Jose's 3rd Birthday/Summer Get-together

José is almost 3!

We're going to have another party! Please join us if you can make it. We'll do another BBQ /potluck. Start around 2pm. Eat at 5pm? (July 4th) It's on a Sunday this year.

See chickens and lambs. Play games. Go hiking. Sit around and talk. Sit around a fire? Sing? Fireworks?

I looked back at last year's post for José's 2nd birthday. It says: "He likes wearing caps. He's talking, but barely. He loves cars, trucks, and tractors."

He still loves cars, trucks, and tractors. Add to that, trains. (We'll have to take a train ride sometime.) He talks a blue streak! He's funny. He's good-natured. He's pretty good with his fine motor skills. He's in the middle of potty training. He'll be going to pre-school this fall!

Emery has moved

Grandma painting Emery's toes.
Emery looks a little sad about moving.
Showing Christoffer her doll.
One of my favorite things was watching Emery peel a mandarin orange and then divide it into sections. She uses all her muscles in her tiny fingers and hands, and concentrates on the task at hand. Grandpa taught her how to do it.

If most of you have been checking out Facebook you know that John and Heidi have moved to Tacoma Washington. John is now a regional director for Samaritans Purse - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. We are missing them and especially Emery. Hopefully we'll get down to see them often.

Picturephone

The first Picturephone test system, built in 1956, was crude - it transmitted an image only once every two seconds. But by 1964 a complete experimental system, the "Mod 1," had been developed. To test it, the public was invited to place calls between special exhibits at Disneyland and the New York World's Fair. In both locations, visitors were carefully interviewed afterward by a market research agency.

People, it turned out, didn't like Picturephone. The equipment was too bulky, the controls too unfriendly, and the picture too small. But the Bell System was convinced that Picturephone was viable. Trials went on for six more years. In 1970, commercial Picturephone service debuted in downtown Pittsburgh and AT&T executives confidently predicted that a million Picturephone sets would be in use by 1980.

What happened? Despite its improvements, Picturephone was still big, expensive, and uncomfortably intrusive. It was only two decades later, with improvements in speed, resolution, miniaturization, and the incorporation of Picturephone into another piece of desktop equipment, the computer, that the promise of a personal video communication system was realized.

Why use skype when we already have the picturephone?

Skype

I made the suggestion to Mark the other day that we should all get on Skype. To my surprise he didn't know what Skype was! Perhaps some of the rest of you don't either. Skype is a cheap way (free, actually) to make phone calls over the internet. As you can see from the screen shot above, both JaNae and us have it. The picture quality isn't perfect, but I can't complain. Conference calls can happen too - not video, just audio.

All you need is a cheap computer cam. JaNae got us one for Christmas. You should be able to get one for less than $25.

Christmas Eve

As mentioned earlier people are invited to come here Christmas Eve. I'll call the local people to check on who can make it, but if you're coming just plan on bringing something yummy - anything from appetizers to desserts. The gathering time is nogotiable but for now let's aim for 5 p.m.

There will be a white elephant present opening. So bring something goofy. Something really unfortunate here is that one of our cats broke to smithereens the white elephant I got last year. It was priceless and now it's gone.

Here's are two modest rule proposals for the white elephant.

1. Nothing broken. The bell has to ring, the radio has to play, the water softener has to soften water.

2. If you participate, you have to bring it home with you! Nothing is to be left at our house or in our yard. And our our garbage can is considered part of our yard! And this includes all of our neighbor's houses and yards too!

Thanksgiving

Things went well at the Lindstrom's on Thanksgiving. I had a little mishap with my pumpkin pie (see right). Since George is no longer around to clean up my messes, I chopped it up, put it in a bowl and fed it to Steve. Alas, as you can see below, Heidi won the pie baking contest and just may be in contention to give Denise a challenge.

And here's proof that when the cat's away the mice will play.

