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It's been a pretty exhausing day of continual...
August 31, 2005 by Adam in Family
It's been a pretty exhausing day of continual meetings, following yesterday's all day meetings. Plus the mild cold that Jamie and the kids had has finally caught up to me. Fortunately it's pretty easy to manage.
Sam's on his last couple days of Summer. We were out in the backyard last night, letting Emma chase us around with the hose. Still, there's a crispness in the air that suggests that Fall is on its way. Already I've started wearing a windbreaker to work in the morning.
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The server problems have driven me crazy the ...
August 30, 2005 by Adam in Adam
 The server problems have driven me crazy the last couple days. I get pretty frantic, unable to sleep well or think about much else. Fortunately I think everything's on the mend. A few more days of fiddling and things should be back to normal.
My mom picked up a flintlock rifle for me and is currently taking it around to a gun store to have it cleaned. He's also taking it to a gun show to see if anyone can figure out it's history. Supposedly it was made in Germany, but I don't know much else.
Summer is coming to a close. It actually rained yesterday, much to the kid's delight. They broke out the umbrellas and wanted to stay out as long as they could.
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Emma loved the beach
August 30, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Emma loved the beach. I spent a tremendous amount of time following her around as she played in her giant sandbox. I think her favorite thing to do was discovering little critters and parts of critters, handing them to me to carry around. I didn't let her wade around in the water too much, as she ended up getting pretty cold, though she would have happily splashed away all day.
When we were inside, she spent a lot of time with Natalie. The two of them crawled about and didn't get in too much trouble. The only hard part about the beach was that she had a hard time sleeping. I frequently got kicked out. And the last fifteen minutes of the drive back home was pretty bad too.
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We're back! I just recovered my main server ...
August 30, 2005 by Adam in Family
 We're back! I just recovered my main server from a catastrophic failure due to trojans slipping through a security hole in the browser. Needless to say, it sucked. I stayed up until one in the morning, woke up at five in the morning, went to work, came home after lunch, and only just now got things somewhat working. I even talked to Microsoft for awhile, an experience I relate to a preview of Hell.
Other than that, the weekend was pretty good. I did get a bad sunburn, but had a great time playing in the pool getting it. The kids all played together and we had many long visits to the beach. The weather was great, except for the last day which was a bit cloudy. All-in-all, it was quite nice.
I'm going to see if I can get the last of the server things working, have dinner with some visiting coworkers, and then hopefully get to bed early.
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Adam Adam Adam many thanks for your help with...
August 26, 2005 by Yayoe in Yayoe
Adam Adam Adam many thanks for your help with Jenny's computer. She is so happy! Wow...Now she will be able to keep up with all the family goings on! Meanwhile, here's a mold update. "THEY" are digging up the front of my house and putting in a French drain. The yard looks like a war zone trench. It's a big fat mess that I'm trying to ignore. Once the source of the mold (seeping water against the house) has been "remediated" then they seal the wall in the basement and clean it up with a hepa filter vaccum. The mold count in that room is over 10,000 which explains why my allergies never got better even with 5 years of shots. Lohring actually cleaned and straighted up the basement! A miracle I would say!
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Adam, the muzzle loading rifle that your Mom ...
August 26, 2005 by Betsy in Betsy
Adam, the muzzle loading rifle that your Mom brought back was your great great grandfathers then your great grandfathers. It was used by the family and saw action during the Civil War. The gun was then passed down to Grandma Eddies father, Myron Jones, hence the M carved into the stock. The date is the date of manufacture and there is a serial number on the brass plate of the stock. The manufacture is unknown and it was probably custom made at an individual gun shop as there were not "gun companies" back then. Usually the gun smith would stamp his name into the stock plate or tool it into the leather strap. The strap obviously is long gone. The story is that Grandpa Jones shot his first rabbit with that gun although there couldn't have been much left of the rabbit. Grandma Eddie, who was a good hunter in her own right, had fired the gun and I had fired it once during a Civil War re-enactment. It was stolen from Normalville several years ago and retrieved by the State Police and is probably worth several thousand dollars. Although the sentimental and historic value can't be measured. I know that Uncle Phil always pestered Mom about giving it up but Grandpa Jones had given it to her and she hung on to it. It used to hang above the fireplace in Normalville until I removed it to Columbus, sorry I hadn't had much time to keep it oiled. It needs a good cleaning also. Enjoy!
