its just Monday on the Rez

ahh, life on the rez.

Its a typical Monday afternoon. I am riding the bus back from the city. As the bus gets close to my stop, the driver comes on the pa systems and tells us that there is a big police activity going on near the bus stop and not to go west. I immediately look to the west as we are going by Pine St.

The entire street is blocked off, there must be 20 cop cars and I see several cops with bullet proof vests, holding rifles or shotguns...

I get off the bus and go by the store. I ask the lady at the counter what is going on. Most of the time these people know just about everything, due to their exposure to all the elements of the community. She says, "well, its probably a drug bust. The cops know where all the drug houses are and every so often they all get together and go raid one. But, another drug house will just pop up down the street". Encouraging words...

Off to the watering hole to get some more info. One guy says he knows a tweaker who lives on that block, might be him he figures.. no one else knows much.

A George walks in to the bar, an empty pepsi cup and two airline bottles of whiskey in his hand. He gets his cup filled with soda and goes out to the deck to make himself a drink.

some young native girl calls me the N word, but not in a derogatory way, just her way of saying hi. Another replies back that we aint N's, we Krackers... ok, whatever.

time to go home. I make it safely to my res hideaway.. all good now.

sirens blaring up and down the road all night. then an impromptu fireworks show starts a few blocks away.

my neighbor comes by around 10, I am almost heading to bed, and asks me if he has woke me up recently with one of his trademark 4 am rock and roll partys..

finally asleep. another Monday on the rez.

4:30 am I am woke up by more sirens, and then again at 5:30 am...
its just Tuesday.

Tommy!

So long my friend, it was great working with ya!

I was looking for some change in my life, but I never saw that one coming. Tom and I were each others Peak support group. I know this change will be good for him. Good luck!

Champions on Ice

This weekend, we went to Champions on Ice at the Everett Events Center.

It was my first visit to the Everett Events Center. It was a nice facility, very intimate. The sound was decent too.

We really enjoyed the whole performance. It was interesting to me, because I have only watched Olympic or World Championship skating events. They had a lot of fun and did some really creative things that you would never see in competition. One of the pair skaters had the girl lifting the guy! They ended with a tribute to James Bond, 007. It was pretty cool and used the music from the movies.

I was awestruck to be so close to Olympians.

Sasha Cohen

Kimmie Meissner

Evgeni Plushenko

We can't wait for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Memorial Day

For all of my life, Memorial day has held little meaning. I have seen the president speak at Arlington on TV, the flags flying at many houses. But for me, the holiday never had a face.

I visited my mother yesterday morning, and asked her if anyone in our family had ever died in service. She could not recollect any. She did revisit the forgotten story of how my dad and his twin brother lied about their age to go fight in WWII. Interesting, is seems that in todays age of suspect wars, the only lying going on is by those who would rather not go to battle...

This year, the holiday does have a face. My best friends sister died last year while serving in the National Guard. She was Kyles younger sister, I can remember when she was just a small child. I have been very close to this family and when she dies, it did feel like a member of my own family died. I consider myself one step removed, affected in my own level.

As I hiked through the forest yesterday, I thought a lot about what Memorial day means to those who lost a family member. I thought about how much I hate war, killing of any person, or animal for that matter. But, I still feel compelled to honor those who did died in a horrible war. Those people didn't start the war, they were doing what they believed was the right thing. They did it for their country, which has to be the most noble of deaths, if there is such a thing.

I remember a few weeks ago reading a column in the PI by Robert Jaimieson "War's fallen are too often forgotten".
I walk by the Garden of Remembrance every day. Its a daily reminder to me that war kills many people. There are quotes on the wall from letters of soldiers. One that gets to me every time I read it is by a soldier in WWII. He says something to the effect of "its too lovely of a time of year to be fighting a war". The soldier knew he could die any day, yet he still had time to take in the beauty of the earth.

I wondered today, how many people that walk right through the Garden to get to Starbucks, even know what all those names on the stone wall are? How many even care? I have always known and always cared.

To the face I can finally attach to this most solemn of all US Holidays, I say thank you Kirsten for all that you have done for our country.

mile 2641 7.5 days - THE END

its over.. spring break 07 is in the books.. We all had a great time and will cherish the memories forever.. I had a lot of time to think while driving so long.. Why did I feel I needed to take the kids to Disneyland? My mother took my sister and I some 30 years ago and it left a life long impression. I still remember many of the things we did so long ago. It had to mean something to not lose those memories. I wanted my kids to have the same experience. Also, It was great to see family that we just don't see enough. To family I missed on this trip, you were not forgotten! We will come pay a visit! you are warned. :)

I will do one final post of pictures on Monday or Tuesday..

thanks everyone!

Tired Craig

mile 2120

nearly home, we stopped last night in Rogue River, OR. Its very beautiful here. We are going to take as quick swim..in the rain. more picts when I get home..

Craig

picts day 6