Attempting to keep track of outrageous stuff to itemize and remind.
Desire here is to list the stuff
Jan 7, 2026. NPR completed a visual archive of the evidence collected from the Jan 6 riot.
On Homeland Security home page. 2026-01-06.
NPR: “Vance confirmed that immigration agents in Minneapolis were going door to door to find undocumented migrants”.
Kristallnacht? This has nothing to do with responding to “criminals and predators”.
Jane and I had the pleasure of having two college students from Africa stay with us for a week. Paulo (from Angola) and Alimo (from Mozambique) gave us a wonderful experience and have definitely inspired us to visit them in Africa soon.
The stay with us was made possible by the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS).
Our first meeting with them at FIUTS where they introduced their countries and afterward take them home.
Our big day together was on Satuday (Jan 20, 2024) when we took them part of the way up Mount Si near North Bend. This was the fellow’s first time up in the mountains, particularly in the snow. What made a little challenging was that the steep Mt. Si trail was literally just ice. Fortunately, I had four pairs of boot spikes (don’t ask why I have so many) which allowed us to take it on anyway.
Paulo and Alimo had a great time in the snow. The slip of the ice was a little sketchy at first. But it didn’t take long for these guys to run the trail!
And after the hike, the fellows wanted to take a walk through the Microsoft campus…
We got schooled in the kitchen by Alimo. The “chicken stew” in a pot, but the centerpiece was Nshima, “biscuits” made only of corn flour and water. Nshima is fabulous with spicy chicken.
The cooking included some dance since the fellows preferred having tunes piped in just about 24/7.
As a part of the FIUTS program, Paulo and Alimo were required to assemble speeches presented to the larger group. Both demonstrate not only a capacity for complex English communication but confident presentation. These two were quite amazing.
(Alimo’s group presentation on Mozambique is not available… yet.)
On our last dedicated day together we enjoyed a scoot down the hill to Pike Market on the bikes. The downhill was a little sketchy with these two having almost no fear. Let’s just say there was a good “oh shit” moment. Though, the uphill back to the top of Queen Anne was a different perspective, a view that was a little less thrilling, shall we say. 🙂
In place of something you can hold (which I do appreciate), this is my 2023 Christmas card. Below are highlights of 2023 with Jane and many friends. I had the opportunity to visit with my son, Joshua and his family, and nephew Eagle and his new son and a host of other adventures.
Jane and I enjoyed an opportunity to join friends sailing around St. Thomas island. We chartered a boat owned by Jane’s cousin, Joe who charters full time in the Virgin Islands. The sun, the snorkeling, the warm nights!! … It was wonderful.
While Jane and I were in the Virgin Islands, Jane’s cats were pampered by Miles and Casey who came out to Seattle from San Angelo, TX. I was worried they would never come back having experienced Seattle in the winter. I needn’t be; they loved it. Look forward to more time with these two!
We have so enjoyed visits with Sage who is an adopted daughter of our good friends Leo and John. I just had to share Sage who just makes everyone smile. And this girl is a born explorer!
Throughout the year, we are treated nearly every Sunday morning with a run, bike, and always breakfast with some of our best friends in Seattle. It is the highlight of the week, every week. Love these people. (And calling out Bob [in blue] who makes the trip from Vashon Island, every week.)
We didn’t let the rain stop us from seeing Bare Naked Ladies in concert. Jane was ready for anything that could fall from the sky. And could do a very good Oompa Loompa impersonation.
We had Jane’s boys (Dylan, center image; Duncan on the right) home from school over the summer and before Christmas. And we visited both of them in California; Dylan in San Luis Obispo and Duncan in Pomona.
July brought us out to Denver and Keystone, Colorado to spend a week in mountains with Phil, Denise, and Justine who all are always treat Jane and I to the best trips.
I was in Michigan in July to visit with my son, Joshua and his family; there was Gail, little Owen and newly arrived Lyla. The time with them was amazing (much more than I can express here) and a palace of kid joy.
My first day with Owen and Lyla. Owen loves his animals! Particularly the whales.
Here you can follow Joshua and Owen at his favorite place: the playground. He tries everything and you can’t help but smile while he jumps up and down in excited anticipation for the next playground adventure.
(It’s over 7 minutes, but still so good.)
I also stopped by to meet another new addtion: Carter-Slade Beers. A very cute little guy and some happy new parents, my nephew Eagle and Hannah.
After watching my first Washington Huskies game in the stadium, we then had the “drive” home. No one was moving and that walkers were doing much better than we were. So I had the idea of saving on gas so had Jane push.
I had a beautiful experience doing field work out on the Olympic Peninsula within the Clearwater basin. We were there to assess the ecological and morphological health of the streams there after decades of logging in the lower basin.
And then we closed out the year with Christmas ships on Lake Washington and then a crystal clear nighttime cruise on Lake Union.
Hope to see you in 2024!