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A bunch of work got done around the house yes...
June 30, 2004 by Adam in Family
 A bunch of work got done around the house yesterday. Fortunately none of it was done by me.
The fence went up, making our back yard fully enclosed. I'm looking forward to playing soccer with Sam and not worrying about fetching balls from the neighbor's yard. They still need to stain it, though that should happen soon. The next project is to put up a pergola (also known as a patio cover).
Jamie's brother Brant was here as well, power washing the front porch in preparation for painting. That, unfortunately, I might get suckered into.
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Mom - I'm sad to report the passing of an era
June 29, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Mom - I'm sad to report the passing of an era. Judge Allen died. I saw his obituary in the Oregonian today. Services are planned for Wednesday. Would you like me to contact Reta so that you schedule is free?
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It was fun having Robbie and Isabell here ove...
June 28, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
It was fun having Robbie and Isabell here over the weekend.
Isabell had so much fun camping out with her Daddy and old
friends at the Harry Potter outing at the Harrisburg church
ground. But they were glad to sleep in a real bed the next night.Both of them slept until nine Sunday morning. We finally took Isabell to the new playground by me. They have some amazing structures to climb on. After playing there we built up a real appetite and went to eat. Then it
was time for them to go back to Portland to see'Mommy'.
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Sunday came and went like a blur
June 28, 2004 by Adam in Family
Sunday came and went like a blur. Weekend mornings are my favorite, with some time to myself before the kids get up, followed by a hearty breakfast and a day full of promise. Sam and I went on a crazy path hike in the woods at Hendrick's Park, going to places I'd never been. We returned scratched, smelly, and tired, but had a great time.
There was much playing with kids for the rest of the day. Jamie invited all our neighbors to a block party in a month or so. We're also hoping to get our fence finished up this week, along with a patio cover soon after that.
Now I'm back at work slaving away. Hopefully it'll be a quiet work week.
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Robbie and Isa returned safe and sound from t...
June 28, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Robbie and Isa returned safe and sound from their Harry Potter weekend. Isa tried, but didn't make it to the movie, but still had a great time camping out with Robbie and the church kids. I think getting to see old Eugene friends is nice for her until she gets a group of new friends here.
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Will and I are going to Erie on Thursday for ...
June 28, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
Will and I are going to Erie on Thursday for a gait lab study at the Shriners Hospital there. They closed the gait lab in Columbus and there are only two in the U.S., Erie and St. Paul, Minn. Thankfully they got us in at Erie.
Any thoughts and prayers will be appreciated. It will be a long haul. Love to all, safe travels. Bets
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Well, Sadie and I hit a new low in hotels
June 27, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Well, Sadie and I hit a new low in hotels. We got into a very soggy Cambridge train station yesterday afternoon, and set out to find a bread and breakfast. Sadie, being of a more artistic sensibility, can fill you in, but let's just say it wasn't pretty. We had fun though, going to Harry Potter last evening. It was a bit disconcerting after the screen credits to hear the british accents continue. When you eventually watch this on video, watch the footsteps in the final credits, particularly Emma Thompson. If she doesn't get an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, it's rigged. Cambridge is a pretty town, with lots of row housing built in the 1800's, now all slightly shabby B and B's. There is not much support for George Bush here, and the support for Tony Blair is getting spotty. Much love to all, and Jenny, your posting was hilarous. Do whatever you think best about the white car. Seraph, we will look for a paper.
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It was an amazing day - one of those where ev...
June 27, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was an amazing day - one of those where everyone in the family seems to be healthy, happy, and enjoying each other's company. It began with a hearty breakfast, amazing blueberry pancakes that Jamie whipped up. We puttered around, just us and the kids playing together. It was nice not to have anything we had to do for a change.
I watched The Last Samurai and enjoyed it. Sam watched Secondhand Lions and thought it was pretty good too. Emma had a great time playing in the water, the sand, and the bath. Somewhere in the middle the kids and I went to the mall and Toys R Us, buying some presents and goodies for ourselves.
As the day wound down, we ate some amazing spaghetti that Jamie cooked up and hung out in the back yard on the freshly mowed grass eating popsicles (Jamie's work again). Hopefully tomorrow will be as equally relaxing.
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hello to all, I'm sitting here with no childr...
June 26, 2004 by Jenny in Jenny
 hello to all, I'm sitting here with no children all weekend and thought that i would see if my new password works. I find that i can only clean house so much, i started at 7:30 this morning due to the house being so quiet. The new cat has made up for the children being goon by jumping on my head wanting to play at 6:00 this morning thought i might kill her. Well i got up this morning had a good work out on my workout machin then have had way too much coffee, but damm the house looks good. Worked in the yard for about an hour and now have no idea what to do with my self. Well to all you out thier i started my dance class on thusday and am loving it, after a half an hour tring to find the place because it has moved, everything went well. My feet hurt so had to bye some really cool dance shoes, plus they look really cute. If i get really good at this dance thing, when i send my letter to opra I will be able to sing and dance, next step will be hollywood, so soon i can fly you all out to my big house in the hills above the hollywood sign on my private jet, well its really good to have big dreams, it could happen, but not til edd Mcman bring me my big check, i'm still waiting he must have my old address.well just wanted to say high to all. Mom and sadie i hope you are haveing a great time. Mom i will take the white car in and get the oil change for you does it need anything else let me know.
