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EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
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...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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Boujou!
This week, we have something a little bit different, and very special.
As you no doubt know, navajo recently returned from her family's fourth annual family reunion on the Navajo Reservation. While there, she took hundreds of photos and even recorded a few very short videos. Wandering through her Flickr albums chronicling her trip is like getting a very up-close, personal, intimate first-person glimpse of Navajo life: the land, the people, the language, the food, the lifeways, the traditions.
We thought it might be valuable for people to catch their own glimpse of real life on the Navajo Nation — not through the artificial, distorted outsider's lens of a Thurlo or Hillerman, or the theatre greasepaint of the Santa Fe and Sedona art markets, but what actual Navajo see and do and taste and live on a daily basis.
An Inscription House Welcome
So today, we're bringing you news from the
Navajo Nation, punctuated and illustrated by photos and video from the Fourth Annual Sombrero Family Reunion. [The photos are not part of, nor do they necessarily reflect the content of, the individual news stories. All photos used in today's edition were taken by
navajo herself, and she retains all rights as indicated on her Flickr stream and elsewhere.]
We begin with a little background on the Navajo Nation.
There are more than a quarter of a million enrolled Navajo tribal members. Most live on the reservation, known as Navajoland or Diné Bikéyah, which comprises more than 27,000 square miles across parts of three states (New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah) and is the largest in the U.S. Its people first established a modern tribal government in 1923, restructuring it in 1991 in a basic tripartite shape that includes executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Its capital is in Window Rock, Arizona, where the Tribal Council is headquartered, and where it hosts 88 delegates representing 110 different chapters from around the reservation (including the Ts'ah Bii Kin, or Inscription House, Chapter where navajo's family lives). The tribe also maintains an office in Washington, D.C., to enable it efficiently and effectively to address federal issues and legislation that affect tribal interests. In Window Rock, Tribal Council business is conducted in both Navajo and English, depending on need, circumstances, and the first language of the parties involved.
Gila Monster playing his role
The tribe also administers a
Department of Tourism, with a Web site that includes everything from travel information to historic and natural attractions to information on specific aspects of Navajo culture. The
"Culture" page includes a variety of traditional stories and lessons that allow a small window into some of those aspects of Navajo tradition that are available to the outside world to know. One such series of stories that are sometimes told publicly, but do not appear in this collection, involve
Gila Monster, who seems to have put in an appearance at the Sombrero Family Reunion.
in the video below, navajo's cousin speaks to her grandsons about the importance of staying connected to and being proud of their language and cultural heritage. He speaks in both English and Navajo, as needed.
My ears could not understand the Navajo words, but my spirit understood the sounds, and I found myself tearing up as I listened.
Throughout the remainder of the diary below, I'll be posting photos that represent their culture and traditions in various ways. Immediately below, that most fundamental aspect of daily life: Shelter.
A traditional hogan, with close-up of highly skilled and very effective cedar-wood construction
Today's Special Edition of "This Week In American Indian News" and Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the Frybead Thingey
NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT BEN SHELLY DELIVERS STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, ENCOUNTERS CRITICISM OF RECORD
Iconic Navajoland image of Monument Valley
On Monday, July 15, President Ben Shelly delivered the State of the Navajo Nation address to the Navajo Tribal Council. As seems to be customary with all public officials with all such addresses, he used it as an opportunity to promote his administration's accomplishments:
Shelly cited stipends totalling $850,000 for farm, grazing and land board officials, near completion on the streamlining of emergency management reimbursement payments and nitrogen oxide-reducing technology upgrades to the Four Corners Power Plant as evidence of his administration's leadership.
Not all Council members were impressed. Russell Begaye publicly criticized President Shelly for dragging his feet on emergency funding for this year's terrible drought conditions [covered separately below].
"What I take away from his address is political rhetoric," Begaye said. "A lot of 'moving forward' without stronger action when we need it now."
. . .
"Shelly vetoed legislation to provide $4 million in emergency funding that would have sent needed relief to livestock owners who rely on the health of their animals."
Shelly's rejection of funding for the emergency drought relief came at the expense of providing stipends for officials, who are paid twice monthly already, Begaye said.
"(Shelly) approved the stipends but vetoed drought relief and support for youth employment over the summer," Begaye said. "I can't see it in any other way than he made a political decision. The priority should be the drought; relief is critical."