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Hello to all
August 26, 2005 by Jenny in Jenny
Hello to all. We all have to give Adam a big thankyou for now I can get online. He just got me a new computer, and I love it. I'm typing on an all black computer that works and I'm on cloud nine. To Adam hats off, you are the worlds best brother and I truly thank you, you can't understand how much happiness this has brought to my kids and I.You now have a one way ticket to Heaven in my eyes. To everyone else please say thankyou to Adam everyday, because now we are all together again on an Internet level.Praise to the internet god! I hope everyone is doing well. I miss you all and will now be online everyday .Adam I can't say thankyou enough for the computer and love to you all.Back in touch with all!
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It was the last of the kid's swimming lessons...
August 26, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It was the last of the kid's swimming lessons today. Both graduated with honors. Sam's big news was that he jumped off the HIGH diving board into the water, a pretty big leap. I'm proud of that kid. Attached is a picture of the kids with their instructor.
My mom came over for dinner and I handed over her laptop to her. She's been watching the kids and letting us take care of things before we leave tomorrow. I gave the garden a good long drink as the weather's so warm.
She also brought along an old flintlock rifle, which Sam and I oohed and aahed over. Jamie wasn't too keen about us mounting it over the fireplace, so I'm not quite sure where it'll end up. It has "1835" stamped on it, though I'm not sure if it was the year it was made or some sort of batch number. It also has the letter M carved into the wood, presumably for Milton.
Jenny called to let me know that her new computer was working quite well. She even got online and things seem to be working much more smoothly.
Now I'm off to pack and prepare some more. Great fun.
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A short p
August 25, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
 A short p.s. to the gun story: Bob came over for dinner, and
entertained me no end with his four minute trick of removing the padlocks (they were combination locks, and I couldn't hang around at the TSA center long enough to get the combinations) from the guncase. Guess the airport isn't safe from the invasion of the Civil War re-enactment hordes after all. It was fun to take a closer look at the gun; it has a date of 1835 engraved on the metal part of the stock.
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It looks like we're heading off to the coast ...
August 25, 2005 by Adam in Family
It looks like we're heading off to the coast tomorrow with the Musgroves. Hopefully it'll be fun and relaxing, though I'm also preparing for the reality of four small kids running about.
Sam and Emma's last day of swimming lessons are today. It's been really fun for both of them, I think. Sam in particular has become very confident in his skills. Emma has become the darling of the kid's pool, saying things like "Class, look at me!" whenever she does something.
Kirsten and Dave watched the kids while Jamie and I went out to dinner. It seems like we spent the hour reminiscing about simpler times, along with figuring out what Jamie's going to do when the kids are older. The dinner itself was pretty amazing. I love fresh greens in my salad.
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Had a delightful time visiting friends and th...
August 24, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
 Had a delightful time visiting friends and then going on to Ohio to visit Betsy and her gang. The house at Normalville looked a little forlorn all boarded up, but the crickets
lulled me to sleep and the stars were bright and clear. Bob and Betsy's farm is lovely, with almost all the remodeling work finished in the house. I was fortunate to be there the evening of Patrick's birthday party, so I got to meet Bob's
daughter, grandaughter, and youngest son, as well as get good Ohio tomatoes and corn!
God forbid that I make any criticism of the way the government operates in a part of the country where American flags proliferate, and red,white,and blue bunting adorns many homes and all used car lots, but.... The only hang-up on the trip was missing a flight as a result of the TSA (that has to stand for Transportation Security Administration)men deciding that the 150 year old muzzle loader I was bringing home for Adam, and which can't be fired because its parts are too corroded to move, presented a terrorist threat. (I suspect it will take many hours to clean it and put it into firing condition, and even then, the terrorists will have to deal with buying black powder and firing caps, and even then, they will have to load it on one knee by putting in the black powder and fixing the firing cap correctly, then stomping down the powder with this long rod.) Well, the four different
TSA officials who fussed around with this perhaps could have used their time and my tax dollars more effectively, but at least we can rest easier knowing that the Pittsburgh International Airport is safe from Civil War re-enactment buffs.
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Summer is finally feeling over
August 24, 2005 by Adam in Adam
Summer is finally feeling over. It's been cool and crisp riding my bike into work. Blueberry season is nearly over. Sam starts school in a couple weeks.
All-in-all, it's been a pretty good summer. It feels nice to get the patio garden going and the house painted. I think Jamie's felt a little weary from watching two kids all day long. Hopefully the fall will ease the load a bit as Sam goes to school.
