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Saterday passed with termendous highs and lows
January 31, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Saterday passed with termendous highs and lows. I drove to Eugene for Linda K.'s memorial service, and then drove back for Raven's birthday. It was rather funny watching Isa, Rosella and her friend Annie (a former EEI student) play princesses games, and to reminise with Deb and Raven that we were about Isa's age when we met. Funny, I think we played Princess and Barbies when we first met! I guess some things are eternal.
After church on Sunday I hit the books, while Robbie and Isa went to the park. Isa is getting good at playing with the random kids on the playground and not being quite so shy.
We're enjoying a small bit of sunshine at the moment, and I think I may even venture outside to see it between classes.
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A quick note - I hate to mention it, given th...
January 31, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
A quick note - I hate to mention it, given that Sadie's weather has been in the teens, but my worker guy came over to spade up my flower garden, and he and I worked all yes-terday afternoon in shirt sleeves. On Saturday, a girlfriend and her beau took me to the second of the two
Tsychoviski (rats, why no spell check when I need one) con-certs. It was stunning. I popped in to play with Emma and Sam - our Space Saga is going on longer than the old radio soap opera. (Am I the only one old enough to emember "Young Widder Brown" and "One Man's Family"?) We were trying to create a drink which would alter the behavior of the invading aliens. A nice cuppa tea will work wonders, my grandma always said.
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Sam was playing somewhat rough with Graham ov...
January 31, 2005 by Adam in Sam
Sam was playing somewhat rough with Graham over the weekend, bonking his teeth fairly hard. It looks like it's significantly loosened one of them, joining two others that were a little bit wiggly. It's strange to think that he'll soon be joining the ranks of adulthood, at least where teeth are concerned.
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I think that global warming is slowly turning...
January 31, 2005 by Adam in Family
I think that global warming is slowly turning Oregon into California. It was so sunny and warm Sunday, quite a departure from the typical cold and wet winters of my childhood. Emma and I had a long walk around the neighborhood, visiting with the various neighbor kids. Sam had nonstop play time, first with grandma Sue, then Graham, then Ben and Sebastian, and finally me.
Jamie and I just enjoyed the weather, glad to be finally over all these various illnesses. The upstairs bathroom had the last coat of paint applied. Now we just need to find a bolt that mysteriously disappeared when it fell out of a ceiling fan. Our suspicions are pointing to it falling in the paint bucket, but neither of us have taken the steps to search there.
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Saturday is coming to a close
January 30, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Saturday is coming to a close. I feel okay, if more tired than usual. As usual, it was kid playtime from sunup to sundown. We split up the kids a bit differently today, with Jamie and Sam going to the park while Emma and I played at home. There were stories, playing pretend, learning how to use toy tools, painting, and a little television at the end. I did manage to find ways to restrain her when she got out of hand.
The main productive thing of the day was painting the upstairs bathroom. It was a bit on the pinkish side and now it's a light green. We've got another coat to lay down, but it's coming along.
At the moment, I'm with both kids in the basement. Sam's shooting it out with an invisible opponent. Emma's pushing buttons on her talking toys. Same ol', same ol'.
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It's late Friday, right before bedtime
January 29, 2005 by Adam in Family
It's late Friday, right before bedtime. I managed to make it to work, even get myself my normal Friday mocha. Work was pretty frantic, but I muddled through and played with the kids upon my return. Poor Emma bonked into Sam as they were playing - she's starting to look like a boxer with all the scrapes and bruises.
Sam's starting to become quite the reader. We've been reading every night - he does a little and then I do a little. Seems to work out pretty well.
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Oooh, Adam, so sorry, so sorry
January 28, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Oooh, Adam, so sorry, so sorry. I wonder if you and Dez have had the same thing. I think it was the 16th that Dez came home so sick that I went over, and Lohring and Yayoe
came, and we took him to the ER at McKenzie Willamette. I stayed over at Jenny's, and when he got up the next morning, he was subdued but no longer ill.
Get well, and much love from your elderly but well preserved om.
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Yesterday afternoon I got really, really sick
January 27, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday afternoon I got really, really sick. It was the writhing around on the floor and wishing for death sort of illness. I was really nauseous and my head hurt more than it has in a decade.
Jamie was upset and distraught, Sam was disappointed I couldn't play with him, and Emma was beside herself with grief. It was sweet, if troublesome, to hear her call out "Daddy!" all through the night.
Fortunately blissful unconsciousness finally overtook me and I woke up at three in the morning feeling much better. I had a bowl of cereal since I had skipped dinner, then fell back into bed until this morning.
I've been working from home, sending off e-mails and doing work. Jamie enjoyed giving the kids to me so she could take a shower. I generally feel okay as long as I don't have to move around a lot. Hopefully it's just a short viral thing that will quickly pass. I suggested that it might have been food poisoning, but Jamie didn't appreciate the accusation very much.
