Abstract of Title

This document is an ‘Abstract of Title’ which shows the chain of title to the property my grandparents purchased in 1928. Within this document, is the history of lumber companies owning portions of the property, and liens granted for unpaid wages. The unpaid wages were owed to Japanese workers, as pictured in the series of photos. These workers won in court, in Pierce County, in the State of Washington, the right to collect their unpaid wages from the Myers Lumber Company.

The oral tradition on the farm while I was growing up was that the former chicken coop was at one time a bunkhouse for Japanese workers. This document led me to contact the Japanese Shin Buddhist Temple in Tacoma, Washington, which was founded in 1913. Some of the names on the lien recorded match names of members of the Temple. The next step in my research from this document is to interview people at the Temple, and excavate the site of the now collapsing building to see if material culture exists to tell the tale of the building and who may have resided there.

The Shed on the Hill

There's a shed on the hill at the farm where I was raised. It currently lives in an abbreviated state of its former self; having been partially dismantled in 1972. The trees have grown up about it, blackberries encroach on what was once a well kept space, until time marched on and the shed was forgotten, until now.

In going through items with my mother, we came across the Abstract of Title to the property from the 1870s, prior to Washington becoming a State. The family folklore always held this shed to be a former bunkhouse to either Chinese or Japanese laborers in the 1800s, and now, the Abstract of Title shows the names of Japanese being awarded a lien for what appears to be back wages in the early 1900s. The shed has been a relic most of my life, and now is falling in on itself. The time has come to take the shed down, and see if any material culture, remnants of the past 100+ years, will fill in any of the blank spaces between today's reality, and yesterday's whispers.

Checks and Balances

Life is full of checks and balances. Today I finished my final required class for my undergraduate courses, and am preparing for my final semester in the fall of 2014. While I am excited to begin in the fall, it is bittersweet to look back and go over my transcript, remembering classes I loved (and didn't particularly enjoy). I have met so many fine people and while we all interacted at the same university, we are not guaranteed to see each other again. So today, I begin gearing up for the final part of my undergraduate journey, and look forward with joy to meeting the next batch of classmates that come my way. Upward and onward!

Bias in the Classroom

I have been very fortunate to attend university finally, and have some fantastic tales to tell. In no manner, shape, or form, am I the expert in content or pedagogy, however, I certainly believe that a professional and encouraging atmosphere requires a professor to leave their opinions and bias at the door, and present all sides and possibilities of a situation. Truly, I find it insulting to take out student loans and receive financial aid that is to be spent on required curriculum when bias is clearly present in the classroom. Paying for someone to have a moral and political pulpit in the classroom is not what I feel I signed up for. An educated and well thought opinion is always appreciated, and cultured expertise in a subject welcomed. Who you are voting for and what your personal preferences are in life are not what I am there to learn about.

Coffee Shop Talk - Gossip - Identifying Others - Awareness

Here I sit in my local coffee shop using the Internet alone to conduct some quick email responses and searches between appointments on this wet Friday afternoon. I have been coming here off and on for the past five years, and usually, only stopped in for a brief moment. Within the past two months I have been sitting here for a few hours at a time working on homework or other projects away from my home office. Generally, I am by myself, and quiet. Thereby, everyone else's conversations are amplified, laughter echoes, and my lack of headphones evidently keeps me from blocking out the din that surrounds me. So, why don't I just leave and not worry about everyone else's conversations? After all, they are paying guests, just as I am, however, the conversations that I have overheard lately leave me speechless and flabbergasted.

Identity:

I don't know how aware people are, especially in small towns, how viral their conversation can become. What I overhear in the coffee shop when people's names are involved, jobs, illness, financial situations, and so on and so forth, are not what I ever expect to hear so brazenly unfiltered in public. Where are people's filters? How would you react if it was you or a family member being so openly discussed in a very public forum with an echo factor amplifying the conversation? You never know when the next table over will tweet a photo of you, video, or make your topic of conversation their next blog or Facebook post.

Gossip:

What purpose does gossip serve? Aside from posturing one's self as an authority, or the one to be listened to for more juicy details on a hot story, I see no service that gossip provides in the public. This is how people are potentially genuinely harmed. Watch your words for they carry power.

Awareness:

These past two months have really made me aware of what I say, where I say it, and the content and context of what I share. I would find it interesting to record an hour in a coffee shop, and then play back the conversation for those having it. I may have my back to you, but I am not deaf.

Visiting England Soon? Here Are Some Ideas....

England is full of history, hills, sea, and mystery. The people that inhabit the British Isles are as varied in background and interests, as the landscape they are so closely intertwined with. From Land’s End in Cornwall to the bustling city of London, England is teeming with sights, sounds, tastes, and memories for you to encounter.
England can be seen from a coach tour bus, a train, by foot, boat, or automobile. Within Central London, there are fees of ten pounds per day during the week for traveling in by car; weekends however, are free. If you are budget minded, then planning your trip by car on the weekend to Central London saves you ten pounds per day, and there is much more parking available, as much of Central London’s population during the week is made up of the workforce that commutes in to London during the week. London has many places that are not only historical in the eyes of Britain, but the world as well.

The Tower of London was built as a Royal Residence, although so many accounts of The Tower are of death and incarceration. The moat was drained long ago, and now grass can be seen growing where the water once was. As you enter the gates to The Tower the ancient stonework greets you, and the sheer height of the entryway dwarfs you. Imagining a bustling court with carts and carriages piled with hay, food for the kitchens, or transporting a prisoner to spend time in The Tower, such as Charles I, becomes a very real event in your mind’s eye. Ravens are kept at The Tower still out of belief that if Ravens are not in The Tower, harm may befall the Royal Family.

