The best true baby story I have ever written

The Best true Baby Story
Our friend Lisa (brave beautiful and bubbly), mother of 7, took a train trip from Seattle to Bloomington, Illinois, with her family. Yes, all 9 of them, on the train for 2 ½ days. The children range in age from 6 months to nearly 11 years old and in activity level ranging from rocking in arms to maximum energy. That by itself would attract attention. The youngest, however, must have attracted the most, because one of the other passengers on the train crocheted the little fellow a colorful afghan.

Hawaii No sunrise, No Aloha

I cannot begin to talk about the week, without explaining how the atmosphere of this fabulous trip changed so tragically. Very tragically.

A week on the Big Island, Hawaii. Tiffany is celebrating 10 years of service with BDA, and Anita is the event manger. I am the Granny Nanny and Damon is along to “help”. There are 80 in the group, 40 employees, and one guest each.

Accommodations: The Fairmont Hotel – need I say more.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon, and on Tuesday morning, the headlines of the local paper read:
Murder at the Fairmont. It sounded like an Agatha Christie Mystery. But it was real. Susan, one of the BDA employees, celebrating 15 years of service, was brutally murdered by the boyfriend who came with her. Right in the hotel. Right next door to other BDA employees, who heard her cry, but not in time.
All the planned activities of the day were cancelled. The BDA owners gave everyone the option to go home early, to withdraw from any and all of the company gatherings.
One BDA employee asked the owners ( they are Jewish) if they could all hold hands and pray. They said yes. Many commented that it was just what they needed. ( Prayer IS the best thing we can do.)
Grief counselors came that afternoon and were available for the rest of the week.
Details were reported in the Hawaii and Seattle newspapers. Her memorial was this Saturday.

There is much more that could be said , but I will leave it there.
For Susan, there are no Alohas , no more sun rises, no goodbyes – hopefully, we will greet her in heaven.
For me, it is a chapter in my life that will haunt me for chapters to come.




Spending hours with Sebastian, walking along the flower gardens, the warm air, and the music and cuddle time were a pleasure and privilege, and a comfort. There was lots of good food, too, especially key lime pie and Kona coffee, and a breakfast buffet that would not stop!
There are a few photos in my camera. Most of them are of Sebastian. I wish I had taken more of the surroundings – the colors are out of this world!