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Sadie and Mom: Could you please bring me a n...
June 26, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
Sadie and Mom: Could you please bring me a newspaper with the Prince of Wales speech at the opening of the second Summer School. Preferably from a reputable newspaper! Sadie let me know what you think about what he has to say.
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If there's anything that makes me want to sta...
June 26, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
If there's anything that makes me want to stay in the states (and stay a sociologist), it is the impossibility of contacting graduate planning schools successfully. I think mum is tiring of my petulance and surly approach to travel, and it's getting to the point where looking at schools (the proposed point of this week) is ruining our stay here in lovely London. Oh, we've looked at the schools. The buildings, that is. Sometimes we can find maps and find the buildings that planning departments may be in. But little more than that. Up to Cambridge today, which may or may not be a similar disaster. Reading an interesting collection of essays on Conspiracy Theory and the Social Sciences, though. Now that's something I can understand.
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I had my job interview this afternoon at The ...
June 26, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
I had my job interview this afternoon at The Govenor Hotel. It went well, with the only problem being that the store is not opening until August. It was nice to go down to Jake's after and have a Cosmo, just to feel momentarily trendy.
Mom - I got your package in the mail. I will e-mail you with information about the coast trip.
Love to all!
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Emma was fully wacky last night
June 25, 2004 by Adam in Family
Emma was fully wacky last night. She's been skipping her second nap lately, which causes her to get overly tired and cranky as the evening progresses. I ended up putting her to sleep with AC/DC and Winamp visualizations, something I haven't had to do in awhile.
Our whole family tromped over the hill to my mom's house, trying to solve the mystery of the missing pickup truck. We haven't found any messages on the answering machine, the truck wasn't there, and calling Caesar's house has been fruitless. So, make of it what you will.
It's Friday, mocha day, and I'm enjoying the morning so far. I've got a fairly big work project that I've decided to do. It's one of those things that could be really useful but no one's quite sure how to get started. Ah, the joys of web development.
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We found each other in the airport, stayed fo...
June 25, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
We found each other in the airport, stayed for a few billion hours, then found a nice b and b in Bloomsbury, near UCL. all is well.
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Jamie reported that Emma was able to point to...
June 24, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Jamie reported that Emma was able to point to the refrigerator and say "more cheese". Sniff. My little girl is growing up.
Cheese does seem to be her favorite new food. She's also getting a new upper tooth, so she'll hopefully be able to enjoy a wider range of goodies soon.
I took her and Sam swimming last night. She loves the water and splashing about.
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Seraph, it's noon Thursday in London
June 24, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Seraph, it's noon Thursday in London. I'll call at 7:30 or 8 am your time. I will check my e-mail as well. Love, Mom
Sadie got in fine, we will be at the Ridgemont Hotel, near the University of London, tonight. 020-7636-1141
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Well, I'm in NYC, about to leave for London
June 23, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Well, I'm in NYC, about to leave for London. Last night Anna, Anna's brother Noah, his girlfriend, her friend and I went to Shakespeare in the Park in Central PArk- Much Ado About Nothing. A very good showing. This afternoon Anna and I caught a few hours of a lecture series on public spaces for a summer design studio at Columbia. A good warm up for planning lingo. Much love!
I'm starting VISTA training July 11th, then begin work at Williams right away. Things will fall into place once I get back, I'm sure, but I don't have any time between jobs to move... hmm.
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MOM THIS IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!!! CALL ...
June 23, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
MOM THIS IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!!! CALL ME!
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I got to go out to dinner with Jamie last nig...
June 23, 2004 by Adam in Family
I got to go out to dinner with Jamie last night, with Yayoe keeping an eye on the kids. Unfortunately the restaraunt we were planning to go to was closed and I was sporting a headache that never seemed to go away. Fortunately the Lucky Noodle was down the block, which had some damn fine good food. Upon returning, the kids were neither cooked nor eaten and Emma was fast asleep.
I did perform a bird rescue last night. I kept hearing a weird thumping noise from outside the basement window. It turned out a bird had gotten stuck in one of the window wells. I donned a long sleeve shirt and gloves then bravely picked up the little bird, who just sat there after I set him on the ground. Hopefully he made it out into the wide world today.
Update: When I checked this morning, the bird had jumped back into the window well, stuck again. I threw on some gloves and this time took him further away into the bushes. We'll see if his tiny bird-brain can figure it out from there.
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You fill up my senses, like a night in the f...
June 22, 2004 by Jamie in Wielesek
You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest. Like the mountains in springtime, Like a walk in the rain, Like a storm on the desert, Like a sleepy blue ocean, you fill up my senses, come fill me again...
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Generic Heading
June 22, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
MOM: Please call me ASAP (503-286-1056)
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It's been hot
June 22, 2004 by Adam in Family
It's been hot. Way too hot.
