Friday, December 31, 2004
When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I always remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.
Or something like that. I am melancholy today. The tsunami disaster is part of it. Over 100,000 have died. I feel for all of those families who have lost loved ones and the parents who have lost children. The Iraq War is also part of it. According to the Lancet Medical Journal, highly regarded by the best scientists in the world, our invasion has caused the deaths of 100,000 innocent Iraqis. And of course, thousands of our own American troops--children to me--have been killed or wounded.
So today, a gorgeous Puget Sound sunny day with the mountains visible, I pruned my hydrangea bush and I thought about lost souls. And I pruned my lavender bushes and pulled weeds. The smell of wet dirt mixed with lavender reminded me of spring. And I groomed Apolo and thought about Bobby who loves him so. He is still in Fallujah. Usually, on New Year's Eve, our favorite party was at his house but I think his parents aren't up for it this year. According to Bobby's Mom, their parties are of his favorite things that he misses most over there in Iraq.
We will have a quiet evening at home toasting in the New Year. We'll probably see fireworks out over the water from parties up and down Puget Sound and that is always fun. And I will probably be wearing my favorite Christmas present from my kids and thinking about all of my favorite things.
Happy New Year!
my favorite present--orca sox
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I always remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.
Or something like that. I am melancholy today. The tsunami disaster is part of it. Over 100,000 have died. I feel for all of those families who have lost loved ones and the parents who have lost children. The Iraq War is also part of it. According to the Lancet Medical Journal, highly regarded by the best scientists in the world, our invasion has caused the deaths of 100,000 innocent Iraqis. And of course, thousands of our own American troops--children to me--have been killed or wounded.
So today, a gorgeous Puget Sound sunny day with the mountains visible, I pruned my hydrangea bush and I thought about lost souls. And I pruned my lavender bushes and pulled weeds. The smell of wet dirt mixed with lavender reminded me of spring. And I groomed Apolo and thought about Bobby who loves him so. He is still in Fallujah. Usually, on New Year's Eve, our favorite party was at his house but I think his parents aren't up for it this year. According to Bobby's Mom, their parties are of his favorite things that he misses most over there in Iraq.
We will have a quiet evening at home toasting in the New Year. We'll probably see fireworks out over the water from parties up and down Puget Sound and that is always fun. And I will probably be wearing my favorite Christmas present from my kids and thinking about all of my favorite things.
Happy New Year!
my favorite present--orca sox
// posted by Janet @ 4:41 PM
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Tuesday, December 28, 2004
A Way to Help
One of the ways to help victims and communities affected by the earthquake/tsunami is the Episcopal Relief Fund.
http://www.er-d.org/
One of my husband's colleagues was vacationing in Thailand for Christmas but we have heard from him and he is fine. The wave hit his resort; he is a doctor so he was very involved in triage and treatment of the injured. He reported he has learned a lot about disaster preparedness and will share his first hand knowledge with the UW.
One of the ways to help victims and communities affected by the earthquake/tsunami is the Episcopal Relief Fund.
http://www.er-d.org/
One of my husband's colleagues was vacationing in Thailand for Christmas but we have heard from him and he is fine. The wave hit his resort; he is a doctor so he was very involved in triage and treatment of the injured. He reported he has learned a lot about disaster preparedness and will share his first hand knowledge with the UW.
// posted by Janet @ 11:30 AM
0 comments
Disaster
I simply cannot wrap my brain around the horrendous earthquake/tsunami disaster that hit our precious earth. Last night when I went to bed, the news said 26,000 people have died. This morning I see the number is now 33,000--as if all of Mukilteo and part of Everett were wiped out in a moment. My dreams were hectic and anxiety ridden; this could happen here and we have been told this for years. Out on the Washington coast, there are little tsunami warning signs everywhere with a picture of a curled wave. We used to laugh at them. I am not laughing now. You see in 1700, it did happen here and it is a part of Indian lore. The University of Washington has studied the evidence which is visible to this day. Out on the coast, huge stands of dead trees remind us that 300 years is not that long of a time.
The Indians looked to the Orca for inspiration and spiritual guidance. I think it is no coincidence that yesterday while letting Apolo in from outside, a glance at the water revealed a large black dorsal fin--right there--a few hundred feet from my back door. This orca and a couple others swam south and my son and I watched while they ate chum salmon and played. Never have they been this close to my house. The last time I saw them was on Thanksgiving day. Thank you God for sending me the Orcas. Peace to all of the souls and especially the children taken by the tsunami. Peace.
Where the orcas played yesterday--photo taken the day before yesterday.
