Tonka and Rocket

Pleasanton - Home for Rent

2008-10-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Newly updated home available for rent in the Highland Oaks neighborhood in Pleasanton, CA. The home is located 5 minutes from Pleasanton Bart station, is in the Pleasanton Unified School district, and is a five minute walk from Lydikson Elementary. The home is in an ideal location if you’re working in the Silicon Valley or San Francisco. Click here to view photos of the home
- 5 bedrooms
- 2.5 baths
- 2 car garage with additional side parking off the street
- 2 story 2200 sq ft on a large corner lot
- Hardwood floors through out the home
- New kitchen with granite surface and lot’s of storage space
- New stove, 2 year old Kitchen Aid dish washer (very quiet), and stainless refrigerator included
- Updated bathrooms
- Newly painted inside and out
- New furnace and air conditioner
- New windows and new window coverings
- Recessed lighting (on the first floor only)
- Pellet stove that will heat the entire house and will reduce your winter heating bill
- Well ventilated and insulated
- New deck in the backyard
- Landscaping in front and backyard (low maintenance & low water yard)
- Large storage shed on the side of the yard
- No pets
- No smoking inside the house
- Only 1 family may live in the home
- Renters will have access to the Highland Oaks Swim club included as part of the rent (around the corner from the home)
- Rent is $3,000 per month and first and last month and security deposit is required
- I year lease
- For inquiries, contact Bobby Kitajima at of R&R Rentals at (925) 734-0408

Driving and Taking Pictures

2008-10-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you drive while trying to take pictures. Blurry pictures! Don't try this at home kids! At least I'm not texting.

Height Envy

2008-10-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

At least we get better gas mileage. I still love you Tonka, our chariot!

Cool Toilet

2008-10-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

Really, I need to check this out.
Should I go in?
Well, not too bad.
Mike, is the King of the toilet

The Lindquists - SF Half Marathon 2008

2008-10-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Africa - Kenya and Tanzania

2007-10-02T17:29:00.001-07:00

On the romanitic side, Africa conjures up images of safaris and animials roaming the plains. On the negative, images of famine, poverty, and war. For me, Africa represented a physical challenge in the chance to climb Kilimanjaro. When we decided to go Tanzania, preparation and planning for the trip revolved around training for the climb, buying the right gear, and choosing a route and a company to take us to the top. I spent little time thinking about the place, the land, the people, or the culture. Interestingly, it was that I ignored that intrigued and interested me most when I finally was there.

Hike down Angel Landing

2007-01-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

Near the top of Angel Landing

2007-01-15T23:06:00.000-08:00

Hike up Angle Falls

2007-01-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

Sun Rise Zion Canyon

2007-01-15T23:04:00.000-08:00

Town near Zion Canyon

2007-01-15T23:03:00.000-08:00

Hike down Observation Trail

2007-01-15T23:01:00.000-08:00

Top of Observation Trail

2007-01-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

Observation Trail Hike

2007-01-15T22:58:00.000-08:00

Zion Canyon Lodge

2007-01-15T22:57:00.000-08:00

Erika and Santa

2006-12-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Santa on vacation after a long night of delivery packages. Notice, he is wearing red. We were very suprised that he was able to hike down the Grand Canyon. Go Santa!

Preying Mantis Macro II

2006-10-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

Preying Mantis Macro

2006-10-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

Tonka Sleeping Platform

2006-10-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

When we bought the shell it came with a bed rug. It's kind of cool. This picture show the sleeping platform that we originally built this for Pick up to sleep on during road trips. We have some new ideas to improve the sleeping platform and with the help of Walt, (EAL's dad), we hope to rebuild it with nifty storage compartments.