Laurie Berkner

This is where we're at these days at our house! Enjoy!
If you like this, when you get to the end, you can choose other videos by Laurie.
I couldn't figure out how to add to the imeem play-list to the right, but I did figure out how to make a new one. If someone wants to move this play-list to the other one, be my guest.

Steve Front Page Above the Fold

Just before Favre went to Lambeau the Duluth paper was drawing attention from the national media because of their close ties with Superior just across the border. The editor wanted to make the most of the attention so he asked Steve to come up with something for the front page.

Thanksgiving Christmas Invitations and Cheers

Things were a little more complicated this year than most, but we finally know where we are "holiday-wize".

1. This is an open invitation to all the extended family to have Thanksgiving at our house. We won't be offended in the least if you want to do something else. We'd appreciate RSVPs but we won't kick you out if you don't. The only absolute is you can't come unless your bring something to eat that is utterly delicious - and I am the sole arbiter of whether you did it or not!!!!!

2. For us the unknown was Thanksgiving. We always assumed that people could come here Christmas Eve. We don't want to be greedy. If anyone else wants to host Christmas Eve that is fine with us. But for now we're assuming Christmas Eve at our house and anyone else who wishes is welcomed.

Cold, Muddy Waters

I don't know if it's the brown seawater or the foam turning into ice that keeps this beach from becoming a sunbathing hot spot.
Pothole art.

Outward Bound

Looks like we're still online!

After the baptism Jonathan and friends, for the first time, headed off into the wilderness all by themselves. I wasn't there but judging from the photos. . .

It seems to me that they were somewhat obsessed with blood and guts and urine and other

such things. Boys!!!

It was fun to see both Mark and Daniel on Facebook this evening. Mark, that was a sweet video of you and Emery. So I think that makes four of us if including Greg. Wow, aren't we something, getting on Facebook. I guess we from the older generation are the latest generation to get involved in this newer phenomena.

I can write a new post but I'm unable to comment. And, I continue to forget to find out if there is something I can do about it. Any ideas, let us know.

Go Twins!

It's Saturday night. I was busy and missed both games. Just checked the scores. Wow! Tomorrow is the last game of the season, the last game in the Metrodome and the whole season may be decided by 9 innings of play by the Twins and the Tigers. Go Twins!

Baptism

In the summer of 1999 Peter said he wanted to be baptized. A small group of us gathered at our neighbor's lakefront home and did the deed.

This summer Jonathan said he wanted to be baptized. Peter was already off to Kansas and unable to attend, but Jonathan and his good friend Nathan (assembly of god) were baptized at the same place.

I said I thought it cool that so many people from so many different positions could celebrate the boy's intentions despite differences of opinion regarding the ongoing debate regarding meaning and significance that has split families and divided denominations.

We are not the greatest of photographers, and unfortunately this is the best visual document of the event in existence.

Keeping Touch

Sorry, it's been awhile since I posted. It wasn't evident at the time but a lot has happened. Since I don't have the time to post it all now and also since we are woefully diminishing in posts, I choose to chronicle this dizzy summer in a number of posts and hopefully encourage others to do the same.

My last entries mentioned North High School Ultimate frisbee was 3rd in State, and Jonathan's graduation from high school.

This entry will chronicle an event many of you have experienced before me - one of our children left home perhaps forever. Peter, through the help of our friends Peg and Sid Burkey, got a surveying job in Hutchinson Kansas

I scoured our photos to find a good picture to chronicle this momentous event and could find nothing until 2008. This may be the last photo of our family intact.

some more empty nests?

I decided to check in with our two families that may have new empty nests? How are you doing Dan and Jo and Paul and Faith? It sounds like Peter is getting established in Kansas and Jonathan at Gustavus Adolphus. I?Is Tyler working as a youth pastor or is he still in school? I imagine Alyssa and JaNae are also busy studying.