I simply cannot wrap my brain around the horrendous earthquake/tsunami disaster that hit our precious earth. Last night when I went to bed, the news said 26,000 people have died. This morning I see the number is now 33,000--as if all of Mukilteo and part of Everett were wiped out in a moment. My dreams were hectic and anxiety ridden; this could happen here and we have been told this for years. Out on the Washington coast, there are little tsunami warning signs everywhere with a picture of a curled wave. We used to laugh at them. I am not laughing now. You see in 1700, it did happen here and it is a part of Indian lore. The University of Washington has studied the evidence which is visible to this day. Out on the coast, huge stands of dead trees remind us that 300 years is not that long of a time.
The Indians looked to the Orca for inspiration and spiritual guidance. I think it is no coincidence that yesterday while letting Apolo in from outside, a glance at the water revealed a large black dorsal fin--right there--a few hundred feet from my back door. This orca and a couple others swam south and my son and I watched while they ate chum salmon and played. Never have they been this close to my house. The last time I saw them was on Thanksgiving day. Thank you God for sending me the Orcas. Peace to all of the souls and especially the children taken by the tsunami. Peace.
Where the orcas played yesterday--photo taken the day before yesterday.
// posted by Janet @ 8:09 AM
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Monday, December 27, 2004
What Can I Say? Sunset on Puget Sound
The other day we had the most incredible sunset. This time of year the sun sets in the southern sky for us in the afternoon. I called the kids into the living room to see it and Lucas said he could completely understand why some cultures worship the sun. The reflection off of the water was something I had not seen ever before in quite the same way.
The other day we had the most incredible sunset. This time of year the sun sets in the southern sky for us in the afternoon. I called the kids into the living room to see it and Lucas said he could completely understand why some cultures worship the sun. The reflection off of the water was something I had not seen ever before in quite the same way.
// posted by Janet @ 10:30 AM
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Saturday, December 25, 2004
I Saw Three Ships on Christmas Day...On Christmas Day in the Morning
Well, it wasn't Christmas day we saw the Christmas Ships but Thursday night, December 23. One of the huge and favorite of all of Seattle traditions is to see the Christmas ships at one of their stops. The boat parade happens weekly from Thanksgiving on all over the Seattle area because we have water everywhere. I like to see the final one because it is the biggest and best of all (and because the parade moves right past the UW and our favorite spot to watch). The ships with the white lights have local children's choirs singing.
So Merry Christmas to all!
Well, it wasn't Christmas day we saw the Christmas Ships but Thursday night, December 23. One of the huge and favorite of all of Seattle traditions is to see the Christmas ships at one of their stops. The boat parade happens weekly from Thanksgiving on all over the Seattle area because we have water everywhere. I like to see the final one because it is the biggest and best of all (and because the parade moves right past the UW and our favorite spot to watch). The ships with the white lights have local children's choirs singing.
So Merry Christmas to all!
// posted by Janet @ 1:03 PM
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Thursday, December 23, 2004
Seattle Christmas
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral on top of Capitol Hill--visible from all of Seattle
Yesterday, we did our annual downtown shopping trip. We eat either lunch or dinner at a nice restaurant, finish a little shopping, and hit the major hotel lobbies. The lobby of the Sheraton is decorated with huge ginger bread houses and the Olympic Hotel has a suite decorated with bears every year. We are not the only family who does this. I had trouble getting lunch reservations. On the way downtown, my kids always say, "I wonder who we will run into this year?" because we always see people we know.
Downtown from I-5 on the way yesterday
This may be a big city but when you shop downtown at Christmas, we become the intimate community we are. As we shopped we wished Lucas's high school orchestra teacher Merry Christmas as he rushed down the sidewalk. Kaley's middle school English teacher nodded to us in a busy crosswalk.
We can see the water when we look west from any intersection.
Sure enough, at lunch, I noticed two attractive women having a Christmas get together and exchanging gifts. "You guys, I know those people. They are lawyers I worked with 20 years ago," I whispered.
"Well, walk over there and say hello!", Dave insisted.
"That would be totally weird--it has been 20 years. The last time they saw me I was pregnant with Lucas. Oh yes, 'Lucas'. We had a case involving a very injured little baby named 'Lucas' and this is one reason why I thought of the name!" I mused. "No, this is too weird. They won't even remember me."
"Geez Mom," chimed in Lucas, "it wouldn't be weird if they came over here, would it?"
"You're right. We lived through some interesting times at that law firm with one of the three of us who was only twenty-something involved with the married 40 year old partner and it wasn't me," I replied.
Kaley reminded me, "Wow, Mom, you should write a book like you keep saying." We get our bill at the same time as the two women and leave at the same moment.
"Hey, I used to know you guys!" I called out with a smile.
"JANET! You look just the same!" And they hugged me as if it had been only 2 years and not 20. I told them they looked just as beautiful as ever and that I instantly recognized them. The size and age of my "babies" shocked them a little. The one who had had the torrid affair back in the day couldn't wait to tell me she had been married for 13 years to a wonderful man and had a nine year old son. The other became a multi-millionaire (I knew that from my favorite magazine, Washington Law and Politics) and never married or had children. Kaley liked the woman's purse and shoes which were evidently one of those brand names like gnocchi or juicy fruit or something. As I watched my beautiful daughter tell them she was "almost 17" and my handsome son told them about college and I told them we were downtown for our annual family Christmas visit, I realized without question, I took the right path in life.
