16 Jul 2018 – NC, VA, WV, PA, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH&ME

Thu: leaving WilkesboroNC 0930hrs, arr 1200n to Wiggs@BlacksburgVA to pick her up.

Continued with a slight detour to check out Woodside Farm which formally belonged to Kenneth Wherman’s family (JessicaLee’s husband/HiHills&Franklin’s son-in-law). Passing by New Market/VA to join the main road again.

Interesting places of worship and traffic back-ups at a few places on I-81 due to road constructions.

@The Millworks Harrisberg/PA

Yummy dinner – fried green tomatoes, trout and cobbler. Arr 22.30hrs@Red Roof Inn, Wilkes Barre Arena/PA US$80 shared with Wiggs, US$40pp where we were all ready to call it the day.

13th Fri: 0900hrs, sharing a good omelette+extra avocado with Wiggs@IHop before heading back to the highway. Irresistible fresh produce – blueberry-pie,  honey, plums, sweetcorn by gas station.

PA Welcome Center

On I-84E by passing Hartford/CT (Waterbury Golden Dome?) detour off the interstate by fate! to capture the above pix.

VT Welcome Center – nice location with a fund-raising for a swim-team.

Hello ME – passing Bethlehem and a drive-in movie with personality where I had to take a leak behind this white building. Arr@The Cabin, Andover 1900hrs.

Sat: appreciations to Honey&Bear and good to see them again here@The Cabin.

Glad to see the group again@The Cabin when we can enjoy the world’s best blueberry pancakes – the secret is in the batter!

Wiggs attempting to flip those pancakes. HiHills&Lizard helping with the cleaning and freezing of the rhubarb.

While Lizard, Pac-Man, Pokey&Wiggs were hiking, HiHills&Franklin and I dropped the car to the trail-head@S Arm Rd and drove on to Richardson Lake.

Playing tourist in Andover was fun – Main St, First Congregational Church across the road from the Town Hall.

Good lobster salad lunch@Little Red Hen. HiHills had a yummy HaddockChowder which I had a taste and Franklin had LobsterBLT with fries.

MillsMarket (was told that in has been in this family for 4generations), some beautiful private property on Main St, School@PineSt.

Library (originally a church), PostOffice, Tiger-Lilly in full bloom, TinyHouse for rent.

LoveJoy Covered Bridge.

Random pix from the walkabout.

Sun: 16mi to grocery&lobsters shopping@Rumford.

A massage with Donna but she does not remember that she gave me a massage in 2005!  With full schedules and the only masseur in this area, how can she remember? As for me, I remembered it well as that was the day after I fell. Kodak moments for this old gas station across the road from her.

The long anticipated infamous Surt&Turf dinner@The Cabin and well worth the wait.

Group pix credits to Daniel/PacMan, Pokey’s grandson.

A woman should never be seen eating or drinking, unless it be lobster salad and Champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands ― George Gordon Byron

12 Jul 2018 – Greyhound & Automobile

Tue: tkx to #1 for driving me to the Greyhound Station in Columbia. She is a good driver and also a quick way to earn some pocket money by paying her to drive me instead of getting a cab or Uber. App 2hrs ride from Columbia-Charlotte – en route to the AT in ME to join HiHills, Pokey&Lizard to do a support hike.

Charlotte/NC, (2hrs layover) to catch another bus (about 1+hr ride) to WinstonSalem.

Greyhound and bus station across Main St/Downtown North Historic District@WS

Appreciations to Franklin for a tour of Old Salem, historic district of WS – a restored Moravian community which shows the culture of the Moravian settlement in NC during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Campus of Salem College and Academy

WS – Main St/Avenue of the Arts,

interesting insects! on the wall; Mast General Store with this Chaco bench!

Good Southern dinner@Sweet Potatoes: starter – green fried tomatoes&okra with a yummy sweet potato dip;  main – cat-fish with grids&spicy greens; dessert – sweet potato pudding & strawberry-key-lime pie.

