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Tuesday, April 1, Redmond, WA At the bike shop in the Microsoft Commons... a shot for Hong Hoa... |
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Saturday, April 5, Bellevue,
WA At Crossroads Starbucks with my new 2014 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX350. Sony claims that this is the world's smallest 20x optical zoom camera... |
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Skagit Valley... Washington State... about 60 miles north of Seattle... |
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Two shots from Geneva, the budding young photographer... |
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Hong's shots... we bought a nifty rainbow kite at the Tulip Town store, and Geneva took right to it... |
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One of Hong's shots... Geneva is the sweetest, prettiest, most charming little lady! |
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Mount Baker, to the northeast... |
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After kite flying we repaired a ways back down the I-5, to Cabela's (my favorite store). Upon entering we were greeted by a Cougar (Hong's shot), a Brown Bear, and a leaping Wild Cat! |
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April 14, 2014... posted to FaceBook...
Today my friend Henry Lin informed me that Yamada-sensei died. Kenji Yamada was a great man, and a friend. I knew Yamada-sensei from the old Mamasan restaurant in downtown Bellevue, where we passed many pleasant evenings together over good ...food, conversation, and singing. I was always impressed by the tremendous respect that so many people had for this fine gentleman, and I felt honored when he motioned me over to sit with him that first time... This post is especially for Atsuko-san, and Ai-chan. Please inform others who will want to know about this. www.stevenjthompson.com/photography/galleries/mamasan ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Harold Yamada Subject: RE: Sad news My father Kenji Yamada, Hachidan passed away yesterday afternoon very peacefully surround by his family. We lost a father, grandfather, pioneer in judo and sensei whom had touch so many lives and in judo. Born 03-11-1924 to 04-10-2014 Kenji Yamada, Seattle and Bellevue Judo Dojo, Hachidan, born in Sunnyside, UT, He started judo in 1937 at Fukushima High School, Fukushima, Japan. In post-war Judo the 1953 Seattle Judo Team consisted of Kenji Yamada, Fred Sato, Chris Kato, and George Wilson with Sam Furuta as the coach. The Seattle team placed first in the first post war national Judo tournament that year. He was a US National Judo Champion 1954, 1955, 1956. He traveled on the 1955 US Goodwill Team. In 1990 he was the Deputy Commissioner and Judo Competition Director of International Goodwill games in Seattle, WA. Since 1946 he continued to teach Judo at Seattle Dojo until his retirement in 2006 in which his son Alan, sandan runs today. In 1957 he founded the Bellevue Judo Dojo in which he retired in 2005, in which his son Harold, yodan runs today. He preceded in death by his wife Haruko 1991. He is survived by his nine children Bea (Ken) Saito; Eileen (Robert) Iguchi; Patsy (Dennis) Yamada; Joyce (Peter) Tsai; Alan Yamada; Teresa Yamada; Harold (Cathy) Yamada; Michael (Candy) Yamada; Kathy Cummins; grandchildren; Aaron(Meaghan) Saito; Stacey Saito; Stephanie Saito; Megan Iguchi; Allison Iguchi; Tyler Iguchi; Ryan Yamada; Jana Yamada; Evan Yamada; Melyssa Tsai; Whitney Tsai; Julianne Yamada; Jessica Yamada; Kyle Cummins; Dylan Cummins; great-grand child Kiran Saito. Many nieces and nephews. Services will announce at a later date. Donation can be sent to: Seattle Judo Dojo Bellevue Judo Dojo C/O Mercer Island Dojo 501(c)(3) PO BOX 1084 Mercer Island, WA 98040 |
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Renton, WA Setting off for bike shopping with pretty little Geneva... ah, I mean Queen Anna... and Hong Hoa... |
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Sweet little pretty pretty pretty Queen Anna She's my pretty pretty pretty little Queen She'll sing on a chair, or about anywhere Sweet little pretty pretty pretty Queen Anna |
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Bellevue, WA... leaving the RV Park, bound for biscuits & gravy at Crossroads Cafe... |
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Redmond, WA... at Redmond Town Center where I secured what I consider to be the best parking space in the neighborhood. At REI I picked up a "bug viewer" for Pretty Little Geneva (for use on a future expedition). While scouting around the perimeter for a suitable bug to test the viewer with I happened upon an interesting tree... |
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April 30 Redmond, WA... I stopped in at Salon West Wind, where Kay Kay was having her lunch... |
