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After a long while, Sam finished the first Ha...
December 31, 2006 by Adam in Sam
After a long while, Sam finished the first Harry Potter book. He's already started the second. Last night, I crawled into bed next to he and Jamie and we all read together until it was time to sleep.
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It's the last day of 2006
December 31, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's the last day of 2006. Sure enough, we're all sick. Emma still has her cough, I'm sniffly, and Sam is still in bed at 10:30 this morning. This seems to happen every Winter, so I suppose I should just get used to it.
We did have a nice day yesterday. The whole family piled in the car and we drove out Highway 58 until we found snow. There was snowball fights, snow angels, and snow men. Emma got very cold, but some hot chocolate and the activated charcoal hand warmers hit the spot. We drove back home, happy and warm, and took it easy for the rest of the day.
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Much love to all, and I'll post soon
December 30, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Much love to all, and I'll post soon. I'm at Bob's, after Sadie, Isa and Seraph all helped me pack. He decided not to take the water filtration system, but has about 80 pounds of food. Do you think Dick has been reincarnated? This has been a wonderful vacation, with lots of happy highlights. Have a safe and happy early January. Remember oue traveling poem: Here I am in Delhi, full of curry and gee. I am ready for Delhi. Is Delhi ready for me?
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Mocha Friday, in name anyway
December 29, 2006 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday, in name anyway. The college students at Starbucks evidently couldn't figure out how to get the espresso shot into the cup, so I had an expensive cup of hot chocolate this morning. Ah, well. My gift certificate is done and it's back to the hospital PRN from here on out.
It's been an uneventful week, with both kids out of school. They've had lots of play dates each day and have seemed pretty tired each night. Jamie's feeling better these days, getting ready for Mexico next week. As for this weekend, we might do a short "play in the snow" run, depending on how everyone feels. Next week, it's just the kids and I. Hopefully it'll be fun.
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Ooo
December 29, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Ooo. long time, no post. I did the pre-holidays differently this year. I wrapped presents first, then made wreaths. I think I'll work out wreath making with the farm tenants next year, as the wreath making machine on the farm works better than sitting on the floor for long tedious hours (although it's a great time for ironing movies - you know, the kind you can watch while you're ironing, not too engrossing.) All my cards, except for those going abroad (for which I cleverly bought New Year cards!) were postmarked before December 25th - okay, on December 24th, but better than last year, when I got the last ones sent in June. It has been great having Sadie here, and she has been
a little Susie Tidy Bowl, cleaning, cooking, and washing dishes.
The India trip looks like this - we leave at 1:30 on Saturday, change planes in London, and land in Prague at 5:30 on New Years Eve. We stay there over night, then on to India the next morning. We stay in Delhi through Friday, then to Agra and Jaipur(I had to look these up on a map.)
We fly back to Prague on Saturday a week later and spend about a week in Prague.
Christmas was very fun, and I'm hoping to have a little "Christmas" for Seraph and Robbie tomorrow. They are
down to pick up Isa and do some paperwork with selling the
Louis Street house. I also have a funeral for a former client, so very sad.
Love to all, and thanks to God (be it him, her, or them)for
sending the sun yet once again.
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I had a minor bike accident this morning
December 28, 2006 by Adam in Adam
I had a minor bike accident this morning. I was coming down our hill and hit a spot of black ice, immediately tipping over from lack of traction. Fortunately the fall wasn't too bad, getting away with only a bruise on my tailbone. I walked to the bottom of the hill and rode on without incident.
Since I started commuting to work three or four years ago, this is the closest thing to an accident that I've had. Let's hope my uneventful biking continues in the future.
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I'm back to work again today
December 27, 2006 by Adam in Family
I'm back to work again today. It's a bit strange after so much time off, but fortunately it's been pretty quiet after the weeks of go-live madness.
Jamie continues to be sick and not talking much. Last night Sam went off to Dave's to spend the night, leaving the three of us alone in the house. It was awfully quiet, especially when Emma conked right out to sleep an hour early. It's strange thinking our big house might be sans children some day.
I'm mentally gearing up for next week when I have both kids. Should be interesting.
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Merry Christmas to all
December 25, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Merry Christmas to all.
Yesterday was a whirlwind of activities. In the morning we took the kids to see Jamie's old roommate, Tina, and her family. Her husband Noah is exactly as I remembered him, quirky, funny, and full of energy. Soon enough we were playing with the air-zooka and setting paper airplanes on fire. Sam loved it. Tina seems the same as usual, and her kids are cute. It was fun, all around.
In the afternoon, Jamie's family began to filter in. Jackson is now huge and he and Emma played a bunch. It was fun seeing Josh again, and we're hoping to get him together with the kids before he heads back to Tennesee. Presents were exchanged and I got even more chocolate covered espresso beans. All my vices wrapped into a single package.
We're heading back home today. Jamie's feeling sick again and I'm heading to work tomorrow. Busy, busy.
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Happy Christmas Eve to all
December 24, 2006 by Adam in Family
Happy Christmas Eve to all. We made it to Portland, safe and sound. The kids and I got way too muddy at the park, played about the house, and generally had a good time. Jamie went off to see her dad, and we all gathered for a traditional holidy Thai dinner. Today we're eating a hearty breakfast, playing at the park with Jamie's college roommate and her kids, and having the big Christmas party this afternoon. We should be back in town by tomorrow.
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Just wanted to let everyone know that Robbie ...
December 23, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Just wanted to let everyone know that Robbie is doing fine. He was one of several appendectamies (?) that were preformed yesterday, so the docs had it down pat.
Now he's mostly tired out - both from the surgery and not sleeping the night before. I think he's looking forward to a holiday of movie watching and Nintendo playing.
Isa will still be down on Christmas to celebrate with you all. I hope all of you feel free to step in and keep her in line a little! She enjoyed the night with Alex and Carolyn - who were in town - shopping and ice skating. Sounds like she'll be a pro in no time.
Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and calls. Love ya tons!
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It looks like we're heading up to Portland to...
December 23, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It looks like we're heading up to Portland today instead of yesterday. Judy reported sick, so we're minimizing exposure, even though I think we already had what she has.
We had our little family Christmas already, after Emma's French school on Thursday. Emma liked her kitchen set and pink Nintendo DS. Ironically it was Sam who kept sneaking it away to play Nintendogs. He's training a puppy named Emma, so we'd keep hearing him call for Emma from his bedroom. I was pretty excited about my new electric razor and chocolate covered espresso beans. Jamie liked her sweater and new cookware. The cycle of consumerism is complete.
We just heard that Robbie went to the hospital last night to have his appendix out. I can think of better ways to spend Christmas, but it sounds like everything's okay. Best wishes to him and the rest of the family.
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A quick little request for good thoughts and ...
December 23, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
A quick little request for good thoughts and prayers to Portland. Robbie just headed into surgery to have his apendix removed. Anymore this kind of stuff is pretty routine, but I've never found extra prayers to hurt!
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Merry almost Christmas
December 21, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Merry almost Christmas. I think our family is doing a gift-exchange today, the first day of a rolling Christmas that continues as we bounce from family to family. It's hard to maintain the illusion of a jolly Saint Nick when there's multiple filled stockings on different days. This is probably the last year Emma will believe. Ah, youth.
Yesterday was fun, having breakfast with Sadie and my mom. We continue to lure Sadie back to Oregon, which looks increasingly promising. I still have an old birthday card from her where she gave me various gift options. Needless to say, I picked "Return to Oregon" and hope to collect next year.
We also made two big batches of jam, a pear marmalade and some apple butter. There was the usual hijinks and last minute purchases, but we ended up with jam in the end, which is what matters most.
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It's Mocha Tuesday for me as I'm taking the r...
December 19, 2006 by Adam in Adam
It's Mocha Tuesday for me as I'm taking the rest of the week off. I can't wait to make jam with Sadie and generally take it easy for a few days. I think Thursday is going to be my "me day", where I can do whatever I want. Maybe I'll sit around watching t.v. and doing my nails, or whatever folks do with free time. It's been way too long.
My life and times goes fairly well these days. It's still all about family, work, and sneaking in a little free time here and there. I have a little interview about my gaming stuff that I just released. My annoying cough seems to slowly be getting better, though it's been a couple weeks. All-in-all, life's good.
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We had a very low-key day yesterday, ditching...
December 17, 2006 by Adam in Family
We had a very low-key day yesterday, ditching our normal routine and instead going on a walking expedition over to Flicks and Pics to grab some movies. It was a cool, brisk, day, though strangely Sam found a salamander in our yard. Emma came in the backpack and we chatted away on the long walk.
Since only Sam and I share movie watching interests, everyone got their own thing and then went to different screens in the house to see their show. Later on, the kids and I played and hung out while Jamie went to the store. I stocked up on jam-making items for Sadie's arrival this week. Very exciting.
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Sweet Mocha Friday
December 15, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Sweet Mocha Friday. Only a few minutes until I head into work to partake of that wonderful elixir.
Emma's French school gave us a little Christmas present, including ornaments they made and some pictures and videos they took in class. The latter is pretty cool and I put together a quick video of Emma at school, a perspective I rarely see. This is also a photo of her at school, making pizza for some occasion. It's neat that she's actually learning things at school. Last night she was talking about Kwanzaa to me.
We had a huge storm last night, with Sam watching it all from the bedroom window. At first I thought the big black shapes flying off a nearby tree was birds, but it was actually branches being ripped away by the wind. It might be a bumpy ride on the way to work.
I still need to get in touch with everyone about Christmas plans. I'm tentatively taking next Wednesday through the following Monday off, and then more time while Jamie goes to Mexico and I have to watch the kids. I'm very much hoping for some relaxation and family time. Apple butter awaits!
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Remember the Mattress Giant (see November 16t...
December 15, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Remember the Mattress Giant (see November 16th posting)? The Mattress Giant has spoken! The Giant "addressed the issue with Simmons, the vendor for the product, and the name will be changed as soon as a replacement product is ready. The anticipated timeline for this is in the latter part of the first quarter of 2007." Wohoo! My VISTA co-leader rocks my socks! MACC VISTAs, making the world safer for queer sleepers everywhere!
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Tomorrow is my last day of work! I am so thri...
December 14, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Tomorrow is my last day of work! I am so thrilled to come home on Monday, and make apple butter, hang greenery, and buy electronica for small children! Last night was 15 Hall St.'s gift exchange and goodbye party for our friend Ven. We all pitched in and made Ven a quilt of scenes from The Little Prince, which was pretty neat. The best present by far was the titanium spork given to Janet by Mason, although Janet's 1930's logging documentary for Mason was cool, too. I am currently wearing a beautiful green scarf from Janet, and have a handmade, corn-filled icepack from Mason in the freezer. Ah, my roommates know me so well.
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My big work project has actually turned out r...
December 13, 2006 by Adam in Adam
My big work project has actually turned out really well. It's one of those behind-the-scenes applications that's pretty utilitarian, but everyone in the organization uses it one way or another. People keep coming up and congratulating me on how it works, which is a good sign. I just keep polishing and making it fancier.
I'm resisting getting more presents for people. My kids will be horribly spoiled, especially in the realm of electronica. I figure it's my role as a computer-savvy father to equip them with appropriate gadgets and gizmos. Jamie got more practical things (other than the robot), but hopefully she'll appreciate them too.
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Tonight is the Christmas party at Emma's Fren...
December 13, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Tonight is the Christmas party at Emma's French school. I'm horribly excited to hear a dozen three year-olds singing assorted French songs. There's a catchy tune I learned in school about plucking a bird (Alouette, Je Te Plumerai), that they've turned into carving a pumpkin. Emma's been singing parts of it for ages.
I'm also eager to take time off work starting next week. I may go in Monday and/or Tuesday, but take the rest of the week off. I have a tentative breakfast with my mom and making apple butter with Sadie. Fun, fun.
As for the rest of the Miller-Mellor household, all goes well. I still have my lingering cough, but everyone else seems okay. Jamie has her assorted concoctions that I jokingly refer to as her "ju-ju", but she somehow managed to miss the bulk of the illness. Chalk one up for Emergen-C or whatever it's called.
Sam's up to chapter 6 of the first Harry Potter book. Emma can spell her name (as long as you don't mind tilted letters). Plus they're both so cute and funny.