Wed: Wilkesboro/NC – tkx to HiHills&Franklin for putting me up in their lovely home and for driving. Not sure how much I will be able to blog or to be online when on the road and the trail starting tomorrow until 23Jul, but will surely update when possible.

Environmentalists have a very conflicted relationship with their cars – Tom Arnold

Wilkesboro was founded in 1800. Behind this former Court-House, now Heritage Museum was a ClevelandOak tree, grew possibly 3centuries and was used as a hanging tree for at least 5Tories during the fall of 1779. Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church is a historic church built in 1849-50 by a man named Dameron for $1040.

Tom Dula (Dooley), from Wilkes County a Confederate veteran was tried and hanged for the murder of his fiancee, Laura Foster. Many people were convinced that one of Dula’s jealous ex-girlfriends murdered Foster, and that Dula was innocent of the crime. Dula’s story was turned into a top-selling ballad in 1958 by the Kingston Trio, the song was entitled Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley. The story was subsequently turned into a 1959 movie starring Michael Landon as Dula, and each summer the Wilkes Playmakers present a popular play based on the story.

9 Jul 2018 – Packed With Activities

Fri: TGIF and such a fun day@Riverbanks Zoo&Garden. Have always liked this zoo and today was exceptionally a good one with #3,4&5. Thanks to Cindy for her pass and managed to save US$70 for the 3kids+1senior. Good pizza lunch@Tuskers to fill their stomachs to last for the afternoon.

Started our tour indoors due to the humidity&heat and an excellent choice by the kids. We managed to spent nearly 2hrs@Aquarium Reptile Complex, a 20,000-sq-ft (1,900 m-sq) building where #3 impressed me with his knowledge about many of the inhabitants here.

For those who know me also know my phobic for snakes, but today somehow I managed to capture pix of nearly all the snakes housed here – RatSnake, SC Copperhead, Vietnamese-LongNose, GaboonViper+many more not posted here. Even charmed the KingCobra out of its jar. Was told by a couple of others who are regulars here for the past 20yrs that it seldom leaves the jar and today it was a privilege to see it out all the way.

Strangely enough, was standing in front of the glass when the KingCobra pop its head out, had a staring contest and asked with both my eyes and lips for it to come out! Very surprisingly there was no fear in me, but just fascinated at how it slithered so gracefully and quietly out of the jar, was totally amazed at the length! No, still not a fan of snakes and if not for the thick and hopefully unbreakable glass, would not be near these reptiles!

By the time we got out away from the snakes, the grounds outside seemed to have had a visit from some passing showers and thus cooling off a little but still humid. Breathing thru’my mouth where the penguins are housed! but they are cute and can really swim fast The movie HappyFeet came to mind.

Victoria Crown Pigeon has impressive head feathers and they are the largest pigeons in the world – my first sighting of one.

The highlight was the CA Sea-Lion, especially with the younger ones who can still enjoy running&playing with the mammal to see who can move faster! Seemed like the sea-lion also enjoyed their Happy Feet. It was such fun and more so since we were the only ppl there. Not surprisingly so, as it was closing time and we were not aware until the guard told us that we had to find out way out to the exit!!

Some random shots – this is so far the best zoo visit for me and that says a lot as I am not a zoo fan! Perhaps it was bc there was no crowds and we were indoors away from the heat.

Sat: Soda City on Main St and never too young or old for balloons or glass sculptures with Chihuly@the museum.

Tkx to Cindy for yummy pizza@Persona Wood Fired Pizzeria.

Watching the kids with their secret sign language at the State House, and somehow it will not surprise me if #5 decides to go into politics, but hopefully NOT

Hanging 2014 – most unusual piece of work, but it served its purpose when we needed a place to sit for our boiled-peanuts (a Southern thing!) break. Was lucky to buy the last package before their closing.

First time@Columbia Marionette Theatre (CMT) founded 1988 by famed puppeteer Allie Scollon and her son John.

