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About this time, Ruth and Bob constructed the "Hideout", a place where the kids could play, and supposedly keep out of their parent's hair -- alas, it was never popular with the kids	Bob's dad, Thor, with Julie
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Engineer Bob with pocket slide rule	Bob recalled: "Bob Schonlau and I had an appointment with the Directors of a small troubled Mutual Water Company on Antelope Valley on a Saturday evening in 1961. I borrowed a County pool car and drove it to Bob's home in San Fernando. We had prepared graphics to display to the directors at their board meeting, and Bob was driving while I was sitting buckled with a lap-belt alongside in the passenger seat studying and discussing with Bob our presentation of the unrolled plan, illuminated by the ceiling light, when it happened. "Mint Canyon Road was well travelled with frequent bends alongside the creek, one lane of traffic in each direction. Bob was about 100 feet behind an 18 wheel semi-trailer. A pickup truck with 2 men who were returning from a job in Antelope Valley was also following another 18 wheeler. As the two 18 wheelers passed each other on a curve, the driver of the pickup apparently pulled into our path so he could see to pass the 18 wheeler and struck our sedan. "All vehiclees were travelling about 40 miles per hour.The pickup was higher than the sedan, consequently the pickup climbed over the sedan ripping off the sedan roof and continuing across the highway, into the creek, where it burst into gasoline-fed flames. "I was thrown under the sedan dashboard by the impact. ( I was unconscious for two days and this is what I read in reports.) Bob was decapitated, Special equipment was used to cut apart the sedan so they could get me into an ambulance, I spent the next 2 months in hospitals recovering from lacerations, broken skull, ribs and leg bones. "It was 3 months before I overcame my fear of entering an automobile, and 2 years before an insurance company partly compensated me for my financial losses. "The pickup was a rented vehicle. Its renters were pennyless and our damages (Schonlau left 2 young orphans and a widow) greatly exceeded the amount of insurance California required the Rental Company to have. The fuel tank of the pickup truck was installed inside the truck's cab. "Our attorneys fees and the incidental expenses somewhat exceeded the compensations eventually paid to us survivors." Sometime this year, Bob was in another major accident. As a passenger, he walked away with massive bruises and severe head trauma. This was caused by his driver, who ran a stop sign and side-swiped another car. Both cars were totalled, and the other driver broke a leg, but at least there were no fatalities. Bob was advised by his lawyer to NOT seek medical aid for this accident, as it would impact the previous lawsuit. Fortunately, he was alright. During this accident, Bob remembers his head bouncing off the walls of the car like a ping pong ball. Jef remembers actually seeing his father in the hospital, so Ruth probably drove the kids to visit. As a side note, shortly after this, Bob received a settlement check from the prior year accident. Bob paid off the home loan (which ultimately bought the Boylston house for RUth) soon after this. Bob, his lawyer, and the medical establishement each received equal shares of the $30,000 settlement.
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Bob with daughters Julie and Elsa, and son Jef - note the bump on his head from 2 accidents he was in recently	Around this time, Jef and Julie were sent away to summer camp in Catalina. Bob remembered that he was left with Elsa part of this time. Ruth maintained this vacation was purely for her kids having fun. It is more likely that she wanted to do something without distraction. That something was almost certainly hacking out a business plan with her friend, Don Lynch. She worked with Don for the next 15 years and eventually moved Julie and Elsa around the country.