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Only ten days to Solstice
December 12, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Only ten days to Solstice. Along with all the other depressants in the Northern Hemisphere, I'm counting the days. Yesterday was particularly bad, probably because I also had either a touch of the Miller-Mellor flu bug or an
adverse reaction to the typhoid meds delivered Friday. Bob actually was a big help, bringing movies and sitting with me while I finished wreaths. It's really a pretty short stretch, and soon Sadie will arrive. But Seraph, only Christmas Day? Is some Devil wearing Prada in the Fred Meyer organization? Debbie, Bob's ex-wife, graciously loaned me a couple of outfits to wear in India, one which someone brought back for her, and one she got in Portland. Sadie, international shopping in Portland while you're here? Bless Meg and Dick, they are cheerfully storing the old Caprice, and I'm hoping they can post it on Craig's list for Philadelphia. I'm off to deliver wreaths.
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As some of you may have with your jobs, my VI...
December 12, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 As some of you may have with your jobs, my VISTA position comes with an extensively used (some may say abused) listserv. Today, one of the listserv members requested that we stop, or nearly stop, using the listserv. There was a groundswell of support for the listserv. In solidarity with the listserv, I wrote (and obviously emailed out) this ode:
I love it when you fill up my inbox with sweet nothings,
like there was nothing else in the world to do
but to remind me, in any way that you can,
each one stuffing in a question, a website, a frantic yawp,
that I'm not alone in
(as Paulo Freire and Myles Horton so beautifully put it)
making the way by walking.
Tomorrow is an office all-day retreat, so I'll be without VISTA listserv sweet-nothings all day long. Pray for me.
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Well, I'm back! Hong Kong was beautiful and warm
December 11, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I'm back! Hong Kong was beautiful and warm. It was so nice to be home that I promptly slept most of Saturday. I managed to pull myself together enough to go to Zoo Lights with the family. It's always fun, beautiful, and cold!
As some of you know, the house we were trying to buy fell through. There were some potential problems with the stucco siding, and we just weren't up to the risk. So, we spent yesterday looking at a dozen new houses. Arggg...
Our schedule is busy over the holidays, and we'll probably only be in Eugene on Christmas day. I can't wait to see you all!
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I'm watching a very sick little girl, sleepin...
December 09, 2006 by Adam in Family
 I'm watching a very sick little girl, sleeping away on the couch while Jamie takes a shower. Supposedly Jamie and I were going to have a whole night to ourselves while Emma and Sam stayed over at a friend's house. Unfortunately around 9:30, Sharon called and Emma was returned to us. A couple weekends ago Sam ended up getting really sick at their house, and I guess it was Emma's turn. Either that or Sharon is secretly poisoning our children.
Anyway, Emma spent most of the night throwing up while Jamie earned her keep as super mom. I was mostly useless, as I ended up taking cough syrup for my annoying cough and zonked out even more than usual. At this point, it looks like I can be most useful washing the four loads of laundry generated by Emma's illness.
I imagine I'll go get Sam shortly. Perhaps he and I will go on an adventure to the tree farm and pick up a Christmas tree for decorating. Emma looks like she's going to sleep until next year. Poor girl.
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I looked up the site; it's actually pretty ni...
December 09, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
I looked up the site; it's actually pretty nifty, supporting small women owned businesses. Vivas las chicas!
(Sort of like, you go, girl...)
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Hi, sweeties, I am in digital purgatory! The ...
December 09, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Hi, sweeties, I am in digital purgatory! The phone guy was out here at the office for two days last week, followed by Mr. Computer Guy. Mr. Phone Guy is blaming Mr. Computer Guy, who's blaming Mr. Phone Guy. The long and short of it is that after having phone/computer/fax capabilities for at least ten years, the entire system has gone to hell in a handbasket and I'm going to be standing on the roof waving semaphores. Anyhow, I'm still at the office, waiting until 6:30, when I will go to Jordan's holiday play at EWEB. Love those EWEB cookies. I have no idea where I've been for the last six weeks and why I haven't posted. But before I forget, I've been carrying around this web site for ecologically safe cleaning supplies:
www.wagescooperatives.org. According to an article in one of Bob's architecture magazines, it lists the top 20 toxic ingredients in everyday cleaning products. The article recommends Seventh Generation, which the Safeway on 18th carries. About four hundred hugs and kisses. Love, the mom
(sort of like The Donald)
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I wanted to share my Mitosis video, which you...
December 08, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 I wanted to share my Mitosis video, which you can get to with YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V3MZcWjg5w.
We got our first snow of the season last night- we were all quilting away at home after my big retreat this week. This weekend I'm chaperoning a teen acoustic coffee house at the North Adams Elks Lodge- good times.
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Sweet, sweet Mocha Friday
December 08, 2006 by Adam in Family
Sweet, sweet Mocha Friday. Oh, how I missed you.
I was in a bit of a grumpy mood last night, the accumulated effects of a busy work week, occasionally wacky children, and my lingering illness. I think I'm going to throw caution to the wind and take a good chunk of time off this holiday season. For those of you wanting to hang out with me, the week of the 18th is looking like a fine time for a life of leisure.
Not much is happening in the Miller-Mellor household. Jamie's evidently feeling better, going to the gym last night. We got the garage door opener fixed after the ancient one finally stopped working. Such are the mundane aspects of our lives.
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I'm working away here - slowly finishing up
December 08, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
I'm working away here - slowly finishing up. My job occasionally makes me curse the American bargin hunters who make me bicker over 3 cents and decrease other people quality of living simply to prevent FM from becoming Wal-Mart!
Anyway, I fly out tomorrow (Sat) morning and will get home Sat morning - funny how that works! I then plan on spending a day in my PJ's watching cartoons with my family! Love to all.
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EMMA
Emma typed that all by herself
December 08, 2006 by Adam in Emma
EMMA
Emma typed that all by herself. Here's what else she wanted to say:
"I love you dad."
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Jamie and I had our date night last night, ta...
December 07, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Jamie and I had our date night last night, taking the kids to Dave's house for an hour or so. Unfortunately Jamie's so sick that our special alone time consisted of sipping tea at the breakfast table. Ah, life.
We've got a ton of exciting things happening over the weekend. Sam and Emma are spending the night at John and Natalie's house. This is the first time Emma's spent the night at a friend's house, though she seems to be somewhat excited about it. The tricky part will likely be the last 30 minutes of the day when she's exhausted and wants her mom. Hopefully it'll go well and I'm glad Sam will be along too.
On Saturday we're going to pick up a Christmas tree and decorate it. It's one of my favorite holiday rituals and hopefully we can accompany it with hot chocolate and appropriately themed music. There's an ice show happening in the afternoon if we're up for it. On Sunday we're having my dad and Yayoe over for dinner, who I haven't seen for awhile.
Should be pretty exciting all around. Just a sneak peek at the exciting Christmas schedule ahead.
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Hi, just trying this out
December 07, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Hi, just trying this out.
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The days just fly by
December 06, 2006 by Adam in Family
 The days just fly by. I was greeted by a smiling Emma this morning, looking quite dapper in her bright red pajamas. Both kids are doing well these days. Emma's learning French songs for a Christmas party at her school next Wednesday. Sam continues to read the first Harry Potter book and loves playing his new Zelda game on his Wii. It looks like Jamie has whatever the rest of us had, and is popping pills for the headaches. Poor girl.
I'm getting excited for Christmas, as is Emma. She keeps asking how many days until the big day.
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I am typing from Boston, preparing for a semi...
December 05, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I am typing from Boston, preparing for a semi-working retreat called Early Service Training (EST) with the VISTA crew. In some ways, this is the last big required training that Carly (my co-leader) and I have to plan until late June. Hopefully I'll be able to juggle being a VISTA leader and being an on-campus VISTA better. It has also begun to snow in the Berkshires, which marks the beginning of our hibernation season, so I'm not sure how I'll manage drivng out to Boston every other week. In real life, all is well- Janet and I are making headway on the quilt, and I just convinced my room mates to get a little Christmas tree. Ah, the holiday season of over consumption begins.
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Hello from Hong Kong! While I've had a few "...
December 05, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Hello from Hong Kong! While I've had a few "vacation" moments, we've been working pretty hard. I miss you all though, and really wish everyone could be here and see some of the amazing sights! This is an amazing city that puts the word "modern" to shame! Have to run back to work - love to all!
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My annoying cold still hasn't gone away entirely
December 04, 2006 by Adam in Adam
My annoying cold still hasn't gone away entirely. I've been sniffling and coughing throughout the day. Blah.
My Level One project continues to fill all my time at work. I had a conference call on an unrelated project and ended up throwing together a web demo in 15 minutes. The lack of preparedness is sadly bleeding into other things.
On the plus side, people are using and looking at the information I'm collecting from tons of different systems. Unfortunately they're also finding the bugs, which means I get to stay busy.
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Mocha Friday, though I have a few minutes lef...
December 01, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday, though I have a few minutes left before I head to work and enjoy that delicious elixir.
Emma has been kooky lately. Last night we broke out Jamie's Christmas present, the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner. Needless to say, things didn't go as planned. Emma simply wouldn't let the robot clean the floor. Instead, Emma decided it was her new best friend, cuddling with it and imbuing it with human emotions. I made a little movie of it, which was fun to put together.
She also called me up and asked me to smell. After laughing and explaining I couldn't smell anything through the phone, she replied, "Let me hold it to my bottom." Later that evening I discovered she had a full diaper and wanted to share the news in her usual witty way.
Today I have a sore throat and a touch of a sniffle, though my headache has passed. I'll be doing the usual kid stuff tonight and tomorrow morning. It'll be nice to have a normal weekend or two before the Christmas madness begins.
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Thursday already
November 30, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Thursday already. How the week has flown by.
I think my nasty illness is on the wane. With luck, Emma and Jamie will blissfully miss this one as it's been a rather unpleasant last couple days. Plus it was in the middle of my big go-live, so I forced myself to go into work, popping Advil like candy.
One of Jamie's Christmas presents arrived the other day - the Roomba from iRobot. Unfortunately Amazon shipped it in the original box, so the surprise was ruined. Jamie's a bit skeptical about a robot vaccuum cleaner, but the kids already adore it and I haven't even turned it on. Sam kept asking if it would do his homework and Emma thought it would make a fine robot friend. I kept joking about a "Destroy All Humans" button and made various robot impersonations. That alone was worth the cost.
My mom came over to watch the kids last night, leaving Jamie and I to watch a bit of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. We didn't quite manage to watch the whole 40 minutes as dinner and visitors kept interrupting. Still, it was sort of fun to go through a box of Jamie's things from high school that Dave and Kirsten brought over.
Eventually we wound down and Emma tried on some new PJs, looking very Christmasy.
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What a day
November 29, 2006 by Adam in Adam
What a day.
I was deathly ill last night, with a headache that simply wouldn't stop. I went to bed at eight, woke up at two to get more Advil, and slept until six. Then I dragged myself to work late, riding my bike on icy roads to work.
We went live with a major system yesterday, so the entire day was filled with fixes and change requests. I ate lunch in front of my desk and didn't make it to the gym.
I think the insanity is slowing down, with only a handful of big issues left to go. I was incredibly productive, whipping out web pages and interface changes left and right. Now I'm tired and just want to go home to my family.
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At least I don't have to remind my husband to...
November 28, 2006 by Jamie in Jamie
At least I don't have to remind my husband to change his underwear, ah for small blessings.
I have had very little time to think about gifts this year...thus my appreciation for the "name draw" system. I love to get people just the right thing. So, for those unlucky souls who were not drawn by me, I can only say "Warmest Wishes of the Season" and better luck next year!
I am looking forward to:
* Gourmet tree trimming extravaganza at Pat and Karlann's house
* Sending Sam and Emma out to pick just the right Christmas tree at Gramma Sue's farm
* My family's annual trek to Gramma Judy's house for the Christmas Party and (the first annual) Holiday Wee-atricals
* Ringing in the Nuevo Ano south of the border at Brant and Wendy's Baja wedding
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I woke up this morning, thinking it would be ...