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I empathize with Adam's exhaustion from email...
January 27, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I empathize with Adam's exhaustion from email communication. I myself communicate almost completely through email, which enables a huge volume of communication to happen in short periods of time. Unfortunately, my brain doesn't have the capacity to actually keep up with that kind of efficient relay of information, so I end up all fuzzy at the end of the day. And actually seeing the people I email is a little like when you run into someone from high school in another country. A disjuncture in the time/space continuum.
The tsunami relief coalition has raised about $9,500 this month and my winter study class assessments are rolling in today. I'm going on a service trip to New York City next week, which should be cool. It's been a big month.
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It was a long day yesterday
January 25, 2005 by Adam in Family
It was a long day yesterday. Work seemed somewhat frantic and Jamie left after I got home to have dinner with Victoria. Emma started crying fairly constantly towards the end, asking "Why?" every time I told her mom was away. Somewhere around 8:00 I staggered downstairs to stare bleary-eyed at the computer and eat my cereal. I then worked on my gaming hobby, debugging code in a card game. I got up a couple times during the night to put Emma back to sleep, which she fortunately did fairly well.
This morning I rode through the fog, greeted only by my fellow bike commuter neighbor Todd. Now I'm sitting at my desk here at work in the quiet before the masses arrive. My tea is steeping. Soon I'll put on the headphones and dive into the code once again.
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I'm getting that "overwhelmed at work" feelin...
January 24, 2005 by Adam in Adam
I'm getting that "overwhelmed at work" feeling again. Perhaps if I simply took all the paper from my desk and ritually burned it, the clensing process would soothe my mind.
Strangely, it's not so much the work part, but the endless coordination and communication of work. I've probably read and responded to a hundred e-mails today. Whew.
Continuing my critique of television shows, I watched a couple episodes of Point Pleasant. It's a cross between a generic teen drama and the Omen, but not particularly good. Maybe if it was funnier they could pull it off, but alas it's just like watching a train wreck.
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Emma seemed to have a hard time last night
January 24, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Emma seemed to have a hard time last night. Most of the time she'd be her normal cheerful self, then she'd fly into a tizzy. She's still sick, which could be part of it, as well as having an overly exciting day. Poor kid.
We've been giving her antibiotics, which she completely hates. Plus we hate restraining her and forcing fluids down her throat, so it's pretty much a lose-lose situation (especially for the bacteria, I suppose). The other night we gave it to her, kicking and screaming, then rewarded her with a little candy. "Thanks," she said in a tearful voice afterwards.
Last night we were giving Jamie a foot wash and massage in a big basin and Emma decided she wanted to play with it. We stripped her down, threw her in the tub, and she had a great time. It only lasted a few minutes, though. I think the water was too hot and Sam was impishly bumping it. Soon enough she wanted out and back to mom.
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I spent big chunks of this weekend working on...
January 24, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
I spent big chunks of this weekend working on computers. Dave's old computer was going to go to Josh, but something inside blew up and black smoke came out. Never a good sign.
I first tried replacing the power supply, but it still didn't boot up. I decided that another computer I had laying around would work just fine, so I embarked on a journey to get it up and running. I had come along pretty well when it suddenly decided not to boot up. After a couple frustrating hours, I formatted and started from scratch, which worked fine.
I also did the usual scurrying about, switching memory from one place to another, moving CD ROM drives and hard drives. I have way too much computer stuff, but it does come in handy at times.
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I finally gave up with Josh's computer, forma...
January 24, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I finally gave up with Josh's computer, formatting and starting from scratch. Fortunately it all came together pretty quickly after that and he gets to go home with a basic but functional computer.
Sam and I put in a ton of playtime today, from time travel pretend games to playdough surgery. Later in the day we went out to minature golf with Dave, Kirsten, Josh, and Ray. Sam got a hole in one. Emma ate pizza. A good time was had by all.
Sunday is coming to a close and I'm feeling a little worn out. Hopefully Emma sleeps well tonight.
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Isa had a wonderful birthday yesterday
January 23, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Isa had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Wow, four years old! We went and played with Sam and Emma in the morning, and then had an island adventure lunch with Mom, complete with real coconut and wild boar hot dogs!
In the evening we had family and friends over to the pizza place for pizza, cake and general running around. It was really fun to see all of the old crowd, and today Isa keeps asking to see her friends again.
Today, Robbie and I are going off to see Finding Neverland and Isa is off to do some shopping and duck feeding with Grandma Susie.
I have the great joy of going in for jury duty tomorrow morning. Any other time but now and I'd be fitting tooth and nail for the opportunity, but the fact that I'll be missing class makes me rather grumpy about the civic duty aspect.
Our love to all!
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It's amazing how self-sufficient Sam is, espe...
