2007 Year in Review

It seems very unlikely I'll have another chance to post again before 2008 arrives, so here's a quick review of the best and worst moments of 2007 on Marshfield Avenue and beyond, from this limited perspective.

Block/neighborhood highlights

Big Picture successes: the play with Teatro Vista, first graduating class, Day of the Dead show

New neighbors--the Bradys

The Peace & Education Scholarship fundraiser, which I believe raised $80,000 for scholarships for local youth regardless of immigration status

The barbecue, despite its aftermath.

Five moms for coffee-I'm sorry I haven't followed up, but I hope it was a good bridge-builder for the moms to get to know each other.

The High School Fair van! I can't find a post about getting eight kids from the block to the high school fair, but we did it.

Getting the abandoned house resealed--thanks to help from Neighborhood Housing Services.

Our whole side of the block shoveling the sidewalk right away after the December big snow! Even if Yup-yup was part of it.

Block/neighborhood heartbreakers

The fight to save Big Picture--no one seems to know what next year holds, but it doesn't look good.

Chris Pineda's murder. Let's remember the outpouring of love and support at his funeral here.

Shots on our block, and on the next block up

The Halloween murder of Leticia Barrera


Dorothy's disappearance--I haven't written about this, hoping she'll come back, but since the house got boarded up she's been gone. It hasn't stopped Yup-yup. He doesn't talk about her; he has that new bucktoothed girl to hang out with. Unlike before with Priscilla, I don't know that Dorothy's disappearance means good things for her. Let's hope and pray it does.

While you're hoping and praying, keep my favorite next door neighbors in there, too. Dawn, Julian, Jr., Joey and their parents are all having big ups and downs right now. Let's hope 2008 brings good tidings and peace to them, and to all of us here in Back of the Yards.

Oh, and one last thing that made 2007 special--the arrival of a roommate who hasn't caused any tropical storms, so I don't write about him here. We'll call him Medicine Man, since he's an aspiring doctor, staying with me for a year while he serves as an Americorps volunteer in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood. On top of his day job and med school applications/interviews, Medicine Man has quietly paid his rent on time, loaned me his car, made coffee for moms, and helped schlep the 8th-graders to the high school fair. You rock!