November 28, 2006 by Adam in Family
 I woke up this morning, thinking it would be chilly but not too bad. I went to greet the kids as they woke up and realized that there was snow on the ground. I think it's mostly above freezing, but I may wait a bit until trying to go to work this morning. It wouldn't do for me to slip and break my neck the day of the big go-live.
The week is moving along. Sam's on the mend after being a bit sick for the last couple days. I fed him his first meal in 24 hours, asking him what he wanted. It turns out that "breakfast for dinner" was his choice, and we had waffles, sausages, and eggs. Not my choice to settle nausea, but he eagerly ate it all.
Update: I made it to work, safe and sound. Now to face the fury of this morning's go-live.
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I've been enjoying to occasional snow flurry ...
November 28, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
I've been enjoying to occasional snow flurry outside my work window today. There really isn't enough to cause much of a stir, but I know people will be driving stupidly on the freeway tonight!
We had such a good time with everyone in Eugene this weekend! It was really nice to sit and talk to everyone, and catch up with all of the kids too. I head out Thursday morning - and I encourage all of you to drop Robbie a line and make sure he and Isa are remembering to eat and change their underwear. Also, that they haven't been sucked into the Nintendo system!
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There was a bit of excitement this morning
November 26, 2006 by Adam in Family
There was a bit of excitement this morning. Fire engines raced up the hill and the kids and I followed them up. The studio behind John Larson's house had evidently caught fire, though I don't know much more than that. There were three or four engines and a couple smaller vehicles. No ambulances, though, which is hopefully a good sign.
Sam is back from a night at John's house. He got sick this morning, probably from all the excitement, sleeping on a hard floor, and eating weird food. He's back again and we're trying really hard to take it easy today. Jamie's promised to try out the Wii, which I've got to get on video tape. Should be amusing.
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We're all about the Wii these days
November 26, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
 We're all about the Wii these days. I got it for Sam's birthday, with Seraph's help waiting in line until Midnight when they first appeared. It came with Wii Sports, which is surprisingly good, and I got Zelda: Twilight Princess as well.
Wii Sports is great fun, really showing off the capabilities of the new controller. I regularly break a sweat playing boxing, which really gets the heart pumping. It'll be interesting to see if there are other games coming out which are similarly exercise inducing.
The new Zelda game is Sam's favorite. The difficulty level is perfect for him and it makes for great reading practice. There is no voice acting, so he has to read everything. Fortunately he's able to, unlike the last Zelda game when he was a little too young. Without really planning, the new Wii is both educational and good for his health. Weird.
I also made a hysterical movie showing the kids playing Wii boxing. It's quite amusing.
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Sam and I went for a long hike yesterday, lea...
November 26, 2006 by Adam in Sam
 Sam and I went for a long hike yesterday, leaving the girls at home while we menfolk went into the deep, dark forest. One of our favorite spots is the "crazy paths" at Hendrick's park. When he was little, we'd love to go exploring off the beaten trail. These days I usually have Emma, which makes such adventures too difficult.
Yesterday, though, we went trudged through the rain to cross Fern Forest and reach Goat Farm. We had to come up with epic place names along the way. Eventually we turned back, much to Sam's sadness.
He turns eight tomorrow. Sam's grown into a great kid, someone I can easily be proud of. He's honest and smart and funny. If we're stuck together for another decade, he's a good person to be around.
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Sam's birthday is officially tomorrow, but he...
November 26, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Sam's birthday is officially tomorrow, but he's already opened all his presents and he's currently off at his second birthday party. He and his friend John are combining parties since they're a week apart, so he's sleeping over until tomorrow.
This morning we went over to my mom's house to celebrate with my side of the family. There was tons of goodies and the cousins had fun playing with each other. I chatted with my respective siblings and parents, having a wonderful time. Far too many cinnamon rolls were eaten.
The kids and I played for the rest of the day. Somehow I spent nearly an hour tying Sam up and he'd see if he could free himself. I suspect it will come back to haunt him in therapy. Later Emma and I made up knot-related magic tricks and worked on birthday cards for John and Natalie.
The house is quiet at the moment, which was blissfully wonderful. I snuck upstairs to play with the Wii, boxing away and working up a serious sweat. It's strange thinking that a video game can be such a workout.
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Sam got some brain teasers for his birthday a...
November 25, 2006 by Adam in Emma
Sam got some brain teasers for his birthday and Jamie was quizzing him.
Jamie: What's the verb in this sentence? "Our babysitter often beats us."
Emma (interrupting): "Grandma Sue!"
Emma also wrote her name out completely tonight, something I'd never seen her do before. The A was a little tilted, but it was quite readable with a bit of squinting.
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Sam got his present that Seraph stood in line...
November 24, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Sam got his present that Seraph stood in line for hours to get. It's a Wii, which is a new video game system. He and Emma had a great time playing with it yesterday. Before bed he kept talking about it, reading the manual for his new Zelda game, and will likely want to play it when he gets up.
It was also Thanksgiving yesterday, chalk full of family all around. It was especially nice to hang out with my sisters and parents over two hours of food and beverage filled conversation. The big news was that Seraph bought a new house, a fairly big one that folks can come and visit her at. My dad continues to pursue his electric boat hobby, having driven down to LA last week to watch people set battery packs on fire. Good times.
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Sam's reading has gotten incredibly good lately
November 23, 2006 by Adam in Sam
Sam's reading has gotten incredibly good lately. Evidently at school he's reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. His eyes popped out when he saw how many pages it was. I guess only he and another kid have gotten to it. Now to get his math skills up to the super genius level and we can watch his massive noggin pulsate as he moves things around with the power of his brain.
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Happy Thanksgiving to all! I just finished a...
November 23, 2006 by Adam in Adam
Happy Thanksgiving to all! I just finished a caffeine-fueled spending frenzy at amazon.com. I think I'm getting what Jamie wants, though I took a few liberties here and there. Emma also should be getting a somewhat unusual treat. Regardless, it was fun for me to convert those hours of hard work on my latest project into presents for my family.
Work's been almost pleasant lately as I try frantically to wrap things up for my big Level One project. Monday is go-live day for me. There's always little issues here and there that I'm sure will come up, but it's almost fun playing firefighter and fixing things as they explode.
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It's a Mocha Wednesday today, in honor of the...
November 22, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's a Mocha Wednesday today, in honor of the approaching Thanksgiving festivities. Tomorrow will be a nutty day, but it'll likely be a fun nutty day, filled with family and conversation.
The Oregon drizzle continues, though it wasn't quite the deluge of yesterday. Riding to work in this stuff is almost fun, and the weather goes well with a cup of tea by the fire. I guess you have to learn to love it if you live here.
The week is moving along nicely. I didn't get kicked out of bed by Emma last night, so it looks like we're making progress again. Last night everyone was in a bit of a bad mood, though there were some bright moments. Sam and I had fun pushing Emma back and forth in my office chair, playing an impromptu ping-pong game where the goal was to avoid the walls. Emma would help by pushing off with her feet. Good times.
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I swam to work today, which is kinda fun
November 21, 2006 by Adam in Family
I swam to work today, which is kinda fun. The rain was pouring down so hard that Jamie got out of bed to check the drain on the back stairwell. It has this bad habit of getting plugged with leaves and flooding our basement.
I'm horribly excited for this Thanksgiving holiday. Four days away from work seem blissful, the calm before the storm of a rather significant go-live here at work. Plus I want to just hang out with the family and play (especially with Sam's birthday presents).
I was remarking to Jamie last night that I hadn't slept in the guest bed for awhile. Sure enough, I awoke around midnight as Emma literally kicked me out of bed. Her tiny feet can sure pack a wallop.
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Seraph has officially won the Cool Sister of ...
November 19, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Seraph has officially won the Cool Sister of the Year award. She's currently waiting in line to buy Sam's birthday present. She's in third place and is waiting until midnight to make the purchase. Robbie brought dinner and she's fortified herself with crossword puzzles and the camaraderie of nerds. When I told Sam how cool Seraph was (without revealing what it was), he got an excited grin and kept trying to guess. I told him to be quiet and appreciate the moment.
That was a nice end to a pretty good day. Jamie spent some time with friends while I took the kids to the library and Humble Bagel as usual. It was nice to get back into the routine and I'm sure Emma appreciated the massive cookie she wheedled out of me. Towards the afternoon Jamie and Sam went on a really long walk while Emma and I took it easy.
Nothing much else is going on. We're having a new person over for dinner tomorrow, a friend of Emma's and her mom. Thanksgiving is slowly coming together, and I'm trying to get my bread-making responsibilities organized. Good times.
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I've pretty much only been playing NWN2, and ...
November 17, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
I've pretty much only been playing NWN2, and barely the official campaign at that. Mostly it's all about working on Dark Waters, from dusk until dawn. I think it's officially at hobby status at this point.
Sam's interest in The Movies has waned and he's started getting into making NWN2 levels just like his dad. Unfortunately the toolset is extremely complicated, so he's asking for help a lot. On the plus side, he's doing really well for a seven year-old. Many adults are having a hard time with the toolset.
I like to think it's an educational sort of thing, developing math, reading, and artistic skills. Last night he was implementing a dialog for a character he put on the map. It went something like this:
NPC: "Hi."
PC: "Where are we?"
NPC: "Where are we?"
PC: "Bye."
Such sweet words, spoken by a budding master.
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Mocha Friday
November 17, 2006 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. Work is a bit slow at the moment, when it really shouldn't be. I have a ton of things to do, but I'm waiting for folks to make decisions before I go live with my big project in a bit over a week. I should just enjoy the moment while I can.
I got a taste of Jamie's life when I took care of Emma briefly at four this morning. She's been feeling sick and had an upset stomach. I carried her downstairs, gave her a cracker and some water, and sat by the fire for a little until it was time to go back to bed.
Unfortunately Emma's illness is coming out in some rather impish and evil ways. Yesterday Emma unraveled the scarf that Jamie's been knitting for the last couple weeks. She was extremely unhappy about that particular turn of events. She's also been more whiny than usual, which isn't much fun.
Sam, of course, is doing great. He hasn't been sick hardly at all this Winter. School is going well and he busies himself with various projects. It looks like he's going to do a combined birthday/sleepover with his friend John. They're a week apart in birthdays and he's excited to celebrate with his friend. He'll probably have family birthdays as well. I'm thinking I can take the kids over to my mom's house on Thanksgiving and do a mini party then. Maybe I should talk to her about it first, though.
I'm hoping we have a quiet weekend ahead of us. Things have been a bit busier than usual and I'd like to just take it easy. Jamie's got that pie to make, after all, and I'd like to sip tea and watch the rain come down.
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My co-leader Carly called me today about some...
November 16, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
My co-leader Carly called me today about something she wanted my input on. Apparently, she decided to take all of our anti-oppression workshops to heart and give a discount mattress company a piece of her mind. Oh, how I do love an ally who's not afraid to take on a giant. Mattress Giant, that is.
Her letter to Goliath:
In shopping for a new mattress, I came across Mattress Giant's His and Her Side Mattresses. While I do not identify as a homosexual, I feel alienated by any company that assumes the only couples that share beds consist of one male and one female. I refuse to give my money to any company with such blatantly anti-queer products.
There is much more inclusive nomenclature that can be used to describe this product. May I suggest "Dual Firmness Mattresses" or "Choice Comfort Level Mattresses". By using inclusive terms when describing your products, you create an environment where everyone feels welcome.
I hope you choose to rename your product; in the meantime I will maintain my boycott of Mattress Giant. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Today, we fight for mattresses free of homophobia; tomorrow... THE WORLD!
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The week continues to chug along
November 15, 2006 by Adam in Family
The week continues to chug along. I stayed home a little late and snuck upstairs to give Emma a hug before I went to work. It was very nice.
Nothing terribly exciting has been going on, which is nice for a change. Sam's entire school went to the McDonald theater to watch Cars as they raised a lot of money in their fundraiser. Emma brought home a little crown with a pink feather. Jamie's taken up knitting again and offered to make a "blapple berry pie" this weekend (blueberry and apple).
Everyone's started to get excited for the upcoming Thanksgiving festivities. With Seraph's help, I think I have the means to give Sam the Best Birthday Ever™. Shucks, I'm nearly as excited as he'll be.
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We had a wonderful time in Eugene over the we...
