More Scoutie and flowers

 More Scoutie and flowers, tulips this time.  Tulip fields are a big deal around here especially in the beautiful Skagit Valley.  They found a place that allows kids to run down the rows of tulips and Scouty is taking full advantage.  Fun!  Pretty!

In San Francisco last month

Was this just last month?  When I went down to San Francisco.  JJ picked me up at the airport and we went to the  Robert Schwartz Chopin concert?  But first we went to this wonderful Burmese restaurant called Mandalay.  Worked out perfect.  We ate wonderful things and saw other items delivered that we have got to try next time.  Featured was this crunch concoction called Tea Salad.  It wasn't really a salad and I dunno if there was any tea in it but it was sure good.

So hoping we get to go here again!

Group shot from Art Show

Remember that art show we put up at Temple Beth Am last month.  I bugged various family members to come to our show.  So some did show.  Dennis, of course, he made a piece,  it's to the left of mine.  Six total.  His was an annotated comparison of his life with his adoptive family juxtaposed what it might have looked like with his birth family.

Suzie, Stephen, Naomi, Dennis , me, Melina Chris.

Seder was supposed to be last night, but I'm holding one on Sunday. Have most of the parts tugether.

 

Ilana and her Simon

Ilana and her Simon from today.  Thanks to western medicine that saved both of them from birth injury.  

Cute picture!  Stephen and Naomi are there visiting, appreciate their help. I will have a seder on their return next Sunday.  It will all workout.

Simon's growing.  He won't be Tiny Simon for long! 

Jamie

 

Another memorial for a young person claimed by drug overdose.  Hate to go to these.  And I just went to one, Janine, how can I explain any of this?

I have been close with his mom Kathy, for many years.  Been through the thick and (mostly) thin.  Kind of amazed that he made it to 26 years old.  His mom never ever gave up on him.

His special talent?  Stealing his mom's cell phone.  He could ALWAYS get it.

When the service started, I realized that Kathy was seated quite near me.  I took my chair and moved it so I was close to her.  Not to invade her space; she was sitting with her sisters.  But just to let her know that I was there.  She did.  I knew that was what I needed to do.

Line from the program:

In adolescence, neurological and psychological problems present before birth escalated, and his demons only grew over the years.

Scout in the blossoms

 

Time for a Scoutie picture!  We're in our months and months long spring.  Scoutie has been over her with her folks in the evening on the bicycles.  She'll be two in a few months and she is feeling it.  Got to be everywhere and do everything.

Priscilla Parkin Scholarship Award winners

 Two of the three Priscilla Parkin Scholarship Award winner for 2024.  Dennis talked to the third but didm't get her into the picture.  A Physics and a Math major.  One of the parents took the picture and sent it to me.  This endowed scholarship given in memory of my friend Priscilla Parkin who died in 1971, presents a cash scholarship (this year 5K) to a number of graduating seniors majoring in the Exact Sciences.  Last year, the Crown Provost moved the awarding to alumni weekend and we get to be involved.

So rewarding for me!

'74 Crownies

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Just got back from the alumni weekend at UCSC.  Our class 50th graduation reunion, how crazy is that?  We had about 100 people in our class, had email contact for 83 of them.  We had a dinner at JJ's (I was cohost).  In the planning I realized that this was a private off-campus event.  We are fortunate to have somebody right there in Santa Cruz who has a house that can accommodate a large group.  One member who has a winery donated a case of wine.  We had a donor who paid for the dinner.

Here's the group picture:  we always have more men than women, don't know why.  Almost everybody in this group has a PhD, MBA MSW or nursing degree.  Very very bright group.

Somehow this group wanted to snuggle, to be close together..

I gave the Priscilla program at the Crown College part last year.  And somehow I ended up doing a program again.  What?  It was entittled "Kenneth Thimann's Crown College"  Slide show and voice clips featuring the first provost and the faculty he recruited.  Very impressive, everybody still remembers.  Dennis really helped with the sound clips.

Good time, I'll write about Priscilla Parkin award later.

Frank and the eclipse

Bloomington was in full totality during the eclipse.  Ilana and her visiting friend Emily went to a special show at the stadium.  Matt stayed home with Frank and Simon.  Picture of Frank during the eclipse pointing towards the sky.  He's proudly wearing the birthday gift we sent to him, the kid watch.  He's very pleased with it, likes to wear it and put it on and off.  It has a beeper/alarm that he enjoys a lot.  He really can't tell time but, as Ilana puts it, there's a lot of imaginative time-based play going on.