January 23, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 It's amazing how self-sufficient Sam is, especially compared to Emma. I'll leave him to his own devices for long periods of time, not really worried that he'll get in too much trouble. A couple years ago, he couldn't play by himself for more than ten minutes. Now he goes long stretches, typically because we're busy with Emma.
That's not to say that he doesn't crave his "alone with dad" time. We have a star chart where he can complete tasks and get goodies. Without fail, his choice for a goodie is to spend time alone with me. As you might expect, it makes me feel pretty good as a dad.
Yesterday we went out the the park, having long chats and playing on the equipment. We have a good time together, appreciating each other's sense of humor. Good times.
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Saturday seemed incredibly busy, though it do...
January 23, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Saturday seemed incredibly busy, though it doesn't feel like we accomplished all that much. I made breakfast for a change, while Jamie watched the kids. Then it was playing with children until Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell arrived. Sam and Isabell quickly descended to the basement to play Star Wars while the adults chatted. It was very nice to chat with Seraph and hear what she's been up to. Eventually they had to leave and go off to visit my mom.
I took Sam out to the park to play, which he seemed to really enjoy. Then it was more play time until Jamie's dad arrived to deliver belated Christmas presents. The kids loved that part, and perked up yet again once Dave and Josh arrived.
Since the computer that Dave was going to give Josh died, I decided to resurrect one of my beat up computers to give to him. It was all going quite well until something went horribly wrong and it's currently not booting up properly. I'm not sure if it's the antivirus, an issue with the hardware, or something else equally dumb. Sigh.
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Poor Emma started whining and saying her ear ...
January 22, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Poor Emma started whining and saying her ear hurt last night. Jamie was going to go out with Angie, but decided against it, instead taking Emma to the after hours pediatrician. The doctor was able to ask her where it hurt and she pointed to her ear. Sure enough, that was the one with the infection. She's on antibiotics and we gave her pain killers. Hopefully she'll be on the mend soon.
This morning she seems to be doing much better. We watched some Fantasia and she loved the flying whales. Mostly she seems interested in getting into sword duels with her brother and I.
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A "good weekend" to all
January 22, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
A "good weekend" to all. It has been a clear sunny day, and either every Democrat who observed Not a Damn Dime Day was out today shopping, lunching, and running the car through the car wash, or the law of averages has gone awry.
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I took a great digital storytelling workshop,...
January 21, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I took a great digital storytelling workshop, which I think all of you would have enjoyed. Once I get the story back, I'll post it online. Today I had a public speaking workshop, and tonight I get to collect donations for tsunami relief at a basketball game. As I think of all of you with babies and cars, I realize what a luxury it is to give myself to community-based learning and action.
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Mocha Friday
January 21, 2005 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. I feel fairly perky today, though we'll see if I can make a dent in the large piles of work that await me.
It's promising to be a busy weekend. Seraph and her crew are coming into town, as is Jamie's dad and Josh. Seraph is handing me her old computer to try to resurrect, though I'm not sure how easy it'll be. We're trying hard to get Sam and Josh some time to play together (and Emma too, who adores Josh).
I have some practical things that are on my list. My bathroom heater is broken and permanently on. We have a replacement but have yet to find the time to stick it in. Busy, busy.
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It was strange wandering around campus to get...
January 20, 2005 by Adam in Adam
 It was strange wandering around campus to get my haircut today. The sky was blue and the temperature seemed more like Spring than the middle of winter.
Work's been nutty as of late. There's a tremendous amount of things going on and I feel like I'm barely keeping up. I probably need to stop thinking of myself as a hero and let some of the other people on the team pick things up from time to time.
I was a bad boy a couple nights ago. I stayed up late watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. It's pretty good anime and I love the futuristic setting. I've also been getting into the new Battlestar Galactica. I have fond memories of it as a kid, though the new version is superior in nearly every way.
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After a year and a half, Jamie's finally begu...
January 20, 2005 by Adam in Family
After a year and a half, Jamie's finally begun roping me into getting Emma to sleep at night when she wakes up. The good news is that I seem to be almost good at it, getting her to sleep two of the three times last night. I suppose helping with three younger sisters must have done some good.
As usual, it was a kid-filled night last night, ending with Emma chasing Sam and I in circles around the basement.
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Here is a very cute email from Sara Spettel, ...
January 19, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Here is a very cute email from Sara Spettel, which I thought you all might like:
By now you should all have received your save-the-date card. So please re-schedule your poker nights accordingly for June 25th. Anyway, here are some things that I need to do (Alina’a magazine’s all say these things should have been done about 17 months ago. In fact I believe you are supposed to hire a florist before you ever start dating) and I decided I would ask all my good friends who either currently or once resided in the good state of Oregon to help me out.
1) Photographer. Any suggestions?
2) Florist and a wholesale flower market. I don’t think I’ve ever bought flowers in Eugene.