They did a good job with Beauty&the Beast. Another form of art I do enjoy is the art of quality puppetry. We are all but puppets but some of us are aware and see the strings!

Sun: 01.45hrs picked up #1 from her trip@camp and good to have her safely home. While Cindy and the kids were at church and at her place for the afternoon, took the time to make 2dinners. L&J will be home tonight and do need some calm time to focus on getting ready to head to ME on Tue.

Mon: packing here and since was not planning on hiking this year, have that left most of the hiking gears in SIN. Hopefully will be able to borrow from both HiHills&Wiggs. This will be as close as I can get a shot of a Cardinal. A few days ago, found these feathers by the lake and #3 saw a head of a Cardinal. Seemed like a hawk had got the rest of it. Today, the neighbour’s cat could not be found, but they saw traces of blood&fur on the driveway.

5 Jul 2018 – Library & Park

Mon: Zuno brought in another baby Eastern-Box turtle. According to #3 this is another one from the usual one Zuno normally brings in – presumably #3 will recognise it as he usually washes away Zuno’s slobber before releasing it back in the yard. Tired to feed it, but does not seem too hungry or maybe it is too terrified!

Edited Sun25Apr2021: just read&learnt this and hope that Zuno has stopped fetching turtles – a Box turtle only roams 1 mile its whole life? If it is removed from its area/home then for the rest of its life it will roam aimlessly stressed out… trying to find “home” until it dies a very sad death.

Tue: #3,4&5 out blueberry picking with L while I ran a few errands before she takes off this afternoon to join J in Cyprus. He is there for a conference and since I am here, a good chance for them to spend some quality time after the conference – they need some time together away from the kids and far away from this environment.

#2 baked this yummy blueberry (self-picked) lemon pound cake for tomorrow.

A busy afternoon starting@Lexington County Public Library System – Irmo Branch. The kids and I borrowed 2books pp, but at this rate not sure if I will have the time to read them, and if not will extend the loan-time to take them to ME next week. 

Often I am happy and yet I want to cry
For no heart fully shares my joy.
Often I am sorrowful yet have to laugh,
That no one shall my fearful tear behold – BS Ingeman

A revisit to Irmo Community Park, last visit in 2014 and found the 2017 draft posting which was to be posted but did not find the right time and now is the time after a revisit.

The playground has 5 surveillance cameras now. We enjoyed this park and the surroundings and had a good time there then and now and will return another time.

Have been wanting to stop to take pix of this wooden church on the main road as you enter the road leading to the park. Being not too focus, not the best angle but better than none. Prayers and thoughts went out to all in&surrounding the cave in Thailand.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-07/thai-cave-rescue-expert-divers-to-guide-trapped-soccer-team-out/9952924

May 2017 – Unhappy & Upset

Usually am not the kind to complain or find faults in this world or my life, but in this case, am extremely disappointed and frustrated in this situation where the system enables such to happen, and that there are people who abuse and mis-use their knowledge&power to make it happen.

Sometime ago I received an email from a lawyer here in CAE/SC who wanted my permission to use the pix I posted in 5May 2014 blog posting. Since this was L&J’s territory I referred on to them and they explained the situation.

Sadly some kid died from a fallen branch in this park and this lawyer wants to sue the county for negligence? about the upkeep of the park or something to that extent?? Seemingly the lawyer has been bothering L&J for some time and that I was not aware of until now!

https://amylamsg.com/2014/05/04/week-of-activities/

The above pix is the one they wanted and my blog also states that –

Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without written permission from this blog’s owner is prohibited

https://amylamsg.wordpress.com 

Remembered that day so well as it was such beautiful day and was so impressed that the county has taken the effort to provide such a fantastic space in lovely nature with nice play-grounds for the public to enjoy.

Anyone knowing me also knows that any info or pix posted by me are NEVER meant to be use with ill-intentions or malice and this has tremendously bothered me that someone is trying or going to use my pix without my permission for a action I consider unethical, indecent and immoral and on top of it all – GREED.

