Category Archives: Odds & Ends

Things from the other parts of my life

Faces of America

OPB is showing a terrific series, I’ve copied below.  The stories of the individuals are fascinating–but it is also a picture of how the world comes together in the people of our country, and honors their paths.  It is striking how one event can be so formative in the lives of generations of a family.

FACES OF AMERICA, Parts 1-4
Stephen Colbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Malcolm Gladwell, Meryl Streep…

Colbert & GatesWednesdays, beginning February 10, 8pm. (OPB & HD).Following on the success ofAfrican-American Lives, Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. again turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of a diverse group of renowned Americans. The many stories he uncovers illuminate the American experience as he traces the threads of his guests’ families back to their earliest origins around the globe. Repeats: Fridays, 1am, Sundays, 11am (OPB); Saturdays, 4pm (HD)

1926 Packard Boattail Speedster

A fun part of life is taking our 1926 Packard Boattail Speedster to car shows.   The car was hand-built by Peter Portugal (www.peterportugal.com) in Eureka, California, and we found  it at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona 3 years ago.  Peter designed the car and built it around a ’26 Packard cowl–all steel, with mahogany & bird’s eye maple.  The engine may get the most attention, however:  a 10-cylinder Dodge Viper, with 505 hp.  Peter hand-crafted front fenders a year after we purchased it.  A friend suggested the license plate of “VIPARD.”

The photo was taken at the Fresno Autorama (“Blackie’s Show”) in March 2007.  It’s an invitation-only show with some amazing vehicles–we were honored to be included.

More pictures and stories to come!