Sweet, sweet mocha Friday

March 30, 2007 by Adam in Family

Sweet, sweet mocha Friday. Spring is here, there was a beautiful sunrise on the way to work, and that delicious espresso treat is sitting at my desk. Life is good.

I think Jamie and the kids are coming back today, but I'm not quite sure. I think her plan was to stay as long as they were having fun, so it could be any time over the next few days. It's been strangely busy while they're away. Last night I went over to my dad and Yayoe's for dinner, chatting for endless hours about computers, model boats, manufacturing, and financial stuff. Somewhere in there we managed to get a hug in too.

It'll be nice to have my family back. The house is far too big for just little ol' me. Plus I miss playing with the kids and Jamie's deadpan humor.

I talked to Robbie last night

March 29, 2007 by Seraph in Cortez

I talked to Robbie last night. They sound like they're having fun catching up with everyone and seeing the sights. They are over in Taos, and Robbie said it was cold. They head back to Tuscon today, stopping for the night in Flagstaff. Hopefully they'll be warm again before heading home!

I woke up this morning, made myself blueberry...

March 28, 2007 by Adam in Adam

I woke up this morning, made myself blueberry pancakes and sausages, and foamed up a double mocha. It was an enjoyable last meal, and I contemplated the expression "nothing focuses the mind like the sight of the gallows." Delaying as long as possible, I headed out to my morning doctor appointment. I was about to go under the knife.

Well, it wasn't nearly that dramatic. I got a couple moles removed, one with a blowtorch like device. I enjoy the smell of burnt flesh like any other guy, but to have it be my own is somewhat disconcerting.

Currently I have a couple bandages, including a tiny one over my eye. I'm tempted to exchange it for an eyepatch, but then I'd look silly without the parrot and hook hand.

I just got of the phone with Emma and Jamie, ...

March 28, 2007 by Adam in Family

I just got of the phone with Emma and Jamie, who called to check up on me. Perhaps they were listening for party noises in the background or something. Surprisingly enough, I was at my computer, working on samatopia.com for Sam.

They're doing well. Emma talked about the foam toys they got at the aquarium. She also mentioned that she was a little afraid of the shark and octopus. Sounds like they're having fun.

A quick update on Jenny's house plans

March 27, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

A quick update on Jenny's house plans. She, Jordan and I went to the broker's office yesterday morning to get more information about financing. After checking her incredibly high credit rating, he got busy, and called her back yesterday afternoon to tell her she'd been pre-approved for a loan. Lots more things to do, but it looks like it could happen. Had a fun dinner with Adam. I did not serve Cat, regardless of the implication of Adam's posting.

The unfortunate orange peel incident conclude...

March 27, 2007 by Adam in Adam

The unfortunate orange peel incident concluded with me finding a sliver of orange peel under my nail. No wonder it hurt so much.

I thought this week would be quiet, but so far it's felt rather busy. I'm bouncing around odd projects at work. Last night I watched the finale of Battlestar Galactica and then went to my mom's for dinner. She, Bob, and I chatted about eating cats and Jenny's possible house purchase. I came home late, took a quick bath, and went to bed.

Tomorrow I'm going in to get some moles removed, using it as an excuse to take the day off. I'm getting rid of what Emma calls my "Kill Dad" button. She'll miss pushing it and giggling maniacally when I keel over and stick out my tongue.

Robbie and Isabell made it safe and sound to ...

March 27, 2007 by Seraph in Cortez

Robbie and Isabell made it safe and sound to AZ last night. I got a call from Robbie saying it was 80 degrees! They drive with Alex to NM today to spend the week with family there.
This leaves me, like Adam, alone in a big quiet house. I've decided to take advantage of it and worked late. My hope is to get ahead at work while their away, and I don't have to feel guilty about coming home at 9pm!
We are also having our floors refinished at the end of the week. It's these little things that make me happy.
Love to all, and lets hope Robbie and Isa send some of that warm weather our way!

Fun in Redmond! The weather was lovely, the c...

March 26, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

Fun in Redmond! The weather was lovely, the conference was interesting, and we had a delightful evening watching the
Duck game at the town's favorite watering hole. It was particularly fun because we got to sit and talk politics, women's issues, and gardening with a mom, her daughter, and daughter's friend. Smart funny people abound in this state.

