Offer an award for true personal life story. There may be a few
folks in their nineties still alive in Latvia.

The only problem with true personal history is that the stories seem to get better when there is no one else of the same age left to refute what is being said.  Personal rocolections are not usually accurate nor trustworthy (even if they are Latvians) - they are almost always clouded by after thoughts. These after thoughts were best demonstarted by WWII German concentration camp survivors giving first hand accounts of things that they could not possibly have witmessed. Maybe Ambersun was trained by one of these survivors, in that she seems to continue along the same path and with the same unflinching outlook as always.

By the way - been absent for a while - was tending to my ailing wife till a while back. A;ways looked in but did not have the time to participate.

Sniks - I’m glad to see you again, but so sorry you and your wife had difficult times.  Wishing you the best.

Back in the States after visiting the very real P. Quick aside about film ideas mentioned earlier. I always toyed with the idea of making a film about the film Zvejnieka Dels. You have built in protogonists in Lacis and Lapinieks. One ends up in trimda and the other the Interior Minister under the Soviets. A great time period setting. Just a few years before everything changes. And films about films can always be an interesting sub genre.

Andrejs

Dear Sniks~  What Anita said about being glad to see you back and I’m saddened by the news about your wife and also wish you both the best.

Andrejs~ also glad to see you and of course I envy your trip to Latvia and just thinking of you, P together, brings on a smile!  Your idea about making a movie about a movie sounds marvelous and what better one than Zvejnieka Dels!  More power!!

Irena

Thanks for the good wishes. Had a rough time for quite a while - and it was quite costly as well. I need a vacation this year so will be going to Latvia on July 23 and staying until August 28. My wife had wanted me to go again - and in truth this will probably be my final trip over. Still lots of family to meet - but not much need for travelling around this time (I hope).