November 15, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
We had a wonderful time in Eugene over the weekend. Thanks to everyone for making it so special!
I sadly caught a touch of Robbie and Isa's cold, so I headed home early on Monday and slept most of it off.
Our lives feel chaotic and unorganized these days between trip planning, house hunting, colds, and all the usual day-to-day activities. I'm really hoping that by year end we will be a bit more settled.
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It's been interesting being the bedtime paren...
November 12, 2006 by Adam in Emma
 It's been interesting being the bedtime parent these last couple nights. Usually Jamie handles getting the kids to sleep as well as any midde-of-the-night stuff that might happen. Now that we're at Jim and Judy's house without Emma, I get to play that role.
Sam's a cinch, happily reading until I remind him it's time to sleep. Emma, on the other hand, requires someone to be next to her until she conks out. The last two nights she's explained how she wants mom in a sing-song voice, that she's beautiful and nice and has great hair. Still, she's gone to bed pretty easily.
Sleeping through the night is another story. Friday night she was handed to me by Judy, after Emma woke her and Sam both up. In the morning I showed her how she could walk down a short hall to where I was sleeping, which she did just fine last night. Then it's a matter of defending myself against three year-old kicks throughout the night. A pillow sufficed just fine.
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Early this morning we got ready and headed ou...
November 12, 2006 by Adam in Family
Early this morning we got ready and headed out the door to OMSI. Even at 9:30 there was a line to get in, so we patiently waited twenty minutes or so before getting our tickets and heading in. The Star Wars Exhibit was sold out until noon, which ended up being perfect timing. We ran around with hordes of other kids. Sam was great with Emma, cheerfully exploring the Science Playground by her side.
We stopped by the cafe, where Sam had the best hot dog ever. We wandered upstairs and went into the Star Wars exhibit. After all that build-up, it was a bit of a let-down. The costumes and models were the best part, in my opinion. Emma was overwhelmed by the noise and we ended up going through pretty quick. They were both terribly excited to be greeted by a stormtrooper on the way out. We got a picture of him with the kids, much to their excitement.
In the end, we'd spent over three hours at OMSI, a new record. Emma slept on the way back and we've been taking it easy all afternoon. We're currently watching Monster House, which Emma is a little nervous about watching. Still, it's somewhat amusing and they just introduced the girl character. We'll see how it goes.
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Well, we made it to Portland safe and sound
November 10, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Well, we made it to Portland safe and sound. The morning started at 4:30 in the morning for me. Time to get up, I guess. I puttered around on my computer and was later greeted by Emma, who demanded I return to bed to have a family snuggle.
Once that was out of the way, we leisurely got ready to go. I picked up some goodies at Metropol, some books at the library, and packed the car. Then a secretly ecstatic Jamie wished us well as we left her to three days of blissful solitude. The drive up was dreary and wet, but the kids weren't too bad.
When we arrived, Judy had left a dress-up box for Emma and a Lego set for Sam. Sam ignored the Legos and went straight for the exercise ball. Emma, of course, couldn't resist the call of pink dresses and magical wands. Now to just wait a couple more hours for the grandparents to arrive.
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First, happy birthday, Seraph! I hope you eat...
November 10, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
First, happy birthday, Seraph! I hope you eat raspberries and clotted cream and drink perfectly-heated tea!
Last Tuesday, Deval Patrick, my governor-elect, said something that really rang true to me about the conference that I'm organizing, which begins in six hours! He said:
Now I ask you to look around. Look around, especially those of you who have never been a part of a campaign. Every kind of person is here. You come from every corner of the Commonwealth. You come from great wealth and no wealth. You walk and you use wheelchairs. Democrats and Independents and Republicans are here. You are liberal and moderate and conservative.
You see in common how broken our civic life and how fractured our communities are. You see in common that the poor are in terrible shape and the middle class are one month away from being poor. And you know that government by gimmick and sound bite isn’t working. You know that we deserve better and we are better than that. And for a chance at a better and more hopeful future, you built bridges some of you never thought could be built across all kinds of differences -- and then you crossed them.
This guy is representing me! Me! And he cares about people! What a crazy, crazy concept. It's been a really good week.
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It's a Mocha Thursday for me as I'm out of wo...
November 09, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's a Mocha Thursday for me as I'm out of work tomorrow, taking the kids to Portland. It looks like we're going to miss Seraph, Robbie, and Isa, passing them on the freeway as we switch places. A big happy birthday to Seraph as I don't think we'll connect.
Last night was Jamie and my date night, though sadly she was feeling sick. I ended up taking the kids out to dinner at the Glenwood, bringing my mom along. The kids were relatively good, though both got a little crazy with the foil-wrapped pats of butter. Sam was licking them and Emma used her bread as a delivery mechanism to get the butter into her mouth.
It's been a wet and dreary week. As I rode home, I noted that I was riding my bike downstream as well as downhill. I was pleasantly surprised by the elections, and hope the country is moving back on track again. The stock market sure seems to be rallying.
I'm looking forward to the weekend, taking the kids up to Portland. I think Emma is big enough so that I can get her to bed without Jamie. Sam's a seasoned traveler at this point. OMSI should make for a fun Saturday morning, especially as the Star Wars exhibit is running.
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We've all been quiet as the elections have co...
November 09, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
We've all been quiet as the elections have come and gone. This is probably because of the strict warnings about language from Adam during the 2004 elections. Anyway, a little yeah! from this camp. It's nice to be on the winning side sometimes, and to know that not all of the liberals of the world have sunk into their armchairs of complacency.
We can't wait to see you all this weekend!
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We had a little incident with Emma last night...
November 08, 2006 by Adam in Emma
We had a little incident with Emma last night, one that is telling of her character. She was playing in the play room with Sam last night, swinging around a purse full of coins. Sure enough, she accidentally wacked Sam in the nose, who immediately announced "My nose is going to bleed." I took the purse away with a firm "Emma!" and led Sam over the linoleum so he could drip blood in an easy-to-clean area.
Emma, meanwhile, had run to a corner to hide, crying uncontrollably. Eventually Jamie coaxed her out and Emma immediately said she was sorry to Sam. We had to lift up Sam's bloody shirt so she could give him a hug.
On another note, I couldn't find my pager this morning. A sleepy Emma wandered downstairs and I scooped her up for a good-morning hug. Eventually Jamie came down and I told her I couldn't find my pager. "Oh," Emma said, "it's behind the basket." Sure enough, she was fiddling with it earlier and had moved it there. Yet again, she apologized without prompting.
It made up for the countless "I hate you's" and general complaining when putting her to bed last night.
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I swam to work today
November 07, 2006 by Adam in Adam
I swam to work today. A few of the streets I bike down were completely covered in water, to the point where I couldn't see the curbs. I hopped up on the sidewalk and creatively crossed streets. Fortunately it was warm and I have good rain gear. Somewhere along the way I actually had fun.
Work has been going from rather pleasant, to completely insane, and then back again. I suppose it keeps me on my toes. It looks like we're hiring a new person soon, which hopefully will help spread the workload around.
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I picked up the Borne Identity from the libra...
November 06, 2006 by Adam in Sam
I picked up the Borne Identity from the library, a great spy thriller that came out a few years back. It was fun sitting on the couch next to him, realizing that we share the special bond of mysteries and car chases.
I warned him of an upcoming scene that potentially involved kissing. He said it wasn't that big a deal. I suppose it's part of the whole spy experience, along with the car chases and such.
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Emma's had a rough time of it lately
November 06, 2006 by Adam in Emma
Emma's had a rough time of it lately. She gets really tired at night and starts crying about bad dreams and asking repeatedly if tomorrow is a school day (she's rarely excited about school).
A couple nights ago, she started her crying routine and I started talking about dreamcatchers, made by native Americans to catch the bad dreams. Soon she was adamant that we had to go to find the native Americans and get one for herself. Jamie suggested a drawing, which I did my best to render and then tape to her wall.
Last night we made a real one out of a plastic lid and yarn. Despite the less than authentic material, it looked pretty good and Emma seemed quite happy about it. Ah, the things I do as a father.
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Hello all! It looks like we'll be able to ma...
November 06, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Hello all! It looks like we'll be able to make it down for the weekend. We should be getting in Friday evening and staying through Sunday afternoon. I hope we get to see you all!
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Generic Heading
November 06, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Here are our quilt squares so far:
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Janet and I have taken up quilting to while a...
November 05, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Janet and I have taken up quilting to while away the cold Williamstown winter. I'll continue to update you on it's progress, but so far, we have embroidered patches that include:
A whale
A herd of elephants
Sheep jumping over the moon
A pomegranate (see photo)
A set of molars
A giraffe and porcupine
Trees in a boat
A landscape of arctic penguins
A pumpkin
And I'm working on a pocket right now.
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It's Sunday morning, with rain drizzling down
November 05, 2006 by Adam in Family
It's Sunday morning, with rain drizzling down. It feels like Oregon weather once again. Our basement even flooded on Friday when the back stairwell plugged up. Poor Jamie was stuck dealing with that, along with a little girl who decided to draw on everything with a pen (fortunately washable).
A big congratulations to Seraph, who sounds like she's moving up in the world of international fashion. I'm looking forward to the day when she has her own line of clothes.
Yesterday was pretty quiet in the Miller-Mellor household. Sam and Emma played together really well, pretending to be at school. Eventually we took a "field trip" to the library and Humble Bagel, which was fun for everyone. The afternoon was mostly spent hanging out at the house, with a brief time playing outside with Emma. She happily got far too muddy and sandy.
As for today, I think Jamie's taking Sam to Flushed Away. Emma and I might do some shopping at Valley River or just putter around outside. I'm getting a little stir crazy being inside all the time, so getting out for only a bit sounds nice.
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Well, I'm not "having a baby" like Sadie, but...
November 05, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I'm not "having a baby" like Sadie, but I do have some news. I was offered a really great job with Fred Meyer's last Thursday. Starting November 20th I'll be the Product Merchandiser of childrens clothing. Because of this I'll be heading of the China and Hong Kong on November 29th for 9 days. It's a bit overwelling yet exciting!
We are also looking at houses to buy. Right now we're struggeling between two different places. Look forward to more news in the near future!
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Mocha Friday
November 03, 2006 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. I don't have a lot of time to post today. I'm jumping into interviews in a few minutes. Emma's sick and it looks like Jamie will be soon too. Sam and I are doing okay so far.
I'm hoping to do our normal swimming, library, Humble Bagel ritual starting tonight. Last weekend we were out and next weekend it looks like we'll be in Portland. Gotta do my little routines when I can.
Jamie was very sweet the other day, picking up a new shirt for me after I complained about my wardrobe during our date night. I'm wearing it right now, in fact. It's quite warm and comfortable.
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In the spirit of happy things, I wanted you a...
November 03, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 In the spirit of happy things, I wanted you all to know that I am about to have a baby!
I know, I wasn't showing very much, but I'm due in seven days! Twelve midwives (community advisors), seventeen doulas (student facilitators), and seventy six student supporters will be there! I'm naming her the Berkshire Institute for Student Activism, or Bisa (bEEsa), for short. I'd like to thank all the special people who have helped me eat for two since July, when the magic began.
And it will be a magical, magical beginning to a lifelong collaboration between Williams, MCLA, Simon's Rock, Berkshire Community College, Southern Vermont College, and this crazy place we call Home. As they say, it takes a village. Or in this case, an entire county.
Please don't ask me about Bisa's deadbeat dad, Bennington College. This is a time for rejoicing, not wallowing in other people's short-sightedness. Bennington will come around, once he sees Bisa's shiny little red face of hope.
Don't worry, I'll send you all graphic photos of the whole process in a week or two!
In the meantime, here is a picture of what remained of my Halloween costume after a long night of haunting Sheep Hill. two black eyes and some whistful memories of weeping children. An imprisoned witch, after hours.
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Congratulations to Josh and Jody! Happy bela...
November 01, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Congratulations to Josh and Jody! Happy belated birthday to Betsy, and a Happy day-after-Halloween to all!
We hosted a block party last night. It was a great way for the kids to run off some of the sugar high, and for the adults to warm themselves by the fire (we had two outdoor blazes going). As it was the coldest night of the year so far many trick-or-treaters also stopped along the way to warm up!