From the The Tower of London it is a short walk to The London Eye which is a Ferris Wheel that offers a 360 degree view of London and the River Thames through its glass seating. After the panoramic view of London, Westminster Abbey beckons with unrivaled acoustics for Evensong services, and there of course are statesmen, poets, kings, and queens buried there. Tea can also be had for a modest price at Westminster Abbey in a relaxed atmosphere with china settings and a cheerful environment. Getting around London is much more economical with The London Pass. The web site for details on cost is here: http://www.londonpass.com/london-pass-prices.php#.U0S3bPldV1E . Visit Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin and Geoffrey Chaucer in Poet’s Corner and Scientists’ Corner. Let your imagination take you through time, imagine William the Conqueror’s coronation; it’s all in one place.

Hop on the Tube to Euston St. Pancras and catch a train to Cambridge for the day from King’s Cross Station. When in Cambridge stop in at Fitzbillies Café to sample their famous sticky Chelsea Buns. Since 1921, Fitzbillies has been open in Cambridge serving the locals and students. Now, it not only is a café by day, but a fine dining restaurant on weekend evenings. Simple and honest food with a gourmet twist enchants your palate. King’s College is a prime example of Gothic architecture and offers historical glimpses of the Tudor era. Take a punt on the River Cam, rent a bicycle and check out The Eagle Pub in Cambridge. There is a room with the signatures of World War II Air Force pilots on the ceiling. Many of those pilots did not return, and spent their last evenings alive with fellow pilots, navigators, and crewmen, at The Eagle Pub.

Hire a car or a coach and zip over to Windsor and Eton for the day. Walk along the Thames and have lunch at Cote. Feed the swans, enjoy the cobbled streets, charity shops, and tour Windsor Castle. Walk in the footsteps of Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, Charles II, and many monarchs, gentry, and folk of days gone by. In Windsor, modernity meets antiquity in a thoroughly British way.

From Windsor, Bath beckons for a tour of Roman Ruins and Roman Baths. The Pump Room is open for business, and Sally Luns Buns are for sale. Enjoy the picturesque aestheticism the Palladian Architecture provides. Beau Brummell, Jane Austen, and the gentry loved Bath; certainly you will too!

Why I Prefer Online Media Consumption

Watching television in the living room was the norm growing up in the 70s and 80s in America, and still is for many people. For me, however, the television expense of cable became too much when I went back to school for my degree in 2010, and the television sat in the corner, only to be used to view movies checked out from the library, or for my children to play video games. Now that hulu.com and the major networks like ABC have their own web sites to stream television programs, where is the need for cable or a dish network? Personally, I don’t see a need for an extra bill, and welcome the freed up space in my living room for bookshelves where the television once made its home.

The television now is in the spare back bedroom, and if the now adult children wish to watch a movie or play a video game, they go into the back bedroom, and do so. Television is now watched online via the ABC.com or other such sites. Movies and other uploaded favorites are found on YouTube.com and appreciated.

The convenience of being able to stop the program when you wish, resume it again, or totally abandon it when you are bored with your choice is a feature I enjoy and fully utilize. When I am searching the Internet for research articles for a school paper or project, I can also go to Pandora.com for a musical selection and listen as I work. Consuming media this way I find to be of benefit to my family by allowing us to watch a variety of programs, and then make plans together for activities and outings that in the past may have interfered with a broadcast we needed to watch for a course.

There was a made for T.V. movie called The Day After when I was in high school. Not everyone then had cable, and my family only had an antenna to rely on for our signal. The program came in fuzzy, but I was able to make it out and participate in the class discussion the following day. With media consumption based online, I can watch a movie or available show anywhere I can find a signal, and not disturb anyone if I put headphones on.

This is a new era of media consumption that I plan to use often. Well, what I consider often is three hours of television a week via online stations, maybe a movie once a month, and plenty of research articles. I don't play video games, but I definitely look at Facebook and communicate globally with my friends and family through that online medium. My television is silent most of the month. What are your family's media consumption habits?

Blessings in the Unexpected

Today, I was required to go and visit the doctor for finalization of my physical for my university. Travelling abroad requires a doctor to sign off that you are fit to go and do not require any further medical care, and are a sane candidate. So, I waited in the office lobby for an hour to see the good doctor, observing things to pass the time and overhearing conversations.

One woman stated to her mother (both were over 60) that a woman they know "is wasting her life away by complaining all the time". That made me stop and think. The gentleman next to me had a box full of bottles of medications and supplements that he takes daily. He has survived FOUR tumors since 1962, one in the throat, kidney, brain, and eye. The Kidney was the only cancerous one. He has a family, two masters, and his bachelors, and is 80 years old. For longer than I have been alive, he has battled this condition and is one of the most positive people I have ever encountered. I was blessed today by our brief but wonderful exchange.

I finally was called into the doctor's office and we went over the form and what its purpose was. I left ready to go, and with my heart full of the knowledge at how blessed I am with every breath I take in life. No complaining folks...onward and upward!

Black Friday Blowout

Oh yes, Black Friday Blowout Sales! Let's all line up now, in the cold and inclement weather for those items we cannot go without. Black Friday is a nightmare, to say the least, if you are attending a mall or outlet store that is popular for their product. WalMart....I don't even want to think about it.