I'm home alone, knocking about in this big, e...

March 26, 2007 by Adam in Family

I just got back from the coast, leaving Jamie...

March 26, 2007 by Adam in Sam

Mocha Friday

March 23, 2007 by Adam in Family

Mocha Friday. I just have to hold out another hour until that delicious treat is in my hands.

Last night was a little crazy around the dinner table. The kids were tired and Emma in particular was grumpy. Jamie and I had a little tiff around when exactly I was leaving work so we could go to the coast. Sam was probably the only one who was generally cheerful.

With luck, that'll all change when we head out to the coast this weekend. I'll only be there for a couple days while Jamie and the kids stay most of the week. It'll be weird having time alone in the house. I'll keep the booze and loose women to a minimum.

I'm trying hard to get things together at work. Yesterday was strangely productive, getting several major projects to a semi-completed state. We have one person out sick and another just had a baby, so it's feeling like I'm covering a lot of bases. Still, it's a fun job and I can't imagine anything else I'd rather be doing.

Bob and I are driving to Redmond to a housing...

March 22, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

Bob and I are driving to Redmond to a housing conference this afternoon, and we'll be back Saturday morning. He's been released to drive, but hasn't been doing much driving.
The weather is supposed to be good. I'll have my cell. Love to all, mom

It was pretty cold today

March 21, 2007 by Adam in Family

It was pretty cold today. I scraped the frost off of Jamie's car before I rode to work today. That led to a "You're my hero" phone call from her later on.

Emma's had a cold all week, nothing horrible but she sniffles and whines from time to time. Jamie's kept her out of school, which makes Jamie's life a little harder. I think she's got a touch of a cold herself.

Last night Jamie hung out with Victoria and I had the kids to myself. We ran around the basement for awhile, ate dinner, and went out to the Zenon for dessert. Sam likes the ritual of it all, I think, getting more into his Italian soda than his chocolate cake. Emma was a cake eating machine, totally focused on shoveling each morsel down her gullet.

I love reading Sam's homework

March 21, 2007 by Adam in Sam

I love reading Sam's homework. Today I found his answer to the question "Who is your hero?"

Can you guess who my hero is? He is tall and has long hair. He can draw. I can always count on him to play video games. If you guessed me, you're right!

After months of "being in the works" it look...

March 20, 2007 by Seraph in Cortez

After months of "being in the works" it looks like our house in Eugene will finally close next week! By the time the equity money gets distributed out there really won't be much left, but the housing market was good to us in the long run.
It looks like we'll be getting our living room floors finished over the break, and we're talking to someone about building the bookcases for us. It will be a major step forward in our project list, though as the spring weather returns it reminds me of all the outdoor projects still to do!
I've long since promised house pics, and should be able to post some tonight.

Hi, all

March 20, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

Hi, all. I had fun doing a short baby-sit with Emma, followed later with a lunch with the director of Unity School, for which I serve on the Board of Directors. Then Jenny, Jordan and I got together to go see a house Lohring learned about for sale in Thurston. It is a beautiful house,
about 100 yards from the elementary school, and walking distance from the middle school and high school. If Jenny can put together the financing, I know she'd buy it. Many hugs, ole mom

Emma's been a little sick over the last two d...

March 20, 2007 by Adam in Emma

Emma's been a little sick over the last two days, though it's just a little cold. She called me up at work and explained how she might have a virus in her stomach. It's funny how she combines science and drama. Where could she have possibly got that from?

Last night Jamie was looking a little tired from watching Emma all day. I whisked my daughter away where we proceeded to do all manner of silly things. First it was tattoos on the arms (using washable pens), and later I painted her nails with sparkly and purple nail polish. I'm not sure what sort of profession I'm training her for, but Emma had a lot of fun.

Well, the Potty Saga isn't quite over

March 19, 2007 by Adam in Emma

Well, the Potty Saga isn't quite over. We've had a few setbacks over the last few weeks, but during the day time, all is well.

In other areas, she's been growing like a weed and getting increasingly sophisticated. Last night and dinner, she was being stubborn in French. She wanted "du pain" (some bread) and we kept telling her to eat her apple sauce first ("maintenant le pomme"). It was pretty funny and Sam looked at us all a bit odd.