Then there are some of us that are again busier than we expected. I suppose Mark and Lois are enjoying Emery and will be doing some babysitting. Gwyndolyn starts kindergarten tomorrow. Rhiannyn will be home with me.

Ralph and I have been trying to get away together more this summer, alone. We have also had family with us for some camping trips. Ralph and I bought a new camper; pop up with some pull outs. We have enjoyed it so much. Ralph can't carry over his vacation so we decided to get away more before Gwyn started school. It's been good!

Happy end of summer break. Welcome fall, soon.

More Alaska News

The biggest news for the summer was that Heidi, John, and Emery have moved up to Alaska. Here is a photo of Heidi and Emery at the Anchorage airport. Hidalgo the dog flew up also. They arrived on July 16.
Here is the moving van with their car that John and a friend drove up. He arrived on Sunday, July 19. I think they made record time after dropping off Heidi at the airport in Seattle.


They are working with Young Life up here on the Kenai Peninsula. For 3 weeks they stayed at Christoffers house while i worked on the bathroom etc. at the cabin to get it ready to live in.

Alaska news

It's about time to communicate what has been going on this summer! Here are some photos instead of thousands of words. Hope to post some tonight and will add some more over the next days and weeks.

This first one is of the Yukon on the left and Alaska on the right. There is a line cut through the trees to show the border. (An easy way for Americans to get into Canada?) Lois Ann i drove by here on June 13th on our way to Washington.

June 14, Whirlpool rapids on Liard River. Not very good for canoeing.Some forest fires near the Liard Hot Springs.
There were some firefighters at the hot springs. Can you see some rock piles in the background? That is the hottest part of the pool, and we were trying to put some more rocks on the piles.Here is a train photo for Ralph. The trains were squeeling down here all night long it seemed. This is just north of Hope B.C. for you google earth fans. We drove the Subaru and tented most nights. The Alcan is very nice these days, not like 40 years ago. 6-17-09


Here i am trying to sleep with all the trains squeeking way below my feet.Heidi and John took us along as adult guests to Young Life Camp Malibu June 26-July 2. (Happy Birthday Paul.)
It is about 100 miles north of Vancouver. Notice a rapids caused by the tides.
Looking down the fjord we boated up on the way to Malibu.

Here is some real 'young life' at Malibu - Emmitt and Emery. I think he is trying to impress Emery.
Here are a couple of photos of Heidi, Holly, and Emery at the Anacortes 4th of July parade.
Hope she can control that flag!!!
We saw some friends in Spokane and Idaho and then headed north again. Here we are at Lake Louise on my birthday 7/7. A little cooler than we had gotten used to.On July 10th some buffalo north of the Hot Springs.
This is for Dan and Steve. The bridge at Johnson's Crossing. This is a new restaurant building and new owners, but many of the same recipies from the canoe trip days: pasties, and fruit turnovers. 7-10

Switched At Birth

Note: The Imeem box referred to in this post has been removed.

This blogger is great dealing with words and images. It has a ways to go dealing with sounds. There are things I would like you to listen to that I don't know how to post. Here's an attempt to post something Jo and I heard that is unforgettable.

Jo and I listened to a fascinating radio show on Minnesota Public Radio. The show is This American Life where they tell fascinating stories based on themes like "summer camp" or "bad money decisions".

This was a week they devoted to one story - two women who were switched at birth and didn't know about this until they were middle aged. It's utterly fascinating. It brings up issues of what it means to be family - especially when the definition moves beyond blood (as with us),

It also deals with complex issues regarding communication and what we want to say and what we end up saying and what people actually hear and what people think they heard. Both families were committed Christians.

If you are tempted, look to the column at right for a section entitled "switched at birth". Do not click the arrow "play" button. You will only hear a 30 second sample. Look below the title to a highlighted label that begins "#360". Click that and you can hear the show in its entirety.

Cool

So this is what I found this morning. Apparently he wants to mitigate the "creepy" with something a little more "cool".