Life is busy here. We've been looking at a house in the St. John's area, so our futures may actually include a real guest room for visitors :) Adam, let us know when you're going to be up here. We'd love to see you and the kids!
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Halloween has come and gone
November 01, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Halloween has come and gone. The kids were pretty excited all day long. At dinner, they talked about what everyone dressed like at school. Afterwards, they donned their costumes and we walked to the neighbors' houses, returning with good loot. Until bedtime, they'd rush up every time someone came to the door, excited to see what people were dressed like. Sam in particular was leaping about and passing out candy. It was pretty busy, and we ended up running out of our stash of sugary treats.
I'm off to breakfast with mom this morning, braving the cold and frost to make my way to the Glenwood on campus. I'll probably fortify myself with far too many cups of coffee once I get there.
Work goes well these days, with things going fairly smoothly for my big project. There's always endless little details to work on, but testing should start today and hopefully there won't be too many change requests.
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Happy Halloween to all! I'm dressed like a p...
October 31, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Happy Halloween to all! I'm dressed like a pirate here at work today, getting a fair number of comments from my more boring coworkers. Last night the kids and I dressed up and went to a neighborhood Halloween party. It was fairly entertaining and somehow Sam managed to get me to walk through the haunted house they'd set up in the basement. Sam and I went as pirates and I hauled along the old family flintlock rifle. Needless to say, a bunch of kids and a few adults wanted to caress it adoringly.
The week has been fairly uneventful so far. Sam's getting readusted to school. Emma's having a hard time going to school again, crying even the night before and asking if it's the weekend or not. This morning, though, she was excited to dress up and head out, so it may just be that she's tired from the time change.
In a couple weekends, it's looking like I'll be taking the kids to Portland myself. There's a Star Wars exhibit at OMSI that Sam's been wanting to see. Maybe we can do a zoo trip too, if Seraph and Robbie are up for it. We'll see how it goes.
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Greetings from Meadville! Happy Halloween and...
October 30, 2006 by Danica in Danica Miller
Greetings from Meadville! Happy Halloween and kandy korn daze to all!
Checking in briefly in order to refresh Dorothy's memory about how to post in the web site. I'm visiting Meadville on my way to and from Pittsburgh where I linked up after 30+ years with several good friends and former classmates from my Carnegie Mellon theatre program days. What a hoot! non-stop reminiscing for 2 days!
Things are fine in Meadville. Mother is busy as usual with friends, clubs and of course has her Christmas cards already addressed!
The Rochester group (me, Ben, Andy) are also doing well. Just checked the Bard web site in hopes of finding out about Ben's varsity cross country meet on Sat. They had their conference championships and it seems came in second place! Don't know if that means Ben will be heading to Williamstown next week for another round of championships or not. If he does, I'll be sure to let Sadie know.
Love to all -
Danica & Grandma Dorothy
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Well, I'm back at work, slowly adjusting to b...
October 30, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Well, I'm back at work, slowly adjusting to both the weather and time change. I was up at 4:30 in the morning and rode to work through chilly fog. November's just around the corner.
The beach was beautiful, warm and sunny when we arrived Friday. It was just our family and Sam's friend John. The two of them played non-stop, mostly huddling around The Movies on the computer, building up their imaginary studios. Emma alternated playing with her parents and exploring every nook and cranny of the beach house. On Saturday, Jamie took everyone to Newport for crab and visiting the aquarium. Emma continues to tell everyone she meets about the sea urchin that "hugged" her finger.
We left for home Sunday morning, as the rain had started. The ride back was gorgeous with the leaves turning colors. Sunday was spent mostly at home, though Emma and I went to a tea party that all the neighbors were invited to. Sam and Emma both start school today. Sam's been gone for a week, so I expect he'll return with piles of homework. Since I was out Friday, I have oodles of e-mails to catch up on. I'm trying hard not to get in frantic mode.
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Hi Everyone
October 28, 2006 by Yayoe in Yayoe
Hi Everyone...
Aloha and good news! Josh and Jody are expecting a baby in late April! Needless to say, I'll be in Honolulu right after the delivery! Jody is starting her 2nd trimester! So I'm a very very happy Jewpanese mother! I won't try to force chicken soup yet...but I'm plotting.....
Sayer's baby, Jackson...is doing great. He now weighs 13 pounds and growing so quickly. I spent the day in Portland yesterday hanging out with him and Sasha, who seems to be a natural, calm and loving mother. Sayer was in Seattle working in his accountant job. Seems hard to believe that he's a CPA type! He's quite amazing! Their dog Oliver is playing second fiddle to the baby but very protective of him! He's been demoted to being a dog but still very much loved by his masters!
Lohring has been spending his weekends preparing for yet another speed trial in California. He and his buddy Mike will be at Legg Lake from November 10-17th...trying to break another world speed record..He's also very busy working on the LCC/River Stone Clinic/HIV Alliance grant! For a retired person he's really very busy but enjoying all his activities. He still finds time to work downstairs in his metal working nerd cave!
I'll be retiring from my consulting job at PeaceHealth and my pro bono job at the Alzheimer's Association at the end of December. It's been a wonderful experience and I've loved the work. Just when I thought I was through working another part-time counseling job appeared on the horizon so I'm preparing to start on November 7th..more about that later.
We're about 1.5 years away from Medicare and looking forward to being an offical old fart cared for by the federal government! Hurrah! I never thought I would want to be 65 but now it's an exciting event on the horizon.Instead of celebrating our birthdays we're gonna have a Medicare party! I want Lohring to buy me a 14 K Medicare card holder that I can wear around my neck to show off! I like the status of being on the government dole!
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I picked up a couple games cheaply over at go...
October 27, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
I picked up a couple games cheaply over at gogamer.com, Company of Heroes and The Movies. Sam was really fascinated by The Movies and so in a burst of energy last night, earned enough checks to play it when it arrived yesterday.
So far we haven't got into the movie making part at all. Instead, we're just building up our little 1920's movie studio. We just bought a western-themed lot, so I presume that'll be our next movie. Maybe once we make it through the tutorial we'll be able to play around a bit more.
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Yesterday turned out better than I'd hoped
October 27, 2006 by Adam in Family
Yesterday turned out better than I'd hoped. Sam seems to be on the mend, though he has a non-itching rash over most of his body now. Emma was extremely tired and cranky at dinner, though later was very pleasant and I lay down next to her while she fell asleep. Jamie's tired, as usual, though I think the kids going to sleep at eight o'clock is helping somewhat.
Now I'm getting packed and ready for the beach trip today. The weather is supposedly going to be cool but sunny, which is the best we can hope for in October.
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It's been an odd week, with Sam sick and out ...
October 26, 2006 by Adam in Family
It's been an odd week, with Sam sick and out of school. Emma's back to normal, though she's been incredibly tired at night. During dinner last night, she almost fell asleep in her burrito. I was called in to keep her awake until a reasonable hour, and ate dinner while giving her a bath. Yesterday I was called in by Jamie to watch Sam while she took Emma to her school's pumpkin patch adventure. It made for a lot of bike riding.
It also sounds like we're heading off to the beach tomorrow, bringing along Sam's friend John. I think Jamie's parents may stop by for part of it, but otherwise we'll be hanging out by ourselves. Hopefully it'll be somewhat relaxing, though I'm a little uncertain about all the kids running about.
Work was crazy yesterday, with endless interruptions and doing work remotely. I still got quite a bit done, and hopefully this big project of mine can move along smoothly. I'll probably treat myself to a mocha today since I'm out tomorrow.
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Emma and I had a great time in Portland, shop...
October 23, 2006 by Jamie in Jamie
Emma and I had a great time in Portland, shopping at Bridgeport Village, playing out in the Autumn sunshine, cooking a fancy dinner on the irreplacable Czechoslovokian china, and admiring all the latest remodelling. Their house has always been my favorite place to be, so I will be sad to see it sold, but happy that it has been such a great investment for them.
Sam is home sick today with the virus that has been passed through the house. Emma is loath to hand over her special designation and so is inventing symptoms to regain some sympathy. She will be going to school today regardless.
We have planned to eke out the last (hopefully) nice days at the beach this weekend, and it will be a treat to fire up the gas inserts and boil some crab in butter.
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While culling through my morning emails, I re...
October 23, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
While culling through my morning emails, I received a beautiful spam poem. This is my favorite bit:
And Mr. Sikes was right. By dint of alternate threats, promises, and bribes, the lady in question was ultimately prevailed upon to undertake the commission. She was not, indeed, withheld by the same considerations as her agreeable friend; for, having recently removed into the neighborhood of Field Lane from the remote but genteel suburb of Ratcliffe, she was not under the same apprehension of being recognised by any of her numerous acquaintance.
A little morning Zen.
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It's Sunday afternoon, and Jamie and Emma are...
October 22, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's Sunday afternoon, and Jamie and Emma are here safe and sound. Emma's in high spirits, but Jamie is tired and feeling sick. Sam is too, it seems, and they're both resting as best they can.
Last night Sam tried out his Halloween outfit, dressing up like a pirate. I must have been tired because I slept for nine hours last night, something unheard of. This morning we had the best breakfast ever - cafe mocha (for me), pancakes with blueberries, and sausage. It was heavenly.
I dragged a tuckered Sam along several errands - the gas station, video store, and library, and then we dropped off my mom's car. We then settled down in front of the the television and watched X-Men 3.
Now Emma's leaping around the play room and I can't stay away for long. C'est la vie.
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Good Sunday to all, I'm just doing a little h...
October 22, 2006 by Jenny in Jenny
Good Sunday to all, I'm just doing a little house work, thought i would take a break to post. Well Jordan finished up soccer yeasterday, and got the worlds coolest trophy. He has been taking it every were. Now Jordan wants to do swimming. We all went to spash last night for a very cold night swim. The boys had a great time, and feel asleep shortly after arriving home. Well Destin has his 4th basketball game today at the YMCA. So we are just laying low til then. Destin is now a very buzy boy, He's doing acting classes, once a week. Joined the school band, and is playing the bass. Well i'm still looking for a job, i signed on with a fill in place and did work last week, it was nice to be back in the really world. Well Darren is off to Mexico again in 9 days, part work, part play. So anyone wants to have a play date give us a gingle.
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It's been a fun weekend with just Sam and I
October 21, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's been a fun weekend with just Sam and I. Last night we hiked over to my mom's house and borrowed the car, with flashbacks to high school. Sam was complaining about sore arms and neck, so we passed on swimming and instead went to rent a movie. We wandered around for seemingly forever, finally settling on The Corpse Bride and The Bourne Supremacy. We watched half of the latter, then did the normal shower and bed routine.
This morning we finished the movie and then made a hearty breakfast. Sam announced that he missed Emma and mom (in that order), and asked me what I liked about them the most. It was very cute.
We then cleaned the basement, played with balloons, and headed off to his soccer game. It was the last game of the season, so we had pizza and awards afterwards. The coaches, as is our fine tradition, headed home with beer. Next was a lengthy shopping trip where we snagged all sorts of things: food, shoes, Halloween costumes, and a DVD as a treat. Every time I go to Fred Meyers, I wonder if Seraph had a hand in the clothes around me.
Now Sam's watching The Corpse Bride, I'm finishing the laundry, and taking it easy before I go into dad mode again. Maybe we can practice riding bikes or just putter around for awhile. I'm a bit tuckered.
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Mocha Friday
October 20, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. I'm waiting for my coffee buddy Jim to arrive before I partake of that magical elixir.
It promises to be a somewhat exciting weekend. Jamie and Emma go to Portland today, with Sam being dropped off at home in the afternoon. It'll be interesting to be carless, especially with a soccer game on Saturday. I'm working on borrowing a car, though we may take the 25 minute trek over to the field if necessary.
Emma's still sick, though with proper use of Tylenol, she mostly seems her normal self. I took her and Sam to Sam's last soccer practice last night. The big excitement was the parents versus the kids game, which is a tradition for final practices for the last few years. It was fun lumbering about with a giggling Emma on my shoulders. At one point she said, "I love you dad! I don't want you to die from the crazy ball."
