I often wear a stack of bracelets with several birth stones - blue sapphire is mine, peridot is my mother's, red ruby is my best pal's and blue topaz is my sister's favorite but not her birth stone. The irony is I bought all the bracelets at seriously reduced price without consideration of what meaning the gems available had in my personal life. At that time, I did not yet know my best pal - but would meet her later that year. These bracelets catch and reflect the light that pulls me through winter's darkest gray days.
In considering the number of gems - Generationally Enriching Matrons of Spirit - in our pews at church... Barbara, Mary, Shirley, Edna and others, I thought "What an amazing group of women that know our entire church's history. We should bottle that resource while it is still available." I'm trying to figure out a manner and a venue that would provide a way to do so and have yet to come up with a good idea...
Monday, September 23, 2019
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Precious Time
One of my motivations behind taking an early retirement was the opportunity to spend more time doing fun things with my parents - now in their mid-70s. Making memories and hanging out as peers, before it becomes necessary to shift into a care giving role as their needs and progression of age dictates. Having a memorable anecdote to stir a memory in a mind plagued with dementia can make the difference between a mundane task and quality time reviewing the past while completing a bothersome task like taking medications or tending to skin issues.
This past weekend, mom celebrated the 53rd anniversary of her 21st b-day - Don't bother to with the math... It's not my forte. Taking my mom to the ocean is where her inner 5 year old emerges. She brings her kite, her brightest smile and checks the wind for the best angle to launch her kite and spirits aloft. Offering Mom an escape from the usual schedule with a beach trip was one I could offer with no qualms. It effectively worked its usual magic. We added daily morning mimosas in small orange juice containers and a good time was had by all.
Time spent at the beach - whether ocean, bay or lake side - has always been cathartic for me. Long ago, I developed the mantra that the waves come close to steal whatever is plaguing your mind, take it out to sea and smash it in the surf. Now that I practice yoga, the image of surf and kites riding swift breezes give me another dimension to escape to during my time of mindful practice.
We were also celebrating the long-awaited closing of the sale of our family home, which occurred during our beach trip. And we timed our trip to be able to tour a series of artist studios to see creativity in its natural habitat. How could one not create art when surrounded by beach scenery on a daily basis?
As usually happens when we travel together, anecdotes are shared and new ones develop. After birthday dinner at the casino, we were on our way out the door. My folks are NOT gamblers. They spent much of their lives together under a STRICT budget that left no room for trivialities. So, when Dad pulled out a $5 bill to take a slot machine for a spin, I was stunned. Even more so when he pushed MAX BET on his third roll. AND WON! The bonus animation started and I had to coach him through the steps of each level... he ended up with a three level bonus... for the uninitiated - that RARELY happens. He figured if he made $20 on his $5 investment, he was doing OK. When he ended up with significantly more than than - both he and mom were stunned. He cashed out his ticket and more instruction was required on the redemption... he wanted to take it to the cashier cage - of which there is no more; unless you win in the tens of thousands. Dad was a little disappointed that when he cashed out there was no cascade of quarters to catch in a bucket like in the OLD days. But still amused that he won on three rolls.
In my family, when there is down time and cocktails, there are board games. We played Scrabble - complete with "My rack is deplorable" jokes - "I hear no complaints from your better half..." "There's gotta be a vowel in that old bag." "Who are you calling an old bag?" We discerned the new rules to a new game - badly and made up our own to serve our purposes. I noticed that as the night got later and the cocktails more potent; the rules followed became fewer and fewer... hmm.
We had originally contemplated taking a 6yo nephew with us for the excursion, but decided that a reconnaissance mission was necessary first. We've determined that next year both nephews will be prime age for:
1) fetching crashed kites
2) sprinting up the stairs to unlock the hotel room door ahead of us - usu for a bathroom sprint...
3) fetching dropped items left behind
4) possibly learning to make a good cocktail,
5) provide good nap companions and
6) give us reason to try all the entertainment options we skipped this time - like bumper cars...
Now we have to decide which WA beach presents a better venue for that purpose.
Here's to more family quality time to make those precious memories! Cheers!
This past weekend, mom celebrated the 53rd anniversary of her 21st b-day - Don't bother to with the math... It's not my forte. Taking my mom to the ocean is where her inner 5 year old emerges. She brings her kite, her brightest smile and checks the wind for the best angle to launch her kite and spirits aloft. Offering Mom an escape from the usual schedule with a beach trip was one I could offer with no qualms. It effectively worked its usual magic. We added daily morning mimosas in small orange juice containers and a good time was had by all.
