Summertime in the Shores Calendar of RSCA Events

As school lets out and the days get warmer, summer festivities We hope you will join us at Shores events!
Sounds of the Shores Summer Concerts
begin! Mark your calendars for Sounds of the Shores
Summer Concerts! (Additional details are on Page 5.)
Three Summer Sundays, 5-7pm @ Marlin Park
June 11th RiP-TiDEs (Beach Boys Party Band)
As days heat up, so do Shores Construction Projects.

July 9th Cocktail Monkeys (Rock/Pop/R&B)

PG&E and SVCW project details are on Page 20 and 23.

August 13th The Shanks (Classic Rock)

Additional construction projects in our area include:
Renovations and parking lot resurfacing at the Bay Club
New hotel neighbors along Shoreway Road
Design Tech School on Oracle Pkwy and Marine Pkwy
Sandpipers expansion o of Redwood Shores Pkwy
Annual Levee Cleanup
Saturday, August 26th at 8am to 12noon
(save the date to help cleanup the Shores!)

Halloween Walk @ Marlin Park

Median Signs, on both Parkways, will finally be

Saturday, October 28th at 1pm

connected to electricity thanks to the City and SVCW!
With all the equipment and workers coming and going around
the Shores, All ShoreS reSidentS need to take extra time
Santa Visits the Shores Library
Sunday, December 10th at 1-3pm
and precautions to ensure safety. Also review Approaches to
Creating Safer Roads from RCPD Captain Spicer on Page 14.
If you need a helping hand this summer, call on available You can always nd more information about these
Shores Students listed on Page 25. and other community events on our web site at

June Celebrations! RSCA.org

Fathers day Sunday, June 18th
A day to show appreciation for all he
does for his family, and treat him to
favorite activities!

Summer Solstice
tuesday, June 20th at
9:24pm Pdt
Technically, the June
Solstice is the exact
instant of time when the
sun is directly overhead
on the Tropic of Cancer.
As always, rSCA works with all residents and city ocials
to keep the Shores a greAt place to live and work.
Page 2 June 2017 e PILOT
 Full Page
for
Donna
Marie
Baldwin
NEW ART
COMING!
 REDWOOD SHORES
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
274 Redwood Shores Pkwy, PMB #603
Redwood Shores, CA 94065 - 1173
www.RSCA.org | info@rsca.org

2017 Board of Directors

Lynn Kathleen Adams Connie Munevar
Nina Boire Sue Nix
Jim Cvengros Ben Ploshay
Stacey Jamison Clemencia Rodriguez
Carol Ford Harris Rogers
Shannon Guzzetta Steven Tsujisaka
Don Long Bob Slusser
Mike Mancusi Andrew Young

RSCAs Board of Directors meet at the

Redwood Shores Library on the 2nd ursday of each
month at 7pm. Our next Board Meeting will be:
June 8th, 2017
Summertime in the Shores.....................................Page 1

ARChiTECTuRAl DESign REviEw BoARD (non-HOA areas):

Calendar of RSCA Events......................................Page 1
RSCA: What We Do & Your Role.........................Page 5
From the Mayor / Redwood City Trivia .................Page 6 Jim Cvengros Carol Ford Sue Nix
At Home in the Shores: Cabinet Accessories ..........Page 8 For CC&R copies & information, email <ADB@rsca.org>
Architectural Design Review Board........................Page 8
Library Events in June .........................................Page 11
Carlmont High School Robotics..........................Page 11
Its Elementary School Update .............................Page 12 DEADLINES for e PILOT
Rotary Club Supports Teachers & Students .........Page 12 e deadline for space reservation is normally the end of the
Sandpiper & BRSSD Robotics Achievement .......Page 13 first week of each month for the following months issue.
RCPD Approaches to Creating Safer Roads.........Page 14 Please email <ThePILOT@rsca.org> for a precise schedule.
Mother Natures Grand Slam ...............................Page 18 PUBLISHER: Redwood Shores Community Association
Simple Curry for Summer ...................................Page 18
e PILOT is the ocial monthly publication of
Redwood Shores Tennis Club ..............................Page 20
the Redwood Shores Community Association.
PG&E Pipeline Projects.......................................Page 20
CIRCULATION: 6,000 Shores Households & Businesses
SVCW Site Preparations......................................Page 23
Lynns Kitchen: Shortcake Biscuits.......................Page 24 Opinions published in e Pilot are solely those of the
Classified Ads / Available Shores Students ..............Page 25 authors and not the expressions of RSCA unless so ocially
and expressly designated.
St. Marks Corner.................................................Page 26
Page 4 June 2017 e PILOT
RSCA: whAT wE Do & YouR RolE
e PILOT is delivered to Shores homes and businesses
every month as part of the mission of the Redwood Shores
Community Association (RSCA) to CoMMuniCAte
with everyone who lives and works here.
In addition to the Fun ACtivitieS that RSCA organizes
every year, (EGGstravaganza, Sounds of the Shores, Halloween
Parade), board members work hard behind the scenes to ensure
the Shores stays beautiful as well as modern, vibrant and calm.
RSCA has been an advocate for the Shores for over 45 years!
We have established great relAtionShiPS with city
ocials, departments and businesses in Redwood City, and
our neighbors in Belmont and San Carlos.
Connecting with all departments of Redwood City, as well as
neighboring cities, takes a lot of time, but is a necessary step
for keeping our Shores community well-cared for.
As is true for everyone these days, theres More to do
than PeoPle to helP get it done. If you would like to
be involved in Shores maintenance, beautification, or
strategic planning, we invite you to reach out to us at
<info@rsca.org> or attend a monthly meeting (at the Shores
Library on the 2nd ursday of each month at 7pm).
In addition to Communications, Events and Membership*,
some of the liasion roles that RSCA takes on are:
Architectural Design Board (ADB), Schools, Heron Court,
Technology, Emergency Prep/Safety, Airport, Beautification,
Neighboring Cities, Outreach, Public Works, Services, etc.
we welcome volunteers and assistance from You!
*Membership helps the RSCA more eectively operate on
behalf of all homeowners, renters, employers, workers and
various wildlife who occupy the Shores. Please become a
Member and be involved in our community!
to become a Member, send your check for $45.00 to:
redwood Shores Community Association
274 redwood Shores Pkwy, PMB #603
redwood Shores, CA 94065-1173
(Please include your name, address, phone number & email.)
All residents are encouraged to Join our eMAil liSt
to be kept aware of news between monthly issues of e
PILOT. Go to our website at RSCA.org. At the top of the
left column is a big yellow button that says Join our email
list. Just click on that button and add yourself to our list.
Be part of our GREAT community in Redwood Shores!