Never too old to check out the Teddy Bear Suite
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral on top of Capitol Hill--visible from all of Seattle
Yesterday, we did our annual downtown shopping trip. We eat either lunch or dinner at a nice restaurant, finish a little shopping, and hit the major hotel lobbies. The lobby of the Sheraton is decorated with huge ginger bread houses and the Olympic Hotel has a suite decorated with bears every year. We are not the only family who does this. I had trouble getting lunch reservations. On the way downtown, my kids always say, "I wonder who we will run into this year?" because we always see people we know.
Downtown from I-5 on the way yesterday
This may be a big city but when you shop downtown at Christmas, we become the intimate community we are. As we shopped we wished Lucas's high school orchestra teacher Merry Christmas as he rushed down the sidewalk. Kaley's middle school English teacher nodded to us in a busy crosswalk.
We can see the water when we look west from any intersection.
Sure enough, at lunch, I noticed two attractive women having a Christmas get together and exchanging gifts. "You guys, I know those people. They are lawyers I worked with 20 years ago," I whispered.
"Well, walk over there and say hello!", Dave insisted.
"That would be totally weird--it has been 20 years. The last time they saw me I was pregnant with Lucas. Oh yes, 'Lucas'. We had a case involving a very injured little baby named 'Lucas' and this is one reason why I thought of the name!" I mused. "No, this is too weird. They won't even remember me."
"Geez Mom," chimed in Lucas, "it wouldn't be weird if they came over here, would it?"
"You're right. We lived through some interesting times at that law firm with one of the three of us who was only twenty-something involved with the married 40 year old partner and it wasn't me," I replied.
Kaley reminded me, "Wow, Mom, you should write a book like you keep saying." We get our bill at the same time as the two women and leave at the same moment.
"Hey, I used to know you guys!" I called out with a smile.
"JANET! You look just the same!" And they hugged me as if it had been only 2 years and not 20. I told them they looked just as beautiful as ever and that I instantly recognized them. The size and age of my "babies" shocked them a little. The one who had had the torrid affair back in the day couldn't wait to tell me she had been married for 13 years to a wonderful man and had a nine year old son. The other became a multi-millionaire (I knew that from my favorite magazine, Washington Law and Politics) and never married or had children. Kaley liked the woman's purse and shoes which were evidently one of those brand names like gnocchi or juicy fruit or something. As I watched my beautiful daughter tell them she was "almost 17" and my handsome son told them about college and I told them we were downtown for our annual family Christmas visit, I realized without question, I took the right path in life.
Never too old to check out the Teddy Bear Suite
// posted by Janet @ 8:25 AM
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Monday, December 20, 2004
The Christmas From Hell
'Twas 1990 and "Home Alone" was the smash hit of the season. Dave and I and the kids, Lucas, 5 and Kaley, 2 went to see the movie and thought little Kevin had had the worst Christmas ever but little did we know.....
Record cold had hit the Puget Sound area with temperatures nearing zero and Montana was even colder at minus 30 degrees F. We are not talking wind chill but the actual temperature of the air. Nevertheless, I thought it was important to drive to Montana for Christmas to spend time with our families. As we approached Helena, our Jeep made noises I had never heard before. Thirty below does strange things to metal. The roads were not great but we made it.
First, it was Lucas. He was prone to ear infections and a small cold in combination with breathing minus 30 degree air sent every little bug in his head immediately to his ears. Late one night, with Lucas screaming in pain, we ventured through deep snow and plunging temperatures to the one and only emergency room in Helena. Lucas was bundled up to the point he could not breathe. Are we experiencing Christmas joy, yet?
Second, it was Kaley. She managed a significant fever for no apparent reason. Somehow my in-laws seemed to think she could still stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve. Uh oh, tension began to percolate between hubby and me. "Just dose her up with Tylenol--she'll be just fine!" We are supposed to be feeling JOYFUL.
Third, it was nine of us staying in my Mom's tiny two bedroom house. Diarrhea! At least we kept her plumbing going in the subzero weather. The last person to be afflicted was Dave immediately before we embarked on our 12 hour journey through ice and snow back to Seattle. Oh, I just wanted my own bathroom and to have some peace and quiet while I drank tea. Isn't Christmas fun?
