The Doctor is in.

June 2018

	Jonathan Peregrin Sleight, June 3, 2018 Three days short of six months from the birth of Charis Lorien Disher, her cousin Jonathan made his arrival. From this grandpa's point of view, he arrived right on time. My spring quarter ended on Friday, June 1st, and Nancy received the text during the Sunday morning sermon that Cynthia and Nathanael were heading into Evergreen Hospital. Jonathan Peregrin Sleight arrived at 5:19PM. Nate was very quick to text us "Baby!" moments later. He was 6 lbs. 1 oz., 19", and already an eager eater. I only caught a glimpse of the back of his head at the hospital, but ample photo opportunities would follow, beginning on the 7th in Renton. It turned out that little Jonathan shares his birthday with his uncle Thomas. After an initial brief hospital visit in mid-afternoon, and talking mostly with the Eby's at the hospital, we returned to Susan's house to celebrate Thomas' birthday. It doubled as Charis' six month birthday. Cynthia wanted us to wait a few hours for them to rest and be with Jonathan before we returned after 7:30PM to first meet Jonathan. The middle name Peregrin is a second from the Lord of the Rings. One wonders how long that new tradition will last. We like it! I've already, accidentally, called him Pippin. And I was perhaps the slowest to pick up on the significance of "Jo / nathan." It is the reverse of Nathanael. God's gift instead of Gift of God.

	A Birthday for Thomas on Jonathan's Birth Day The annual events we observe are made more special as families grow and there are new generations to help celebrate. Charis joined us at the hospital (right), then we returned to Susan's for the cake and candles. Two candles indicated a 29th birthday for Thomas and a successful six months for Charis. This month, Charis has transitioned to more than mommy milk. Spoons have her full attention.
	6 months near 7 months 6/25/18 Got teeth!
	Jean's at it Again! At the Fern Shakespeare Company, Jean is playing "Songbird Boy" in Bat-Hamlet this month. Just as Horatio is the friend of Hamlet, Robin is the friend of Batman — or in this case Bat-Hamlet. I served as front-of-house usher (manning the building's front door) on the evening of the 28th. In July, she's playing in Romeo and Juliet with Bainbridge Performing Arts. This is part of The Bard at Bloedel: BPA's 6th annual summertime Shakespeare performance. Practice for this, her second show with BPA, has required her to take the ferry to Winslow from downtown. And I've often picked her up at 10:30PM or 11:30PM from the end-of-line bus stop at the Bellevue Library.
	Bits and Pieces Bits and Pieces ♦ As we had been warned by the builder, demolition of the former Frickel house, just west of us, began mid-month. We have seen images of what the new house will look like. It will fill the small lot and match the style of its neighbors. ♦ From March 1978 until this month, I have been a full-time employee. On July 1, that ends as I go to 0.8 FTE. ♦ I have volunteered to become the Class Representative for the West Seattle High School class of 1973. Many of my classmates have encouraged this move. ♦ As promised, I received my review copy of Julian Stockwin's latest novel in late May, The Iberian Flame. It took a few weeks of bus rides to SPU to finish it, but it only took me one evening to produce my review and email it back to the author in Great Britain. I included this photo to show Julian that with his next volume, I'd need a longer bookshelf. My dream of an elegant library with my most loved books and the special art prints I've collected depicting events and locations from the early 1800's still seems years off. ♦ Charis finally met Shadow, but their first encounter was not quite love at first sight. I suspect Charis will grow on Shadow. Nancy is back working on floors with a view toward preparing the house for the Disher family some day soon. ♦ We had five fathers at Father's Day. (More photos below.) ♦ Four of eight hour-long lessons have been delivered at the Emerald Heights Retirement Community. We've covered Acts 9:1-11:18. But I have come to the end of my pre-prepared lessons and the next four weekends will be taken up with study and writing. ♦ For the first time, I've been included with the Economics faculty. That first degree has proven useful! My Quote from June If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. — 1 Timothy 6:8-10 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," — Hebrews 13:5
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