Emma and I made scones yesterday. She's often my baking helper, having been my assistant for the last few loaves of wheat bread I've made. It's fun listening to her explain how we need to knead the dough and let the yeast make bubbles.

Sam got a nasty bloody nose the other day

March 19, 2007 by Adam in Sam

Sam got a nasty bloody nose the other day. We were walking down to Dave's house for dinner, when he started dripping blood everywhere. By the time we reached the house, it looked like he'd been attacked by a wild animal.

On the way back, Emma fell and scraped her knees too, so it was a rather traumatic experience for all.

Sam seems to be doing fairly well these days. School seems fairly easy for him and he enjoys going to see his friends. Last night he and I had a long conversation about space exploration, all stemming from the question "What if you could make sound in space?"

It was a good day yesterday

March 18, 2007 by Adam in Family

It was a good day yesterday. Jamie made delicious challah French bread, coupled with my tasty mochas. Emma had her last ballet class, so she pranced about with the other pink tutu-wearing girls while Sam and I played Frisbee outside. The kids and I then went to the pool where we all had a great time. The afternoon was quiet and then we headed to Dave's house where he and Kirsten made a tasty dinner for us. I also snuck in a library trip somewhere in there, returning with video, computer game, and literary treasures.

Jamie started semi-working again, helping one of the mom's at Emma's French school with her business. She's mostly doing bookkeeping and office organization, but Jamie's remarkably perky about it. Hopefully she can balance her various responsibilities and still help out. Most likely it'll only be a few hours per week. We'll see how it goes.

Sam wrote this as part of a school assignment...

March 17, 2007 by Adam in Sam

Sam wrote this as part of a school assignment:

My dad is funny and nice. My mom is nice too and she talks alot. Me, I do lots of things. I play video games, draw, write, and I'm smart. My sister plays with Barbies and is annoying.

Well, I bought Sam a domain name

March 16, 2007 by Adam in Sam

Well, I bought Sam a domain name. SamuelMiller.com was taken, but Samatopia.com was free. For those who are curious, it's an imaginary place that Sam created a year or two ago. He'd spend long hours telling me about it's lengthy history and terrible battles.

We put together a little site yesterday. I admittedly got a little carried away, having fun doing some weird and wacky web things. Visitors to his site can play with magnetic poetry, adjust the map, or help make his comics. I want to get a better list of words from Sam and perhaps get him to do a bit of drawing as well. Fun, fun.

I just saw one of the rarest natural phenomen...

March 16, 2007 by Adam in Family

Sorry I haven't posted - this has been a week...

March 15, 2007 by Seraph in Cortez

Sorry I haven't posted - this has been a week of very long work days.
Work has been prety crazy, and a lot of s*** has been hitting my fan.
We managed to get out into the garden last Sunday, and it was nice to get my hands dirty again!
Poor Isa has a cough again, and Robbie stayed home with her yesterday.
Her good buddy Mikaya has her birthday party this weekend, and we have her schools "playground raising" on Saturday. Plus somewhere in there we've promised the girl some good old irish music for St. Patrick's day!
P.S. Mischa is alive and well. Although he has been banned from the bedrooms at night!

Adam: the earring returns? I can't believe I ...

March 15, 2007 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg

Adam: the earring returns? I can't believe I missed that post! Hurrah! The college's operations strategic mister mister wears a totally bad ass earring, too. And, for the record, I think Mischa is just fine.

I hurt myself in a rather odd fashion today

March 15, 2007 by Adam in Adam

I hurt myself in a rather odd fashion today. I was peeling an orange at work and managed to slide part of the stem under my finger nail and give myself a nasty cut. Even better, orange juice squirted in for bonus pain.

Fortunately I was able to rip apart and eat the orange afterwards. If only all my problems could be dealt with in such a satisfying way.

Work was good today. I spent a fair amount of time working on a lengthy backlog of requests. A few of them were sort of fun, including an Internet application that lets family members see where someone is in the whole surgery process.

Well, it's been ten days and I haven't heard ...