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The von Trapp family (basis for the movie "The Sound of Music") with Thor & Judie Judith with friends in her Westchester home about this time Bob's folks with other relatives, and perhaps the von Trapp's. Bob's Uncle Bob on floor. Perhaps Midge is far right on couch (Photo provided by Midge, Bob's cousin & daughter of Bob's Uncle Arvid, the namesake of his middle name)	Bob recalled: "About 1963 one summer weekend, my ten year old son, Jef and I decided to climb the highest mountain in Southern California, Mount San Gorgonio. Car parked below Poopout Hill, we carried our gear up to Dollar Lake and slept in our bags, continuing the next morning up to the 11500-foot summit. "I have vague recollection of the walk back to our car possibly because at age 44, I had become susceptible to Mountain Sickness. I had not been anywhere near that altitude for 5 years and had meanwhile gained 40 pounds. Back to the car, about 6000-feet altitude, regaining presence of mind, I could not account where or why I had lost nearly all of my gear, overnight oxygen deprivation denying me of all rationality except one, "to follow my son back down". "Since that experience, regular exercise at higher altitudes and control of my weight, plus choosing to avoid thinking about a vacation in the Himalayas has preserved me." Bob was driving Leny home from working as a household helper for Ruth at this time. He recalled: "In the fall of 1963, Leny had been working at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and had quit to take better-pay and less-travel work at the Good Samaritan Hospital in LA, when she asked me to drive her one glorious Saturday morning to the Hotel so she could pick up her last paycheck. At that time I was driving my sky-blue 1961 Chevrolet Covertible withe the top down; It happened that President John Kennedy and his entourage were staying at the Hotel and we had difficulty finding parking nearby, but Leny got her check and soon we were starting our return to LA, driving East on Santa Monica Boulevard and were stopped by police at the intersection with Wilshire Boulevard. "We were the first car in our lane and the police were escorting President Kennedy's Entourage Southeast through the intersection where we both stood up on the front seats of the open convertible and waved heartily at the President and Jackie and they in their convertible, surrounded by suited bodyguards waved back at Leny and I. This was about a month before they, riding in a similar convertible through Dallas Texas were still waving back at the people [when the assasination took place]." After the Hilton job, Leny got a job at the Good Samaritan Hospital, but had to walk 3 miles to work from Ruth's house to get to work. Robert, gave her rides occasionally, until Leny got an apartment closer to work. From a saved phone bill, the address of this apartment was: 502 S Westlake Ave in Los Angeles. Jef remembered Bob was driving cousin Roy and Jef in his '59 Impala convertible out into the desert on a rocky road about this year, as Jef remembers hearing "Tie me Kangaroo Down" on the radio, which was released to the US market this year. The gas tank hit a rock and started leaking. Jef had a bubble gum (shaped like a cigar) that he offered to Bob when asked and this was chewed and the de-sugared gum was used to seal the tank long enough to get back to civilization. Bob remembered why he was out there: After a long weekend, one of our office workers displayed a handful of obsidian spear tips. He said he found them exploring an Indian cave far up a canyon off Saline Valley. He sketched a map for us showing how to get to that cave. He said there was a lot more stuff up there, but he needed a ladder to get to the higher caves and he didn't have time. The next week, our family went up there with a ladder. About half way up the canyon, we punched a small hole in the bottom of our gas tank and had to turn back. In the office the next Monday, I was telling him of our trouble, and he laughed, and explained...."I took a course at the local night school on how to make spear heads. . . ." Leny at her apartment at 502 Westlake in June 1963
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Leny and Bob at their LA wedding Aunt Ted, Francis, Judy, Uncle Bob, Bob & new bride Leny Bob & Leny with friends, the Kvammens Leaving wedding in Bob's 1964 Chevy Nova Trip this year with Leny April - Leny and friends Bob may have flown to Holland with Leny to meet her folks and other relatives sometime after the wedding: Leny at Zuma Beach Leny relaxing on garage roof on Landa St. Leny and friends - maybe San Pedro Harbor	Leny expressed an interest in seeing the Rose Parade towards the end of the prior year, and Robert volunteered to take her there. This was their first date (Jan 1 1964), and the couple fell in love and married on November 5, 1964. After the marriage, Ruth's cousin Roy, who was staying at Robert's house, was asked to find another place to live at this time. Before the marriage, Bob took Jef on a 7000 road trip in his new '64 Chevy Nova going to the easy coast and looping back thru hometown of Ironwood MI to visit relatives. Maybe trip was to prepare Jef for Leny moving in. Bob visiting Leny at her apartment September 1964 Leny in a Volendam costume St. Catheerine Hotel on Catalina, July 1964 Ridge above Avalon July 1964 Leny with friends - I think one on right is Ri Leny's last days with Good Samaritan, September 1964 Leny & Bob, September 1964 Bob making space for 2nd bathroom for Jef with new wife moving in
