Awed but not daunted...

…at a meeting of Portland City Council. This child accompanied her mother and elder brother, begging Portland City Council to back a budget amendment. “If you take away the recreational programs for my children,” her mother explained, “I won’t be able to go to college to upgrade my skills so I can support them. Tell me what alternatives you have to offer. Tell me what you think I can do with my children if you close our community center and its programs for my children.” The amendment would stop funding a small but very expensive branch of the Police Department, which gets $362 million annually, and take that savings to fund a deficit in the parks and recreation department, which only gets $102 million. Commissioner Hardesty drafted that brilliant amendment, and many citizens came to City Hall to support it, but It appeared unlikely to pass, as most of the commissioners want to keep police funding where it is. I left feeling down-hearted on behalf of this little girl and others like her.

Sue, on the other hand, went to a wonderfully upbeat rally this morning to raise awareness of environmental issues, with flowers, blueberry pie, and songs; and then she joined me at City Hall. There is so much to get worked up about!

Thanks for your good wishes. I am generally feeling better. I got a decent antihistamine Monday afternoon and have been taking it, and the sore throat is gone now and the runny nose and cough almost gone. My energy is coming back just in time, as I have the children Thursday through Saturday while both their parents are out of town working.