Black Friday was never anything I was raised participating in, and when I was married, my former mother-in-law and her daughter would go out around three in the morning to go shopping. I never saw the appeal. I must admit, I have gone twice, but never to really any great "must have it now" type of sale.

This year, I may go online and search for books I need in my Spring Semester at school since Amazon sent me a coupon, but that will be the extent of any shopping I do tomorrow. The holidays used to be a great deal more fun when I was growing up in the Seattle area. We focused on each other, not a consumer driven season.

Holidays Around the Corner

Well, here we go again. In the United States, we have Thanksgiving in November,and in December,this following list of holidays:



December

5 - Ashura (Islamic, Muslim)

6 - St. Nicholas Day (International)

8 - Bodhi Day - Buddha's Enlightenment (Buddhist)

8-16 - Hanukkah* (Jewish)

12 - Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico)

13 - Santa Lucia Day (Sweden)

16-25 - Las Posadas (Mexico)

25 - Christmas (Christian, Roman Catholic, International)

26 - Boxing Day (Canada, United Kingdom)

26 - Kwanzaa (African-American)


Gathering with friends and family is traditional, yet I enjoy the silent contemplation that comes along with the lull in the holiday time. I looked around me today and saw how many people were walking in the cold rain with little or no covering, and it made me think at how fortunate I am personally, and remember that I need to give beyond my own family, reaching out to others if they accept the help offered. Also, the help one offers does not need to be what they think is necessary, but what the receiver needs. Being mindful of the circumstance, and the needs within the circumstance are tantamount to offering and disbursing appropriate help and resources.

Letting Go of Your Child

Yes, I am still a student, and now, all three of my children are college students. One by one they have spread their wings after graduating high school, and gone through the growing pains. My oldest is ready to transfer to University next fall, and my son is still knocking out the basics. The youngest, she with the car, is pursuing business related courses and history, along with the general requirements. Each one of us has a different path, personality, and goal in life. Learning to let them make their own errors and not rescue them can be particularly difficult as a parent.

This coming year will bring me closer to graduating with my bachelor's degree, and also close to finishing my Project Management certification. For the first time since my graduation from high school, I will truly have no responsibilities to anyone in school, or under my guardianship, other than myself. I will be there to encourage and listen, yet I fully expect to be applauding a fair amount from the sidelines as my children find their feet, and follow their path in life.

Norwegian and Icelandic Sweaters

I have a love of textiles and intricate design laced with cultural meaning. Every year at my school, we have a "sweater exchange" and people turn out with their sweaters and all things Scandinavian to barter, trade, or sell. Some of the sweaters are simply masterpieces in knitting and craftsmanship. The pewter, the designs, and waterproofing are simply incredible!

I have Helga, Dale of Norway, Norwool, Nordstrikk, and others in my assembled sweaters. I have seen them sold online as "ugly Christmas sweaters" in order to market them to a wider audience. However, in my humble opinion, the word "ugly" does not belong anywhere near one of these sweaters.

When you see ravens or crows, it puts one in mind of Odin's two pet ravens that kept him apprised of the doings of men. Reindeer bring to mind the Saami, as well as Santa. Viking ships, well, I may have to give that some serious thought...not really :) THe snowflakes and other geometrical designs are simply vivid, well executed, and a delight to look at when an entire room of people is wearing their personal favorite, with a candle in front of them. Sweater, or genser, in Norwegian. Christmas and snow just go hand in hand with one, ya know?



Orvis Men's Dale of Norway Anniversary Quarter-Zip Sweater - Red - Medium (Google Affiliate Ad)

Writing Objectives

Well, I am taking an two anthropology courses, one public relations, and one project management. All of them require reading and executing projects, disseminating information, and writing papers. Project management and public relations, coincidentally this week, both required writing objectives. However, both sets objectives are very different.

In project management I am writing objectives based on what is within scope, outside of scope, and deliverables. In public relations, I am writing objectives for a campaign that are relating to promoting an idea or product to the public sphere. Although the SWOT analysis is utilized, and many theories coincide between the two classes...I have to really remember which hat I am wearing when I sit down to write. Quiet and focus have become my two necessities this semester. Now, for my anthropology PowerPoint tomorrow, 2nd mid-term next week, and 10 page rough draft of my paper...nah, I'm not busy...:)

Oh Lutefisk! Oh Lutefisk! Reprinted information for Lutefisk Dinners in the Seattle Area!

2012-2013 LUTEFISK DINNERS AND BAZAARS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST as of 10/6/2012
List compiled for the Pacific Northwest Lutefisk Lovers since 2007 by Christine Anderson, member of Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001, Sons of Norway, in Seattle and Embla Lodge No. 2, Daughters of Norway, in Tacoma.

Information is subject to change, send additions and corrections to cmadance@earthlink.net If you would like to add someone or be taken off the list, please reply to this email. Please send other dinners you find out about into me. Updates will be published again around October 10!

A song for you to cry, if you don’t get your lut-e-fis-key this year! Based on Rye Whiskey by Tex Ritter, Pete Seeger, and Dave Matthews adapted for the season by lutefisk list compiler!
Lute-fiskey, lute-fiskey, lute-fiskey I cry,
If I don’t get lute-fiskey, I surely will die!
If I don’t get lute-fiskey, I surely will die!

Standard lutefisk cheer:
Lutefisk, lutefisk, lefse, lefse
We are Norskies, ya sure u bet cha! or (We’re from Ballard or Petersburg or Poulsbo, etc. ya sure u bet cha!