Time spent at the beach - whether ocean, bay or lake side - has always been cathartic for me. Long ago, I developed the mantra that the waves come close to steal whatever is plaguing your mind, take it out to sea and smash it in the surf. Now that I practice yoga, the image of surf and kites riding swift breezes give me another dimension to escape to during my time of mindful practice.
We were also celebrating the long-awaited closing of the sale of our family home, which occurred during our beach trip. And we timed our trip to be able to tour a series of artist studios to see creativity in its natural habitat. How could one not create art when surrounded by beach scenery on a daily basis?
As usually happens when we travel together, anecdotes are shared and new ones develop. After birthday dinner at the casino, we were on our way out the door. My folks are NOT gamblers. They spent much of their lives together under a STRICT budget that left no room for trivialities. So, when Dad pulled out a $5 bill to take a slot machine for a spin, I was stunned. Even more so when he pushed MAX BET on his third roll. AND WON! The bonus animation started and I had to coach him through the steps of each level... he ended up with a three level bonus... for the uninitiated - that RARELY happens. He figured if he made $20 on his $5 investment, he was doing OK. When he ended up with significantly more than than - both he and mom were stunned. He cashed out his ticket and more instruction was required on the redemption... he wanted to take it to the cashier cage - of which there is no more; unless you win in the tens of thousands. Dad was a little disappointed that when he cashed out there was no cascade of quarters to catch in a bucket like in the OLD days. But still amused that he won on three rolls.
In my family, when there is down time and cocktails, there are board games. We played Scrabble - complete with "My rack is deplorable" jokes - "I hear no complaints from your better half..." "There's gotta be a vowel in that old bag." "Who are you calling an old bag?" We discerned the new rules to a new game - badly and made up our own to serve our purposes. I noticed that as the night got later and the cocktails more potent; the rules followed became fewer and fewer... hmm.
We had originally contemplated taking a 6yo nephew with us for the excursion, but decided that a reconnaissance mission was necessary first. We've determined that next year both nephews will be prime age for:
1) fetching crashed kites
2) sprinting up the stairs to unlock the hotel room door ahead of us - usu for a bathroom sprint...
3) fetching dropped items left behind
4) possibly learning to make a good cocktail,
5) provide good nap companions and
6) give us reason to try all the entertainment options we skipped this time - like bumper cars...
Now we have to decide which WA beach presents a better venue for that purpose.
Here's to more family quality time to make those precious memories! Cheers!
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Attitude Adjustment Hour
People often ask how we have adjusted to lake life and my favorite response is that it is like shifting to neutral to be here, but we don't often have or make time to enjoy those moments. This morning I'm taking my attitude adjustment hour to put heart, mind and body in neutral. To find where I am strong, weak, need care and just be - experiencing with each sense all that there is to absorb. I find the most bliss when the people with riding mowers fire them up and mow the back 40 because that generates a nap response in my brain that will not be ignored. So, overall, we've adjusted to everything BUT the smaller square footage and the myriad of stairs. We have 37 stairs top to bottom. You have to REALLY want to bring those groceries in and shop judiciously.
The air is mild and cool, the cup of tea is hot and fragrant, cat stalking the deck watching birds and ducks from a safe distance, the lake is calm and smooth, Mt. Rainier is obscured by clouds but I have faith it will show its majesty before the end of the day. Wind chimes tinkle, birds tweet, geese honk, ducks waddle to our door to receive their morning rations - they now let us within 3 feet of them if we are holding a large coffee cup of duck pellets. But they really prefer uncooked rice and frozen corn, truth be told. Further away, traffic sounds are beginning to intrude, but only if I let them.
The lake is often free of people, as there is no public access. Which keeps it quiet until late afternoon, when the apartment complex on the other side spills most of its teens and tweens onto the dock. We have a flock of 11 new goslings with 4 adults that watch over them, it's getting harder to tell the young from the mature geese now after several months. The goose sounds were annoying at first, during mating season, there are no quiet hours. Now that we've resided here through 3 seasons, and witnessed the changes there are aspects to look forward to with each season. In Fall, we have a better view of the mated pair of bald eagles in the tree stands to our east side and enjoy watching them glide and ride thermals. In winter, the birds really love that Dan still feeds them. In spring, new bunnies, ducklings and goslings emerge and I look forward to those above 60 degree days to brave the cold water on my calves to take a kayak trip. It takes 30-45 minutes to travel the length and width of the lake, noticing little changes in the 45 houses that surround it. Some McMansions, but mostly small former lake cabins that have been converted to residences. The last open lot was just sold recently and I'm anxious and dreading the changes to come with that acquisition.
Mr. M finds more peace just observing the lake from the deck and caring for the many little creatures who make their habitat at the lake. He's probably violating a HOA code of some kind, but the ducks are happy and that is all he cares about.