Pick up and Tonka

2006-10-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

Out with the old and in with the new. I wish it were so easy. Pick up has been with us for 17 years with out a single problem. It has been in our lives as we've been together. However, it was time, we knew it. We put it off as long as we could. We ended up buying a 2002 Toyota Tacoma V6 4WD extra cab manual spd w/ 37K miles. It's pick ups older sibling on steroids. It's got everything! Air, power window, power locks, and cruise control. What a treat!
We purchased the shell seperately and got a great deal. It was a miracle that we found one in silver. BTW, we found both truck and shell on Craigs List. As you can see, the new shell is much taller.
A friend was dissapointed when he saw Tonka for the first time. "This is exactly like your old truck but newer". Yes, that's the point. Why change a good thing.
We test drove the new Tacoma and were very dissapointed that Toyota decided on a much larger interior and exterior. The engine was very strong though. We even drove the new 4Runner but it was too fancy for our taste.

Barnhill Annual Blind Man's Boat Race

2006-08-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

Manzanar

2006-08-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

Ghost Town, Bodie, CA

2006-08-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Tungsten Mine, Bishop, CA

2006-08-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Lindquist Construction Engineers

2006-08-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Ketos: Early morning tow to SF

2006-08-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Mills MBA Graduation

2006-08-11T17:08:00.001-07:00

Ketos in action

2006-08-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Ketos

2006-08-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

Saburo

2006-08-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

Over the hill gang

2006-08-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

Rock climbing in Bishop, CA

2006-08-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Big Island Flower

2006-08-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Watanabe Women

2006-08-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

A scary site

2006-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Wolf create attacks the teletubbie

Skeleton monster attacks teletubbie

Bug on my Arm

2006-08-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

Barnhill gathering at Encinal Yacht Club

2006-08-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Flowers

2006-08-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Thorn

2006-08-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Watanabe Clan

2006-08-10T18:27:00.001-07:00

The Watanabe from Niigat City, Niigata Japan came to LA for a visit.

Bee

2006-08-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Ant on a plant

2006-08-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

This was a missed opportunity shot! It would have been a great picture had I focused on the ant.

Spider and Spider Web

2006-08-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

If you look very closely you will see a spider and the spider's web

Bodega Bay

2006-08-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sedona

2006-08-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

More Cactus

2006-08-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

Cactus up Close

2006-08-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

Bandalier National Park

2006-08-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

2006-07-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

2006 Industrial Design Excellence Awards

Ito-Design
Tricycle Design
Seymourpowel
Marmol Radziner + Associates
Royal Phillips Design
Eva
New Deal Design
Cesaroni Design
Stuart Karten Design
Fuseproject
Altitude Inc.

Nevada Falls II

2006-07-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

Top of Nevada Falls, spring 2006

Nevada Falls

2006-07-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Top of Nevada Falls, spring 2006.

Vernal Falls

2006-07-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken from the top of Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park in the spring of 2006. There was still snow on the ground and the water flow from the falls was impressive but it was not at it's maximum flow.

Cabins - Volcano National Park Hawaii

2006-07-03T23:45:00.000-07:00

If you don't need the creature comforts of a hotel room, then I highly recommend staying at the cabins in the Volcano National Park. The cabins are run by the Volcano House Hotel and you check in at the hotel. You will be given sheets and a key to the cabin. The cabin is a short drive away and is off the main road. There are approximately 10 cabins and appear to be of the same size. The cabin we stayed in had a queen sized bed and twin bunk beds. It can easily fit a family of four. There are shared bathrooms and showers in the cabin area. We loved our little cabin! I don't recall the price but you can call the Volcano House for more information. btw, it was not crowded and it seemed that it was mainly used by locals. Aloha!

Ferns - Volcano National Park, Big Island Hawaii

2006-07-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued by the ferns growing in Volcano National Park on the Hilo side of the Big Island. The ferns start out as a purple strand shown in the first two pictures. As they open up and grow they turn into what you typically think of as a fern.