I've been trying to get back into some things that seem to have been left behind. I used to play with just Sam a lot, which hasn't happened much with Emma around. Last night we played Legos for a long while, with me talking in a funny voice for nearly an hour. I also read a superhero comic book to him at bedtime, something I used to do every night.
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Sam lost another tooth yesterday
August 23, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Sam lost another tooth yesterday. He tried to explain it to me, but mostly it seemed to involve sitting on the couch and hitting his mouth with a blanket. The kids had swimming lessons again, as they will for the rest of the week. What's strange is that there's only two more weeks until Sam goes back to school.
The kids were a little wacky last night. Emma was really trying to have me stay next to her as she went to sleep. She was so sweet, telling me things like "you my best friend." Jamie's recommendation was to cut the cord, and so I glumly left her crying and went downstairs. Jamie reported that as soon as I reached the last step, she fell fast asleep.
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Sue, hope you got home safe and sound
August 22, 2005 by Betsy in Betsy
Sue, hope you got home safe and sound. As I predicted there was a letter of resignation on my desk when I came in this morning. Last day is September 2nd, two days after I have 178 apartments go vacant. Anyone care to show up and help answer phones and hold off the screaming hordes?
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I survived the weekend alone with the kids
August 22, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I survived the weekend alone with the kids. Sunday was a bit more difficult than the day before, though it still wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Saturday night was lots of fun. Dave and Kirsten came over and we had a movie watching night, watching National Treasure and eating pizza. Kirsten was a trooper, watching Emma the whole time. Sam got really into the movie, so much so that we had a treasure hunt first thing in the morning.
I took the kids to Old Navy Sunday morning, picking up some shirts for myself and Jamie. The kids were a bit wild, so I had them run around in the courtyard until it was time to head to my dad and Yayoe's for lunch. They had a good time there, but Emma was pushing her nap time. Unfortunately when I got home, she decided a nap wasn't such a good idea and she merely grumped her way into the afternoon.
Finally I gave up on being productive and threw the kids in the back yard with the sprinklers on. That was good for a long while, and combined with the Barbie Farytopia movie (which Sam liked), that kept them going until Jamie returned.
Jamie seemed much refreshed, regaling us with tales of a pod of blue whales playing just outside their window. I dropped off the movies, picked up Steam Boy to watch that evening, and Emma collapsed from exhaustion on Jamie's lap.
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Jamie's off to the coast
August 20, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Jamie's off to the coast. She called when she got there just to make sure I wouldn't be worried. I can tell she's been looking forward to this for a very long time.
I've been managing the kids fairly well by myself. I took them to get some food supplies for our wild weekend, and then got them ready for the fair.
 They both really enjoyed the fair, though they occasionally got a little rambunctious. Emma in particular was very strong-willed about going on certain rides. I managed to drop $28 on just kid rides for the two of them. Emma really liked the canoe ride and the merry-go-round. Sam was more daring and did a few more exciting ones, happily giving each a nausea rating.
Emma fell asleep on the ride home and I tucked her into bed. Soon I'll be feeding corn to the boy and preparing for the evening festivities. We'll probably start making pizza around 4 o'clock and expecting Dave and Kirsten for a visit and a movie.
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It's Mocha Friday and I'm feeling fairly relaxed
August 19, 2005 by Adam in Adam
It's Mocha Friday and I'm feeling fairly relaxed. Work is somewhat busy, but with my boss and other team members away, it's actually almost relaxing.
I got my mom's new laptop all ready and configured. My sister's new computer should be coming in a few days too. Hopefully I can get everyone's tech support needs met by the end of next week.
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The bathrooms are now in REMODEL mode
August 19, 2005 by Judy in Hanes
The bathrooms are now in REMODEL mode. So after Labor Day (minus the Sopers who are going down for a few days), the beach house is closed for "reservations" until December when the Jeff Hanes' celebrate their anniversary.
So here is what we hope to accomplish:
1. bathroom toilets replaced
2. bathroom flooring and baseboards replaced
3. bathroom counter tops replaced, plus mirrors, sinks, and lighting
4. kitchen counter tops replaced
5. new stove/oven and dishwasher
6. take out the garbage disposal since Jim doesn't want us to use it because of the septic system.