I find being on the water in a kayak to be a soul-satisfying experience. Drifting close to eye level with the water fowl, dangling fingers in the water to an occasional nibble by a curios fry - 2" fish. The water plants smell vaguely seaweedy but more earthy, like the dank smell of old life vests that haven't been rinsed after use. The smell that, with Brut after shave, reminds me of my grandfather. It's where I commune with the memory of lake fishing with my Grandpa Bud.
He would get irritated with me for not baiting with a hook, just tying a marshmallow to the end of my line. I wasn't there to CATCH fish, I was there for an afternoon of quality time and junk food in a boat with my Grandpa. He died when I was 14, so that was time well spent. Plus, if we actually caught fish, there would be no stop at KFC or for fish and chips dinner on the way home, I knew the drill, and how to play my cards right. As the oldest grandchild, and a girl, I had to assert my right to fish. And take math courses. Grandpa was old school "What do girls need to learn geometry for?"
A sunny day in a small boat with Grandpa, snacks and no expectations of a pre-teen girl, that was a win-win. Grandpa found second hand to convert for boating use - being an auto mechanic, he utilized leftover auto seats to improve the aluminum bench in the boat so we'd be comfy. Found an 8 track player and wired that into the small boat motor engine, so we could either have tunes or power; but not both simultaneously. My life vest neck cushion was too high, so he tacked it down with duct tape. I once got my gum stick in my hair, so he hacked it out with his keys... the list goes on.
Being on the lake is the time when I fill Grandpa in on the current exploits of Joe - who resembles him and Nick - who has his gentle demeanor, but not his misogyny. They would have enjoyed each other greatly. I tell him about the nephews' latest antics and once again we chat while out on the lake finding neutral in the fast-paced world. Some cultures have an altar to commune with ancestors, I have a lake.
The air is mild and cool, the cup of tea is hot and fragrant, cat stalking the deck watching birds and ducks from a safe distance, the lake is calm and smooth, Mt. Rainier is obscured by clouds but I have faith it will show its majesty before the end of the day. Wind chimes tinkle, birds tweet, geese honk, ducks waddle to our door to receive their morning rations - they now let us within 3 feet of them if we are holding a large coffee cup of duck pellets. But they really prefer uncooked rice and frozen corn, truth be told. Further away, traffic sounds are beginning to intrude, but only if I let them.
The lake is often free of people, as there is no public access. Which keeps it quiet until late afternoon, when the apartment complex on the other side spills most of its teens and tweens onto the dock. We have a flock of 11 new goslings with 4 adults that watch over them, it's getting harder to tell the young from the mature geese now after several months. The goose sounds were annoying at first, during mating season, there are no quiet hours. Now that we've resided here through 3 seasons, and witnessed the changes there are aspects to look forward to with each season. In Fall, we have a better view of the mated pair of bald eagles in the tree stands to our east side and enjoy watching them glide and ride thermals. In winter, the birds really love that Dan still feeds them. In spring, new bunnies, ducklings and goslings emerge and I look forward to those above 60 degree days to brave the cold water on my calves to take a kayak trip. It takes 30-45 minutes to travel the length and width of the lake, noticing little changes in the 45 houses that surround it. Some McMansions, but mostly small former lake cabins that have been converted to residences. The last open lot was just sold recently and I'm anxious and dreading the changes to come with that acquisition.
Mr. M finds more peace just observing the lake from the deck and caring for the many little creatures who make their habitat at the lake. He's probably violating a HOA code of some kind, but the ducks are happy and that is all he cares about.
I find being on the water in a kayak to be a soul-satisfying experience. Drifting close to eye level with the water fowl, dangling fingers in the water to an occasional nibble by a curios fry - 2" fish. The water plants smell vaguely seaweedy but more earthy, like the dank smell of old life vests that haven't been rinsed after use. The smell that, with Brut after shave, reminds me of my grandfather. It's where I commune with the memory of lake fishing with my Grandpa Bud.
He would get irritated with me for not baiting with a hook, just tying a marshmallow to the end of my line. I wasn't there to CATCH fish, I was there for an afternoon of quality time and junk food in a boat with my Grandpa. He died when I was 14, so that was time well spent. Plus, if we actually caught fish, there would be no stop at KFC or for fish and chips dinner on the way home, I knew the drill, and how to play my cards right. As the oldest grandchild, and a girl, I had to assert my right to fish. And take math courses. Grandpa was old school "What do girls need to learn geometry for?"