3) Officiant. (otherwise known as the person who stands up and feeds us our lines.) Now, many people take the easy route and get some religious figure to fill this role. Unfortunately the Quakers just sit silently (you think I’m kidding than you haven’t been to a Quaker wedding) and the Muslims (at least Alina’s kind) do this sortof praying/contract signing with just the fathers and men. Not what we had in mind. And while we’re both unset that we’re not marrying Jews, I think we’ve come to terms with it. So I’m raking my brains for someone, suggestions welcome. Here are the requirements:
1)Can’t be related to either of us
2)Can’t be/ or be related to one of our ex-girlfriends
3)Must be able to not mention god, how “brave we are” and not touchy feely
4)Let me repeat: No touchy-feely
5)Ideally someone a touch older who is a good speaker
6)I’ve tried to think of teachers I’ve respected and haven’t pissed off too much. Any help?
4) DJ
5) Volunteers to host the poor recent grads when they come to Eugene. No, I’m not pimping out my friends now, that comes later. But if you or any of your parents wouldn’t mind a kid or two in the guest room and/or your bed, I’m sure it’d be appreciated.
Sara
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Well, I got tickets for the Florida trip
January 19, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Well, I got tickets for the Florida trip. Jenny, Dez, Seraph, Isa and I will leave at midnight March 26th and return the next Saturday night. I tried to use my American Airlines miles, but as nearly as I can determine, the only flight in the world you can use aa miles on are Saturday night flights between Nome and Juneau. Many hugs,om
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Emma has the computer down pat
January 19, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Emma has the computer down pat. For the last ten minutes she's been playing the same Jumpstart Toddler's game as Sam once played, deftly moving the mouse around and clicking on things of interest. She'll click on a letter of the alphabet and watch a picture of something interesting pop up. Pretty amazing.
She appears to have discovered the word "Why?", presumably from her brother. Now when we tell her she can't do something, she'll ask "Why?" with a pouty face.
Tonight, for no apparent reason, she was running around with a black mesh bag over her body. She ran up to me, grinned widely, and said "evil". I suspect it's yet another tidbit she picked up from her brother.
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It's been a bit nutty today
January 18, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's been a bit nutty today. Poor Jamie called late this morning asking if I could come home. She's got the brunt of this latest cold and went in to see a doctor. It would be nice to tell her to get more sleep an exercise, but small children tend to exclude that.
Emma's been fun. We wandered around outside for awhile, enjoying the incredibly warm weather. She's got the sniffles too, but seems almost used to the constant illnesses. Sleeping is hard for her, though.
Sam's been practicing his spelling skills. This morning he spelled out "ugly mom + dad" on the refrigerator. He though it the pinnacle of humor.
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Well, I'm in the middle of the computer store...
January 17, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I'm in the middle of the computer store, trying to decide what type of computer we should get. Argggg.... I need to remember not to do this kind of thing with a tired kid!
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We are still in the dark when it comes to our...
January 17, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
We are still in the dark when it comes to our computer, but I will try to get this typed. Many of you have e-mailed me about Isa's birthday plans. Our current plan is to be in Eugene this weekend, and to hold a small family/friend gathering at the Papa's Pizza on Barger, Saterday at 5pm. It's a pretty small place with a little play area. Nothing to caotic. We'll order some pizzas and have cake. We haven't started to invite non-family people yet, so if there is something about the time or day that would accomidate some of you better, let me know!
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The weekend is coming to a close, another Sun...
January 17, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is coming to a close, another Sunday winding down. I actually got some sleep last night, though Emma did wander down around seven in the morning to visit. After breakfast we bundled the kids up and hiked down to the library. It was pretty fun and we all ended up with something interesting to read. We stopped for a bagel and I fortified myself with a mocha before hiking back up to our house.
Jamie ran off to help my mom to clean her kitchen, which I think secretly meant that she'd do anything to escape the children for a couple hours. Fortunately she returned, and brough Shrek 2 for us to watch until dinner time.
The kids and I played some more in the basement, coming up with silly games that involved stuffing balls in their clothes. No one was hurt and they had a great time. I even recorded the experience and put together a new movie detailing the things we do in our basement these days.
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I hope that what I am writing makes any sence
January 16, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
I hope that what I am writing makes any sence. Some light on our computer screen is out, and I can barely see the screen. We've been iced in since yesterday morning, and the TV stations are eating this up. Other than a very cold, windy, and slipery trip out yesterday morning, we have mostly stayed in.
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Yesterday was admittedly pretty exhausing
January 16, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday was admittedly pretty exhausing. I woke up around 5:30 with Emma deciding it was time for everyone to get up. After that, it seemed a blur of kid stuff throughout the day. I picked up Thunderbirds and I, Robot at Flicks and Picks. Everyone went to bed early and Sam and I read a ton of books together.
There were some highlights of the day. We got lots of little icicles on the pergola that covers our patio. I got some for the kids and then Emma sent me out repeatedly to get more for her to eat. We moved the antique card table upstairs for Jamie to use in her craft room. The kids were exceptionally funny at dinner, with Emma pressing her face against the glass of the kitchen door. Good times.