7. Pellet stoves replaced by propane gas inserts and propane stove in the lower level. (Thank JIM for thinking of doing this and Dorothy for providing the financing)
8. And LATER: carpet replacement upstairs and downstairs where old
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I'm slowly getting my weekend scheduled so th...
August 18, 2005 by Adam in Family
I'm slowly getting my weekend scheduled so that I keep the kids busy around the clock when Jamie's out. It looks like Saturday we're going to the fair when it opens at 11 o'clock, and then having Dave over for a pizza and movie evening. Sunday morning I think I'll try to go shopping and have lunch with my dad and Yayoe. Then we'll pine away at the window waiting for Jamie to return.
We had a pleasant evening last night. We all hung out in our front yard playing with the kids. Jamie and Sam played a little catch. Emma's favorite game was when I'd stick her on my head and pretend that I lost her. Every time I found her, she'd giggle and say "again?"
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Funny story: I'm setting up the Flying Garban...
August 18, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Funny story: I'm setting up the Flying Garbanzos for the Where Am I?! orientation on the first evening of the program. Having prepared for a few concerts in my time, I asked what equipement they would need, expecting a long list of mics and amps and such. They responsped with "We'll need three armless chairs (folding chairs are fine). I think that's it." These are my kind of people. So it looks like out first event will be a very homey acoustic outdoor contra band concert with a bonfire and s'mores. I wish you could all be there.
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Sam's been taking swimming lessons at Amazon park
August 18, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 Sam's been taking swimming lessons at Amazon park. This time he's in the Flipper's class, which takes place in the big pool. Yesterday he went off the diving board all by himself, swimming to the side when he was done. At this point, he can basically swim from place to place, though his repertoire of techniques is fairly small. We're all very proud of him.
He's also got another loose tooth that's almost ready to go. Last night we estimated the value of his mouth at $18 for the going rate for teeth these days. Gotta milk the Tooth Fairy for as much as you can.
Sam's also been playing Sims 2 quite a bit lately. Before he was mostly into building and making people, but since his reading skills have improved, he can actually play the game a bit. Sure his Sims are miserable on occasion as Sam forgets to have them eat, sleep, or shower, but on the whole they're doing fairly good.
The funniest part was when he asked me "Dad, where's the button to make them have babies?" I didn't realize the birds and the bees talk would happen quite this way.
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Hi guys, I leave from PDX at noon tomorrow, a...
August 17, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Hi guys, I leave from PDX at noon tomorrow, and return on
Tuesday afternoon. I am expecting Normalville to be hot, muggy, and lush. Ginny Hochmuth, old friend, will pick me up
tomorrow evening at the airport. What a sweetheart! I really liked the people I went to high school with, and am
looking forward to seeing everyone. However, I will miss you all.
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Yesterday was crazy busy
August 17, 2005 by Adam in Family
Yesterday was crazy busy. It's assessment time at work, so I had non-stop calls from VPs and other executives who were running into problems using my assessment tool. I did manage some time with my coworker Jonathan, working on a new template for our development projects. It was fun to try something new and "prepare for the future" as it were.
Home wasn't much better. Jamie left as soon as I arrived and didn't return home until bedtime. Emma didn't take a nap yesterday, so she was pretty wacky. Still, we managed to make pizza and keep the house relatively clean. As a bonus, we got to listen to Van Halen blaring from the fairgrounds. Emma danced a little jig.
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It was another very full day yesterday
August 15, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It was another very full day yesterday. Breakfast was a drawn out affair of tea, sausages, bagels, and cinnamon rolls. Not leisurely, but instead a series of small nibbles in between chasing children. After breakfast I donned my painting shorts and painted the garden wall and columns. Before they were looking pretty lousy compared to our shiny new house paint job. Now they're equally cheery.
After lunch we went over to celebrate Jordan's birthday party. Sam spent the entire time in the pool with the other rambunctious kids. Emma shyly moved from toy to toy. We left early when it became clear that Emma's nap-time was long past and she crashed when we got home.
Sam and Jamie went to the baseball game, where they ate terrible food and got way too hot. Fortunately the Emeralds scored multiple home runs in the first inning, so they felt it was okay to head home. Emma and I instead went to the library, spending a long while playing with the library stuffed animals.
After the kids and gone to sleep and Jamie had finished the new Harry Potter book, we rendezvoused out on the patio porch to look at the stars and have a nice little chat. Life is good.
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Happy birthday to Jordan!
I had a little v...
August 15, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Happy birthday to Jordan!