While Shelly is at least nominally a Democrat, his policy priorities and executive decisions often appear more aligned with Republican goals, seeming to favor corporate mining and energy interests over the environment. In his address, he highlighted numerous such agenda items, including pushing for the purchase of the Navajo Mine to supply coal to the Four Corners Power Plant; urging partnerships with Sandia and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories "to navigate the future of coal"; "protecting jobs" at the Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo and San Juan Generating Stations while pressuring the EPA to minimize pollution regulations; and pushing to "revise" the tribe's energy policy. Meanwhile, in addition to his initial veto of emergency drought relief funds, he also vetoed Council legislation aimed at increasing economic development via a bond issue.
Honoring Today's Navajo Warriors
On a more positive note, his address noted that he had authorized a study of a possible project in New Mexico that reportedly could produce 4,000 megawatts of renewable energy. He also highlighted the tribe's takeover of the Na'Nizhoozhi Center in Gallup, an in-patient detox and rehabilitation facility. Finally, he reported on current plans to construct a physical rehabilitation center for Navajo military veterans in Chinle, Arizona, as well as on efforts to provide housing for veterans.
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NAVAJO NATION BATTLES WORSENING DROUGHT
Dangerously low water levels at Lake Powell
On Monday, July 1, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly signed an emergency declaration related to the area's worsening drought. Issuing the declaration is the required first step in the process of obtaining federal disaster relief funds.
Despite an early monsoon season, drought conditions are so grave that current rainfalls will have little overall impact in a year when parts of the 27,000-square-mile reservation have seen little more than a third of their usual rainfall. An indicator of its seriousness is the fact that President Shelly, in his State of the Navajo Nation address [covered above], addressed the drought before all other issues:
Speaking to the Navajo Nation Council during the summer session, Shelly said the state of emergency that he declared for the drought remains in effect and work continues to develop plans of action for chapters to provide relief to residents and livestock.
"We are in some challenging times right now as we look to the Holy People to continue to bless us with moisture," he said.
Among the response plan is appropriating $3 million in supplemental funding to the Department of Water Resources for drought relief, which is emergency legislation added to the summer session agenda.
Unfortunately, as also noted above, it appears that Council delegates had asked Shelly to declare a state of emergency weeks previously, when it became clear that the situation had reached crisis proportions, and that he had refused to do so. For weeks, media have been reporting on the drought's devastation of tribal members' horses and livestock herds:
The horses, desperate for water, had come to drink from a pool of rainwater that had run off a hill and flooded land on the Navajo reservation.
What they got was a mud bath that turned deadly as they became trapped in the bentonite clay of the Chinle Formation, which becomes quicksand as the water trapped in it starts evaporating, the Navajo Times reported on June 20. Seventeen horses died this way, the stench of their decomposing carcasses thick in the air.
"A few of them had legs and arms buried beneath the clay as if they were emerging from the ground," the Navajo Times said. "One horse almost had its face completely submerged in the mud."
. . .
Western Agency precipitation is about 65 percent less than what it normally is, the Navajo statement said, with Fort Defiance Agency 63 percent below normal. Northern and Eastern Agency are 55 percent under, and Chinle Agency is 30 percent below, the Navajo said. Moreover, the Navajo statement said, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting higher-than-normal temperatures to continue through the summer, along with the continued lower participation.
Typical afternoon monsoonal storm on the rez
These are truly crisis conditions. Loss of horses and other livestock translates into economic devastation for the affected families, and the dead and dying animals create an environmental and public health hazard. Council members like Russell Begaye [mentioned in the preceding piece] need to keep the pressure on — and they need to seek immediate help from rescue and other organizations.
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POWER PLANT OWNERS ENTER AGREEMENT TO SHUTTER ONE COAL-FIRED UNIT, UPGRADE TWO OTHERS ON NAVAJO LANDS
The Salt River Project, a consortium that operates three coal-fired power plants on the Navajo Reservation, has announced its intent to close one of the units and upgrade the other two. The units together make up the generating station known as the Navajo Plant, is located near Page, Arizona, and was built fewer than 20 miles from the Grand Canyon.