ree Summer Sundays, 5-7pm @ Marlin Park

June 11th Beach Boys Party Band e RiP-TiDEs! are a
vintage, 60s-style, rock'n'roll band comprised of six guys-
playing a great mix of dance, oldies and contemporary hits!
July 9th Rock/Pop/R&B e Cocktail Monkeys bring you
more than exciting music and perfect vocal harmony; they
bring fun, camaraderie, and professionalism to each show.
With an alluring and powerful stage presence, from the first
song, Renee and the guys lead you through a fantasy evening
covering your favorite songs by your favorite bands.
August 13th Classic Rock e Shanks are a premier classic
rock cover band in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recently
honored as winners, and for a second time as runners-up, of
the KFOX 98.5 "Last Band Standing" competition hosted
by Greg Kihn. is competition seeks to identify the best
cover bands in the SF Bay Area.

e PILOT June 2017 Page 5

fRoM ThE M AYoR
Happy Summer! I grew up in a community in which the
summer population swelled with tourists. I remember
waiting with great anticipation for summer, not only
because school would be out for three months, but because
it meant all the incredibly fun activities would return for us
to enjoy. at is one of the reasons I love Redwood City;
the robust schedule of events throughout the year and
summertime is the pinnacle of great opportunities for
everyone to enjoy. Here are some of the events you can
enjoy this summer in Redwood City:
Music in the Park redwoodcity.org/musicinthepark
Free music for 10 full weeks throughout the summer! e
2017 season features concerts in a laid-back park ambiance
on wednesday evenings from 6 to 8pm. With unique and
varied musical performances including Motown, Blues,
Zydeco, Latin, Funk/Soul and much more families and
friends will enjoy our free outdoor concert series, in the
relaxing setting of beautiful Staord Park.
Movies on the Square redwoodcity.org/movies
Redwood Citys summer movie experience brings you FREE
movies on ursday evenings starting at sundown
(approximately 8:45pm, then earlier as the summer
progresses). Enjoy a variety of movies that will delight kids
and adults alike.
Music on the Square redwoodcity.org/musiconthesquare
Free music every week throughout the summer! is year
brings 14 unique concerts on Friday evenings from 6 to 8pm,
beginning on June 2nd and running through September 1st.
With top-quality local and national musical performers from
rock, blues, and pop, to reggae and much more.
Classical on the Square redwoodcity.org/classical
For the classical, instrumental or opera music lover, or
anyone who appreciates great musical talent, Redwood City
oers three concerts for its Classical Music Series starting
in June. e series launches at 7pm with Redwood
Symphony on June 24th, followed by Opera San Jose on July
9th at 6pm. e season concludes on September 10th with
Bayshore Lyric Opera at 5pm.
Sounds of the Shores redwoodcity.org/soundsoftheshores
Redwood City takes its summer music programn out to
Redwood Shores for three Sunday concerts throughout the
summer. Performances on June 11th, July 9th, and August
13th at Marlin Park are a local family favorite. (Additional
details about the concerts is listed on Page 5.)
Page 6 June 2017 e PILOT
Art on the Square redwoodcity.org/artonthesquare
ART on the Square features the best in fine arts and crafts for
six special events, starting on May 20th at Courthouse Square
in downtown Redwood City. Complementing Redwood
Citys 150th Anniversary Celebration, Music on the Square and
the PAL Blues Festival, ART on the Square showcases original
painting, photography, jewelry, glass, ceramics, and more, at
prices for every budget. eres also exquisite jewelry at every
show, and for those who cant get enough of it, there is a special
Jewelry on the Square on July 7th. Plus, every ART on the
Square event is combined with great
Originally music,in
positioned food, and fun!
Atlantic City
kidchella redwoodcity.org/kidchella
Redwood City is pleased to oer its kids music series for the
fifth year! For four Sundays this summer, the ubiquitous
Andy Z will be the Master of Music and Play by bringing
his high energy to Courthouse Square. is series will
provide a safe and fun environment for kids to dance and
enjoy live music from 11am to 1pm. e 2017 season kicks
o on June 11th and winds up with Andy Z and the
Andyland Band on September 10th. Your family will be
thrilled to enjoy free live music, along with an inflatable
play-land and more, at the Kidchella series this summer!
Shakespeare in the Park redwoodcity.org/shakespeare
Celebrating its 34th year, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival
brings its performance of Hamlet to Downtown Redwood
City for three weekends in August! Shakespeare in the
Park oers three 7:30pm shows on Saturdays, and three
4pm shows on Sundays, while providing an opportunity to
see high quality, professional theater in the relaxing outdoor
setting of the Sequoia High School Campus, free of charge.
More information about all of the events is available at
http://www.redwoodcityevents.com.
REDwooD CiTY TRiviA
In celebration of Redwood Citys Sesquicentennial, I am
going to post a monthly trivia question about Redwood
City. e first person to email the correct answer to
<jseybert@redwoodcity.org> will be recognized in the
following months PILOT and win a small prize (you may
only win one time).
Congratulations to Richard B. for correctly answering the
May trivia question. Redwood City held its first City
Council meeting on May 18th, 1867.
Here is this months trivia question:
What Redwood City department is older than
the city itself; having been formed in 1861?
e PILOT June 2017 Page 7
Maximize Storage with Cabinet Accessories
If remodeling your entire kitchen isnt in the cards this year,
consider installing cabinet accessories. Not only are these
functional, space-saving accoutrements able to add
considerable inches to your current storage, the instant
organization will make it feel like its been customized for
your personal use.
1. Make reaching items in base cabinets easier.
Helpful when accessing hard-to-reach items stuck in the
back, pull-out and roll-out shelves will allow you to fully
utilize the entire depth of your cabinets. ese shelves come
in a variety of styles, sizes, and materials, and can store
everything from dishes and plates, to pots and pans. Keep
in mind that a base cabinet with a standard door can usually Pull-out and swivel-out shelves are a great way to make every inch
accommodate three shelves, or you may prefer a dierent of space count. Photos courtesy of Dura Supreme Cabinetry:
type of pull-out such as for trash and recycling. www.durasupreme.com
2. Pantry accessories can Whatever accessories you decide to add, consider who will
double your storage. be using them (children, those with limited mobility, etc.)
Adding swivel or swing-out to ensure they are the right match for your space. And be
shelves to your pantry can creative! Chances are whatever space-saving mechanism you
instantly add space to small desire is on the market, ready to make your kitchen more
cupboards. Usually tall or full streamlined and easier than ever to use.
height, and as deep at 24
inches, the objective is to add Liza Riguerra is a technology professional
usable space by accessing the turned award-winning interior designer
far, previously unreachable who lives in Redwood Shores. Connect
corners. Adding racks or with her on Houzz, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Did You Know...

shelves onto cabinet doors
can further increase space.
3. Add small accessories to
fill wasted wall space.
When cabinets are placed along a stretch of wall, there can be
up to nine inches of leftover space that generally goes to waste.
Not in your kitchen! ere are plenty of innovative options to
help you take advantage of this otherwise unused space. Pull-
out accessories range from racks to hold spices, oils and cutting
boards, to towel bars, and holders for foil and plastic wrap.
4. no more dark corners.
Base cabinets can be notoriously dicult to find things in,
with dark, hard-to-reach corners that limit easy access. Add
a classic lazy susan to eliminate dark corners completely, or
try newer, articulated swing-out shelves (such as a half-moon
swing-out) to save yourself future headaches when searching
for an item gone missing in the depths of your kitchen.
... that EVERY residence in the Shores
is covered by Covenants, Codes &
Restrictions (CC&Rs)?
Whether you live in one of our many
Home Owners Associations (HOAs)
or in the original sections of the
Shores, there are CC&Rs on ALL Shores homes!
You should have received a copy of the CC&Rs when
you purchased your home. But if you live west of Shell
and NOT in an HOA, that might have been some time
ago. If you need a new copy, email <ADB@rsca.org>.

Page 8 June 2017 e PILOT

e PILOT June 2017 Page 9
 Carlmont High School Robotics
Reaches World-Wide Audience
Submitted by Valarie Wang
A stadium. A cheering, face-painted crowd. Flag-waving
referees on the sidelines with teams and coaches clustered at
their respective ends of the field. But this is no football game
its a robotics competition. e players racing across the field
are not athletes but robots, with lights blinking, pistons hissing,
and motors whirring.
e Carlmont Robotics team, which started as a school club
last year, benefited from a new robotics class this year taught
by Carlmont physics teacher and dedicated mentor David
Talcott. In only its second year of competition, the team
attended FIRST World Robotics Championship in Houston
on April 19-22. Team Deep Blue and its robot, Shark Tank,
ranked second in the Sacramento Regional Competition,
earning their trip to Championships.
After their success at the Sacramento Regional and trip to
Houston Championships, Deep Blue is looking for sponsors
to help their program flourish in the future. Monetary support
would both sustain the teams eorts and promote engineering
education throughout the community.
You can learn more about Deep Blue Robotics at
carlmontrobotics.org, or reach out to support them at
carlmontrobotics.org/contact. ey also have a GoFundMe
campaign to accept online donations at
gofundme.com/carlmont-robotics-to-world-champs.

