview my grandpa, David Eugene DeVol, whom I was named after. My grandpa was born on February 12, 1938, in San Diego's only hospital at that time, Mercy Hospital.

My grandpa grew up in the Point Loma area of San Diego, although he lived with his uncle in Los Angeles for a year while my great-grandpa was away during WWII. Grandpa attended Cabrillo Elementary School while growing up. He did not have to do any homework, and they had no computers, calculators, or TV's. School lasted about as long as it does now. Grandpa's favorite subject at school was recess. They mainly dug around in the dirt at recess, and played a game where they pretended to be squirrels. Grandpa loved to play pranks on other kids. He won't tell me what those pranks were because he doesn't want to give me any ideas. His favorite teacher was his 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Follsum.

As a child, Grandpa spent his free time riding his bike, playing baseball, building with his erector set, and playing with Legos. Grandpa remembers seeing his first jet while his family drove to Yosemite when he was nine years old.

Grandpa grew up in a small house in Point Loma. It had two bedrooms and one bathroom, but it had a nice big back yard where his father enjoyed vegetable gardening. Grandpa once poured a whole packet of carrot seeds into a hole, then watered it until it grew into a monstrous carrot. A photo of Grandpa and his carrot made it into the newspaper.

There were no foreign cars when Grandpa was young. There were no Japanese cars, as our country had just been at war with Japan. His family owned a Dodge, and most of the cars around were big Fords or Chevrolets.

The best day of Grandpa's life was the day he married my Grandma. They met at San Diego State University in their first year. After Grandpa earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management, they married. They married in the First Presbyterian Church of San Diego on August 16, 1959. They spent their honeymoon in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.

Grandpa's career was spent mostly as a banker. He started as a loan officer at a bank years ago, then eventually worked his way up to be the President of Silvergate Bank in La Mesa.

Although my Grandpa is able to retire, he still enjoys working at Zementis (a software development company) as their Chief Financial Officer. He is still very active. He climbed Half Dome at Yosemite in one day 6 years ago, and jogs 9 miles a week. He hikes every Saturday, and skis at Mammoth Mountain every year.

Here are some of Grandpa's favorite things:

His favorite book is the dictionary, favorite vacation spot is Yosemite, favorite food is ice cream, favorite TV comedy is The Odd Couple (a show from the 1970's), favorite board game is Monopoly, favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, favorite candy is 100 Grand, favorite music is Wagner (a classical composer), and his favorite restaurant is The House of Prime Rib in San Francisco.

San Diego County Fair 2008

I'll have to say, from a food standpoint, the San Diego County Fair was a disappointment this year.

Sherry and I both had deep-fried White Castle Slyders, but it was pretty greasy, and Sherry found some hair in hers.

Later, I had a Koolickle... a pickle marinated in Kool-Aid. That was awful.

However, David did have a frozen, chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick that was fantastic, if a bit rich. And I finished the day with a shaved ice from a vendor with a do-it-yourself syrup-dispenser station.

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We all took the skyride over to Kiddieland where David and Charlie went on some big slides, a funhouse, and a ride where you lie on your stomach and it feels like you're flying.

We went on the first Friday that the fair was open, and it wasn't too crowded. We even got a parking space in the main lot!

June with Joan

When Bees Attack!

This was the second time I have been stung by a bee. When I was playing a game with my friends I fell down into a big bush. At first I didn't feel anything, but then I felt the bee moving around and it hurt. I was bleeding. I went to the nurses office and she put baking soda and a bandage on it.It was very exciting! I hope I don't get stung again!

Father's Day hardly par for the course

Today was an unprecedented Father's Day for the DeVol Family as we sat and watched all six hours of U.S. Open coverage. None of us has even watched ten minutes of golf on TV, let alone six hours. The excuse, of course, was that it's being held at Torrey Pines.

Turned out to be a worthwhile watch, as Tiger Woods sunk a 12-foot putt to birdie 18 and force a playoff tomorrow against Rocco Mediate.

