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I just posted my Neverwinter Nights module af...
July 31, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I just posted my Neverwinter Nights module after over a year of development. I've been feeling nervous and giddy all day. Hopefully things will go smoothly, though I dread the bugs I know will surface.
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FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT CONFIRMED FOR AUGUST 21
...
July 30, 2004 by Yayoe in Yayoe
FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT CONFIRMED FOR AUGUST 21
HI There,
Please save Saturday, August 21 for the family photo shoot. I'll confirm the time. The photographer, Julie Coburn, needs to check out Jenny's house to determine when the light is best for a photo. So I'll be in touch about the time. Remember, I'll buy pizza for after the photo shoot. You folks can bring the rest. I also bought a foldable little house/tent for the kids today at a garage sale. It's a wonderful little house that will keep them out of the sun!
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Another mocha Friday, and a beautiful one at ...
July 30, 2004 by Adam in Family
Another mocha Friday, and a beautiful one at that too. There's a certain anticipation one gets at the end of the work day on Friday with the sky a lovely shade of blue.
Emma actually cried when I left for work this morning. Jamie was even holding her, so it was quite unusual. It's probably wrong to feel a sense of joy in my child's suffering, though it's good to know I'm loved.
No big weekend plans other than our block party. Even though we've lived here a couple years, we don't know our neighbors all that well. Jim and Judy are coming down to help organize things and hopefully everything will go nicely Sunday night for the big event.
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Sam seems to heal just as fast as he collects...
July 30, 2004 by Adam in Sam
 Sam seems to heal just as fast as he collects scrapes and bruises. It seems hard to keep up with him these days, both mentally and physically. He's always scurrying off to work on some project or another. The stories he comes up with and wants me to play along with are fascinating at times. The other night we were woolly mammoths, brought back from the dead after being frozen in the ice for ages.
Only a couple more months until he starts kindergarden. Tomorrow he's going to visit his preschool teacher's farm, which is usually a fun adventure.
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I spent today at community organizations, mee...
July 29, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I spent today at community organizations, meeting their directors and getting a feel for what they do, and what we do with/to them. I also met with the VISTA at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and she and I got excited about collaborative work. She's such an inspiration!
Anna also made a suprise visit last night. I haven't seen her in two weeks due to various weddings on her part, which is a long time after a whole summer together. On Friday, Casey, Jess, Anna Lev and I are going to Jess' grandparent's house in the adarondacks! A whole weekend of adventure!
For now, you can call the office if you'd like to chat- it's not particularly busy, and we can always reschedule in the evening. As my house in only a block away, if anyone wants to call later in the pm, I can return to the office and wait for the ring.
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We had a bit of a long night
July 29, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We had a bit of a long night. Isa has been tramatized by bugs and kept having bad dreams. I spent a good part of the night snuggled up with her reasuring her that there were no insects in her room. This all stemmed from leaving her dinner plate on the grass last night while she was playing with her friend, only to return and have it covered with ants. Sigh... not quite sure what to do with an obsesive cumpulsive child.
Mom will be up today. she's picking Isa up at school, and then heading downtown to play with me between classes. I'm hoping I actually have all of my homework done by then!
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Emma was taking a bath tonight and she bumped...
July 29, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma was taking a bath tonight and she bumped her open mouth on the enamel side pretty hard. Blood came out and you could see that the teeth that were about to come out seemed much more visible. I did a minor freak out, but within a few minutes she was calmly sitting on Jamie's lap feeling much better.
Thirty minutes later she was running around buck naked in the back yard with Sam and Jamie, who was squirting the hose at the flowers and occasionally the kids. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. It was one of those moments I hoped to fix in my memory for the rest of my days.
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I had a most delicious day at the coast today
July 29, 2004 by Yayoe in Yayoe
I had a most delicious day at the coast today. Two of my women friends and I ate at the delightful Alpha Bit restaurant/collective in Mapleton and then went to Heceta Head beach. We also took the free tour to the light house. They will be giving the tours throughout the summer. I've never been in a light house. The interior is so interesting and spooky just like in those scary movies where terrible things happen to people who enter them. You can climb to the top and see the beautiful lenses that reflect the light. The Coast Guard tried to decomission it a few years ago but the residents of Florence/Yachats decided to save it. It now belong to the Parks and Recreaction department.This is must see so put it on your list for a free day of fun and exploration!
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Well, I'm done with Thief
July 28, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
 Well, I'm done with Thief. No really big flashy ending, just the satisfaction that the game is over with. Time to move on.
These days I'm waiting impatiently for Doom 3 to be released. There's also the matter of a NWN module I'm trying to finish. I was up late bug fixing last night. There were only a few minor changes today. Perhaps I'll shoot for a Friday release?
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Well, the exploding popcicles weren't nearly ...
July 28, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Well, the exploding popcicles weren't nearly as exciting as Jamie led on. They merely bubbled over a bit but it was cleaned up in fifteen seconds while holding Emma. No biggie.
