In Spite of The Brutal Political Reality....

I wrapped blankets around them in the worst of the cold.

But the daphne are hinting that 

new life is born out of dark and chilly times.

LaTraviata

Not your mamma's production.

One chair and lots of curtains.

Strangely effective in 110 minutes 

With no intermission!

There was a lot of opportunity after

Waiting for stoplights 

To catch  

Surreal views. 

Shadows of our earlier selves

On our walk home from the dinner at the Sheraton, we ran into three young women, who 

were quite fascinated by three older( well, older than them) 

women in black raincoats and sturdy shoes climbing the hill.

They wanted to take our pictures, probably as a curiosity.

However, we took theirs instead.

I remember those days.

Celebration of Light

Tonight was the Celebration of Light to raise funds for Catholic education.

Table 39 was a very animated table.

As someone said, we probably didn't pledge the highest amount as a table, 

but who cares? We were indeed the most charming!

From NW Hospital

I spent the early afternoon at NW Hospital visiting a friend.

I think he is getting better enough to appreciate his view. 

Sad part is, the bed faces the wall, not the window.

Mt. Rainier appeared from under the clouds.

Seattle rises up out of the trees/

as does the Needle.

We the People!

Today I learned how to shove myself with muscly abandon into the back door of a packed to the ceiling Metro bus and light rail. (Thanks to Bostonian Carol!)

We met up with 130,000 others and walked for almost 4 hours.

Why do this?

I walked for the mothers and the heroes who led the way, I walked for the mothers and the children and the most vulnerable who have so much to lose in this new political climate.

I walked for immigrant brothers and sisters, I walked for all creatures. 

Carol made wonderful posters for us, and I didn't have a pink hat, but wore my mother's white French beret, and the ostrich shell earrings handpainted with a woman and child which Katherine Marie had brought me from Lesotho many years ago.

The crowd gathered at Judkins Park.
There was no way to see the front or the back. 

We started close to the beginning, we think.
But all those others were in front of us!

Signs for a Great America!

Rock Shabbat of Dreams--Our Lights Come Shining!

Tonight I ended the day in town by attending the inter religious

Shabbat of Dreams celebration at the temple.

We reflected on the words of Ghandi, Dr. King, and Rabbi Heschel.

Religious leaders and the rest of us.

It was a rock shabbat!

The rabbis got down!

We sang in Hebrew and Arabic and English.

with some Mavis Staples and Bob Dylan.

It felt very right to be singing 

" I shall be released" on this sober night!

 I left uplifted and inspired.

Ready to march tomorrow.

Inaugural Day March

On my way to an appointment this afternoon 

I had to wait for a very well behaved march of 

high school people and teachers. 

I cheered them on.

Proper Inaugural Day Dressing

I just couldn't help myself!

An Artistic View of the Twenty Pound Visitor

Thanks to Corinna, I found Prisma.

Prisma transformed the view of the visitor.

20 Pound Visitors

Today was another day at home.

Before I headed to my desk to tackle what was waiting 

in my briefcase and inbox, 

I spied what I thought was a big tabby cat hanging out by St. Francis.

But, instead it was the raccoon family that I hadn't seen since summer.

They have grown very fat!

And now there is no cat to watch them and to patrol the yard.

Sick Bay View

This was where the day happened. Give or take a few treks to the kitchen for 

chicken soup and water and oranges. My  Fitbit reports 13 hours of sleep in one day, 

which explains why only 656 steps and .27 mile were also recorded. 

A most strange de-energizing bug. Obviously, the flu shot didn't cover this.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2017

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." 

—from ‘Letter from Birmingham, Alabama Jail’, April 16, 1963

10000 Steps Around the Neighborhood

This afternoon, I decided to take a little walk around the neighborhood.

I didn't plan to be gone for that long. 

But I kept seeing little areas i wanted to explore.

On the hill facing the lake, it was still frosty.

On the hill facing away from the lake, there are remote signs of spring.

The lake itself was beautiful with its gun metal sheen. Not a day to water ski, even in a wet suit.

The hill over Hamlin Park let in the setting sun,

as well as a lovely glimpse of the mountain.

Ready and Waiting for the Party to Start

Last night a few friends came over for a little dinner.

We got so engaged in the dinner that the only photo taken 

was while J and I relaxed before 

our guests arrived!

Lady Alice's presence was missed. she was always such a social butterfly.

black-ish on the Election

Last night our President gave his farewell 

and many of us were blown away by his 

nobility, grace, and belief in our country as we 

teeter on the brink of a presidency which claims it will undo his legacy.

That is yet to be seen.  

But, last night I was already missing 

the thoughtful, brilliant community organizer and his family.

Tonight, black-ish tackled the election results

and that episode was a proud examination of 

black and white response to the 

upset and to the work ahead of us. 

If you didn't catch it, find it online, readers, 

especially on this upcoming MLK, Jr.  weekend!

Luz

Welcoming luz at the cathedral on a chilly clear night!

Luna bella fria

What a beautiful moon tonight!

Si,se puede!

I rushed home tonight to catch our President's 

Farewell Address. 

He didn't  cave in to divisiveness,

but called us all to wake up and practice our citizenship 

and to show up for the work ahead. 

Si, se puede!