Apollo 11 Anniversary

Thinking back to today, 40 years ago, I was in the backyard, in a home made capsule of Apollo 11. There was Jim, and myself, my other brother Richard, decided no to go with us. We stayed in the mock-up of our capsule during the whole trip of Apollo 11. Thinking back on the innocence of the time, I don't think kids today could do it.

Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The first steps by humans on another planetary body were taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Listening to the radio, I can still remember these words. Houston. "Tranquility Base here. Eagle has landed." I also remember these, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind". What an exciting day in history when the Eagle landed.

I will edit this later, as I need to head off to the doctors.

Ramblings..............

I was thinking back today, remembering living on my grand fathers farm. He had a farm outside of Delta, Pa. I learned more from my grand pa, then I learned from my own dad. I know this may sound mean but, it is the truth.

My mom and dad separated back in 1966, and my mom went back east. We went on the train (AMTRAK) from Los Angeles, to Chicago. In Chicago, we had to switch trqains, to Baltimore Maryland. I think, (but I'm not sure) my grandpa picked us up..

My mom went to work in Baltimore, with my sister Kathy and my youngest brother, Michael. Mom worked for "American Standard" gas company, as a book keeper. My brother Richard went and lived on the farm. Richard is a year younger then me. Richard only lived there, about 8 months. He went to my moms place in Baltimore, cause the work was to hard.

Getting up in the morning, milking the cows, going to school, learning how to drive. Grandpa taught me I was 9 years old. Some mornings I took slop to the pigs, driving the tractor, then went to school. The pig barn was, about 200 feet from school. I think the drive to the barn was about 4 miles.

I can remember helping grandpa, and he would reward me, by giving me a Coca~Cola. One thing he always told me was, "don't ever tell grandma I gave you a Coca~Cola". Grandma, did keep Coca~Cola in the house but, it wasn't for kids. She never found out I was getting Coca~Cola from grandpa, till after I was back in Los Angeles.

I was finally, back at my moms, when there were a few problems, at the farm house. I never found out, what they were. I just know I missed living on the farm.

Thinking back, television was clean, least compared to today. The Rocky & the Bullwinkle show, Spiderman, Ironman, The Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, Jonny Quest and of course "The Beatles" (cartoon shows). The later in the day there was, The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle USMC, Gentle Ben, Maverick, Have Gun Will Travel, Ed Sullivan, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Hogans Heroes, The Flying Nun, Gunsmoke, Batman, The Monkees, well you get the idea.


I think the Monkees, were the first music videos out, long before MTV. Yes they started out as a staged group, to counter the Beatles. I think it was the first season, they didn't even play their own instruments. That changed in season 2 though.





Looking at TV now, you can see blood shed, on almost any TV show. One of the reasons, I don't really watch TV anymore.

Well I guess I've gone on long enough for tonight, later all.

Sambo's Celebrating Americas Bicentennial

This side of the coin says, Sambo's
Two Hundred
Years Of
Freedom
1776-1976

This side of the coin says
"Something good is always cooking Sambo's.
Then the date, in roman numerals, MCMLXXVI

These coins are hard to find now, heck they were a limited edition. I don't know the value of this coin but, on Americas Bicentennial they were given to a few select customers.

Here is a little bit of history of Sambo's, for those of you who don't know.

Sambo's Restaurant chain, a pancake-specialty joint founded in Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1957. The decor and advertising leaned heavily on images from Bannerman's book, but the name ultimately was a merging of the names of the founders, Sam Battistone and Newell "Bo" Bohnett. making the name, "Sambo's".

Though the name was taken from portions of the names of its founders, the chain soon found itself associated with "The Story Of Little Black Sambo". Battistone and Bohnett capitalized on the coincidence by decorating the walls of the restaurants with scenes from the book, including a dark-skinned boy and tigers. By the early 1970s, the illustrations depicted a light-skinned boy wearing a jeweled Indian-style turban with the tigers.

In 1982 my Sambo's closed the doors to become "Season's". It was at Season's, I met my future wife Sue and that love has endured. But that is a story, for another day.

