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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

EndNotes archive for May 2013

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2013

Romper Room for Becky Nappi blog

Thank you, Miss Florence

On May 23, I wrote a story about Miss Florence, aka Florence Petheram, who hosted Romper Room on Spokane television for 19 years. She is 81 now and a children's book author. Today in the mail, she sent me a Mr. Do Bee postcard and…

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THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013

Willa Johns, center, laughs as she and others prepare to break ground for the new Hospice of Spokane Hospice House on Wednesday in north Spokane. Johns is a former Hospice of Spokane executive director and is currently a hospice patient. (Jesse Tinsley)

Spokane breaks ground on second Hospice House

Yesterday, I attended the ground-breaking ceremony for Spokane's second Hospice House. See story. The house will be completed a year from now and will allow 12 patients at a time to die in beautiful surroundings. Barb Cox, Hospice of Spokane's first clinical director, read a…

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

Loss: We're tougher than we think

The Council on Contemporary Families released a fascinating report today that showed we all might be tougher than we think when it comes to handling trauma and loss. The report "examined the effects of marriage, divorce, and bereavement on life satisfaction up to four years…

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MONDAY, MAY 27, 2013

For EndNotes blog

"Love Laurie"

Gifts between us extend beyond our death - take Cpl. Thomas “Cotton” Jones who received a diary from Laura Mae Davis before he went off to World War II. He wrote about his life in combat and about his love for her. He wrote if…

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Susan Snelson Spiegel, left, poses with the panda keeper and her sister, Chris Thompson, at a panda reserve outside Chengdu, China.

Boomers: We dream of travel

In my Boomer U story today, I looked at coming trends in boomer travel. European river cruises are hot, as is taking trips with many generations in tow. One boomer I interviewed for the story, Susan Snelson Spiegel, is an uber traveler and always has…

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SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2013

Police line up

Police officers put their lives on the line each day for citizens and one another other – and often put their hearts on the line, too.When a Phoenix police officer was killed in the line of duty, three days later his friends lined up to…

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

Florence Petheram poses with her dog Samantha in a recent photo at home in Auburn, Wash. She’ll return to Spokane on Saturday for a book signing at Auntie’s.

The amazing Miss Florence 

When I was 4 and 5 years old, I was enthralled every weekday morning by Romper Room and the beautiful Miss Florence who would call out children's names through a magic mirror at the end of each show. I begged my parents to let me…

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013

MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Vivian Winston’s work with women and children in Spokane spanned decades.  (File / The Spokesman-Review)

Remembering Vivian, Vicki, Shirley and Janet 

The Women Helping Women Fund luncheon was held today, an annual event that has grown to spectacular proportions, with 1,600 women and men contributing $125 each (and more) to help fund 20 community programs for women and children. The speaker, Paralympic medal winner and author…

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SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2013

In this March 10, 2013, Tomas Pereira Machado rests on his surfboard at Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dozens of disabled people on this special strip of Rio de Janeiro beach are conquering the waves. Men and women with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, people missing a limb, the blind, the deaf and even the paralyzed all hit the waves at Leblon. They all require a different kind of assistance depending on their disabilities and maneuver their boards in different ways - some standing, some on their knees, others flat on their bellies and using their body weight to steer the boards. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press)

Retiring?

How will you maximize your retirement funds? Many people are heading across the US borders to foreign lands and calling their destination their retirement home - and enjoying more luxury than they could in the USA. Where would you go? (S-R archives photo)

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SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2013

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013

A woman wipes a tear at a memorial for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing on Boylston Street near the race finish line, Monday, April 22, 2013, in Boston, Mass. At 2:50 p.m., exactly one week after the bombings, many bowed their heads and cried at the makeshift memorial on Boylston Street, three blocks from the site of the explosions, where bouquets of flowers, handwritten messages, and used running shoes were piled on the sidewalk. (Robert Bukaty / Associated Press)

Boston bombing: One month ago today

NPR's Morning Edition had an excellent report on the Boston bombing which happened one month ago today. Only one business has not reopened. And the reporter talked to many witnesses who were there that day. Their comments reflected how grief works. One man said his…

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TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2013


Angelina Jolie (The Spokesman-Review)

Angelina speaks out

I have not cared for Angelina – given all that she did to mess with Jennifer Aniston’s marriage to Brad. But today…my heart has softened. Her story of facing her high likelihood of breast cancer – genetic certainty – will offer hope to the women…

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MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013

To retire...or not?

Boomers may work longer than their parents for many reasons. But interestingly, perhaps the US economy needs you at work just as much as you need to be working. A colleague tells me that his retirement simply meant that he was allowed to choose where…

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FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013

For Becky Nappi blog

CPR at the Cemetery

Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory always offers some interesting programs each Memorial Day weekend, coming up May 25, 26 and 27. This year it's a tribute to veterans with displays and memorabilia, classic cars and musical entertainment all three days in the Heritage Chapel. Plus…

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THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Children use new playground equipment during recess Monday at Seth Woodard Elementary School. The equipment, built with a variety of funding sources, is a popular addition to the playground.

Motherhood

Anna Quindlen’s column on motherhood continues to be the best reflection on the experience of every woman who has raised children. The days are long, the years fly by. Take a moment and read her words. Then grab your child and go outside and play.…

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TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013

For Becky Nappi blog

Today's spot of beauty

These trees in my neighborhood bloom magnificently for just a short while. Even in their prime days, the blossoms begin to shudder onto the street, especially if there's a wind. It's hard to know how to behave in the face of such beauty. I sat…

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MONDAY, MAY 6, 2013

For Becky Nappi blog

Memories of GU's COG 

Gonzaga University is bidding farewell Wednesday to the COG.. The COG was the university's central dining hall for 58 years. A new university center will be built in its place. Sunday, I walked through the COG for the final time, snapped this cellphone photo of…

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Tubbs Hill rainbow

May I call you?

Susan Crandall’s new book reveals what dating after 50 can be like. Men and women are having fun together, savoring romance, discovering true love. Some of her findings in Thinking about Tomorrow: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife follow: People are nice — way nice and you…

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SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013

Remembering Father Kevin

He was my first professor at graduate school that summer of ‘79 and he taught “Theology and Spirituality” – a broad title for a class taught by a slender man. Kevin Seasoltz, a Benedictine monk, was a contemporary Renaissance man. He spoke without wasting one…

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FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2013

The Friday night high 

I have several retired people in my life, and they often have to think a minute to remember what day it is. When you work, the week organizes itself. So I always know when Friday rolls around. It's a great feeling to do the countdown…

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THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2013

Low-lying clouds cast shadows on the higher cloud ceiling as as the sun rises behind Mount Ranier, Washington’s iconic peak. (Associated Press)

Do you hear that? 

Many people will say, “God told me...” But how? And how do we authenticate those messages? Are they from God or from our own longings, imagination? How do we tell the difference? Swimming last week (the pool is my favorite location for intense prayer –…

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Suicides on the rise for aging boomers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a sad and troubling report today. Suicide deaths rose fairly dramatically, across the entire country, for all age groups, but especially for aging boomers. The report does not analayze why. But now that this sobering report is…

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Spokesman-Review features writer Rebecca Nappi, along with writer Catherine Johnston of Olympia, Wash., discuss here issues facing aging boomers, seniors and those experiencing serious illness, dying, death and other forms of loss.



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