Here is a website for the song O Lutefisk, O lutefisk: I know some people consider lutefisk a religious experience, but really? On a hymn website? http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com / Hymns_and_Carols / o_lutefisk_o_lutefisk.htm

O Lutefisk, O lutefisk (Sung to the tune of O Tannebaum by Ernst Gebhard Anschutz, 1824, Adaptation by Red Stangeland
1. O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, how fragrant your aroma,
O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, you put me in a coma.
You smell so strong, you look like glue,
You taste just like an overshoe,
But lutefisk, come Saturday,
I tink I eat you anyvay

2. O Lutefisk, O lutefisk, I put you in the doorvay.
I wanted you to ripen up just like they do in Norvay.
A dog came by and sprinkled you.
I hit him with my overshoe.
O lutefisk, now I suppose
I'll eat you while I hold my nose.

3. O Lutefisk, O lutefisk, how well I do remember.
On Christmas Eve how we'd receive our big treat of December.
It wasn't turkey or fried ham.
It wasn't even pickled Spam.
My mother knew there was no risk
In serving buttered lutefisk.

4. O Lutefisk, O lutefisk, now everyone discovers
That lutefisk and lefse make Norvegians better lovers.
Now all the world can have a ball.
You're better than that Geritol.
O lutefisk, with brennevin [Norwegian brandy]
You make me feel like Errol Flynn.

5. O Lutefisk, O lutefisk, you have a special flavor.
O Lutefisk, O lutefisk, all good Norvegians savor.
That slimy slab we know so well
Identified by ghastly smell.
O Lutefisk, O lutefisk,
Our loyalty won't waver.

Here is some info on stockfish and lutefisk. Just copy the address and put it into your search field! http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Stockfish
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Lutefisk http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/4443/is-stockfish-becoming-trendy
Lutefisk -Lutefisk Facts -Fun Lutefisk Jokes -and the Lutefisk Song can be found at:
http://www.squidoo.com/lutefisk

Lutefisk and festivals 2012
TODAY Sunday, October 7, 3PM Social Hour/4PM dinner: Torsk Dinner hosted by Bothell Lodge 2-106 followed by short program on Trollhaugen. Dinner tickets $20. Proceeds support Trollhaugen For advanced tickets call Chris Hicks (425) 672-0194 or hicks1015@msn.com at Sons of Norway Hall, 23904 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell WA 98021

Saturday, October 13, 2012. 10 AM to 4 PM: Nordic Festival by Embla Lodge No. 2, Daughters of Norway, at our new location Edgemont Junior High School, 2300 110th Avenue East, Puyallup, WA. The only Nordic/Scandinavian Festival this fall in the South Puget Sound. Many vendors of traditional Nordic arts, crafts, baked goods, music, antiques and artifacts. Meatballs, potatoes, gravy, lingonberries, pea soup and rolls, coffee, water, will be available for purchase in the cafeteria. $1 admission includes 1 (one) drawing ticket for items donated by vendors. For more info contact 253.677.7700 or mfairch@citysounds.biz

Saturday, October 13, 2012, 10AM-4PM: 16th Annual Scandinavian Bazaar at Bernt Balchen Lodge 2-046, Viking Hall, 8141 Briarwood St, Anchorage, AK 99518. Please join us for a cultural experience! There will be demonstrations for rosemaling and amazing food including the popular lefse, krumkake and waffles for sale. The kitchen will be serving the best lunch in town. Delicious traditional soups and open faced sandwiches. The bake sale table features lefse and a huge variety of homemade cookies, cakes and breads. The silent auction will have many Scandinavian/Nordic items and more. Vendor tables will feature: Jewelry, knives, artwork, blankets, woodcarvings, rosemaling, table linens, knitted hats, scarves, clothing, sweaters, Christmas decorations, books, silk florals, jams, soaps, tie dyes, beadwork, Children's furniture, and much more! Call the Viking Hall at 907.349.1613 for more info.

Saturday-Sunday, October 20-21, 10AM-6PM/11AM-5PM: Our 106th bazaar at Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001, Sons of Norway, 2245 NW 57th Street, Ballard/Seattle WA 98107. Have some family fun while enjoying Nordic food from our tastefully designed sandwiches to the delicate krumkake cone and the hearty ertesuppe/peasoup, lapskaus/lamb stew, and rommegraut, a silky sour cream porridge; Norwegian desserts in our Bakeri/Bakery; handicrafts from our Norna ladies; kids games and Karnival Korner from 10AM-2PM (Saturday) and 11AM-2PM (Sunday); lots of raffles; gently loved previously owned items at our Ditt og Datt booth; find a good book at our Book Nook; good strong Norwegian coffee; and try out our new beer loft open from 3PM to closing! Learn about the Sons of Norway, too. Win a $1000 travel voucher for a flight aboard IcelandAir, $600 cash, or $200 gift certificate for Scandinavian Specialties in Ballard plus $100 cash. Our vendors include: Desiree of Sweden, with her gifts from Scandinavia; Judy’s Painted Treasures with Norwegian rose painting called rosemaling; Runecraft with silver, pewter, bronze, brass, stainless steel rings, earrings, clasps, pendants, chains, bracelets, and buttons; Emerald Medusa modern custom handwoven beaded jewelry made in an ancient technique in stone, silver, and gold with aScandinavian twist; and others! Velkommen! For more info: www.leiferiksonlodge.com or 206.783-1274