e PILOT June 2017 Page 11

i T S E lEMEnTARY
Hard to believe that its already June! is is always an exciting
and expectant time for our students, with summer break just
around the corner.
AwArdS
is spring our schools and school district earned awards locally,
regionally and internationally. e local Rotary Club awarded
grants to Redwood Shores Elementary Teacher Nadia Moskaluk
and Sandpiper Teacher Lynn Bjorkquist. Ms. Moskaluk will add
books of many genres and levels of complexity to her classroom.
Kindergarteners will enjoy a rich library designed to inspire
insightful readers and vibrant storytellers. Ms. Bjorkquist will be
using the grant to purchase a portable speaker for playing music
during PE classes, as well as a gift card to purchase student-interest
songs. (Details and photos are on the right side of this page.)
Regionally, Sandpiper School and the Belmont Redwood
Shores School District won Kent Awards from the San Mateo
School Boards Association. Last month, the Association
recognized the district for its teacher leadership program,
which provides a structure for teacher decision-making and
professional development in English, Math, and Technology
throughout the school district. e Association also recognized
Sandpiper School for its remarkable robotics program. On a
much bigger stage, Sandpiper School sent five teams to the
VEX IQ World Championship for robotics in April. e
details are provided on the next page, (and information about
Carlmont High School Robotics is on the previous page).
Needless to say we are incredibly proud of our students!
SuMMer SChedule
e last day of the 2016-2017 school year will be Wednesday,
June 14th, and the first day of the next school year will be
Wednesday, August 23rd. During the summer break, Redwood
Shores Elementary will have summer school (known as
Extended School Year) from June 26th to July 21st, from 9am
to noon, and Sandpiper will have construction activity. Due
to delays in design, soil testing, and permitting, Sandpiper
Schools new two-story building is projected to be complete in
late September or early October, after the start of the school
year. Despite the delay, the school will begin growing towards
Kindergarten to 8th grade programming in the fall of 2017,
adding 6th grade for the 2017-2018 school year.
I invite you to reach out to me with
questions, comments, or oers of
assistance. We can always use classroom
and after-school homework volunteers.
Contact me at 650-620-2703 or
<mmilliken@brssd.org>.
anks for your support!
Michael Milliken, Ph.D.
BRSSD Superintendent
Page 12 June 2017 e PILOT
Belmont Redwood Shores Rotary Club
Supports Local Teachers & Students
On May 8th, the Belmont Redwood Shores Rotary Club hosted
a special annual dinner to present Gretchen Ross Teacher Mini
Grants. As a memoriam to Gretchen Ross, former BRSSD
Principal and Belmont Redwood Shores Rotarian, twenty-two
$500 grants were presented to teachers enabling them to purchase
additional teaching aids and/or supplies for their students. is
program is funded by the Rotary Clubs fundraising events such
as the Annual Lobster Feed. Grant winners were from Carlmont
High School: Mindy Chiang, Jaime Garcia, Melissa Hero, David
Lai, Karen Ramroth, Kelly Redmon, Michael Vossen. Cipriani
Elementary: Christine Allen, Tiany Duran, Mark Fish, Kim
Suydam. Fox Elementary: Carol Raisner. Nesbit Elementary:
Katie Hunter, Chandra McKeon, Kimberly Moorman, Taylor
urlow. Notre Dame Elementary: Michael Bizeau. Notre
Dame High School: My Nguyen. Ralston Middle School: Mia
Newman. Redwood Shores Elementary: Nadia Moskaluk.
Sandpiper Elementary: Lynn Bjorkquist, Tami Moore.
e occasion also provided
an opportunity to present
scholarship awards to
three notre dame high
School students: Kia
Afshar, Michelle Pineda
and Isabelle Way.
Over the years the Belmont Redwood Shores Rotary Club has
funded almost $400,000 in educational grants and awards to
local schools. Typical of Rotary Clubs throughout the world, all
work is voluntary and there are never any administrative costs.
One hundred percent of all funds raised are distributed among
our community and humanitarian projects such as these local
grants. Perhaps the largest Rotary International program so far
has been the near elimination of Polio through inoculation of the
entire world. (Only three small countries not yet declared Polio Free.)
Membership in Rotary is open to anyone
regardless of race, gender, religion or creed. If
you would like to know more about us, please
feel free to join us at any of our regular
lunches. Belmont Redwood Shores Rotary
meets every Monday at e Vans Restaurant,
815 Belmont Ave. Or visit belmontrotary.org.
Sandpiper Robotics Students Receive
Design Award at VEX Worlds 2017
Members of the Sandpiper
HiTech Team include:
Arianna Zhu, Magnus
Submitted by Principal Tami Moore Chow, Brianna Feldmeier,
Emily Song, Katherine
e 2017 VEX IQ World Championship was a 3-day event held
Zhang, Hayley Liu and
in Louisville, Kentucky, April 23-26, 2017. VEX Worlds 2017
mentors Chris Chow and
brought together top robotics teams in the VEX IQ Challenge
Jingming Zhang.
from qualifying events happening in cities around the world from
June 2016 to March 2017. is years event nearly doubled in Members of the Sandpiper
size with 272 elementary school teams competing from over 30 Superstars include: Noemi
countries! Sandpiper Elementary School had five teams qualify Nejedla, Braden Yang,
to attend, which was a tie for the highest number of teams from Rohan Yadavalli, Sophie
any one elementary school. Sandpipers qualifying teams were the Wei, Sophia Mendoza
Bionix, Hexperts, Cookie Warriors, HiTech, and Superstars. Neidle and mentors Blanka
is years competition was broken into four subdivisions, and I Nejedla and Crystal Yang.
am pleased to report that Bionix won the Design Award in the
Elementary Science Division! e Design Award is presented to Members of the RainForest
a team that demonstrates an organized and professional approach Hunters include: Enzo
to the design process, project and time management and team Carvalho, Kytis Hong,
organization. e teams engineering notebook is a complete Kush Khanna, Ruhi
documentation of the teams design process. e winning team Koppula, Aanika Tiwary,
is able to describe how the students implemented an ecient and Tsubasa Yasukawa and their
productive design process to accomplish the project goals. mentor Americo Carvalho.
A special highlight from the championship was seeing continued
participation of Belmont-Redwood Shores students on other Members of the RainForest
school and community-based teams, most of which are Panthers include: Akshita
Sandpiper alumni. One of the community programs, called Bisht, Arush Bisht, Martin
RainForest Robotics, is a volunteer community program Brehovsky, Joey Revels,
sponsored by Amazon. Another community program, called Saturo Yasukawa and their
Redwood Shores Robotics, is a self-sponsored club made up of mentor Romi Boimer.
Sandpiper alumni who are enthusiastic about robotics. e
commitment and support of ALL BRSSD robotics partners have Members of RWS Black
ensured a positive and successful experience for all our future Jaguar include: Karina Tam,
engineers and students. Joshua Zhang, Sanjna Sood,
Sandpiper Bionix include: Simona Yaroslavsky, Elliott
Arin & Riya Kadakia, Yaroslavsky and mentors
Brendan Chan-Wittry, Tony Tam and Alan Zhang.
Nathan Chan, Calista
Huang, and mentors Viral Nesbit Nerdz include:
Kadakia and Tony Wittry. Michael & Gabriel Llanell-
Vararaj, Jakub Nejedly,
Eliska Nejedla, Zachary
Sandpiper Hexperts
Taylor, Charlotte Sullivan,
include: Sushant & Supriti
Winston Singh, mentors
Bhopale, Rishi Iyengar,
Petr Nejedly, Rick Taylor
Sweekriti Ratnam, mentors
and Suzanne Sullivan.
Suvarna & Sunil Bhopale.
Nesbit Ninjas include:
Logan Crusick, Paulina
Sandpiper Cookie Warriors Guereca, Raj Keswani,
include: Cassandra Tobias Sin, John Quinn,
Colaizzi, Daniela Colaizzi, Emma Yin, Jasneh Sasan,
Myles Hu, Jena Kawar, mentors Pooja Keswani
Keira Leong, Andrew Lum and Armando Guereca.
and mentor Virna Colaizzi.
e PILOT June 2017 Page 13