Fourth, it was the roads. The drive back was agonizing. My fear above every thing else is icy roads, blizzards while driving, white out conditions---I'm beginning to sweat just writing this. I think it stems from our Christmas trips from Helena to Deer Lodge to visit my Grandma. Fifty-six miles is all but McDonald Pass is in between. When I was little, it was a windy, two lane road with no guard rails; my imagination would see our car upside down in the snowy depths hundreds of feet below. Nothing ever actually happened to us but my brain still doesn't know that. So for twelve hours, I crouched in terror as we crawled along letting myself breathe only when we'd stop at every gas station while Dave scrambled to use the facilities. 100 miles from Seattle, large trucks slid off the freeway and Snoqulamie Pass was closed. Holiday travelers were required to take a windy, narrow, two lane detour through the Cascade Mountains where waterfalls were frozen in place. It was New Year's Eve and this cannot CANNOT be happening.
Finally, over the mountains and down into Seattle where we saw our beloved water surrounded by sparkling lights everywhere. All we wanted was our brand new house where we had only lived for a year, a bottle of champagne, some wood for a cozy fire, and some more Pepto-bismal. After a quick stop at the store, we pulled into our drive way. Can we celebrate now?
Fifth, it was the coldest and snowiest Christmas the Puget Sound area had ever had. In fact, to this day it is the last white Christmas in Seattle. The temperatures from December 1990 are still the record. Lucas said his friends even now talk about this tidbit of Seattle culture. Everybody remembers the Christmas of 1990 because it snowed in Seattle and WE MISSED IT. The record cold caused the pipes to freeze in our brand new house and water was rushing down our driveway. As we stepped inside, torrents were coming out of our light fixtures and our Christmas tree with the dough ornaments the kids had made was a mushy mess. Lucas grabbed his rain coat with the hood and excitedly thought maybe the "Home Alone" burglars had hit our house. But me...I....sobbed and sobbed.
It took four months--four months to replace ceilings, dry wall, wood floors, and every inch of the carpet. We found a Residence Inn nearby that New Year's Eve and they had a fire place and allowed dogs; and had good rates for long term stays. The good news was that insurance covered everything. Our contractor was caring, kind and creative and we managed to install upgraded carpets and wallpaper. Our brand new house turned out to be even more beautiful than before...Seattle's last white Christmas.
And...we have never again driven to Montana for Christmas.
'Twas 1990 and "Home Alone" was the smash hit of the season. Dave and I and the kids, Lucas, 5 and Kaley, 2 went to see the movie and thought little Kevin had had the worst Christmas ever but little did we know.....
Record cold had hit the Puget Sound area with temperatures nearing zero and Montana was even colder at minus 30 degrees F. We are not talking wind chill but the actual temperature of the air. Nevertheless, I thought it was important to drive to Montana for Christmas to spend time with our families. As we approached Helena, our Jeep made noises I had never heard before. Thirty below does strange things to metal. The roads were not great but we made it.
First, it was Lucas. He was prone to ear infections and a small cold in combination with breathing minus 30 degree air sent every little bug in his head immediately to his ears. Late one night, with Lucas screaming in pain, we ventured through deep snow and plunging temperatures to the one and only emergency room in Helena. Lucas was bundled up to the point he could not breathe. Are we experiencing Christmas joy, yet?
Second, it was Kaley. She managed a significant fever for no apparent reason. Somehow my in-laws seemed to think she could still stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve. Uh oh, tension began to percolate between hubby and me. "Just dose her up with Tylenol--she'll be just fine!" We are supposed to be feeling JOYFUL.
Third, it was nine of us staying in my Mom's tiny two bedroom house. Diarrhea! At least we kept her plumbing going in the subzero weather. The last person to be afflicted was Dave immediately before we embarked on our 12 hour journey through ice and snow back to Seattle. Oh, I just wanted my own bathroom and to have some peace and quiet while I drank tea. Isn't Christmas fun?
Fourth, it was the roads. The drive back was agonizing. My fear above every thing else is icy roads, blizzards while driving, white out conditions---I'm beginning to sweat just writing this. I think it stems from our Christmas trips from Helena to Deer Lodge to visit my Grandma. Fifty-six miles is all but McDonald Pass is in between. When I was little, it was a windy, two lane road with no guard rails; my imagination would see our car upside down in the snowy depths hundreds of feet below. Nothing ever actually happened to us but my brain still doesn't know that. So for twelve hours, I crouched in terror as we crawled along letting myself breathe only when we'd stop at every gas station while Dave scrambled to use the facilities. 100 miles from Seattle, large trucks slid off the freeway and Snoqulamie Pass was closed. Holiday travelers were required to take a windy, narrow, two lane detour through the Cascade Mountains where waterfalls were frozen in place. It was New Year's Eve and this cannot CANNOT be happening.
Finally, over the mountains and down into Seattle where we saw our beloved water surrounded by sparkling lights everywhere. All we wanted was our brand new house where we had only lived for a year, a bottle of champagne, some wood for a cozy fire, and some more Pepto-bismal. After a quick stop at the store, we pulled into our drive way. Can we celebrate now?