Saturday, October 20, 2012, 11:40AM to 5:00 PM with seatings every 20 minutes: 100th Annual lutefisk dinner at the Christian Center (corner of 4th and Hostmark), First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo, 18920 4th Avenue NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Price: Adults are $23, Children under 12 are $5. Family Style, all you can eat. Lutefisk, meatballs, potatoes, lefse, salad, krumkake & sherbet. Live entertainment throughout the day. Lefse & pickled herring for sale. Order tickets by mail using order form until October 10. Parking available for seniors & handicapped. Order form can also be downloaded off website: www.poulsbo-lutefisk.com or send to Lutefisk Dinner Tickets: c/o First Lutheran Church, 18920 4th Ave. NE, P.O. Box 825, Poulsbo, WA 98370. For information call: (360) 779-2622 . Info provided by Margene Smaaladen. http://www.poulsbo-lutefisk.com/

Saturday, October 20, 2012, 11AM-2PM: Grays Harbor Lodge 2-004 annual Scandinavian Bazaar and Luncheon. Craft vendors and a bake sale. Lunch will be served cafeteria style: smorbrod, hot soup and dessert. Priced individually so you can have as many items you want. Thank you, Kim Worsham, editor. For more info call 360-533-2827

Saturday, October 20, 2012, 10AM -4PM: "Taste of Scandinavia" festival hosted by Sol-Land Lodge 2-086 at Kennewick First Lutheran Church. The day will be full of demonstrators such as weaving, dancing, carving, viking sword fighting and knitting. We will also have vendors with Scandinavian crafts and books and novelties for sale. Although there won't be any lutefisk, we will have wide a selection of open-faced sandwiches, pea soup, Scandinavian cookies and baked goods and lots of coffee. Admission is free. For more info www.sol-land.org/nordicfest

Sunday, October 21, 2012, 11AM-4PM: Lutefisk Dinner and Bazaar at Norden 2-002 in Tacoma at Normanna Hall, 1106 S. 15th St, Tacoma, WA. Dinner includes lutefisk, meatballs, potatoes, lefse and all the trimmings. Open seating with tickets at the door, reservations not required. Adults: $20.00, Ages 7-12: $10.00, 6 & under: Free. Also visit our bazaar with lefse making demonstration and sales, Scandinavian cookies, pastry, and gifts. Submitted by Cliff Magnussen, cmjcmag1@comcast.net

Sunday, October 21, 2012, 12 Noon-5PM: Normanna Lodge 2-003 Annual Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner in Everett with boiled potatoes, lefse, peas & carrots, coleslaw, and dessert. Normanna Hall, 2725 Oakes, Everett, WA 98201. Adults are $20; children ages 6-12 are $5, and children 5 and younger are free! For more info call the lodge number at 425.252.0291

Saturday, October 27, 2012, 1PM-5PM: Vesterdalen Lodge 2-131 annual Lutefisk and Meatball
Dinner in Auburn. Dinner will be served at Messiah Lutheran Church, 4th and H Streets NE, Auburn, WA. Tickets are $20 each for 12 and over, $8 for 5-11 years of age, and those under 5 are free. Lutefisk, meatballs, potatoes, coleslaw and dessert. Send a check made out to Vesterdalen Lodge 2-131 for the number of tickets you need along with a stamped, self addressed envelope to Dotty Erickson, 24322-117th Avenue SE, Kent WA 98030-5096. All tickets must be purchased in advance, tickets are NOT sold at the door.

CANCELLED! Sunday, October 28, 2012, 11AM-4PM: 60th Stanwood Lions Club Lutefisk Dinner at the Stanwood High School, 7400 272nd St NW, Stanwood, WA 98292. Lutefisk and accompanying dishes. $20 per person, $7 for 7-12 years old, Free for children under 7. All you can eat -family style. For additional information contact chairman Jim Lund, 360-629-3604 . For more information: info@stanwoodchamber.org

Saturday, November 3, 2012, TIME TBD (last year 5PM-7PM): Odin Lodge 2-041 in Yakima, WA, is having its 32nd annual Lutefisk Dinner. It will be at Holy Family Church, 5315 Tieton Drive, Yakima, WA. Prices are: $17.00 for adults and $8.00 for kids under the age of 12. Menu includes lutefisk, meatballs, boiled potatoes, coleslaw, lefse, and traditional desserts such as fruit soup, rommegraut, and cookies. Tickets available at the Deep Sea Deli or head of time from members. Questions? Call 509-452-9790 , 509-966-1583 or 509-965-3947 . Info submitted by Donna Gilbery.

Saturday, November 3, 2012, 9AM-3PM: Bothell Lodge 2-106 Annual Bazaar, Bake Sale and Luncheon. Free parking. Sons of Norway Hall, 23905 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021. For more info call the lodge number at 425.485.9085 or check out Bothell’s website www.bothellsonsofnorway.org

Saturday-Sunday, November 3-4, 2012, (Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 8 an to 4pm): Swedish Cultural Center’s Annual Scandinavian Holiday Bazaar. Lots of vendors including "great finds" and antiques, plus traditional vendors and crafts. Delicious Swedish food: meatballs on Saturday, pancakes on Sunday. Donation admission $1. 1920 Dexter Ave N, Seattle, WA. Info 206-283-1090