A sunny day in a small boat with Grandpa, snacks and no expectations of a pre-teen girl, that was a win-win. Grandpa found second hand to convert for boating use - being an auto mechanic, he utilized leftover auto seats to improve the aluminum bench in the boat so we'd be comfy. Found an 8 track player and wired that into the small boat motor engine, so we could either have tunes or power; but not both simultaneously. My life vest neck cushion was too high, so he tacked it down with duct tape. I once got my gum stick in my hair, so he hacked it out with his keys... the list goes on.
Being on the lake is the time when I fill Grandpa in on the current exploits of Joe - who resembles him and Nick - who has his gentle demeanor, but not his misogyny. They would have enjoyed each other greatly. I tell him about the nephews' latest antics and once again we chat while out on the lake finding neutral in the fast-paced world. Some cultures have an altar to commune with ancestors, I have a lake.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
High Hilarity Baking
Some folks know I've been dabbling in cooking with cannabis a bit over the last several years. Much to the surprise of our sons and Mr. M. I've even looked at retirement job opportunities in the industry and haven't yet ruled it out. However, in the course of my trials and triumphs there have been some lessons learned that will be cause for amusement...
My first time at a cannabis dispensary was with a friend in the medical field. WE were literally like kids in a candy store - and didn't realize there was a limit to how much product you could buy in a single visit. NOW we know how to work around that rule...
She was caring for her grandmother who would often forget to eat or forget if she had eaten and grandma's MD was concerned about her recent dramatic weight loss as a result. We purchased some small single serving chocolates and caramels for G-ma. She gained 8 pounds that month with the appetite stimulation. She was eating more volume and more often when taking a 1/2 dose twice daily. Of course, we had to sample the products and were quite giddy that evening... but slept like toddlers...
The cost is prohibitive for some, and ready made products are costly as well. This is why I chose to learn to generate my own products and self-test strains, edibles and topicals that worked well for my issues. I did not find smoking or vaping to be helpful as my lung system totally rejects that method of delivery. Topicals provide short-term relief and sublingual doses (1/2 ml dropperful AM/PM) provide the most consistent long-term pain relief for me, if consistently taken. If I miss 2 days, I'm right back where I started.
I tend to lean toward high CBD cannabis strains to self-treat migraines and joint pain (pun intended). The THC is the chemical that produces most of cannabis' psychological effects - the "High". CBD affect the nerve system the endocannabioid system that registers pain and inflammation. This video explains better the difference. I also use some 1:1 THC/CBD strains where the psychological effects are mitigated by the presence of CBD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZqVx1M3daQ
#1 - My first baking class was found through Living Social. Six very different women gathered at a private kitchen on a Saturday morning and made 4 different snack foods. We were not allowed to imbibe while cooking but soon realized that a contact high is possible just by not turning on the ventilation fan... rookie mistake. Licking the spoon or beaters is also a no-no in this venue... I was nearly booted from bake class for a violation.
#2 - When preparing raw "bud" for cooking it is wrapped in tin foil and then baked for 20 minutes at low consistent heat to "sweat the oil" from the terpines (plant cells). Then the plant is infused in a fat based liquid - butter, oil or honey are top choices. Do not UNDER ANY circumstances LICK the tin foil after baking the bud. Ancient ancestors and former pets were communed with on that day...
#3 - When baking several dishes of cannabis treats and sampling as you go - make SURE you have non cannabis infused snacks to cure the munchies. Otherwise, see you next Tuesday... Damn, nothing to nibble but more canna-kibble... Advanced preparation for baking IS necessary beyond just what is to be baked. Prep for the after effects... something else I SHOULD have learned in high school, but I was busy being boring.
#4 - When sampling homemade edibles for the FIRST time, cut into 1/4 pieces - take 1 and wait 1 hour before a second dose. And on packaged products, pay ATTENTION to dosing suggestions - if it says one and it looks like a Barbie-sized cookie; only take one - it can pack a wallop depending on the strain used. 'Well, two squares broke off and I'm not a newbie, I should be fine.' I'm seeing dead people and convinced Dan has a contract out to kill me... 2 hours later. This is why I stay away from THC products, 'paranoia will destroy ya...'
#5 - Get a set of Tupperware with GREEN lids and label EVERYTHING that has ANY cannabis in it. Once it's in the black hole of your freezer or fridge it's easy to utilize the wrong butter when making family dinner... or a major temptation in some family gatherings. YOU legally must tell anyone that there is cannabis in anything they eat and may not serve it to someone unknown.
#6 - Anything with cannabutter in it will have a "planty" odor or taste. Use other seasonings or sweeteners liberally. Using 1/2 infused product and 1/2 non-infused product will mellow the "bite".
