Photoessay #1942 - Dead end

Today Gin and I looked for some descendants of Reginald Zunder, Maier's youngest child born in 1880 when Maier was 51. I was hoping to trace his descendants and ask them if they had any pictures.

But I think I hit a dead end.

We know that Reginald lived in the greater New York area and worked as an executive of some sort with B'nai B'rith. We know his wife was Mae. We know they had two daughters. Myra (b 1911) and Ruth (b 1914). I knew that Myra married Herbert Henry Lewson (a soldier) in 1942. He died in 1987. She died in 2007.

By screwing around with the New York Times, we found that Myra and Herbert had a son Robert Z. Lewson in 1948 but he died at age 57 in 2005. No marriages or children listed in his obit. Ruth Zunder married Hymen Shapiro and she died in 1966. No children mentioned in her obit. Still possible that Ruth Zunder Shapiro and her nephew Robert Z. Lewson had children that we just don't know about. But I would think they would be listed on the obit.

I wanted to find somebody to contact to see if they had pictures.

I have no pictures of Reginald at all. I'm thinking there have to be some but where to find them? He's buried at Mt Ararat Cemetery in New York.

This picture of Mishkan Israel cemetery is taken from somebody else's photo album. Shows how we are all lost.

Is that East Rock or West Rock in the background...I should know.

Photoessay #1941 - 1953 christening

We've had this picture up in our dining room for a long time. Just relocated it when I introduced the new Irwin pastel picture and moved things around.

On the back is written in Lanays's handwriting.

Dennis Christening picture (5 mos old) 1953 taken by Bill Ransdell (his godfather)

Lanaya, age 26, holding baby Dennis, big baby in his mother's lap. Lanaya, always photogenic. Their friend Bill Randsdell took many pictures of Lanaya and sold some of them for commercial use.

We liked Bill Randsdell a lot, he was part of Jim's 'Alki Boys' crowd. He had a beloved first wife who died young and two children. With some crazy romantic attachments afterwards (including Marni Nixon, a celebrity singer). Jim and Dennis were very sad when we realized he had died and we hadn't known.

But it's a nice period picture of it's time and deserves a place on the wall.

Photoessay #1940 - Senior panels

Today Dennis and I listened to presentations for the Shorecrest Senior Projects. We were on separate panels. I listened and participated with students who

Learned how to take and edit photographs
Designed and planted a fern garden
Choreographed and presented a hip hop dance number
Explored how to make a football highlights video
Wrote and illustrated a children's book

My two favorites were the young man who presented as extremely passionate about ferns, learning about the different kinds, propogation and showed us pictures of his fern garden...and the young woman who worked on the choreography including her mentor Rex who was one of Danny's good friends back in the day. Her presentation included a video of the final dance number.

The young man with the football video barely got through. But he did. He stood in front of the panel of four community members and gave his presentation with his cue cards and did his own voiceover. He passed.

Some fail and they are given at least one other chance. Our neighbor's son failed and one of the neighbors was on the panel. His mom thought it was fair as he had not prepared; saw it as a learning experience. I believe the panel of last resort consists of members of the custodial staff.

I took a picture of a bulletin board recruiting members of the Highland Dance Team, who do traditional Scottish Highland Dancing. Naomi did this; it was a great source of affiliation and status for her. The second shot which I featured earlier was my favorite Lassie picture, taken on the Parliament Steps in Victoria BC during her senior year (as senior captain)

Photoessay #1939 - Hospital

All is ok, don't worry, loyal readers.

Today, I went to Swedish Hospital and University Hospital (aka University of Washington Medical Center) dropping $12 in parking charges before 12:30 pm. I went to University Hospital to visit a friend who ended up in ICU after a bad reaction to something in a routine biopsy. Her daughter asked me to come which I did. I promised her daughter I would stay with her mom. She did have some pain medication and was getting drowsy. I asked, after a while, if she's like to take a nap, she said she would so I left. She's looking in good shape and expects to be released today.

You know what they say. What's the difference between major and minor surgery? Minor surgery is when it happens to somebody else.

Earlier I had gone to the large Swedish Hospital complex for a routine periodic appointment with an endocrinologist. I stayed a little longer, went to the cafeteria so I wouldn't be looking for lunch at the second hospital.

James and his helpers have been here most all week working on our hall/wall board/molding/door issues. We had two areas of panic dog damage from our previous dog, some wallboard work needs to be finished for the fireplace installation. We hadn't done anything to our hallway in the 24 years we've lived here in this conventional 1970s era split entry house. The old plastic molding was chipped and falling off, the doors had holes and marks on them, we decided to get it all fixed up. We are going to have the most beautiful hallways for miles around. I figured there are seven doors off that hallway. That's a lot of doors and little pieces of molding and trim.

Picture is of University Hospital. It is quite near Husky Football stadium where they have already dynamited my section in the stands.

Photoessay #1938 - Tenth and Eleventh House

Yesterday I had a special session with Betsy Gutting regarding birthplace, my writing and a start with astrology charts. I thought that there might be some special connection that I would automatically have with my birthplace (Pasadena CA). I had written about it and, based on my various versions, it seemed clear that I had a stronger connection with the citrus groves, to the trees. Which does make sense to me.

But I wondered about astrology, an ancient science, how the planets align at the moment of your birth. So Betsy ran my astrology chart (pictured). She said that it was quite unusual that I had four planets in the eleventh house.

She explained that the eleventh house was the house of friendship and working within groups. From another source "It rules friends, groups, our social circle, membership in societies and organizations, ideals and aspirations shared by the groups to which we belong." She said that it was not surprising to her that I had so much strength in this house considering I had a leadership position in a group we both belong to which relies heavily on mutual personal support in family issues.

