My paternal grandfather, Nicola Luvera, was born in Valanidi, Calabria Italy November 23, 1860 and died in Anacortes, Washington on July 4, 1956. His father, Paolo Nicola and mother Rosa Luvera were sheepherders and sharecroppers in Gallina Italy. Grandfather worked with his father until he was 16 years old when he moved to Reggio Calabria where a cousin Antonio working in a slaughterhouse. He was able to get a job with his cousin and lived with their family for four…
A minority of American Catholic bishops would deny church communion to president Joe Biden for what they claim is his conflict of position with their interpretation of Church teachings on policies regarding sexuality and abortion. These bishops would deny communion to president Biden and any other politician with views in conflict with theirs. Why? Well, because they say to receive Communion, which is a central part of the Mass service, Catholics cannot “be conscious of grave sin as it would…
Here are some quotes about living and life that I find inspirational. I hope you benefit from them as well. While they appear to be simplistic, they are profound enough to meditate upon: When we are surprised by the way people we thought we knew act “Sometimes it’s not the people who change, it’s the mask that falls off.” When we are hurt by the actions of others “Some people come into your life as blessings, others come out as…
A young marine appeared at a hospital where an old man was dying, while waiting for his son, a marine, to arrive from overseas to see him for the last time. A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to his bedside. Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed…
For over forty years my essential soul mate and I have been married. She has endured it all with a response of patience, love and understanding. I can say with total honesty and accuracy she has been an equal partner in every achievement I claim for myself . The same is true with regard to every accomplishment we have had professionally, financially and personally. As we are fond of saying “Together we make a winning team.” On February 27th we…
We just came back from Scottsdale where we have a vacation home. The news is full of the Arizona general ballot recount in Maricopa County. Arizona’s Maricopa County ballots, six months after the 2020 general election, are being examined and recounted by contractors working for a Florida-based company. Former President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that his loss was marred by fraud in Arizona. Senate President Karen Fann, has ordered a recount. Fann used the Senate’s subpoena power to take…
In Philadelphia, Kimberlie Webb, a practicing Muslim, worked as a police officer. Although she had worked as a police officer since 1995, it wasn’t until years later that she requested permission to wear a religious headscarf or hijab while in uniform and on duty. The headscarf, or hijab, is a traditional head covering worn by Muslim women. The police department denied Webb’s request, but she showed up at work wearing the scarf anyway. Her supervisors told her to go home….
COVID REFLECTIONS Wearing face masks will help us avoid infection Social distancing too, has proven to offer protection Avoiding strangers and crowds is wise, science pleads Common sense dictates we follow where science leads Masks belong on robbers & smiles on humanity Staying home and avoiding others is a threat to our sanity Social distancing is a challenge and is depressing Continual news of Covids toll is even more oppressing People need to laugh, and they need to cry People…
From the time the pandemic began in March last year to the present time I have not been to Seattle until I recently had a doctors appointment in Seattle. Driving along the freeway, as we approached the outskirts of town, I was shocked by the extensive garbage along the sides of the area next to the freeway and by litter from homeless camps. There were homeless shelters and camps all along the freeway as we drove on I-5 to downtown…
My father in law, Hollis Hall Barnett died in Puyallup, Washington at the age of 83 on March 22nd, 1990. He was a unique and wonderful man. You can read about his extraordinary wife Betty Barnett and more about this couple who I grew to love. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/03/i-write-this-in-memory-of-my-wifes-father-hollis-hall-barnett-whodied-in-puyallup-washington-on-march-22-1990-at-the-a.html Hollis was born in Buckley, Washington on May 3, 1907 and spent his younger years at Mt. Rainier National Park where his father, Herman “Herm” Burke Barnett, was a National Park Ranger. Hollis…