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Happy Probe Day! The probe that descended to...
January 14, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Happy Probe Day! The probe that descended to Titan, one of Saturn's moons, seems to have landed just fine. It's sending back data and everything looks good. Hopefully we'll get some pictures or even sounds from the microphone later today. Nifty stuff.
Other than that, it's a pretty busy day. I had my morning mocha and am slowly wading through work. We have a few things to do this weekend, but it's otherwise relatively open. Maybe we'll try to get to some snow, which would be fun.
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Ha
January 13, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Ha. Accidental charity. My class is going to clean out a basement today- now that's committment to community solidarity. Williams Tsunami Relief Coalition is making bank with its fundraising efforts, and I'm tempted to send the money off to small business development in North Adams. The tragedy of industrial flight in Western Mass feels more real to me, but I'm pretty into the local right now. So we juggle.
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It's another Mocha day for me, for medicinal ...
January 13, 2005 by Adam in Family
It's another Mocha day for me, for medicinal purposes of course. Jamie came down with the cold that the kids had yesterday and it seems to have snuck up on me late last night. I was given Emma to watch during my normal 8 pm Wednesday Lost viewing time. I kept it going, trying to distract her from the invisible monsters stalking people by playing with her talking puppy toy. Hopefully her dreams were filled with "itsy bitsy spider" and not the manevolent forces that haunt the forbidden isle.
Since Jamie was sick I was sent out to get food at Tasty Thai. It was a complete madhouse. It turns out they were giving all their sales to the tsunami relief effort, so I guess I accidentally gave $19.65 to charity. Emma absolutely loved the curried tofu, gobbling it down in between exclaimations of "More tofu!"
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The snow was falling thick and wet all day to...
January 12, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
The snow was falling thick and wet all day today, and I have half a mind to go home and nap until my 7 o'clock meeting this evening. Tomorrow is our adventure to Holyoke to work with Nuestras Raices (Our Roots). We're cleaning out their basement in solidarity with the cool work they do. I'm so proud of my students for doing all this crazy stuff I have organized for them.
Anna's in D.C. learning about science and technology policy with other undergraduate women- sounds interesting. It struck me that so many medical researchers she met in the FDA changed their research to 'terrorist defense' from inconsequenstial things like AIDS vaccines. I hate hate hate hate hate the government I work for. The government is an enemy of the bill of rights and the constitution. Had to be said.
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My new computer desk arrived yesterday, with ...
January 12, 2005 by Adam in Family
 My new computer desk arrived yesterday, with some assembly required. It quickly became a huge project that consumed the evening and perhaps our very souls. I optimistically thought I could simply sit down when I got home from work and put things together. I did the desk before dinner time, letting the kids play with the packing material.
Little did I know that the styrafoam blocks quickly broke down into tiny balls that clung to everything. Before I realized the danger, they covered the kids, the couch, and the floor. Jamie came down and announced that I might as well put the hutch together.
It turns out that the hutch was seemingly ten times more complicated than the desk. Finally, at about nine o'clock, we had everything assembled, cleaned up, and I moved Sam's computer to its new home. Now the only problem is that the network cable barely reaches it and I think I jiggled something to make the network card fail. I'll take it apart sometime later.
Otherwise, it looks great and the extra storage is quite handy. Let's hope I can continue to stay organized.
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My classes and regular work schedule started ...
January 12, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
My classes and regular work schedule started yesterday. Everyone seems pretty dazed, as we have forgotten the brain power it takes to be learning again. Most everyone I've talked to spent most of their holdidays eating and sitting, and now find that they need a nap after each class!
A sad thing yeasterday...we said goodbye to Ducky as Robbie had her released to the Humane Society owner released adoption center. Although sad for us, Isa was very upset about the whole idea, and still refuses to believe that we won't be picking up Ducky when we go back to Eugene. Sigh...it's alway had to know how much to explain to your kids, and when to just leave something alone.
On a happier note, we caught Yayoe's cleanning bug, and our apartment is now one step closer to being organized. A few more storage containers and an attack on the closet and we may reach perfection! As you can see we relish the simple things in life!
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Happy New Year to all! And yes, like a cleani...
January 11, 2005 by Yayoe in Yayoe
Happy New Year to all! And yes, like a cleaning fool I did clean and vaccum the house before the clock struck 2005. This year however I didn't compile the usual list of 50 items I plan to accomplish. Who am I kidding with new resolutions. Heading toward my 62nd year I'm just happy to have all my teeth (thanks to 5 new crowns and 1 root canal in 2004) and some of my hair. This month I'm taking a Ukulele class and a caregiver class! Weird but fun combination of classes huh. I'm still seeing private clients at PeaceHealth and doing pro-bono work at the Alzheimer's Association. On Mondays I'm at the Assistance League sorting books and marking merchandise. I love working for the league!