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Well, Jamie just called from the doctor
October 19, 2006 by Adam in Emma
 Well, Jamie just called from the doctor. Emma has hand, foot, and mouth disease. It was going around at school and it looks like it worked its way to her. Poor girl. The only solution is to keep the Tylenol flowing, treating the symptoms until she's feeling better.
I'm not sure what this means about Jamie's trip to Portland. I guess we'll play it by ear.
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I'm a big silly-head
October 19, 2006 by Adam in Adam
I'm a big silly-head.
A couple days ago, Emma and I went to the park in the evening. She remarked on the beautiful sunset, pointing out that it was pink, her favorite color. I noticed the chestnuts scattered around. As it grew dark, it turned into a treasure hunt of sorts. We went around finding chestnuts and putting them in the stroller. Eventually we had quite a haul.
Emma was excited to roast them and eat them. Since we don't have an open fire, like the song goes, I tossed them in the oven and cranked up the heat to 425. Part of me thought I should actually read directions on how to do this, but I figured the worst that could happen is that they get a bit toasty.
As it turns out, you can do worse than that. Soon Sam and I were called upstairs to a shouting Jamie. Smoke filled the house and I opened the oven to find the chestnuts had exploded and charred. Two remained mostly intact, having oozed out the nutty interior into a thin paste of goo.
I was chastized by both Jamie and myself, promising to clean it up the next day. Jamie beat me to it, and I was left doing some minor scrubbing last night.
Stupid, stupid, Christmas song.
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I'm getting ready to head home for the night
October 19, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
I'm getting ready to head home for the night. We've been getting our Fall '07 collections finished up, so I'm swamped with last minute changes.
Today Isa had her school pictures. Hopefully I can post a cute shot soon.
Robbie has been planning a Halloween block party. We don't live in the best trick-or-treat neighborhood, so we want this to make it up to the kids.
The office should settle down mid-November. Maybe we can come see everyone then. Hogs and quiches.
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Sam is a reading maniac
October 18, 2006 by Adam in Sam
Sam is a reading maniac. Last night he read an entire book. The days before, he read through three "Magic Tree House" books. Evidently he's inherited his parents' reading genes.
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Emma's been sick off and on the last few days
October 18, 2006 by Adam in Emma
Emma's been sick off and on the last few days. Yesterday I got called home early to watch a feverish Emma languishing in bed. A little Tylenol later she was perky again and playing like her normal self.
This morning was much of the same. She was acting miserable, got some Tylenol, and was fine once again. I hung around until Jamie arrived home right before noon.
Hopefully this is just a passing thing. Poor kid.
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I'm self-medicating with a Mocha this morning...
October 17, 2006 by Adam in Adam
I'm self-medicating with a Mocha this morning, driving away the winter blues. The transition to Fall has been odd, riding my bike to work in the dark and the kids going to bed earlier. Work has been a bit overwhelming as of late. I finished up my last big coding push, which was good, and now I have endless little things nipping at my heels. No rest for the weary.
It's been nice reading posts from Sadie as of late. She's been on my mind, the wayward sister on the East coast. I'm looking forward to a hopeful Christmasy trip home.
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Any weekend when I get to see all five (yep, ...
October 16, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Any weekend when I get to see all five (yep, count 'em, five) grandkids, is a good weekend. Bob and I drove up to Ptland on Thursday to pick up Anna, back from a month in Europe, suntanned and pretty, as always. Then I drove up on Friday to Portland, picked up Isa from a friend's parents' cafe where the two girls were hanging out (no school day) and drove down to Seraph's job. They were having pizza for someone's birthday, and Seraph snuck us in to meet her co-workers. Very fun. Then Isa and I hit Eugene, and went with Bob to The Mission for dinner.
On Saturday, Isa and I puttered and giggled, then I took her to Jenny's while Bob and I went to the game. Bob fixed hot dogs for dinner, and then home to bed. On Sunday, Emma and Sam came over, and they had a delightful time. Bob drove us back to Portland, and we got to visit with Seraph and Robbie. Lots of rain coming and going.
Love to all, om
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The weekend is wrapping up
October 16, 2006 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is wrapping up. I made soup and salad for dinner, along with chocolate chip muffins for dessert. It's a bit of a treat for me to make dinner on Sunday evenings, harking back to the days when I was a second cook around the house. Now Emma's puttering around with me in the basement. She's seemingly absorbed with her pirate hat and little people.
Yesterday was fairly low-key, just hanging out with the family. Sam and I went to the library and Humble Bagel. Today Emma, Sam, and Jamie went over to my mom's to visit with Isabell. My coworker John came over to record piratey voices for my game. After that, we went to Sam's soccer game in the rain, and generally took it easy. Good times.
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Quote of the day: "Emma, please don't handle ...
October 15, 2006 by Adam in Family
Quote of the day: "Emma, please don't handle the eyeballs."
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Ok well
October 13, 2006 by Jenny in Jenny
Ok well..HELLO to all. First off i want to say concrats to miss seraph, for a most amazing job, with school. Well done, im sad that we missed your graduation. So now that you are a real, working girl. How are things going? I believe that we get the presents off your lovely daughter for the game. We miss you, so it should be a pleasure to have at least part of you both with us. Hope that you both have a great weekend.Well life has got really buzy for me. Jordan is now in soccer, and destin is now in basketball. I'm trying to find a job and be a soccer mom. I know now that going to work is much more relaxing!!!!!!!!All is well here, I miss everyone and just wanted to say hello. Sadie its time to come home and visit. We have a new miller/banks family member, his name is odie.No I didn't have a kid, he's a puppy and he's a good boy. 12 weeks old. I'll get a pic on tomorrow.
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That "clarity" you are experiencing is most l...
October 13, 2006 by Jamie in Sadie & Greg
That "clarity" you are experiencing is most likely dehydration induced hallucination...but we must take what we can get, eh?
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Mocha Friday
October 13, 2006 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. I was really wanting it too, as I ended up taking cough medicine last night, to get me through the tail end of this annoying cold. My zombie-like fog has mostly lifted and I'm feeling somewhat normal.
There was no soccer practice last night, so the kids and I ended up doing all sorts of wacky things. We did experiments with oil, milk, vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring in the kitchen. We looked through scrap books. There was playing Zelda on the Gamecube. We watched the neighbor chop down a tree. Ah, good times.
Jamie's off to a friend's tonight, while I take the kids swimming. I'm going to see if I can convince at least Sam to go to the library with me. Other than that, we'll probably do our usual running around outside while the weather holds.
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Today I am participating in a traditional Ram...
October 12, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
 Today I am participating in a traditional Ramadan fast, abstaining from food and water from sunup until sundown. There are 90 minutes left until sundown. I'm doing my best to think about things other than my stomach, unsuccessfully. However, as many people have promised, I have a renewed clarity, despite my sluggish body. A clarity about date ice cream at the end of the tunnel.
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At work I've been doing this massive code con...
October 12, 2006 by Adam in Adam
At work I've been doing this massive code conversion, going from Visual Basic to C#. I've been working with variations of Basic since I was eight, so it's a bit of a change. Last night I was actually dreaming about it, watching SqlInt32.Parse and various {} symbols move across my brain. And then I had a dream about talking dolphins. Go figure.
I think I'm in the last stages of my annoying cold. I'm still a little sniffly, but no headache this morning. I slept for eight and a half hours last night, which is pretty unusual for me. Now it's off to shower and head in to work. The C# is calling to me . . .
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Happy anniversary, Seraph and Robbie! Have a ...
October 11, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Happy anniversary, Seraph and Robbie! Have a great time curled up in front of the fire- as they say, families that read together wear tweed together.
I just saw V for Vendetta last night, which was highly enjoyable for several reasons:
1. Natalie Portman
2. Natalie Portman with a British accent
3. Natalie Portman with a shaved head
And, of course, any DC comic turned movie is totally righteous.
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Today is our 9th anniversary
October 11, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Today is our 9th anniversary. Robbie and I going away to Hood River this weekend while Isa heads down to Eugene with Mom. I think we're both looking forward to getting away. If only to sit in front of a fire and read books for a weekend.
Isa continues to excell at school, frequently amazing us with new knowledge. Robbie is working to organize a Halloween block party with several neighbors, and I'm swamped at work. I hope that we'll all be able to make it down some time soon to see everyone!
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Adam, thank you for sharing that fantastic Jo...
October 10, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Adam, thank you for sharing that fantastic Joan Jett tune, just in time for National Coming Out Day! So, come Wednesday, give a big hand to the brave souls that keep it real across the country. May we all look as good as Joan Jett!
I spent the long weekend in Holyoke, the poorest and most beautiful city in the state. We worked with Community Development Corporation Nueva Esperanza. Spending time at such a grassroots, social-justice oriented community organization really recommitted me to my community work. Western Mass was also in its Sunday best all weekend, which made the trip particularly glorious.
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I finally caught the cold that Emma's had for...
October 10, 2006 by Adam in Adam
I finally caught the cold that Emma's had for the last week or so. After being well for so long, it's a bit of a shock. I'm pretty worthless about the house and I keep telling Jamie how much I appreciate her. Today at work I've purchased a medicinal mocha, which I'm about to take orally.
Life's pretty good, otherwise. The kids are in school and we're adjusting to the school routine. The big holiday season is coming up, along with endless computer game releases. The weekend after next Sam and I get to have a father-son weekend as Jamie and Emma go to Portland.
I keep mentally preparing for my work to be moved out to the Riverbend Annex in Springfield. I'm not too happy about it, but I think I can make due. The big choice is to see if I'm up for a 45ish minute bike ride each morning and afternoon. I haven't nailed down the time entirely, but it would be significant and might involve traveling through high-traffic areas. The other choice is to buy a second car, which is certainly convenient in some ways. Hmm.
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Monday already
October 09, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Monday already. Emma and I are both goopy and sniffly, catching whatever cold that has been going around. After so many months of being healthy, it's somewhat annoying if not unexpected.
Saturday was quite productive, with Sam and I taking down the rest of the arbor in front of the house. It's very open now, which I sort of like. We do need to put up a railing and we'll probably do some sort of roof cover like the one over the patio. Jamie, as usual, is handling the details.
Speaking of Jamie, she's been a real trooper this weekend. Emma and I were both sick, so she took up the slack and sent me to bed early.
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Mocha Friday
October 06, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. I've already downed my cup o' joe and am grinding through the morning e-mail and issues. It's pretty quiet today, with not a single member of my team occupying the nearby cubicles. Perhaps I'll rip off my clothes and code naked.
It's been a longish week, with Jamie and Emma both sick. Sam's so far avoided illness, due to regular hand washing according to him. Last night we had no soccer practice, so we kicked a ball around in the back yard. It was fun, and we both got pretty tired.
Tonight is swimming, as usual. In the morning Sam and I plan on destroying the rest of the arbor, and then head off to soccer practice. I'm not sure when I'll work in a library trip, but I've sunk to reading books from my library that I've already read multiple times.
Other than that, we don't have too many exciting things planned. I'd like to get outside if the weather holds. Jamie's visiting with Victoria on Sunday. That's about it.
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Oooo, poor Emma
October 05, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Oooo, poor Emma. I hope her leg doesn't break again soon.
I actually remember that Adam took his share of hot baths at 2:00 a.m. when he was in growth spurts.
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Emma had a rough night last night
October 04, 2006 by Adam in Emma
Emma had a rough night last night. Both our kids are tall, so they've had growing pain when young. Last night I woke up to her moaning and saying that her leg was broken. Jamie went to comfort her and I went to get Tylenol. Eventually I just rubbed her legs for fifteen minutes until she fell asleep.
Other than that, she seems in good spirits. Last night at dinner she started counting in French. Soon enough, we were all counting and teaching Sam how it goes.
Jamie emphasized that her pronunciation was better than mine, at which point I said something rather rude in French. She corrected it, and added to Emma not to ever say that in class. Soon enough Emma was swearing like a French sailor. I'm hopeful she forgets, but if she's sent home by her teacher, I've only myself to blame.
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Most of the grunt work at the office is done
October 03, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Most of the grunt work at the office is done. Jamie and I are having lunch today, amazing property manager that she is, and so I'm trying to get my thoughts organized around the financial future of the building. I had so much fun with Jenny and my gfs. at "Chicago". I'm giggling with glee
over the Republican sex scandal. Hoisted on his own petard!
