way to or back from camp we can find a yard sale or thrift shop or
flea market and add to it.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Before and After
Before and After
Adult nonfiction
"Under the autocratic control of Georgia Tann, and thanks to her
effective grip on look-the-other-way politicians, TCHS [Tennessee
Children's Home Society] managed to operate in Memphis from 1924 to
1950 without scrutiny or interference. Approximately five thousand
children, many of whom were not actually orphaned, passed through the
agency's doors. An unknown number, estimated at five hundred,
perished in unregulated, often squalid, holding facilities. Others
were delivered into homes that faced little or no scrutiny, to parents
who, for a host of reasons, could not adopt conventionally.
Imagine you've just given birth to a healthy baby. The next
morning you're told that the baby died during the night. The hospital
will take care of the burial. Only the baby is alive and well and
being smuggled to a couple desperate to become parents and willing to
pay a hefty price. This was only one of the ruses that helped Georgia
Tann, who had doctors and social workers on her payroll, become a very
wealthy woman.
When Tann died and her empire went down with her the children
whose lives she had forever changed were scattered all over the
country. They grew up and had children of their own. Then in 2017
something amazing happened. Many were reading Lisa Wingate's Before
We Were Yours and realizing that it told their stories.
Connie Wilson was one of those enlightened adoptees. She became
a book club speaker. One day she emailed Wingate a suggestion. How
about a reunion of TCHS survivors?
Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate's Before and After consists of
two interwoven strands. One is the coverage of the preparations for
the reunion and the event itself, including a visit to the cemetary
where a monument marks the final resting place of some of Tann's
littlest victims. The other strand is the poignant stories of some of
the adopted children, now parents and grandparents.
Although the narratives abd photographs are spell binding in
their own right, Before and After offers one more substantial
benefit. It can help readers more fully appreciate our families whom
it sometimes can be easy to take for granted.
On a purrrsonal note, look at that! We're at another weekend! I hope
you had a good week. I did. My anniversary was awesome. I had
several visitors. Lisa delivered my food box which included plums,
grapefruit, and more granny smith apples for pie baking. Diane
brought me community garden organic veggies. Emily brought me library
books plus the index cards I needed and the candy bars I coveted.
During the days I got enough work done to justify my evenings of total
luxury reading outside in the evening breeze with freeze pops and
other snacks. And with charming little Tobago I am never all alone.
I hope you have fun weekend plans. I am probably going to camp with
Eugene for the weekend. Bringing my library books of course.
Speaking of books, this review makes book #1737 which is pretty good
for about nine years. And there are so many great books yet to read.
(Jules)
Another good week for me. I am loving this shelter in place advice.
I am a big fan of Dr. Fauci and his good advice. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our family and friends whom we never
take for granted and Dr. Fauci who should be totally running America's
COVID response.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Under the autocratic control of Georgia Tann, and thanks to her
effective grip on look-the-other-way politicians, TCHS [Tennessee
Children's Home Society] managed to operate in Memphis from 1924 to
1950 without scrutiny or interference. Approximately five thousand
children, many of whom were not actually orphaned, passed through the
agency's doors. An unknown number, estimated at five hundred,
perished in unregulated, often squalid, holding facilities. Others
were delivered into homes that faced little or no scrutiny, to parents
who, for a host of reasons, could not adopt conventionally.
Imagine you've just given birth to a healthy baby. The next
morning you're told that the baby died during the night. The hospital
will take care of the burial. Only the baby is alive and well and
being smuggled to a couple desperate to become parents and willing to
pay a hefty price. This was only one of the ruses that helped Georgia
Tann, who had doctors and social workers on her payroll, become a very
wealthy woman.
When Tann died and her empire went down with her the children
whose lives she had forever changed were scattered all over the
country. They grew up and had children of their own. Then in 2017
something amazing happened. Many were reading Lisa Wingate's Before
We Were Yours and realizing that it told their stories.
Connie Wilson was one of those enlightened adoptees. She became
a book club speaker. One day she emailed Wingate a suggestion. How
about a reunion of TCHS survivors?
Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate's Before and After consists of
two interwoven strands. One is the coverage of the preparations for
the reunion and the event itself, including a visit to the cemetary
where a monument marks the final resting place of some of Tann's
littlest victims. The other strand is the poignant stories of some of
the adopted children, now parents and grandparents.
Although the narratives abd photographs are spell binding in
their own right, Before and After offers one more substantial
benefit. It can help readers more fully appreciate our families whom
it sometimes can be easy to take for granted.
On a purrrsonal note, look at that! We're at another weekend! I hope
you had a good week. I did. My anniversary was awesome. I had
several visitors. Lisa delivered my food box which included plums,
grapefruit, and more granny smith apples for pie baking. Diane
brought me community garden organic veggies. Emily brought me library
books plus the index cards I needed and the candy bars I coveted.
