I Do Exist

January 24, 2011 by Sue in Wielesek

Somehow or another, January has nearly disappeared. My personal opinion is that the big cosmic change with the year 2000 is that time began to go faster. I'm at that sad point when the Christmas goodies are gone, no matter how I try to stretch them out. Hanni's bottle of Liebfraumilch is nearly gone, and Bob polished off the last of Colette's good chocolates. I have about one more pot of the wonderful coffee that Sadie and Greg brought. I've been interspersing it with some of the ten pounds of coffee I frantically bought a couple of months ago at Canned Food Warehouse when I heard that coffee prices were going to rise dramatically.

Jenny and I went to church last week at the Faith Center in Springfield. Good time for me to review my prejudices - the minister gave a very thoughtful, non political, non evangelical sermon. No Black people there, but Jenny said she was used to that.

Happy birthday to Joanna, and Hppy B'day (that's Duncan's half birthday) to Duncan. And Happy Birthday to Isa, who is ten!

We went to a Memorial on Saturday for Pat Helmers, the woman who catered Dick's and my wedding. And to a wedding reception at Kell's, in Portland, on Saturday night.

Sunny Day!

January 06, 2011 by Sue in Wielesek

We're having a bright shiny day, which of course just makes it obvious that my windows need washed! Nonetheless, this stretch of sunny mid-winter weather is most welcome!

Borrowing from the wisdom of Gram Jones, I'm keeping busy since Sadie and Greg left on Tuesday. I've been doing a lot of comfort bleaching, counting china, silver, and napkins (in case it's needed at the wedding, not because I think Sadie and Greg pinched any!) and doing errands. My amaryllis are finally putting up buds, the little ingrates.

I need to go figure out how to coordinate the clock on the mantel. Greg got it nicely under control while he was here, so the time was accurate and the time and the chimes matched up, but it's running amok again. A few minutes ago, at 9:30, it chimed four times. God only knows what will happen in 15 minutes.

much love to all, mom

Celebrating Holidays!

January 04, 2011 by Sue in Wielesek

What a holiday season! So many things have happened that I can't remember them all. Lots of friends, family, and a new baby!

Perhaps the first thing in my season was the assistance of friends Ilona and Ghio with decorations. Or perhaps it was Hanni bringing wonderful cookies and an almond cake for Sadie and Greg. Or, I suppose, it could have been the struggle to clean up and put away all my tools, take about $140 of building supplies back to Jerry's, another $45 back to True Value, and a couple of hundred backs worth of stuff to Habitat for Humanity, which earns some money by reselling building supplies, etc.

But it really felt like it started when Sadie, Greg and Greg's brother Josh rolled in on the evening of the 21st, after Josh, now living in P'tland, picked them up at the airport and brought them to Eugene. The days between their arrival and the engagement party were filled with lots of visiting, time with Adam, Joanna, Jenny, and other family. Sadie and Greg brought greens in from the farm, and the house finally had that Sadie touch we all miss. My Christmas presents were pretty, interesting, and fun. Sadie made everyone boutinniers (Ok, Ok, that's not even close to the right spelling.) Christmas dinner at Jenny's house was lovely.

The party on the 26th turned out well; Josh and Greg did yeoman's duty, and Josh earned his chef's stripes, producing a wonderful beef roast and grilled salmon which disappeared in a trice. Lots of Sadie's friends came, and it was very fun for me to see them. Ana came over from the coast, and was welcom company. A "shout out" to Joanna and Yayoe who made up and sent out the invitations for the party. A very large shout out to Destin and Jordan, who were wonderfully helpful at the party.

The week since the party was more leisurely, with Sadie and Greg able to spend a little time together. Josh had to go back to Portland so he could fly back to the East Coast. We certainly enjoyed meeting him, and he was a great guest.

I think everyone has a better sense of the location of the wedding, and has had a chance to begin some tentative transportation planning. Bob and I are the worst planners, since we're trying to figure out when and if Anna will be in Paris this summer.

New Years Eve was very fun; Colette, Hanni, Bob and I went to see La Boheme, which I thought was spectacular. Since I was in charge of getting tickets, they were terrible seats, but we had fun anyhow.

The down side of the holidays was that Jenny was fixing the table and a couple of the leaves fell on her foot, breaking a toe. Ouch, ouch. Another downside was an infection Sam got in his mouth after having a tooth pulled. More ouch! But Berry got her ears pierced and didn't even cry.

Today we drove up to Portland, where Sadie and Greg will fly from at 7:00 am tomorrow morning. We left them around 2, cheerfully planning to take the MAX to Powell's and hang out in downtown Portland, then stay at the Ramada tonight.

So the holiday season is officially over. Safe trip, Sadie and Greg!