Good morning, Everyone! I am sitting here at my computer zooming into the London Writers’ Salon, the online writing community that I join every morning (and at other times of the day when possible!) to work on Remember the Birds (The Book!)–which includes these blog posts as connecting with all of you is an incredibly important part of this journey!
After all, without readers, what good would books be?
Now, on to today’s big announcement and news…
This week we received word from Catalyst Coffee in Yakima, the new coffee shop owned and operated by Alaena and James Stahl, a husband and wife team, that they would love to host us for an in-person event following the shows at the Gorge on Monday, July 10th, from 12:00 – 2:00 pm (follow this link to the event page). This meet-up will be immediately after my meeting with Joe Brusic, Yakima County District Attorney, on Monday morning. Catalyst Coffee is located a little over a block from the Courthouse where Brusic sits in his office–here are directions to help you find your way there. If you are going to be in the area, whether you live there or are passing through, come join me for Coffee & a Chat.
I’d love to meet you!!
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A quick note about my life here in Northern California… Tomorrow is my LAST DAY at the job I’ve had since Sept 2021. I started at Heart of the Redwoods Community Hospice just one day after returning from Washington with Josiah’s remains in a hand-turned urn.
A note-to-self and all of you… starting a new job directly following such a heavy trip–NOT A GOOD IDEA!
But, I did indeed survive…
I was hired as an office assistant and then became office manager when my then boss retired. My duties were administrative in nature, but as with all hospice work, it was heart-work which I found very fulfilling (most of the time!). However, I am thrilled to be leaving because I will now have my entire schedule (along with my emotional/mental/physical energy) to devote to the work I am doing here, in front of this computer–whether it’s working on my manuscript, advocating for Josiah or connecting with all of you.
I do also intend to get back to my weaving! (Have you seen my work? You can find it here.)
Everything is coming together for our trip to the Gorge to complete Josiah’s journey for him. This is a very big deal!! Josiah left California over FOUR LONG YEARS AGO, but never arrived! When we see Dead & Co, it will be exactly 49 months to the day since the hot summer night when he was killed. We will pass the very spot that he stopped to help two men stranded on the side of the road and the same place his body lay for 14 long months.
The 7th of every month has been a big deal since this whole tragic horror started. Not one has slipped by without the awareness that we have passed yet another milestone. July 7th (and July 8th) will be exactly 213 weeks which makes this journey to the Gorge that much more serendipitous!
By going, I will also reclaim some of what has been stolen from us! That place! That band! The excitement felt when going to join our friends! Josiah did not deserve what happened to him and he did not deserve to have something so precious and meaningful ripped away when all of the anticipation within screamed,
“GO! GO BE WITH YOUR FRIENDS! AND DANCE! COME ALIVE IN YOUR OWN SKIN!”
The offering of stickers to help spread the word and to commemorate both this trip and Josiah’s time on this earth has gone better than I ever expected! (THANK YOU ALL!!!) So much so, that I have ordered more! Shirts should be arriving the day before we leave (gasp!) and I SHOULD have them with me. I am doing everything I can to make sure that we arrive in Eastern Washington with both shirts and stickers in hand. If you’d like details on how to get the stickers, you can find info in my last blog post.
Whatever stickers and shirts (!?!?) are left at that point will be available at Catalyst Coffee when we meet. All proceeds will help pay for travel expenses. This project is something I don’t take lightly and my heart is so full knowing that you don’t either!
Thank you…
I will continue update you here on the blog as well as on social media. I am on several platforms–Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Look for me there as either @rememberthebirds or @lizhilderbrand. Facebook is the most active of the three.
Please feel free to comment on this post with any questions you may have!
Remember the Birds 