During the days I got enough work done to justify my evenings of total
luxury reading outside in the evening breeze with freeze pops and
other snacks. And with charming little Tobago I am never all alone.
I hope you have fun weekend plans. I am probably going to camp with
Eugene for the weekend. Bringing my library books of course.
Speaking of books, this review makes book #1737 which is pretty good
for about nine years. And there are so many great books yet to read.
(Jules)
Another good week for me. I am loving this shelter in place advice.
I am a big fan of Dr. Fauci and his good advice. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our family and friends whom we never
take for granted and Dr. Fauci who should be totally running America's
COVID response.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
pandemic achievements has been learning to make a decent pie crust
thanks to my son-in-law's recipe. You can find it at https://amberandbriansrecipe.blogspot.com
and if you're in need of a crafts project there's amberscraftaweek.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 30, 2020
YES! (magazine)
YES! (magazine)
"We want to hear from you. What has to happen to go beyond the
slogan and ensure that Black lives really matter? Add your response
to the prompt in the comments. We will publish some in our upcoming
'Black Lives Matter' issue."
Before this pandemic changed our lives so drastically one of the
things I loved about Friday was the email arrival of the YES!
electronic newsletter. There were cutting edge articles on a wide
range of issues of crucial importance, such as climate change,
poverty, and racism, put out by a group of vibrant writers. The
pieces were thrillingly intersectional. Of course you can't have
climate justice without racial justice. There were also seeds of hope
stories. There was always at least one article that inspired me or
made me see an event or challenge through new eyes.
Then the pandemic happened and YES! became even more generous.
Their pieces come into my email on a daily basis.
But the writers and editors don't want the communication to be
one sided. Recently they decided to change an issue's focus to Black
Lives Matter because of the renewed urgency of the issue. They listed
the above quoted invitation and shared some of the great answers they
received.
Quality cutting-edge journalism doesn't come cheap. If you can
afford to, subscribe to this fine print quarterly. If you want to do
a real mitzvah, bankroll a subscription for your local library. A lot
of people will be grateful.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday was my 31st wedding anniversary. I
made a really nice supper: barbeque pork chops, mashed potatoes, and
corn on the cob topped off with apple pie. Since I had no way to get
to the store I'd made Eugene's gift: a scrapbook of some of his
favorite photos (which I will add to). He gave me a homemade card and
money. Hello textbooks! He had wanted to take me to a dine in
restaurant. I just said there is no way I'd feel comfortable eating
in a restaurant with air conditioning to blow any coronaviruses
around. It will take a long time or a vaccine for me to trust indoor
restaurant dining.
Every anniversary amazes me. It means we're still together. My
parents' marriage was a cautionary tale--about as much of endorsement
for matrimony as Freddy Kreuger is for moving to Elm Street. Happily
for a long term after was not something I saw in my future. (Jules)
That is good. I do not want a divorce in my family. I need both my
hoomans. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
"We want to hear from you. What has to happen to go beyond the
slogan and ensure that Black lives really matter? Add your response
to the prompt in the comments. We will publish some in our upcoming
'Black Lives Matter' issue."
Before this pandemic changed our lives so drastically one of the
things I loved about Friday was the email arrival of the YES!
electronic newsletter. There were cutting edge articles on a wide
range of issues of crucial importance, such as climate change,
poverty, and racism, put out by a group of vibrant writers. The
pieces were thrillingly intersectional. Of course you can't have
climate justice without racial justice. There were also seeds of hope
stories. There was always at least one article that inspired me or
made me see an event or challenge through new eyes.
Then the pandemic happened and YES! became even more generous.
Their pieces come into my email on a daily basis.
But the writers and editors don't want the communication to be
one sided. Recently they decided to change an issue's focus to Black
Lives Matter because of the renewed urgency of the issue. They listed
the above quoted invitation and shared some of the great answers they
received.
Quality cutting-edge journalism doesn't come cheap. If you can
afford to, subscribe to this fine print quarterly. If you want to do
a real mitzvah, bankroll a subscription for your local library. A lot
of people will be grateful.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday was my 31st wedding anniversary. I
made a really nice supper: barbeque pork chops, mashed potatoes, and
corn on the cob topped off with apple pie. Since I had no way to get
to the store I'd made Eugene's gift: a scrapbook of some of his
favorite photos (which I will add to). He gave me a homemade card and
money. Hello textbooks! He had wanted to take me to a dine in
restaurant. I just said there is no way I'd feel comfortable eating
in a restaurant with air conditioning to blow any coronaviruses
around. It will take a long time or a vaccine for me to trust indoor
restaurant dining.
Every anniversary amazes me. It means we're still together. My
parents' marriage was a cautionary tale--about as much of endorsement
for matrimony as Freddy Kreuger is for moving to Elm Street. Happily
for a long term after was not something I saw in my future. (Jules)
That is good. I do not want a divorce in my family. I need both my
hoomans. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
The Line Becomes A River
The Line Becomes A River
Adult nonfiction
"Jose looked up at me. When you were on the border, he asked,
did you ever find drugs? Sure, I told him. More than you can
imagine...But mostly I arrested migrants, I confessed. People looking
for a better life."