March 15, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

Well, it's been ten days and I haven't heard from you, Seraph and Robbie, about how Mischa is doing. Sadie and I are pretty sure that he ran out into the street and was killed, and the two of you are just too nice to tell me. Please reassure me; post a picture tomorrow of Mischa holding the March 14th "Oregonian". Thank you, Mom

Our family was being silly tonight, as usual

March 14, 2007 by Adam in Family

Our family was being silly tonight, as usual. Jamie went to the gym and visited Angie, while I fed the kids. Afterwards she came in and sat down for dinner while I entertained with the infamous Hamster Dance video. Good times.

I had lunch with my mom this morning, which was a fun treat. She seems well and we chatted about how we both share this seemingly genetic trait to dig bomb shelters and stockpile food. We were trying to resist turning her farm into a fortress against some unknown impending disaster. I'm sure the endless cups of Glenwood coffee didn't help much.

Work has been nutty lately, spending way too much time deciding on whether or not certain words in our code should be capitalized or not. Tomorrow I need to hunker down and finish up some of the work that's piled up lately. Busy, busy.

Update: Jamie has requested that I remove the video. Evidently I'm supposed to talk to her PR rep any time I wish her image to be used. Oopsie.

This picture is just a reminder to folks to s...

March 13, 2007 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg

This picture is just a reminder to folks to start preparing their costumes. The wrong style cigar or bow tie could sour the moment. I, obviously, am still working on the perfect Richie (this look is from where Margot gets off the bus and says, "stand up straight and let me get a look at you." Nico is playing in the background.

The job search plugs along. I had a phone interview this afternoon and the position in Rhode Island looks very promising. I have a feeling that being a queer feminist puts me out of the running for positions at Catholic colleges, though they are refreshingly social-justice oriented. If anyone finds any higher ed civic engagement positions laying about, waiting to be filled, give me a holler. I have requested that my friend embezzle money to bring me with him to a women's cooperative farming project in Africa this summer, but we'll see how successful he is.

It's Monday morning, feeling earlier than it ...

March 12, 2007 by Adam in Family

It's Monday morning, feeling earlier than it really is with the "Spring Back" time change. It's pitch black outside and I guess I have to get used to riding to work in the dark for awhile more.

We had a good weekend, all around. Jamie made an amazing breakfast on Saturday, with scones that were to die for. I snuck away to the library, returned to take the kids swimming, and then John and Natalie arrived for a long play date. Having four kids around seems to be about as much work as two, strangely enough.

Sunday was a bit quieter. We mostly stayed outside to enjoy the weather. I did some work on my bike and rearranged the basement. Jamie and Emma walked with Victoria to the store. Later we all went over to Kirsten's house for dinner, chasing the kids around the back yard.

All-in-all, nothing terribly important happened, other than simply enjoying ourselves.

Mocha Friday

March 09, 2007 by Adam in Family

Mocha Friday. Work is a bustle of insane requests, pouring in faster than I can respond. I have no idea when I'm going to be able to work on my critical projects that had to be done at the beginning of the week. I'll have to summon the mighty power of the Mocha and accomplish everything in a blur of activity. Either that, or I'll just feign death until they reassign my work to someone else.

Emma's French continues to impress me. These days she's teaching me words. Last night I was giving her a bath and she started talking about a "grenouille" while playing with a toy frog. I had to ask, and so she explained how grenouille was a frog. It happens all the time now.

Thursdays are often the day when Sam brings back his homework. I love reading it, as he's so funny and quirky. His stories tend to be fairly outlandish, as if an adult comedian was doing 2nd grade homework.

The weekend looks pretty busy. We've got playdates for the kids, the Home and Garden show, swimming, a library trip, and more. Hopefully we can relax in there sometime.

Invisible Ink???? I can understand the lager...

March 08, 2007 by Betsy in Betsy

Invisible Ink???? I can understand the lager and the Chinese Finger Torture Device (have a couple of those myself) but Invisible Ink?!

Meg, difference in time and distance, so don't tell this one to Mikayla, but my freshman year at Chatham I came down with the flu. The school nurse wanted to put me in the hospital because I hadn't been able to hold down food or water for 3 days. Somehow at about 9p.m. Dad came into my dorm room, scooped me up in his arms, carried me down to the old blue Suburban and took me home to Mom who nursed me back to health. He had to have worked all day at some job, got home after probably a long drive and found Mom worried about me and turned around and drove into Pittsburgh to get me.
I have the picture of them together at the beach (The Dump in White pic) at the bottom of my computer screen on my desk here at the office and I miss them and their unconditional love.
Blessings to all,
P.

