More Pics From Our Family Weekend

Just about all of these photos were taken this past weekend by our niece Kate Keethler who was kind enough to post them on SnapFish for us, from where I “stole” them. :-)

Some Koskelas at the Mariners - Giants game. Jamie, Nathan & Doug in front.

Hayley, Gregg, Aubrey, Elaine & Talli at Ballard Locks

Talli, Hayley & Aubrey near Ballard Locks. Are they gorgeous, or what?

Danielle, Kate & Rick Keethler at the M's game.

Kate and her friend Cameron (from Utah) at the M's game.

Aubrey gets the shot just right with Elaine's guidance. At the Ballard Locks.

Gregg and Nathan near the Ballard Locks

BFFs Kay Lynne and sister-in-law Danielle at lunch overlooking the Poulsbo harbor.

The Koskela-Keethler girls: Talli, Kate, & Hayley with Aubrey.

Nathan and Aubrey at Chinook's.

Talli and Nathan at Chinook's.

Hayley and Nathan near the Ballard Locks.

Kate at the original Starbuck's near Pike Place.

The Koskela brothers: Gregg & Doug at the Ballard Locks.

Shilshole Marina near Doug & Jamie's home with Bainbridge Island in the distance.

Fabulous Weekend With Extended Family

This past weekend could not have been better for Kay Lynne and me. The Keethlers were here from Chicago, Gregg, Elaine, Talli, Hayley and Aubrey were here from Oregon, and Doug, Jamie and Nathan completed the group on Saturday to watch the M’s lose to the Giants with one bad inning. Plus, it was Nathan’s first Major League baseball game, and he’s pictured above with mom and dad (pic “stolen” from Jamie’s blog). Below is most of the group at the game. All 13 of us were seated in one long row overlooking the left field line. You can see Aubrey, Nathan and Talli at the far left, and that's Jamie, Doug, Hayley and Kate K. continuing from left to right. Only wish the M’s could have won, as they did win the two games in the series that we did not see.

On Sunday we had brunch at Chinook’s at Seattle’s Fisherman’s Terminal where the SeaStar, one of the boats on the popular TV series “Deadliest Catch,” was holding walk-on tours. Gregg took the photo above, so he’s the only one not in it. It was a fabulous weekend!

Our Extended Family Is Getting Together This Weekend, And It Involves Major League Baseball – What Else?

We’re looking forward to a wonderful weekend with our extended family on my wife’s side.

Kay Lynne’s brother Rick and family (wife, Danielle & daughter, Kate) are flying out from Chicago tomorrow to enjoy the Pacific Northwest for a day or two before R & D leave Sunday for a cruise to Alaska. Kate will stay with us till Monday.

Gregg, Elaine, Talli, Hayley and Aubrey will arrive Saturday afternoon from Oregon just in time to join Doug, Jamie and Nathan, the three Keethlers and Kay Lynne and me at the Mariners-Giants game at Safeco Field. The gathering is all due to Kate K’s creative planning and generosity, for which we are all very grateful.

This will be 8-1/2 month-old Nathan’s first Major League Baseball game. That isn’t exactly a bat in his hand in the photo above, but he’s ready for baseball action, nevertheless. It’s never too soon for a kid’s first game. He’s already been to a Major League Soccer game to see the Sounders.

All 12 of us will just enjoy a rare opportunity to be together as an extended family. And the weather looks like it should be perfect all weekend, including for the game. We’re all looking forward to a time of great enjoyment. I’ll maybe have a report early next week.

Nine Seconds From Going To State As A Freshman

Our Frosh granddaughter Talli, in the District meet last Thursday, ran her best 3,000 meters ever, and she ended up just nine seconds short of making it to the State Track meet of Oregon.

As a Freshman.

Above photo shows how close she came to second place, which would have qualified her for the State Meet. Talli's third place time was 11:15, culminating a remarkable track season.

The next day she ran another PR in the 1,500 meters, finishing fifth with a time of 5:14.

Talli has had a fabulous track season and has shown steady, strong improvement throughout the year. Her 3,000 meter race on Thursday was full of drama, as she closed very strong by overtaking two Tualatin girls, one a sophomore and one a senior, who previously had faster times. She is a very determined competitor!

Congratulations, Talli, on an incredible season!

Talli Finishes Regular Varsity Track Season With a Win and a 2nd

Our high school Frosh granddaughter Talli (pictured above in a meet last month nearing the finish line for a win) completed her first varsity track season Tuesday with a win in the 3,000 meters after coming in second in the 1500 just an hour before.

It was a fitting finish for her fabulous season.

Talli ran a winning time of 11:50 in the 3,000, the only freshman in the meet to outright win a varsity distance running event. Her second place time in the 1500 meters was a very fine 5:27.60.

The only thing left now are District and State events, and I do not know yet if Talli will go to either. In any case, she’s had an incredibly great track season. Congrats, Talli, on a superb effort!

There’s An Empty Chair in Our Circle of Friends

Our beloved friend Sharon Petersen (pictured above with husband, Ted, a little over two years ago in Mt. Hermon, CA), left this earth on Wednesday, gaining freedom at last from the devastating effects of a terrible disease.

Our circle of friends has an empty chair, and we grieve her departure.

Sharon was one of the sweetest ladies you could ever meet, and she fought hard in her more than a decade-long battle with breast cancer. In spite of its ravages, she pretty much lived above it until just the last few months.

Kay Lynne and I have been friends with Ted and Sharon for probably more years than we’d like to admit, but they’ve been wonderful years sharing mutual interests, consistently focused on our respective families and rooted in a common faith. We look forward to continuing that bond with Ted.

Sharon’s memorial service will be Tuesday at their church, Twin Cities, in Grass Valley, California.