Merry Christmas!

What a lovely Christmas. Everyone home after two years of missing the eldest. We did our traditional pizza by candlelight on Christmas Eve, as we have done for the past 16 years. As they get older, it gets harder to get a nice picture of all of them. But look who's the worst culprit
















I finally got a picture that looked like a nice normal family. Sort of.
















Today the famiy enjoyed Eric's new "Guitar Hero World Tour" video game. It comes with a guitar, drums, and a mike. In this family of hams, there was no shortage of people willing to warble the vocals to the likes of "Welcome to the Hotel California" and "American Woman". You really haven't lived until you've heard Anisa belting out the Michael Jackson song "Beat It". "Just beat it...."















Doug's gift of the Seinfield "Scene It" was fun too. Men against women probably wasn't the smartest way for us to play the game. Between Doug, Craig and Eric, they had a vast pool of knowledge to contribute. Galen and Carol joined us today also, as their family has been delayed coming home due to all the snow of the past week. Hopefully they will make it tomorrow.

I foolishly requested the boys to let me take a group photo at the end of the day. Mine all immediately morphed into poses. I cut Craig out because he just looked too sinister. I hope Anisa got a good one of the four boys because I didn't. Why can't they all be cute and smile like Duane?






















Doesn't Duane's leg look good? He's getting around very well on crutches. He's had an interesting week. Monday he took a dive off a sled and ended up in the hospital with a broken leg. He had to go to the Sacred Heart in Springfield Monday evening and had surgery to place a rod from his knee to his ankle on Tuesday morning. I visited the family there and was amazed at the beauty of this lovely new facility. The pediatric ward where he spent two nights was beautifully decorated for Christmas, and the whole place was just gorgeous. Beautiful or not, he was more than ready to come home!

Craig took a fall during a snowball fight last week and broke his ankle. I believe that's the third time in his life. He's wearing a boot similar to Duane's but can walk without crutches.

So we have much to be thankful for, most of all that Jesus loves us all, "normal" or not.

Another Snow Day!

Monday, Tuesday, and now Friday this week have been snow days. In my nine years of working for the school district, we have never had snow days the week before "Winter Break", especially three in one week. Yesterday it was raining and the roads were clear, but we still had lots of calls from parents asking if there was school. Even had a call from a parent saying she was keeping her child out for the next two days just in case. She got mad and hung up on me when I kindly advised her that would not be an excused absence. Then there was a prank call from a staff member in the staff room with all the people at lunch listening in, trying not to laugh too loud. It was snowing at the time, and he plugged his nose and pretended to be a very stupid parent, insisting that a teacher drive his children home because we really should close early. I thought it sounded somewhat like this staff member, but couldn't take a chance of calling him out so I was very polite and convinced him that his children would be safe to ride the bus home two hours later at the usual time. Quite possibly this call was the great idea of my nice new friend Cindy, who happened to be on her lunch break at the time.

Much to the joy of Nick and many other students, it started snowing last night and continued enough to cancel school again today. Here is what it looks like out our window this morning. I know you northerners are laughing, but hey, there's at least two inches out there!

The weather has prevented Will from taking the camping trip he had planned in celebration of his vacation pending retirement, but he has made good use of his time. He installed a bird feeder and has the birding books out. Retired people have time for such things!

The birds are all over it!

A dove came and stared at us for awhile. I'm sure it was thanking Will for its food. Let it snow!

Fifty is Nifty

My 50th birthday came and went last Friday, and life goes on. I wasn't too sure for awhile on Saturday. The morning seemed to be a horrible, no-good, very bad day, and I wondered if this is just how it would be now that I'm middle aged, but fortunately things stopped going wrong.

I received some funny cards, but my favorite was from Will. I learned many years ago that his method of picking out a card was to go to the rack and grab the first one he saw that looked appropriate on the front. So a card that he makes is much more meaningful! When I came home from work Friday, this was laid out on the kitchen counter, along with my invitation from the AARP and various 50 gag gifts. He wrote directly on the pictures but I can't get them to upload when I add text.

"I wonder if people will still be nice to me when I'm 50."
















Left side: "Deep inside I am smiling, yes I am."
















Right side: "I am so glad I have a mature wife."


"I am 50 now. Any questions?"
"No ma'am."

"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!"

Those are some flattering pictures. Will had way too much fun with the camera at softball games.
A belated birthday gift today really topped it off. A snow day to stay home from work, wear my cozy new fleece jammies all morning, drink coffee and tea and address Christmas cards. I'm even making homemade chili for dinner. Who ever has time for that? Can't remember the last time. Nick can hardly wait or dinner, it smells so good. I have go to make cornbread now.

It was Unbelievable!

A few days ago, I was privileged to have an appointment at the lovely new medical facility in North Albany to get the annual painful pictures taken that may save my life some day. This was my first visit to this place, and I was very impressed with the landscaping and decor as I walked in. I was greeted with the smell of fresh coffee and noticed a sign that said "Starbucks coffee proudly served here." I marveled at the gorgeous large waiting room with its lovely comfortable furniture, beautiful carpet, and even a fireplace. After I checked in, the receptionist invited me to help myself to coffee and advised me that they were running a little late.

With great pleasure I filled a cup with coffee, carefully chose the most interesting magazine, and donned my lovely new reading glasses. I settled in to enjoy some quiet reading time. As I reached for the fragrant cup of coffee, somehow it fell sideways. Coffee flowed across the table, which ran the full length of the sofa directly behind it. Coffee pooled in a line against the back of the sofa, the poured down the back of it. It covered the magazines on the table and flowed off the other side, making puddles on the carpet. I immediately called for assistance and the receptionist brought a few paper towels, calling for someone else to bring towels. The other girl carelessly carried off the magazines, dripping coffee all over the carpet and couch. We wiped and blotted until things looked presentable. They said to leave the dirty towels under the table so that the cleaning crew would look for spots.

Receptionist offered me another cup of coffee with a lid. I declined, then snuck a cup after she went away, standing out of sight in a corner to drink it. It was delicious!

Then today at work, things were very hectic. I took a call where I had to hold the receiver away from my ear as a man yelled at me because our library should be open 7 to 4 like the school is but it's always closed and his daughter can never check out books. He pays taxes and he expects that someone will be in our library at all times so that students can check out books. He is not going to put up with this. It is absolutely ridiculous. Is that understood? I tried to explain to him that our librarian has recently been needed to supervise state testing in a computer lab but he wouldn't stop talking. "There is no excuse for the librarian to ever be out of the library. This needs to change. Do you understand? There will be someone in the library during all school hours from now on at all times. Is that clear?" Finally I spoke over him and said I would be happy to help arrange for his daughter to check out a book if he would let me talk, but right now I was done listening to him and was going to hang up. If you want to calm down and work it out, call back. Goodbye. Fortunately he didn't call back. The sad thing is, I know exactly who it is because he has called before with unreasonable anger. (Our library is always open before school and at lunch, just for the record.)

