There were no winners....

Today was a fitting end to summer and perhaps to a small degree a sense of closure to a difficult time in our lives. No, closure is too strong of a word. With Mary Lou not here, there never will be a sense of closure to the fact she is no longer here. Today the court system of Sonoma County rendered a sentence in the case of Arnold Silva, the man that killed Mary Lou in January of 2006. The justice system played out all of its legal proceedings and sentenced him to 43 years in prison. There is truly no justice as nothing that the legal system can do, will bring back the life of Mary Lou. One irresponsible person is off the road system and not able to inflict harm to anyone else until he is 75 years old at the earliest. It truly is sad, the cost of irresponsibility, and the extent to which it effects other people. One person’s choice can affect so many people, positively or negatively.

It is really a bittersweet joy that we have experienced these last few days. Almost like the birth of a child and the death of a parent. On Wednesday, Rachael, Andrew’s new bride just accepted a third grade teaching position at the same school where she did a long-term substitute position last fall. With their recent marriage and both having contracts as credentialed teachers this fall the future indeed appears bright for them. By contrast, a future without the physical presence of Mary Lou gives a feeling of the fact that something is missing, which indeed it is.

I do believe there is justice in the Universe, but not necessarily when, how, and where I want. It really is a good thing that I am not God, as I may not let life play out as it should. I must believe that it will play out for the good, and I would hope that the loss of Mary Lou will have some good come from it. In the short term, I don’t see it. In the long term I can only hope.

Here is a link to the Press Democrat article:

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070824/NEWS/708240357/1033/NEWS01

Andrew's birthday

Today was Andrew's b'day. He wanted to go fishing, so he, Rachael, and I went down to the Klamath this morning to see if we couldn't catch a salmon. Long story short; we did, we couldn't. There were about 50 other bank fishermen there as well as about 20 gillnetters fishing. We saw one salmon netted. But, as we were getting in the kayaks to paddle from the mouth to the launching ramp a guy offered us about a 10 pound steelhead as he couldn't sell it. We said yes, and so we didn't come home empty handed. Sandi and I grilled it tonight and it was as they say in Mexico, "muy bien."

Tahoe was great

Toes at Tahoe

 

Hey, haven't I seen those toes somewhere else? We just spent a week at South Lake Tahoe and the lake really is as beautiful as people say it is.

Jellyfish Sailors

These jellyfish always intrigue me. If I happen upon them in time they have a very beautiful blueish purplish cast to their bodies. If I'm a little late, they're just plain clear. Sometimes the neatest things to see at the beach are only to seen by looking very closely near your feet.


Velella velella - “By-the-wind sailor”
Dark blue, flat float keeps them at the surface. A membrane extends up from the float like a sail. Underneath the float is a colony of tiny brownish jelly-like animals (hydroids). Often seen floating in large patch resembling a raft. May be washed ashore. Size: float is usually less than 3 inches. No sting

Just a beautiful rose looking at beautiful woman!

I'm not sure who was attracted to whom first, but they both seem to be enjoying the other.
This was at the Jackson and Perkins Rose Garden in Medford just before we went to the reunion.