The sort of watershed at risk of environmental degradation from mining and energy interests in Dinetah
The plants are actually co-owned by a number of different entities with stakes of varying sizes. Owners include the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power [LADWP], NV Energy, Pinnacle West Capital Corp's Arizona Public Service, UniSource Energy Corp's Tucson Electric Power, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The closure agreement is the product of long-term efforts by a coalition that includes the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Gila River Indian Community, the Navajo Nation, the Salt River Project, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and Western Resource Advocates. Its execution depends upon EPA approval and upon certain other conditions, including the departure of two of the owners within a certain time frame and a choice by the Navajo Nation not to exercise its own purchase option.
There are three 750-MW coal-fired units at Navajo, which entered service in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
In addition, Salt River said the U.S. Department of Interior[] agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and study opportunities to transition the federal share of Navajo over time.
. . .
Salt River did not say how much the agreement would cost but in January warned an EPA proposal could cost up to $1.1 billion.
In February, the EPA gave the Navajo owners a couple of options to reduce NOX emissions.
The EPA said the owners could install selective catalytic reduction equipment on all three of the units by 2018; install the equipment on one unit per year between 2021 and 2023; or come up with their own plan that would reduce emissions by the same amount or more than the EPA's proposal.
Salt River said the agreement Friday would reduce more emissions than the EPA's proposal.
Whenever a corporation tells me that its proposal will do more than government regulations, I start looking around for the silverware (or, in this case, for clean air). Let's hope the EPA does stringent due diligence in evaluating it. Contacting the EPA to encourage such scrutiny might not hurt, either.
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NAVAJO SURGEON'S NAME SUBMITTED FOR POOL OF CANDIDATES FOR NEXT SURGEON GENERAL
For the first time, a Navajo physician's name has been submitted for consideration for the position of Surgeon General - and it's a woman.
Traditional cooking for special occasions
Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord, a board-certified surgeon and associate dean at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, has been nominated by both the National Indian Health Board [NIHB] and the National Congress of American Indians [NCAI] for the position.
Working at the Indian Health Service hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, Arviso Alvord says she saw how uncomfortable Navajo patients were in dealing with white doctors and Western medical facilities. "They were two completely different cultures," she says, so she started integrating traditional Navajo and Western principles of healing. "I listened patiently as people spoke, rather than trying to extract information from them. I tried to make sure I understood what they wanted. Some people wanted to take sacred objects into surgery with them, so we were flexible. We were very respectful of their ways of understanding."
She recognized the ceremonies that are part of Navajo healing help the mind to be balanced. "If the mind is unhappy, the body starts not working well, leading to migraines" and other signs of ill health. "Ceremonies help the body to function well. A medicine man told me that the mind is the most important energy we have for healing."
Born and raised on the Navajo reservation, Dr. Arviso Alvord graduated from Crown Point High School. She earned her undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College, and went to work in a neuroscience facility as a research assistant, where colleagues encouraged her to go on to medical school. Eventually, she returned to New Mexico, enrolling in the University of New Mexico to retake pre-med courses, then enrolled in Stanford University Medical School, where she earned her M.D. in 1985. After a six-year residency at Stanford University Hospital, followed by board certification as a surgeon in 1994, she returned home to work at the Indian Health Service in Gallup. Dartmouth then recruited her to return, and she stayed there for twelve years. She helped open a medical facility at Central Michigan University, which serves a majority-Indian population, then returned to her home region to take a position as associate dean for student affairs and admissions at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Traditional high-protein cooking
She published an autobiography in 1999, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Surgeon Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing. You can order it here.
Note: Dr. Arviso Alvord also emphasizes the importance of diet and exercise to reduce our peoples' rates of diabetes and other debilitating conditions, both acute and chronic. The foods shown here do not necessarily reflect that agenda. However, I'm a big believer in satisfying occasional cravings in small doses as a means to manage one's overall diet more effectively, and so . . . frybread for special occasions!
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NAVAJO TEEN CHOSEN AS DELEGATE TO EDUCATE D.C. LAWMAKERS
ABOUT TYPE I DIABETES.
They used to say that Indians didn't get Type I diabetes. Now, we know otherwise — but the message still isn't heard as widely as it should be.
Enter 13-year-old Fallon Blackbull, a delegate to the 2013 JDRF Children's Congress. From Hosta Butte, New Mexico, the Navajo girl was diagnosed three years ago, at age ten. Doctors initially misdiagnosed her thinness as simply a result of being overactive and not getting proper nutrition, and they put her on a high-carb diet. Ten days later, she hadn't gained weight, and she was taken to the emergency room. From there, they airlifted the child to Albuquerque where she was admitted to the ICU of a local hospital — and where she finally received an accurate diagnosis.
