my dear friend and neighbor, since 1976, passed away this morning.  she used
to call butch and me her washington kids, because her kids all lived in
alaska.  ethel became butch's mom, after his mother died two months before
alex was born.  i haven't told my son, yet.  it's going to be so hard to
have to tell him that his oba-san (grandmother) is gone, when he lost both
his grandparents earlier this year.

i want 2007 to just disappear.  i'm not sure my throat can take anymore of
this.

kate