Saturday, November 3, 2012, 10AM-4PM: Thirteenth Annual Scandinavian Fair Scandinavian Bakery, Caf?' with lunch available all day, Nordic Gifts and Crafts, Entertainment, Hourly Prize Drawing at Hampton Inn's Fox Hall, 3985 Bennett Drive, Bellingham, WA. Take I-5 Exit 258 then west on Bakerview. Admission $1.00, age 12 and under free. Sponsored by Daughters of Norway , Nellie Gerdrum Lodge No. 41. It is recommended that guests arrive early to get the best selection of bakery goods, that includes lefse, Scandinavian holiday breads, cookies, cakes, and kransekake. Some people come the day before the Fair, and stay at the Hampton Inn in order to be there early! For more info contact: 360-592-4065 . Submitted by Ellen Hinds, Fair chair

Sunday, November 4, 2012, 11:30AM-4PM: Bremerton’s Oslo Lodge 2-035 Authentic all-you-can-eat-Norwegian Lutefisk with white sauce and butter, meatballs with gravy, potatoes, carrots, coleslaw, lefse, beverages and dessert. Adults $22.00; ages 6-12, $6.00. Cash & Checks only. Reservations not required. Oslo Ladies Club Bazaar, specializing in Scandinavian Cookies & Baked Goods, held in our Fireside Room. Handicapped access & lots of parking at Olympic College Lot. Just north of Olympic College is Oslo Lodge 2-035 at 1018 18th St.,Bremerton, WA 98337. Turn off of Warren Avenue at the 17th St. traffic light. Info phone is 360-373-1503 .

Sunday, November 4, 2012, 1PM-4PM: Lutefisk and lefse at Tordenskjold Lodge 2-005, Sons of Norway, 6710 N Country Homes. Blvd, Spokane, WA 99208. Menu is lutefisk, Norwegian meatballs, potatoes, gravy, peas & carrots, risengrynsgr?t, lefse, Norwegian cream cake, Norwegian cookies (fattigmann, krumkake, sandbakkels, rosettes) Cost is $15. For reservations call 509-326-9211 . Let us know so we can order enough fish! For more info call: 509-326-9211 or sonspokane@msn.com

Saturday, November 10, 2012, 9:30AM-3:30PM: Nordic Fest hosted by Ester Moe Lodge No. 39, Daughters of Norway, at South Whidbey High School, 5675 Maxwelton Rd. Langley WA. Join Ester Moe Lodge No. 39 on beautiful Whidbey Island for the 13th Annual Nordic Fest with a whole new look! Everyone is invited to this great festival of Nordic culture with fun for the whole family. Discover mouth-watering food in the Norsk Kafe, tantalizing baked goods in the Bakeri, exciting shopping among wonderful vendors, creative demonstrations, lively music & more! Drawings held all day long for wonderful prizes. You won't want to miss this very special event! The lodge's fundraising profits are used to help students learn more about their Nordic background through Encouragement Scholarships to Camp Trollhaugen and to support the Young Scandia Dancers. Local food banks also benefit from the lodge's efforts. Donation cost is $1/person, 12 & under free. For additional questions contact Marcia at 425-308-7860 .

Saturday, November 10, 2012, Noon-5PM: Lutefisk Dinner with lefse, meatballs and all the trimmings at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Sumner at 245 Valley Avenue in Sumner, WA 98390. Call for more info: 253-863-1142 . Adults are $20.00 (Meatball with no fish dinner is $15); children (10 & under), $10.00. Also having their holiday bazaar from 10AM-5PM. ctklcsumner@msn.com

Sunday, November 11, 2012, TIME TBD: Norwegian Male Chorus of Seattle lutefisk dinner with a mini concert by the chorus, too! Tickets are $TBD, children under 12 TBD. Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 NW 57th Street, Seattle WA 98107. Buy your tickets from chorus members. More info later.

Sunday, November 11, 2012, reserved seatings at 12 Noon, 2PM, 4PM, and 6 PM: Annual Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner at Grieg Lodge 2-015, Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Avenue, Portland OR 97232. Seating is limited and last year’s dinner sold out early. Price is $22 for adults, $10 children 5-12, and under 5 free. Lutefisk, meatballs, boiled potatoes with cream gravy, coleslaw, homemade lefse, cranberry relish, prune pudding, coffee/tea. Ignore the risk – try lutefisk! Tickets on sale now and advance reservations REQUIRED. Call Edna Koroch for tickets 503.771.2689 . Don’t miss the Grieg Lodge scholarship sale & bucket raffle! Shop in the Ballroom on Lutefisk Sunday. Choose from a variety of new & gently used items with a Nordic twist, also creations made by the artists of the lodge and other wonderful raffle prizes. All proceeds from the sale & bucket raffle benefit the Grieg Lodge Scholarship Fund. Also available: ready-to-cook 4-pound bags of lutefisk for $28; lefse (package of 5) for $7; "take out" lutefisk dinners for $22 (must call ahead to make prior arrangements).