Approaches to Creating Safer Roads
by Captain John Spicer, Redwood City Police Department
Im fortunate to regularly attend neighborhood meetings throughout
Redwood City as part of my role of overseeing uniformed police
resources that are deployed for various functions within the City. As
many of you know, Ive met with multiple groups, including the
RSCA, to specifically address concerns in Redwood Shores. One of
my primary goals is to hear feedback from residents about their
concerns pertaining to safety issues. we are fortunate in redwood
City that violent crime is comparatively low, and while property
crimes are a continuous challenge to address, our overall crime rates
are generally low as well. I must credit the exceptional ocers weve
worked hard to recruit and train for their commitment to the work
they do, and because they go the extra mile whenever possible. Of
course a low set of crime statistics is not the whole story, as Im
regularly reminded at these community meetings. Crime rates do
fluctuate and other non-criminal challenges bring concern to many
residents, and rightfully so. Perhaps the single most voluminous
category of non-criminal complaints I receive relate to road safety.
While this is by no means a Redwood City-specific concern, it is indeed
the unique qualities of this city that we must focus on when
determining the true nature of trac safety concerns, as well as the best
available remedies for attempting to improve such conditions. In light
of the changes weve seen here over the past five years, I believe wed all
agree that solutions can be moving targets. Growth in residential
population and the addition of new businesses coupled with daytime
employee influx, create new challenges for the Citys mid-century
infrastructure. is requires us to be quite specific on the strategies we
choose as we attempt to mitigate these problems. Depending upon who
you talk to, the best way to go about this can vary considerably. Many
believe that a strict enforcement approach is best, utilizing the Power
of the Pen to cite drivers into better driving habits. Others feel that
without key structural modifications, the risks posed by increasing
trac cannot be avoided. ere are also those who believe that the
good citizenship culture of courteous driving has somehow faded
in recent years with the turnover of residents. While each of these
positions have value, the best thing to remember is that none of them
can stand alone in comprehensively confronting trac safety
challenges. Perhaps the simplest way to sum it up is to apply the old
stand-by used in trac safety circles: the ree Es: education,
engineering and enforcement. ese three pillars still encapsulate
the aforementioned philosophies and help us to better understand the
action items that can be produced from each.
When deciding which approach fits where, how much of it will
work, and the best ways to measure success, City sta, including
myself, must bear in mind our responsibilities as good stewards of
tax payers money. In simplest terms, we must seek to get the most
bang for our (your) buck. For example, if I can accomplish changes
in driver conduct by using a remotely operated inanimate object,
such as a radar-driven speed sign trailer that is already owned by the
City and uses little sta time, it stands to reason that I should do so.
And indeed we do just that. Conversely, there are simply some
activities that must still be undertaken by paid sta, and technology
has not yet given us the ability to work through the complexities of
changing driver behavior on the most granular level. ere is still the
need to deploy ocers in the capacity of enforcement agents, even
Page 14 June 2017 e PILOT
if a certain proportion of the contacts they make result in warnings.
It is largely through these person-to-person contacts that the good
citizenship culture of courteous driving will be maintained as some
of our newest residents, commuters, and visitors learn the expectations
our community has of them. is is truly one aspect of the
Education piece within the ree Es construct.
Yet some challenges can only be addressed practically and sustainably
through infrastructural adaptations. Once a needs assessment is
conducted by City sta, the cost of these adaptations are weighed
against other corrective options. To be clear, infrastructural changes to
roadways are never cheap. Funding and implementation is also quite
complex, requiring environmental studies, the identification of funding
sources, and also the collection of input from the public. At almost
every meeting, I am asked why the City doesnt simply add speed
bumps to a roadway where they believe people drive too fast, or a stop
sign between intersections. On their face, these so-called solutions seem
practical, but more often than not, they are counter-productive and
unwelcomed. Imagine that slick new speed bump placed in front of
your house and then the sound of continuous road noise generated by
cars traveling over it and accelerating at all times of the day and night.
Speed bumps work well in parking lots where the speeds involved
are already low. On public roadways, speed bumps can act as launching
ramps that are always guaranteed to produce a terrified reaction from
unsuspecting dog-walkers in the area. engineering changes must be
carefully weighed against the unintended consequences they could
create. People like Redwood Citys Senior Transportation Coordinator
Jessica Manzi have spent years studying the ins and outs of trac
engineering and, in my opinion, are quite good at it.
roughout the year, the Police Department works with Jessica
Manzi and her sta to evaluate which strategy should be employed
for each challenge. we regularly exchange feedback we receive
from community meetings and work in step with her department
to comprehensively and sustainably address trac safety.
To further this eort, City Council and the City Managers Oce
has launched an initiative to reinvigorate and more practically-align
our Neighborhood Associations. Deputy City Manager Alex
Khojikian is leading this initiative (see: Neighborhood Associations
on the Citys website) and I am working with him to include a
recurring Neighborhood Watch piece for each neighborhood
association. e Neighborhood Watch Program meetings will always
include a discussion of trac safety concerns in your neighborhood,
so please consider joining us in this eort as we move from
association to association. We are also attempting to include
neighborhood businesses and Nextdoor administrators in these
collaborative eorts, so as many stakeholders can contribute to the
overall wellbeing of the neighborhood.
As I have the opportunity to visit with your neighborhood association
during an upcoming meeting, I hope youll consider these points as
we join together to face the complexities of trac safety management.
I also hope that youll place the great confidence in City sta as they
engineer sustainable and aordable solutions, as well as our police
ocers who attempt to bring about change through education and,
when necessary, enforcement. Regardless of the approach, please be
assured that we are all attempting to become increasingly more
ecient and to balance costs of the resources at our disposal.
(is article was also posted to Nextdoor in mid-May).
 !"#$%&'$()')#"*+%,*'-%!./$012$0%#*%3$4"+%5)#$%61+$78)'29%6129%)#%!"2".*+%:)22$9%
;2$)+%,)#$'%
Site preparation improvements are scheduled to begin in late June or early July at Silicon Valley Clean
Waters 10-acre front-of-plant (FoP) former ornamental pond at 1400 Radio Road at the southeastern
tip of Redwood Shores. This is subject to SVCW Commission approval at its June meeting.

The six-month project provides site improvements needed to support new facilities that will be
constructed on the site starting in late 2018 through 2022. Civil site improvements are needed to
support these new facilities including the stabilization of the soil in the front of plant area, construction
of paved site access and parking, grading and drainage for stormwater, utilities to serve each facility
including lighting, and construction fencing.

Truck traffic coming along Redwood Shores Parkway to the plant will average about 50 round-
trips per day during the project, bringing in materials needed to stabilize the site. All truck traffic will
be directed to not exceed the 25-mph speed limit in Redwood Shores and to drive in the far-right hand
lanes whenever possible.
!
(see article in Pilot for more thorough information)

You can keep current at our website: www.svcw.org

To receive updates by email, please send us your email to siliconvalleycleanwater@svcwnews.com

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Page 16 June 2017 e PILOT

 e d
l i St
S t
Ju

B r e t e vA n S
282 Redwood Shores Pkwy
Redwood City, CA 94065
Broker Associate
CalBRE# 01223530
(650) 722-6555
Bretevans@sbcglobal.net