Future role models like Fallon Blackbull
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation [JDRF] hosts an annual Children's Congress in Washington, D.C., where they will lobby members of Congress and other policymakers for research finding and legislation. Children with diabetes can apply to serve as a delegate; this year's applicant pool comprised 1,500 American children. Miss Blackbull was one of the few chosen.
"It was really important to let the legislatures [sic] my story so they know how it is to live with diabetes and how hard it is."
Even though she says living with diabetes is a struggle, she won't let that stop her from achieving her dreams.
"I learned that it's ok to be a diabetic and that you could do whatever you want even though you have diabetes."
Whether she knows it yet or not, she is also learning how to be a role model.
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ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS BECOME FIRST MAJOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM
TO BROADCAST GAMES IN NAVAJO
Traditional Indian sport
It's a new first for Major League Baseball: The Arizona Diamondbacks have become the first team ever to air a radio broadcast of a game in the Navajo language.
Another traditional Indian sport
The first such game occurred on Saturday, July 13, when the Diamondbacks played at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. KTNN-AM, a Navajo-language station in Widow Rock, Arizona, carried the game. Dan Arnold and George LaFrance called the play-by-play.
Some 20 years ago, KTNN broadcast Phoenix Suns games in Navajo. Perhaps its time for the Suns ownership to consider returning to the Dinetah broadcast market. The WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and the NFL's Arizona Cardinals should consider doing likewise.
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Chi miigwech.
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
NEW GROUPS IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING:
Send a Kosmail to the organizers and ask for an invitation to the group.
• Northern Indiana Area: Kosmail Tim Delaney
• Long Island: Kosmail grannycarol
• Northern Michigan: Kosmail JillS
• Nebraska: Kosmail Nebraska68847Dem
• Westburbia Chicago Kossacks: Kosmail Majordomo
• New York Hudson Valley Kossacks: Kosmail boran2
• North Carolina Triangle Kossacks: Kosmail highacidity
• Caprock Kossacks (Panhandle/Caprock/Lubbock/Amarillo area) : Kosmail shesaid
• West Texas Kossacks (including Big Bend Region and El Paso) : Kosmail Yo Bubba
Note to the above new leaders: Feel free to leave a comment any day reminding readers about your new group. Also, tell us about your progress in gathering members. Kosmail me when you've chosen a good name for your group and have created a the group. Then I'll move you to the NEW GROUPS LIST. When you've planned a date for your first event I'll make a banner for you to highlight your event in our diaries and your diaries.
These are the groups that have started since * NEW DAY * began. Please Kosmail navajo if you have started a group before that.
NEW GROUPS LIST:
• California Central Valley Kossacks - Formed: Jul 29, 2012, Organizer: tgypsy
• New England Kossacks - Formed: Aug 6, 2012, Organizers:
Clytemnestra for Lower New England (Conneticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)
nhox42 for Upper New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)
• Houston Area Kossacks - Formed: Aug 7, 2012, Organizer: Chrislove
• Kossacks in India - Formed: Aug 14, 2012, Organizer: chandu
• CenTex Kossacks - Formed: Sep 9, 2012, Organizer: papa monzano
• Central Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Sep 26, 2012, Organizer: VetGrl
• Kansas City Kossacks - Formed Oct 15, 2012, Organizer: [Founder stepped down]
• Phoenix Kossacks - Formed Oct 16, 2012, Organizer: arizonablue
• Chicago Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2012, Organizer: figbash
• Koscadia the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern California to Alaska
- Formed Oct 17, 2012, Oganizer: Horace Boothroyd III based in Portland, OR
• Boston Kossacks - Formed: Nov 7, 2012, Organizer: GreyHawk
• Motor City Kossacks South East Michigan (Detroit) Area - Formed: Nov 10, 2012, Organizer: peregrine kate
• Pittsburgh Area Kossacks - Formed: Nov 12, 2012, Organizer: dweb8231
• Salt Lake City Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: War on Error
• Twin Cities Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: imonlylurking
• Dallas Kossacks North Texas - Formed: Nov 21, 2012, Admins: Catte Nappe and dalfireplug. Please contact them to join the group. An Event Organizer needed.