San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park

We took a quick trip up to the Wild Animal Park and were surprised to discover that the Wgasa Bush Line Railway no longer exists! It's been replaced by The African Express, which takes you on essentially the same route, only on a tram instead of a monorail.

According to an article I found in the North County Times, the Wgasa had been "plagued by breakdowns and mechanical problems in recent years."

Two downsides to the new ride are:

• It's not free like I believe the old ride was. It's $10 per adult and $6 per child, although it was free for us 'cause we're members (thanks Dana!).
• The boarding area is located some distance from the park's main entrance; in fact, it's about as far away as you can get. The old ride was much closer.

One upside to the new ride:

• The route takes you closer to the animals than the old ride did.

Walk With The Animals 2008

Ethel DeVol Imel

As a child, Ethel DeVol Imel would climb to the attic of her home and set up a classroom where she would play teacher to her dolls. In 1968, after a 37-year career in education, she retired as chairman of the English Department at Hoover High School, where she had served as a teacher, counselor, and coach of the championship debate team.

Ethel died in her sleep on April 15, 2008, in San Diego at the age of 99.

Ethel May DeVol arrived in California from Kenwood, New York, shortly after her birth in 1908 with her parents, Emogene and The Rev. Charles DeVol, who had been assigned to rebuild a small church in Santa Rosa that was devastated by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

From Santa Rosa her family moved to Stockton where she graduated from high school in 1925 as class valedictorian. She was president of the Stockton High School chapter of the California State Scholarship Society, president of Girls' Student Control, vice president of the Student Body and a member of the debate team. She was awarded the Selma Reese Ziemer Scholarship to the University of California at Berkeley.

She graduated from Berkeley in 1929 with a B.A. degree in history and minors in political science and English. She was a member and president of the Berkeley chapter of Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education. She completed an M.A. in history and graduated with Honors in Education.

She taught at Moorpark High School in Ventura County from 1931 to 1934 and then, on the death of her father, moved to San Diego to support her family. In San Diego she met and married fellow teacher Kenneth Imel, who later served as director of adult education for San Diego City Schools and director of the University of California Extension Program in San Diego before the establishment of UCSD.

At the end of World War II, she taught classes in public speaking and debate at San Diego State to soldiers returning to college on the "G.I. Bill." From 1935 to 1968 she taught at Hoover High School, where, in addition to teaching and counseling, she coached a championship debate team. She was awarded the Diamond Degree Pin by the National Forensic League Speech and Debate Honor Society, recognizing her as one of the national outstanding debate coaches. She also served as a counselor and advisor for foreign exchange students under the American Exchange Program.

In addition to her teaching career, Ethel was active in community service. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of First United Methodist Church of San Diego, a member and office holder in the San Diego Women's University Club, a member and president of Zeta Rho study club, a member of the Board of Trustees of Senior Adult Services, a member of the Executive Board of Meals on Wheels, and a volunteer at the Forest Home Thrift Shop.

She and Kenneth were active in their church and enjoyed playing bridge with a life-long group of friends, traveling, and making and giving away bouquets and corsages from orchids they raised.

Ethel is survived and remembered by her son and daughter-in-law, John and Anne Imel, her nephew, David DeVol and family, nieces Margaret Duecker and Marilyn Asher and families, and sister-in-law, Roberta Hurlbut and family.

Memorial Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, May 2nd, at First United Methodist Church of San Diego, 2111 Camino del Rio South, 92108. The family suggests contributions to First United Methodist Church of San Diego in lieu of flowers.