I had a little vacation in my own home this weekend, as my friend Kelly visited from Boston, dragging me to a series of farms and museums that I would never go to without feeling like a tourist. But it was great for me to enjoy the Williamstown Theatre Festival celebrities with new eyes, see all those famous paintings crammed in the Clark, and take a long drive to Pittsfield, just for corn and a few farm tomatoes. I think it was nice for her to leave the bustle of the city for a place where one can spend all day reading a novel without feeling like life is passing one by. She finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and I finished The Little Women- a rich little gem that mirrors Little Women by L.M.A. enough to make it thrilling, but unique enough to make you happily outraged when something new happens.
It has finally cooled down. My boss is finally back from his vacation, and I feel myself constantly singing his praises and amazed that I get to have him for another year. That I were as much a pleasure to work with as he... I hope I'll learn to have patience and a longer view once I really dedicate myself to the long haul. But I had a great meeting with state rep Dan Bosely, who is so supportive of my work that I feel doubly impatient to get the college on board. Sigh.
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Sam has discovered a new game
August 14, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 Sam has discovered a new game. Yesterday he drew a simple maze and I made car engine noises as I moved my finger through it. Soon enough the mazes became elaborate, with jumps, flames, and ice patches, and I was to drive my finger-based "car" through it successfully. He enjoys it immensely, though it does admittedly produce a ton of paper with his various scribbles.
Today he took another approach, turning it into a video game based around a warrior vampire, fighting for good. The puzzles and fights became more complex and he spent nearly an hour just drawing the guy's armor.
Strangely enough, he walked outside, blood dripping from his face, and announced that he'd gotten a nose bleed. We're used to them by now, so we promptly lept into clean-up action. I did have to point out the irony about the blood and the vampire thing. He only thought it was mildly amusing.
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I have become tech support to my entire family
August 14, 2005 by Adam in Adam
I have become tech support to my entire family. I spent a frustrating hour or two trying to get
jenny's old computer functioning properly. Eventually I gave up and ordered a new one through Dell. The prices are so darn cheap that it's not worth my time fiddling around with things.
I also spent some time getting Jamie's dad's computer properly configured. We should be sending it to him the next time he visits. It's his first, so I tried to make things pretty simple.
My mom's laptop arrives next week as well. It's the lightest one in a reasonable price right. Hopefully she likes it.
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The day is winding down, though it's admitted...
August 14, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The day is winding down, though it's admittedly been a bit exciting. I spent two hours painting this morning. There were some doors in our bedroom that went untouched when we painted the walls purple. Of course, now they don't match the doors at all, so they're turning white. I might be able to manage a second coat tomorrow and finish everything up.
The kids and I went to Humble Bagel for lunch, where Sam praised the tastiness of their bagels. Emma got sugared up with a cookie and juice.
After returning home, there was a frustrating couple hours where Jamie tried to put Emma to bed. Eventually she crashed for fifteen minutes on top of me while watching a movie. I snoozed off myself, though it was hard with her jumping up and down on my stomach. Eventually we retired to the wading pool outside.
As the afternoon wound down, I took the kids to the park to play in the fountains and wander around. It was beautiful and fairly quiet. Emma chased and was chased by a butterfly. We returned home for dinner, some gardening time, and finally to bed.
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While I absolutely hate all forwards, this on...
August 12, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
While I absolutely hate all forwards, this one actually seemed useful:
A REMINDER**
On August 15th, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you'll probably start to receive sales calls from them. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS! To block telemarketers from calling you, you have to call 888.382.1222 directly from your cell phone. It is the National DO NOT CALL list.
It only takes a minute and your number is blocked for five 5 years. Please pass on this public service message to your friends.
You may also register online at
http://www.donotcall.gov/
Adam's comments:
While there's some truth in this (the phone number listed above really is for the do not call list), there's no plan for anyone to start doing what's suggested in the e-mail. For more details, you can visit this site. It probably won't hurt to put your phone number in the do not call list, but I don't think it's that big a deal.
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Poor Betsy! I'm going back for my high school...
August 12, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Poor Betsy! I'm going back for my high school class reunion,
leaving on the 18th and returning on the 23rd. I called her to ask if I could stay at the house in Normalville. She said yes, but that I would have to unscrew the boards from the front door. Apparently, someone vandalized the house, breaking all the windows, all the mirrors in the house, and
generally wrecking havoc, and Bets had to board the place up. While I'm in Pa., I'm going to make a quick trip to the Farm, in Ohio, which I haven't ever been to, to visit her and the boys, and pick up Grandpa Jones' muzzle loader mom gave to Adam long ago. I'm going to check with Delta first.
