Son of Cobra Commander

I love this mirrored face mask. It’s a relic of the COVID era, when everybody was suddenly wearing face masks in public, although not ones like this.

My cousin Sam requested one for his birthday, to wear with the hood of a hoodie pulled up. I thought it was so outrageous that I wanted one too, so Brother Todd sent me one for Christmas.

Addendum: I kept the mirrored face mask in my car for a few years, figuring the perfect occasion would eventually come along when I could whip it out and win the day. That day never came. When we moved to Irvine, I brought it into the house, where it eventually went into storage.

I should find it and put it back into circulation.

I did wear it through a drive-through once. The cashier looked pretty bemused, like she’d seen the future and didn’t like it very much.

First Santa

Anikka’s first visit with Santa Claus; Dec 2021. 

Santa wasn’t actually being scary immediately. Anikka just started crying like crazy when he welcomed her. He did the scary pose real quickly and on the fly for the benefit of a photo when her back was turned to him. He just did that for a second and I’m glad Ericka was ready with the camera.

R.I.P. Jon L. Gilliom: Jan. 5, 1948 – Sep. 7, 2021

It’s been quite a week and I’m sad to say my father, Jon Sr, isn’t with us anymore. “Uncle Jon” was a lion-heart who loved adventure and family, and I know he will be missed by many.

(Photo: Columbia, MO; Aug. 2017, eating "Black Hole Sun" ice cream on the occasion of the solar eclipse).

Found: Marilyn

Found while browsing one of my mother's old yearbooks.

Marilyn was apparently hell on wheels at Lancaster (Indiana) High School in the late 1960s.

COVID Parking Control

Parking control in the sun’s glare. Caught a weird muzzle shaped reverse sunburn. County employees were traditionally tapped to assist with social emergencies, so we had the option of working at COVID vaccination sites, but at some point we were discouraged since our regular work sites were so understaffed.

Happy New Year, 2021

Happy New Year from Ericka, Anikka, and Jon.