I also had a few personal calls about our new insurance and a dental appointment for a son. I heard my cell phone make the missed call sound, then soon it rang. I wasn't able to answer it, but I checked and saw two missed calls from the same number. I called and a voice message from Samaritan Health Services answered. I figured it had something to do with the insurance, then saw that I had a voice mail. I listened to it with growing disbelief.

"Hello, this is Ryan from the billing department at Samaritan Health Services. I'm calling to confirm that we have the correct address for you to send a bill for cleaning charges due to the coffee spill in our waiting room when you were here earlier this week. Please call us at (number) and ask to speak to Cindy Mills. Thank you."

Now, my co-worker's name is Cindy Mills. I thought I must have heard wrong, so I listened again. Then with great annoyance, I said, "Cindy, have you ever heard of anyone else in town with the same name as you?" She said, "Yes, I believe someone who works at Calapooia has my name." Outraged, I said, "I can't believe it! She must work for Samaritan Health Services now. They are going to bill me for cleanup of my coffee spill from the other day. Can you believe it?!!!"
I was shocked when she nearly fell off her chair laughing. Turns out her daughter works for Samaritan and they hatched this little plan after she told her of my mishap. She immediately called her daughter to let her know how well their plan worked. Her daughter told her that the first time Ryan dialed, he hung up before I answered. He said, "I can't do this to her! She has Christian music playing on her phone!" But she convinced him to do it anyway, that as a Christian I would certainly react appropriately. Thank goodness he went to voice mail, because I'm not so sure how Christian my response would have been!

Remember my glowing evaluation of Cindy awhile back, how she seemed too good to be true? Indeed. But Will says this little episode ratcheted her up a few notches in his estimation! And I can guarantee you that if I let her read this blog, she will find at least three typos!

Not for those with delicate sensibilities

My most recent texting miscommunication was quite amusing to me though quite disgusting as well.

I was working late one night last week and Will and I decided it would be a good night to go out to eat before heading home. He was doing some shopping and sent me a text when he left Fred Meyer. I texted back, "I am finishing a po". I was mystified by his return text. "OMG!" I checked my Sent text and it said exactly what I wanted it to. So we met at Pings and eventually he mentioned to Nick that he just wouldn't believe the text I sent him. "She told me she was finishing a poo!" No, I said I was finishing a PO, that's a purchase order. I don't know how to capitalize! I laughed loud and heartily, and Nick asked his father to please not ever make mom laugh in public again!

My new favorite quote: "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused." Indeed.

Insulted but not Offended

Tonight I was looking at the sad condition of our family room carpet and kitchen linoleum and I suggested to Will that it would probably look really good if we replaced the flooring with tile in both rooms and just had an area rug for the family room. Will looked at me from his comfortable lounging position on the couch, then looked over at Nick lounging on the other end of the couch and said, "Nick, could you step outside the room for a minute?" I said, "If you don't like the idea, that's fine." "I just don't want to embarrass you," he said. "Speak," said I. "I'm not too likely to be embarrassed in front of Nick."

"I don't like the area rugs you buy," he said. (I have had a succession of inexpensive rugs in the family room over the last several years due to extensive carpet staining due to boys constantly spilling soda on the floor for the past 12 years.)

"I'll buy a nice one, instead of a cheap one," I said.

"You have to take someone with you to pick it out," he said. (The nerve!!) I declared he would need to come pick it out to make sure it met his high standards of good taste.

That settled, I felt a blogging attack coming on. As I sat down, I heard him say, "That last rug was a real beaut. I wouldn't use that in my dog house!"

It is a good thing that I am not a sensitive female who weeps at the slightest hint of insult.

World's Worst Texter

It's me, if you haven't already heard. Yes, I admit, I am the World's Worst Texter. I am tired of my family making fun of my text messages. After one particularly illegible text, Nick sent back "take the extra 30 seconds to check the message". I have finally abandoned my pride and tried to make my family understand that even when I do glance at the message, it often looks just fine to me because I can't see it very well if I'm not wearing reading glasses. That's another story. I can hardly read anything without them any more.

Last Saturday I was at my parent's house and Doug sent me a text asking how it was going. I was scrap booking and didn't really want to take much time to text back, so quickly I texted him back. Here's our exchange:

Me: Good. I an scrap cooking and dad jr mostly sleeping.

Doug: What is scrap cooking?

Me: Closely related to scrap booking lol.

Doug: I also didn't know dad was a jr

Me: can you believe that when you text is it defaults to jr. always substitute is for jr.

Doug: You are something.

And here's one I recently sent to Eric after he told me he did some cleaning at the house:

"You are my favorite. Want of to bring you floods at shell." (Did you know that when you put the letters for "dinner" in the text, it defaults to "floods"? And "me" always defaults to "of" And of course Eric works at the Shell gas station, shell was not a mistake.)

Then there was the Sunday when I was hanging out during second service when I was on worship team and Will had gone home. I sent him a text that I was stopping by the store after church and should I bring home a roast chicken. I couldn't figure out why he texted me back "I don't know how smart it has to be." How strange. Then I looked back at my sent message and sure enough, it said, "Shall I bring home a smart chicken?"

Then last weekend Nick sent me a text that he was invited over to a friend's house. As I was just looking over my Sent messages, I see that I texted back, "Are you spending tin might?" Apparently he understood I was asking if he was spending "the night". It's really annoying when they text me back "What???" instead of simply trying to figure out what I meant.

I was at at the store last week and Nick asked me to buy cheerios, I texted back, "What line of cheerimp do you want?" When he texted back "What?", I did not deign to reply. I just chose the kind of cheerios myself.

And then there was the time I thought I'd be polite and let Will know I would be late getting home because I was getting a hair cut. Who know the text would say that I was getting a hair but? I got home and Will told me my but cut looked good!

I am sick and tired of always having to press "next" when I want to say "home" and the phone says "good". If I ask, "When will you be good?" or say, "I'll be good soon", just know that "good" equals "home" on my phone.

In fact, I'm tired of pressing "next" for all those common words. Nick and Will tell me that if I always pressed "next" the phone would recognize and default to those words. I insist I press "next" all the time but my phone is just too dumb to figure it out. I don't have time to keep correcting my phone, so here is my texting glossary. I am putting everyone on notice that if you receive a text from me, I will not correct it if the following words default incorrectly.

an might mean am

floods probably means dinner

good probably means home

jr always means is

line might mean kind

of often means me

smart might mean roast

See how easy it is! There might be more, just use your common sense and we will communicate just fine!