When I went to suppers at the Wilson Center there were sometimes
displays centered around important social justice issues. The one I
recall most vividly was one made up of objects abandoned in the desert
by people attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the United
States without official documentation. They were collected by a group
of good Samaritans who go through the badlands, seeking to help
refugees survive--leaving jugs of water, giving out food, and
rendering medical assistance. The display consisted of mostly humble,
everyday items: a toothbrush, a tattered tee shirt, a photograph or
letter, an empty food can... The one that most grabbed my attention
was a toddler size ruffled shirt decorated with a Disney character. I
wondered if that baby had survived and found a safe place in which to
grow up.
I also wondered about the people who enforced the rules. What
kind of person could cut up water jugs in a place where death from
thirst is a constant danger? What would induce a human being to
enforce monstrous laws that return innocent people including children
to lives of poverty and peril? So I found Francisco Cantu's The Line
Becomes A River to be a fascinating read.
Cantu was an unlikely Border Patrol hire. His grandfather was a
Mexican immigrant. His mother couldn't understand why he'd chosen
that line of work, especially since he had a college degree. It was
higher education, however, that gave him that goal. After four years
of studying international relations, he felt that even though he
learned about the policy and history of the border, he didn't
understand the region.
"...I'm tired of reading about the border in books. I want to
be on the ground, out in the field. I want to see the realities of
the border day in and day out. I know it might be ugly, I know it
might be dangerous, but I don't see any better way to truly understand
the place."
The reality Cantu sees on the ground is a lot different from
what he gleaned from books and lectures. He takes readers with him on
patrol, candidly sharing details of his work. He's equally candid
with his growing disquietude, first manifested in nightmares.
And he is candid when an undocumented friend of his crosses the
border to be with his dying mother in Mexico and is jailed returning
to his wife and three sons. That's when he comes to regret his
complicity in the system.
If you want a better understanding of the tragedies caused by
our broken and abusive immigration system, you'll find The Line
Becomes A River to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, We had quite the storm last night: rain,
thunder, lightning. We even had a tornado warning. Tobago was one
scared cat. Today we're back to muggy. I'm very excited for my 31st
wedding anniversary tomorrow. (Jules).
It was too scary. The thunder was loud. The lightning looked like it
tore up the sky. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Jose looked up at me. When you were on the border, he asked,
did you ever find drugs? Sure, I told him. More than you can
imagine...But mostly I arrested migrants, I confessed. People looking
for a better life."
When I went to suppers at the Wilson Center there were sometimes
displays centered around important social justice issues. The one I
recall most vividly was one made up of objects abandoned in the desert
by people attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the United
States without official documentation. They were collected by a group
of good Samaritans who go through the badlands, seeking to help
refugees survive--leaving jugs of water, giving out food, and
rendering medical assistance. The display consisted of mostly humble,
everyday items: a toothbrush, a tattered tee shirt, a photograph or
letter, an empty food can... The one that most grabbed my attention
was a toddler size ruffled shirt decorated with a Disney character. I
wondered if that baby had survived and found a safe place in which to
grow up.
I also wondered about the people who enforced the rules. What
kind of person could cut up water jugs in a place where death from
thirst is a constant danger? What would induce a human being to
enforce monstrous laws that return innocent people including children
to lives of poverty and peril? So I found Francisco Cantu's The Line
Becomes A River to be a fascinating read.
Cantu was an unlikely Border Patrol hire. His grandfather was a
Mexican immigrant. His mother couldn't understand why he'd chosen
that line of work, especially since he had a college degree. It was
higher education, however, that gave him that goal. After four years
of studying international relations, he felt that even though he
learned about the policy and history of the border, he didn't
understand the region.
"...I'm tired of reading about the border in books. I want to
be on the ground, out in the field. I want to see the realities of
the border day in and day out. I know it might be ugly, I know it
might be dangerous, but I don't see any better way to truly understand
the place."
The reality Cantu sees on the ground is a lot different from
what he gleaned from books and lectures. He takes readers with him on
patrol, candidly sharing details of his work. He's equally candid
with his growing disquietude, first manifested in nightmares.
And he is candid when an undocumented friend of his crosses the
border to be with his dying mother in Mexico and is jailed returning
to his wife and three sons. That's when he comes to regret his
complicity in the system.
If you want a better understanding of the tragedies caused by
our broken and abusive immigration system, you'll find The Line
Becomes A River to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, We had quite the storm last night: rain,
thunder, lightning. We even had a tornado warning. Tobago was one
scared cat. Today we're back to muggy. I'm very excited for my 31st
wedding anniversary tomorrow. (Jules).
It was too scary. The thunder was loud. The lightning looked like it
tore up the sky. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
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