Good news about Josh. He's back in Hawaii as of December and he got a great job working as an environmental specialist for the state. He's using his chemistry backgournd and samples water at the beaches and then surfs after work! Jodie will be joining him this week and then they'll be looking for a place to live. They are in sticker shock because of the high cost of housing and rentals.
Lohring is still treking back and forth to Grants Pass and enjoys his job. His in-town work as a volunteer dental director at the early Head Start Program is putting him into the new world of public health dentistry...hurrah for him. He's also going to be very busy being the district director for the northwest region which means he'll be gone more than usual to all the races, etc. He plans to be in Fremont, California in February for a race and then to New Hampshire in July for the annual NAMBA championships. He plans to visit Sadie during that time!
Dorothy will be visiting friends in Florida from January 17-31. Shortly after her return she and her sister Caroline will be going on a cruise in the Panama Canal area from February 17-27. After then she will visit Caroline in Washington and will be here in Eugene from March 12-19th. We'll be in touch about visiting you folks and setting up some fun things to do during her visit.
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The kids came over this morning and I enterta...
January 11, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The kids came over this morning and I entertained them while Jamie worked out. I got a flu shot finally, something that is my normal thing to do at work in November. Sam decided that I was very good so we went out for hot chocolate. Emma had a good time making smiley faces at the college students and rearranging the chairs.
In theory my new computer desk arrives today. I'm excited to set it up and get rid of the wobbly card table I'm currently using. Emma likes to push on it and watch it rock back and forth, something that's not a good idea with a huge 19" monitor on it.
Other than that, everything's going well. The kid's latest round of sniffles seems to be fading pretty quickly. I continue to brave the cold and ride my bike into work. One of these days it would be fun to take the kids to play in the snow, though I'm not sure we'll get organized in time.
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Oooo, I can't believe I voluntarily returned ...
January 11, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Oooo, I can't believe I voluntarily returned from Florida
and that sunshine. There wasn't much hurricane damage where Dad was, but tufts of mobile home insulation were strewn randomly over the rest of the state.
One of my tasks there was to gather information about alternate living arrangements - pretty stressful for Dad, and not a flat out barrel of monkeys for me either.
He had had a couple of fender-bender accidents - scraped a guard rail and bumped into somebody's rear bumper and trailer hitch.While I was there, the starter went out in that ancient Mercury, and I got him a 1986 Chevrolet with 19,000 miles for $500(honest mileage; I went through the last twenty years of repair records!)
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A very quick posting; I got in from Florida a...
January 10, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
A very quick posting; I got in from Florida at 2:00 am Sunday morning, and hustled on to Seraph's and Robbie's where I flopped into bed.
I found Dad as bright as ever, but more frail and shorter winded than last year. I hope you have time to send him a card for his 90th, at Bill Steane, 762 North Green Circle, Venice, Fla, 34285.
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Mocha Monday you ask? Even better, free Moch...
January 10, 2005 by Adam in Family
Mocha Monday you ask? Even better, free Mocha Monday. I went down to Starbucks to use up my Christmas card, there was some hijinx with their computer system, and I ended up with a free coffee which tastes even sweeter.
The big event of the weekend was definitely the shindig last night when Jamie's girlfriends came over. Though she'd planned a movie, they instead sat around eating yummy food and chatting. Sadly there was no pyjama wearing and pillow fights, but they did leave some tasty looking snacks to take to lunch the next day.
The kids, Dave, and I were stuck down in the basement for three hours. Dave was fresh and played a ton with the kids. I made sure they were fed and relatively content. Eventually the guests left and we got everyone to bed fairly late. A good time was had by all.
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I continue to play Pirates!, which suits my 1...
January 10, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
 I continue to play Pirates!, which suits my 15-minute play times these days. I can go for a quick couple of sea battles or perhaps searching for buried treasure. I'm pretty much doing the same things over and over, though they're generally fun.
I managed to win me a Dutch wife through gifts of ruby rings and diamond necklaces, along with a lot of fancy footwork on the dance floor. I had to rescue her from some evil pirate captain along the way, but she finally agreed to be married.
I've also avenged my family, which I suppose ends one of the main quests of the game. The villian is now serving in the galley, the scoundrel. Still, there's part of a map to a lost city of gold that needs finding. I could also work on maximizing my piratey loot. I'm still quite young and the sea is full of booty.
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We somehow fumbled our way into Sunday
January 09, 2005 by Adam in Family
We somehow fumbled our way into Sunday. The kids both seem to have a cold again and Jamie and I had headaches yesterday. Winters are killers around here it seems. Still, everyone seems in relatively good spirits today. Dave came over to help put up cabinets in my office which ended up looking very nice.
Today I'll probably continue to play with the kids until Jamie's party this evening, at which time Dave will return to assist.