31May 2017: $3.6 Million Settlement for Family of Boy Killed by Falling Branch – Irmo, SC (WLTX) 

http://newirmonews.com/child-dies-from-falling-tree-limb-at-irmo-park/

Beautiful sunset on the lake with the boys trying to catch fish for dinner – will starve if my food source depended on them 🙂

Wed: Happy 4th. Congratulations to #2 & the IrmoHighSchool Team for the Born In The USA Race. Race pix credits to Alex & Elizabeth. Cindy took the kids for lunch and a movie while I got food&drinks ready to take down to the lake for the afternoon and evening.

Was on the crowded side in the afternoon, but still enough room for building sand-resort!

The crowds thinned out just before dinner time and #2 made an appearance with her friend Zoey to watch her bro set up fireworks at the dock, the safest place to be doing this!

Another 4thJuly and another sand-castle gone with another sunset.
Tomorrow is another day and come what may.

Thu: need a day to rest before a full weekend of activities ahead…

2 Jul 2018 – ByeBye June

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all – safe trip to Jeff who took off to Cyprus for a conference and to LInn who drove off to the SugarMts. Those who watched Incredibles 2 would have seen Bao. Like many other cultures, the Asians are complex and complicated and it is difficult to explain something that gets lost in translation, especially for those who have not grown up, integrated or lived in&with the another culture.

https://nextshark.com/pixars-short-film-bao-confusing-heck-white-people/

Sat: new toys for the lake while workmen were sweating in this heat installing new lights around the dock area. Will be nice with lights here in the evenings. Happy Canada Day️ to all celebrating.

Amazing white-flowering Crepe Myrtle trees against a beautiful sky. The various colours of this flowering tree are just absolutely lovely. Was thinking of viewing the fireworks (which I am still having some self on-going issues about!) tonight, but after 5hrs by the lake today with #3,4&5 forget that thought!! Heard the fireworks going and Zuno went crazy barking. Memories of Gator who used to hide in the bathroom whenever the fireworks went off.

Used to be a fan of fireworks in my youth, but now over the years, also being the devil’s advocate – imagine what one can do with the money used for the fireworks around the world and not to forget the pollution…

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light – 2 Corinthians 11:14

Sun: hello Jul – it was strange to see #1 off to camp, even when it is only for a week! Peter Rabbit was out to wish her a safe and happy trip. She will be missed. Thank goodness Cindy is back from her EUtrip and she took #3,4&5 for the day! Got Sun dinner ready for #2,3,4&5+Linn who is back from FL and Cindy. Dinners made here are usually for at least 5+ppl.

Jul dates to remember:

4 Happy 4th to USA

14 Happy Bday Keith and Happy Bastille Day/France

17 Happy Bday Nancy Bowman

19 Happy 21st Anniversary Linn&Jeff

20 Happy Bday David Yeoh

21 Happy Bday Albert Chua

22 Happy Anniversary Dika&Mark

23 Happy Bdays James & Lucas

25 Happy Bday Winnie/CA

28 Jun 2018 – Happy 43Bday Jeff

Sun: Besides Chick-fil-A, another faster food place I like is Hardees’s low-carb burger – 100% Black Angus beef patty, American cheese, fresh tomato, red onion, ketchup, mustard, mayo and dill pickles all wrapped in a crisp, whole-leaf iceberg lettuce. Feel that I can afford one of these now and then as I do climb up&down 16flight of stairs at least 10times daily!

Mon: poor #4 who probably has strep and has been sleeping most of the day. Took the morning to prepare 3dinners – can be rather hot in the kitchen in the late afternoons. Thrilled to receive my Senior Lifetime Pass for The National Parks And Federal Recreational Lands. Mailed in the application from SIN app a year ago and had assumed that it was rejected as the certified documents were certified in SIN and not the US as per request. Probably took time checking details to make sure that I am who I am supposed to be – cogito, ergo sum…

Not too refreshing swim with #3&5, felt like being in a bathtub but the boys had fun enjoying their FOC Fish-Spa in the lake.