LCpl. Tyler John Troyer

I didn't know what to say on this third anniversary of the day Tyler was taken from us by a sniper's bullet in Iraq. But I just received a text from his sister Brittany with this picture on it and this message:

"It has now been three years since Tyler left us. Today is a day of remembering. If you are thankful for your freedom, pass this along so that everyone remembers this fallen hero on this special day! He is never gone unless forgotten. You are missed by so many, LCpl Tyler John Troyer! "

Well put, Brittany. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers today. May God's peace and healing touch surround you and your family.

I am remembering happy times, such as the one below showing Tyler and his cousin Craig with their short Uncle John at Grandpa's house.

Vancouver Weekend

When I received word a week ago Saturday that my nephew Nathan was going from his home in Whitehorse down to Vancouver, BC to have surgery, I assumed my only involvement would be to pray for him.

My brother Galen (an excellent brother and fantastic uncle) called us a few days later and asked if we'd like to accompany him and Carol up to Vancouver this weekend to visit Nathan and his wife Mary. It sounded like a good idea, so we all took off in Galen's car Friday morning.

Galen and Carol wanted to stop at a tropical place for lunch where they had eaten before. They couldn't remember the name of it, something like Jamaica Joes or Bahama Mamas. We were very fortunate to find Bahama Breezes surrounded by palm trees at the mall in Tukwila near Seattle. It was right near a Cheesecake Factory, but a car had just plowed through a window at the Cheesecake Factory! Bahama Breezes was fabulous (coconut shrimp!!) and kicked off a weekend of eating at great restaurants.

Traffic was pretty heavy when we got into Vancouver, and things got a little tense in the car with Will the Navigator and Galen the Driver cruising the unfamiliar dark city streets. Galen, of course, maintained his sweet even temper in the midst of a trial, as Troyers always do.

St. Paul's Hospital, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1994, is in the middle of the multitude of high rise buildings downtown. Nathan was in a newer wing, and it was quite a walk from the entrance across from our hotel to his side of the building. Much to our relief there was a blue line (complete with arrows!) on the floor that we could follow all the way to the elevator, which took us to his 10th floor room. Carol and I soon learned to hold back and follow Will and Galen when the elevator stopped so we wouldn't continue to be embarrassed when we foolishly headed the wrong way!

We finally got to see Nathan, who was fortunate to have the window side of the room he was sharing with an elderly man who occasionally emitted alarming wheezing, hacking noises. Despite having major surgery several days earlier and experiencing a great deal of pain and suffering before and after the surgery, Nathan was his cheerful, optimistic self, expecting to be released Saturday morning. Although I've seen him look better, with his rugged Troyer good looks he was handsome even in his hospital gown.

His dinner tray arrived so we left him to eat in peace while we checked into the Sheraton Hotel across the street and enjoyed the thrill of looking out the walls of windows from our room on the 22nd floor. We roamed the street checking out the many restaurants, and thought a light meal at a French cafe might be good after our heavy lunch. Bitter disappointment. The cauliflower and mushroom soups were both flavorless purees, and the bread was not even close to what good French bread should be. We went back to visit Nathan and Mary again before retiring to our lovely rooms.

The next morning the men went out and brought Tim Hortons donuts (which Nathan and Steven have talked up for years) back to our rooms. We enjoyed the complimentary morning paper with our donuts and the Starbucks coffee provided for our in-room brewing, while we continued to monitor the city's activities from our high perch. When we reached the hospital, Nathan was still waiting for the doctor's visit, and hadn't experienced the best night. He had received some food for dinner that was not on his diet. (Oops, food service error I guess.) When the doctor finally got there, we left for lunch. A hospital employee saw us looking out the window and pointed out the best restaurants on Davie Street, which she said was the place to get good food at a good price. We had a huge lunch at the Greek restaurant she recommended, Stephanos. I had Mousaka for the first time. It was good, and I loved the salad. The men had rack of lamb, a huge plate of food which neither of them could finish.

You see many interesting things when you walk the streets. I thought my boys would enjoy this sign.

When we got back to the hospital, Nathan had medical personel in his room and we were told we couldn't see him for a couple of hours. So we went back to the streets, walked down to the waterfront and took a little ferry over to Granville Island and did a little shopping. We were very good at just looking and not buying.

Nathan survived all the medical procedures of the afternoon, and we hung around and watched him enjoy his sumptuous dinner of broth, jello and two kinds of juice! Realizing what a blessed privilege it is to have a digestive system working properly, we went out for another good meal at a pizza/pasta place where there was live jazz music. That's another story. I texted some of Will's comments to my boys, and they texted back that they had enjoyed a "hearty laugh". But I fear his remarks may not be appropriate for some of my gentle readers.

Another visit to the hospital, where Nathan and Mary were pleased with how things were progressing and hopeful of release the next morning, and we returned to our exciting rooms overlooking the city lights.

The next morning we learned Nathan's night had been rough but things were looking up. He had been enjoying Chuck Swindoll on the luxurious TV set that Canadian health care provides their guests!
We country folk were enthralled with watching two men getting ready to board a "suspended stage" to do some work on a high rise. First we looked down on them from our hotel as they made preparations on the rooftop for whatever their task was, then from the hospital as we saw them rising up the side of the building. This is Galen looking out the window from the hospital room. They are almost a third of the way up the building on the left, just under the white line.

I zoomed in on this picture from our room when we went back to check out. Scary stuff!

Too soon we were back in the car navigating our way back to the USA. We enjoyed a late lunch at the Cheesecake Factory at the same mall where we ate on our way up. We took a scenic route back to I-5. Did you know there was a Des Moines, Washington? Carol and I were very patient and supportive of our navigator and driver.

I spoke to Nathan and Mary on the phone this evening and learned that Nathan was released yesterday but readmitted when he experienced more problems. But he got to leave for a couple hours today and is hopefully improving.

I cannot imagine how difficult this whole ordeal of years of illness, doctor visits, and now surgery with its accompanying complications has been for Nathan and Mary. They miss their four sweet children so much and are so thankful that John and Betsy (Nathan's parents) are taking care of them. They mentioned how grateful and humbled they are by the prayer and support they have received. The strength and grace they display in the midst of all this is truly amazing, and is a great testimony to the God they serve as well as the prayers of their family and friends. They are really good at finding the humor in the midst of the pain as well!

So join your prayers to ours, that he will be well enough to return home very soon to enjoy a less complicated recovery there with his family.

The Three Chicks Part II

If you have never been to the Cheesecake Factory, you need to be sure you go there at least once in your lifetime. Be sure you have plenty of time, because everybody in the world apparently wants to go there and is willing to wait for a seat. We thought with a late lunch (after 2:00) we wouldn't have to wait long, but it was nearly an hour. However, you can go shopping in the mall while you're waiting.

You also need to be sure to bring reading glasses. The menu is many pages long, and Mim was concerned about my squinting. (I left my new reading glasses in the car, unfortunately.) I ordered Shepherds Pie, and it was fabulous. The cheesecake decision was extremely difficult. We each ordered a different kind. Mim's was white chocolate raspberry, Becky's was a chocolate fudge brownie concoction, and mine was a white chocolate macadamia nut caramel creation. We tasted them all, and it was unanimous - the white chocolate raspberry was the best. But they were all delicious.