Jamie went off last night to hang out with a fellow mom. The kids were in pretty good form and I had Dave and Kirsten for the dinner portion. Sam got the idea to make an ice cream sundae. Even though he wasn't allowed further sweets that day, he compromised and it's now waiting for dessert tonight.
We all wandered over to campus this morning to watch the U of O students put on Alice in Wonderland. Even Emma seemed to enjoy watching it, mesmerized by all those adults acting silly.
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So, instead of calling Verizon to fix my phon...
July 28, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
So, instead of calling Verizon to fix my phone, I decided to shut it off and go cellular. I haven't picked up a plan yet, but I shall do it soonish. Sweet Jacqui Shine called yesterday, and reminded me of the power human kindness has on one's mood. I a meeting this morning with a volunteer at a local org that reminded me (again!) of the power of human kindness. Can you imagine organizing a five-hour clothing sale once a year that makes $18,000?! That, my friends, is dedication. It's nice to know that I don't have to go far to find inspiration.
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I discovered a handy tidbit the other day
July 27, 2004 by Adam in Family
I discovered a handy tidbit the other day. When making popsicles out of carbonated pop, it explodes all over the freezer. Though Jamie had told Sam earler that they couldn't do it, there was never any explaination as to why. Never daunted by Jamie's protocols, I decided to take matters into my own hands. This morning I received a call from her, explaining the rather messy results. Oops.
I had the kids for awhile this morning while Jamie worked out in the basement gym. We wandered about campus, exploring the geology building and visiting the fish in the EMU. Both kids were cheerful and happy, which makes the adventure even more fun.
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Wow, I haven't posted for a month
July 27, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Wow, I haven't posted for a month. I think I've been in mourning for mi roja trucka, may it rest in peace. How I'm going to replace all my travel bumper stickers I don't know. I pretty much think I'll wait until the 2K4 model prices are low at the end of December and get a new truck; the insurance company is supposed to give me about $6,000,which I suppose is not bad for a 10 year old truck.
I had a very fun weekend; I do love to get fussed over.
Thank you, everyone. Yayoe and Hanni, though I always try to remember that we're a family and not a support group, I thought our discussion about our disparate experiences during the war was interesting. Maybe we all try to be tolerant because we saw at first hand what happens when people aren't.
Good news bad news; I stepped on a rusty nail but I had a
tetanus shot when we went to Africa, so I don't have to get another. (I got it a little confused with rabies, and I wasn't sure whether or not I was supposed to shoot the nail and freeze it - or is that a dog frothing at the mouth..)Also, I took one of those sleep apnea tests and have to go see some specialist - the good news is that you kids can't keep giving me grief about snoring)
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It was a great and busy weekend for evey one ...
July 26, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
It was a great and busy weekend for evey one in the family. Robbie, Seraph and Isabell came Friday, spent one night at my house, then moved to Grandma Susi's house for the next night. Robbie and I entertained Isabell while Serraph spent hours doing her homework. But we did get some conversation time in over dinner and big breakfast with Seraph. Of course the highlight was Sunday at Jenny's house for Sue's and Adam's Birthday party. Jenny really knows how to barbeque, It was delicious!!!
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It was another exciting day Sunday
July 26, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was another exciting day Sunday. Everyone got together for a combined birthday for mom and I. Sam came along to and the two of us spent a bunch of time in Jenny's swimming pool. In between was snacking, chatting, and playing with the massive amounts of toys at Jenny's house.
Jamie went off and had dinner with Angie. Sam unwound by watching television. Emma and I wandered around the house playing, getting sandy, and taking baths.
Hopefully I can get some rest at work today.
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Happy (belated) Birthday, mum! Once my phone ...
July 26, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Happy (belated) Birthday, mum! Once my phone starts working (squirrel damage, perhaps?), I'll give a call. The weekend was absolute bliss, and I return renewed and full of lovin' from my friends.
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It was quite the exciting day yesterday
July 25, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was quite the exciting day yesterday. It began with our traditional hearty breakfast, a trip to the store to get an umbrella for the patio table, and watching Starsky and Hutch in the afternoon. After that, Sam wrote and Jamie filmed a movie that we all worked on. You can find Return of the Sith on the movies page.
Later on, we went to my mom's for dinner, which was great except for the intense heat. Sam had a great time playing with Isabell. I had a good time catching up with Seraph and Robbie, who both seem to be doing quite well.
Today has been fairly low-key. The whole wheat waffles I made for breakfast were a bit too "healthy" tasting. I finished editing Sam's movie, put it on a DVD, and Sam made a case for it. Jamie's given me a whole hour to myself this morning. I managed to finish my computer game, clean the basement, and do all this Internet posting stuff.
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It's Friday and there's only a few more minut...