#7 - When you clean up the "overspill" on gummies, candies or other edibles, factor that dose in to the ones you take after product is done.
#8 - When going to the dispensary, go on a slow day early in the AM, so you have all day to visit others to get the full gram you need to actually cook a decent amount of goods... also to have good service from your budtender...
#9 - Research strains online before you go to the dispensary - for sales as well as intended outcomes. Indica and Sativa strains have varying levels of chemicals that affect people differently.
#10 - IF you are going to cook with cannabis often, it's best to have a separate set of cookware and utensils that are seasoned each time you cook. Metal utensils will affect the overall taste. Ceramic, glass, bamboo are recommended. The bamboo will absorb a little essence every time used, but not in a detrimental way.
I've purchased a Magic Butter machine that keeps all the mess to a minimum and a separate small crockpot for infusing oil, honey and butter for later baking use. The Magic Butter machine looks like a small alien spacecraft and makes a heck of a racket, but effectively heats and infused the materials and even makes clean up pretty simple when one is jonesing for a power nap.
My first time at a cannabis dispensary was with a friend in the medical field. WE were literally like kids in a candy store - and didn't realize there was a limit to how much product you could buy in a single visit. NOW we know how to work around that rule...
She was caring for her grandmother who would often forget to eat or forget if she had eaten and grandma's MD was concerned about her recent dramatic weight loss as a result. We purchased some small single serving chocolates and caramels for G-ma. She gained 8 pounds that month with the appetite stimulation. She was eating more volume and more often when taking a 1/2 dose twice daily. Of course, we had to sample the products and were quite giddy that evening... but slept like toddlers...
The cost is prohibitive for some, and ready made products are costly as well. This is why I chose to learn to generate my own products and self-test strains, edibles and topicals that worked well for my issues. I did not find smoking or vaping to be helpful as my lung system totally rejects that method of delivery. Topicals provide short-term relief and sublingual doses (1/2 ml dropperful AM/PM) provide the most consistent long-term pain relief for me, if consistently taken. If I miss 2 days, I'm right back where I started.
I tend to lean toward high CBD cannabis strains to self-treat migraines and joint pain (pun intended). The THC is the chemical that produces most of cannabis' psychological effects - the "High". CBD affect the nerve system the endocannabioid system that registers pain and inflammation. This video explains better the difference. I also use some 1:1 THC/CBD strains where the psychological effects are mitigated by the presence of CBD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZqVx1M3daQ
#1 - My first baking class was found through Living Social. Six very different women gathered at a private kitchen on a Saturday morning and made 4 different snack foods. We were not allowed to imbibe while cooking but soon realized that a contact high is possible just by not turning on the ventilation fan... rookie mistake. Licking the spoon or beaters is also a no-no in this venue... I was nearly booted from bake class for a violation.
#2 - When preparing raw "bud" for cooking it is wrapped in tin foil and then baked for 20 minutes at low consistent heat to "sweat the oil" from the terpines (plant cells). Then the plant is infused in a fat based liquid - butter, oil or honey are top choices. Do not UNDER ANY circumstances LICK the tin foil after baking the bud. Ancient ancestors and former pets were communed with on that day...
#3 - When baking several dishes of cannabis treats and sampling as you go - make SURE you have non cannabis infused snacks to cure the munchies. Otherwise, see you next Tuesday... Damn, nothing to nibble but more canna-kibble... Advanced preparation for baking IS necessary beyond just what is to be baked. Prep for the after effects... something else I SHOULD have learned in high school, but I was busy being boring.
#4 - When sampling homemade edibles for the FIRST time, cut into 1/4 pieces - take 1 and wait 1 hour before a second dose. And on packaged products, pay ATTENTION to dosing suggestions - if it says one and it looks like a Barbie-sized cookie; only take one - it can pack a wallop depending on the strain used. 'Well, two squares broke off and I'm not a newbie, I should be fine.' I'm seeing dead people and convinced Dan has a contract out to kill me... 2 hours later. This is why I stay away from THC products, 'paranoia will destroy ya...'
#5 - Get a set of Tupperware with GREEN lids and label EVERYTHING that has ANY cannabis in it. Once it's in the black hole of your freezer or fridge it's easy to utilize the wrong butter when making family dinner... or a major temptation in some family gatherings. YOU legally must tell anyone that there is cannabis in anything they eat and may not serve it to someone unknown.
#6 - Anything with cannabutter in it will have a "planty" odor or taste. Use other seasonings or sweeteners liberally. Using 1/2 infused product and 1/2 non-infused product will mellow the "bite".
#7 - When you clean up the "overspill" on gummies, candies or other edibles, factor that dose in to the ones you take after product is done.