All Sam wanted to do when I got home last night was to play Harry Potter. We played with Legos. We re-enacted parts of the movie. It never seemed to stop. I finally couldn't do it any more, and Sam looked wistfully sad until I tucked him into bed and read him the latest comic book.
Emma missed an afternoon nap and was wacky most of the night. She alternated between being cute as a button and crying hysterically for most of the night. By bedtime, Jamie and I were pretty exhausted.
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Mom - check your work e-mail
June 21, 2004 by Adam in Wielesek
Mom - check your work e-mail. Rita e-mailed you a question.
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Generic Heading
June 21, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
Hi, I am on line, Hanni
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What's the end of John Denver's song that goe...
June 21, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
What's the end of John Denver's song that goes,"You fill up my senses like..." The problem is that any five syllables fit so nicely (try it -"Like a pig with a head cold") that I can't remember what it's supposed to be. Anyhow, yesterday was a Fill Up the Senses day. The tour group was scheduled for yet another forced march, and I told the guide I wanted to go to church instead. The beginning of the day wasn't auspicious; I told the taxi dispatch lady I wanted to go to church, and the driver took me to yet another church turned into a museum. So I got another taxi, with a driver who spoke enough English (help, they're coming for me...no, no, not more museums... more later)
Later: at any rate, the taxi driver understood enough English to take me to a church (turned out to be the oldest in St. Petersburg)which was having real services. It was a lovely old church with wonderful paintings and, no pun attended, a heavenly choir. It would be interesting to find out when the church service, in its present form, became generally adopted. I had my Liturgy book, with the service in Russian and English, but I can't follow the Russian alphabet well enough to follow along. After the service, I walked a couple of miles along the Nevsky Prospect (Alexander Nevsky is a Russian national hero; Prospect is a word used here for a boulevard)which is the main shopping street; this is a city of about four and a half million people, and Nevsky Prospect runs about four miles through the heart of the city. It was a wonderful way to see the people who live here out with their families. Paul McCartney was scheduled to give a concert in the middle of town last night in one of the down town squares, and the place gradually became more and more crammed. I got caught on the wrong side of a police barricade, but eventually the policeman (a kid all of 18)got distracted by someone else and I just ducked under the tape and headed back to the hotel. In the evening Mary and I went to see Swan Lake in a performance hall built in the early 1700s - gilt and mirrors, wonderful costumes, wonderful dancing - and of course, when we came out of the theater at 11:00 p.m.
it was still day time. The longest day of the year; a good time for all of us who still run on farmer time to take stock. Good grief, that was terrible- I assure you, no pun intended. Love to all from far away. OM
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Jamie and Emma made it back safe and sound fr...
June 21, 2004 by Adam in Family
Jamie and Emma made it back safe and sound from Portland. They left a little early, coming back around two in the afternoon. Sam and I had a library visit, some miniature golf, and lots of Lego playing by then. I think Sam wishes he could have spent even more time with me, which was a nice Father's Day present in its own way.
I went to my dad's to wish him a happy Father's day as well, along with Seraph, Robbie, Isabell, Hanni, and Jenny. It sounds like everyone's doing well. Robbie was busy preparing for his new teaching job. Seraph was bemoaning the fact that she looked far too normal to fit in at an art school. Jenny was enjoying a few moments of calm as her kids were with their dad.
After that, Jamie's family descended on our house for an improptu dinner. The kids were pretty wacky by the end of the day so we shuffled them to bed as soon as humanly possible. It's pretty warm tonight, so I've been hiding out in the cool basement. Back to work tomorrow . . .
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This is Seraph posting for Hanni
June 20, 2004 by Hanni in Hanni
This is Seraph posting for Hanni. Adam set up a place for her to update you on her life, and we're hoping to hear more from our new computer literate hot grandma!
We'll know we've encroached on her space when she refuses to post in anything but German!
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Guy's weekend has begun
June 20, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Guy's weekend has begun.
I came home early from work yesterday and got Jamie off to Portland. We proceeded to charge up my dead battery, try out the slip-and-slide in the backyard, and play lots of Legos.
Today was even more filled than the day before. It started with a hearty breakfast, food shopping, washing the car, and seeing the new Harry Potter movie. Sam loved it and couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of the day. As soon as we arrived home, he had to have it be our latest "play pretend" game.
We puttered around for the rest of the day, exploring the hidden parts of the attic, shoveling bark-o-mulch, and breaking out the slip-and-slide once again. I managed to break it but it didn't matter much. Pouring water directly on it worked fine when I'd set it up on our little hill.
We had corn-on-the cob for dinner, chatting at the table as I wondered in amazement at how grown up he seems. During the nightly bath, we waved to grandma Sue in the general direction of Russia. It's a good life.
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I'm posting from Hanni's house before we head...
June 19, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
I'm posting from Hanni's house before we head off to Mom's house. We have a full day ahead of us, and I should probably sneek away and get Robbie a Father's Day gift. Glad he nearly forgot Mother's Day first!
