"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country....
"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."
--Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to his daughter
It is a Thanksgiving tradition of mine to post this letter from Mr. Franklin.
We started the holiday with our annual pre-Thanksgiving potluck in Portland. That's a tradition that goes back almost twenty years now.
Now we're in Palo Alto for Thanksgiving with Liz's family.
This year, as always, I'm thankful for God's grace and for my family.
Happy Thanksgiving!


CAROLYN OLEMAN SMITH Carolyn Oleman Smith, musician, attorney, and community volunteer, died peacefully at home on September 5, 2009 of breast cancer. Carolyn was born in Portland, Oregon on May 10, 1930. She spent her childhood in several small rural towns in Oregon, but her parents always drove her to Portland, up to 90 miles each way, for piano lessons. She studied music and piano performance at Redlands University and at the University of Oregon, where she graduated first in her class, before completing graduate study in music at San Francisco State University. After teaching music in the Berkeley and Piedmont public schools, directing choirs, and serving as a piano teacher and highly-regarded accompanist, Carolyn graduated from Hastings Law School and practiced law for several years in San Mateo. In 1978, she moved to Palo Alto, where she devoted herself full-time to music performance, collaborating with many of the finest musicians and ensembles on the Peninsula. In 1990, she joined the Manzanita Piano Quartet, with whom she performed until the year of her death. Her husband Chalmers joined the quartet in 2001 as violist. Carolyn volunteered countless hours with the Stanford Hospital Auxiliary, even throughout her final illness, chairing several committees, mentoring hundreds of junior volunteers and serving as President. She also lent her formidable energy and administrative talents to her Mu Phi Epsilon chapter and the Palo Alto Fortnightly Club. She will be remembered fondly by many young volunteers and musicians. Carolyn belonged to the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto. Carolyn is survived by her husband of 31 years, Chalmers Smith, and by her three children: Alison Trembly and her husband, Ara; Todd Rumph and his wife Ruth Elowitz; and Stephen Rumph, She is also survived by two stepdaughters, Sarah Smith and Elizabeth Smith Currie, together with their husbands Paul Stein and Chuck Currie. Carolyn took special delight in her 6 grandchildren, Natalia Lentini Bost, Susanne Lentini, and Davida Lentini; Naomi and Aaron Rumph; and Nastassja Marti, as well as her 5 step-grandchildren and her great-grandson Avery Bost. Her great heart loved them all. Carolyn enjoyed traveling and attending concerts with her husband. She was happiest, however, when her family would gather in her home to play board games. Her devotion to family life culminated in 2007, when the entire extended family celebrated Carolyn's and Chalmers' thirtieth anniversary at the Sun River resort in Bend, Oregon. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 am at the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Road at Embarcardero Road, Palo Alto. The family invites you to contribute, in lieu of flowers, to a charity of your choice.









Today is May 13th and growing up that meant German chocolate cake for desert (because I hated coconut I'd eat around the edges). C. Stephen Currie was born on this day and the cake was for him. Steve, as he was called by everyone except his mother, was my dad. He died in the fall of 1998 after a life long battle with depression and alcohol and drug addiction. For him the battle started early. His mother and father were both abusive and from we understand my grandmother used to give her children Valium when they came home from school to keep them under control. My dad was the youngest of three kids but he had outlived his brother and sister when he died at the age of 52. None of them stood a chance.



Sunday will be the fifth anniversary of when I loaded up my Saturn wagon with my two dogs (Hugo and Hazel) and two cats (Freedom and Erik Brockley), hitched on a U-Haul, and made the drive from Portland, Oregon to St. Louis, Missouri so that I could attend 



















We really shouldn't be allowed to fly. Over the last couple of years we've been waylaid by storms of every stripe, 











Like many, I’m a sucker for Christmas light displays. So despite the rather cold temperatures and the hearty east winds whipping out of the Columbia River Gorge we bundled up the twins and headed out tonight to the annual




Last weekend we took off to the Bay Area where we visited Liz's family. This weekend we've driven up to 






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