Over the weekend the Men’s Shelter, on Phinney Ridge, was invaded. Teenagers all over the place. A group from Overlake Christian Church appeared on Saturday to do cleaning. Mother Theresa help us. (I’m not really praying to M.T. She prayed to Jesus just like we do.) But this was good work and borderline miraculous. Your average teenager will not clean their own bath room. Every body knows that. It is a fact of life. How is it then that a group of junior high kids will go to a men’s shelter and clean the baseboards in the bathrooms? Explain that.

Then last night, Saturday night, a hoard of yutes from somewhere, Bothell I think, descended on the shelter to serve, and do dishes, and to talk and listen to the men. Guys love this. Two worlds communicating in a safe environment. The room sounded good. All I did was stand around in the kitchen and talk music with Hanna and Jillian, and basketball (the greatest game in the world.) with Emma, the starting center for the 2023 UW women’s basketball team. We also worked on her left hand some in the gym.

This is all too much fun, so Eileen and I will be taking a long weekend starting on Thursday this week.

We are at that time of year when we think about using up supplies. April 30 is the end of the season for us. Servers please check with me or Sarah about things you can cook which are on hand in the kitchen.

That’s the news from the Men’s Shelter, on Phinney Ridge.

Ben Paul