Think of today nineteen years ago

This is the fall 2020 version of Harry and a new spider from our crafty neighbors.  A lady I met recently described the dog as sinewy.  He is a very muscular 12 pound canine doing well and always, always ready for food or treats or a walk.  The woman that described him, Susan owns and operates the Vitrine Gallery near our home.  Harry and I encountered her on our morning walk.  She was re-webbing the bench in front of the store.  She invited us in to describe the meteor sized opening between this store and the next door neighbor that will be a snack/grab and go shop opening soon.  I would call her an artsy person with a relaxed 

attitude and a most pleasant conversationalist.  If you're in the neighborhood, stop in.  Next is a lawn spider from my favorite home on Mortenson.  This guy keeps coming up with new, unique ideas, always a pleasure to be surprised by his work.

This date is permanently branded in most of our memory's.  I was at work sitting at my desk at Choctaw-Kaul working on emails and making plans to see customers.  The day was normal kind of mundane really.  They have a really large TV  in the conference room.  Walking by I could see the now iconic image of the World Trade Center with a gaping hole in it's side with smoke billowing out.  We were all trying to get to news sites on our computers but the traffic was too great and most sites were interrupted.  When it was revealed that a plane had flown into the side of the building,  I thought it must be a terrible accident, how tragic.  

Later it was explained that this had been a purposeful attack on our country with more attacks on the Pentagon and a downed plane in Shanksville PA that was destined for the White House,  I was completely shocked.  The United States attacked on our shores?  This couldn't be true.  But it was.

In the nineteen years since, we have seen wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that are still going on.  Our world and our concept of our place it has permanently been altered.  Three presidents later, we are still engaged in armed conflicts in the region.   There are few good answers.

I remember a November day in 1963.  I was 13 years old in Mr. Kekovich's math class.  He had shortened finger on his writing hand so he used a metal chalk holder so he could grip.   Sitting there typically confused by the math lesson, we received an school intercom announcement that the president  had been shot and we were all going home. 

There was a week of black and white programing on the his murder in the open convertible Lincoln with Jackie holding his head in her lap.  There was the scene of Lyndon Johnson being sworn in on Air Force One, Mrs. Kennedy at his side.  Later was the 

the funeral and the iconic image of young John Kennedy Jr. saluting as the caissons carried his father past him.  Many of us remember where we were and what we were doing at those tragic times. 

There are many lawn signs thanking Essential Workers in our midst.  They work in hospitals and protect us on the streets and save us from fires.  They teach our young people.  My daughter Shannon attends a day program for severely disabled adults called New Gateways Inc.  The educators and workers at this program are indeed heroes taking care of and providing education and enlightenment to a population that is the most vulnerable in our state.  The participants are from 26 to folks in their 60's.  Most are too disabled to be employed in even a sheltered workshop.  Ms. Lynn Maginity, a classmate to my son Jon at Kimball HS leads the program.  She has been working for months preparing this facility for the new reality, all the while struggling to find funding to keep the place going.   She has no sword or cape, but still is a warrior and hero  without equal.

Judy and I had a wonderful day at the Nature Center in Troy and a little day drinking at Renshaw's.  It was beautiful and sunny, a true treasure of a day.

stay safe

all for now