What is a Petard, anyway? Gentle readers? E-mail me! Love to all, mom
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What a day
October 02, 2006 by Adam in Family
 What a day. I certainly earned my keep today, gardening and ripping down our rotting arbor. Sam helped out and gleefully enjoyed all the destruction. I had him hauling timber, carrying tools, and holding the ladder. It was satisfying in a blister-and-scrape sort of way. We're still deciding what to replace it all with.
Sam's had soccer games today and yesterday. I had Emma yesterday afternoon at the park while Jamie took Sam on a walk to the store. Neither kid seemed excited at the outset, but both were quite cheerful once they were on their way.
Not much else to report. Jamie visited with Angie and it sounds like everyone is doing well with the new baby. Sam picked a dessert of ice cream with whip cream and chocolate sauce for the last couple nights. I was good and stuck to my bowl of cereal as usual.
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Sam and I played a fair bit of Defcon yesterday
October 01, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
Sam and I played a fair bit of Defcon yesterday. It's a fun little game and Sam is only now starting to get the hang of it.
Of course, I dreamt last night there had been a thermonuclear war. That'll teach me to play Defcon and watch Jericho.
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This is a very quick hugs and kisses to all
September 30, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
This is a very quick hugs and kisses to all. This morning I took Dez to the first of acting classes at Lord Leebrick Theatre, which I think he actually enjoyed, and looked forward to. Then this afternoon, Jenny, a friend of mine, Carol, and I will go to see Chicago. I spent all last weekend and a couple days this week doing clean-up paint-up at the office. John announced
a couple of years ago that he didn't choose to do maintainence work at the office, with the same sort of pride
he'd have in taking an unpopular political position. The good news is that I'm preparing a list for Shannon, our yard
person, of maintainence, and she's said she's interested
in taking on more management stuff, and John agrees that would be a good idea to have someone else beside me do it.
He hasn't figured out that it's going to cost him more in rent. My office is finally down to two rooms...Love you all.
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Game season is starting up soon
September 30, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
 Game season is starting up soon. The demos and games are beginning to come out. Neverwinter Nights, my main hobby the last few years, is coming out with a sequel in another month, with the toolset for it coming out tomorrow. Should be fun.
I also picked up a demo for a little game called Defcon. It's pretty wild, a War Games style game where you play global thermonuclear war. Needless to say, everyone loses, but the goal is to lose the least. It's actually a pretty deep game, where the goal is to take out your enemies' forces without showing off your own. I made the rookie mistake of launching everything at once, which meant they knew where all my missle bases were. They didn't last long.
The art direction is wonderfully horrible, as you can see.
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Yes, I know
September 29, 2006 by Jamie in Jamie
Yes, I know...Adam would just LOVE to know what I am doing with all my "free time" during the week. Amazingly, it seems to get eaten up by the chores I am used to doing with kids...it is just a bit more relaxing without them, but it's not like I have time to write the Great American Novel or anything, sheesh!
I have been enjoying a nearly daily dose of a couple of my favorite Brit Coms at lunch time: "As time goes by", "Are you being served?" Unfortunately, "Keeping up Appearences" comes on just when I have to pick up Emma, so I miss it.
Just finished reading "Disobedience" by Jane Hamilton and am now diving into the complete works of Sherlock Holmes courtesy of my friend and fellow Anglophile Pat Gariepy.
I am also keen on doing more gardening..including getting someone's butt in gear to rebuild the front fence and arbors and replace the crumbling sidewalk. More difficult than it should be to find someone.
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School has started seriously for Sam
September 29, 2006 by Adam in Sam
School has started seriously for Sam. He had his spelling test yesterday, getting 100% on the normal words and getting three out of four of the hard bonus ones. Ironically the one word he misspelled was "homework".
Yesterday Sam spent nearly two hours working on a comic book titled "Captain Plunger", which is loosely based after the Captain Underpants books. It was actually pretty funny. Sam had me as the editor, mostly correcting spelling mistakes as I told him the different perspectives I liked. He's becoming quite an artist, at least when it comes to superheroes, toilets, and exploding things.
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Last night was Isa's Back to School BBQ and o...
September 29, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Last night was Isa's Back to School BBQ and open house. The weather was amazing and it reminded me of all those Roosevelt picnics (just add three or four more languages and a dozen or more ethnicities)! It was also nice to meet some of her friends that I hear so much about. Her teacher is wonderful and Isa just loves her.
Robbie and I have learned how to enjoy our evenings together again. This of course is coupled with the onset of prime time, and we've been weeding through which new shows to follow or not. So far we're giving Jericho(sp?) two thumbs up.
Love to all.
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Mocha Friday
September 29, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. Work's been busy, but productive. I've had that general sense of satisfaction all morning.
Last night was Sam's soccer practice, a gorgeous Fall evening with a hundred or so kids running around with soccer balls. They had a special training thing over at Adam's elementary school. Mostly Emma and I just played on the play structure while Sam strutted his stuff.
I've been under the weather these last few days, but I'm feeling like I'm on the mend. Hopefully our family can get some outside play time this weekend, though tonight is our traditional swimming night.
The kids are doing well, seemingly enjoying school and looking forward to Halloween. I keep pestering Jamie, trying to figure out what she does during the mornings when the kids are away. I usually get one to three words. Yesterday it was "gardening."
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I'm on the mend today, after a bad headache y...
September 28, 2006 by Adam in Family
I'm on the mend today, after a bad headache yesterday. It was the end of two full days of team meetings at work, which is enough to drive one mad. I also checked out my possible new work location, which isn't all that bad. The worst part is that I'd need to buy a card and drive each morning. At least there's a gym on site.
The kids went to Dave's house while Jamie and I had our theoretical date night. All I was up for was watching Upstairs, Downstairs with Jamie on the couch. Otherwise I was popping painkillers, taking a bath, and generally trying to take it easy.
Sam's first spelling test is today, though he was moaning about wanting to do math instead last night. Our evenings are getting increasingly packed, with soccer practice tonight. Busy, busy.
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We had a full and exciting weekend! Sat morn...
September 25, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
We had a full and exciting weekend! Sat morning Isa had a birthday party at the Build-A-Bear workshop, allowing Robbie and I to wander and take care of some shopping. In the afternoon we organized and cleaned. I sorted through endless projects and school assignments and sent out numerous bags of recycling!
Sunday morning while Isa and Robbie went to church, I hiked the 8 mile annual Wildwood Run/Walk with Raven. We finished in about 2 1/2 hours and quickly crashed with sore muscles.
I lay on the floor with Isa watching Mary Poppins before recovering enough to hit the Polish Festival. Robbie had a Hurling match and met us there later. After a few hours of perogies, sausage, and polka we headed home for a movie and bed.
After all that a week of work will feel quiet!
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What a weekend
September 25, 2006 by Adam in Family
 What a weekend. Sam had a great time at John's house, playing assorted games and generally carrying on. With just Emma, it was a quiet Saturday morning. I did a solo library run and we did some serious window cleaning, breaking out paint scrapers and removing storm windows. Saturday evening was Sam's first soccer game and Jamie's birthday party. It was a low-key affair with Angie, Pat, and Dave coming over to play Trivial Pursuit.
 Sunday had Ray and Ella coming to visit, mostly spending the day at the park with everyone playing tennis. Sam in particular got really into the game. Emma and I collected balls and wandered about, with only minimally getting into trouble.
I helped Sam do his first homework of the season, and later broke out my made-up Adventurer Bob versus the Math Monsters game, doing time tests for addition and subtraction. He's a little rusty, but not too bad. Emma was a bit grumpy, often just wanting to be by herself. I think it was a pretty tiring day for her, and she's still a little sick.
As for me, it's a week of team meetings at work. Yee haw.
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It usually takes me a couple days of freezing...
September 22, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It usually takes me a couple days of freezing fingers before I realize that it's really Fall and I need to wear gloves when riding to work. It's official.
Emma had an exciting day yesterday, having her friend from school, Darumdev, over for a visit. In school she made apple pie and was horribly excited by the whole thing. When it came time to take Sam to soccer practice, she fell asleep and wasn't too happy when I woke her up in fear she'd stay up really late. I made a little movie of us passing the time.
Sam's been doing well, growing up smart and good-looking as always. He and I have been having fun playing on the computer each afternoon. We also have very interesting conversations - last night we discussed addiction and torture, of all weird subjects.
As for me, it's Mocha Friday and it's time for me to head off and get that wonderful elixir. Happy weekend to all.
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Hi, I've been having trouble with my internet...
September 21, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
Hi, I've been having trouble with my internet connection, so I'll post fast. Wanted to let everyone know that Seraph's graduation was so much fun. Seraph would never admit this, but everyone in her class and on the faculty was beaming at her, and obviously happy for her. I don't recall any mention in her postings that she was graduating with high honors, and we learned that interesting bit of trivia when we got our programs. Her speech was terrific; serious in intent, but delivered lightly. You all would have been very proud of her. Lohring took us all to dinner, although he got lost when we sent him to get seats, and we wound up going to a much higher class place. Hmmm, maybe you do get your brains from my side of the family. Isa was just a princess, and a good time was had by all. Love to all except the Oklahoma football fans, whiney pants to the bone.
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There's been a long lull in games these last ...
September 20, 2006 by Adam in Adam's Games
There's been a long lull in games these last couple months. I'm doing Neverwinter Nights stuff, under an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), so I can't really talk about it.
Sam and I have been spending recent afternoons playing Gary's Mod for Half-Life 2. Mostly we'll try to kill each other, but stick to interesting ways. We've dropped big shipping containers on each other's heads, attached thrusters to barrels and sent them flying, and the old exploding barrel trick is a favorite. Last night I was killed multiple times by a bicycle with a rope that was strangely vibrating. Sometimes Sam gets me laughing so hard that it's difficult to play.
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Emma's foot wasn't so great yesterday, with J...
September 20, 2006 by Adam in Family
Emma's foot wasn't so great yesterday, with Jamie keeping her out of school and taking her to the doctor. After an x-ray, nothing's broken, but she's still walking funny on it. We took Sam to soccer practice last night and mostly hung out in the car. Emma had fun looking at maps of Italy and explaining how I'd taken a wrong turn.
Jamie was pretty tired for her birthday. The extent of the festivities was her opening up the cards we made for her and taking her down to open my present. Last weekend Sam was throwing a frisbee over the fence. On our walk to retrieve it, we stopped by a yard sale at the local B&B. There was a nice 30's vintage end table. After much sweating and pushing, we got it home, covered it with blankets, and Sam made a "Do Not Look" sign.
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Yarrr! Avast ye scurvy dogs, it be Talk Like...
September 19, 2006 by Adam in Family
Yarrr! Avast ye scurvy dogs, it be Talk Like a Pirate day, and ye best be sailin' over to this here site so you be talkin' good and proper-like.
Poor Emma hurt her foot last night, rolling around with Sam in the play room. Hopefully it's better today, though she didn't want to stand on it at all. She had me carrying her around from dinner time until bedtime.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE!!! It's so nice to hear...
September 19, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE!!! It's so nice to hear that you are able to take a little time for yourself these days - keep it up :)
Well, avast maties - I think that's the extent of my talk like a pirate day! It was great to see everyone at graduation, and with that step done the postings about me will probably get quieter.
Robbie's classes seem to be settling down, and Isa now looks at school as routine. We're gearing up for the holidays, and Robbie and I are getting excited to celebrate our anniversary and birthdays, which we haven't been able to for the last few years. Good times ahead!
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The weekend has wrapped up and I'm heading in...
September 18, 2006 by Adam in Family
  The weekend has wrapped up and I'm heading into work in a few minutes. Sunday was pretty exciting, with Jamie deciding that a hike was in order at breakfast. It took some doing to get the kids motivated, but we managed to climb to the top of Mount Pisgah. It was quite challenging, especially carrying Emma most of the way, though the view at the top was pretty incredible. After a few minutes were we so hungry and tired that we ran down and headed to Humble Bagel afterwards.
Sam went to a friend's house for a pirate-themed birthday party. As expected, they got carried away and had full pirate regalia for the kids. Jamie and Emma went to get him a bit early and got swept up in the excitement.