July 23, 2004 by Adam in Family
It's Friday and there's only a few more minutes left in the day. It sounds like I'm going to get the kids for a few hours to myself tonight. I'll have to come up with some interesting plan so I don't go mad.
The week has gone reasonably well, mostly just chugging along day after day. Emma managed to use her little potty, though I think it was a bit of a fluke. Sam's mouth is slowly healing up, though I think it's still uncomfortable.
I'm looking forward to the weekend, especially Sunday afternoon for a little birthday get-together. It's always nice seeing my extended family members.
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Finally Friday, and I'm blowing this popsicle...
July 23, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Finally Friday, and I'm blowing this popsicle stand for the Cape. I've got a ride down, not with the band, but with a sympathetic fan named Zach who has kept me company when I'm not quite ready to go home and face the stench of death. He's organizing the basement of siskind (my office) for the outing club. I sit on the stairs and listen to his stories about going abroad at Oxford and life in rural New Hampshire... you know, the east coast things I came here to learn about. Anyway, he's driving down to a battle of the bands in noho, and I'm getting a ride. Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Too bad Anna's in L.A. for yet another wedding, sniff. But clearly I'll enjoy spending quality time with Casey, Jess, and Anna Mo solo.
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Fourth day on the job
July 22, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Fourth day on the job. I feel cut adrift with my supervisor gone. Just a few phone numbers, a few pages of insider's notes on community organizations and two weeks to find my own way. The squirrels make me want to cry... I'm afraid it smells like a morgue in July, without air conditioning. The live squirrel scratching in the wall is less and less distrurbing, but still disheartening. Karma for all the squirrels I used to chase around Smith. Hopefully I'll be able to get to the Cape this weekend with Anna Mo, Casey and Jess. If I can work it, I'm going to get a ride into Noho with some Williams punk band on Friday night. Ah, creative transport. Thinking of all of you.
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I'm slowly wrapping up Thief
July 22, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I'm slowly wrapping up Thief. It's been good, though not great. I've enjoyed skulking around damp hallways and stealing away trinkets. Doom 3 is coming out in a couple weeks, which I've already preordered. Supposedly it will be 20 hours of terrifying fun.
Much of my gaming time is spent wrapping up my Neverwinter Nights game, which is in final testing. I've been working on it for over a year, so it's nice to finally approach that magical state of doneness.
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Emma had a funny thing happen last night
July 22, 2004 by Adam in Emma
Emma had a funny thing happen last night. She's slowly starting to figure out how her body works and last night she was running around naked on the kitchen floor. As fate would have it, she peed on the floor.
This was a strange and mysterious event to her, which she pondered for awhile. After we cleaned it up, she stood there trying to replicate the event. Sure enough, there was soon another little puddle for us to clean up. She then ran into the living room, perhaps to share the good news with Sam, and promptly peed on the rug.
I think after that Jamie got wise to her ways and threw some diapers on the girl.
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Sam's been feeling lousy for the last few days
July 22, 2004 by Adam in Sam
Sam's been feeling lousy for the last few days. He hurt the inside of his mouth last weekend while doing "cool moves" and bonking his face on the couch. Unfortunately it means that it's hard to eat solid food, brush his teeth, and the like.
We're keeping an eye on it, but hopefully it'll heal up by itself. He just seems so skinny that I worry when he doesn't eat much for a few days.
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It's Wednesday already, with not too much exc...
July 21, 2004 by Adam in Family
It's Wednesday already, with not too much excitement happening this week. Emma's been staying up late, so I'm usually watching her before bedtime. So much for my quiet time in the evenings.
Sam's mouth injury is slowly healing, though it still bugs him. His appetite was pretty low the first couple days as eating hurt. Brushing his teeth isn't much fun either. Hopefully it'll be a lesson against the "cool moves" he feels compelled to perform at every chance.
Jamie's shopping for chairs for the kitchen table, in hopes that we don't feel quite so packed each night during dinner.
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Well, I had my first bout of procrastination
July 21, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I had my first bout of procrastination. I was up until 1:30 a.m. tuesday morning finishing up a project for my 8:00 a.m. art class. I think I had been putting it off because of all the right brain requirements! Anyway, it was the only class I had that day, so I came back and took a nap! I'm now determined to keep up a bit more.
I can't wait to see everyone this weekend for the many birthday parties!!
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Oh, my, and I didn't even call to say happy b...
July 20, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Oh, my, and I didn't even call to say happy birthday. Adam, I hope you love me anyway. Through my many meetings today, I've given the love of my family all the credit. Missing all of you.
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I haven't dropped a note in my personal area ...
July 20, 2004 by Adam in Adam
I haven't dropped a note in my personal area for awhile. My birthday was yesterday, a mostly low-key event. Sam made me a book mark, which was really sweet. Yayoe dropped off a birthday card. Jamie's present was the beach trip of the previous weekend. Rumor has it there will be a larger gathering this upcoming weekend.