What can I say? They were hostess presents fo...

March 08, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

What can I say? They were hostess presents for the Pioneer
Dinner which I forgot to give them Sunday!

I got a second controller for the Wii and had...

March 08, 2007 by Adam in Adam's Games

I got a second controller for the Wii and had a lot of fun playing Wii Sports with Sam and Emma. I wanted to get another good multiplayer Wii game, so I ended up ordering Rayman Raving Rabbits. It looks funny, quirky, and something even Emma might enjoy (I've given up hope on getting Jamie to play video games).

Sam's been playing Dark Messiah a bit lately. It's occasionally frustrating for him, as it's right at the edge of his difficulty level. I remember when he was four and I'd turn on God Mode and let him play through games without fear of dying. Now he can handle just about anything I can, though occasionally he wants a little help.

Emma's into Barbie.com, especially printing out anything she can find. Yesterday she printed out some mail order form for a "free" playmat (just send $1.80 in shipping and handling).

The week moves on

March 08, 2007 by Adam in Family

The week moves on. Not much exciting has been happening in the Miller-Mellor household. We took the kids to my mom's house and walked over to Metropol for bread. Afterwards we ate it with some fresh beer-cheese soup that Jamie made and watched a bit of Coupling. I picked up the kids a little later, where my mom proceeded to burden me with invisible ink, a large bottle of lager, and a Chinese finger torture device. Ah, family.

Work occasionally gets nutty, but I'm starting to feel like I have a handle on the deluge of projects. I'm about to roll out some new security reports that will either make lots of people gleeful that problems are getting cleaned up, or upset at me for making them do extra work.

It sounds as if all is well on the West coast...

March 07, 2007 by Meg in Lytton

It sounds as if all is well on the West coast and in Ohio.
Mikayla was homesick and came home from Oberlin for the weekend. She seems to have inherited Grandpa Bill's travel gremlin... For a variety of reasons (all solid), she and a friend decided to take a Thurs. 1:30 AM train from Cleveland, to transfer in Pgh and arrive in Phila Fri 3 PM. She called Fri 2AM to say the Amtrak train was 5 hrs late, & they would miss the connection in Pgh so they were going back to Oberlin and would figure it out the next morning. She called back at 6:30 AM as the "Fasttrack" train they got left Cleveland. They paid $50 extra and, for that, got a speedy train to Pgh and a SW flight to Phila, arrived 4 PM! Mikayla is so laidback, solid and resourceful, and seems to roll with the punches so I don't get anxious.

She was home for our one year anniversary of Grandpa Bill's death. We all went out to brunch- Dad was such a party animal, he would have loved it!!

We're getting the Alberta clipper that just gave Betsy -10 degrees. The winds last night were so strong that Dick asked if a train were coming down the street. Snow storm tomorrow...

My office renovations are moving fast. I'll try to figure out how to post pictures.
Meg

It was beautiful yesterday

March 06, 2007 by Adam in Family

It was beautiful yesterday. I came home to the kids playing outside in the sun, thinking how strange it was that I rode home in a blizzard last week. After cleaning up my bike, adjusting the brakes, and greasing the chain, the kids and I went over to the park to play around. I could get used to shorts, t-shirts, and running around outside.

I drove home without having to turn on my hea...

March 06, 2007 by Seraph in Cortez

I drove home without having to turn on my headlights!!!
For the rest of you dreaming of warmer days - here is a link to the hotel Robbie & I stayed at for our honeymoon. We are hoping to return this October for our 10th!
www.zihua-casadelmar.com

Sunday has come and gone

March 05, 2007 by Adam in Family

Sunday has come and gone. It was a pretty good day, the first in awhile where I woke up feeling okay and ready for a hearty breakfast. Jamie kindly made my whole wheat and blueberry pancakes, while I worked on the espresso. We make for a winning team.

I got a second controller for the Wii, so Sam and I put in some quality one-on-one time in Wii Sports. It was surprisingly fun and Sam managed to beat me soundly in most of the games. I think I finally snuck in a win for bowling and baseball, but he beat me soundly in boxing and tennis.

