It’s Chip’s 58th birthday today, and of course it’s hard not to recall the day when his birthday became one of those benchmarks of history. It was sunny then, a beautiful morning, and we were getting to ride our bikes when he turned on the news and we saw the fire in the towers. Today it is rainy and dark, but it must still be September, since there is so much going on— if you are a mover and shaker Thursdays mean Morning Muscles at 6am in the Chilkat Center, Gym Dandy gym walking at the school at 8:30, Zumba at the lovely downtown studio at 9:30, the pool opens 11-1:30 for a lap swim, and there’s yoga at 5:30 in Marnie’s tower. Open gym basketball and volleyball has started again nights at the school too. Community-wise there’s a grand opening at the Veteran’s Village next to Haines Assisted Living this afternoon with tours, music, food and fun. Everyone is welcome to check out the new big green building. At 6:30pm Dale Brandenberger will be reading from his novel Grizzly Trade at the library. Dale’s a Fish& Game biologist who used to live here, and is funny, smart and thoughtful, so it should be great. I can’t go as the Planning Commission meeting is at the same time, 6:30, in the assembly chambers. The manager has advised the commission to approve a conditional use permit for a new commercial three heli pad heliport at 10 Mile which could mean a long night. There is also night golf at the course tonight with glow in the dark balls, and if I were you, I’d carry an air horn and bear spray. They are cruising the river flats at dusk regularly. There is even a bear out Mud Bay who can open car doors. Which creates a challenge, as one friend locked her car to deter him so he tore the door handles off. And if that’s not enough happening today, tonight is the moose hunt informational meeting at the American Bald Eagle Foundation, the annual hunt begins this weekend. Tomorrow evening at 4:00 at Harriett Hall there’s a fundraiser to help the Benassis pay for expenses involved in the multiple medevacs to Seattle Children’s Hospital for baby Corvus. He’s okay now, but has had some very scary stomach and allergy issues. And Saturday at the museum is Apple Day, they will picking the historic Amway tree and having apple related fun, and Alexandra Feit is having a sketching class from 1-3 there, too. Call the museum for details. Also, thanks for all the notes about Phoebe. She was, as they say in New York, a piece of work. She barked for 16 years (my neighbors said it’s weird not to hear that high pitched back beat in the air. Something is missing in the soundscape), dug holes in the upholstery, scratched the bottom of the doors to shreds, and had a loud digestive system. She did like Grandma Joanne, and even sat on her lap sometimes. While she ran away from little children she never bit one. Also, I have written several moving obituaries recently– I don’t mean moving because I wrote them, rather moving because of the way the subjects lived their lives– Helen Streu, George Edwards, Jerry Fabrizio and this week Constance Griffith. They are all worth sharing, so I’m going to add an obituary page to this site, with my friend James’ help.
Here’s the birthday boy a few days ago, walking the beach with one crutch and Pearl. We are so very lucky.