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St
June 19, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
St. Petersburg-remember that song I used to bellow as we drove around town, Oh, what a beautiful city!"This really is a beautiful city, built from scratch by Peter the Great
so Russia would have a port city. It was under seige for nearly three years during WW II, with over half a million people dying from the cold and starvation. Because it's so far north, the nights are short to non-existent at summer solstice. Paul McCartney is giving a concert here tomorrow.
More soon, love from Mom
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It's mocha Friday, though I haven't gotten my...
June 18, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It's mocha Friday, though I haven't gotten my mocha quite yet. It was really hot yesterday. Jamie handed me the kids at lunch yesterday while she went to the gym. We ate our typical bagel then entertained ourselves with the architecture of the new business building at the U of O.
Brant was over for dinner last night. Jamie wanted to pry information from him concerning his upcoming move to Bend, but I think she mostly got a few grunts in typical Brant fashion.
Sam and I's guy weekend starts this evening. I borrowed the neighbor's battery recharger so that we'd be properly mobile. The tickets to Camp Putt are in my bag. I've reviewed Harry Potter showtimes. We should be good to go.
I will miss Jamie and Emma, however. Emma's been staying up later these days, giving us 20-30 minutes each night to putter around with just her. I read books to her and played with blocks last night. She's such a sweet kid.
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I broke down and ordered the latest Thief game
June 18, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
 I broke down and ordered the latest Thief game. I have fond memories of playing the original many years ago. This one has a great feel to it as the previous ones did. Sam and I spent an hour tonight skulking through the hallways of a castle, slipping past guards. Sam also learned the valuable lesson "it's all about the loot."
I had played Deus Ex 2 with high hopes, only to find that it was pretty bad. Thief was made by the same folks using the same engine, so I was pretty nervous about it. Fortunately it so far seems quite good and the reviews have been generally positive.
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Sweet Sadie, we leave Heathrow at about 1:30 ...
June 17, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Sweet Sadie, we leave Heathrow at about 1:30 on July 1st, and we will go to the Isle of Wight after I pick you up on the morning of the 24th and come back in on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning (but this depends on your schedule). I thought we'd use Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to see schools, though we can wait and go to Bembridge on Friday if you need to schedule something on Thursday or Friday. You might schedule the London schools before the out of town schools, so I can rent a car if necessary. Incidentally, what job at Williams? We didn't know you had applied for one. I would like to try to take Ashleigh Steane
and Sandie Lenton to lunch while we are here in London, but
we will just call at the last minute.I'll be carrying a ladder and a jar of pickles in the event you have been away that you don't remember what your dear old mum looks like.
I'm now going to go have a gin and tonic at a bar called The Pride of Paddington (clever, these Brits) and watch while the British soccer team tries to save face. Incidentally, I've figured out why it doesn't work very well
to ask people in London for directions. No one actually lives in London. They are all visitors, but they all believe in the myth that the town is peopled by helpful civilized people, so they all try desperately to give directions, even if they are clueless, just so no one will think Londoners rude.
Some young fellow asked me for change, then told me I was the first American
he'd heard for quite awhile. I told him all us tourists were keeping our mouths shut till we were out of Iraq.
Finally, the hotel I booked through hotel.com is the worst place I've ever stayed, and my standards are pretty low. I'm
headed off to a Comfort Inn near the airport tonight, and Russia tomorrow. Hugs to all! Love, om
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Took the job
June 17, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Took the job. Quite an interesting turn, eh?
the job at williams is the coordinator of community service. lots of work, didn't apply for it myself, it just dropped in my lap.
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We had a wonderful time with everyone last we...
June 17, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We had a wonderful time with everyone last weekend!
This week has been prety busy with Robbie getting his classroom ready for summer camp next week. I'm still looking for work, but the perfect job at Hanna Andersson's closed before I could apply. Sigh... I'm finding that in order to get the trendy retail jobs I want now, I should have been hanging out and working at the mall in highschool.
We're looking forward to our weekend in Eugene, although it will be full. We have two "parties" (one kid, one grown up/kid) on Saturday, and a visit to the house to help the tenants with the new fridg. Sunday morning. It will be fun to celebrate with all the Dad's on Sunday afternoon!
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It's been a fairly quiet week so far
June 16, 2004 by Adam in Family
It's been a fairly quiet week so far. Jamie spent some time with Angie last night and I took the kids to the park. The weather has been beautiful the last couple of days after our week of rain. I'm looking forward to Sam's and my "guy weekend", though Jamie worries that I'm making too big a deal of it. Already Sam has a list of all the exciting things we'll be doing once the girls are out of the house. Good times.
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Jamie took Emma to the doctor yesterday morni...
June 16, 2004 by Adam in Emma
Jamie took Emma to the doctor yesterday morning, just to make sure she was okay. She got a clean bill of health, other than slowly getting over this bad cough.
Despite her cough, she seems to be universally pleasant. It's rare to see such a personable toddler and she'll happily smile and chat with everyone around her. She's also fairly comfortable playing by herself. It's pretty clear we've got another Lego fan, even though she finds them frustrating at times too. (Sam and I nicknamed them "tricky Legos" in comparison with the easier Duplos).