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	April 27, 2008
•	It has been a priviledge to have met this lady and her family . And the love and care of her son John has been boundless and exemplary over many difficult years of care . ANDY
	Charles 'Andy' ANDERBERG (LA MESA)

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	April 28, 2008
•	Several times, since graduating from high school, I've thought about the instructors I've had who've put their heart and soul into their teaching, and one that always comes to mind is Mrs. Imel. For me, what began as a revelation in 9th grade, continued as a real appreciation of the English language, and its uses, in the 10th grade, with much appreciation to Mrs. Imel. I will always remember her, as much for her kindness, as well as for her thorough instruction.
	Janine L. (San Diego, CA)

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	April 28, 2008
•	I will always hold fond memories of Ethel and will miss her forever. I'm so blessed that she was part of my life.
	Sue DeVol

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	April 30, 2008
•	When I was a student at Hoover HS (1941-44), I remember taking speech & debate classes from Mrs. Imel. She must have made these classes fun & interesting to a teenage girl, as I elected to take these. Or perhaps she encouraged my joy in talking. It's so nice to learn that she lived a wonderful long & happy life. Yvonne Hamblin Shewmaker '44
	Yvonne Shewmaker (San Diego, CA)

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	April 30, 2008
•	John, I remember your mom as my sophomore English teacher at Hoover High in 1968. Although years have passed it was obvious that she enjoyed and was very good at teaching, and enjoyed being around young people.
	Geoff Rogers (San Diego, CA)

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	May 16, 2008
•	May I express sympathy to the family of Mrs. Imel. I am 80, and a former student of hers [class of '45], and it was by chance I noticed her happy face while looking for the o.b. of another former student of hers,Mary Donnan Ingalls, my dear friend since 7th grade. Mrs. Imel was certainly a favorite of mine, and I remember her for that smile and her vitality. [My own years of teaching may have been a seed grown from her bag of tricks.] Margery Woodrow Hamlet, Stockton, Ca.
	Margery Hamlet (Stockton, CA)

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	May 27, 2008
•	Tribute to Ethel Ethel DeVol Imel was an exceptional person! Born in 1908 in New York State, she lived for nearly a century. Think what happened during that time. Just a few years after the Wright Brothers, two years after the San Francisco Earthquake, and four years before the Titanic. Shortly after she was born, she and her parents and older brother Arthur moved to Santa Rosa, California, where her father, a minister, was charged with rebuilding a church damaged in the San Francisco Earthquake. Ethel was a feminist, and I use that term in it’s most positive sense. She went to college when most women didn’t. With apologies to my good friends from Stanford, I remember hearing the story that she received a scholarship to Stanford, but her parents didn’t want her to go there since it was too liberal. That was in 1925. She went instead to Cal-Berkeley, where she graduated with Honors in 1929. She immediately went into teaching, but deferred marriage since married women were discouraged from working during the Depression. Later moving to San Diego, she met and married fellow educator Kenneth Imel in 1938. I was at their wedding, although a baby at the time. I was there when John was born, and at Ethel and Kenneth’s Golden Wedding Anniversary. Ethel was a very important role model when I was growing up. I remember thinking many times, “What would Aunt Ethel think, and would she approve”. It was always fun to visit Aunt Ethel’s home in Kensington. Growing up in Point Loma, which was largely rural at the time, we didn’t have sidewalks and ice cream vendors. Ethel had sidewalks and the Good Humor Man. She also let me use her state-of-the-art manual typewriter, which John recently pointed out had a combination red-and-black ribbon. Later, when I was a poor and struggling college student, and Ethel and Kenneth and John went on Summer Vacation, she would lend me her loose, stick-shift 1950 Ford. Ethel and Kenneth loved to travel. One of Ethel’s favorite things was to recite alphabetically the cities and countries they had visited. Ethel was an exceptional person. She led a long, full and very productive life. She was the matriarch of our family, and my last older relative.
	David DeVol (La Mesa, CA)

Spring Training 2008

With the Speed of Sonic

Well, I've got to hand it to Nintendo. Their turnaround time on repairs is impressive.

Charlie pushed a Wheat Thin into the disk slot on our Wii, and there was no way I could get it out. We bundled it up and addressed it to Nintendo in Chatsworth, CA. FedEx picked it up Monday.

Thursday morning we got it back fixed. Very impressive. (It better be for $73.07.)

The Big Seven Oh