We had a lovely young waitress who shared her father's 50th birthday midlife crisis experiences with us (he bought a BMW and got really buff from working out). She brought us our cheesecake on decorated plates with candles burning.

After we stuffed ourselves, we did some more shopping. Didn't find quite the bargains we found earlier in the day.

As we headed home, Mim thought Marge should join us. I think Becky was tired of Marge bossing us around and she wanted to be in charge for awhile, so she just pretended to be Marge and directed Mim home!

Mim was very responsible at protecting Marge all day. From the parking lot at breakfast to the high class Lake Oswego garage sale to Becky's driveway when we returned in the evening, she faithfully concealed Marge's existence by casually draping her jacket over the dash every time we left the car. She told us that those navigation systems are the number one reason that cars get broken in to. I'm confident that no desperate thieving car burglar will ever guess that the black jacket is hiding such a desirable item!

As we drove through the beautiful countryside and city that day, we commented many times abut the beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges of the fall foliage. Reflecting on that, I realized that we are entering the autumn of our life. Spring and summer are over. The fiery colors of the mature foliage put to shame the dull green of spring and summer. We are heading into the most beautiful time of our lives! We are more interesting, more intelligent, and funnier that we have ever been. Our hair color may be enhanced to a hue different than it was 32 years ago, and someday we will have to decide when to allow it to return to its natural shade, which now includes touches of silver. (Perhaps we can postpone that decision until winter.) We look pretty good for women our age, but we are well aware that true beauty comes from within. We are blessed with excellent husbands who have survived and thrived with us, and now we get to enjoy the wisdom and stability that comes with this season. Mim pointed out that we need to spend time doing things that bring us fulfillment (and it's ok if cooking isn't one of them.) We know that God, family, friends and laughter are the basic ingredients to life.

Is my mid-life crisis about to hit?

The Three Chicks Celebrate 50 years!

Yesterday, after several months of planning and anticipation, I spent the day in Portland with two of my best chums from Lebanon High school, Mim and Becky, to celebrate our upcoming momentous golden birthdays. Half the fun was the emails we were exchanging in the months before the big day. Mim had quite a vision for the day. At one point it included such things as facial waxing, pedicures, and massages. But practicality won out. As she put it, "Last time I heard of someone getting a massage, they ended up in the hospital from it. Besides, what do you have to show for it after you've spent all that money? (Once a Mennonite, always a Mennonite!) At least when I buy a new outfit, I'm still wearing it ten years later! Horrible, isn't it?" Yes, indeed, I truly identify with her sentiments!

She was full of great ideas. Years ago, she wrote, she had so much fun garage sailing with some friends in Lake Oswego where things were up-scale and cheap. Becky and I loved the idea of a garage sail cruise. As Becky put it, "Wow, I was just thinking we may have hit on something - I haven't seen garage "sail" cruises advertised - maybe we can start a new business!! We'll call it the BML (Becky, Mim, LeAnn or Broad (or Bra) Minded Ladies - you choose) Cruise Line!!"

We met at 6:45 am yesterday at the Yaquina for breakfast. Becky had elaborate gift bags for us with all the accessories and inspirational items ladies our age need (at least everything she could find at the Dollar Tree and Avon samples), such as funky reading glasses, eye masks, wrinkle cream samples, lotions, bladder control liners, glucosamine, weekly medicine containers, and for Mim, a primary spelling workbook! Here we are with our new reading glasses and the loot.

Becky outdid herself with personal gifts for each of us. Below is Mim's gift, with our high school selves peeking out the portholes! She gave me a little stand with our senior name cards. You can glimpse the top of it in front of my gift bag above.Breakfast was great, but I began to fear we would never get out of Albany. Mim's meal ticket somehow got lost, (I can't imagine how with all the goodies on our table), so they had to get her another one. We headed down the road to an ATM for me, but I couldn't find my debit card when we got there. Mim had a phone book in her car!!! So I was able to call the restaurant immediately and sure enough, my debit card was there.

We finally got out of town and with the help of Mim's on-line navigation system, "Marge", we found all three garage sails that were being held in Lake Oswego that day. (November is not exactly the season for garage sail cruising!) We gave Marge quite a workout. She very patiently said, "Recalculating" every time we missed a turn.

We thought it was quite fortuitous that the last garage sale had the following sign. We asked one of the three chicks to take our picture. Fortunately, after she took the first one, she realized she had failed to get the sign in it so she took another one! I paid a dollar for that nice new duffle bag.

Two of the garage sales were upscale and one was a Sweet Home style. We had good reason to miss it the first time we drove by. There was no sign, but a U-Haul truck was in the driveway. The sale was in the nearly empty living room, and the woman of the house was cleaning out kitchen cupboards and hauling stuff in there. There were boxes full of random items. Mim was going through it, and every time she asked the teen age son how much for something, he said either 50 cents or a dollar. She got some cheap stuff. I realized I really don't like digging through jumbled boxes. I want things to be lying neatly on a table so I can see what it is without touching it.

At the first sale, the woman saw Mim looking at a very ugly teapot (She recognized the label as being expensive). It was kind of flat and shaped somewhat like a mouse. The woman said she has no idea why she paid $65 for it, she was in a tourist moment. She sold it to Mim for $4. Mim got some expensive trinkiets for very cheap. She resells things, so she was quite pleased with her bargains.

Next we hunted down a Goodwill, and believe me, we had to hunt, even with Marge helping us. Marge gave us an address for a Goodwill Outlet, but there was nothing there but a park in a residential neighborhood. We all found more treasures when Goodwill was finally located and worked up quite an appetite for the Cheesecake Factory at the Washington Square shopping mall, where we headed for a late lunch. I will blog that later. I am waiting for one of my chums to send me pictures. They both have sleek little cameras that fit in their purses; mine does not.

In closing, I will pontificate that mixing up shopping for old and new was an appropriately symbolic celebration as we commemorated our old lives and prepared to commence on a new half century. I am very blessed to have such friends, and am pretty annoyed when I think of all the laughs and good times that I have missed out on because I spent very little time with them the past 30 years!

One thing down, one to go

On Saturday morning, Will and I did some separate errands then met to go out to lunch. First of all he had a fit about how long it took me to get from the library to GI Joes. (I wanted to make sure the interior of my car looked really good before he joined me.) Then as we headed down the street to Red Robin, it started raining. I turned my wipers on. I was about to turn in the parking lot when Will loudly ordered me not to turn and started exclaiming over and over, "Oh my gosh." An argument ensued because I felt I needed to turn there, but he seemed incapable of coherent speech.