I'm looking forward to her getting old enough to start sleeping in her own bed and getting more self-sufficient. It's sometimes a challenge having a baby in the house, though fortunately Emma's a really cute one.
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I do hope the meeting point is the arrivals g...
June 16, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I do hope the meeting point is the arrivals gate of the airport. I'm visiting Cambridge, Oxford, London School of Economics, and University College London. I have kept looking for hostels etc. in London, Cambridge, and Oxford, with some success, but am unsure about our schedule, so haven't made arrangements. Tell me when you want to go to the Isle of White so I can make appointments with these darn grad schools. Racheal, Lindsey's grilfriend has a friend that is at grad school in Cambridge, so I'm hopefully going to spend a day there with him as he gives me the run-down.
I'm actually at the Williams Science Library, looking at the school and the town to see if I can do some good here next year. I'm considering taking the job, but have to decide soon, as I'm going to London in a week and training starts July 11th. It wouldn't be easy to leave Anna and my whole fragile, perfect life behind for a new one. But that is what we often must do, to fight the possibilities of a good fight elsewhere.
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Did anyone see a movie called the Three Kings
June 16, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Did anyone see a movie called the Three Kings. It was a horrific movie about the Gulf War, but one of the running "jokes" was that no matter which character we saw, or what side they were on, they all had conversations about the new Lexus, with the same question - about its engine, or something, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that no matter what our differences, we all have in common consumerism. Now, everyone in the world looks alike - or at least the teenagers do; styles are completely international.
I'm sitting in a cyber cafe a block away from Paddington Station, with Hotel stories. While I was in New York, I stayed at a Motel 8, a chain which I always like because they are locally franchised and much more personal. I checked out at the check out time, but asked if I could come back and pick up my luggage. I came back around two, and sat in the lobby awhile, eating some sweet potato chips. A cute Latino couple came in while I was there. The woman was very affectionate, which is sort of unusual for
Latinas. While the man was filling out the check in card, he asked her, "Como se llama?" (What is your name?) I didn't appreciate the humor of his dutiful adherence to motel rules until later. It dawned on me, rather slowly, that since they were the only hotel I saw around that there was a business opportunity which those hotel owners had jumped on (no pun intended, I swear) Sure enough, in the next few minutes, a whole troop of working women and their beaus came along, with room rent at $45 for three hours, all in cash.
I had a good flight. Air India serves great food, and my seat mates were a mother and daughter on their way to check out grad schools in London. Sadie, can you post which schools you want to look at here? I fly out of here early Thursday morning; try to do it before I leave. Unless we arrange otherwise, I'll meet you at "The Meeting Point" at
Arrivals on the 24th. (Follow the signs, there is actually a place called The Meeting Point.) Many hugs to all my sweet grandkids.
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I am bleary-eyed from looking at graduate web...
June 15, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I am bleary-eyed from looking at graduate websites, trying to dicern the difference between land economy, regeneration, and development planning. each school uses its own lingo, combined with the English institution gibberish. I've emailed all the graduate courses, but they just redirect you to their websites, when what I'd really like is a pamphlet and a nice cup of tea. That's why I'm looking in the U.K. in the first place...
Anyway, I didn't get the 5 college job, but I got a position at Williams College. Housing provided, but an hour away from my most special person, all my friends, and a beautiful pre-war apartment with pictures in all the right places. No decisions made yet.
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Well, it's taken me one day of New York to be...
June 15, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
Well, it's taken me one day of New York to be ready to come home. No matter how interesting it is to walk through these
bi-lingual (everyone speaks at least Sort of English and their native language), bi-eating ("Chinese and Mexican Food", advertises one restaurant)neighborhoods, it's way too hot and humid to be comfortable. Nonetheless, I was able to fall asleep by eleven last night, and wake at 6:30, so I've achieved my "get-over jet lag" rehab plan. I leave at 8:10 this evening for London, where I spend tomorrow night. Seraph, I sent a box with my computer to you. Just too heavy to carry. Many hugs from the Hot Apple. Love from the elderly traveller
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Just recently, Sam has begun to really start ...
June 14, 2004 by Adam in Sam
 Just recently, Sam has begun to really start reading and writing. Since Sam's getting ready to go to kindergarden and Emma's grown up a bit, we've been having more "teaching moments" with Sam throughout the day.
We'll be doing our usual "play pretend" sort of thing, when I'll face the intrepid hero with a puzzle of some sort. This might be counting to twenty (he'd always forget 13 and 15 previously), sounding out letters, and more recently starting to read and write a little.
Over the weekend we made adventure maps and I'd have him read the captions. He later made his own map by himself, writing down what his various symbols were. I think he'll be well prepared for school, just as long as they only expect him to spell things like "orc", "gold", and "pit".
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I'm sitting in a tiny shop in "Long Island Ci...