I have stayed in this group for twelve years still enjoying the weekly and more intense team meetings. I confirmed to her that friendships have always been important to me.

I was somewhat shocked but somehow reassured when looking at the tenth house which is the house of career, achievement and ambition.

The tenth house was empty. Nothing there.

I wondered what THAT means. As I, in late middle age, have turned away from the conventional work world (after losing my job) and am now focusing on community support (through this personal growth group) and personal expression.

Have I been on this path all along?

Lots to think about. I found myself exhausted after our session.

I highly recommend Betsy as a personal coach. Be sure to check out her website!

Photoessay 1937 - 1997 Library of Congress

When Ilana was 11, we made an impulse trip to Washington DC. We certainly were not in a financial situation to do it. But Ilana started coming home from school saying "If I went to Washington DC, I would go to the Washington Monument. If I went to Washington DC, I would go to the Smithsonian." Obviously they were studying this in school and she was really interested.

So I blurted out "Let's GO to Washington DC!" So we did. Just Ilana and I. I think we were there for 3 or 4 days. We had so much fun planning it. She was so into it. I called our legislators and got some 'special passes'. We stayed with my cousin June and her husband who toured us around. Ilana loved all the sites. I realized that with Susanna, we could go to maybe one thing and the rest of the time would be spent in the neighborhood pool.

Here we are getting a 'special tour' at the Library of Congress. I think she looks like she was truly enjoying this. She's wearing my red sweater, it was kind of chilly.

We went everywhere, took a bus tour the first day. There was a large African American bus driver named Dave. He made it very clear that we belonged to him and we would do what he said. He did not intend to lose any tourists. At each stop, Dave told us when we had to get back. And you better not be late because then Dave would come searching for you and you would not like that. He made us all say in unison before each stop "My bus is number 36 and my bus drive's name is Dave." We loved it.

My cousin June's husband, Eric had been the counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee and we wandered around freely (pre 911 days). He introduced us to the current staff and showed us the ice cream place in the basement where the staffers got treats. We went into an empty conference room; the microphone was on. I remember he went to the front and said in a very professional voice "Now Mr. Chairman, from the state of Washington, I present Ms. Ilana Barnes." Ilana squealed and ran out of the room.

A great trip; I'm glad we did it.

At the Library of Congress. The print a little worse for wear from being on my wall.

Photoessay #1936 - Great old books

I'm working on a project for my class involving 19th century school prayer. In relation to Maier Zunder, of course. I've really enjoying finding lots of essays and chapters in books that are way back in the Suzallo stacks or in storage. I've got a whole bunch of them (see photo, I have then stacked up alongside the desk, that's why it looks so weird). But it's great, some of them have some handy information. For example,last night I found the original court case for the Cincinnati schools which spelled out some basic issues for school prayer.

Possibly nobody has looked in these books for several years.

This topic so relevant, it could happen today, even with the same language. I hope that I can write it effectively. Including Maier Zunder's role in facing down a formidable self-appointed committee of distinguished Catholic and Protestant clergymen. He's not intimidated, he's not going to let an involved devotional exercise which distinguishes children on basis of religion be implemented in the New Haven schools in 1878. As with so many other things he did, he proceeded with great skill and purpose.

And he knew how many votes he had.

Photoessay #1935 - Mishkan Israel Cemetery

For my mother, my cousin, for me, Mishkan Israel Cemetery is center of the historical universe. And I never lived in New Haven. My mother would always want to go to the cemetery to visit her relatives from the old Bavarian Jewish families. My cousin and her husband do any special maintenance to make sure that the sites look nice.

I've always enjoyed learning about these families who came to New Haven in the 1840s and 1850s mostly from Bavaria and formed the core of the original Jewish community. The formed Temple Mishkan Israel and started the Horeb Lodge of the B'nai B'rith. Many became successful businessmen and factory owners and their families participated in a lively social scene.

I go and visit and take pictures; last time in November. I was a little distressed that day because I was looking for my parent's gravesites for the first time since their committal in July 2010. Heavy leaves covered the grass in the area we remembered. But at first we couldn't find it. Myself, my cousin Mary Ann and her husband searched the area, focused, kicking the leaves away, looking back at the large tree for perspective. Kicking kicking the leaves. We finally found it, whew.

We checked everybody out including my current focus, Maier Zunder and his family. Right in the center of other family members. With his two wives and some of his children. I had never noticed that 'Z' on the top. I don't know what the shape on the top means. The round thing with the drapery?

There's some connection for me there....

Photoessay #1934 = UW yesterday afternoon

After we visited the Burke museum gift shop we went over to Suzallo library to pick up some books and generally hang out. Why not? I like that place myself. I know we are getting way ahead of ourselves but we make a point taking 11 year old Melina to the University of Washington quietly saying "If you want and keep getting good grades, you could go to college here." Right now she says she wants to be a 'professional hairdresser". Suzallo Library is always a trip; I know there are a lot of other libraries done in this same gothic style. But this one is ours.

Melina was working on a school project about the "Millau bridge". Never heard of it. We found out that a book existed in the Oedgaarde Undergraduate Library. Never been there, great excuse to go. After a librarian assist, we found the book. Dennis and Melina search for the bridge in the book. We find it, here's the illustration. Pretty impressive!

Turns out there are many pictures of this bridge online.

Hey, we know how to have fun! Right now we just have the one granddaughter and she likes to do this stuff. Especially if we get to come to our house later so she can throw the ball for Teddy.