#8 - When going to the dispensary, go on a slow day early in the AM, so you have all day to visit others to get the full gram you need to actually cook a decent amount of goods... also to have good service from your budtender...
#9 - Research strains online before you go to the dispensary - for sales as well as intended outcomes. Indica and Sativa strains have varying levels of chemicals that affect people differently.
#10 - IF you are going to cook with cannabis often, it's best to have a separate set of cookware and utensils that are seasoned each time you cook. Metal utensils will affect the overall taste. Ceramic, glass, bamboo are recommended. The bamboo will absorb a little essence every time used, but not in a detrimental way.
I've purchased a Magic Butter machine that keeps all the mess to a minimum and a separate small crockpot for infusing oil, honey and butter for later baking use. The Magic Butter machine looks like a small alien spacecraft and makes a heck of a racket, but effectively heats and infused the materials and even makes clean up pretty simple when one is jonesing for a power nap.
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Make America Care Again... THAT is our route to greatness
Last night attended Lights for Liberty with my parents and about 12 fellow church members. We assembled for snacks and poster making and had a loose itinerary of where to attend an event at Saltwater Unitarian Church http://saltwaterchurch.org/ in Des Moines in conjunction with the national Lights for Liberty event. We encountered gracious hosts, convenient rest rooms and stood side by side with lit candles, voices raised in song and prayer to right the wrongs of this administration's policies.
We listened to people who are watchers and reporters who have spent time in a detention camp in Florida - just validating that the children there are seen and cared for by waving to them from a stepladder over a fence at a distance imposed by government regulations - which change daily.
#Don'tLookAway from refugee mistreatment.
We heard from a young woman who fled from Nicaragua without her child for her own safety - the mother's and the child's.
We heard from a group AidNW www.aidnw.org that mans (persons) a donated RV to receive newly released detainees in the warehouse district of Tacoma with literally only the clothes on their backs that they have been wearing for up to 6 weeks without benefit of shower.
This group has an Amazon wish list, takes donations and would prefer several small to one large donation as they exist purely on donations. Volunteers are on site from 2-7pm daily to welcome, provide care, compassion, food and clean clothing and toiletries, opportunity to communicate with family, make plans for their transition to freedom and whatever else is needed. TO VALIDATE that these people MATTER and that the policy of our government is NOT the will of our citizens.
Otherwise, these detainees would be released in an area of Tacoma that is bleak, unpopulated and without resources nearby and without a clue of what their next steps should be. AidNW is working in cooperation with Tacoma Police and ICE to exist and is dedicated to peacefully coexisting in the area they serve to KEEP serving for as long as they are permitted.
AidNW serves ALL detainees being released - not just those from Latin America and Mexico as all refugees and asylum seekers are being detained prior to being allowed to start legal processing to remain in the country.
Would you go to a country by choice to be detained for an undisclosed amount of time before being permitted to apply for asylum if you did not have to?
Could you sleep with the lights on among 1200 other unwashed persons?
Could you relieve your biological needs in those conditions?
Could you manage without human contact of those you love? No communication?
We have no clue what kind of situation made the decision necessary and cannot in good conscious judge until we've walked 800 miles, 120 days and countless losses in their shoes.
We HAD MONTHS to prepare a program and policy to receive the caravan of people headed to our borders. And THIS is the best we could do? It's abhorrent conditions are Making America Ghastly Again in the eyes of the rest of the world. This is not greatness, this is not even remotely appropriate. This needs to end.
Ever feel like an organization was put on your radar for a reason? I'm feeling compelled to get involved and support the efforts of AidNW in case that is not apparent. I explored the location today, plan to deliver non perishable food snacks later this week and if I still feel so moved, to take steps toward volunteering in the RV as appropriate.
Many of us feel that there is nothing we can do about the current refugee detainment crisis.
I may not be able to solve the problem everywhere on my own with one action, but collectively, together, my ONE action may be THE one action that makes a difference in one LIFE.
There is no way I can NOT do this.
We listened to people who are watchers and reporters who have spent time in a detention camp in Florida - just validating that the children there are seen and cared for by waving to them from a stepladder over a fence at a distance imposed by government regulations - which change daily.
#Don'tLookAway from refugee mistreatment.
We heard from a young woman who fled from Nicaragua without her child for her own safety - the mother's and the child's.
We heard from a group AidNW www.aidnw.org that mans (persons) a donated RV to receive newly released detainees in the warehouse district of Tacoma with literally only the clothes on their backs that they have been wearing for up to 6 weeks without benefit of shower.