Afterwards, in preparation for our pioneer dinner, the kids and I "worked in the fields". Mostly that meant weeding and spreading plant food about on our yard. Emma rediscovered the wonders of bugs and had fun capturing a ladybug. Eventually Jamie called in Sam to help with dinner while Emma and I went to the park and enjoyed the sun for many long hours. We wore tank tops and still ended up a little on the hot side.

Pioneer dinner was a success, with Sam's biscuits high on my list of favorite foods. Sam had a good time showing off the Wii to Arik, Bob's son. Everyone got into the spirit and wore something pioneer-like. I ended up recycling the pirate bandanna and wrapping it around my neck for the appropriate farmer flair.

Special thanks to all of you for helping to m...

March 04, 2007 by Yayoe in Yayoe

Special thanks to all of you for helping to make Lohring a very happy man on his 64th birthday. Sorry we missed Sadie and Bob but there's always next year....and of course Sadie's Royal Tennenbaum costume party when she turns 26!

And kudos to Adam for filming our birthday song to Lohring. I can't believe we were that offfff tune but hey...he didn't mind a bit. UTUBE sent us a disconnect note saying they did not allow noice polution on their site..feh...we just need to practice a little more. When I turn 64 I'm checking myself into a surgical spa so I can look like 60 and postpost hearing WHEN I'M 64 for another 4 years.

So as an update: we've postponed the Brennan family reunion until next year. If you have any other ideas for venues please let us know...it needs to be close and affordable...which puts us at Cottage Grove, Junction City, Eugene, or Springfield!...or..????

I'll be taking off for Honolulu in mid May to see Jody/Josh's new baby boy. I'll keep you posted to see if he's due on his arrival date of April 26.

So thanks again for another wonderful and fun family gathering.

I decided to join the YouTube world and uploa...

March 04, 2007 by Adam in Family

What a nice birthday lunch for Lohring! Yayoe...

March 04, 2007 by Sue in Wielesek

What a nice birthday lunch for Lohring! Yayoe made a wonderful lunch, and the whole gang was there, except Sadie, and Bob, who's still pretty happy to sit quietly most of the time in his own chair. Afterward, Seraph, Robbie and Isa came to pick up Mischa. I would have felt really sad, as well as just feeling guilty, but they drove off with Mischa snuggled on Isa's lap while she stroked his head. I think he gave me the kitty finger with his little furry paw as they drove off.

I had a rough night last night

March 02, 2007 by Adam in Family

I had a rough night last night. My annoying cold turned into a pretty bad headache. On top of that, when riding home I managed to pull a muscle in my back. It was hard getting to sleep and the pain got me up again around midnight. A few Advil later and I was able to blissfully enter dreamland.

I'm still thinking about heading in to work this morning, though I'm not quite as perky about it as usual. Hopefully the magical Mocha will ease away all my pain and worries. Well, as long as I toss in a few more Advil for good measure.

The kids were pretty funny last night. Sam spent too much time watching television or playing on the computer, so he was a little loopy at dinner. I pulled him downstairs for "training", which in this case involved dodging pillows as I swung them at him. Let's just say it was cathartic for me too.

Eventually Emma came down as well and the two of them got into some sort of flying donkey game, riding stuffed animals around the room and being exceptionally silly. It was fun to watch, especially as all I had to do is sit there and pretend my back didn't hurt.

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today

March 02, 2007 by Adam in Family

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. It didn't help that I felt like I was drinking from the fire hose all day at work. Requests kept coming in faster than I could complete them, all of them unexpected and many of them in the "do it now" category.

Now I'm home. Sam's playing Animal Crossing and Emma's eating a bit of cereal. Evident jumping repeatedly on my belly tired her out or something. Still, she's so cute that I can't resist her.

Emma's has an exciting date at the hair salon tomorrow. She says she wants it short, though I suspect only an inch at most will be taken off. She's a fickle little girl, and typically tells us she wants her hair down to the floor.

I think we're planning on having our Pioneer dinner this weekend, which involves a lot of rustic food, as far as I can gather. I think Jamie opted for the ham instead of the "Buffalo for 1,000" recipe. Fortunately there's going to be assorted bread, potatoes, and the all-important chocolate-chip cookies.