UCC Plantation on the Big Island

2006-07-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

If you like coffee then I highly recommend taking the coffee roasting tour on the UCC (Ueshima Coffee Company) coffee plantation on the Kona side of the Big Island. The coffee roasting class takes about 1 hour and you are able to roast one pound of Kona coffee. The coffee is smooth and delicious. BTW, if you like Kona, a derivative of the Jamaican Blue Mountain, then I recommend trying the New Guinea and the Guatemalan, a bean also from the JamaicanBlue Mountain. Be sure to buy your beans from a reputable source. These roasters are next on my list to try:
1. Blue Bottle - SF
2. Stumptown - OR
3. Counterculter - NC

Aloha

2006-07-03T23:34:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite trips. We miss you Garrett!

Hetch Hetchy

2006-07-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hetch Hechy damn is less crowded than the valley and I recommend the detour. There appears to be a lot of hiking and backpacking available and as soon as we get a chance we will head that way. Beware of the Federal police. We were pulled over for going 7 miles over the limit and were given a warning. The roads are empty and the rangers know how to spot so called speeders.

BTW, there is an alternative way out that will take you to Prechers Grade. It's a desolate windy road but has beaiful views of the backside of the Sierras.

High Tide at the Barn Hill Marina

2006-07-03T23:25:00.001-07:00

Half Dome

2006-07-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

If you have not done the hike to Half Dome and you are in good shape then I recommend it. If you've done it once don't do it again. It's crowded, the rock face is slipery (melted rubber soles), and the trail is worn. Yosemite falls is less crowede I hear and more challenging.

Hats Designed by Flo

2006-07-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

Eels Monterey Bay Aquarium

2006-07-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

I was facinated by the eels at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There is also a nice display of large eels in the lobby of the Mirage hotel. If I ever have the space, time, and money, I think that I would construct a large aquarium of eels.

Cousins Visiting from Japan

2006-07-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Euskaltel ridding the Orbea Orca

2006-07-03T23:19:00.001-07:00

A thing of beauty!

Honu Ohana

2006-07-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

Honu Ohana

2006-07-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

Funny Bird House

2006-07-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday Mornings

2006-07-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

Family

2006-07-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

Things that you do with your siblings

Dorothy' House

2006-07-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

The Getty Museum

2006-07-03T23:12:00.000-07:00

Come see the interesting building and the grounds. The art is dissapointing.

Harue in LA

2006-07-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

Harue at the Getty, LA County Museum, & at the Nikko Hotel lobby. The LA County Museum was great. The grounds and building is not as nice as the Getty but the art is much better.

Macro Vision 3

2006-07-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

Roberta Bobba's 75th Birthday Bash

2006-07-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

Rafts of Otter - Elkhorn Slough

2006-07-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

One of the best things on our kayaking trip to Elkhorn Slough was seeing the Otters. We were lucky to see large rafts of otters numbering more than 2o. They were comprised of mothers and pups. Some of the moms carried their pups on their bellies. Other singles were playing and eatting.

The first picture is of an otter doing circles in the water.

Please do not flush your cat litter in the toilet. The otters are dying of diseases related to cats. The theory is cat owners are flushing cat litter in toilets and it's washing out to Elkhorn where the otters come in contact with the litter and catch the disease. We saw several otter carcus in the rocks. Please help save the otters!

Lyann's trip to the main land

2006-07-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Lindquist Clan

2006-07-03T22:58:00.000-07:00

Honu Ohana - Stairs

2006-07-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

A look down the spiral stairs and into the living room. It can be an interesting trip down the stair to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Honu Ohana

2006-07-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

A view of the marina from our top deck

The Farinha Family

2006-07-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

Go Portugual!

Fair Harbor, Fire Island

2006-07-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention in my previous blog that Fire Island is all about reading the NY Times, sleeping in the front room, taking out door showers, and ridding bikes to the light house. We love it there!

Fair Harbor, Fire Island

2006-07-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

Going to Fair Harbor it's all about a mean card game, good friends, sandals, long walks on the beach, and the death march to Cherry Grove.

Sanjay not climbing a banana tree

2006-07-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled folks. While it may look like Sanjay is climbing a banana tree look closely at the second picture. Good try Sanjay!

Coconut Boy

2006-07-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Our friend Parimvir climbing a coconut tree in Aruba. Kind of amazing how he climbed the tree like he had been doing it his entire life.

