Warren

My friend Warren passed away a few weeks ago.  When I first started at Parent Group (circa 2000) I sat in small group and I was carrying on as usual.  He said, "Sounds like you need a team and I'll be on it!"  I was so so grateful, took him (and his wife Mary Jane).  Both senior people at that time.

Just as I am a senior person (have been for a long time)

My team was so helpful, couldn't have done it without them.  And Warren, as my senior person, really gave me a lot of insight.  Not that they were easy on me, they weren't!  I appreciated his help a lot and I will miss him.

Dennis worked with him recently in Meaning Movies in Kirkland...

Two more safari pictures

Two more of Charl's safari pictures that I like.

Heard from the editor of Pacific Northwest Quarterly.  She was looking at ordering pictures.  It was the first time I really believed that they would actually publish it.  It's been so long since I started this project.

Zebras wrestling

Due to popular request (ok one request), I will be posting some of my brother's safari pictures.  This one certainly caught my eye.  Are these zebras playing?

I asked Charl:

This was an example where one male trying to exert dominance over another. I was quite a distance away from the pair, as this action was on a ridgeline about one-quarter of a mile away.

Imagine being to get this picture of some zebras 1/4 mile away!  I've never seen a picture like this.

PS I'm working on a low glycemic diet.  Trying to find treats.

Charl went on safari!

I knew that my brother Charlie went to Tanzania, Africa but I didn't know he went on safari.  Here he is with a safari shirt and everything.  Having a dang good time.  I'll try to feature some of his great animal pictures.  This trip assuredly was a photography trip. 

I have a friend who went on a safari and she said the first time you see animals, it is SO exciting.  And the second time, it's STILL SO exciting.  And so on.

My brother, sister and I (with Dennis) are planning a 4 day vacation this summer in San Juan Island.  We've all been wanting to take a float plane so now we're going to do it.  Going to rent a house for 3 nights and generally see the sights.

Ilana speaks at vigil at mosque

Community members in West Lafayette IN had a candlelight vigil and speaker's program at their mosque.  Several Muslim leaders including Muslim students spoke to the crowd of 200; the local rabbi, the mayor.  And County Council Member Ilana Stonebraker, who had brought flowers on behalf of a local immigrant allies group earlier, spoke especially about a hate crimes bill in front of the State Legislature.  Well received!  Congratulations to Ilana.

Beach at Meadowdale

We had dinner with Naomi on Saturday.  She shared with me this picture that she had taken in an early morning hike at the beach at Meadowdale.  Olympic Mountains in the background.  Puget Sound (or known as the Sailish Sea).  She said it was very peaceful.

Today it was 74 degrees in Seattle.  Warmest winter day on record.  I could riff on global warming but no.  This is after weeks and weeks of temperatures in the 30s.  Everybody including me was so freezing.  So warm in my  backyard, I just went out there and sat in the sun.  I'm sure most of those in the Seattle area were doing the exact same thing.  Just being warm.  also finished cleaning up the debris from a big branch that fell of our cedar tree in some storm or another.  There were still parts of it around.

Danny and Jessica at a wedding

My son Danny and my daughter in law Jessica at a recent wedding.  Looking good as usual.  He has a bit of a tough time with that tie; I've seen it in other pictures.  I'll have to ask him about it!

Allen Sidney Ginsburgh age 10 months

My father Allen Sidney Ginsburgh at age 10 months in April 1927.  I haven't had any baby pictures of him before.  This is by way of my newly discovered second cousin Wendy S. from Colorado. Through my reluctantly done DNA test.  I should have realized that would be the quadrant where the new cousins would come from; from my paternal grandmother Betty Cohen Ginsburgh.  She was one of six and I was little vague on that whole group.  Time to get it all figured out. 

I knew about the other grandparents.  She send me a whole bunch of pictures via Facebook.  But we don't know who they are.  Look some  young men looking rather privileged though their parents came from Ukraine with nothing.

Crocheted flags in front of the Northwest Detention Center

Somebody crocheted this colorful hanging of flags and mounted it on the chain link fence of the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.  Several barriers and signs have been put up to prevent people from demonstrating on the area between the railroad tracks and the street.

Here is part of my report of what happened when we worked outside the Detention Center in the beat up RV.

1 man from Mexico had a large extended family waiting for him in two cars.  We met most of them eventually as they came to the RV.  He had been a US veteran serving in Iraq and Afghanistan then got into trouble.  His cousin's husband came in twice and made a donation of $40 and told interesting stories.  Grandpa came by and talked about his life.  

1 man from India wanted to go to the Sikh Center.  He was pleased to get a new coat, some toiletries and a knapsack.  We called the cab driver who came quickly to go to the Sikh Center.  He REALLY wanted to get rid of the old sweatshirt he was wearing. He did an interesting farewell gesture including respectful bowing and touching your knee. 

The woman from Mexico had lived in the Seattle area for over 30 years.  She got picked up in a court  while paying a parking ticket.  Plus her car disappeared!  She made some fabulous if rather heartbreaking crafts including some rosaries carved out of soap, many crocheted items made with a crochet hook she made out of her toothbrush and some beautiful flowers made from toilet paper, sugar and color from crayons.  What does this say about the quality of life in America's private immigration prisons?  Her daughter finally made it through the traffic to pick her up and she was pleased with her new outfit she put together from the clothes in the back.

Making flowers out of toilet paper and sugar?  Having to make your own crochet hook out of a plastic toothbrush?  Is anybody else outraged by this?