Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Our old pal Melissa
Now co-owner of a winery.
At the end of a long 2006 season.
Great to see you and Doug again.
Friday, November 24, 2006
I never thought I would do this
This is a line.
A line at Canby Fred Meyer.
On the day after Thanksgiving.
At 4:55 am.
There was...a sense of community to it.
A tribal experience.
I walked into the electronics department and saw a person with 3 discounted TVs in her cart.
Some folks almost seemed to have a panic about them -- there were products being sold out...so I've got to get them first.
For a moment I thought --gosh I need to run around and....buy something.
So I bought some socks.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Best Part of the Ducks 2006 Season
Tailgating -- in this photo, inside Randy and Manson's heated tent.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Expecting to hear the voice of God
There was a break in the weather so Simba and I decided to take a walk to the meadow and take a few photos. I have been reading on ways to take better photos and was anxious to make use of a day with changing light. We snapped a few of the brown ferns -- and then waited as the clouds began to move.....
and the Lord said, blessed are the peacemakers
looking outside the cabin
It was a stormy weekend at the cabin. Forecasts indicated huge wind and rain -- we got the rain -- lots of it. However, on Saturday the clouds parted and we got some November sunshine.
Friday, November 10, 2006
a fungi by the side of the road
Monday, November 06, 2006
Reunion reflections
My uncle sent me a note about his 50th class reunion. In it, he spoke of being envious of other kid's families. It reminded me about a reunion I had.
I remember going to a wedding with Kim in Olympia. Kim and her girlfriends were bonding so I contacted my best friend from college. We had been roommates and experienced much life together. I admired his family. I wished it was my own. Over drinks, I confessed to Dave for the first time how much I envied his family. How one time in particular, Dave and I were out fishing in Puget Sound. I was silently watching him skillfully prepares his tackle. I clumsily tied a square knot on my line and tossed it in the water.
That night I told Dave about that moment -- how I ached that I didn't have the type of father-son relationship he had where the manly arts of fishing were handed down.
Dave laughed a sincere laugh.
Dave said, "my dad didn't teach me any of that. I had to read a book." Dave went on, "the family man thing was all fake. We pretended because dad was a minister. But even now -- he never comes to visit our kids -- his grandkids."
It was an odd moment.
I realized I carried a lifelong envy of something that only appeared to exist.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
A new addition to the family
Meet Casper -- as in the friendly ghost.
It's been a year since we said goodbye to Ashley the cat.
Ash had been through 3 moves with us and many things. We loved and missed him much.
But it was time for a kitten. Our pup Simba couldn't make friends with psychocat Lolo -- and Casper seems to be doing much better in the interspecie relationships.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Kids cook while mama is in Cleveland
When Kim leaves for trainings, the kids step up. This time, Ricky and Catie said they wanted to make dinner. So while I installed a new sound system upstairs, the kids went to their recipe book and cooked up some great soup and drink.
I love you guys.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Multimedia message
After a two day training at Newport, I headed up to the cabin. While waiting for the fam and dog to arrive, I went up to the Pelican Brew Pub in Pacific City. I was warmly received due to my attire -- a Pelican fleese.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Dealey plaza -- Dallas
Flight from DFW to PDX
Spent the afternoon in the historic section of Dallas.
It was pretty run down.
The major attraction was the Sixth Floor Museum on Daily Plaza – as I knew it, the Dallas School Book Depository.
About a dozen of us from the conference took a bus there.
Everyone of my generation knows the site.
As I approached, I drew the site in my mind.
The image of John Kennedy and his wife in the open car.
Making the sharp turn in front of the brick building – then the second by second frames of the Zapruder 8 millimeter film.
The grassy knoll in the background.
The president lunging forward, then back as the second and fatal shot hits him.
The cars speeding off under the triple underpass to the hospital.
I walked past the brick building where the shooter supposedly fired at the president.
Over to the grassy knoll.
There on the road – two white X marks.
One about twenty yards from the first.
The museum was well organized. Every element of the Kennedy presidency was represented. Newsclips of those days were played.
There were relics – actual objects of that day.
There was an exhibit of Parkland Hospital where the critically injured president was taken. I stared at the white smock and shoes of one of the doctors who treated the president. I was four inches from it. I imagine the person inside it who treated the president. Of what he must have realized when the extent of the injuries were known.
I looked out the window where the alleged assassin stood. I saw what he saw. I saw the two Xs on the road.
I went outside of the museum. Everyone emerged in silence.
The sun was shining.
It was on a sunny fall day like this just a few feet from me that history occurred. A moment seared into the memory of all who lived through it.
I walked around the neighborhood of the museum for about an hour. Finally, I got back on the bus to head to the hotel.
It took a few minutes before I realized our route.
There was Dealey Plaza.
Ahead to my right was the grassy knoll. Beside me – the brick building – the school book depository.
As our bus passed directly over the first X, I unconsciously moved my head forward as if to imagine the scene I had watched over a hundred times. Then a few seconds later, as I passed over the second X, my head again snapped back.
I looked ahead and slightly to the right and saw what was probably John Kennedy’s last conscious view.
And then – we went under the triple underpass and onto the freeway and on the same route the motorcade took to Parkland Hospital.
I looked out at the Texas countryside as we headed back to the hotel.
What did that moment, that experience mean to me.
In some ways, it was the end of my childhood innocence.
No longer did I have the illusion that the world could be a safe place.
In a moment, a nation was plunged into sorrow.
In a moment, a nation lost a president. Perhaps even hope.
A beautiful first lady was a widow.
Two joyous children were fatherless.
That day a nation had to come to terms that the most powerful and protected man in the world could die on a sunny afternoon.
What else could happen?
Two days later, Kennedy’s alleged killer was shot dead.
Five years later, race riots broke out following the shooting of Dr. King. A few months after that, Kennedy’s brother was killed as he sought the presidency.
In this context of the death of three leaders, hope was rare.
Perhaps in this context, it is easier to understand the subsequent search for inner hope, inner meaning.
It was the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.
A time to renew hope in the face of a divided and hurt nation.
But that is a chapter for another time.
My friends -- the Kleins
On the 33rd floor of W in downtown Dallas.
Margo looks like Christy Brinkley in this one.
Ron is the guy who gave me the lizard brain concept.
Friday, October 13, 2006
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