And I am forever awe with the clouds in their amazing formations reminding again and again how quickly everything can change in life.

Short walk to and fro can turn out to be a long walk when the surroundings are so beautiful. The sky opened up for a short while after dusk with welcoming rains after we were safely indoors. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass.

Tue: made Shepherd’sPie with the left-over mashed potatoes and BreadPudding with some old bread, wholesome Irish meal was appreciated and every morsel was consumed – as the Chinese say, every grain of the rice was gone! Good to see #4 appetite more or less back to normal, she is the one who likes good food. Jeff’s self-made solid kitchen table sits 8 comfortably.

#5 has the best eye-sight and the view to the neighbour’s garden. He saw an Eastern-Box Turtle and today I learnt from #3 that those turtles are the only turtles that can completely closed themselves up into their shell, ie they have high, dome-like carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. Pix downloaded

Wed: the boys helped to clear the driveway&garage to be allowed another afternoon on the lake. Call it a bribe or whatever, but boys are a whole different ball-game from girls. They seemed to have bundles of never-ending energy which have to be channeled constructively, and am not sure if this grandmother has that kind of energy, but will keep trying.

Delighted to have got #4 interested to take pix and photo-shop them. She seems to be having fun doing that and taking tons of shots.

Thu: Jeff is not an easy person to shop for a Bday gift. The only idea is a gift card and some beef jerky which I know he likes. Also Happy Bday to John/MoFo, my hiking buddy.

Family dinner@Zoës Kitchen, fast casual restaurant chain with decent tasting food.

Feminism isn’t about hating men. It’s about challenging the absurd gender distinctions that boys and girls learn from childhood and carry into their adult lives – Robert Webb

23 Jun 2018 – Sankthansaften=Midsummer’s Eve

Tue: Troop 48 on flag ceremony, #3 is somewhere there — Camp Rainey Mountain Northeast Georgia Council. Clayton GA. Pix credits to Todd Atkins. #3 does not have a camera, looking forward to hearing about his camp life when he gets back.

Wed: at the local PostOffice, a helpful and friendly one – SurfaceMail no longer exist and a box, app just over 4lbs/2kg of paper&plastic party goods cost US$60 S$80! to mail from here to Norway and that was the cheapest way!! for real! So if shipping is not included, do NOT shop there!

Lunched@Chick-fil-A, my favourite fastfood chain here, did not realised that they no longer have coleslaw but still like their Chick-n-Strips with HoneyMustadSauce&Lemonade. And this combo includes fried&drink+tax is US$8 S$12. The only -point about this HarbisonBranch is that it must be located in one of the worst junctions here, even with a traffic-light in front.

Thu: Happy Summer Solstice – longest day of the year! Some theories speculate that Stonehenge in UK and NewGrange in Ireland were specifically designed to align with the sun. Pix downloaded.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/…/midsummer-2018-when-summer…/

SummerSolstice (21Jun) is not quite the same as MidSummer! In Norway SankHansaften=Midsummer’s Eve (23Jun) where the bonfire is one of the oldest known bonfire celebrations there! Pix from 2013 and probably the last time building a bonfire in Norway. The residences of Alesund built a world record-breaking 155.5ft bonfire for their traditional midsummer in 2016 – pix downloaded

https://amylamsg.com/2013/06/28/melbystolen/

Fri: TGIF and another hot day. Congratulations to #1&2 who won running shoes@their running camp. Linn heads off to FLL, Jeff is busy with the Residences’ Graduating Dinner tonight and will be working for the weekend. 9yrs ago Linn was diagnosed with Septic Pelvic Thrombophlebitis when #4 was born. Let’s hope that there is enough energy for me to pull thru’ the next 2+weeks.

https://amylamsg.com/2009/06/13/quiet-moments/

Enjoyed #1,2,4&5 company for dinner@Chick-fil-A again as requested by them. Just as well that I like the food there! Talented fun kids messing with their iphones and resulting in quite an effect with this image. They have to grow up faster than normal having to handle situations created by others who are inconsiderate, irresponsible and totally selfish – my heart, thoughts and prayers are very much with them.

