San Fransisco - Iowa - updates

If you didn't know let me tell you now. This past weekend, in fact, since Thursday, James (aka Jim) was in Des Monies, Iowa for the AIF (Association of Iowa Fairs Convention. He flew from SF to Minnesota then into Iowa. He was lucky not to take the same way back because midway through the weekend a blizzard hit the Midwest. Minnesota was hit particularly hard. His flight back went through Phoenix. No snow there!
From the airport to the hotel through the convention and back it was rare to find Jim without a table. suitcase, potted plant, chair, ladder, or even a woman's shoe balanced on his face. His humor went a long way to get the Kent Family Magic Circus noticed.

In the picture to the left Jim is in a hospitality room at the convention demonstrating his awesome awesomeness!

He played up the California boy who never saw a blizzard and that played well. He was able to play it up so well because he wasn't playing. He is a California boy who has never seen a blizzard.

He made quite a few contacts and even booked one fair with potentials still in the wings. He said they could've landed more gigs but the dates of the fairs who wanted us conflicted with our booked schedule.








Snow stopped the use of the main hotel doors.

Jim was not sent alone. Long time fan Vaughn Ver Steegt (left)has been hired on as our regional rep and will travel with Jim to a few more conventions. Having two voices promote the show really seems to be working out well. Jim and Vaughn really made a great team and I look forward to seeing how well they do at the conventions coming up in January.

In the picture to the left Jim meets a beautiful woman and tries to woo her.

It might be hard to believe but it was cheaper to drive three hours to SF to send Jim off to Iowa then it was to use our nearest Airport in Sacramento. I dropped him off early Thursday morning had a magnificent breakfast at an 80 year old diner I ate at 20 years ago.

Sunday it was time to pick him up and since he would arrive in the evening I thought it would be fun to go to the SF zoo. Victor Jr. didn't want to go so it was me and the two little princesses.
We had a wonderful time. Though I must admit there seemed to be fewer animals there than I remember 23 years ago and when I was a kid even furhter back. No more elephants due to social pressure and no hippos (though they are expecting to get one). I was dissappointed with how "politically correct" the zoo has become but it is in SF!

The girls knew no different since the only other zoo they've been to was in Dodge City, KS. In many respects, though smaller, it was better.

To the left Princess Olivia is excited because she just got to see an Anaconda. She discovered they have rather big heads.

23 years ago Mami and I took a picture in front of this building . The bench and building are still there. The building has been painted and the banners block the engravings in the wall. Below is the picture.......

of Mami and I on our first date. We went to the SF zoo, the movies, and lunch in Japan town.

Now married nearly 22 years with seven kids....who would've thunk!

Olivia morphed into a spider.

An Amelia into a peacock. BTW there are a bunch of peacocks walking freely around the zoo. The girls would walk with and sometime after a peacock bopping their heads as they go trying to be a peacock.

See the Lion....they only had two. Very majestic!

Here was an animal I couldn't identify. It looked dangerous.

Aping and Ape.

Each pen or cage had a "Fun Facts" card. Amelia read everyone.

At the front gate the zoo had Santa taking pictures with anyone who wanted to do it. Not the most authentic. This was their thrid or forth Santa this year. The one we made appear at the Hemet mall was the most authentic looking.

Thus ended our day at the zoo. But since we were near Ocean Beach we went out and played on the beach until the sun set. It was pretty.

After that we killed time before Jim's flight by going to Japan Town and doing a little shopping for Japanese ingredients for Mami and then it was off to our favorite noodle shop. Amelia surprised me by eating some of my very spicy soup and then eating the wasabi from her sushi. She ia a growing pepper-head.

Our timing was perfect. We finihsed dinner, loaded into the van and just as we were leaving SF my phone rang. It was Jim and his plane had just touched down. Twenty minutes later he was with us and we were on our way home.