Another fun day with Kiva. She wakes up so rosy and sweet, it is hard to believe something earthly can be that luminous and beautiful. What a priviledge to have her in our lives! We went to the park this afternoon, and a seven year old boy (red head, two teeth missing, freckles) was just smitten with her. Hanging upside down on the monkey bars making faces at her, gently helping her on the slide, trying to hold her hand. Eventually they were settled in playing in the sand pile. Very cute boy, and he was successful at drawing Kiva out after her initial very shy response. Kiva is quite timid around the other bigger kids in the playground. They do get pretty rowdy and boisterous, and must be pretty scary to 'little bit". She loves to watch them though and has no fear of telling them "that's my bucket" if they lay hands on her sand toys. Amazing that 5, 6 and 7 year olds are so tolerant of the little ones. Today I told one little girl (5 or 6 maybe) that Kiva was just learning to share and wasn't very good at it yet. The little girl was quite understanding and made sure Kiva had her things close by while kids played with all the other stray toys scattered around the sand area.

Vanessa had another trip to the hospital this evening. She is now on meds to slow down the labor, but is now home and so far is not on complete bed rest. It so brings back memories of Jim's birth....he was three weeks late though, not early. I had to go to the hospital at least three times with "false labor" before he was born.

Kiva is here for a sleepover. We have had a lovely day, mostly outside since the weather is fabulously balmy. Light breeze, just right temperature, a few clouds, blue skies. Todays events included a trip to the park with Ken and I, where there were many other children with their parents. Very friendly group, alert to the behaviour of their children. Very peaceful.

Kiva is doing story time with Ken right now. She is his little shadow, just loves to stand next to him and talk while he is doing anything at all. Her spontaneous affection is so touching, and the smiles that light her up just erase any negativity for at least a 500 foot radius.

We read an editorial in the New York Times this morning about the sad history of segregation in the military. Rooseveldt had the opportunity to integrate the miliary during WWII, but elected not to do so. The editorial was very critical of him and the consequences of that decision. Rooseveldt did many wonderful things for the working class that took great courage and energy on his part, and I suppose that he should be forgiven if he did not always do the right thing, since he so often did right. However, the consequences of this decision were so pernicous, that it cannot be hidden under the "context of other accomplishments" excuse. With the military officially segregated, the south was able to export their unlovely culture of hatred to the rest of the country. We had not realized it before, but this is almost certainly the origin of the segregated public housing conditions that Ken experienced in South San Francisco. Also likely the cause of the ugly covenants and restrictions that were placed on single family homes of the era. There is something even more repugnant that usual about segregation in the military during wartime. Segregation is always wrong and mean, but it is so excessively mean spirited when individuals risking their lives in defense of the United States are simultaneously made to feel unwanted and inferiour.

There are times when we (Ken and I) believe that bigots (of any kind) have some kind of genetic difference from the rest of the human population. Sadly most of us can be unkind in the abstract, advocating or allowing unjustice to exist as long as we don't have to be personally involved, or even better to not have to really really "know" about it. However, when it comes to individuals, what I consider to be a "normal" human being is unable to be deliberately unkind on a human to human basis. A true bigot however (the genetic defectives we postulate) can be coldly cruel, both pysically and verbally, to a child, a stranger, an old person etc. simply because of some perceived difference. This can be seen in those dreadful photographs of the harrassment of young students trying to integrate southern schools. The sheer bestial ugliness of the shouting individuals surrounding those brave souls is disheartening to use an inadequate description. How someone can look into the face of another human and tell them they cannot have a decent education, a decent place to live, a living wage job, a time of unmolested spiritual observance, or a loving human relationship is just unfathomable to me. There has to be something missing in a person who can act this way.

Ok this seems to work fine.

Today is a beautiful California day...light breeze, sun shine, a few wispy clouds. We will be going to a heavily political play this afternoon, shopping at the natural foods coop, and then out to dinner. Trying to get out of the house more.

Ken is experimenting with the lathe, and is making serious progess on his bed and sideboard projects. When I came home from visiting grandbaby princess Kiva yesterdat, I could smell sawdust from the driveway.

The garden is flourishing, but the harvest is still small. I checked the potatoe plants and the red and white potatoes are coming along, about small egg size right now. Green tomatoes on the vine, and a couple of green peppers. Don't know about the cabbage, it's our first attempt and it still looks a little "unfurled" to me. Kiva picked a few carrotts last week, had grandpa wash them right away, and crunched them up between those pearly whites immediately. Her appetite is amazing and it is a joy to watch her tuck in.

I am continuing with my fiber projects. I'm spinning some lovely soft caramel brown merino, and am making good progress with the white lace wool shawl. The green lace shawl is taking a brief rest, as is the pair of socks and the camisole top. I'm getting ready to dye some wool with the coreopsis tinctoria we picked in South San Francisco last weekend, but need some alum mordant to continue. I'm hoping for a soft buttercup yellow.

We are thinking much about our current traveling child Scott. He is due back from Denmark late this month, and the family circle will feel much more complete with his return. We are expecting a lot of wonderful stories from him, written and verbal, and think his recent description of traveling in the middle east shows great promise. Having Lisa and Chris close has been a wonderful change in our core group. We have loved seeing Joy (and now Dave), Jim, Vanessa and Kiva on a regular basis, but having Lisa and Chris around will certainly add some zing to gatherings. Their housewarming babecue was a success, and we drove home comfortably well fed and admiring their creative home.

I spent some time visiting with Vanessa yesterday. She is blooming and in good spirits as usual, and taking each day as it comes with the new baby project. I wish I could carry the little guy for an hour or two just to give her a break, but it don't work that way. Maybe it is part of the joy of childbirth, to get that physical relief as well as the pure psychic joy. The babe's name is still up in the air, but I'm sure they will settle on a wonderful, appropriate name that they are both happy with. If not, well "snugglebunny" should work for a year or two. :-)

This is my first post, to experiment with the blog world