Community Emergency Hub exercise

Today I enjoyed volunteering at the 2019 Seattle Emergency Hubs Field Exercise.
Community Emergency Hubs are places where people gather after a disaster to help each other.
Seattle Emergency Hubs is a coalition of volunteers from Seattle neighborhoods having the shared goal of preparing for, responding to, and being resilient after a major disaster. Hubs serve as a central gathering place among neighbors in homes, apartments and condominiums
In these exercises, volunteers get experience out in the real weather and work hands on to perform the functions of a hub. If you would like to train to help your community respond in the event of a major disaster, this is the exercise for you.
I served as a “community actor”. I pulled short scripts from a bowl ("My block needs a crowbar to get garage door open", "My husband is trapped in our red Honda Civic under a downed power line, how does he get out?", "The pharmacy at Hollywood and Vine says its power is down so bring your medicine bottles if you want to fill a prescription") and went around seeking help. The workers processed my request, directed me to resources, and occasionally sent me over to the HAM radio operator.
This was fun and who knows? if we have an earthquake this could be very important. Learn more at http://seattleemergencyhubs.org/ and http://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/prepare/prepare-your-neighborhood/community-emergency-hubs

You took me the vet

"You took me the vet, so now I'm just going to lie around a while."
The periodic check-up and vaccinations must be a mysterious ritual to cats, but they almost expect it of me by now. Last time I tried taking 3 at once, and that was just too difficult, so this year I took Shadow and Imp. Unfortunately I used an old cardboard carrier for Imp; age had loosened its integrity and the bottom opened up in the parking lot. She scampered under a parked car for safety (in her mind) but fortunately did not dodge away when I recovered her. I took the lesson and recycled the cardboard.
I was concerned about their weight since they have visible bellies (Shadow much more than Imp.) The vet offered the idea that the fat-cat charts I had seen were out of date. Cats are living longer now, due to better care, so average weights are going up. Shadow looks fat to meet but according to the doctor she is just entering into middle age. If so, that's a relief because putting one cat out of four on a diet would be impossible.
Another issue is Shadow's incisors, which appear to have gum disease. It would be a big deal to take them out but would increase her comfort. She does not need them to eat, only to catch prey, which is something she does not do and we would not encourage anyway. I will probably go ahead with this but I have to think it out.
Imp's teeth have a lot of tartar but can wait til next year.
Caring for cats is much more complicated than when I was a kid, but we're better at it.

Fireworks in the grass

All they need are sound effects!

Universal symbol for "No Dandelions"

This is an example of finding beauty in the ordinary and humor everywhere (although as my friend Gail Alison points out "That is actually a symbol for a mother lode of baby dandelions to be.") I tried to frame the shot so the leaf evoked the negation symbol, but I now think it would have worked better if I had moved a little more to the left so it would be better centered. Oh well, live and learn. Humor is not perfect.

This week in my yard

Mailing Sampson

Some years ago, I hosted a lecture at the World Peace Through Law Section about William Sampson, an early human rights lawyer, exiled from Ireland to America. I got a copy of his book and read it thoroughly.
I don't need it anymore. Tuesday I mailed it to my friend (and WPTL fellow) Regina to take with her to Ireland for a conference, to give to our mutual friend Thamil, a professor of law in Dublin.  I hope it will be a nice gift!

Arthur is a patron of the arts

Nancy Calos-Nakano offered this and two other pictures on "Buy Nothing Highland Park", a group I participate in to give away stuff I don't need. At first I put in my bid for this intending to give them to a family member, but they fit so well into my home that I decided, heck, why not keep something nice for ourselves!

Snuffleupagus Tree

On the corner down the block is a very neatly kept home with carefully maintained plants

Happy Birthday In Pictures

Using Facebook, I say Happy Birthday to many of my friends and family whose day I would probably otherwise forget. However, the simple words seem insufficient. It's a nice way to reach out to people but doesn't really show caring or creativity.
When I have the time (which is not always) I send an image instead. It makes me happier, and I hope it makes the recipient happier as well. Here are examples: