Asa Wren Crook

Oran and me

My grandson says that he looks just like me when he wears his plaid shirt.

New Website

To mark the end of my first five year plan and the beginning of the second, I have created a new website for my pictures and for my blog.  Please visit it at:
                          
                                larry-crook.squarespace.com

Iceland

Tomorrow I fly to Iceland where I will celebrate my 70th birthday!  When I return I will post some of my impressions and pictures.

First Five

Five years ago I started a blog that was supposed to document my plan to live the next five years as if they were my last.   Well, I made it through those five years, but certainly not unscathed. 

I lived in Scotland for a year, and in Bhutan for a month.  I made several trips to Thailand and Burma, and helped to grow our NGO - TBBHI - and for that work I was given a state and a national award by the American College of Physicians.  I also made two shorter trips to Hong Kong.

I moved from Scotland to Albuquerque and then to Seattle and bought a slightly used new Nissan Sentra, and a new Nikon DSLR camera.  For fundraising I had two photography shows in Gallup, one of pictures from India and one from Bhutan.

While in Scotland I wrote a first draft of a memoir of the year I spent in Greenland.  I’ve created a calendar each year of black and white photos I’ve taken, also several small books from various trips I’ve taken.

I read somewhere that many of the most important events in a man’s life happen when he is not there.  I believe that is true.

My grandson Oran was born while I was away.  My son Derek died, as did Brad, my father in law, and Blanche, my stepmother.  Life changing events all, and I was powerless or absent for all.



Next post: The next five years!

Shiprock

Boston, New York, and now New Mexico

Last month Nonnie and I went to Boston where I was given an award for volunteerism at the national American College of Physicians meeting.  It had been more than twenty years since I had been in Boston, and it was nice to be back, even if was still winter there, no flowers and no leaves.  We had a couple of great dinners with friends and spent some time just walking around the city.

We then took the train to New York and spent three nights there.  During the days we walked, took pictures, rode the Staten Island ferry, went to the MOMA, and visited the new WTC memorial. One night we ate  on my friend Suzanne’s apartment roof and we also had a couple of   great meals out, including one at my favorite restaurant, Sevilla, with my friend Mark.  Mark and I were interns together so many years ago, and have been eating there since those days.  The restaurant hasn’t changed much, but we we have.

 Now I am back at Shiprock, working in the clinic, visiting friends, seeing the sights.  The other morning I drove out to the Shiprock to photograph it the clouds, but the ground was muddy and wet, and soon the clouds dropped like a veil and the entire huge rock disappeared.  It was strange weather for this time of year, but they really need the rain and now everything looks green. 

I’m here for two more weeks then back to Seattle, to get ready to celebrate my seventieth birthday in Iceland in July.