June 14, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
I'm sitting in a tiny shop in "Long Island City" sending you all lots of hugs. After a really fun trip to Portland with Jenny, Dez, Jordan and Darren on Saturday, we had a great afternoon at the Portland Zoo. There has been a philosophical change in the make-up of zoos. When I was a kid, there was millions of animals, but the only way that there was room was to have millions of tiny cages. Now, although there aren't so many species displayed, their surroundings are much larger and more natural. The orangutangs (okay, no spelling check!) were most interesting because they had such individual personalities.
We got a couple of wonderful pictures of the matriarch of the clan hunkered down at the window by the kids, all of whom, by the way, had a wonderful time.
Seraph tucked me on a plane around noon on Sunday, after we all had a chance to coffee at AJ's, their neighborhood cybercafe.The trip to Atlanta was fine, but local storms meant a delay, and I finally got to my good old reliable Super 8 at 3:00 am.
I'm planning to make a radical change and mail home my computer. It's too heavy, and I was exhausted by the time I got in. I leave for London tomorrow night, and I may try to go into Manhatten tomorrow. But for today, I'm going to be glad I put this day and half buffer in. Many hugs to all, your peripatetic mom.
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It was another quiet day yesterday
June 14, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It was another quiet day yesterday. The kids woke up really early, which left Jamie and I in a tired daze later in the day. I actually took an unheard of nap on the couch while Sam played with paper castle models.
We did a store run and later took a walk around the neighborhood looking for items on our treasure hunt. Jamie got extra points for finding a "severed head" (one a restroom sign - the round heads were disconnected from the body). The other things on the list were much easier.
Emma's still a little sick, but seemingly on the mend. She mostly had a hard time with sleep, but seemed quite cheery whenever she was awake and playing. She's gotten quite interested in books, reading to herself in the car on occasion.
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The day began with a hearty breakfast, then l...
June 13, 2004 by Adam in Family
The day began with a hearty breakfast, then later took a turn for the worst when I got stung on my foot by a bee then poked in the eye by Emma. Emma's also been sick today, so she's a little grumpy. Later on I did some prep work for the patio cover, sanding and painting as needed.
Still, I wasn't injured for long, other than sore biceps from a gym workout combined with carrying heavy things off the porch. Sam was calling me "jelly arms" by the end of the day.
We all sat on our front lawn playing with bubbles, then ate tacos and enjoyed the weekend evening.
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Jamie was reporting that Emma had a fever las...
June 12, 2004 by Adam in Emma
 Jamie was reporting that Emma had a fever last night. For much of Friday I was battling a nasty headache which only subsided after many Advil. She seems much better this morning, except for a bit of a cough. We're keeping her at home just in case.
Her walking ability gets better by the day. She'll happily walk around with only one hand being held. She'll also take a few steps to get from one chair to another.
Emma's vocabulary is also much better. She understands a ton of words, though her pronunciation isn't quite up to the task yet. "Bath" is her favorite word and her favorite evening activity. When I ask if she wants a bath, she'll crawl upstairs and try to get in herself.
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It's 9:30 and I am finally ready to leave the...
June 12, 2004 by Sue in Wielesek
It's 9:30 and I am finally ready to leave the office, with almost everything done except cleaning the kitchen and finishing packing. Alison Honn, across the street, will take care of Ducky, my mail, and the newspaper. Cesar will have some tasks over the time I'm gone here at the office and at the house. He's a gem if anyone needs help. He and a buddy cut down the tree looming over Jenny's swimming pool, cut it up and hauled it away for $60. I had to pay $400 to have one taken out about ten years ago. His phone is 684-0758, but only he and one other room mate speak English.
I leave Portland Sunday and will spend a couple of days in NY and a couple of days in London before leaving for St. Petersburg. I'm trying not to have jet lag. I'll keep in touch. Many hugs. Think loving thoughts for Lucas' and Skyes' families.
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It's mocha Friday and I'm busy buzzing my way...
June 11, 2004 by Adam in Family
It's mocha Friday and I'm busy buzzing my way through the morning. The week has gone reasonably well. My cough has finally faded, which I'm thankful for. Jamie and the kids seem to be doing reasonably well, trying to adjust to a no-school Summer. Jamie's trying to line up babysitters and play dates so that she doesn't go mad watching two kids all day long. Emma's getting braver with her walking, taking steps like she's practicing some sort of rare martial art. Crawling is still faster and more reliable.
We're getting yet more work done on our house. This time we're putting up a cover over the patio and finishing fencing in the back yard. It looks like we get to do some prep work - sanding, priming, and paining the board that it'll attach to. With luck, it'll start tomorrow.
I'm also trying to arrange some time to spend with Jamie. I have a gift certificate to the Locomotive that I'd love to take her to. If there are any volunteer babysitters out there, let me know.
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I'm having a wonderful birthday! That is, it ...
June 11, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I'm having a wonderful birthday! That is, it was so great on Wednesday that I did it again on Thursday, and I don't plan on moving on today. Anna Monas and I are having a joint party on Saturday, and then I suppose I must move into 23 like a trooper. But Anna and I are going out to breakfast this morning, a very special treat for us.