We had a bit of commotion in the car for awhile until I realized his state of shock and horror was due to the sight of my windshield wipers. Half of the one on the right side had split away and was flopping merrily behind the actual wiper. In my defense, I tried to take care of it awhile back. I was at the Shell station and I asked Eric if I could buy them there. He said yes, but it would cost me over $20! I declined. I asked Nick to come by after school some day and take care of it for me but he never got around to it. I don't think a princess should have to deal with mundane things like that. Somebody should just take care of it for me.

We pulled up to Knechts, went in, and Will asked the young man there to show me how easy it is to get new wiper blades. This wonderful young man had them replaced in no time at all for $8.95!!! Wow!

After lunch we went out to a couple of furniture stores. I need a new footstool or ottoman. Until recently, I had a cute little footstool but frequent use by too many great big heavy man feet caused the cute little legs to give way awhile back. I like to put my feet up when I sit down to read. We walked into a furniture store and Will told me if I didn't go tell a salesperson what I was looking for, he would announce what I was currently resting my feet on. It was only the previous night that I had come up with this wonderful idea. We had just purchased a brand new huge package of toilet paper. I took possession of it, covered it up with the beautiful denim comforter from my family room, and had an extremely comfortable (and attractive) footstool. Tacky? Maybe, especially now that some toilet paper rolls have been removed from it and it's sagging a little on one side.

Where is a good place to buy an ottoman? I'm thinking maybe a black leather one with storage. Just not a great big one. In the meantime, maybe I'll go buy another big package of toilet paper. If I pin the edges of the blanket together, maybe tie a big bow around it, I might win an award on a design show or something. Is that what they call cheap chic?

Too Good to be True

I'm afraid my new co-worker is just too good to be true.

I intended to cut some flowers to put on her desk for her first day. I didn't get around to it, but she walked in with two huge bouquets of roses, one for each of our desks. I learned she has 50 rose bushes. Isn't that interesting, we both love roses and like to have bouquets on our desk. She brings fresh bouquets every Monday morning.

A few days later when I went out to my car I spotted a red Mustang next to it. Turns out it's hers. I have always secretly coveted red Mustangs.

Last week she brought us both a yogurt parfait that she made, layered with granola, blueberries, strawberries and bananas. I love yogurt parfaits. It was fantastic.

Friday when there was no school she brought her dinner leftovers for us to share for lunch - some delicious teriyaki chicken and twice baked potatoes.

She went crabbing last weekend and brought me some crab to take home and share with my family. She was a little concerned that I'd forget it and it would stink up the refrigerator, so before she left for the day, she put a little sticky note on my purse that said "crab". (Will had his own interpretation of what that might mean.)

Yesterday she wore a black shirt with white polkadots. I own the exact same shirt.

We like so many of the same things and are similar in many ways, but she is just all around a better person than I. The big difference is, she actually follows through and does things, whereas I have lots of good intentions but very weak follow-through.

So she is inspiring me to be a better person.....but I am at a loss of how to reciprocate all the good things she keeps bringing.

Oh rats, I was so pleased when I came home today and my kitchen was spotless. The boys all work evenings, and sometimes when I come home (to my great displeasure) I can tell exactly what they ate for lunch/after school snack. Not a crumb of evidence today - until now. This laptop is on the dining room table, and I just realized my elbow was sticking to the table. Then I see grape jelly on the corner of the voters pamphlet that is next to the computer. Good grief.

A New Leaf

You heard it here first, I'm turning over a new leaf.

On Friday we rearranged the office. It's very strange, totally different than it was before but it accomplished our desire to face forward when we are on our computers and got me closer to the front counter. I got things set up the way I want them and stayed Friday until I was caught up with paperwork. I'm ashamed to say how late it was, but it was very dark outside. I went back Saturday and cleaned up the two conference rooms off the office that had become out of control with junk.

The rearrangement got rid a table full of Helen's plants. We still have some of her plants scattered around the office, but it's time to let most of them go. We will let staff take them away this week. It was/is hard to let go, but I know some change needs to happen.

I have reached the end of my tolerance for all the hours at the office. I am determined to leave work by 5 pm every day this week and try to get my life back. Enough is enough!

I Couldn't Believe My Eyes

This afternoon a student walked into the office and said she needed help. I looked at her and saw the she had a large paper clip hanging from her lower lip. It was poked in and under the skin for about a quarter inch before sticking out again. "I didn't mean to do it," she said. "Could you just pull it out for me?"

Why is the health room person out to lunch when you need her?

"No I will not," said I. "It could start bleeding or who knows what." "I don't care if it bleeds. Just take it out," said she.

I told this young lady to have a seat while I called her mother. She said she felt like fainting. I told her to stay seated. She wanted to go to her locker. I told her to stay where she was. "I need to go to the bathroom. I feel like throwing up," she said. I put a garbage can in front of her, and she leaned forward and started gagging into it.

Such was the scene Nick beheld when he walked in to say hi after he got out of school. For some reason he didn't stick around.

Fortunately the girl's mother came right down. They were back within a half hour, the girl's lip red and swollen but otherwise fine. The doctor pulled it right out.

You just never know what will walk through that door!

Autumn Update

What a gorgeous Autumn day. After being treated like a princess all weekend, I am back in the real world, well rested and ready to face another week of crazy busy long work days.

I actually left work somewhat on time Friday, packed my bag and headed up to the posse camp, where Will already had the fifth wheel set up. I slept nearly 12 hours Friday night and lounged around in my pajamas in the heated comfort of the fifth wheel Saturday morning, looking out at the dark overcast day, drinking coffee with Will, then reading the latest Robin Cook medical thriller. After lunch it seemed like a good idea to get dressed. I finished the book mid-afternoon.

Will and I took a nice long walk, and the sun even peeked out a few times. Why is there such pleasure walking on a path carpeted with crispy, colorful, new-fallen leaves? A cougar was recently spotted in the area and Will had cautioned me to keep my eyes open. As we were about to step down and out of the woods onto the gravel bar along the creek, there was a sudden commotion in the brush by my right foot. Expecting a cougar attack, a piercing scream escaped me, but it was just a grouse flying out of the bushes. That got my heart rate up just a bit!

Nick joined us Saturday afternoon after taking his PSAT and we enjoyed his company. He managed to escape getting put to work this time. The little foot bridge over the creek that he helped with the last time is all done and very picturesque, as well as sturdy.

Last night was not quite as restful. There was a loud banging on the door at 3:30 am, a deputy calling out to Will that he needed to talk to him. I sat straight up in bed with my second near-heart attack in 12 hours, frightened that one of our boys had been in a car accident or some other tragedy. I strained my ears to hear the deputy's report, and I heard him say, "I just wanted to update you on a search that's going on for some missing elk hunters." You wake us up in the middle of the night to report on a search for missing elk hunters? That is not even close to being newsworthy enough for a 3:30 am update. After he left it was difficult to get back to sleep, so about 4:30 we got up and had a snack, me a banana and Will a bowl of cereal. I told Will if that deputy comes back at 6:30 am to give him another update I will beat him up. Then I practiced punching Will's face, (missing on purpose) because I really don't have a clue how to beat someone up. Lucky for him (and me), he didn't show up again.