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Jamie promised me a new and improved office, ...
January 09, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
 Jamie promised me a new and improved office, though it seems that some assembly was required. Today we put put shelves, with Dave's incredibly useful help. They look great and I've been organizing and throwing things out. Today I begun the great Purge that will be spoken of by dust bunnies for generations. All my old floppy disks were copied to my hard drive and thrown out. I cut my CDs down considerably, though they still fill up several shelves. I also tossed out the old Lego computer after stripping it for parts. I think I have enough for a low-end computer, so I'll try assembling it when I get some time.
A new computer desk should arrive any day now, replacing the old antique card table that Sam's computer is sitting on.
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I'm heading over to the airport to drop off m...
January 08, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
I'm heading over to the airport to drop off mom's car right now. I am hoping to catch her to let her know where it is parked. If I don't, I will probably post the information in case anyone else talks to her or she is able to log on.
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I'd love to kid sit
January 07, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I'd love to kid sit. Send 'em over. The Informational Technology people came over and gave me a new computer- very exciting! It's very quiet and sleek. My first section of the winter study course I'm leading went well, and I'm hoping for a good turnout on Tuesday. Other than that, I brainstormed with a student about her new fundraising group on campus and futzed around. Fridays in January rock.
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Mocha Friday
January 07, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. It's a good thing too, as my day started around 4:30 with Emma convinced that it was time for her parents to get up and play with her. Jamie and I descended into the basement and I spent the next hour and a half playing away. Of course, now my stomach is complaining about the change in schedule and I'm in a coffee-induced perky stupor.
I'm hoping we get some time to work on my office this weekend. The cabinets are assembled and need to be hung on the wall. The tricky part is coordinating that and kid watching. If anyone out there wants to come over to help, give us a call.
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I haven't had as much time to play my new gam...
January 06, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
 I haven't had as much time to play my new games as I would have liked. I'm too busy fiddling with my Neverwinter Nights projects or playing with kids. Pirates! is something that can easily be picked up, played for ten minutes, and put away. The only negative aspect about that is that since there isn't much of a plot, there's not really a driving reason to press on.
I played through the prologue for Rome: Total War, which was mostly a learning experience. The big downside was that I couldn't save the game until ten turns had passed. This sounds quick, but some of the turns had twenty minute long battles that you also can't save in the middle of. Still, it's shaping up to be a fairly interesting game. The combat is pretty amazing looking, very epic with the huge numbers of men crashing into each other. Capturing a town is pretty entertaining, with catapults to smash down the gates, troops streaming chaotically into the town center. It all has a very cinematic feel.
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Sam had a couple dreams he related to me yest...
January 06, 2005 by Adam in Sam
Sam had a couple dreams he related to me yesterday. In the first, the actress who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter books was in love with him. In the second, he and Emma were being chased by orcs. I think that boy has a rich fantasy life indeed.
Sam's been back to school the last couple days and seems to enjoy it. They had their first visit to the computer center. Sam announced that he had a password that he couldn't tell me, along with his own folder where he could put stuff.
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I am safe and sound in Williamstown, graduall...
January 05, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I am safe and sound in Williamstown, gradually recovering from jet lag and quite busy with all the projects at work. I had such a smashing time that it's as hard as ever to be of two hearts on two coasts. It was 40 degrees yesterday! Strangely Eugenian weather.
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Jamie let me know yesterday that her nagging ...
January 05, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Jamie let me know yesterday that her nagging cold is finally better. Emma still has the last lingering sniffles, but hopefully the last of the winter illnesses are behind us. Sam returned to school yesterday and seemed to enjoy it. Dave and Kirsten joined us for pizza and kid entertainment.
It looks like this Sunday Jamie's going to be hosting a girl's night and locking the kids and I in the basement. Fortunately Dave offered to help out so I won't go completely mad.
It's been really cold the last few days, with a tiny chance of snow this Friday. Riding to work has been especially fun. I've been walking my bike down the ice-covered hill on the way into work as I have this fear of sliding down into the middle of Willamette street. Silly me.
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Poor Emma's had a bad cold for the last few d...
January 03, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Poor Emma's had a bad cold for the last few days, along with a cough that's lasted a month. She's had a really hard time sleeping, which Jamie seems to get the brunt of. Emma would wake up every half an hour and climb on Jamie saying "Hold you. Hold you."
Fortunately she's better in the day time. This morning Emma removed her poopy diaper and thoughtfully wandered over to hand it to her mom. Such kindly children we have.
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Today was one of those days where I felt "har...
January 03, 2005 by Adam in Adam
Today was one of those days where I felt "hardcore". The temperature was below freezing and frost covered everything. There was ice on the hill down from our house, so I carefully rode my bike across it and walked down to the bottom. When I got to work only a handful of bikes were in the bike cage.