Sat: Happy Midsummer. Celebrating Sankhansaften=Midsummer’s Eve with a home-cooked steak dinner and a bonfire roasting marshmallows for dessert in the backyard. Welcome #3 home from camp bearing! gifts for the family – very touched for the green water-bottle as he remembers that I like the colour green!

Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet’s eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name – William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

19 Jun 2018 –  Hot & Hotter

Sat: #4 belated Bday lake party was a success for her. Blue sky with a hot-pink buttercream 2tier moist chocolate cake was her choice from Publix – big enough to feed the group+more for dessert the following day.

Good time was had by all.

Appreciations to Jeff for The Incredibles2, another hit – has it really been 14yrs ago since the first Incredibles was released? Marking Father’s Day early this year. Comfortable with the reclining seats with foot-rest@Regal Cinemas Pastime Pavilion8 in Lexington, first time for me, felt like I had super-powers just pushing the buttons 🙂 Fun to have your whole family on the same row, just like when niece Daisy get us the premier tickets in SIN.

Sun: Jeff drove (app 6hrs driving to&fro) #3 off bright&early to his camp in GA for the week – he will be missed, especially by #5. Started on Braid’s book Trail Magic and getting flashbacks from the 2005-AT Thru’Hike.

Took the rest of the gang for ice-cream@Marble Slab@Bower Pkwy, a reward for covering the boat! BubbleTea was more the choice but that is no longer! To the $Tree to pick up stuff for a CarePackage to #3 – remembering how appreciative I was for every CarePackage received when hiking!

Mon: to those celebrating enjoy your 粽子 ZongZi=rice dumplings. Based on lunar calendar, the 5th day of the 5th month 端午节 Dragon Boat Festival is today. Savoury memories of the delicious dumplings paternal grandmother made. Pix downloaded.

No Dragon Boats or Dumplings here, but life is good and ppl are enjoying their time in the serenity&tranquility on the lake. Crepe Mrytles are in full bloom and are stunning with beautiful various pinks shades.

Tkx to Debbie for lunch@BlueFlour/Main St – best sugar cookies there!

Strange to be back at the site where L&J home was nearly 5yrs ago! Vivid memories of the desperate helplessness while watching the house burnt down and now again trying to suppress those helplessness feelings. The peach tree Jeff planted before the house burnt down still stands. Was told it had to trim due to the broken branches after a storm, but before the storm it was loaded with peaches.

https://amylamsg.com/2013/10/06/lost-for-words/

The weather forecast here for this week is hot and hotter…

A short letter to this Hot Summer Day,
I get it, you’re a furnace from the sky.

And you want to play chef, to bake and to stew,
Both my feet you simmer and fry… Lewis Raynes

Tue: chilling indoors in my helplessness but thank goodness for the AC.

Words choked in my throat,
Watching their innocence of dignity,
Sadly denying helpless thoughts,
Of their precious childhood,
When there is no sense of shame from the one they trust most...

15 Jun 2018 – Hello Ryan McGee

Sun: a day of rest with the sky opening up and pouring buckets by evening. Relaxing with the sound of heavy rains – was told that it hailed in some areas!

Mon: Good morning East USA, god ettermiddag Norway and goodnight SIN. To cousin Wilki&Patty for their thoughtfulness – CarePackage from HI was received with thousand thanks. Maybe some of the kids will learn to eat mushrooms after these treats! Actually do finely chop mushrooms in many of the dishes and they have no problems eating them. Will place a few packages of the Macadamia nuts into #3 box when he will be in camp next week.

Today also is the first day of VBS and now that #1 is driving, she takes them to and back for the week. While #3-5 are in classes, #1&2 are volunteers there.