On the work side of things, my replacement started almost two weeks ago, and I couldn’t be happier with her. God is so good, he gave us someone who already worked in attendance at the high school so she already knew the new program and everything involved with attendance. Woe to those truant and tardy children, I think she will deal with them much more effectively than I did. There are many more things to learn, but she is doing great.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all my new responsibilities, mostly because I am kept so busy just responding to all the things that happen in a day that I can’t get paperwork done until everyone is gone. In addition to the constant phone calls, the counter traffic, requests from the staff of 60+, new things come up that I have to research or call someone to find out proper procedure before I actually do it. So in spite of the extra hours I put in, the paperwork pile continues to grow.

But hope springs eternal. There is no school Thursday and Friday due to parent-teacher conferences, so surely things will be quiet and we will get a lot done in the office. I’m confident that by the end of the week my in-basket and to-do list will be empty. And instead of 6 am to 6 pm, I will start working the normal 7 am to 4 pm again. LOL. ROTFL.

The Brain is Fried

I have nearly forgotten about this blog in this season of loss and adjustment at work. I have been working way too many hours for the past six weeks, and my brain is fried by the time I get home. Two weeks ago I became the Office Manager, and this week we hired someone to take my job ("Clerical Specialist"). For now I am still doing my job plus many tasks of the office manager. We have a terrific sub (a retired office manager) working also. I don't know yet when the new person will start, but I can't wait to hand over all the time-consuming daily elements of my job. I am ready to get rid of Attendance duties and its the bothersome new program for sure! I have never been so consumed by work, and I am growing weary of it. But this too shall pass.

Family Dinner

Yesterday at lunch was the first time in weeks that the five of us have all been home at the same time for a meal, so it was quite a celebration, for me at least. I was at church for two services versus the rest of the family only attending first service, and I texted them in that we were having "steal" and baked potatoes for lunch. I have to maintain my reputation for bad texting!

So we barbecued and ate out on the deck in the warm sunshine. Sometimes with this crowd, it's hard for Will to get a word in, since he actually thinks before he speaks. Toward the end of the meal, he asked, "So do you suppose I don't talk much because you guys talk so much, or do you talk so much because I don't talk very much?"

Craig's response was immediate. "Oh, Dad, how could you do this to me? I'll be trying to figure this out for the next week! You and your riddles!"

Oh yeah, we are very deep thinkers around here.

A Day at the Coast

A wonderful relaxing weekend - just what I needed. Will, Nick and I headed for the coast yesterday. Got out there just in time for lunch. Mo's was very crowded and Will decided we should experience something different. Nick and I were both a little concerned when he parked at the South Beach Fish Market. Its' bright multi-colored paint job and the crab cooking outside didn't exactly shout "fit for a princess". It didn't quite have the ambience of Mo's, but the food was excellent. I would eat there again, but it's definitely a place to leave the tiara in the vehicle.

Then we tried out Will's nice new binoculars and did a little bird watching at the bay. We watched this egret catch and eat several fish. There were enough binoculars to go around to all of us.
Then it was to the beach for some kite flying. I hoping to get in a nice beach walk too but the wind was to strong for me to enjoy much of that. Looking away from the ocean here the sky is blue.
But the other side was socked in with fog and clouds. The kite flying was entertaining. Quite action packed. The "Detonator" is a cool kite with dual controls.
I found myself a nice sheltered spot in the dunes and this was my view. It was amazing how warm it was there - the heat of the sun burned right through that fog. A Mennonite youth group poured onto the beach shortly after we got there. The boys played football and the girls waded in the water, soaking their long wet denim skirts. Brrr. Perhaps they felt a strong sense of the Lord's protection as they wondered through the danger zone where our kite was madly doing figure eights in the sky. They were obviously oblivious that they were in imminent peril of impalement should the high-speed kite suddenly come streaking to the ground. Which it did with regularity, fortunately never coming in contact with loitering youth. It eventually broke something loose, so we took it to the kite shop for repair. The nice man there fixed it and was very impressed with the fine job Will did of rewinding the kite string. I told him Will was also extremely talented at backing up enormous fifth wheels. Will threatened to send me to the car.

It was very windy here today so the men went to the school to fly it again. Apparently the "Detonator" is just not quite sturdy enough for McAnulty men and Oregon winds. It broke again. Maybe we'll have to go back and by the $300+ quad line "Revolution" that does all kinds of cool things. Then again, maybe not.

School Days

The first two days of school are successfully over. Our brand new on-line gradebook and attendance program has caused some stress, since the class lists didn't match the old system we were switching from. I couldn't even get into the attendance program until this afternoon, and when you're used to being the Queen of Attendance, well....it's just a good thing that I realize that a malfunctioning computer program is nothing compared to really hard things that happen.

When I made my first entry in the new system this afternoon to prearrange two absences for tomorrow, it told me both students were going to be dropped from all their classes tomorrow but it would still allow me to enter attendance information for them. How gracious of it. So I will eagerly check in the morning to see if they are still enrolled. I have a lot to learn. And I used to know it all!

A cute little sixth grade boy came in yesterday and asked if he could get a schedule change. I asked, "What would you like to change, Honey?" (After working with Helen all those years, it is so automatic to call kids Honey. It gets embarrassing when you realize you've just called an adult man or woman Honey though.) The little guy said, "I'd like to change from Physical Education to PE." "Well, Honey," I say, "PE and Physical Education are the same thing." "I don't think so," says he. "How could I have PE in a classroom in B hall?" I look at his schedule and see that he is assigned to a teacher who only has one PE class; therefore the computer assigned PE to the classroom where all her other classes are. He was very relieved to find he got to go to the gym and have a normal PE class.

Then there's all the kids - and not just sixth graders - who left their schedule containing their locker combination, in their locker, so they need their locker combo again. Or they lost their schedule and don't know where to go.

I took a schedule from a boy who needed a locker assigned and saw that the schedule was for Greg Higgins. I know Greg Higgins, and this boy was not him. "What is your name?" I ask. "Greg Higgs," is his reply. I encourage him to always make sure that he carefully checks the name on paperwork he receives since he has an almost twin!

And there are those who come in from the lunchline and say "I brought money to you yesterday but when I put my number in the computer it says I have no money in my account." It turns out they have two accounts, one under their legal name and one under the "preferred" name they have taken since their mother remarried. There are so many kids like that.

Then after the last bell rings, even though I made sure we made an announcement for kids who didn't know what bus they take to come to the office so we could tell them, the office is flooded with students who don't know their bus number. We look them up as quick as we can and send them out. Soon some of them return to call home because they missed their bus.