I'm back at work after four luxurious days hanging out with the family. It was really nice not having to go anywhere or do anything, so I mostly just hung out with everyone. For some reason, just playing in the basement with the kids seemed very restful. It was probably that I didn't have anything I had to do so I didn't feel bad just puttering around.
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It's was a good first day yesterday, hopefull...
January 02, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's was a good first day yesterday, hopefully setting the trend for the new year. I tried hard to give Jamie some time to rest and recover from Emma's sickness-induced lack of sleep. Sam and I played with Legos while Emma watched parts of Disney movies on the computer. Jamie also snuck off to return with cabinets for my office which are currently going unhung due to lack of adults to coordinate both children and heavy objects. Dave's promised to help out once he returns from the beach. I also picked out a desk to replace the rickety card table I'm currently using. Hopefully my new office shall be complete in a week or so.
Sam and I went for a halfway hike up Skinner's Butte. It was wet and muddy and cold, so after Sam's second slip we decided to turn around and head back. Then we finished up the last part of the last Lord of the Rings movie while Jamie rather loudly guessed at what would happen next.
The big excitement for the day was dinner at my dad's with most of my family. It went really well, with the kids both having a great time and Jamie getting a chance to relax and chat. Sadie's been teaching herself the banjo, so we had some dueling banjo-ukulele action with Yayoe. Emma was mesmerized.
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Happy New Year everyone! I have heard from A...
January 01, 2005 by Betsy in Betsy
Happy New Year everyone! I have heard from Aunt Meggie in Florida and all are apparently having a good time. Walking on the beach with Sue and Dad yesterday and going to a nice beach front restaurant last night. Meg said she got lots of sleep last night and was feeling refreshed. Hope Grandma/Mom Sue got some rest at Grandpa Bills.
The boys and I spent a ho hum evening with only Patrick making it to midnight. I had to come all the way into Columbus today on my day off to bring keys to an owner to show an apartment, boy am I pissed off. Time to go home!
Happy New Year!
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I treated myself to a couple new games with m...
January 01, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
 I treated myself to a couple new games with my Christmas money - Pirates! and Rome: Total War. So far I've only loaded up Pirates!, a remake of the classic game from years gone by. Though there's a certain amount of repetition that might make it eventually boring, so far it seems like a truly great game. I love the ship battles, finding buried treasure, invading towns, and generally sailing the Caribbean. There's even a dancing game where you can woo the governor's daughters. That's the one game that's difficult to the point of frustration at times.
I'm hearing very good things about Rome: Total War as well, so I'll stop typing and see if I can play it a little while the kids are still asleep.
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Happy New Year to all
January 01, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Happy New Year to all. Since we don't have a real baby New Year hanging about, we'll make due with our own. Emma simply did not want to sleep last night and stayed up until ten o'clock (her semi-official bedtime is eight). She'd act tired, I'd take her upstairs to Jamie, and a few minutes later she'd get dropped off downstairs again. Fortunately she was really cute and we played non-stop.
The only thing on our agenda this weekend is to get the cabinets for my office from Dave's house. If we're lucky we'll put those up today and organize a bit. Jamie brought down a cardboard box and made me purge all the stuff I never used. I appeased her by tossing a bunch of computer part manuals, which I can probably get online anyway.
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It's pretty rare these days that I do much wi...
January 01, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
 It's pretty rare these days that I do much with my computers. Yesterday, however, I didn't have a lot of choice. The CD-ROM drive in the Fossil computer has been failing, typically leaving a kid making grumpy noises when the whole system locks up. Even Emma started to say "problem" in a cute voice when her puppy game became hopelessly stuck.
I've been slowly taking apart my old server for parts and it had a decent CD-ROM drive inside. The problem with the Fossil computer is that the drive has to match the various holes and such perfectly. It didn't. I ended up having to make the hole where the CD's go bigger, creating a pile of splinters in the process. I also scratched up the front a bit, though not too badly.
When I finally got the new drive lined up and working properly, I discovered that somehow the power button got screwed up. No longer did the shiny brass button connect to the plastic switch that actually turns the thing on. After fiddling for a long while, I fell back to a simple solution. I put a little bit of tape on the switch to make it longer, which worked like a charm.
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It's the last day of 2004 and the hours are s...
January 01, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's the last day of 2004 and the hours are slowly slipping away. It's doubtful we'll actually make it to midnight. Emma was up a lot last night with a bad cold. Finally I went to the guest bed and left poor Jamie dealing with the grumpinator.
Today was rather nice. Sadie came by early in the morning and had a great time playing with the kids. There was lots of pretending to be pirates today, playing my new Pirates! game, watching Pirates of the Caribbean, and generally swashbuckling about. We all went on an expedition to buy a new computer desk, but mostly got wet and returned empty handed.
The kids have been exceptionally cute tonight. Sam and Emma are having a great time playing together. We told Sam he'd earn a penny if he played with her and now he doesn't want to stop. These are the good times indeed.
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