Fifth, it was the coldest and snowiest Christmas the Puget Sound area had ever had. In fact, to this day it is the last white Christmas in Seattle. The temperatures from December 1990 are still the record. Lucas said his friends even now talk about this tidbit of Seattle culture. Everybody remembers the Christmas of 1990 because it snowed in Seattle and WE MISSED IT. The record cold caused the pipes to freeze in our brand new house and water was rushing down our driveway. As we stepped inside, torrents were coming out of our light fixtures and our Christmas tree with the dough ornaments the kids had made was a mushy mess. Lucas grabbed his rain coat with the hood and excitedly thought maybe the "Home Alone" burglars had hit our house. But me...I....sobbed and sobbed.
It took four months--four months to replace ceilings, dry wall, wood floors, and every inch of the carpet. We found a Residence Inn nearby that New Year's Eve and they had a fire place and allowed dogs; and had good rates for long term stays. The good news was that insurance covered everything. Our contractor was caring, kind and creative and we managed to install upgraded carpets and wallpaper. Our brand new house turned out to be even more beautiful than before...Seattle's last white Christmas.
And...we have never again driven to Montana for Christmas.
// posted by Janet @ 11:08 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
"OUT" they come.
Ok, I have a million things to do and I'm looking out my window but I knew the sky overhead was too blue for those Olympics to remain hidden all day.
Ok, I have a million things to do and I'm looking out my window but I knew the sky overhead was too blue for those Olympics to remain hidden all day.
// posted by Janet @ 9:32 AM
0 comments
The meaning of "The Mountains are Out" or Not
Today is a gorgeous morning. There is blue sky overhead and the sun is glinting off of the water and Whidbey but no mountains are visible. We do not see Mount Rainier from our house but we do see the Olympics--sometimes but not today. This is one of those strange days when a visitor would not believe we have mountains surrounding us on all sides. Today, the mountains hide.
photo taken just moments ago
A day when the "Mountains were Out"
Today is a gorgeous morning. There is blue sky overhead and the sun is glinting off of the water and Whidbey but no mountains are visible. We do not see Mount Rainier from our house but we do see the Olympics--sometimes but not today. This is one of those strange days when a visitor would not believe we have mountains surrounding us on all sides. Today, the mountains hide.
photo taken just moments ago
A day when the "Mountains were Out"
// posted by Janet @ 8:16 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Christmas is coming.....the Goose is getting fat.
Cutting our Christmas Tree!
All decorated.
Our House is all lit up with fake deer and all--we are so suburban.
Neighbors house--our street went a little crazy this year with lights and I am not sure why.
Cutting our Christmas Tree!
All decorated.
Our House is all lit up with fake deer and all--we are so suburban.
Neighbors house--our street went a little crazy this year with lights and I am not sure why.
// posted by Janet @ 11:51 AM
0 comments
Saturday, December 11, 2004
UGLY
I'm a very passionate person. I love what I like and I hate what is ugly. Highway 99 is ugly and I do believe every American city has a Highway 99. Ours runs all the way from Everett to Tacoma and it is ugly, ugly, ugly with strip malls, car lots, and cheap motels and I hate it.
I also do not like those inflatable Christmas decorations--hate is probably too strong of a word. But they look really stupid during the day when they are a puddle of flat plastic. They can be kind of funny when they dance around in the wind and blow over. And they scare the bejeebers out of Apolo.
I'm a very passionate person. I love what I like and I hate what is ugly. Highway 99 is ugly and I do believe every American city has a Highway 99. Ours runs all the way from Everett to Tacoma and it is ugly, ugly, ugly with strip malls, car lots, and cheap motels and I hate it.
I also do not like those inflatable Christmas decorations--hate is probably too strong of a word. But they look really stupid during the day when they are a puddle of flat plastic. They can be kind of funny when they dance around in the wind and blow over. And they scare the bejeebers out of Apolo.
// posted by Janet @ 9:47 PM
0 comments
Good Morning--we are going to get our Christmas Tree but....
...The OLYMPIC Mountains appear today in all of their gorgeous splendor.
photo taken 5 minutes ago
...The OLYMPIC Mountains appear today in all of their gorgeous splendor.
photo taken 5 minutes ago
// posted by Janet @ 10:11 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Windy Day
I have stated on this blog before that we do not usually get much wind here but when we do--things happen. Waves whip through waterfront restaurants smashing out windows and entire bridges get blown away. Even today's small wind blows leaves and branches around and makes a roar-like sound as it whooshes through our big trees. Since my Apolo isn't used to the wind, it disturbs him in disturbing ways. First of all, he will not go outside first thing in the morning. Secondly, today on our walk, while he was doing his "business" a whoosh scared and interrupted him. Before he was finished, he hopped up causing nastiness to cover his furry feathers on his hind legs. So we had to get the hose out when we got home to have a clean up job. I am glad he loves water but this was not on my list of planned activities.