I thought Harry Potter was lovely- the best of the films, fitting for the best of the books.
Good luck, Robbie!
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Today is the last day of school for the boys ...
June 10, 2004 by Betsy in Betsy
Today is the last day of school for the boys and I am greatly appreciative. This has been possibly the worst year so far for Patrick and after 4 final projects and 4 final exams we finished a reading/writing portfolio at midnight last night. Poor PAtrick even had to go in to school on Sunday and Monday of Memorial day weekend to work on a imovie project. He starts summer school on the 21st but only for 6 weeks before going off to camp in Michigan.
We go to Pittsburgh Children's on Monday for a second opinion on Botox treatments for his legs. I'll see if I can remember my way around the city. Should be interesting!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SADIE!!
We had a good day here
June 10, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SADIE!!
We had a good day here. Robbie had his job interview this morning, and felt that it went really well. He and Isabell went to the Junior Rose Parade in the afternoon and I went downtown to register for classes. Amazingly I only got momentarily lost finding my way down town!
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It was pouring down rain this morning, leavin...
June 08, 2004 by Adam in Family
It was pouring down rain this morning, leaving me soggy after my bike ride into work. For some odd reason I'm more cheerful than I've been for the last couple days.
Jamie and the kids got me an early father's day present by going to get their portraits taken. It was great, especially as I'd been lamenting not having a good portrait of Emma. It also sounds like the weekend after next will be an "all boys" weekend, with Jamie and Emma going to Portland to visit her mom. I'm sure we'll do some hiking, go out to a movie, and play lots and lots of Legos.
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We got back home safe and sound last night at...
June 07, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We got back home safe and sound last night at 10pm. It was nice to wake up at home this morning.
We're off to the recycling center to find things we can make into book shelves. Once we can get some of the boxes off the floor we'll have room for our visitors next weekend. Mom, Jenny and the boys are coming up to go to the zoo. It will be a full house, but fun!
Thank you to everyone who helped out this weekend. We wouldn't have made it this far without all of you!
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Anna is at UMass Engineering Lab at the momen...
June 07, 2004 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Anna is at UMass Engineering Lab at the moment, doing whatever environmental engineers to best. Anna Monas, who shares my birthday, is having a joint party with me on the 12th, but for the real day, my group of friends is going out for dinner on AnnaMo's parent's tab. I'm excited to make cakes.
Northampton's 350th anniversary parade was yesterday, with 40 floats, half of which were fife and drum bands, a fourth bagpipe brigades, and the rest daredevil Shriners. Three full hours of gunfire, reinacting, kilts, and the most insane dune buggy mini cart tricks I have ever seen. While technically I do work on sundays, people were too busy watching the spectacle of a spectacles to buy children's books, so we got to watch the action from couches in the window all day.
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Today seemed a bit bumpier than yesterday
June 07, 2004 by Adam in Family
Today seemed a bit bumpier than yesterday. I made the mistake of drinking too much coffee and not eating enough, which put me in a grumpy mood. I was also watching Sam and Josh for much of the day, trying to find things that would entertain the three of us. I did reasonably well, though I think Jamie was upset with the amount of computer playing that went on.
We did manage to make it to Hendrick's Park and introduced Josh to the concept of "crazy paths". We ended up getting pretty muddy and wet, but had a great time doing it.
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The great thing about UT2004 is all the mod d...
June 07, 2004 by Adam in Adam's Games
 The great thing about UT2004 is all the mod developers out there. There's a mod called Alien Swarm that's pretty fun - sort of a top-down tactical version of the Aliens movie. There's another called Air Buccaneers that's literally a blast - piloting balloons and shooting cannons at the enemies as you float about.
I love the fact that the game has some many people doing such creative things with it.
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It's the end of a pleasant Saturday, everyone...
June 06, 2004 by Adam in Family
 It's the end of a pleasant Saturday, everyone asleep except for me. Everyone seemed in a pretty good mood and we tried hard not to accomplish to much of anything important. Sure, there was some laundry done and we managed to walk down to the library, but it seemed incidental to the playing and relaxing that we tried to do.
Emma has become quite fond of bubbles, making a blowing face and saying "baba" when she thinks of them. Then she'll stand there and giggle while trying to pop the bubbles. All my kids are characters. Sam is fond of puns and silly situations and loves to try to get Emma to laugh.
I think tomorrow we're having Jamie's dad over for breakfast, and possibly the boys as well (as Jamie refers to Brant and Dave). Hopefully I can continue to do a whole lotta nothing.
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I just got back from Sam's last day at preschool
June 04, 2004 by Adam in Sam
 I just got back from Sam's last day at preschool. They had a graduation that nearly all the parents turned out for. Sam was his normal wacky self, interspersed with moments of genuine sweetness. Jamie and Emma showed up a little late, but Emma had a great time looking at all the kids. After that, it was off to the old Farrels for American food and ice cream.
Hard to believe that Sam's getting so grown up.
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Hi Everyone!
It's June already and I/we have...
June 03, 2004 by Yayoe in Yayoe
Hi Everyone!