425-g Cork harbour Circle, redwood Shores

2 bedroom, 2 bath | 900 Square Feet
$788,000 Bretevanshomes.com
e PILOT June 2017 Page 17
MOTHER NATURES
GRAND SLAM
by Harvey Radin
What a sigh of relief now that the drought is over, at least
for now. In California we tend to think about precipitation.
Not all the time, because theres so much going on. But this
precipitation thing... Admit it! You probably think about
it, too. Its like wondering how the Giants will do each
baseball season. And the 49ers when the team reports to
training camp and the Warriors and our local college teams.
How will they do?
Here in California where rainfall and the Sierra snowpack
play a key role in our lives, theres lots of anticipation about
each new season. Will there be enough rain for the states
reservoirs? And enough snow in the mountains? ese on-
again-o-again droughts can be stressful. is is serious,
but also amusing at times.
A few years ago, for example, after several seasons of below-
average precipitation, all of a sudden, it snowed like mad in
the Sierra. ere was growing optimism when people with
the Department of Water Resources measured the snowpack
for the first time that Winter. Weather-wise, would this be
a winning year after several disappointing seasons?
But as they say in baseball, there was no joy in Mudville.
Because while there was plenty of snow, its water content
was below expectations. Which makes you wonder... Could
this be an only in California kind of thing. Dry snow?
What about Midwest and East Coast snow? And if theres
such a thing as dry snow, what about the rain? Weve joked
about that when its raining hard here. What if its dry rain?
Well, no worries this year. eres record snow in the Sierra
and its plenty wet. And with all that rain weve had this
past Fall, Winter and Spring, its the wettest year in 122 years
of records, according to the Mercury News. Wet snow and
wet rain, whats better than that? But still, all kidding aside,
bountiful precipitation one year doesnt guarantee future
winning seasons. So be happy for the championship this
year, but keep conservation in mind.
After a career in corporate communication,
Harvey Radin wrote books and articles
about public opinion and PR. His articles
have been published in Business Insider,
American Banker and regional news
media. He can be reached at:
<hoastrategic@gmail.com>.
Page 18 June 2017 e PILOT
SIMPLE CURRY FOR SUMMER
A combination of hearty potatoes and fresh beans makes a
delicious vegetarian main, a tasty starter or an excellent side!
Try it with sweet potatoes for extra health benefits and color.
ALLOO PHALIYAN
Curried Potatoes & String Green Beans
Recipe contributed by Teena Arora.
ingredientS
1 bunch string green (or purple) beans; cut into 1 pieces
2 medium size potatoes; peeled and cubed into 12 cubes
2-3 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
5-6 garlic cloves; minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp tava dry masala
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 cup water (as needed)
1 tsp garam masala
fresh cracked black pepper
(to taste)
Method
Rinse and cut long green beans into 1 size. Peel potatoes and
cut into 1/2 cubes. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet on medium
high heat. Add garlic and saute for 15 seconds.
Add cumin seeds, turmeric, curry powder, tava dry masala,
salt and red chili powder. Stir, and then add string beans
and potatoes; mix and stir evenly. Add water. Cover and
cook for 10-12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Remove cover/lid and increase heat to get rid of any excess
water. Adjust salt to taste. Add black pepper and garam
masala, and stir lightly. Transfer to a serving dish and serve!
Chef Teena is a nationally recognized, award-winning
curator of cuisine that is robust in flavor, medicinal,
and often Indian inspired! She has over 25 years of
Culinary Education & Consulting experience and has
notably worked as a Chef Consultant at Stanford
University and a Chef Instructor at Whole Foods
Market Salud Cooking School. Currently, Chef Teena
oers cooking classes, corporate team-building events,
private in-home instruction, pop-up dinner tastings,
personal chef services, and restaurant consulting. She is
passionate about teaching people how to cook healthy,
vibrant, nutrient rich, delicious foods, with ease!
After all, you are what you eat and health is wealth.
 Sanit Bordeianu
650.430.3500 mobile
sbordeianu@apr.com
www.SanitBordeianu.com
CalBRE# 01923423

Your Redwood Shores Neighbor, Resource & Realtor

No one knows your neighborhood like Sanit!
1232 Alameda de Las Pulgas, Redwood City
3 Beds, 2 Baths - Sold for $1,565,000

LD
SO
ST
JU

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SELLING YOUR HOME?

e PILOT June 2017 Page 19
Pacific Gas and Electric Projects
PG&E has a gas distribution (small pipes) project on the
following Redwood Shores streets: Quay Lane, Lanyard
Drive, Bowspirit Drive, Capstan Court and Gunter Lane.
e project began in mid-May and will continue through
January 2018. e project will involve installing 3,580 feet
of new gas main in the streets and running new service lines
to each of the units. e crews may need to relocate meters
outside the existing meter cabinets.*
PG&E also has a gas transmission project on Ralston
Avenue from Alameda de las Pulgas to just before Belmont
Canyon Road (East) that will install just under 3,800 feet
of 6 steel pipe to replace 4 pipe to allow for capacity
increase to the west side of the city. e blue line on the
map is the new pipe installation. e project will involve
closing a portion of the right lane on the westbound side of
Ralston Avenue to allow for the installation. is project also
began in mid-May and will continue until November
depending on weather and other unforeseeable issues.
For questions about these projects, you may contact:
Scott Hart, Senior Gas Outreach Specialist for Pacific Gas
and Electric at 650-598-7416 or <dshf@pge.com>.
*If landscape redesign is needed, please contact the
Architectural Design Board <AdB@rsca.org> for guidance.
Page 20 June 2017 e PILOT
by Monique Seibel
e April tournament format was a mixed scramble, and it
lived up to its name indeed. With an uneven draw of nineteen
people, and more women than men, there were womens
doubles as well as mixed doubles. Players were assigned a
dierent partner for every round and, to make sure things
were really scrambled, about half the players were assigned a
court change mid-way through. roughout the morning,
there was a light cloud cover (nice in that no one had to serve
into the sun) and the temperatures warmed up to the ideal
for tennisnot too hot and not too chilly. Individual scores
were tallied and winners were announced at the social that
night. First place winners were Robin George (women) and
Bob Porter (men). June Walker took second place (women);
John Jordan and John Pulos tied for second place among the
men. Each winner received one of several zany prizes. ere
was an electric bug zapper in the shape of a racquet; a book
called Tenniss Strangest Matches; a set of vibration dampeners;
and some lace-in butterfly wings for tennis shoes.
Iroula Manuelian
Since it was Earth Day, the theme of the social was fresh
garden produce. Dishes included lots of fresh salads, a
vegetarian moussaka, fruit tarts and a berry pie. Cynthia
Hunton and Dennis Murphy were the gracious hosts. anks
are due not only to them but to June Walker, the tournament
director, to Kathi Williams, who did the draw, Barb Urrutia
for courtside refreshments, and Irene Muzio for prizes.
Upcoming events are the open play on June 10th and the
monthly tournament on June 17th. You must be a member
to play. For information, or to join, visit www.rstc.org.
Lets play tennis!
Behind lifes adventures
is a primary care doctor.
Whether its a big day out or just a really busy day, having a supportive partner makes every step a little better.
The primary care doctors at Dignity Health Medical GroupSequoia will work with you so you can enjoy every
part of your active life. Start a lasting relationship with a doctor at dhmf.org/sequoia/primarycare.