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It's another Mocha Friday
August 12, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's another Mocha Friday. I'm happily caffinated and going through the messages of the day.
I had the kids last night as Jamie went over to visit with her brother in his new house. Evidently they sat around watching The Mummy with Jamie saying how stupid it was the whole time. The kids and I played non-stop. Impromptu capes were made, race tracks were drawn, and I somehow managed to make dinner in the middle of it all. They were loads of fun and we continued playing even after Jamie returned.
Both Sam and Emma had a hard time going to sleep, though. Emma started crying and called out for me, so I took her downstairs for cereal and a show. Later on, Sam woke up after having a bad dream so we went down to the kitchen to talk and have some warm milk. Finally I escaped to the guest bed and was blissfully undisturbed for the rest of the night.
Our weekend plans include Jordan's birthday party on Sunday and continuing some painting around the house. I've turned into the tech support for our family again. I've got Ray's new computer to configure, I bought my mom a laptop yesterday, and Jenny's dropping her computer off today for me to repair. I suppose if I were a neurosurgeon they'd have me poking around in their brains or something.
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We've been having dinner on the patio for the...
August 11, 2005 by Adam in Adam
 We've been having dinner on the patio for the last couple nights, which has been really nice. Finally the house is painted and the garden has grown in. The kids can do their typical finishing early thing and run around in the back yard, leaving Jamie and I to finish a leisurely dinner.
I watched D.E.B.S. last weekend, which was a fun and silly movie. Right now I'm hooked on one of the songs from the movie. It has that teen angst feel that I pretty much missed while rolling twenty sided dice and writing text adventures during high school. Ah, well, at least I had my wild college years.
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Well, I survived the play, which ran to such ...
August 10, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I survived the play, which ran to such sucess that we added an extra show! I am now rushing to catch up with homework, and one of my classes that finishes up on Friday.
I've also been busy raising hell over some faculty and class changes that the administration seems determined to push through without anyone noticing. Nothing like using any clout I can think of to invoke revolutions. Sigh...so much for floating through school quietly.
Isa had fun in Eugene last week with Hanni, and then during the three days Mom was up here in Portland. She only has a few weeks left before changing to Robbie's school, and although she will miss her current teacher, I know she's looking forward to the new adventure.
We'll be heading down Sat. morning for a weekend of birthdays - both Jordan's and Tony Rosta's! How on earth did Jordan get to be 4 so quickly?! It's getting harder for Isa to treat him like her "little" cousin when he now towers over her!
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The kids and I have been playing hard these l...
August 10, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The kids and I have been playing hard these last few days. It seems like most evenings we're either in the basement running around or in the backyard fleeing from Emma with the hose. The other day the kids dressed up as super heroes and wanted to be flown about. I suppose it's good exercise for everyone involved.
Work has been busy but strangely rewarding. Occasionally I'll come up with an elegant solution to a complex problem that impresses even me. I've been drinking a fair bit of tea throughout the day, so perhaps it's really just the caffiene doing the thinking.
It's strange to think that Summer is coming to an end. The kids start swimming lessons next week and after that it's time to return to school.
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Fun days -Friday morning Adam, Jenny, Hanni, ...
August 08, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Fun days -Friday morning Adam, Jenny, Hanni, all five grandchildren and I went to see "Alexander's Horrible,
Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" at the University's Ugly Duckling theater (the kids' outdoor summer theater)Very fun for everyone, except Emma, who kept expecting a dragon, apparently a fearsome character in a play she had seen in the past, to appear, and chose to watch from the safety
of the hedge. On Friday night I picked up Chinese food for Anna, Bob and me, but unfortunately, I couldn't visualize what I was ordering on the phone, and wound up getting almost $60 worth of take out, a huge shopping bag full, to the awe and amazement of Bob and Anna, both of whom obviously thought I knew what I was doing. On Saturday, Bob and I ran errands -he picked up clothing for Aric to go to school, and some fruit at Costco, where I got the car gassed. Finally we picked up Isa at Hanni's and headed to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. All went well, except that during a lull in the sound track, Isa announced that she was going to the bathroom, that she didn't want me to come with her, and if she saw a stranger she would hit him. I don't know what I'm going to do when she wants to drive next year.