Thirty-five seems fairly old these days, though mostly because of kids, work, and various responsibilities. Life is jammy-packed from sunrise to sunset. It'll be nice when Emma can take care of herself a bit more, though I'll miss her these very cute days. I'm also looking forward to Jamie being less exhausted - lack of sleep is no fun.
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My home phone number is (413) 458-9064 and my...
July 19, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
My home phone number is (413) 458-9064 and my office number is (413) 597-2139. first day: overwhelming, surrounded by love and support, and only one dead squirrel in the wall.
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All went well Friday at Jenny's house
July 19, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
All went well Friday at Jenny's house. When I arrived at nine Yayoe was reading a book to Jordan, while Destin was in his room playing video games, and the cat was jumping merrily all over the house, just waiting for some thing to move so she can jump on it. A very quiet atmosphere. I kept Jordan occupied for a while with a wooden train puzzle I got for Isabell a long time ago. I was pleasantly surprised how well he did on his own without any help from me. He instantly reckonized where the shapes belonged. When I mentioned to Jenny later how smart I thought he was, she said:" I know, but he don't talk." Doesn't that remind you of a cereal advertisement ? When Destin got hungry for lunch he wanted chicken noodle soup. So, I hunted for a can of soup and found it. Even Jordan liked it. As you can see all went well, I didn't have to use my stick.Ha,ha !
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Emma is most certainly a walker
July 19, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma is most certainly a walker. When we went to the beach, she spent a good chunk of it moving around from place to place. Most trips would end with her getting too cold and having to return home, otherwise she'd just happily play in the sand and water forever.
Her pronunciation improves daily. She was saying "blueberries" reasonably well over the weekend, a new favorite of hers. She's also figured out the word "baby", applying it to any small humanoid object she comes across. Emma's also improved on her kisses, no longer trying to eat people's lips off like some sort of giant leech.
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We went camping Sat night with Raven, Cheikh ...
July 19, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We went camping Sat night with Raven, Cheikh and another friend near Hood River. It was a nice little get away before the rigors of the week. Unfortunately I got a tade burned on my sholders so I'm a bit uncomfortable today. Isa spent yesterday evening lecturing me on the importance of sun loation!
Looks like we'll be down next weekend. We've got to give everyone their birthday hugs!
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We're just back from the coast, happy to be home
July 18, 2004 by Adam in Family
 We're just back from the coast, happy to be home. It was beautiful weather and we all enjoyed the surf and sand to the utmost. Sam in particular had a great time jumping over waves and generally getting both wet and encrusted in sand. Emma ran around on the beach, walking a surprising amount of time. She thought the waves were both cool and scary, making a surprised face every time the water came in.
It was nice having my mom around to watch the kids a little. Jamie and I had a few moments to ourselves, though it's never as much as I'd like. We lazed about the house a fair bit as well, watching movies and playing games. Good times.
Sam managed to bonk himself pretty good on his lip while doing "cool moves" on the couch. The kids also had a minor breakdown on the way home (I wasn't the model of calm either). Still, we're back safe and sound, slowly getting back into the swing of things.
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Well, we're off on our great coast trip today
July 16, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Well, we're off on our great coast trip today. We've got last minute packing to do and then we pick up my mom before heading west. Everyone's pretty excited to do something a little different this weekend. Hopefully Emma can enjoy the beach a bit more than she has in the past. I suspect there will be many baths this weekend.
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It's been a while since you heard from me
July 15, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
It's been a while since you heard from me. Tomorrow, a week ago I came back from Portland, helping to take Isabell to summer camp. While there we found a very nice place for her to stay in the mornings, while Robbie works and Seraph goes to school. Isabell liked the place so well she wanted to stay. But this week she is going to summer camp at Robbie's school. Tomorrow Yayoe and I are taking shifts caring for Destin and Jordan, while Jenny works. That should be fun. Ha,ha!
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Well, I'm posting from the middle of my into ...
July 15, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I'm posting from the middle of my into to computers class. Great time to catch up on internet use! My prof. is working at a childrens day camp today, so her husband is working through her lesson plan. At least he's a SOU grad. so he should be supper smart (heehee).
Love all
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Well, I'm cheating a little and having a Moch...
July 15, 2004 by Adam in Family
Well, I'm cheating a little and having a Mocha Thursday. The justification is that I'm off tomorrow so today is effectively my Friday. I'm very much looking forward to the trip to the coast tomorrow. It seems like most of our weekends as of late have been at home, which can get a little old.
I bought a cheap portable DVD player that I'm wanting to try out. Hopefully it'll make the trip go quicker for Sam. With luck Emma will sleep through the whole thing too. Quietly sitting in the car for a couple hours actually seems somewhat restful.
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Still rockin' at Endicott College in Beverly, MA
July 15, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Still rockin' at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. Things are going so well! I do miss you all terribly, but it's clear that I'll be able to come home for Christmas for a week or more, and have 10 personal days that be made into a lovely Northwest vacation.