Smile. Be Patient. Call them Honey.

Surviving

Thankfully the boys returned safely today from their trip to Idaho for Will's dad's funeral, which was held Thursday. They took off brght and early Wednesday morning. Craig was the first one to go out and put things in the trunk - and he lost the key before he returned to the car for his next trip. So we were all searching the driveway and the garage and the house for this key. Fortunately I had a spare. That did not inspire much confidence in sending three boys off on a 500 mile trip. They had a good time bonding together and really enjoyed time with their McAnulty relatives. Will comes home on Sunday.

I haven't had time to miss him much, in fact he might be slightly annoyed about the long hours I'm working if he were home. We didn't have time to rearrange any office furniture today. How silly, to think on the day before school starts we would have time for something unrelated to student registration or schedules.

Today the fire alarm people were testing the new alarms they have been installing for the past week. The new alarm is a shrill yet vibrating, ear-splitting shriek, on a few seconds, off a second, repeat, and a piercing flashing light as well. I determined I would sit and work in spite of the din. By the time it was over, people had pretty much left the building, even though they knew it was just a test. In the afternoon, they warned us they would be testing it again, for 20 to 30 minutes. I knew I had already reached my limit, so I changed our voice mail message, put a "Closed til 2:15 for fire alarm testing" sign on the door, grabbed some paperwork and headed next door to West Albany High School, where we sat in the student lounge to work. We got a lot done over there, working without any interuptions. We were tempted to play hooky. But as always, we resisted tempation and headed back to let in the crowd of people who had gathered.

It is time to go to bed.

Funny Helen

One warm summer day a couple of years ago, Helen had been working hard. It was afternoon, she was tired and just felt like putting her feet up. I couldn't believe it when I turned around and saw her! After I laughed awhile, I got out the camera.

Tomorrow after the office closes, we will remove her belongings from her desk, take down the pictures of her family, the drawings and cards given to her by students and her grandchildren that are stuck all over the front of her desk, and put them in a box to give to her family. We will rearrange the office furniture, because no one wants to sit in the great lady's spot. We have had some discussions about how to rearrange, and I thought it would be fun to put a loveseat in the corner where a huge plant is overtaking the room. Wouldn't it be great to have a place to put your feet up and relax, or sit and visit in Helen's honor? I think our boss might be worried that we are serious about it....We'll keep her guessing as long as we can.

Helen enjoyed rearranging furniture, and I've heard the story of how she and the counselling secretary were rearranging the office one year while registration was going on. I can just imagine it. She was very spontaneous.

On the first day of school next Tuesday, our office will look different, but we want it to be a place where her memory and her passion for people are always honored. We are pondering ideas of how to make that happen.

Helen

How do you even begin to express how it feels to lose a friend/co-worker like Helen Kauffman – someone you have shared office space with for eight years, eight hours a day, five days a week, 11 months out of the year.

Someone who laughed and kept you laughing all throughout the day, whose rich laughter could be heard all the way down the hall.

Someone who found stress relief in the houseplant section at Fred Meyer. Sometimes just browsing was enough, but purchasing a new plant was always sure to lift her spirits. In fact, I'm not sure she could even stop by Fred Meyer without checking out the plant department. There was always room for one more plant on her desk.

Someone who unconditionally loved those who were especially unlovable, people who I often would have preferred to ignore so they would go away.

Someone who deeply felt the hurts of others and would greatly inconvenience herself to do anything she could to help.

Someone who loved and cared for her own children and grandchildren above all else – but had plenty of love left over to spoil my own children and any child in the vicinity.

Someone who called everyone “Honey” and “Sweetheart”, even her bosses!

Someone who thrived on having the staff crowd around her desk after school, asking her to order this and take care of that. Someone who loved to nurture them and made them feel like part of the family.

Someone who was crazy about babies and animals, and gushed extravagantly with no inhibitions over both.

Someone who could drive me crazy sometimes when there was pressing work to do in the office, but she was busy counseling a child or deep in conversation with a staff or family member....or repotting a plant in the middle of the office, getting dirt everywhere. Sometimes she would realize it and apologize for "slacking". On a good day, I might reply something like, "It's OK, Mary, you've got Martha here to take care of it!" We would laugh about it together. I really want to be more like Mary.

Someone who, like me, was often stubborn and opinionated, but always forgave and forgot when I messed up.

Someone who made going to work so interesting and fun, because you just never knew what kind of crazy thing she might do or say.

Someone who firmly believed that chubby people should accept themselves just the way they are. Someone who believed that I was perhaps getting too thin. (I told you she could be crazy, didn't I?! But see why I love her so much!)

Someone who will never come back and be my amazing partner, “the nice one”, “the one who looks like a grandma”.

Someone who stubbornly refused to let cancer steal her joy, who tenaciously clung to her belief that God could heal, who fought with everything she had to live her normal life of service to others in spite of the pain and fatigue that became her constant companions. Someone whose courage and persistance was an inspiration and source of amazement to those around her.

Someone who was supposed to work this year to welcome her grandson to 6th grade and then retire, with a huge crazy hilarious party at the end of the year, an occasion for which I had been filing away pictures and stories.

Someone who I miss terribly. Someone who leaves a huge hole in our school and in my life.

Someone who was an outstanding example of these words from Philippians 2. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. "

That was Helen Kauffman.

What a Week

A week ago I was very concerned about my friend, our office manger Helen Kauffman, who was fiercely battling cancer since her diagnosis in June 2007. She had been growing weaker but continued to come to work at least a couple of hours a day. She was at work Monday but fell that night and reluctantly stayed home the next day due to the pain she was experiencing. Wednesday she said she would try to come in a couple of hours late, but we convinced her it was ok to stay home. She felt terrible about missing work during such a busy time, getting ready for registration. Thursday she felt even worse. Sunday night I got word from her family that they did not expect her to be able to return to work at all. She rapidly declined, and when I visited her Tuesday afternoon I hardly recognized her. But I was able to talk to her for just a minute before she went back to sleep. The reality that even the indomitable Helen Kauffman would not be able to bounce back from this really hit me then. She went to be with Jesus about 5:30 Wednesday evening. My principal, assistant principal and I were still at work so we got on the phone to notify staff and former staff.

The next day Will got a call that his dad is very ill and not expected to last very long. He had the trailer all loaded with food and supplies for a father/son camping weekend, so he was all ready to hook up and head to Idaho (without the boys). He is still there, spending his days at his father's bedside.

So it has been a very busy and emotional week, with many long hours spent at work. Students continue to register and preparations must be made for staff to return next week and students to return the week after, so there is much to be done as we grieve her loss. Helen loved and was loved by all who knew her. She touched many lives and leaves a huge hole at our school. God has blessed us with awesome staff who are helping out. An office manager who retired from another middle school is willing to sub in our office until someone is hired. Her help will lighten my load so much, and I am so thankful.

