Grandma Ginger

Ginger may be bed-bound and communicates little, yet when we took Nathanael's 30th birthday party into her room, she joined in singing "Happy Birthday to You."

Susan, Nancy, Annie, and hospice workers turn, change, and feed her.

Cousin Rob Hollis flew up from Walnut Creek, spending three weeks helping to care for his Aunt.  His mother Dorothy was Bob Rutherford's oldest sister.  Someday, Nancy and I may take him up on his standing offer to stay at his condo in Honolulu.

The Grandkids Report

Charis was gleefully giddy with joyful shrieks when she was allowed to toddle outside on the big driveway at Susan's.  Normally when she's outside, it's to get into the car or when she's confined to her stroller. 

In some ways, Charis is like Grandma Nancy.  She's all go, go, go, until she hits the wall when sleep comes quickly.

Jonathan is experimenting with a wide variety of solid foods now.  It's an adventure watching his reactions to each new flavor and texture.  He's very open with his culinary opinions!  His face is very expressive.

No amount of rocking got Jonathan to nap on my chest this month.  He was more interested in tugging on my beard.  The shot at the right shows him with his "Baby's First Christmas" ornament just a month late.

Nathanael at Thirty

I see Nathanael the least of our children.  And his gift for listening rather than sharing means I often wonder what's going on with him and his family.

I must have doted over him as he does over Jonathan, but Nate arrived six months before I submitted the draft of
my doctoral dissertation, so in some sense, I missed enjoying much of his first six months.  And Annie was there ahead of him to share a measure of my affection and attention.

He and Cynthia have decisions to make about where to work and where to live next year. 

When Nancy and I rented in the University District in 1981, we paid $495 for a two bedroom apartment.  That seemed so high for us that we started house hunting that first summer.  Only God knew, at the time, that our family home would be found in Bellevue, to be purchased from long time friends of Nancy's family.

Seattle Mariner Edgar Martinez Elected to the
Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, January 22, 2019

Edgar Martinez, nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is the former Major League Baseball designated hitter and third baseman who played exclusively for the Seattle Mariners. Martinez was a seven-time MLB All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, and two-time batting champion.

Martinez spent most of three seasons in Triple-A, hitting .344 over 276 games. The Mariners wouldn't give him a full-time job. When Darnell Coles made a bunch of errors at third base early in 1990, Martinez finally got the chance to play. Martinez hit .302 that season and never stopped, topping .300 10 times, in part because of his great eye at the plate, as he routinely finished with more walks than strikeouts.

Martinez and Harold Baines will join 2014 inductee Frank Thomas as the only Hall of Famers to play the majority of their games at designated hitter. David Ortiz will be eligible in 2022.

"I think the fact that Harold Baines and me got in this year is going to help the future of the DH for years to come,'' Martinez said.

As for the 10 year wait to be elected into the Hall of Fame, Martinez said it might have been a blessing.

"I think the wait, I think I'm more mature right now. I think I've enjoyed it more at this point with my family, the way my kids are older now and it just has a lot of meaning, even more meaning now,'' he said. "The wait, actually it worked out well for me.''

Martinez's Hall of Fame classmates certainly couldn't get him out. The slugger was 11-for-19 (.579) lifetime against Mariano Rivera, 23-for-75 (.307) with five homers against Mike Mussina, and 8-for-18 (.444) against Roy Halladay.  (These statistics bring tears to my eyes. -- RLS)

Martinez spent his entire career with the Mariners, staying in Seattle and becoming a franchise icon while other stars – Ken Griffey, Jr., Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez -- left. Martinez won two batting titles and hit .312 with 309 home runs over 18 seasons. He is one of just six players who began their careers after World War II and retired with a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.

Bits and Pieces

The Everett Silvertips lost 4-3 in an exciting hockey game on the 11th, but it marked another brothers-night-out, keeping up this tradition.  Don was weak after his recent serious illness, but we were all thankful for his renewed health.  Randy and I will visit him again to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday. 

In a related "brother" item, Nancy found Randy's "lost" keys in our basement.  He and I spent much of the 26th having a breakfast I prepared, watching Avengers: Infinity War (he doesn't have a TV of his own), and helping him with his new laptop Don, Laurie, and I got him as a retirement present.  He retires from Snohomish County on March 1.

Last fall the debilitating pain in the back of my right knee disappeared.  I was able to exercise again.  But this month, the front right of my left knee has its own injury.  I can't walk briskly, sleep on either side, take stairs normally, or do anything but move my knee forward and backward without pain.  Will it heal itself?  Time will tell.

