It was our last day in Orange County, so we wanted to take a tour of one
of its most venerable institutions. We were very pleased to be met at the gate
by 3 of the owners of the enterprise
and then to watch Mikey
as he watched Lonnie's truck pull up
and Lonnie emerge
to greet us,
This excitement inspired a group picture
in front of the new truck. But, there was work to do, so Suzanne got into
the fork lift
and backed it up
further
and further
and then lifted her forks
in practice for her mission.
With Larry's help, she wheeled around
to get in position behind Lonnie's truck
with the pallet she would be lifting.
She aimed her forks
and missed on the first try
so she backed off and re-aimed
driving slowly
slowly
slowly
until she reached the truck
and made contact
and slowly worked her way in
to get the pallet. Now she began to lift
and then backed off
further
and further
until she was holding the pallet
and could lower it to the ground.
This amazed Mikey and Lonnie,
but it tired Suzanne, so that Sarah was called upon to board
the forklift
and gently guide it
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Next, we went inside to see the grapes,
the sales brochure,
some fine signs,
and their inst-a-frame
while awaiting our tour guide who had a business to run. They do make
a lot of open signs
in many languages. Larry took some family pictures
and then we met Gilbert
the guy who's name we forgot
and Jesus
in the metal bending shop and the man who might have been named Milton
in the letter area where they have the spiffy almost neon open signs.
He gave the kids their names in letters
and Jane had her clock sign
while Jesus bent metal
with Gilbert supervising
before we checked out the packets of condiments
and decided it was time to head for the airport.