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Visiting his mom & dad Elsa, Leny & Turv at his place Jef screwin' around, so take another foto Family visiting Thor & Judie this year At home on Landa St. Garage roof at Landa St., March 1965 Leny & Bob at Landa St. Leny & Ri by colour TV Leny tending fire & smoking Leny at edge of garage roof Bob relaxing in living room, Landa St. Leny serving birthday cake with 12 candles for Jef Guest is Sam Bob's folks came over this evening Turv, Jef, Judie & Bob at evening part of Jef & Bob's birthday celebration Bob participated in a cigar fad for maybe a year around this time - he he is fiddlin' with his guitar Jef dressed up Elsa & Julie went to TX this summer: Bob took Elsa & perhaps Julie riding in Malibu at the start of this summer, prior to their departure to TX where they wood get their own horses Daughters Elsa & Julie in Austin with horse Valentine at the Circle B Riding Club Engineer Bob The caption of this is "Robert addressing thirsty people at Butte Valley", a part of Hi Vista CA A "bring your son to work day" - Lancaster CA Jef screwin' around on some piping Discussing something related to this 1,000,000 gallon water tank, Lancaster CA On top of the tank Jef in trench at intersection of 181 St. E and Ave. H4 near Hi Vista CA	Touring NW, Summer 1965 Looking for trilobites near Sevier Lake in Utah Bob with Sevier Lake in background Bob & Jef looking for fossils Yellowstone Bob Jef in Yellowstone Bob filming a movie clip Jef & Leny watching Old Faithful erupt '64 Chevy Nova, Jef & Leny at cabin at Old Faithful Inn Jef at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone Jef screwin' around Natural Bridge in Yellowstone Canada Somewhere up in Canada
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Yosemite, January 1966 Leny & snowball at Camp Curry in Yosemite with their '64 Chevy Nova Jef & Leny on bunny slopes at Badger Pass Elsewhere in CA Leny at unknown location this year Jef & Bob swimming in Putnam's Pool in Tujunga Get together at Thor and Judie's. I believe Bob's Uncle? Oscar Ericson is the tall dude Judie and Turv arriving at Landa St. home Bob showing off his new Sega Palm to his folks on Landa St. Son Jef spent summer with his mom in TX Bob & Leny did a couple trips on their own: Arizona Trip Leny descending into Meteor Crater AZ Bob at bottom of Meteor Crater Leny with '64 Chevy Nova at AZ motel Leny in pool at Terrace Motel in Tucson Leny showing off colourful minerals The couple made it as far as Hannagan's Meadow on this trip.	A rail trip to San Francisco Bob waiting for train at Union Station LA Leny waiting for trail Leny on train(Coast Daylight Observation Car) near Santa Barbara Bob under the Golden Gate Bridge Leny on boat passing Alcatraz View of Golden Gate from top of the boat Leny with view of San Francisco from "Top of the Mark" Bob by statue of TS King (namesake of Jef's junior high school) - TS King died in SF and was, per Lincoln, responsible for keeping CA in the union during the civil war April 18, 1966 - after Bob & Leny put in new rock entryway May 1966 - note the wooden shoes - Jef remembers Leny would go out every morning to this patio deck on the south of the house and smoke a ciggy & have coffee and a rusc(hard toasted bread) with a sweet spread, and Jef would join her for this after Bob left for work "Cowboy Jef" arriving home from summer in Austin Father & son Bob took Jef & Leny to Tick Canyon in search of rocks - Jef wore his cowboy outfit Bob found a rock to be used in Landa Street home projects - he wore glasses so as to better identify rocks, I suppose Jef had brought a baseball mitt, hoping to play some catch Backpack trip to San Gorgonio Leny took pick of Bob & Jef starting out Bob & Jef near summit Leny near summit Jef at top Leny & Jef at top Disneyland Sam & Jef at entrance Jef had scoped out places to eat and found Fritos Mexican Restaurant the best at Disneyland
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April 1967	Bob & Leny somewhere in the mountains this year Swimming in Death Valley Bob & Leny at lowest point in North America At the Grand Canyon Construction of another million gallon water tank, probably around Lancaster Bob & Leny playing tourguide for Liesbeth in Disneyland
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Bob,Richard(Bob's only nephew) & Turv on his 80th birthday. Richard was drafted and went to Vietnam. This pic was taken before Turv lost a leg - which happened just before his 50th wedding anniversary in 1969.	Bob with his mom at Landa Street - dated this photo by the newly acquired Encyclopedia Brittanica, and before brother-in-law Francis suggested he get rid of his sideburns Took a pic at this bridge for some reason this year February, took Jef & Sam & Leny up to play in the snow at Mt. Pinos Bob & Leny at Bob's folks place this year Bob took son Jef & Leny on a tour of the southwest this summer Jef & Leny at 4 Corners Jef by cave dwellings, maybe Walnut Creek Sunset Crater Leny & Jef at Mesa Verde
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