(photo taken right before our walk) "For making me wear this stupid hat, I am going to give you a bad time on our walk today because I don't like the wind!"
Whitecaps on Puget Sound (photo taken 5 minutes ago)
I have stated on this blog before that we do not usually get much wind here but when we do--things happen. Waves whip through waterfront restaurants smashing out windows and entire bridges get blown away. Even today's small wind blows leaves and branches around and makes a roar-like sound as it whooshes through our big trees. Since my Apolo isn't used to the wind, it disturbs him in disturbing ways. First of all, he will not go outside first thing in the morning. Secondly, today on our walk, while he was doing his "business" a whoosh scared and interrupted him. Before he was finished, he hopped up causing nastiness to cover his furry feathers on his hind legs. So we had to get the hose out when we got home to have a clean up job. I am glad he loves water but this was not on my list of planned activities.
(photo taken right before our walk) "For making me wear this stupid hat, I am going to give you a bad time on our walk today because I don't like the wind!"
Whitecaps on Puget Sound (photo taken 5 minutes ago)
// posted by Janet @ 1:13 PM
0 comments
Monday, December 06, 2004
In My Lifetime--Some shocking thoughts (And shocking pictures)
This portrait had been in my grandmother's cedar chest for 70 years. My mother gave it to me as a most precious gift. I had it framed and its home is now a wall in my living room. The colorized or tinted photograph was taken in 1933 and the image is the strong Montana women of my mother's family and my non-English side. The little girl is my mother at age 5; standing, her mother(my grandmother) Lillian at age 32; seated in the blue print dress, my great grandmother Lonie at age 56; and seated with the gray bun, my great great grandmother Dandi at age 74.
Shocking thoughts
1. I knew my Grandmother Lillian very well. I was with her when she died peacefully at age 92 in 1993. She had been an only child; my mother was an only child and Lonie was an only child. We are not sure about Dandi but we think she also may have been an only child. My mother broke the "only child" tradition by having two children. However, she only had one girl child--ME. Likewise, I only had two children with one girl child, Kaley. So we have six generations of women having only one female child.
2. My grandmother Lillian went to college at the University of Montana in the 1920's and received a four year college degree in business education--unusual in those days BUT when I looked at her college year book, there were many women there along with the men.
3. My mother also went to college at the University of Montana and became an accountant (though she finished her degree at Carroll College after my Dad died). This is also unusual for a now 76 year old woman.
4. Had the oldest woman in the photo born in 1859, Dandi, been an African-American, she would have been born a slave. In other words, African American women my age in this country have grandmothers whose mothers and grandmothers were born into slavery. They weren't able to go to college; they were not allowed to be taught to read.
5. Half of my mother's life, African American women and girls were not allowed to go to the same schools, swim in the same swimming pools, eat in the same restaurants, stay in hotels or motels, use the same bathrooms, drink out of the same drinking fountains or sit in the front of the bus with white girls and women.
6. In my lifetime, African American girls were not allowed to use the dressing rooms in the one department store in Helena, Montana to try on prom dresses.
7. My grandmother Lillian who died when I was 40, refused to fly on an airplane because there were no airplanes when she was a young girl. Also, there were no automobiles. There were bicycles and horses with buggies.
8. None of these women had ever watched TV as a child. I was the first and not until I was 6. There was no such thing as television.
9. In my lifetime, I remember wringer washers and ice boxes. There was no such thing as a dishwasher, refrigerator or washing machine as we know it.
10. And finally, most shocking of all, I just got my hair cut rather short and I look like my Grandmother Lillian--standing in the maroon dress. I couldn't believe it when I got home and passed by the "portrait" on my wall. It makes me feel good that my grandmother is 32 in this photo and I am 51 but I never realized I looked like her.
I am not sure what the future holds for my daughter. Computers have changed everything. Inevitably, when she is my age, she, too, will look back in complete awe at how life in America has changed dramatically in her lifetime.
This portrait had been in my grandmother's cedar chest for 70 years. My mother gave it to me as a most precious gift. I had it framed and its home is now a wall in my living room. The colorized or tinted photograph was taken in 1933 and the image is the strong Montana women of my mother's family and my non-English side. The little girl is my mother at age 5; standing, her mother(my grandmother) Lillian at age 32; seated in the blue print dress, my great grandmother Lonie at age 56; and seated with the gray bun, my great great grandmother Dandi at age 74.
Shocking thoughts
1. I knew my Grandmother Lillian very well. I was with her when she died peacefully at age 92 in 1993. She had been an only child; my mother was an only child and Lonie was an only child. We are not sure about Dandi but we think she also may have been an only child. My mother broke the "only child" tradition by having two children. However, she only had one girl child--ME. Likewise, I only had two children with one girl child, Kaley. So we have six generations of women having only one female child.
2. My grandmother Lillian went to college at the University of Montana in the 1920's and received a four year college degree in business education--unusual in those days BUT when I looked at her college year book, there were many women there along with the men.