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I am mid-way through VISTA leadership orienta...
July 14, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I am mid-way through VISTA leadership orientation, and reeling from the intensity and information. They prepare us on every level, for all possible administrative issues, positions, challanges, and tasks. While the sessions are very good, I see now that the orientation is primarily to build strong bonds between members of the Corps, so when real problems arise, we can use our collective connections, talents, and problem solving skills. I return home on Friday to move into my new apartment on the weekend and start work on Monday. Unless, of course, the squirrels that are currently living in my place have armed themselves and mutinied. Then I'll stay in Noho for a few more days. Much love.
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We are preparing for a vacation in Michigan n...
July 14, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
We are preparing for a vacation in Michigan next week to take Patrick to Camp HayoWentHa. He has gone for the previous two summers and now this summer he will be there for a month. A fact I am not happy about but its his father's idea. Mike, his cousins and their kids have all gone there. Its a YMCA camp on Torch Lake, a beautiful inland lake on the Lake Michigan side of the state. As it is a 500 mile drive the kids and I take a 6 day trip up and camp at the place where Patrick's group went the previous year. This year we will be camping on South MAnitou Island. This will be interesting with Will as they have no transportation on the island. With his limited walking abilities it will be a challenge. But we always have a good time together.
I got together with Meg, Dick, Callie, her boyfriend Will, Julie, her boyfriend Brad and Mikayla last weekend in Ohiopyle. I had to work on Saturday so I drove over after work and met them for dinner at the Stonehouse restaurant down the road from the Summit Hotel. There were 2 wedding parties at the Summit so we weren't able to get in there. As I drove by I looked up to see the "old lady" resplendent in her white balconies and colonades, with big planters of geraniums. The picnic tables are still set up on the hillside where we had that lovely picnic one afternoon. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Dick held Patrick asleep in his arms for hours.
We met again for breakfast as they were going Whitewater rafting and Meg wanted to stop at the house in Normalville and take pictures after their trip which just sent me over the edge as I haven't been able to get over and do any cleaning since before I started working every Saturday in February of 2003. So I scurried back to the house and did some serious cleaning for 6 hours as the mold had taken over and the walls, ceilings and floors were covered. I slogged home to finish out a birthday dinner that I had to cater for 40 people. Fortunately everything went well as I had it all prepared in advance. Now I'm trying to get ready for next weeks trip. I thought summer was supposed to be relaxing!!!! Love to all, Bets and the boys
Current Prayer requests: Will Willer, Will Kohr, travelling mercies, PEACE
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Tuesday already
July 13, 2004 by Adam in Family
Tuesday already. I cheated and picked up a cafe mocha this morning, for medicinal purposes of course. I woke up last night with a nasty headache. I think it was because of allergies, though I'm not quite sure. The coffee and Advil haven't completely stomped it out, but I feel much better.
Dave and Kirsten came over Sunday and took the kids to the park. Jamie and I spent a romantic hour and a half . . . rearranging furniture. The latest bed arrangement involves Jamie and I in our bed with a mattress on the floor for Emma. It seems to be working pretty good so far, yet another tiny step to getting Emma in her own bed at night.
Yesterday was somewhat frantic managing the kids, though it was offset by the birthday goodies starting to arrive. I got a nice birthday card from Dorothy. Jamie bought me a "fruit of the month" subscription from Harry and David. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm turning 35 in a week or so. Time seems to go by more quickly every year.
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Emma's walking abilities have improved remarkably
July 13, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma's walking abilities have improved remarkably. Last night she was carrying a small watering can around outside, pouring water on whichever patch of concrete needed it the most. She's also gotten quite good at understanding words and I can often explain to her what I want her to do and she'll dutifully obey.
The pronunciation isn't quite there yet. Last night she was in her chair saying "Da. Da." I thought she meant me, but Jamie explained that she really just wanted down.
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Well it has been a strange last day of freedom
July 12, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
 Well it has been a strange last day of freedom. Itstarted off with Robbie breaking his glasses. Luckily we were planning a trip to Loyd Center, where he was able to find new frames that fit his old lenses perfectly. We had fun watching the ice scaters and going to the Disney Store.
When we got home I set to work cleaning the fish tank. Unfortunately, our two gold fish (these are the ones that Sadie brought home from Jason's wedding last summer) have been looking a little "peeky" lately and went into major shock with the tank cleaning. They are currently floating on their backs in a bowl of water, and we're not yet sure if we should tell Isa or not.
We did get Isa into a great day care Mon-Thur mornings. She doesn't start until the week after next, so next week she will be going to Robbie's summer camp.
Adam, your games are alive and well in the gaming community. I was at school orientation and ate lunch with several computer gaming majors (I some how fit in better with them then those in my own feild), and most of them had heard of you. Gaming Nerds Rule!