This group has an Amazon wish list, takes donations and would prefer several small to one large donation as they exist purely on donations. Volunteers are on site from 2-7pm daily to welcome, provide care, compassion, food and clean clothing and toiletries, opportunity to communicate with family, make plans for their transition to freedom and whatever else is needed. TO VALIDATE that these people MATTER and that the policy of our government is NOT the will of our citizens.
Otherwise, these detainees would be released in an area of Tacoma that is bleak, unpopulated and without resources nearby and without a clue of what their next steps should be. AidNW is working in cooperation with Tacoma Police and ICE to exist and is dedicated to peacefully coexisting in the area they serve to KEEP serving for as long as they are permitted.
AidNW serves ALL detainees being released - not just those from Latin America and Mexico as all refugees and asylum seekers are being detained prior to being allowed to start legal processing to remain in the country.
Would you go to a country by choice to be detained for an undisclosed amount of time before being permitted to apply for asylum if you did not have to?
Could you sleep with the lights on among 1200 other unwashed persons?
Could you relieve your biological needs in those conditions?
Could you manage without human contact of those you love? No communication?
We have no clue what kind of situation made the decision necessary and cannot in good conscious judge until we've walked 800 miles, 120 days and countless losses in their shoes.
We HAD MONTHS to prepare a program and policy to receive the caravan of people headed to our borders. And THIS is the best we could do? It's abhorrent conditions are Making America Ghastly Again in the eyes of the rest of the world. This is not greatness, this is not even remotely appropriate. This needs to end.
Ever feel like an organization was put on your radar for a reason? I'm feeling compelled to get involved and support the efforts of AidNW in case that is not apparent. I explored the location today, plan to deliver non perishable food snacks later this week and if I still feel so moved, to take steps toward volunteering in the RV as appropriate.
Many of us feel that there is nothing we can do about the current refugee detainment crisis.
I may not be able to solve the problem everywhere on my own with one action, but collectively, together, my ONE action may be THE one action that makes a difference in one LIFE.
There is no way I can NOT do this.
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Word of the Week - Freedom
Isn't it strange when one theme is repeatedly woven into your consciousness in unexpected ways? This week it has happened with the word freedom. This week we celebrate freedom from British tyranny. In the sermon at church last Sunday - the essence of which boiled down to freedom being free ONLY when given away to others in service. Then Monday in yoga class of all places - the theme was repeated in describing the concept of Moksha - enlightenment through freedom, release or emancipation. As well as Dharma being the moral order of the universe and how it relates to Moksha. But I digress...
Freedom isn't free unless all who desire it share in it. I spent this afternoon in downtown Tacoma silently holding a sign that read "WE cannot celebrate Freedom and Independence while CHILDREN are in CAGES!!!" The sign elicited comment from people of all walks of life, cultures, creeds, colors and only two negative comments I refuse to dwell on. But I did find the grace to pray for the offenders. It garnered support from the many honks, thumbs up and nods I received, even from law enforcement personnel.
In grade school when I learned of the Nazi Germany history that included the concentration camps, I could not fathom that no one had the courage to stand up and stop it before 6,000 people died. Did no one reach out to the rest of the world? I realize now that those who spoke out against the policy were most likely among the 6,000. Until no one remained to speak out for fear of death.
It was at that time that marked on my very being that if I saw injustice, bullying and history begin to repeat itself, I would use my 1st Amendment freedoms to speak up, protest, resist and not give up until someone somewhere heard and registered that this was wrong. I'm seeing it now and am not willing to let us go further down this path.
Can you imagine what this debacle will do to our foreign policy?
How are we ever going to repair these families we have now destroyed?
What is it costing us to keep these people detained in subhuman conditions?
Who or what corporations are profiting from it and can we boycott them?
What are the effects on the officers responsible for these detention centers?
If you didn't vote in 2016, please commit to doing so in 2020. If you voted for a third party just to keep from voting for the two main candidates, realize the numbers work against you.
If you don't feel strongly enough for any one candidate, ally with the one candidate who can win against the opposition. Someone with integrity, a plan, credibility, diplomacy and who will work with both parties to unite our country instead of destroying through ignorance and insults.
Work for freedom for all, PEACE, justice, care of creation and celebrate the cultures that make this country unique. For someone to come here and face separation and incarceration, what worse horrors must they be fleeing?
How can we celebrate America's freedom and independence
when a government policy exists that tears families apart
as they attempt to follow the process to enter our borders
resulting in parents and children being detained indefinitely
in subhuman conditions?
In grade school when I learned of the Nazi Germany history that included the concentration camps, I could not fathom that no one had the courage to stand up and stop it before 6,000 people died. Did no one reach out to the rest of the world? I realize now that those who spoke out against the policy were most likely among the 6,000. Until no one remained to speak out for fear of death.