Natural Pool

2006-07-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

If you have the time don't miss the natural pool. There is only one. It's quite a treck about an hour gnarly 4x4 drive. It was fun though. We saw a large flock of what appeared to be wild sheep and enjoyed the dessert land scape.

The pool is small but there was a large variety of tropical fish of all colors and sizes. We fed the fish bread and they swarmed. As they swarmed they nibbled on your skin. It didn't hurt but was some what disconcerting thinking about the movie Piranha and Jaws. Thanks Hollywood!

BTW, bring your swim suit, towel, lunch, drinks, loaf of bread, and mask and snorkel when you go.

Natural Fallen Bridge Aruba

2006-07-03T22:26:00.000-07:00

Just our luck....the day before we went to Natural Bridges in Aruba it collapsed. The Natural Bridge was a natural occurring phenomenom where the ocean creates a natural bridge. See the last photo in the set to get an idea of what it is. I guess it's a common occurance in Aruba (the creation of the natural bridge). There were plenty of other things to see and we had an awesome 4x4 trip from natural bridge.

More Iguanas

2006-07-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

My iguana vacation in Aruba

Iguanas in Aruba

2006-07-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

I wish I was in Tijuana eatting BBQ iguana - Mexican Radio, Wall of Voodoo

Most of the pictures that I took in Aruba were of iguanas. They were all over the grounds of the hotel Manchebo. It was amazing how the iguanas just appeared in the late morning. One morning I went out on the hotel balcony to scout out the Iguanas. I wanted to know where they slept. As the sun rose I spotted a few on the roof tops in between air conditioning units and squeezed in small spaces. The nights in Aruba can be a little chilly (due to the wind) and I think the iguanas take shelter where ever they can.

We fed the iguanas papayas. They seemed to like it and brough down a lot of the iguanas hidden in the trees. Some mornings there were at least a dozen iguanas coming out for papayas.

The iguanas moved surprisingly fast. We observed some territorial squermishes in the trees that resulted in a iguana chase scene. The out come was the larger of the iguana would win.

Beach wedding in Aruba

2006-07-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

How romantic can you get than a beach wedding in Aruba. It was one of our favorite weddings. Shorts, barefeet, and a lovely couple!

Sunset in Aruba

2006-07-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

Sunset from Hotel Manchebo beach. Great hotel and beach.

Desk and shelves by Walt Lindquist

2006-07-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

Walt made us a nice built in desk for our lap tops. Not shown are the matching drawers and magazine holders he found later at Ikea. Below are pictures of the shelves he made for our kitchen and the knife holder. Check out our bathroom remodel pictures, also completed by Walt

Exercising

2006-07-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Hang time on the Honu Ohana

Cooling off

2006-07-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

This is what a mad scientists does on the weekend. She sits on a dock on the estuary eating her breakfast.

Cormorant Cooling Off

2006-07-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

This scary cormorant acts more like a fish than a bird. It spends most of it's time under water hunting for fish or duck chicks. It was a rare opportunity to take this foto.

Orchids close up

2006-07-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

Orchids in bloom

2006-07-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

Natural beach art, Bodgea Bay

2006-07-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

Sea Shells, Bodega Bay

2006-07-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

We rented a house in Bodega Bay and spent the day on the beach. The house was close to a beach and we enjoyed listening the the waves at night. Bodega is a nice weekend get away. There are not many cabins for rent but there are plenty of hotels.

Aligator cooling off - Florida Keys

2006-07-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is how an aligator cools it self off. The guess is that the aligator does not have pores on it's thick skin and the only way it can cool itself is by opening it's mouth. Don't trust me on that one. It's just a guess.

Soda Springs, Winter 2006

2006-07-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from a trip to Soda Springs in January 2006. There was a ton of snow and each day we had to dig the cars out when we left. Great family place with a lot of nice cabins to rent.

Dinosaur on Fire

2006-07-03T21:21:00.000-07:00

This is a scary dinosaur cake