Friday-Saturday, November 16-17, 2012, 11AM-3PM?: Normanna Lodge 2-003s Scandinavian Bazaar and Bake sale at Normanna Hall, 2725 Oakes, Everett, WA 98201. Scandinavian gifts and crafts, linens, books, decorative items, sweaters, jewelry and dishes, bake sale, and our own pickled herring and lefse for sale. A luncheon is served each day, featuring the goodies we all love. For more info call the lodge number at 425.252.0291 . Info submitted by Barb Brevik

Saturday, November 17, 2012, 2 seatings -4PM and 7PM: Anchorage’s Lutefisk and Lefse Dinner (and those tasty meatballs too!) at Bernt Balchen Lodge 2-046, Viking Hall, 8141 Briarwood St, Anchorage, AK 99518. Dancing at 7 PM. Adults, $25 (non-members $30); ages 12-16, $12; ages 5-11, $5; ages 4 and under free. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Viking Hall at 907.349.1613 . For further info, contact Tom Falskow at lise@gci.net

Sunday, November 18, 2012, seatings at 2PM, 4PM, 6PM: Grays Harbor Lodge 2-004 annual Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner in Aberdeen WA. Menu includes lutefisk, meatballs and gravy, coleslaw, potatoes, carrots, white sauce and melted butter, lefse, beverages, and Scandinavian cookies for dessert. $20 per person, children under 6, free. Reservations needed by calling Dixie at 360-533-2827 or Leif at 360-533-1027 . Sons of Norway Hall, 717 Randall, Aberdeen, WA. Submitted by Dixie Thompson.

December 2012: Lutefisk at Anthony’s HomePort at Shilshole Bay, 6135 Seaview Ave, Seattle W A 98107. Call 206-783-0780 to verify dates they are serving.

Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, 6 pm or 7:30 pm seating: Swedish Cultural Center serves lutfisk and meatball dinner during Happy Hour. Choose to be served either Swedish or Norwegian style accompaniments. RSVP for either the 6 pm or 7:30 pm seating. Cost: $TBD. 1920 Dexter Ave N, Seattle. Info 206-283-1090 . Submitted by Kristine Leander, Executive Director, Swedish Cultural Center

Saturday, December 1, 2012, 12 Noon-6PM: Bothell Lodge 2-106 annual lutefisk and meatball dinner with boiled potatoes, lefse, coleslaw, ice cream for dessert, and a beverage. Sons of Norway Hall, 23905 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021. No reservations required and you can buy your tickets at the door! Tickets for adults are $20; children ages 6-12 are $5, and children 5 and younger are free! Free parking. For more info call the lodge number at 425.485.9085 or check out Bothell’s website www.bothellsonsofnorway.org

Forgot to catch the cod or ran out of time to dry the fish and make the ashes? You can buy lutefisk any time:
ScanSelect, Inc. dba Scandinavian Specialties
6719 -15th Avenue NW
Seattle, W ashington 98117-5508
TOLL-FREE: 1.877.784.7020
STORE: 206.784.7020
FAX: 206.783.6218
www.ScanSpecialties.com
If your lodge has other lutefisk providers to recommend, please send them in to the compiler!

Lutefisk in 2013!
Sunday, January 13, 2013, Seatings at 12:00, 12:30, 1:00PM, 1:30, 3:00, 3:30, 4:00 and 4:30: Breidablik Lodge 2-027 located at 224 Catlin St, Kelso, WA 98626, will hold their annual family-style Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner. The meal includes Lutefisk (of course) meatballs and gravy, boiled potatoes, green beans, home-made cole slaw, lefse, rye bread and Scandinavian cookies for dessert. Purchase your tickets for a specific seating time by calling Larry at 360-575-1385 or via email at:bignorske@comcast.net. Adult tickets are $22 and children 12 and under is $8 for our all-you-can eat Norwegian Lutefisk meal. Tickets sell out quickly so call early to reserve your meal time. Mange tusen takk skal du ha! Submitted by Regards, Kay Koski, Editor/Publicity

Saturday, January 26, 2013: (TBD but in 2010 it was 12 Noon-5PM): Poulsbo Lodge 2-044 Lutefisk dinner with lefse, Swedish meatballs w/gravy, potatoes, carrots, cole slaw, ice cream, and coffee and/or water for beverage. Tickets are $TBD for adults, children under 10 are $TBD. Grieg Hall, 18891 Front St. NE, Poulsbo WA. For more info call the lodge manager Vicky Spray at 360-779-5209 . Submitted by Barb Mitchusson, Lodge Secretary

February 2013: Harald Haarfager Lodge 2-011 lutefisk dinner in Post Falls Idaho details will be determined later. Barbara
Rostad

Saturday, February 2, 2013: Sol-Land Lodge 2-086 of Kennewick, WA will be having their lutefisk dinner at Kennewick First Lutheran Church. Ticket prices TBA.

Sunday, February 10, 2013: Petersburg’s Take your Valentine to Fedrelandet's Lutefisk and Lefse dinner, prepared and served by the men of the lodge. It is free to members and guests. Come to the island for the best Red Snapper Lute in the world! Dinner includes warm, just off the grill potato lefse for one and all, too. Sons of Norway Hall 23 S Sing Lee Alley, Petersburg AK. Submitted by Sally Norheim Dwyer Petersburg, AK. Contact info: 907-772-4453 (Always the week after the Super Bowl)

Saturday, March 2, 2013, 5PM or 7:30PM: Frida Hansen Lodge No. 37, Daughters of Norway, 24rd annual TORSK DINNER at Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th @ Couch, Portland, Oregon 97232. Tickets are $25. To make your reservations, fill out and attach your check to the form below. Make checks payable to Frida Hansen Lodge No. 37. You will be contacted for confirmation of your reservation. Mary Knutson Sullivan -Reservations, 6089 NW Jackson School Rd, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124, or call 503-260-5127
-------------------------------clip here-----------------------------------
Torsk Dinner 2013
Your Name:_____________________________________________
Address:______________________________________City____________________ZIP______
Number of reservations you are requesting_____________
Seating Preference:________5:00pm or__________7:30pm
Telephone:__________________E-mail:_____________________

Saturday, March 9, 2013: Roald Lodge 2-039 in Klamath Falls Oregon lutefisk dinner. Still waiting for details. IOOF Hall, 2209 Gary St., Klamath Falls, Oregon. Submitted by Marilyn - Roald Lodge 2-039.
Lutefisk eating contests to be published later, but plan on one in Poulsbo in May of 2013 and in Seattle in July of 2013!