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Sorry I haven't posted for so long
July 11, 2004 by Dorothy in Danica Miller
Sorry I haven't posted for so long. I enjoy reading everything you all post every week.
I went to Rochester for a few days last week. Ben and his piano teacher have composed a two piano number - worked on it since December. They had a concert in Eastman School of Music Hall - two concert grand Steinways on stage and Ben played one of them! I really had to go hear it, and it was wonderful. Ben is really good a improvising and harmonising. He loves this teacher.
Ben and a friend left yesterday for Colorado to mountain climb. They will do two peaks up to 14,000 ft. I worry a bit, but the ranger is looking out for them, and there will be alot of people there. They will stay in a hostel at first and then campt on the trail.
That is about all the news for now. I will be home the rest of the summer - taking out a couple days for more surgery on my face. Had 5 biopsied and, of course, all basal cells.
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I just finished a two-hour marathon of Thief
July 11, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I just finished a two-hour marathon of Thief. There's a level in the game called the "Cradle" level. It was probably the most creeped out in a computer game I've been in years. Excellent use of noises and shadows.
There's one scene where you slowly creep up the stairs to the attic, a strange thumping sound getting louder as you go. By the time I got to the door, my heart was racing but I was compelled to see what was on the other side. Creepy stuff.
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Emma's teeth continue to sprout in
July 11, 2004 by Adam in Emma
Emma's teeth continue to sprout in. There's two fully in and another four or five popping in quickly. Unfortunately, she's picked up a couple bad habits already. I've caught her grinding her teeth. She's also bitten me a couple times, and I've strongly expressed my unhappiness with it.
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Sam and I occasionally have strange, funny co...
July 11, 2004 by Adam in Sam
 Sam and I occasionally have strange, funny conversations. We were talking about a show where a little girl had to drive the dad's truck to go for help after he broke his legs. I was explaining how kids usually thought that having something happen to their parents was the worst thing that could happen.
"Well," said Sam. "I think ghosts are scarier." "Oh really?" I responded. "Would you rather have a ghost say Boo or have me dissolved in a vat of acid?" "I'd rather see you dissolved in acid," Sam replied.
After I complained, he told me "Well, I'd still have mom!" After I laughed even harder he added kindly, "Anyway, I'd take your brain and stick it in a robot body."
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Well, it was another exciting day in the Mill...
July 11, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Well, it was another exciting day in the Miller-Mellor household. Emma woke up a bit on the early side, so it was shuffling kids, showers, and cooking breakfast until mid morning. The big project of the day was to get the patio furnature out of the garage under our newly finished pergola. With Emma in one hand and the cast iron chairs in the other, I proceeded to carry up most of it. After Jamie took Emma, I carried the really heavy table up.
Later in the day, Sam got to pretend he was Spiderman while I lifted him and swung him about. Now my arms and back are really sore. Ah, the weekend workouts.
Dave and Kirsten came over for dinner, which was nice. I think I had a whole 30 minutes to myself to relax. By bedtime, I was pretty much wiped out. Sam really wanted to play with Legos in the bath, but I needed a time out. He sat quietly in the tub and I read a little Harry Potter. After a few minutes, it was back to Peter Parker and MJ, star crossed lovers.
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Field Trip Discovery! Hi There
July 11, 2004 by Yayoe in Yayoe
Field Trip Discovery! Hi There...I was on a field trip today with a psychologist/historian, who studies Asian history in Oregon. Five of us explored the town of Maple Oregon, which is located in the Marcola area. The town was previously called Donna and Ping Yang! The reason for the field trip was to look at the place where there was a Japanese colony of laborers from 1915-1925, who help build a 200x800 feet railroad tressel. Logging was the main industry at the time and the town of Maple was said to be one of the most racially diverse communities because of all the different laborers (Sikhs, Hawaii, Tahiti, etc.) who came to work in the lumber mills and in the forests. We also found two unmarked graves of Japanese workers. The graves have been recently identified by the historian, who has been caring for the graves.
We also met a very interesting photographer/historian, Curtis Irish, who has compliled thousands of photographs of people in the Mohawk Valley.He invited us in to his house so we could see the actual black and white photos of the Japanese and other laborers. For more information about this historial find you can go to Asianoregon.org.