I will write a tribute to this great lady after I have time to get my thoughts in order.

Eric's Haircut

On the way to church this morning I sat in the back seat (so that Eric could have the leg room in the front), looking at Eric's long disheveled hair and trying not to make another negative comment about it. As I silently bit my tongue and resisted the temptation to finger comb it, Eric announced that he would like a haircut today. I made plans to do it immediately after church. He informed me that he and Nick were going out to a field to take some "rock star" photos first.

That might make a nice album cover.
But I like this one better. Nick did an excellent job on photography.
Eric told me he wanted it short in back and just long enough to be messy on top. I was startled to see it spiked when he came down from the shower. He assured me it wouldn't be a daily 'do. I would have cut it shorter if I would have known that was on the agenda! He even went and shaved the area between the goatee and sideburns so that he could spend one day being clean cut. Should have got a picture of that to treasure in case it never happens again.
What a funny kid!

Pictures from Reunion

I'm overdue to share some pictures of the Oswald Reunion in July. Here's the main reason we have the reunion, the beloved aunts and uncles who remain with us. My mom's brother Ves and his wife Jan on are on the left, her sister Dorla and husband Tilman on the right. We deeply missed mom's sister Jeannine and her husband Lester, who both went to their heavenly reward this past year. And my Aunts Margie and Twila were unable to come, so we missed them too. But the family who came together had a wonderful time.

Apparently Scott and Becky were pretty excited to be at the front of the buffet line.

Saturday afternoon was warm, and after our softball game, many folks young and old took advantage of the tubes provided for floating the creek. Here's Melissa and Tamarick with Becky Boone in the background.

Some of us who didn't float hung around down there in the shade awaiting their return. Isn't Jenna cute sitting on her daddy's shoulders!
Simon was so proud to wear his new fishing vest, recently outgrown by his cousin Nick and sold to him at the auction.
Jenna and Lucy are independent young ladies - check out Jenna's flip flops! She actually walked around in them like that!

That's all for now.

Softball Tongue Wagging

Once again I choose to demonstrate my great humility and lack of pride. Tonight our softball team (last place) was scheduled to play the first place team (Grace Bible) in the playoffs. Only 6 of our players showed up. Sadly, Nick couldn't come because Taco Bell claimed him first. The other team had about 18 players, so we forfeited the game, and then some of their players joined us in a just-for-fun game. They were a good group and we did have a lot of fun. Will didn't bother to keep score, he engaged in photography instead. I was shocked and appalled to view pictures of three separate at-bats that all showed me with my tongue out. I will spare you and show only one of them.

However, notice the halo-like glow around my head. I had no idea I had such an aura.

Now, I have been aware all my life that I have an uncontrollable tongue. It comes out when I read, write, sew, play piano, type, work in the yard, etc., etc. I did not realize that it also came out when I was engaged in athletic activities. Even standing way out in right field, (where, as the weakest link, I always stand alert and ready) the photo showed the tongue out.

Looking at all the pictures Will took that revealed some rather peculiar stances, I think we might be able to make a book or video, "How not to play softball". I fear to think what he might post on his Facebook. But he does it in love. He thinks I'm cute.

Craig, on the other hand, is a fantastic ball player. He even smiles when he's running the bases. I might smile too if I hit triples.
I wonder if any Olympic athletes have ever had to fight to overcome such a difficult, unconscious habit? Because I don't think I have ever seen one of them wagging their tongue around while engaged in intense skillful physical activity.

My brother Tom recently sent me a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0bI1dHmjjw to a video of his adorable little girl who at less than two years of age, sticks her tongue out and wiggles it all over the place while she is playing! Proof that it is genetic and therefore impossible to overcome. But very cute on her!

Eric is 20

I failed to post on 08-08-08, Eric's 20th birthday. I tried to get a nice picture of him and Will. This is what I got.

Hard to believe it's been 20 years since that chubby 9 pound 13 ounce baby boy made his appearance. He has certainly made our life interesting. Although he still doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up, we are sure that after a few more years of pumping gas and going to school, he will mature into a talented man who will accomplish great things. He and Will headed out to the coast today to do some geocaching and to fly a new two-man kite that Will has. To their disappointment, there was no wind at the beach today!

Metolius 2008

Our Metolius River camping trip was just the right mix of new adventures, walks along the familiar river, and lots of time to sit outside in the gorgeous weather in front of the river reading a good book!

I have walked the trail past this "bridge" for many years thinking it looked much too dangerous to cross. Will crossed it and refused to come back, so I had to join him. I happened to be wearing flipflops because it's not far from our camp, so that made the trip a little more thrilling. I'm somewhat of a coward when it comes to crossing logs over rivers. Will tells me it's good to stretch myself. Thank you, Will.We joined a friend's church group in Sisters on Sunday afternoon for a hike from 3 Creeks Lake up to Little Three Creeks Lake. Lots of wildflowers and scenery along the way. I think this was McKinley Butte but I'm not sure.
Of course, there were many fabulous Dutch Oven dinners cooked by Will. He made pizza in it for the first time. It looked somewhat like a pyramid when he was ready to bake it, so I helped out by smoothing the toppings a bit toward the edges. It turned out great.
A Western Tanager was relaxing in a tree one day as I was walking along the river.

Once again, we enjoyed the view of the springs from the Canyon Creek trail. The water is such a gorgeous color there. I said I'd love to see the springs from that side of the river and Will assured me he could get me there. (The trail goes high above it.)

So the next day we had an adventurous journey along the steep hill, carefully picking our way over huge rocks, sliding through loose dirt, climbing over fallen logs, and avoiding a badger nest. The springs were in sight just down yonder when Will stopped, surveyed the treacherous hillside ahead, and told me he would not allow me to goad him into going any farther. He was done. He advised me I would need to find a younger man to lead me to the springs. I was not willing to risk my life to continue any further, so we carefully made our way up the hill to the trail above.

Another day we took a hike to Choosh Falls (formerly known as Squaw Falls). There were two other falls along the trail, but the last one was the most spectacular.

A great place to relax!
What a beautiful state we inhabit.
Once again, our campsite received regular visits from Will's friend, Deputy Dave. As he was leaving one time, the people next to us asked if everything was ok or if there was anything they should know. Deputy Dave informed them that Will was recently out on parole, and they should be sure to give him a call if he did anything suspicious! It made me wonder how many people might be curious why the "police" are at our campsite but are too polite to ask!

We made a very useful discovery about the capacity of the black water storage capacity of our lovely, wonderful, comfortable new fifth wheel. It holds nine days worth. On the morning we were to return home, I found a paper taped to the top of the toilet seat that said, "No Princess!" So I sadly put on my flipflops and told Will I would go out and join the commoners.

Now the most fun part of summer is over and I go back to work tomorrow. Oh joy. But hopefully we'll get out a couple more weekends close to home.