It's June already and I/we haven't posted a single word in months. So here goes with some updates on us old but agile farts. I say agile because we still work out even though we don't look buff!
Lohring had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend at the Springfield pond with his boathead buddies..racing and winning! He said it was the best racing he's done in years! His boat manufacturing business is slow but steady. He's given up trying to make money on his boat sales and now feels that his hobby gives him pleasure and fun knowing he won't have to pay taxes on any profits! He recently sold 10 of his boats to a dealer in Japan. I'm hoping we can hook up with his customer and plan a visit to Japan next year..I can always hope huh and or do a virual Japan trip via the Internet or Japanese film.
In early July he goes to the Nationals which will be held at Legg Lake in Los Angeles. A week plus of racing and getting his face cooked in the sun. sigh. We hope to get to Montana for another race in September IF a race site can be secured. In the fall we plan a trip to visit Dorothy.
Our Las Vegas trip to celebrate my 61st birthday was fun and silly! We visited Venice, Paris, Luxor, New York, Rome, etc. all contained in a two mile overbuild strip of dessert. It's such a weird and glitzy environment filled with aging tourist with wide girths, too much plastic surgery and big wallets. We didn't see any great shows because nothing felt worth spending $100-150 a ticket! We did go on a virtual reality ride but we were the only two suckers who were there. I can see why! Now that we have seen Europe we don't have to bother actually going there.
This virtual travel abroad saved us thousands of dollars. Speaking of dollars..I know you are wondering if I won or lost money at the casinos, huh. Well, let's just say I made a donation to help support the low wage slave employees who work at the Luxor, Mirage and Harrahs Club. I like knowing that I paid for their wages for a day or two!I'm planning to take a tax deduction for my donation!
In early July I'm off to Tule Lake, California for a pilgrimage to the famous Internment Camp that was considered a holding place for dissidents who would not serve in the military (because they were pissed off at being interned)and or who had pledged allegiance to the Emperor of Japan. It's an interesting site that has a lot of historical significance for us internees. We will be staying at the dorms in Klamath Falls at OIT and visiting what is left of the internment camp. Since many of the old timers at the camps are dying off one of these days I'll will be among the few survivors of the camp. Sounds weird huh...
I'm still doing elder/parent care consultations at PeaceHealth and have seen 60+ clients so far! At the Alzheimer's Association I've seen several hundred clients since I started there 6 years ago! My newest adventure is being a Volunteer at the Assistance League...Gently Used thrift shop. It's a kick and so much fun! I'm now close to all that wonderful merchandise that get's donated to the league. The money they make buys new clothes for over 800 school age kids and funds a free dental clinic! Did you know the store sold over $130,000 last year! SO save your good stuff and donate it to the league...I'll even pick it up! This June is my 6th anniversary of my retirement! Best decision I ever made despite wishing I had a salary to fall back on. Next year it's early Social Security in July 2005! And than I'll consider myself a real retiree reaping all the benefits I have contributed since I was 16 years old.
So enough for now..
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It was a fairly chaotic day today
June 03, 2004 by Adam in Family
It was a fairly chaotic day today. My cough continues to annoy me, and I was unfortunately a bit testy with Jamie. I also had a flat tire this morning and since my car battery was dead as well, I ended up walking to work. Emma had her check-up at the doctor, getting three shots in the process. Sam just wanted to play, play, play by the time I got home. Four hours later when I tucked everyone to bed I was completely wiped out.
I've spent the last hour eating cereal and surfing the web. Soon I'll close my bleary eyes and fall into sweet oblivion.
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We are now settled in Portland! This is cert...
June 02, 2004 by Seraph in Cortez
We are now settled in Portland! This is certin now that we have internet access at home. Our new address is 561 N. Simpson St., Portland, 97212 - and our phone is 503-286-1056 (I have just now started to memorize it).
The apartment is still luttered with boxes - mostly books - but we are feeling much more at home now. Life here is as busy as ever, and we are slowly finding our way around.
We will be back in Eugene next weekend to finish up the house and see Harry Potter Friday afternoon.
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Having that extra day off on Monday was beyon...
June 01, 2004 by Adam in Family
 Having that extra day off on Monday was beyond pleasant. The morning seemed almost decadent with Sam away. I had several hours to myself in the morning, then I took Emma to Metropol for goodies and watching people make pizza. Jamie and I had the longest breakfast together in recent memory, chit chatting away over scones and coffee.
My friend Chris came over while Emma was napping, allowing the three of us to talk like adults for an entire hour. While this seems mundane, it's such a rarity that it was remarkable.
A bit after noon I picked up Sam and the bundle of energy that he is. The entire drive back, he talked about "Dragonslayer", a game he made up on the spot. It did make the drive back pretty quick, though upon his return he had to reinact all the parts from the game. Emma was my faithful puppy and every time I said the word "puppy", she'd say "woof woof!".
Towards the end of the day, it was pretty clear that Sam was overly excited by the weekend's events. We tucked him into bed, read him his Star Wars comic, and got him to bed. It's hard to imagine that he graduates from preschool this Friday.
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