Eat The Street

I do not remember too much about living in Petaluma except for the time the street repairman came and poured hot tar onto the street to fill in holes and when they left and it was cool enough to handle, we would pull the tar up and out and chew it like gum. It must have been all right to do as we did not get sick or die. I don't think we died as here I am writing these crazy stories for you, and saying kids today are not much different that kids of yesteryear when it comes to mischief. Mom and dad both worked in San Francisco at the Funsten Fish factory. The Funstens were related to us in that Florence was my dad's cousin. She was married to either the owner or the son of the owner. I am not sure which. Anyway that is where the wonderful rocking chair came from. Florence Funsten handed it down to my mother. Florence's mother was Inez Wendling who was married to George Xavier Wendling. George founded the lumber town known then by the name of "Wendling." It is North of Santa Rosa, which is North of San Francisco. The town later changed its name to Navarro. According to the internet, it has a population of 130 people. I have never visited there, but am told that they have kept a history with many photos and stories of Wendling all located in a local business. Our local paper, The Press Democrat, has done stories about it also. We did not stay long in Petaluma and when the hop season began we moved to Santa Rosa to work in the hop fields. Mom quit her San Francisco job to be with her children and dad continued on in the city. Above is a picture of all the kids that came in the Star to California . Back row: brother Glenister, sister Maruja. Bottom row: Me, Sister Barbra, and sister Arvilla