The last words my mother ever said to me were, “Peer Gynt Suite. It’s the Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg.” Beverly Francis Rakha, right before my birth – 1959 I was in my parents’ car, my father driving home, my mother beside him, my four-year-old son and I in… Read More
My dad told me he would be willing to consider assisted living, but if he had to be bed-bound, forget it. No operation. It would be time to give up. And I thought. Okay, but it won’t get to that. It’s a minor procedure. You will be fine. And besides,… Read More
Seattle was clear and warm. The sunset on Elliot Bay a romantic etude – Olympic mountains a dark saw blade against a lavender sky, ferries slow moving castles, yellow lights glowing as they orbited the Sound. I had dinner with Kaitlin’s Aunt Kate last night. We had a drink, went… Read More
Even while napping, Kaitlin was smiling. Picture from Wild Rockies Field Institute Outside Magazine, the “Live Bravely” publication, has just uploaded an article about Kaitlin Kenney entitled Lost in the Grand Canyon. Which proves one thing to me: Kaitlin is still alive in the hearts of thousands of people who have… Read More
I am not watching the news. Not following #manhunt tweets. Or #bostonbombs. I did have on NPR for a while, but turned it off when some reporter questioned why Obama had not yet spoke today, three days after two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon. “People need to hear from… Read More
N. Rakha, Colorado River Mile 134.5. Tapeats Creek. On Sunday, April 14th, the Oregonian will publish an article I wrote about Kaitlin Kenny, the young woman who drowned in the Colorado River while on a 29-day river trip though the Grand Canyon. I first wrote about Kaitlin on January 16th,… Read More