Mid-Summer Thoughts

It's nearing the middle of the summer and it's time to check in, take stock and reflect a little on what we've been doing.  As you can see by what my memory has been able to recall, the answer is, not too much. Trying to figure out the rest of it. So many plans colliding. I want to do everything and nothing at the same time! Of course, we are restricted by time, space and a frighteningly tight budget. 

I had hoped to be able to get up to Sacramento more to be with Vicki and Shaan more often. But then, the summer is not over.  

Mostly, the summer has been filled with some special moments with friends and neighbors and meeting and getting to know new Uhuru volunteers.  And Poison Apple Pie rocked!

Another thing is that it is finally hitting me hard how much I need and miss my sister Nancy. She lives far away and seeing her and her family for one afternoon made me realize how much I have missed her all these years since she moved away. She moved away in another sense for a number of years and the whole family couldn't reach her and we all hurt from it. However, she is back and my sister is there living her life and I love her so much! It is not like I didn't as much before but I guess when you lose one sibling, you realize just how precious (in my case) the one you have left is to you. There are so many different reasons that perhaps I suppress this, one of them being that we are so alike. And, that we are both sisters who have lost our brother and sometimes it is the hardest to see the reflection of the same type of sadness in yourself in another. 

Ned would have wanted us to come together and his presence is strong when we are with each other. 

June 

12-18

Boardwalk and beach with kids, mom, dad, Vicki and Shaan

Uhuru events and Fairfax festival

Ted Vincent

Banana Splitz party at the Creamery for Grandma

Mural "tour" in the SF Mission with Aaren

Swimming at "The Hills"

19-25

Gathering at the house

Summer Solstice party at Fike's

Father's day at mom and dad's - planted tree

Kids getting bored

26-2

Skatepark

Michael Jackson 

Emmalee back from Guatemala

SF Pride Fest

Visit with Nancy, Dave and Nicole

Poison Apple Pie Practice & Performance

July

3-10

Grand Lake Farmers Market

Hike for Lisa's birthday

Jasmine's haircut

Temescal Pool

Reggae Rising meetings

Skatepark

Sleepovers

It has been a slow summer, a lazy, sleeping in summer and at the same time a summer of struggle for solidarity. It is a summer of sadness for lost stars - known and not so known.