Tue: had to refill the usage of phone services here, still prefer my flip-phone from last year! Considering that a SIMcard is difficult to get, had to buy a new phone and then to renew the plan monthly. The phone cost about US$30 and the plan is US$25 for a month. That is a total of US$105+tax S$142 for my visit! There must be another way to do this than to keep buying a new phone! Will cross that bridge when I get it again!!!

ReSnap book US$84 S$114 and being lazy by letting them pick and layout the pix from FB, 100pp pix are not in chronological order. Considering to write the year&location under the pix, but would be a lot of work!! Linn has her collection more or less in better chronological order, in many smaller volumes (52), and a better idea, especially when all her baby books were destroyed in the house-fire.

Merchandise from Homies: Slap Sunglasses&Universal Travel Socket – satisfied and in good use. Insta Sealer – flimsy and not satisfied with it. Total paid US$63 S$85 including shipping.

Wed: unbelievable, but was told in FB that We’ve removed this post because it looks like spam and doesn’t follow our Community Standards – wow! is this their definition of spam??? It is reposted today and let’s see what happens…

A plea to People on Planet Earth
Regardless of beliefs, culture, race, religion, sexual preference, etc
Why can’t we just accept and respect our difference?

Life is a gift to be celebrated
Differences to be appreciated
Compassion to be achieved

9 Jun 2018 – Start Of Summer Holidays

Thu: congratulations to #3, another Honor Roll student – my only grandchild born in SIN! for completing elementary school. Great that Jeff could take time for this. All the best to #3 future into middle school and to principal Tina McCaskill to her new job.

He does not like public speaking, thus his goals and acknowledgements are in written words on the slide-show!

Reception in the cafeteria with Ms Paddock who has taught #1,3&4 and will be retiring after this school year, she will be missed. Coach Goodale will continue his good job coaching them all.

Preparations to Cook&Share A Pot Of Curry for 16ppl tonight. The reason for this event is about tolerance, understanding and fighting against xenophobia.

Trying to keep it a tradition when visiting here and Norway (Kirsten, Mette&Toril from 2011). Appreciations to Haley for opening her house for this event. Tkx to L&J,  Haley, Jeremy, Sarah&Eric and AmyM for their good company – impossible to gather the kids for a shot when they were having so much fun playing!

https://amylamsg.com/2017/06/01/hello-june-2017/

https://amylamsg.com/2011/08/21/variety/

Fri: TGIF – the last day of school and a well-deserved break for the kids. Saddened by news from this week of Anthony Bourdain (61) chef, travel host&author and fashion designer Kate Spade (55). To understand more, must read this book Touched With Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament by psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor@Johns Hopkins who has bipolar disorder has written of the link between bipolar disorder and creativity. Pix credits of Bourdain to nieces Pat&Kat. KateSpade – downloaded

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/06/07/kate-spade-death-rising-suicide-rate-prevention/681563002/

To save a man’s life against his will is the same as killing him – Horace

High school Graduation Day and #1 had to play in the orchestra for the ceremony. She lost count of the number of times they had to play Pomp and Circumstance!

Last day for school and let the summer holidays begin – enjoying #3,4&5 while it last. Soon they too will want to be with their own friends like #1&2.

Sat: Happy 9Bday to #4 – her last year for a one digit number! Chocolate-chip pancakes breakfast made by her daddy as per requested by her. Has it really been 9yrs ago???

https://amylamsg.com/2009/06/10/a-birth-a-death/

Presents today but will celebrate next week – another bday party’s invitations were out first and that family having the party will be leaving for MI next week.

With the Bday girl driving us on the boat to dinner into the beautiful sunset to end the day. Appreciations to #1&2 for taking time off their busy social life driving the car from some party to join us for dinner@Liberty Tap Room on the Lake.

Been a while ago since I had a good steak&SouthernColeslaw. Bday girl was shy about us singing but she liked the complimentary dessert which she shared with #3&5.