Hawaiian Day, Squared

Today the Jenkins family attended dose Hawaiian-themed parties. The first was Grant “Smith’s” first birthday party up at Jane and Marc’s in Edmonds (pics).

Grant hits the big Numero Uno.

Another shirt that doesn't get a lot of action.

The second was a soiree thrown by Roy and Grace Price down at the beach club. We didn’t take the camera to Grace and Roy’s so we didn’t get pics, but Norman did take this one of yours truly:

That's thirty feet if you're measuring.

It was a fun day for the Jenkins family but one overcome by sadness. Uncle Cole went back to Phoenix.

We’ll miss him, but he knows he’s welcome back any time.

Michael Jackson RIP

I learned of Michael Jackson’s untimely death today when Rhonda called to tell me about it. I was driving on I-5 through rush hour traffic in downtown Seattle.

No doubt that moment will go down as one of the “I remember where I was” moments of my life. There aren’t many:

I learned about Elvis Presley’s death while driving south on West Marginal Way with my grandpa. I was eight years old, Elvis was 42, my grandpa was 61 or so.

I learned about Lyman Bostock’s death when I read about it in an American paper in Moscow. I was nine years old. (I know, he doesn’t belong in this list. But for some reason I remember when he died. And he did hit .311 in a four-year major league career.)

I was sitting in a bedroom in a condo in Stateline, Nevada when I watched the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team win the gold medal. You remember — the “impossible dream” team. I was ten years old.

I was on a beach on Hood Canal just north of Hoodsport, WA when Mount St. Helens erupted. My grandma heard it. I did not. The date was May 18, 1980. I was eleven years old.

I learned the Space Shuttle had exploded over the loudspeaker at Kennedy High School. Father Batterberry delivered the news. I was 17.

I learned about Princess Di’s death when I saw it in the headlines in a newspaper at a Denny’s near the airport. We were on our way to catch a plane to Bend, OR for the first-ever Greenspan Cup. I was 28. Princess Di was 36, four years younger than I am as I write this.

I learned about the 9/11 attacks when my roommate Carol Baskin told me about it early that morning. I was sitting in front of my computer and watched the day’s coverage on CNN. I was 32.

Back to Jacko. I can’t say I was a fan of his music, and I count myself among the many (if not the majority) who found him beyond creepy. My Jackson memories are mostly of the 9th graders who dressed and gloved like him in high school, circa 1983-84. Nevertheless I can’t doubt his talent or his impact on pop culture. And regardless of what I thought of him, fifty is way too early to go.

Rest in peace, Michael. You’ll be missed.

Why Didn’t I Think of This

This from my friend Michael Anderson on his Facebook page today:

A smoking section in a restaurant is like a peeing section in a pool.

Uh, dad, maybe I should use the bathroom instead . . .

Flippin’ brilliant.

The Family Hits Port Gamble

This weekend Cole, Rhonda, Reese and Finn joined me for some Civil War re-enacting at Port Gamble on the south end of the Kitsap Peninsula. Never been there (or even heard of it) but it was a pretty cool place I gotta say. I really can’t see any reason why it couldn’t be a destination along the lines of a Friday Harbor. It’s certainly a lot closer to Seattle.

Anyway, we got lots of pics from the re-enactment. Among them:

I followed it up with a Father’s Day round of golf at Washington National on Sunday morning . . .

What a difference eighteen hours makes.

Greenspan 2009 Details

Seems no one keeps their Greenspan e-mails printed out in a nice folder.

No one except Cheever, I’m sure.

The Greenspan boys are returning to Suncadia/Chelan after a two-year absence.

Details of the 2009 event are as follows:

Golf
Thursday July 30 — practice round at Suncadia starting at 11:30 am
Friday July 31 — Bear Mountain Ranch — 8 am and 2:10 pm
August 1 — Desert Canyon — 8 am and 2:20 pm
Sunday August 2 — 11 am singles at Suncadia

Accomodations
Park Pointe, 808 Manson Highway, Chelan, WA (emergency contact numbers 509 670 4698 and 509 670 4697)
B202 – 2 queens, 2 aero beds
B203- 2 queens, 1 queen sleeper couch
B204- 1 king, 1 queen, 1 queen sleeper couch
B301- 1 king, 1 queen, 1 queen sleeper couch.
Fifth unit — World Team only

Reese Learns Shopping

Reese, Finn, Rhonda and Cole went shopping today at the premium outlets. (I shot 78 at West Seattle on Roll Back the Clock to 1990 Day — $11 for 18 holes, minus my winnings of $7 for a $4 total round.) Anyway, apparently Reese got into the swing of things:

Trying on some boots.

Doing her best Jackie O.

Sorry I missed it. I have a feeling there will be a lot more days like it.

Another Sign Freedom’s on the March in the Emerald City — Not

A few months ago I blogged on my frustration about the wealth redistributors who get paid to call themselves traffic cops.

Add to it Seattle’s parking enforcers. Today’s Seattle Times‘ cover story — not good.

Civil War Re-Enacting, Yakima Style

Today I joined John Strand and Bernie Moskowitz on a day trip to Yakima for a Civil War reenactment at Fort Simcoe. The Fort was originally established for the white man to keep their eyes on the natives. It’s been there ever since. One of the four buildings that make up the Fort is reportedly quite haunted. Ghosthunters, anyone?

That's me, fourth from left.

We staged two battles for the one hundred or so civilians who ventured out into the middle of nowhere for our D-Day reenactment. In between battles a few reenactors and some of the kids and I played a modified version of town ball — basically the Civil War era’s version of baseball.

Okay, this isn't from Fort Semcoe, but we did get in a good game of town ball.

Next up — Port Gamble on June 19-21.