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HELLO TO ALL
July 10, 2004 by Jenny in Jenny
 HELLO TO ALL.well I find myself once again without children and time on my hands to say hello. Well im still on vacation, gettin really good at sleeping in til 9:00. When my foot doesent keep me up. To all who do not know GOD sent me a message to stop carring jordan, he's message was sent in the form of a great fall in which i super mom managed not to fall on him, but my foot moved in ways i never knew that it could. The bad part is no dance class now for a few weeks, which will throw off my dance and singing with opra!Well the coast trip was great. Jordan and Isabell were great puppies. Darren and Destin were great crab hunters.Well this morning was an early one with Darren getting a boat and Destin and Noel and Joran and I out on blueriver lake, and four fishpoles all with really sharp hocks that was a whole different fun with in its self. Thank goodness no one lost an eye it was really crazey. But I think this is what being a true man is all about, im not sure i don't get it. Three hours on the lake and no bites, i just enjoyed sitting in the sun and tring to enjoy the sun while yealing at all children to sit down and not tip the boat was really relaxing. After all children had had enought and us as parents were really ready to go i got to drive the big truck out of the water with the boat in tow, which was preaty cool as Destin didn't think his mom could do it, I am the man on some days, i didn't hit one thing or drop the boat back in the water. Well the topper of the trip was on the way home yelling at Noel and Destin to stop picking on Jordan, Jordan responding to the boys by barfing all over the place and that made them stop talking, the road trip home with that smeel was great. Well now being home with no fish is not so great but to all fisher men out thier with children to help you fish dont do it.it was fun but no fish for dinner is sad.hope everyone is doing well.
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Another fine Mocha Friday
July 09, 2004 by Adam in Family
Another fine Mocha Friday. It's been pretty busy at work with lots of things to do from my day off yesterday. Fortunately the sun is shining and we don't have any too exciting plans for the weekend.
My morning anniversary was very nice. Jamie was quite surprised that I was staying home and we had a very pleasant breakfast together. The kids were with us most of the day. We took a fussy Emma to dinner and took shifts eating and walking her around.
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Hi There,
Lohring is at Leg Lake in Californ...
July 09, 2004 by Lohring in Lohring
Hi There,
Lohring is at Leg Lake in California for the NAMBA Nationals. He called tonight to say that he made it there and is hanging out with his boathead buddies, chewing the fat and getting ready to race his boats all next week. He won't be back until July 23! When he leaves California he'll go straight to work and then home to Eugene.
I had an amazing and wonderful time at the Tule Lake pilgrimage this last weekend, where we visited the infamous internment camp in northern California that previously housed up to 16,000+ people during the war!
There were 330+ pilgrimage attendees but they were not all Japanese nor were they all internees. Family members, friends, and others, e.g.,film makers, psychologists, a Eugene judge, etc. came along to learn more about what happened during the internment of 120,000 Japanese from the west coast who were placed in 10 concentration camps throughout the United States.
Attendees came from Japan, the east and west coast and other states. We traveled together in deluxe chartered buses and stayed at the Oregon Institue of Technology dorms in Klamath Falls. The weekend was filled with activities, speakers, group and panel discussions, documentaries on the internment experience, a visit to the internment camp and a wonderful evening of entertainment. The master of ceremony of the entertainment program was Mr. Sulu from Star Trek! Honest! His real name is George Takei, who was interned in Arkansas. During the day he was wearing a purple Star Trek baseball cap that said,"beam me up Scotty."
Next week Monday and Tuesday I'll be in Lincoln City hiking with a friend and exploring the outlet stores! Sorry I missed the fourth of July bash at Jennys...Hope we can get together for more family stuff!
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It's Jamie's and my anniversary
July 08, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It's Jamie's and my anniversary. I surprised her by not going to work today. Instead, I'm staying home, helping entertain children, and go out to dinner tonight. I might sneak off with Sam to see Spiderman 2, but we'll just have to see if that works out.
Emma continues to be as cute as a button. She loves to floss and brush her teeth, perhaps as a result of all those new teeth popping in. She's also a big walker now and you'll find her toddling from place to place more often than not.
I have a few more anniversary surprises, mostly just trying to arrange an hour or two for Jamie and I to hang out. In some ways, I'm looking forward even more to my birthday as it looks like my mom, Jamie, the kids, and I are all going to the coast for a few days.
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Emma's sleep schedules have been out of kilte...
July 07, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Emma's sleep schedules have been out of kilter for awhile. This morning I was woken up by Emma crawling over my sleeping body. Evidently she was up at 4:30 am and by 6:00 am she's still going strong. She did go down pretty well last night, so maybe it's some sort of weird compensation on the other end.
The kids were pretty good last night. I took them to the park where they laughed, ran around, and got far too sandy. Emma somehow got a bunch of sand in her ear, but a patient Jamie plucked it out (I was busy doing Google searches looking for Internet advice).
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I just dropped Isa off at her first day of su...
July 06, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
I just dropped Isa off at her first day of summer camp. She's in with younger kids, so I hope she does ok.
We're settling back in after a fun filled weekend. The coast was beautiful, and we tried to leave the house really clean in hopes of future trips!
Jenny had a nice BBQ on Sunday and the kids had a great time running around and swimming.
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I went home a little early yesterday, as it w...
July 06, 2004 by Adam in Family
 I went home a little early yesterday, as it was the Monday after the 4th and pretty dead at work. Jamie was exhausted as usual and the kids were pretty wild. I managed to get Sam working on river construction project in the front yard that incidentally watered the plants. Emma had great fun splashing in puddles. Both kids got very muddy and wet.