e PILOT June 2017 Page 21

Page 22 June 2017 e PILOT
Site Preparation Work Scheduled to
Begin Late June/Early July at SVCW
Site preparation improvements are scheduled to begin in late
June or early July at Silicon Valley Clean Waters 10-acre
front-of-plant (FoP) former ornamental pond at 1400 Radio
Road at the southeastern tip of Redwood Shores, subject to
Commission approval at its June meeting.
e six-month project provides site improvements needed to
support new facilities that will be constructed on the site
starting in late 2018 through 2022. As part of conveyance
system upgrades, SVCW has planned improvements on plant
property required to complete conveyance system upgrades,
and meet forthcoming nutrient removal requirements from
the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Improvements
planned within the front-of-plant area include a new receiving
lift station, headworks, flow diversion structure, odor control,
electrical facilities and a storm water pump station.
Civil site improvements are needed to support these new
facilities including the stabilization of the soils in the front-
of-plant area, construction of paved site access and parking,
gate for access, grading and drainage for storm water, utilities
to serve each facility including lighting for safe access, and
chain link fencing.
truck trac coming along redwood Shores Parkway to
the plant will average about 50 round-trips per day
during the project, bringing in materials needed to
stabilize the site. All trac will be directed to not exceed
the 25-mph speed limit in redwood Shores and to drive
in the right-hand lanes whenever possible.
e overall front-of-plant project details are:
Site Grading and Stabilization e site will be graded
and soil stabilized to allow for construction and construction
staging.
Areas planned to be paved will be lime stabilized first, then
fill placed on top to a subgrade elevation.
Interim Storm Drain To drain the site during and after
construction, new inlets and piping will be installed to divert
storm water into the existing storm drain system.
Utilities and Crossings To avoid trenching across driveways
and parking, utility corridors and piping will be established to
provide room for utilities needed to serve FoP facilities.
Lighting New lighting will be provided for safety along
the new roadways and parking.
Paving and Striping Paving will be required on the new
roadway and around new facilities to allow for access of
vehicles.
Concrete work New curbs, planters and wheel stops will
be constructed to protect vehicles and pedestrians.
To keep the site safe and organized, construction fences
will be erected.
Storm Drain System New inlets, piping and planters will
be constructed to collect, convey, and store/treat storm water.
Separate Overflow Pipe As part of the civil project, a
new process overflow pipe will be constructed from the flow
diversion structure to drying bed A. is will allow more
storage capacity for the conveyance system in case its needed.
Concrete work Rolled curbs will be installed along the
south side roadway in order to prevent trac from straying
into the structures and planters.
Signage New signage will be placed to direct trac,
identify buildings, identify parking, and call out any
necessary information.
Striping Final striping will be placed.
e front-of-plant new facilities that will begin construction
in late 2018 on the 10-acres are these:
Receiving Lift Station (RLS) a deep pumping station,
located at the terminus of the conveyance pipeline, that will
be used to lift flows into the treatment processes.
Headworks Facility preliminary treatment including
screening and grit removal.
Odor Control Facility odor treatment for the conveyance
pipeline, RLS, and headworks.
Influent Connector Pipe connection of new headworks
to the existing plant.
Electrical Infrastructure Improvements necessary to
support new facilities.
Diversion pipe to emergency storage basin to be used for
emergency flow diversions.
For more details about this project and other SVCW news,
please go to svcw.org and subscribe to their newsletter and/or
like them on Facebook. You may also attend their public
meetings on the 2nd ursday of each month.
e PILOT June 2017 Page 23
From LYNNs KITCHEN
(How a Connecticut Yankee embraced California Cuisine)
Lynn Kathleen Adams
June Strawberries Means
Strawberry Shortcake Time!!
My friends tease me that I was born with a whisk in one hand
and a rolling pin in the other. From the time I was 5 years
old I begged my Mom to teach me how to cook. I haunted
her kitchen she had no choice but to make me her little
sous chef de cuisine! I loved my Dads vegetable garden, the
raspberry bushes, his fruit trees, the grapevines and even the
compost pile in the corner of the backyard that grew the
largest and best squash! is early passion for baking and
cooking, using fresh organic produce and healthy
ingredients, remains to this day.
Our family always looked forward to June Dads Birthday
was the first week, and this also meant the strawberries were
ripe! Dad would load all of the kids into the station wagon
and we take a short ride from Wethersfield down the
Connecticut River Valley to the local strawberry farm. After
several hours of filling our baskets, the kids would collapse
into the back seat of the car and we would head for home,
sunburned, tired, and with clothes and hands stained bright
strawberry red. And of course, we insisted that we have
Strawberry Shortcake that night for dessert before helping
Mom make Strawberry Jam the next day.
In honor of my Dads upcoming 93rd Birthday and Fathers
Day, and one of my Dads most favorite desserts, here is our
family recipe for Shortcake Biscuits. I wish I was back in
Connecticut now to whip up this dessert for him! Its quick
and easy to make, and the warm flaky shortcake biscuits just
call out for fresh seasonal strawberries, whipped cream and
a big glass of icy-cold milk.
Page 24 June 2017 e PILOT
ShortCAke BiSCuitS
2 Cups sifted white unbleached All Purpose Flour
4 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons White Sugar (I use Bakers superfine sugar)
1 Large Egg
Cup unsalted cold butter
Cup whole milk
Serves 6 400 F
1. Mix dry ingredients together into medium mixing bowl.
2. Whisk egg and milk together in a separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Cut butter into very small pieces, and add to dry
ingredients. Blend with pastry cutter, and then mix with
your fingers, rolling pieces of butter into the flour. Do
this quickly to keep the butter cold.
4. Add egg/milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir
together with a fork. e batter will be a bit sticky.
5. Pour shortcake mixture onto lightly floured pastry cloth
or floured marble rolling surface. Dust with a sprinkle
of flour, and knead gently a couple of times into a round
ball. Roll out to a inch thickness. Flour bottom of
biscuit cutter and cut out biscuits. (I use a 2 inch
diameter cutter, but have been known to make Papa
Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear sizes!)
6. Place biscuits on parchment paper covering a cookie sheet,
about 1 inch apart. Put another biscuit round on top of
the first, so you have two rounds to make one biscuit.
7. Brush a little milk on top of each biscuit with pastry brush.
I sprinkle the tops with a little sparkling sugar for garnish.
8. Bake on middle shelf in pre-heated oven (I do not use my
convection oven) for 12 - 18 minutes (depending on size
of biscuits) or until lightly browned. Remove from oven
and cool on a rack.
Serve with fresh sliced strawberries (sometimes we mash them
so they are a little juicer) between the biscuits, and on top of
the biscuit, with whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Enjoy !
(Lynn has been an RSCA Board member since 1994.)
 CLASSIFIED ADS
Redwood Shores Handyman
No job too small, can do almost anything.
Redwood Shores Resident
Call Scott 650-464-3276
or email shenderson4@aol.com

Shores Students Available to Help!