It was at that time that marked on my very being that if I saw injustice, bullying and history begin to repeat itself, I would use my 1st Amendment freedoms to speak up, protest, resist and not give up until someone somewhere heard and registered that this was wrong. I'm seeing it now and am not willing to let us go further down this path.
Can you imagine what this debacle will do to our foreign policy?
How are we ever going to repair these families we have now destroyed?
What is it costing us to keep these people detained in subhuman conditions?
Who or what corporations are profiting from it and can we boycott them?
What are the effects on the officers responsible for these detention centers?
WE have NO idea what the long-term effects of this stupid process will be -
but I guarantee we will feel those effects
long after this administration is gone.
Hopefully 2020 will start the healing.
If you don't feel strongly enough for any one candidate, ally with the one candidate who can win against the opposition. Someone with integrity, a plan, credibility, diplomacy and who will work with both parties to unite our country instead of destroying through ignorance and insults.
Work for freedom for all, PEACE, justice, care of creation and celebrate the cultures that make this country unique. For someone to come here and face separation and incarceration, what worse horrors must they be fleeing?
Called to Action...
One of my favorite Eleanor Roosevelt quotes is, "Do one thing every day that scares you." This week I found myself with a little extra time and an inexplicable compulsion to purchase poster making supplies. Our church is preparing to participate in a local PRIDE event... but apparently that was not the reason for this.
Upon returning home, our internet connection was not operational. I could however, access facebook on my cell phone. The first post I saw alerted me to a protest occurring the next day within 30 minutes of my home at a time I had nothing planned. If you believe in God winks, I was about to get a swift God kick in the backside. This protest was about closing the family detention camps that our government is using to detain children in cages. Oh. heck. yes.
I now had the location, the time, the materials and the means to participate. Ever since I first heard of Nazi Germany in grade school I have been unable to fathom how people didn't provide enough opposition to obliterate this awful part of history. I now understand that those who opposed usually joined the population IN the concentration camps until no one was left to protest and all protesters were silent to protect themselves and their own families.
But I have this elusive thing called white privilege and what better way to utilize it than to defend those unable to defend and speak out for themselves. I went to the SeaTac detention center when all of this immigration, wall rhetoric and closing the border crap started. AND WE'RE STILL PROTESTING this policy.
We had MONTHS of monitoring people forming a walking caravan to approach our border to escape horrendous conditions in their own countries. And we couldn't come up with a better plan than separating families and holding children in cages? With insufficient basic human necessities? You think concentration camps made Nazi Germany look bad? The US is going to have a hard time living down this atrocity.
2,363 children separated from their parents at the border.
A portion have been deported.
Some have chosen to stay and pursue citizenship without their parents.
Few have been reunited with their parents.
In WA, we have 167 detainees in the federal detention center. Beds have been requested for up to 12 months. There is no record of how many of these people are parents who have been separated from their children.
$145.19 per day to detain adults in Washington
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/07/236724/help-migrant-children-at-border-crisis
Upon returning home, our internet connection was not operational. I could however, access facebook on my cell phone. The first post I saw alerted me to a protest occurring the next day within 30 minutes of my home at a time I had nothing planned. If you believe in God winks, I was about to get a swift God kick in the backside. This protest was about closing the family detention camps that our government is using to detain children in cages. Oh. heck. yes.
I now had the location, the time, the materials and the means to participate. Ever since I first heard of Nazi Germany in grade school I have been unable to fathom how people didn't provide enough opposition to obliterate this awful part of history. I now understand that those who opposed usually joined the population IN the concentration camps until no one was left to protest and all protesters were silent to protect themselves and their own families.
But I have this elusive thing called white privilege and what better way to utilize it than to defend those unable to defend and speak out for themselves. I went to the SeaTac detention center when all of this immigration, wall rhetoric and closing the border crap started. AND WE'RE STILL PROTESTING this policy.
We had MONTHS of monitoring people forming a walking caravan to approach our border to escape horrendous conditions in their own countries. And we couldn't come up with a better plan than separating families and holding children in cages? With insufficient basic human necessities? You think concentration camps made Nazi Germany look bad? The US is going to have a hard time living down this atrocity.
2,363 children separated from their parents at the border.
A portion have been deported.
Some have chosen to stay and pursue citizenship without their parents.
Few have been reunited with their parents.
In WA, we have 167 detainees in the federal detention center. Beds have been requested for up to 12 months. There is no record of how many of these people are parents who have been separated from their children.
$145.19 per day to detain adults in Washington
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/07/236724/help-migrant-children-at-border-crisis
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