On my walk today through Gage Park what originally caught my eye was about a dozen of Topeka’s finest on their bicycles in the middle of the sand volleyball pit! I was completely intrigued (nosey) about what was going on. We’ll I missed that scene but I did capture some other great footage of the Topeka Police Bicycle Patrol training class today.
They were very nice to let me stand there and watch them train and even to take some video of it all. I tried riding my bike once as a kid up some stairs but it wasn’t met with much success and more than likely ended with a bruised up knee! Criminals need to know that these guys are very quiet and they are able to give chase either up or down stairs, over curbs and through sand!
Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys for a short time today!!
Cafe Holiday located at 12th & Taylor (just two blocks south of Topeka High on Taylor) is in the historic Devon Building. Deb Barajas works hard to make Cafe Holiday a warm friendly corner cafe. For many years Deb was a key worker in the annual Mexican Fiesta. Each day she has a daily mexican special in addition to her regular menu. My favorite is her taco salad. When you order her tacos the shells are very crisp but not brittle. The tortilla chips are home made daily.
Our photography studio Harrington’s is also located in the same building as Deb’s cafe so we get to eat in her cafe frequently. She is very gracious to let us display our photographs in her cafe. Next time you are in the neighborhood stop in at the Cafe Holiday, eat lunch, and take a look at our photographs while you’re there!
Don Soendker and his wife Cathy are the kind of neighbors that make Topeka a great place to live! We have lived two doors down from the Soendker’s for the past 20+ years. Cathy, Don’s wife, bought him a snow blower for Christmas this year. The first time it snowed this year I heard an unfamiliar sound in my driveway and then noticed the next morning that my driveway was clear. The second time it snowed here in Topeka I heard the same sound so I thought I should investigate further and found out that it was Don using his new snow blower to clear all of his neighbors snow from their drives. Last night as the snow was still falling and near blizzard conditions Don was out at it again! Of course Don won’t ever accept any payment for the good deeds he does around the neighborhood, which are many, all he asks for is thanks!
Snow though isn’t all that Don does for his neighbors. Right after wind storms he gets out his chain saw and helps people clear downed limbs from their yards. If your lawn mower breaks the next thing you know Don is mowing your yard!! Gone for a couple of days and need your house watched, your paper and mail picked up? Call Don! I forgot to tell Don last year we were going on a trip to Colorado so about three days into the trip in the middle of the mountains my cell phone rings ” are you guys OK?” – Great I’ll put your trash out for you he says!
This world would be a whole different place if it were filled with Don’s!!
When I arrived at the Lake Shawnee swimming beach this sunny January morning the sound of chain saws could be clearly heard. These chain saws were being operated by men in orange dry suits, members of the water rescue team. It was a fairly pleasant mid 40′s day for the 7th Annual Polar Plunge, a benefit for Special Olympics. The benefit reportedly raised over $95,000 for Special Olympics according to WIBW TV news. The atmosphere was defiantly festive! The 5K run and walk started at 11am and “The Plunge” at 12 Noon. The run was fun but “The Plunge” was decidedly the main event!
Right at high noon the “Plunge” began. The water rescue team in full force making sure that no one slide under the ~2inch thick ice or succumb to hypothermia before making it out of the water and back to the gender appropriate changing tents. There were bikinis, formal dresses complete with high heels, batman and many teams in their companies tee shirts. With water splashing and guys trying to dunk each other fun was had all around!
All of the images I took at the event can be viewed on theHarrington Photography FaceBook Fan Pagein two photo albums (FaceBook has a limit of 200 images or less per “album”) Feel free to “tag” yourself in any of the images you are in!
The presents are wrapped, Wanamaker is quiet, most of the stores are now closed, even Walmart! The hectic pace of the secular world of the hoped for Christmas buying frenzy is now done. As I sit here writing this at 2:20 AM Christmas morning there is time to reflect a bit and drink a warm cup of hot green tea.
I’ve attended Grace Cathedral located at 801 SW Polk here in Topeka to some degree all of my life. I say to some degree because there were years that it would be a big stretch to say I was regular in attendance. But even in the lean years I was a Christmas/Easter Episcopalian. Sitting there tonight listening to the carols and the words from the bible I had a bit of time to reflect on Christmas’ past. It is always a beautiful service but it is a great gift to be able to be comfortable with the service to the degree of being able to sit and reflect and to appreciate the beauty of it all but also comfortable enough to daydream a bit.
I remembered:
The years I was a acolyte and participated in the service.
The people that were also always there every year but are now gone like Joe Thompson, Dorothy Burgess and other people that I lost track of.
Years I felt as an outsider sitting on the periphery and years that I wanted to be in the very middle of it all.
When I was a child and Midnight was very very late but I knew it was close to morning which meant presents!
There have been years I was bored and years I soaked in every minute
Family that are with me and those that aren’t able to be there
The year my father passed on 12/23
Times in my life when my faith was strong and times it has been weak
Christmas’ that have been at stressful times and those that have been relatively carefree
The smell of incense and Silent Night being played with the lights dimmed
Snow falling some years when church let out
Getting coffee at the Truck Stop (Ihop) with friends and family after the service
Years where we get up and go also to Christmas morning services
The old church before the fire.
Years that I document the service with photographs and years that I just show up and soak it all in
Being thankful that I have a church home where I know most everyone and they know me. It’s a very warm feeling
Merry Christmas to all may all your memories be treasured!