My Quote from January

Ballad of Bill Thaxton Marty Robbins ________________________________________________ Bill Thaxton was an ex-ranger one of the bravest by far It`s said that old Bill was the fastest man ever to pin on a ranger`s star Stories about him were legends Bill was the best of the bold Bad men all feared him way back in his day but he was now growing old Into Bill`s town rode an outlaw he wore his gun low and tied down He reined in his horse and announced to the crowd if you speak to me call me Sundown His clothes were all dark and fancy and topped by a black leather vest Somebody asked how he came by his name and if he was one of the best The eyes of the tall stranger narrowed he grinned like the devil possessed I never fight till the sun`s going down and my back is facing the West Said he wouldn`t be with us tomorrow he only rode in for one thing He only stopped by to make Bill Thaxton die so he could add to his fame Go give Bill Thaxton a message and tell him a killer`s in town Tell him we`ll meet at the end of the street just as the sun`s going down Somebody said it had been years since old Bill had toted a gun Sundown replied that it wasn`t his hide killing old Bill would be fun The old ranger sent back his answer tell him that I`m on my way I`ve never ran and I`ll meet this young man at any time of the day Bill got there just about sunset it still hung like fire in the sky In just a few moments out there in the street old Bill or the outlaw would die Slowly Bill slid from the saddle and started to make his advance The sun hit the old ranger square in the eyes the shadows had started to dance Bill started talking to Sundown judging his distance that way Their stride was the same and at just thirty feet both of the men made their play Bill`s gun slipped leather like lightning his forty-four spoke with a whine The sun didn`t bother Bill Thaxton at all cause the old ranger was blind Six shots delivered their message the ranger had emptied his gun Bill gave a sigh when there was no reply he knew that once more he had won The old ranger lowered his six gun he just stood there starting ahead Watching you`d think that old Bill didn`t know in front of him Sundown lay dead Bill has been gone for a long time but old timers still can recall The day the old ranger stood up to the test and proved he was best of them all
“Big Iron” ― The Ruger New Blackhawk .30 Caliber Carbine  (purchased December 25, 2018) This gun had been on my wish list longer than any other, and may easily be the final one I ever purchase.  It was one of the two I wanted when I came across the other, the SCCY CPX-2, for a bargain in 2017.  It is unique in my collection ― a single action revolver with a 7.5” barrel.  It weighs a hefty and front heavy 44 oz. It is modeled after the Colt Single Action Army (the “gun that won the West”) that Colt discontinued prior to World War II.  It is a true “cowboy” gun.  It has a loading gate and the hammer must be completely engaged manually before each of its six shots can be fired. The Ruger New Blackhawk (safer than the original “three screw” Blackhawk) comes in many different calibers.  But this is the only handgun in current production that fires the .30 Carbine round.  I did not want to purchase yet another caliber of ammunition, and I already had .38 Special, and .357 Magnum SA/DA revolvers, so I chose the .30 Carbine which is what is chambered in “Dad’s” M1 Carbine rifle. When “Santa” put a box of .30 Carbine ammo in my Christmas stocking (mostly as ballast), Nancy assumed I’d bought yet another gun.  And, when this did not seem to faze her, I felt that final nudge to do the deal.  I placed the order at 10:23 AM PST.  It arrived in Bellevue at Low Price Guns on December 31st and I picked it up on January 2nd. When I introduced it to her this month, she declared it beautiful.  And it is. This is a rare caliber and was not available at many dealers.  MSRP on the Ruger Blackhawk is $669.  It was available locally at LowPriceGuns.com for $570.59 (plus $57.06 tax).  I found mine at GrabaGun.com for $469.98.  Paying tax of $47.00 and the FFL transfer fee of $39.99, brought my total cost to $556.97.  Gun prices under our current President have fallen far from their highs during the Obama administration. There was one other reason this particular piece came home with me.  I’d promised it as my reward for losing weight. So now I have no excuse.  The replacement grips (see above) I purchased from Arizona Custom Grips, and received on January 14th, were the final touch to make this six-shooter an absolute thing of beauty and the new capstone of my collection. Marty Robbins would have been proud to holster this “Big Iron.”  Speaking of holsters, I purchased the custom rig, pictured next to Marty's song above, for $34.19 from T. U. Leather Goods on eBay with free shipping and it arrived on the last day of 2018.  Too big for the pistol safe, my Ruger Blackhawk is hanging in its holster on the inside of the door of my rifle safe.