School is out for summer, Shores Students have a little extra
time on their hands to help neighbors and earn some spending
money! (You can work out rates and details directly.)*

Redwood Shores
Certified Public Accountant
ryan Anderson (16) | ryancole.anderson@yahoo.com
Email or call 650-654-0920 for yard work, watering, window

Providing tax preparation and planning,

washing, house sitting.

accounting and bookkeeping services

15+ years experience Shores Resident
Justin Anderson (14) | justinpeter.anderson25@yahoo.com

Call Kerman at 650-291-4219

Email or call 650-654-0920 for pet care, yard work, watering,
window washing, house sitting.

Silvias Housecleaning Service

Brooke Anderson (11) | brookeann.anderson6@yahoo.com

License #22085 - Bonded and Insured

Email or call 650-654-0920 for pet care, watering, house sitting.

References available on request

Zoe Chien (21) | 650-281-8261 | zoecchien@gmail.com

Serving the Shores for 21 years

Flexible schedule, available weekdays & weekends for pet care,

(415) 860-6988
dog walking, house sitting, child care, administrative help,
watering, etc.

REDWOOD SHORES, BELMONT,

Jordan rich (15) | elizabeth_rich@comcast.net

BURLINGAME & WOODSIDE YELLOW CAB

Email or call 650-759-2919 for child care, pet care, house

20% OFF for

REDWOOD SHORES RESIDENTS
sitting, watering.

(Van Available)
Sarah Schisla (19) | 650-832-1317 | sschisla@stanford.edu

(650) 921-2038
Available for child care, pet care, house sitting, watering,
tutoring and proofreading.

BILINGUAL MONTESSORI CHILD CARE

650-888-7301
High Quality Licensed Child Care & Preschool in the Shores.
Chinese Immersion and Montessori Program.
Enrichment Curriculum. Nutritious Food.
Convenient Location. Experienced Teachers.
www.ElitePreschools.com/Testimonial
Audrey Sullivan (14) | 650-622-2234
Interested in babysitting, dog walking, (basically all of the jobs).
Matthew wong (15.5) | 650-416-4168 | 795710@seq.org
Available to run errands, yard work/watering and house sitting.
Additional Students: If youre available for odd jobs and projects
over the summer, email thepilot@rsca.org with information

FLORES HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE

about your availability, to include in e Pilot for July.

Excellent service, good references.

Include name, age, phone, email and tasks you are available for:

Call Ana or Edgar 650-924-0406

Child Care Yard Work
Cleaning House Sitting
Pet Care Watering

CLASSIFIED ADS
Window Washing Other: _______________

*RSCA does not endorse or vet any individuals listed.

e PILOT June 2017 Page 25

ST. MARKS CoRnER
Where ere Isnt Smoke,
ere May Still Be Fire
By Richard Watkins
Sunday, June 4 marks Pentecost Sunday; the celebration of when
the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples after Jesus ascension
and the transformation of the disciples to apostles. To be perfectly
honest, not a holy day of which I really ever took notice. I always
figured that Jesus died, He rose, He showed himself to the disciples
proving He is who He said He is, they believed and they went o
telling everyone about it. Pretty simple. I got it. I believed it. Case
closed. Oh but how God works in mysterious ways.
As a result of my son being in Faith Formation (catechism) and
often helping him with his lessons and homework, I am, essentially,
going through CCD as well (again). is time, however, as a 40-
something-or-other-year-old man, I am able to retain a lot of the
information better than when I was seven or eight. So when the
lesson on Pentecost came around, it stuck with me a little more
than it did a few decades ago. But still, the event didnt jump up
any spots on my Catholicism pay attention to list.
But oh how God works in amusing ways.
I have, for some time, wanted to write a screenplay on the life of
the apostle Paul. One evening, after the family had gone to bed,
while I was flipping back and forth between SportsCenter, the
NFL Network and MLB Tonight or something like that, I was
taken by the notion that it was time. So, I picked up my bible
and turned to Acts. I figured the first thing to do was to get a feel
for who Paul was. At first, nothing really new popped out at me.
en I got to Acts 2:
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one
place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise
like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which
they were. en there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which
parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in dierent
tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
I stopped reading and began contemplating: Why did all these cool
things happen back then and not today? I have the Holy Spirit.
Right? I mean, Ive asked for the Holy Spirit to work in my life just
about every day. Still, these guys got fire that came down like
tongues. ey were on fire! I didnt get any fire. I didnt even get any
smoke or at the very least the smell of sulfur from a match trying to
be lit but never fully sparking up. I went on for a little while longer
reading and thinking. Reading and thinking. en, I went to bed.
Around 1:30am, while asleep I heard three fairly sustained beeps.
It really didnt register because, like I said, I was asleep. It
happened again. is time I awoke with a start. It was the smoke
alarm. I went into the boys room. No smoke; no fire. ree more
beeps. I went to the kitchen and oce. Nothing. ree more
beeps. I went to the boys room again. Still nothing.
Page 26 June 2017 e PILOT
I stood in the doorway of the master bedroom as there are smoke
alarms on either side of the wall. ree more beeps. It was coming
from inside my bedroom. I went back in. Saw nothing, smelled
nothing. ree more beeps. For a moment I thought the battery
needed to be changed. But typically, if a new battery is needed,
there would be a single, short chirp that would go o every minute.
ese sounds were three sustained beeps and the timing was varied.
Is it the battery? my wife asked.
I dont think so. Its not the right sound. But I dont get it, theres
no smoke in the house and nothing is on fire.
Meanwhile, the beeps continued.
I was afraid I was going to have to dismantle the thing, but the
position of the alarm is something like 20 feet up a vaulted wall.
at meant I would need to get an extension ladder and go
through quite an ordeal.
Why are you beeping? I quipped back. ere is no smoke.
ere is no fire. Nothing is on fire. Nothing is on
I paused, dropped my head and shook it back forth. en I
looked up and held out my arms.
Seriously!? I said.
What?
Gods messing with me.
ree more beeps.
What?
Before coming to bed, I was reading Acts and about Pentecost
and how I never caught fire when I received the Holy Spirit and
I wondered why and blah, blah, blah.
ree more beeps.
I looked up again and said. Okay, okay. I get it.
Get what?
God is telling me that I do have the Holy Spirit and because I
do, I am on fire, and that fire is letting o smoke and that smokes
setting o the alarm.
I stood for a couple more moments thinking about the whole
situation and thought of a line I wrote in a story a long time ago.
Man made God in His own image; and I had to give Him a sense
of humor.
en, I went back to bed. No more beeps.