Boston photos. Finally.

[Island Blue]

Here are a few of the better photos that I took on Monday. I may have a few more to post later. (I edited them to make them smaller and easier to view.)




JK talks with the group after chatting with everyone individually.



JK is presented with the cards!




I think the writing on the cards was rather small. (Maybe we need more than three cards next year.) I'm sure no one would have objected if JK had pulled out his reading glasses. :)




Wick-ed tall.




The lovely Teresa.




JK and Teresa listen intently.

Okay, now it's everyone else's turn.

[Island Blue]

1. Ignore me - I'm losing my mind. n/t

[rox63]

2. Yes, in that "wick-ed tall" pic

JK is using the conference table link a step-stool. That's how wicked tall he is. :) And I'm Kerrycrat in the pic above with just Teresa and no JK.

[rox63]

3. More pics

Note: I only took one of the pics in this post. I just wanted to jump on the pic-posting bandwagon, to get Friday night off to a good start. Most of my pics weren't that good. GV and IB are really great photographers, though. I hope you don't mind that I posted a couple of your pics. I do want to give credit where it's due.


JK had to stand on a table at the party at Ned Devine's, so he could be seen and heard above the crowd.



JK and his long-time friend (and former brother-in-law) David Thorne at the party.



Of course, his brother Cam was also at the party



The beautifully decorated lobby of the Park Plaza hotel, where many of us stayed.

[DoBotherMe]

4. Squeeing here...

Smiling from ear to ear and feeling good. He's like a damn drug. D ; )

[babylonsister]

5. We touched that card! Thank you for the pics!

:loveya: :loveya:

[TayTay]

7. I got to give him those cards this year.

We had arranged a little order in which a few of us could say our piece that evening. My part was those wonderful cards. I just went up, had a brief interlude of talking and such, and then gave him the cards and the postmarks that had been collected. (Not everyone collected the postmarks. Doesn't matter. The gesture itself was enough to show those cards were well traveled.)

Sen. Kerry then proceeded to open each one and scan each one for a few minutes. I think every signature was or will be read and once again, that was very touching.

This was one of the central moments of the visit. The cards visibly show that though this was a large contingent in Boston this year, it was not 'all of us.' Everyone else was included via those cards.

Once again, thank you to everyone who took such good care of them and forwarded with such lovely sigs. Yeah, he got them. (And THK read them as well and was equally touched.)

[beachmom]

11. I'll second that -- he REALLY, REALLY loved those cards

As someone who was not there last year and was there this year, um, I'm not saying this to make those who couldn't come feel better. It's the God honest truth he was really touched by those cards -- he even asked when we started sending them out, and Tay answered in August. He was impressed with the personal nature of the signatures and at the amount of effort it took to get them all around the country. It was at that moment that I could imagine what Dec. '05 was like -- he just loved those cards.

[wisteria]

15. He really was touched by the cards. It was very obvious. n/t

[JI7]

19. WOW , i just thought the same thing, he touched what i touched

he touched and looked at what i wrote

[Inuca]

34. Yep, same here :-)

First thought that crossed my mind when I saw the picture in which one of the cards is plainly visible. Are we a pathetic group of (mostly) middle-aged groupies or what :-)?

[TayTay]

35. Not at all.

You cared. I know that we live in a cynical time in which people don't want to believe in people and in the simple act of saying nice things to public people.

But this was a nice thing to do. It was taken, oh was it taken, as such.

you did good here. To hell with the cynics.

[beachmom]

36. It was all real, and not for public consumption

I was catching up on The Daily Show and watched excerpts of this disgusting, disengenuous lovefest for Rumsfeld in Iraq. The TV cameras were there, the journalists were there, and obviously, the questioners were screened. Rumsfeld wasn't going to get blindsided by a soldier asking about body armor, that's for sure. It was so, so fake and phony. People encouraging him to write a book, crap like that.

Contrast that with our weekend. It was OUR idea to come, OUR idea to do the cards, OUR idea to tell him some nice things of how much his work and leadership meant to us. And any publicity that came out of it was quite by chance. In short, it was not a manufactured event -- it was genuine, it was heartfelt and it was private. Cynics would have NOTHING on us.

Astroturf vs. real grassroots. That's the difference.

[TayTay]

37. That is so true.

It was a real grassroots moment with people who paid their own way to Boston. It was very special and those cards were very special.

Cynics are useless anyway. What good thing was ever built on cynicism?

[Inuca]

42. Oh, I agree

it was just am attempt at self-depreciating humor. He touched something I touched, you know... I was not being cynical (though at times I am) just amused at my own reaction and seeing it shared by others.

[Island Blue]

6. A few more.

JK listens to Beachmom speak.




JK & Mama T.




At Ned Devine's.

