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It has been a number of months since I dabbled in the systemization of ones and zeros that is the electronic equivalent of putting pen to paper. I could offer a number of excuses:
  • Fetch [my file transfer program] is malfunctioning
  • Tremor causes fuzzy images so I lack striking photos
  • My life is boring and nothing newsworthy ever happens
  • My typing skills have "Gone South"
  • Etc.
I suspect, however, that the underlying problem is spelled L-A-Z-Y.
So, humor me on this attempt to catch up.

I have grouped these images into 6 sections:

  • Allen Family Reunion
  • Maverick Jackson Hatch birth
  • Building yet another rock tumbler
  • Visiting the above mentioned newborn
  • Baptism of Landon Hatch
  • Labor Day campout
Some of the photos are "self evident" and others I have commented on.


Section One: Allen Family Reunion

I typically impose on a grandchild to take photos for me, but this time I didn't foist my camera off on someone soon enough, and as a result, have but few images.

Abbie Ramsay
Sabrina Herring
Rachael Hatch


My sister, Karren, was quite upset that the >900 photos we copied from Grandmas photo albums were not each labeled with a date in addition to a name (Quote: You have to have both the name and the date or the photo is worthless!) I'm not certain who assigned her to promulgate rules governing family photography, but (at least for this letter) I will humor her idiosyncrasy and supply names. The approximate date appears in the title bar.

Mark LeFevre
Susan LeFevre


The down side, of course, is that that choice assumes that I can spell all the names, an assumption definitely not in evidence.

Landen Hatch


Section Two: Maverick Jackson Hatch

Maverick Jackson Hatch was born 29 June 2018 at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Tucson, Pima, Arizona. According to the birth announcement, he weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

Maverick Jackson Hatch
Brittney Rose Hatch
Alan Hatch II (aka AJ)


Barbara and I stopped by the hospital the next day for a brief visit. As far as I can remember, I have had good outcomes when dealing with hospitals, but I still dislike them.

Maverick Jackson Hatch
Brittney Rose Hatch


Maybe deep down inside I am an evil person, but I truly enjoy watching my offspring struggling with their little house apes (while I'm whispering "My kids never did that..."). If I am not mistaken, the currently vogue term for that is "karma." I, however, prefer to think of it as one more dimension where symmetry governs the physical universe. Then again, if the truth be known, I suspect most of them might actually be doing a better job raising children than I did...

Alan Hatch II (aka AJ)
Maverick Jackson Hatch


Newborns have a certain softness about them that you just don't encounter anywhere else.

Maverick Jackson Hatch
Alan Hatch I


Brittney's family was there, but they were sitting against the window and the photos of them produced some nice shots of the outside scenery, but not the people. In direct opposition to his name, the consensus is that this young man is a "keeper." No surprise there.

Maverick Jackson Hatch


Section Three
I returned to my hobby of building rock polishers (tumblers). This one was a bit challenging, as the motor turned while the shaft remained stationary. Several times in my mind's eye I designed attachment points only to realize a short time later that the pieces moved with respect to each other. After several re-designs, some lathe work, copious application of epoxy, and some welding help from both AJ and Nathen, I completed what I thought was a remarkably compact tumbler. Only then did I discover that the motor was inoperative. So, if you happen to run across a 7-inch ceiling fan motor that is functional...


Section Four, visit to San Tan Valley
Barbara and I made a quick visit to the dwelling of the newborn, circa two weeks postnatal (for some reason that I can no longer recall). While there I confirmed what I had suspected: The first born of that family has good taste.

Note from Barbara:
Little Alan the III, has the typical Hatch genetics for... I-C-E   C-R-E-A-M
He has better taste buds because he's eating Tillamook ice cream and not some lame brand name

As some of you may have heard me talk of when I was around 6 years old, or 52 years ago, We had some family close by the OR. CA. state lines that we would visit. On this one returning trip back home to WA state, we finally got mom too agree to let us stop, and take a tour of the Tillamook plant. I mostly remember these really, really long galvanized metal tanks that they kept the cheese in really cold water. Well, they reminded me of a short tank that we "swam in" at home..it really was our horse trough. I tried talking Dad into bringing home one of those tanks for us to swim in. He got a kick out of it, but he didn't know that I was serious! Of course, once we got to the end of the tour. Dad, Mom, and at least one of my older sisters, and I, each got a free ice cream cone.

Afterwards, when we were back on the road, this was a really narrow, and winding road, and we also ended up getting behind a logging truck. Just about that time, someone in the car mentioned about see how it saved us money by taking the free tour, and then getting free ice cream cones .... A really big chunk of wood fell off the back of the logging truck. Needless to say, that this ended up being the most expensive ice cream we've ever ate. By the way, if anyone remembers this story differently let me know.


Alan III appears to have has a certain amount of ambivalence dealing with newborns. In some ridiculously short time period (possibly the day after tomorrow?) they will be squabbling over who gets the purple dob and who has to settle for the green dob.

Maverick Jackson Hatch
Alan Hatch III


Section Five: Faces at Landen's baptism

Ameilia Ramsay


Braxton Herring


Bennett Herring


Kyle Hatch


AJ Hatch
Karren LeFevre
Brittney Hatch
Maverick Hatch


Alan Hatch, I


Janell Hatch


Alan Hatch, III


Back Row:
Ethen Hatch
Kyle Hatch

Middle Row:
Rachel Hatch

Front Row:
Janell Hatch
Landen Hatch


Section Six: Labor Day Campout

Probably the most salient feature of the campout this year was the failure of Sabrina, Braxton, and family (following my obviously inadequate GPS instructions) to find where we camped. They came within 300 yards of us, bivouacked through the thunder and lightening punctuated rainstorm, and then returned home. Perhaps if we assigned them to choose the site for the campout next year, they would be able to find it...

Rachel Hatch


Here we have the dreaded family groups...

Brittney, Maverick, AJ, and Alan III Hatch


Ethen, Rachael, Terra, Janell, Nathen, Landen, and Kyle Hatch


Abbie, Wyatt, Ameilia, Wyatt, Kylie Ramsay

And Dogs


Laura brought the makings for some "edible campfires" that were popular with the artistic members of the younger generation.

Laura Zumwalt
Landen Hatch
Kylie Ramsay


Ameilia brought their new puppy they have named, "Remington."


Maverick Hatch

As expected, he slept through most of the festivities.


As is the tradition, we ate well. And again, we had excess food. I sometimes get the feeling there is an unspoken rivalry over who can cook the best dish.

Alan Hatch III
Terra Hatch
Nathen Hatch
Ameilia Ramsay
Jim Tripp
Janell Hatch


There was at least one grumpy old man there... And no, that isn't my hat.

Barbara's health precluded her attendance this year. (There's always next year.)

Alan Hatch I


Back Row:
Wyatt Ramsay
Kyle Hatch
Ethen Hatch
Abbie Ramsay
Laura Zumwalt
Fred Zumwalt
Brittney Hatch
Maverick Hatch
Middle Row:
Waytt Ramsay
Terra Hatch
Janell Hatch
Nathen Hatch
ALan Hatch I
Karren LeFevre
Rachael Hatch
Front Row:
Alan Hatch III
Kylie Ramsay


AJ brought his latest toy; a semi-automatic version of the infamous Thompson submachine gun. It is an iconic looking piece of equipment.



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