3. My mother also went to college at the University of Montana and became an accountant (though she finished her degree at Carroll College after my Dad died). This is also unusual for a now 76 year old woman.
4. Had the oldest woman in the photo born in 1859, Dandi, been an African-American, she would have been born a slave. In other words, African American women my age in this country have grandmothers whose mothers and grandmothers were born into slavery. They weren't able to go to college; they were not allowed to be taught to read.
5. Half of my mother's life, African American women and girls were not allowed to go to the same schools, swim in the same swimming pools, eat in the same restaurants, stay in hotels or motels, use the same bathrooms, drink out of the same drinking fountains or sit in the front of the bus with white girls and women.
6. In my lifetime, African American girls were not allowed to use the dressing rooms in the one department store in Helena, Montana to try on prom dresses.
7. My grandmother Lillian who died when I was 40, refused to fly on an airplane because there were no airplanes when she was a young girl. Also, there were no automobiles. There were bicycles and horses with buggies.
8. None of these women had ever watched TV as a child. I was the first and not until I was 6. There was no such thing as television.
9. In my lifetime, I remember wringer washers and ice boxes. There was no such thing as a dishwasher, refrigerator or washing machine as we know it.
10. And finally, most shocking of all, I just got my hair cut rather short and I look like my Grandmother Lillian--standing in the maroon dress. I couldn't believe it when I got home and passed by the "portrait" on my wall. It makes me feel good that my grandmother is 32 in this photo and I am 51 but I never realized I looked like her.
I am not sure what the future holds for my daughter. Computers have changed everything. Inevitably, when she is my age, she, too, will look back in complete awe at how life in America has changed dramatically in her lifetime.
// posted by Janet @ 9:25 AM
0 comments
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Puget Sounders--We are such snobs. We just love to talk about ourselves.
ONLY IN SEATTLE
Westlake--Downtown Seattle last Christmas
1. This morning's Seattle PI had a front page story--even with all of the news about vote recounts, Bush's amazing disappearing cabinet, and Iraq--a headline story about OURSELVES!
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/202362_christmas04.html The article describes how wonderful our downtown is. Sorry folks, but there is just no other place in the country quite like us. We love to talk about ourselves.
"It was a picture-perfect afternoon to revel in the shimmer of a light-bejeweled city, to watch maple leaves flutter in a bracing wind.
At every street corner near Westlake Plaza, people paraded in hues Seattle allows only with the approach of winter, in a cadence reserved for sport-shopping (no browsing allowed) and gingerbread-viewing (before the kids get too tired).
In a town normally filled with earth-toned Gore-Tex, there were flame-orange hats, poinsettia-red wool coats, jade-green turtlenecks and scarves that could have been inspired only by Dr. Seuss: striped, pom-pommed, rainbowed, fringed and fuzzy."
2. Another article in the same newspaper was about Fremont. Fremont is a funky Seattle neighborhood which proudly (and probably the only place in America) sports a statue of Lenin--yes, that Lenin. This year the good people of Fremont decided to decorate him like a Christmas tree. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/202341_lenin04.html It is kind of a complicated story about why they have an honest to goodness sculpture of Lenin but they do and I love the quotes of the people--sooo Seattle; only here!
"To John Hegman, founder of the Fremont Sunday market, though, it means all of that. 'Art outlasts politics,' he said. 'Art is not supposed to be warm and funny or even pretty. It's supposed to make you think and interact and cause some sort of emotional reaction.'
But to 6-year-old Colin Sackett, who sat at Lenin's feet under the skirt of lights, 'It just makes me remember Christmas is coming. And it makes me remember Hanukkah, too.'
Ah yes, we teach 'em young here--to be politically correct.
3. One of my favorite periodicals is the magazine called simply "Seattle". http://www.seattlemag.com/inthisissue.asp It is completely full of Seattleites talking about other Seattleites or to be more inclusive--Puget Sounders. I guess I am a Puget Sounder. They always have a little chart of what is IN and what is OUT in Seattle and heaven forbid that you do anything uncool around here. Evidently, the yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets are OUT and the pink plastic breast cancer bracelets are IN. I do not quite understand how one cancer charity can no longer be as hip as another but, hey, this is Seattle. And true to form, my daughter came home from school with her pink bracelet.
4. And finally, I love the magazine "Washington Law and Politics". Even though it is entitled "Washington", it is really Seattle lawyers talking about Seattle law. http://www.lawandpolitics.com/washington/default.asp?section=ARTICLES (Spokane continues to complain about how we forget about them over on the eastern edge of our state. Well, they may have the last laugh if the republican, Dino Rossi, becomes our Governor after a third count of the votes. Spokane wants him but Seattle doesn't and with only a 42 vote Rossi lead, the votes are being counted again by hand at the democrat's expense.)