Love to the gang, momo
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I'm spent
August 08, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I'm spent.
Today was a day of discharging various obligations, though not entirely unpleasant. Darryl and I took the kids to the park in the morning while Jamie went to the store. It was funny watching Darryl with the kids as he normally is somewhat reserved. I caught him cheating in a race with Sam, as he pulled him back by the seat of his pants.
Around ten Darryl and I went over to help Dave move. It was hard work, with seemingly endless pieces of solid oak furniture. Fortunately moving a guy's stuff is pretty easy, as he just wants the number of pieces stuffed into it to roughly equal the number of pieces coming out at the end. Bumps and scratches weren't really an issue.
I left after the main load, walking back home from his new house. I watched the kids while Jamie went off to a play with Sharon. We played in the basement until she returned several hours later. Then it was off to the park to watch the storytelling pre-show for Shakespeare in the Park, though most of the time was spent on the play structure. We returned home and I dropped everyone off then ran out to Seraph and Robbie's house to take pictures for potential renters.
Now, at the end of the day, I find it hard to summon the energy to do much of anything. I'll likely stagger up to bed and collapse relatively soon.
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I wore myself out playing with the kids yesterday
August 07, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I wore myself out playing with the kids yesterday. We left the house after breakfast, our intentions to go to the park and play around. We never got there, and instead started preparing one of the garden beds in the front yard. We weeded, hauled away yard debris, and broke up soil. The kids really got into helping, even Emma.
We drove over to Gray's to pick up soil and some lavender, with the kids having a great time playing in their fountains. Eventually we made it back home where we spread the soil, put in the plants, and watered away.
Emma was having a hard time napping, so Jamie took off to clean Dave's new place and the kids and I watched Kiki's Delivery Service. Emma fell asleep on my chest and I snoozed as well, waking when Jamie returned.
In the afternoon, Jamie's family arrived for dinner. I spent a couple hours playing hard with the kids in the basement, running about listening to AC/DC and the like. I've been staying up until 11 pm or so, but last night I collapsed right after 9.
Today it looks like I'll be helping Dave move and watching the kids in the afternoon while Jamie goes to a play with a friend. Hopefully I can pace myself.
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Sue, it could be worse
August 05, 2005 by Betsy in Betsy
Sue, it could be worse. I have 6 dogs, a cat and a horse, they will probably all out live me at this rate. Will I need a King Tut size tomb for the burial????
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Sweet, sweet Mocha Friday
August 05, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Sweet, sweet Mocha Friday. I'm still at home, so I'll have to wait for awhile longer.
The kids and I had a bunch of fun last night. It's been really hot so we played outside with the hose. True, I started by watering plants, but soon enough Emma was wanting to help and things went downhill from there. I even made a little movie about it.
I have the kids today for awhile while Jamie signs papers to sell Brant's house (he gave her power of attorney, the fool). There's a play on campus that looks fun, so I might to take them there.
I'm very much looking forward to the weekend, though it's looking busy already.
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Wow, everyone read Anna's blog about building...
August 04, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Wow, everyone read Anna's blog about building the school in
Uganda. I can't help but be really proud of Anna - she sounds like such a thoughtful young woman. Sadie, the check is in the mail, and do they need more? How about, if I actually close up shop at the end of 2K5, sending left over paper, paper clips, etc.? Otherwise, I will still have these damn office supplies when I die, and you will have to bury them with me, like grave goods. Love from the elderly!
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Thank you Adam for posting the pictures!
Wel...
August 04, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Thank you Adam for posting the pictures!
Well, tonight is the opening of the production I've been slaving away on! Everything is pretty much in order, except for my school work, which has suffered this week due to the late nights at the theater. I had forgotten how addictive all of this can be! Robbie and Isa have been saints as I have barely been home to sleep before slogging off for more punishment. I'm also taking a five week intensive sewing course which finishes up next Friday. After that, not only will the play be done, but I'll be back to four classes for the remainder of the summer. Ahhh... it almost sounds relaxing!
Robbie continues to wow us all with his teaching skills, actually getting a raise, even though he's only classified as a temp. employee! Only a few more weeks of summer camps before starting up his fall classes!