[beachmom]

12. The first photo was when I had the opportunity to speak for

a couple minutes about "my journey" into political activism. Of how his words, especially MH1's favorite quote from him about citizen being the most important word in the American language, other than love. In fact, here is documentation of when I took the plunge:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=273&topic_id=101923

I also mentioned some of the stuff that over time I was able to do on the blogs and inspecting the Diebold Machines on Election Day. And I ended saying that none of this would have been possible had it not been for his message conveyed on the blogs.

I think that made him happy, because he thanked me and gave me a hug afterwards.

It was a real honor to be able to tell him this, and I hope it becomes one more reason to just ignore the idiots who abound everywhere trying to cut him down. There are some things that are profoundly more important than their silliness.

[wildflowergardener]

14. photo

I like that first one!

Meg

[europegirl4jfk]

8. Some of Julie's pictures

My daughter also took some pictures. They aren't as good as GV's and IB's photos but here they are.


John and Teresa with their gifts:

         


JK talking to TayTay:                                                                 Teresa again:

         


And finally Julie and I with JK once more:

[wisteria]

16. They are good pictures. very, very nice. n/t

[mloutre]

25. Is that writing in the pink square on the quilt

Teresa Heinz Kerry is holding up -- you know, the one that Democrafty made for her on our behalf? And if so, what does it say?

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Democrafty]

27. I will PM it to you. I have asked europegirl to take this down. n/t

[ProSense]

9. Great photos here! Thanks! n/t

[kerrygoddess]

10. Nice!

Love the two of him reading the cards. Very special.

[TayTay]

13. It was. He liked the postmark

from you that was across the page. I'm sorry you couldn't make it this year. But he knew we were all there in spirit.

[MH1]

20. Yes, I remember him commenting on that!

He really was touched by everyone doing this, the coordination and effort and care that we put into it.

I think those cards may be one of the best presents he gets all year from anyone.

[kerrygoddess]

24. Thanks Tay!

I had no idea so many were going and what was planned, if I did I would have rearranged my schedule to work it in. Maybe next year... Definitely next year!!!

And thank you for posting the photos. They warmed the heart. :)

[Vektor]

17. These are beautiful!

What treasures John and Teresa are. I was so happy to be there.

[JI7]

18. those are great

love this one



so cute

[MH1]

21. GREAT pictures!

Thanks for being there with the camera and doing such a great job.

The pics with the cards are just wonderful.

Um, I am going to borrow the second one for my blog, if that's okay? :-)

[Island Blue]

22. Sure. Borrow away. n/t

[MH1]

23. Done. One sappy post, posted.

But the pic fits perfectly.

http://freedomsfire.blogspot.com/2006/12/belated-birthday-blog.html

Edit to add, Thanks! (damn, where'd I leave my manners tonight? They must be around here somewhere...)

[JanusAscending]

28. Hi MH !!!

Read your blog and it was wonderful. You made me feel like I was there, and very proud!! (warm feelings in tummy!!):grouphug: DC

[MH1]

29. Hi DC!

I'm glad you liked it! "Warm feelings in tummy" pretty much describes how I felt watching JK and THK interact. They are so good together, it really is heartwarming. :grouphug:

[benny05]

30. What a lovely time and a great group

Kerrycrats, your pics and stories of celebrating Senator Kerry's birthday probably has the MAN delighted just reading the threads! The additional pics by Rox63 are lovely and gave this reader more context as to what you are were so happily scribing on this thread.

Wick-ed Tall..whoa!

I'm particularly fond of the pic of the Kerrycrat and Teresa in the 5th picture displayed. :loveya:

I wanted to wish all of you the best of holidays as you continue to revel in your experiences that are melding beautifully in the spirit of the season.

Here's a card I saw from the Brit Library (I'm a librarian by trade, so..)that I thought was kind of cool. To me, it represents (and in a very positive way) of how you all were able to garner your resources, brains, and forgive me, but I do have to say this--beauty, as all of you looked so wonderful--for a very festive occasion. I hope someday I will get to meet more Dems and other bloggers of kindred spirits that this group obviously has within it. Congrats on the Boston Herald article.

Benny

[beachmom]

31. You're so kind, Benny! And a wonderful holiday season to you.

The world's a bit of a better place with you in it.

Beachmom

[benny05]

33. Seems like a better place when..

all want the better for all of us..., which I know KerryCrats want!!

Thanks for the complement. Still a bit humbled by what I see here.

[emulatorloo]

32. thanks all -- I loved seeing these.

I'm glad you all got to go do this. I appreciated the stories, and these pictures are great.

[politicasista]

38. Nice pics and stories!

Glad everyone had a nice time. :hi:

[wisteria]

39. Hello sweetie, how are you doing? I have been thinking about you. n/t

[politicasista]

40. I am doing fine

Sorry I couldn't make it to Boston. Glad it was a blast! Was his staff people there?:hi:

[wisteria]

41. I suppose they were, but I just had my eyes on Senator Kerry and Teresa. n/t