I had a funny moment with Sam when I explained that I didn't want to be outside much longer and that I needed to clean up before we were done. He looked at me seriously and said, "That's understandable."
Emma was up really late again. We're giving her chewing tablets with coffee in them for her new teeth, so perhaps there's a link. Toddlers wired on caffiene are a sight to see, buzzing around the playroom and getting into everything.
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It's Monday morning and I've got to get going...
July 05, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It's Monday morning and I've got to get going to work in a few minutes. My head's plugged up, hopefully a result of allergies and not some new cold that's passing through our family. I felt a little marginal on occasion this weekend, so it's a possibility.
We didn't do all that much this weekend. I took the kids out for a Sunday morning walk. Unfortunately it turned out with Sam tired and Emma crying all the way back. Plus I burned my finger setting off fireworks for Sam. Sniff.
It wasn't all bad. I had a couple great breakfasts tucked in there. The kids were really funny much of the weekend. I'm looking forward to our anniversary plans this week, though they're a bit loose.
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Emma's been sick the last few days, very plug...
July 05, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Emma's been sick the last few days, very plugged up and coughing on occasion. We're not sure if it's related to the new teeth that seem to be sprouting in left and right, or if it's something like a cold or allergies. Poor girl.
Emma's getting pretty good at walking around. She really likes her walker and she'll grab it and start hauling it around in circles in the basement. More often she'll just walk to get where she's going, though there's only a fifty percent chance that she'll actually make it.
Her tastes in playing seem to be getting more refined. She'll play in the sand box for a good long while, and loves baths as well. She and Sam will also play with Legos seemingly forever. Emma will remove then reattach hats over and over. She also has a funny habit of sitting in the Lego containers as if it were a tiny sandbox.
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I came home yesterday to find Jamie and Sam p...
July 02, 2004 by Adam in Sam
I came home yesterday to find Jamie and Sam playing with Dominoes. Sam had made up a brand new game dubbed "Sam-inoes". It was actually pretty good and Sam and I played a few rounds, adding rules as we went. Jamie was extremely proud of him, having offered no help in his game-making endeavor.
He keeps getting taller every week. He can now walk around the shallow end of the pool with his head completely out of the water. It's always amazing to watch them sprout up so quickly.
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We pick up Mom tonight
July 02, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We pick up Mom tonight. Isa's very excited to see her grandma again. We've been watching all of our movies that take place in England to set the mood.
We head out to the coast tomorrow, and then down to Eugene Sunday night. Isa's also excited to see all of her cousins. I think it will be nice for her when summer camp starts next week. She's been missing all of her Eugene friend's and family, and I think new activities with other kids will help.
We went to the zoo yesterday afternoon. During the summer the mornings are full of girl/boy scout groups and summer camps. So, we've learned hat the best time to go is later in the afternoon, and then just hit half the animals. Everyone needs to plan a trip up in mid or late July. The zoo is opening the Trillium Creek Farm!
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Mocha Friday
July 02, 2004 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. Mmm.
Everyone was up late last night. There was a family down the block setting off fireworks, which attracted all the kids in earshot. Pretty soon we had an impromptu fireworks display while all the adults were introducing themselves. There's a ton of new young couples in the neighborhood, typically professionals with kids. There seems to be a big change as of late. Residents like the 105 year-old woman up the street are becoming a rarity.
The pergola (a.k.a. patio cover) should be finished today. All the boards are stained in our back yard, waiting to be put up. The guys we have working on this latest project are really fast, which makes Jamie really happy. She's planning a block party next month, so I think she wants to pretty things up a bit.
It took a long while to get the kids to sleep. It's been really hot and the sun sets late. They were still up after 9 o'clock. I went down and watched Bubba Ho-Tep, a quirky, funny horror movie. Can't wait until the weekend begins.
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The kids came over for lunch while Jamie work...
July 01, 2004 by Adam in Family
The kids came over for lunch while Jamie worked out. We've gotten in the habit of exploring campus, poking around in old buildings and seeing the sights. Today we visited the library, wandering the mostly empty halls and looking at a collection of children's illustrations they had out in the hallway. I can't wait for the Natural History Museum and Art Museum to reopen. Those should keep us occupied for days.
Work continues at our house. Brant painted the front steps, which are now so clean that the rest of the house looks dirty. I'm not sure when the porch cover goes up, but that's the next thing on the list.
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I'm still working my way through Thief
July 01, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
I'm still working my way through Thief. It's fun and I wish I had more time with it. There's some suitably creepy elements that I appreciate. I'm lurking around in the underworld in some lair that belongs to fish-like people.
Most of my time is spent working on my NeverwinterNights module, which after a year is finally approaching completion. It's been a long haul and I'm happy to finally see the end.
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