It has become tradition for us to celebrate Canada Day in Vancouver. This year, we
enjoyed the Granville Island Parade. It included the most enthusiastic drummers ever,
children on their decorated bicycles, a First Nations group in native costume,
a Lion Dance and much more. One thing we learned about the Lion Dance: It is wise
to bring along several pairs of extra legs.
Happy Drummers At Granville Island's Canada Day Parade
News & Notes
J's brother Jim was in town for a weekend. It was the first time in more than a decade that he stayed with us rather than any of his three kids; we were delighted! His daughters and granddaughters joined us for Saturday lunch.
Devin, Anna, Stacy, Stephanie and Jim
Our friend Ken threw a party to celebrate his wife Shelley's retirement from Boeing. We joined their family including kids and grandkids at their home on Lopez Island. What fun! Champagne on the beach, hors d'oeuvres in the dappled shade of the lawn, delicious meals and stories by the campfire. Shelley blasted apart the Boeing piñata, and everyone joined in the treasure hunt.
Ken, Shelley and Charlie
A photographer, Robert Harrison, came by Shelley's party to "shoot" the participants. In conversation he quoted his father, who was concerned with aircraft communication. The quote was both succinct and profound: The problem with communication is the illusion that it happened.
We joined more than 10K concerned citizens in the "Families Belong Together" protest of the administration's so called "zero tolerance" policy, which separates immigrant children from their parents. Citizens assembled at the SeaTac Immigration Detention Center to peacefully express their fury at this policy.
Protesters at the SeaTac Immigration Detention Center
Our visit to Libby MT to see Jim and Julie was full of excitement. On the day after we arrived, a forest fire started on a hill at the edge of town. The proximity to many homes apparently motivated the authorities to work diligently over four days to put it down. Our visit also included some fishing with Tom, Alvira and their daughter Aleen. Plus, there were cherries to pick.
Helicopter Loading Water from the Kootenai River for the Libby Fire
In addition to cherries, berries are ripe now, too. Lisa and J spent an hour picking (seedless) blackberries and red raspberries. It's time for these women to jam!
J and Lisa