Online Dating and Social Networking

Have you ever posted an ad to an online dating site? I have a couple of times since 1998, and it was rather interesting each time. I have met some very nice people out of it, however, never sustained a permanent romantic relationship. While every relationship has boundaries and its own dynamic, online dating is like instant gratification when looking for a dating partner. The lure of the "free profile" is a great fishhook to get you to sign up for the site. Then, you may find your photo being sent to email addresses as a "new match" for men or women that have listed your profile stats as criteria they are looking for.

Funnily enough, the profile I canceled well over five years ago, still exists. All you need to do is log in under that identity on some sites, and your old profile is resurrected and you become active in the market again. Or, better yet, there is the Zoosk application on Facebook that used to tell me when friends of mine were logged in. Yes, you can log into web sites with your Facebook account; just remember, Facebook tracks what you do when you utilize their sign-in application, and may be broadcasting your latest move to all of your Facebook community. Oh the fun I had asking the person how Zoosk was for them, and hearing them stammer about it, wondering how I knew. I showed them how I was being notified whenever they signed in, and that put a stop to the Facebook sign-in activity.

Oh, eharmony...right, the free psychological profile, free dating weekends, free communication....I had listed I was spiritual and not religious. Everyone I was "matched" with at that time were heavily religious. I even had a few ministers and missionaries writing me. Again, once you are in a database, you will receive email from the site asking why you left, and offering you special offers to come back. Match.com is one of the sites that is embedded in advertising everywhere, and has the profile preserved. Plentyoffish, on the other hand, deletes your profile entirely from their database, it genuinely is free, and seems to have plenty of variety.

Am I on a site now? NO. Do I want to be again? I do not believe so, as I have found that a busy life needs commitment to activity in the public sector, not camping out on the internet waiting for Mr. Right. I do belong to a site called Meetup.com which is a great way to meet other people with your same interest. No, it is NOT a dating site. I belong to a couple of foreign language groups to help me study and practice for my classes, and other things like dancing, movies, etc. Families, singles, couples married or not can all find something on Meetup.com, that has hosted events, ratings for people that attend the events, message boards, and gets people out in public to mingle. I highly recommend it for someone looking for an activity partner or group, for an interest that your circle of friends may not share with you.

Just remember:

Be safe
Tell others where you will be
Do not meet people in a remote locality
Have someone telephone you at a prescribed time to offer you an out
Do not have expectations that are unrealistic
If it feels wrong, listen to yourself. Go home.

Life is too short to live unhappily and without finding your purpose. Remember, when you are happy with yourself, you will attract the same type of individuals into your life. I would rather attract the happy people with a positive outlook, than someone that is a pessimist without my same goals and aspirations.




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Fuzzy Slippers

Years ago, I found a pair of slippers on sale by Emu. They are constructed with the soft sheepskin inside, and a waterproof sole. I would always wear socks or wander about barefoot in the house, but was never a slipper fiend until I found these. It was as though comfort was waiting to envelop me when I slid my foot in and the warmth made me visibly relax. It is a physical and mental experience at the same time.

I used to think that all of those corny television shows showing the dogs fetching slippers, or a man in his smoking jacket with slippers on his feet were simply ridiculous. Well, just try getting my slippers now. I know where to find them when they go missing...one of my daughters' rooms.

Halupki, Kapusta, Piroshky and More...

October 22 is my son's birthday, and this year, he turned 20. George stopped by to wish his only grandson happy birthday, and we celebrated with food from the Slovakian side...Borscht, Piroshky, Kapusta, Halupki, and Poppyseed bread. Every time I have food like this, I feel as though the souls of my grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all in the room with me, and we are laughing together, sharing good times, and rejoicing in the celebration of my son's birthday. My grandparents would have adored my children, and they, my grandparents. Mno Hya Lita my son...many happy years, and blessings to come...

American Girl, European Roots

My family has come to America at different stages of the country's development. Some of the earliest colonizers were my ancestors, then, the Swedish and Norwegian side came in the 1800s, and the Slovakian grandparents, 1919 through Ellis Island. I was raised with Slovakian and English spoken around me, and Russian as the language in our small Orthodox church, until I was 12. We always celebrated Christmas on January 7th, and our Easter was called Pascha. Yes, I was different from your "typical" American Girl of the 1970s and 1980s. I even skipped my Senior Prom in order to attend our Pascha services. I was not told to, I did it by choice, as that is what I felt to be right.

Now, we are having another election. Today I cast my ballot, and no matter who wins in the election, I am hoping for the best outcome. My ancestors came here to pursue a better life for themselves and future generations, and I am thankful to them for that. However, I look at the rest of the world now, and almost mourn for what I feel we are losing in America; a culture of community, not selfish commercialism. Selling products and gaining a good income from honest work and integrity I totally embrace. Still, some of what I am seeing now makes my blood go cold. In my opinion, America is made great when we come together and work as a unit, not when we are divisive and conquer ourselves with infighting and quarrelsome behavior. I look forward to the elections ending so we can settle back down to business and figure out a solid path to our future. I am an American Girl, George's Daughter, and mother to a future generation. We will make it work, by doing what we know is right, not convenient.