Along with Sadie and Emma, I too could use a beer right about now. The weather up here is getting unbearable! O- and Sadie, tell Anna she should absolutely keep the female brick layer. Besides, who needs another over paid engineer ;)
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Oh, Adam, you should cut Emma some slack
August 04, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Oh, Adam, you should cut Emma some slack. Sometimes I NEED a beer too. It is miserably hot and humid here, but I get to go to Amherst (near Northampton) to have dinner with a friend. She just started her VISTA job at UMass Amherst. Ah, nothing like driving an hour and a half for a burrito. Tonight is an Irish session (jam) at a Noho bar called The Basement, which I might go to, for Anna's sake. She used to drive down just to play on Thursday nights.
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I got a really nasty splinter last night when...
August 04, 2005 by Adam in Adam
 I got a really nasty splinter last night when I went outside to dump a wheelbarrow full of yard debris. I have no idea how I got it, but it was quite painful. It took me nearly an hour to get it out, with Sam watching intently. The hardest part was that it was on the back of my calf and I had to go into contortions just to reach the spot. It finally came out and feels much better now.
I suppose the moral of the story is to fear the outdoors.
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For everyone who wants to see cute pictures o...
August 03, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
 For everyone who wants to see cute pictures of Isa in the fashion show, go to jasminephotography.com (there are 3 photos of her towards the end of the show).
Adam's comment: You can find the pictures here, here, and here.
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I had the kids at work yesterday and we went ...
August 03, 2005 by Adam in Emma
I had the kids at work yesterday and we went over to campus for our usual exploration and bagel eating. We passed by Renee's Landing and she said "I want to go in there." "You want a beer?" I asked.
She then put on her whiny face and said, "I want a beer!" After I informed her that wasn't possible, she turned it up a notch. "I NEED a beer!"
Fortunately these temper tantrums are pretty amusing so we merely laugh at her. I suspect she'll learn soon enough to try a different approach.
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Our house is yellow
August 03, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Our house is yellow. The last of the painting finished yesterday and everything is bright and cheery. Of course, now it means that Jamie's all excited to start work on remodeling the main floor bathroom. When will the madness stop?
We bid farewell to Josh yesterday. He's heading up to Portland today and then off to Tennesee after that. Hopefully we'll see him around Christmas time, but if not then, he should be back next Summer. The kids both adore him, and I'll certainly miss him too.
Dave is moving into his new place, just a few blocks away. It'll be nice to have him so close, though we promised not to hand him the kids whenever they got unruly.
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Life is full and fun, and the best thing is t...
August 01, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Life is full and fun, and the best thing is that my case load has dwindled to 24 clients, thanks to my tough staff,
who are so much better at saying no. I'm down to a half time secretary, Stephanie, but Bob's daughter, Anna, has been coming in to do some office closing data entry work, and Reta tries to help out. About half my domestic relations cases are Legal Aid pro bono cases, and have been pretty time consuming.
Bob and I went to Steve's service on Saturday afternoon; both he and Ron gave brief but very nice eulogies. After the three of us had dinner with the family, we went to Bob's and the guys played their guitars and told stories until 2.
Sunday evening Bob and I went to Jo Federico's to hear Mark Allen, Adam and Jamie's old favorite.
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August already
August 01, 2005 by Adam in Family
August already. How time flies.
Sunday was a very good day. Jamie was all ready to take the kids out, leaving me to have some time to do my own thing. I had the wheelbarrow and shovel ready to dig out a flower bed, when I realized I'd much rather spend time with my family.
We went to a park far away in the middle of this new housing development. It was really cool, packed with all sorts of modern park technology and design. My favorite was a high water spigot that poured water into various troughs that could be played in or simply emptied onto the sand below. We also took along a frisbee to play with Jamie and the kids. Even Emma gives it her best shot, spinning her entire body to propel it six feet, upside down.
I had the kids for the afternoon while Jamie went to have tea with her English friend Gillian and then later hung out at Angie's. The kids were both in good moods. Sam played with his new Gameboy game (and a new time limit was introduced). Emma and I watched My Neighbor Totoro, both of us eventually falling asleep. We spent lots of play time in the basement, played with water balloons, looked at pond water under a microscope, made pizza, and generally had a very good day.
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If you're interested in hearing more about An...
August 01, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 If you're interested in hearing more about Anna's journey, she's actually blogging for Education for Development at http://annaefd.blog.com/. This is a photo of the road to Namirama.
Upstairs, the Jewish chaplain and cantor is singing an open-mouthed, deep, minor prayer that carries through the house. It sounds like the Orthodox prayers sung behind the doors before communion.
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