Also another sad story, Pat's Pizza, which opened October 17 1978 closed there doors, on April 14 2008 (I think). I use to walk from Sambo's, to my apartment, and stopped there in the morning. I was there the day Pat's opened, and there the last day. I remember watching Pat and Trish's kids grow up, in Pat's. The original name of Pat's was, "The Irish Chicken Ship" I believe. Never the less, that name was a mouthful, least for me.

My favorite meal at Pat's was the "Meatball Grinder".

Well, I'll write more memories later on, later all....................

California Sambo's

In fact, it has come to my attention that the original Sambo's Restaurant building is open in Santa Barbara. Here is a link to the original store, Sambo's.

Here is a little history of Sambo's.

Sambo's Restaurants was started in 1957 by Sam Battistone and Newell Bohnett. Though the name was taken from the names of the founders. Sam and Bo, from Bohnett, adding together for Sambo's.

In 1979, Sambo's had about 1,200 restaurants in 47 US states. In the late seventies controversy over the chain's name drew protests and lawsuits. A few communities viewed the term Sambo as a racial towards African-Americans. With the help of public pressure and even some lawsuits, the owners of Sambo's restaurants, eventually changed the name. Many of the restaurants became "Sam's. Bad management lead to the down fall of Sambo's.

I closed down a few of Sambo's restaurants. I helped closed, Sambo's in, Holbrook, Winslow, Flagstaff, Kingman, Needles, and in Las Vegas.

Personally, I wish Sambo's Restaurant would come back. The food was good, and the prices were very reasonable. If I ever won the "powerball" lottery, I would open a Sambo's, right here in Arizona. I have a menu from Sambo's I grabbed, when I helped close them.

I've rattled on long enough, now onto the California Sambo's.

I was in Torrance store #223 when I worked for Cathy, she drove a little MG, early 60's. While I worked there I was dating my high school sweet heart, Elizabeth "Liz" Chapa. This was during, the second time I worked at this store.

Interior view of Torrance Sambo's.

Across the street, kitty-corner was Harbor hospital, where my sister and younger brother were born.

The first time, I was 13, when I was looking for a job. I was hired as a dishwasher. What I didn't know was there was a bet between the head cook, and the manager. I was the subject of that bet. The head cook told the manager (who's name I've forgotten) that he could teach better then the manager could. The next person that walked through the door, would be trained, as a cook.

Little did I know this would change my life permanently. Before you ask, yes I lied about my age.

After I had learned how the dishes, and all those duties. The head cook took me off to the side, and asked me how I would like to learn to cook. Course I had to say yes, I mean it was a raise and everything.

Well the head cook won the bet. I never knew what the bet was over but, I enjoyed the benefits.

Later I transferred to Sonoma, just to get away from the big city. Yes, I am a country person. I transferred from, my 2nd time from Torrance. The managers name was Amir. I could not pronounce his last name, so I will not be saying it here. This was during the expansion of Sambo's, the store was #1018.

Well California, was really wearing on my nerves, so I left to go back home to Arizona. I will post on Arizona later, not today but later.............

The beginnings or my first post

I created this blog to share with my children, wife, and friends.

My name is Bob McKown, born in Daniel Freeman Hospital in Ingelwood, CA. I am of Scotch-Irish descend.

I am married to Sue, who has been my wife for the past 25 years, almost 26. We have 2 children, and no grand kids. Which doesn't bother my wife or me.

I was thinking back a few days ago, about Sambo's Restaurants. They were one of the fairest jobs I ever had. Management didn't care if you were black, white, yellow, red, or pink with green polka dots.

I worked in Torrance, Ca., Winslow, Az., Show Low, Az., and Sonoma, CA., for almost 18 years. Only a few managers I worked with made a impression on me. They were, Calvin Gin, & Geneva Billingsley, in Winslow, Charles Glockner, and Mildred Householder in Show Low. Those I worked for in California, I don't really want to remember for reasons of my own.

I will write more about my experiences at Sambo's tomorrow. I will start with the California (Sonoma, and Torrance) Sambo's restaurants. I had much better experiences in Arizona.