• The Southern California Inland Empire Kossacks - Formed: Dec 3, 2012, Organizer: SoCaliana
• Los Angeles Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2012, Organizer: Dave in Northridge
• Northeast Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Jan 16, 2013, Organizer: GenXangster
• Kansas & Missouri Kossacks - Formed: Jan 17, 2013, Organizer: tmservo433
• I-77 Carolina Kossacks who live from Columbia, SC to north of Winston-Salem, NC. - Formed: Jan 30, 2013, Organizers: gulfgal98 and eeff
• Indianapolis Kossacks - Formed: Feb 6, 2013, Organizer: CityLightsLover
• Southwest Ohio Kossacks - Formed: May 10, 2013, Organizer: Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN
• Northern Arizona Kossacks - Formed: Jul 5, 2013, Organizer: Sam Sara
• Mexican Kossacks - Formed: Apr 14, 2013, Organizer: roberb7
ESTABLISHED GROUPS LIST: (List will grow as we discover them)
• SFKossacks Founded by navajo, Formed: May 2, 2005
• Maryland Kos Founded by timmyc, Formed: Feb 23, 2011. Contact: JamieG from Md for a group invite.
• New York City Founded by Eddie C - Contact the group organizer for meet-up events: sidnora
• Baja Arizona Kossacks, Event Organizer: Azazello
• Three Star Kossacks Tennessee, Founded by maryKK, Formed: Apr 8, 2011
• Nashville KosKats, Founded by ZenTrainer Formed: Jan 30, 2012
• Virginia Kos Founded by JamieG from Md, Formed: May 3, 2011
• Kos Georgia Founded by pat208, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• Colorado COmmunity Founded by Leftcandid, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• New Mexico Kossaks Founded by claude
• Philly Kos Founded by mconvente Formed: Aug 29, 2011
• DKos Florida Founded by ThirstyGator, Formed: Feb 14, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail Vetwife to be included in next event.
• Oklahoma Roundup Founded by BigOkie, Formed: Feb 13, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail peacearena to be included.
• DKos Asheville Founded by davehouck, Formed: Feb 13, 2011 - Organizing Assist by: randallt
:: Events Currently on the Books for ALL Kossacks ::
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Sunday, August 4th
SFKossacks Meet BeadLady and the Okiciyap Quilt!
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Saul's Restaurant & Delicatessen
1475 Shattuck Ave (at Vine) • Berkeley
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. BeadLady
2. navajo
3. Catilinus
4. dharmasyd
5. norm
6. Lorikeet
7. side pocket
8. Pam from Calif
9. Pam from Calif's Mom
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Maybees: |
Sunday, August 4th
NYC Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Spitzer's Corner
101 Rivington Street (Ludlow) • NYC
ORGANIZER: Send Sidnora a kosmail to RSVP.
RSVPs:
1. joanbrooker
2. mconvente
3. belinda ridgewood
4. Yasuragi
5. sidnora
6. Its the Supreme Court Stupid
7. blue jersey mom
8. kathny
9. ask
10. rubyr
11. plf515
12. thankgodforairamerica
13. No Exit
14. gchaucer2
15. Design the Future
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16. MBNYC
17. andgarden
18. hayden
Maybees:
Ollie Garkey
aoeu
clenchner
nyceve
Rosalie907
PsiFighter37
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Latest diary: NYC Meetup: Beat the Dog Days, Next Sunday, 8/4!!
Saturday, August 10th or Sunday, August 11th
Nashville KosKats Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • Nashville
ORGANIZER: Send ZenTrainer a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2. ZenTrainer
3. Land of Enchantment
4. jnhobbs
5.
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Maybees:
Sandy on Signal
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Latest diary: Nashville KosKats Meet-Up
Saturday, November 2nd
SFKossacks BBQ in the Wine Country
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Andrew McGuire's home in the Wine Country
Address to be given privately to RSVPs • Windsor
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
Andrew McGuire is Executive Director of California One Care
RSVPs:
1. Andrew McGuire
2. navajo
3. Shockwave
4. Hunter
5. elfing
6. Hunter/elfling offspring
7. smileycreek
8. paradise50
9. dharmasyd
10. maggiejean
11. norm
12. Lusty
13. dksbook
14. Mr. dksbook
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15. kimoconnor
16. jpmassar
17. side pocket
18. Mrs. side pocket
Maybees:
Glen The Plumber
remembrance
TLO™
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Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?