Anyway, "Washington Law and Politics" had a slightly tongue in cheek "brief" by David Volk about...guess what?....us, Seattle and how wonderful we are. He explained that Seattle is one of the 10 best prepared cities for a natural disaster; we are among the top five cities in technology and economic dynamism (ok?); and we have the highest number of arts-related businesses per capita, "um...those guys who throw fish at each other at Pike Place Market."
So, do we take ourselves seriously? Sometimes and sometimes not but always always with a hint of cynicism! But, we do love to talk about ourselves.
ONLY IN SEATTLE
Westlake--Downtown Seattle last Christmas
1. This morning's Seattle PI had a front page story--even with all of the news about vote recounts, Bush's amazing disappearing cabinet, and Iraq--a headline story about OURSELVES!
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/202362_christmas04.html The article describes how wonderful our downtown is. Sorry folks, but there is just no other place in the country quite like us. We love to talk about ourselves.
"It was a picture-perfect afternoon to revel in the shimmer of a light-bejeweled city, to watch maple leaves flutter in a bracing wind.
At every street corner near Westlake Plaza, people paraded in hues Seattle allows only with the approach of winter, in a cadence reserved for sport-shopping (no browsing allowed) and gingerbread-viewing (before the kids get too tired).
In a town normally filled with earth-toned Gore-Tex, there were flame-orange hats, poinsettia-red wool coats, jade-green turtlenecks and scarves that could have been inspired only by Dr. Seuss: striped, pom-pommed, rainbowed, fringed and fuzzy."
2. Another article in the same newspaper was about Fremont. Fremont is a funky Seattle neighborhood which proudly (and probably the only place in America) sports a statue of Lenin--yes, that Lenin. This year the good people of Fremont decided to decorate him like a Christmas tree. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/202341_lenin04.html It is kind of a complicated story about why they have an honest to goodness sculpture of Lenin but they do and I love the quotes of the people--sooo Seattle; only here!
"To John Hegman, founder of the Fremont Sunday market, though, it means all of that. 'Art outlasts politics,' he said. 'Art is not supposed to be warm and funny or even pretty. It's supposed to make you think and interact and cause some sort of emotional reaction.'
But to 6-year-old Colin Sackett, who sat at Lenin's feet under the skirt of lights, 'It just makes me remember Christmas is coming. And it makes me remember Hanukkah, too.'
Ah yes, we teach 'em young here--to be politically correct.
3. One of my favorite periodicals is the magazine called simply "Seattle". http://www.seattlemag.com/inthisissue.asp It is completely full of Seattleites talking about other Seattleites or to be more inclusive--Puget Sounders. I guess I am a Puget Sounder. They always have a little chart of what is IN and what is OUT in Seattle and heaven forbid that you do anything uncool around here. Evidently, the yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets are OUT and the pink plastic breast cancer bracelets are IN. I do not quite understand how one cancer charity can no longer be as hip as another but, hey, this is Seattle. And true to form, my daughter came home from school with her pink bracelet.
4. And finally, I love the magazine "Washington Law and Politics". Even though it is entitled "Washington", it is really Seattle lawyers talking about Seattle law. http://www.lawandpolitics.com/washington/default.asp?section=ARTICLES (Spokane continues to complain about how we forget about them over on the eastern edge of our state. Well, they may have the last laugh if the republican, Dino Rossi, becomes our Governor after a third count of the votes. Spokane wants him but Seattle doesn't and with only a 42 vote Rossi lead, the votes are being counted again by hand at the democrat's expense.)
Anyway, "Washington Law and Politics" had a slightly tongue in cheek "brief" by David Volk about...guess what?....us, Seattle and how wonderful we are. He explained that Seattle is one of the 10 best prepared cities for a natural disaster; we are among the top five cities in technology and economic dynamism (ok?); and we have the highest number of arts-related businesses per capita, "um...those guys who throw fish at each other at Pike Place Market."
So, do we take ourselves seriously? Sometimes and sometimes not but always always with a hint of cynicism! But, we do love to talk about ourselves.
// posted by Janet @ 9:49 AM
0 comments
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Sunset at 2:30 in the afternoon.
I took this picture five minutes ago--view from my den window towards Edmonds ferry route. No wonder we drink coffee and wine. We have no light.
I took this picture five minutes ago--view from my den window towards Edmonds ferry route. No wonder we drink coffee and wine. We have no light.
// posted by Janet @ 2:54 PM
0 comments
Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....
Apolo Claus
Apolo Claus
// posted by Janet @ 8:37 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like CHRISTMAS! Part 2
OUR TOWN
(and, yes, we have diversity)
(scurrying shoppers)
OUR TOWN
(and, yes, we have diversity)
(scurrying shoppers)
// posted by Janet @ 9:25 AM
0 comments
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like CHRISTMAS!
// posted by Janet @ 9:14 AM
0 comments
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