I made pizza for dinner, eating outside while the weather is still nice. Things seem to be going fairly well for our little family these days. We're all in good health, good spirits, and seem to generally enjoy what we're doing each day.
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We are well into school now, and both kids ar...
September 17, 2006 by Jamie in Jamie
We are well into school now, and both kids are adapting well to the new schedule. Emma has been doing very well considering the hours she is spending (M-Th 8:30-12:30) and she's already picking up French. As for myself, I have mostly enjoyed unencumbered menu planning, grocery shopping and lunch eating, along with a few actual morning showers..I forgot how invigorating those can be :-)
I also spent one spontaneous morning up at King Estate reading my Italy travel books which was beyond decadent approaching the ridiculous. Ahhhhh.....
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Seraph, you are so so so amazing! Following y...
September 16, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Seraph, you are so so so amazing! Following your bliss is back breaking work, but you did it! I'm so proud to have you as my wicked smart sister.
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It's Mocha Friday, though I still have an hou...
September 15, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's Mocha Friday, though I still have an hour or so before I actually get to partake. I got up a bit earlier than usual, so all I've had is some oatmeal and tea, my usual breakfast of champions. Tonight is swimming night with the kids, and tomorrow is a hearty breakfast, library trip, and Humble Bagel run. It's my favorite part of the week.
Work's actually been pretty exciting lately, as exciting as computer interfaces get anyway. I've been making good progress on some big projects and managed to get an interface in place that I've been waiting ten years to do.
Last night we went to Sam's soccer practice as usual. Emma took this picture of me, along with several of my lower half and one of the playground at an extreme distance. In the middle of our play structure visit, it started to pour down rain, the first real one of the season. We decided to watch Sam play from the safety of the car.
As for this weekend, I think Jamie's visiting with friends for birthday-related reasons. We've got some gardening to do in preparation for Fall. Maybe we can get Sam to start doing some work around the house for stars, which can be turned into the slew of computer games coming out in a couple months.
A big shout-out to Seraph for not only graduating but getting a job in her chosen profession. As someone who has a master's in biology education and works with computers, I can respect that.
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Emma's been going to her French immersion sch...
September 15, 2006 by Adam in Emma
 Emma's been going to her French immersion school for a week now. She seems to really like it, and Jamie keeps gushing about how great all her instructors are. This picture is of Barbara, her main teacher. According to Jamie she's great with Emma.
It's mostly girls in her class, one of which is a neighbor of ours. I think she's had a fun time playing with other kids her age after spending the Summer with just Sam. To top it off, she's learning French too. Tonight she started singing a song that sounded like "Bonjour, mes amies." (hello my friends).
As for the rest of her ever-exciting life, it goes well. She's growing up tall and smart, loving to play pretend, play on the computer, and listen to stories. She's very fashion conscious and fond of pink. Lately she's been wanting to wear mismatched socks, just like her big brother.
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New family member! Sayer and his lovely wife ...
September 15, 2006 by Yayoe in Yayoe
  New family member! Sayer and his lovely wife Sasha have a new baby that was born today at 6:26 PM at Providence Hospital in Portland. Jackson John Jones weighed in at 8'7 oz and is 21 inches long. He has Asian eyes and black hair! On Friday we'll go out and see him! We're so excited!
Loring and his dental team (Riverstone Cinic, LCC and HIV Alliance) got the $2 million 5 year grant.The grant is to establish an AIDS clinic at LCC! He's very busy with meeting and getting the project off to a good start along with his wonderful team. Despite all he has to do, next he's driving..yes driving to Montana for another boat race. I wasn't able to convince him to fly and/or cancel the trip so he's planning to leave on the 21st and will return on the 25th...
Oh...we traded offices! What an amazing fete. Lorhing did most of the work. He loves his new digs...lots of space for all of his stuff..I love my new little cozy room! He looks like Commander Kirk in his office surrounded by his wrap around desk and all his goodies! Be sure to call him Commander!
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Vodoo dolls??? That may explain a lot!
For ...
September 14, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Vodoo dolls??? That may explain a lot!
For those coming up tomorrow, I'll be at the school early, and Robbie is off work at 1:30 pm. He was planning to go down to the portfolio show until 2:30 and then go pick up Isa at school before coming back downtown to the grad ceremony at 4:00. I thought it might be nice for us all to go out to dinner afterwards - so long as everyone agrees NOT to argue over the bill.
I can't wait to see you all. Call if you have any questions.
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hi, i'm looking forward to Seraph's graduatio...
September 14, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
hi, i'm looking forward to Seraph's graduation tomorrow. I
had to raise $1,000 for the March of Dimes, which I did by calling everyone I know. Hugs, Mom
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This week is just zipping along
September 14, 2006 by Adam in Family
 This week is just zipping along. Hard to believe how quickly things go once school starts.
Last night I nearly knocked out a couple of Sam's teeth. Of course, he takes full responsibility. He wanted me to try and dump him out of a sleeping bag and he decided to hold on with his teeth. Since he's in the process of losing teeth these days, a couple got extremely loose and we had to stop to soak up blood.
Jamie and I also went out to Marche last night, a fancy French restaurant. The food was darn good, and the portions were reasonable enough so that we could actually eat dessert for a change.
Emma seems to be enjoying school a fair amount. She explained to Jamie how she played with a telescope and blood meter, and that she wants to be a doctor.
I'm sadly going to miss Seraph's graduation speech. I'll try to send positive thoughts and make my Seraph voodoo doll as comfortable as possible throughout the day.
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The primary election in Mass is creeping up o...
September 13, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
The primary election in Mass is creeping up on us, and I was drawn this morning to one of mom's favorite sites, dailykos, and their wiki on how to run for office. http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/How_To_Run_For_Office
It would be fun if we all decided to run for elected positions- a whole new generation stepping up to the plate of representative democracy!
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It's hard to believe it's been five years sin...
September 11, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
It's hard to believe it's been five years since the 9/11 attacks. It is one more reminder of how happy I am that Adam has created this site to keep us all connected.
Robbie and I delivered Isa to her first day of Kindergarden. As soon as she found her desk she was ready for us to go. Sigh... long go are the days where she cries when we leave.
Robbie packed up Scabbers the rat for another year at Hillside. While he's happy that he appears to have another great group of kids, he has decided that this will probably be his last year teaching.
I'm getting ready for graduation - writing my speach and finishing my portfolio - oh, and still working away at my job.
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We had our usual pleasant swim time on Friday
September 10, 2006 by Adam in Family
 We had our usual pleasant swim time on Friday. The kids played with other kids, and occasionally with me. Emma's getting really good at moving around with her floating thing. Sam, of course, can swim like a fish.
Saturday morning we walked down to see the Eugene Celebration parade. My dad came by to watch with us. I learned all sorts of odd things about him, like he got the AIDS dental clinic grant and he plans to build a full-size electric boat and go for the world's speed record. What a wacky guy.
In the afternoon, we puttered around the house, eventually going off to Gavin's birthday party, an old friend of Sam's. Jamie chatted up an Italian woman, trying to get the scoop on places to visit when she and her mom travel there next year. I watched Emma until exhaustion overtook me and I became a bit cranky.
Today Jamie's going to the Coburg antique fair with Pat. The kids and I are going to my mom's for brunch, and hopefully we'll find some time to relax some time too.
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Hello all from PDX! Robbie continues to prep...
September 08, 2006 by Seraph in Cortez
Hello all from PDX! Robbie continues to prep for the new school year, and I feel more and more like I'm working a real job again. Isa will be starting school on Monday, and our life moves ever forward!
We will be down on Sat. morning to march in the parade with Mom and some folks she knows. It is mostly exciting because we get to dress up.
I'm busy working away on my portfolio and graduation speech. Only one last presentation tonight and I'm almost done. Yeah!
A few of you have been in touch about coming to graduation. If anyone's interested please let me know.
The day after graduation the three of us will be heading to the beach for the SOLV annual beach clean up. We figured it would be a good idea to teach Isa by example - hmmm I hope the weather holds for this lesson.
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Mocha Friday
September 08, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday. I'm busy writing reports and fiddling with databases this fine morning, after a ride through the crisp morning air.
The kids had their second day of school, which seemed to go well. Jamie is becoming a woman of leisure, browsing at a bookstore while the kids were off and away. We also went to Sam's soccer practice as usual. They have goalies and bigger teams now, which Sam seems to enjoy. Emma and I played with another kid and picked mint for tea.
Tomorrow's the weekend. I think there's a brunch at mom's, where she plans to consult my siblings and I on her latest five year plan. I'm doing the normal swimming tonight and library tomorrow. Maybe we'll try to watch the parade somewhere in there too.
I'm struggling to figure out what to get Jamie for her birthday. She's got me, what else could she want?
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As part of the Aric and Anna moving out proce...
September 08, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
As part of the Aric and Anna moving out process, Bob has a box spring and mattress out in his back yard right now. I understand that there's the same moon in Africa and India as there is shining down on Eugene, Oregon, and as you readers probably noted, last night it was bright and beautiful. We gathered up our sheets, pillows, jammies, and in my case my usual inhalers, eye drops, etc, and slept outside. Gorgeous sleeping until this morning, when Paija and Tippy had a 6:00 a.m. tap dance contest on us. Darn cats!
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The kids had a good first day at school
September 07, 2006 by Adam in Family
 The kids had a good first day at school. Yesterday morning I kissed them all goodbye as they slowly woke up, not used to getting out of bed so early. Sam reported that his first day was "weird", going over things he already knew, mostly for the benefit of the new kids. Emma scraped her knee playing hopscotch, and complained that her class of six kids was "crowded", but I think she's getting used to it. She was pretty tired when she returned.
In the evening, Jamie and I had a hot date, putting together Sam's new bed and bookshelves that arrived. My mom watched the kids and took pity on us, promising to watch them again on the weekend, letting us have a real date. Little did she know that I had a grand time having Jamie hand me bolts and cursing over the the assembly instructions.
I queried Jamie on what she did with her new free time. She spent a long time chatting with Victoria, post-wedding, and hit the bank. She hasn't started popping valium and watching soaps yet, but I've got my eye on her.
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I'm afraid life has been so quiet that this w...
September 06, 2006 by Sue in Wielesek
I'm afraid life has been so quiet that this will be like one of those letters you have to write when you're nine to some relative - "How are you? Fine, I hope." I spent most of the weekend at Bob's, helping prep the house for painting. His paint choosing is hampered by the fact that he's color blind in the red/green colors. His house has been this ugly mud color, which he all along thought was a lovely green. He now enlists help. My roomer, Eric, Mollie
Chez' boyfriend, moved in over the weekend. I think it will be fun to have a "young person" in the house again.
Someone gave Bob and me sky-box seats to Saturday's game; the temp was in the 90's, so we were delighted to be in out of the sun.
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What a weekend! Sam went off to Portland, wh...
September 04, 2006 by Adam in Family
 What a weekend! Sam went off to Portland, where he hung out with the grandparents and generally had a good time. They went to the state fair, where Sam enjoyed the chair ride. Other than that, all we know is that he went to eat Chinese food somewhere.
As for us, we enjoyed the guilty pleasure of just having one kid for the weekend. It was pretty quiet, overall. I made apple pie and had my mom and Bob over to partake in its yummy goodness. We did a major project in the kids' room, putting in a new bed for Sam and hanging curtains around Emma's bed. It looks pretty nice.
I took Emma to the park and as we walked back up the hill, she spotted Sam in the front yard. She started smiling and yelling and ran as fast as she could to a waving Sam. They hugged and were very happy to see each other.
Tomorrow I head back to work, sadly enough. Wednesday the kids both start school and Summer is over for good.
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How strange to think that this will be the la...
September 04, 2006 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
How strange to think that this will be the last time that I will run around with "Where Am I?!"! I've spent three consecutive Labor Days living and breathing road trips, hikes, community projects, museums, and general first-year orienting.
Tutor coordination, however, will be happening without me this year. When not driving around regaling first-years with historical details that they don't yet appreciate, I've been preparing for the America Reads/America Counts coordinator hand-off. All sixty-something work-study folders are carefully labelled and filled with dates, schedules, and payroll info. The OCD part of my personality is very, very satisfied at the moment.
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Well, we're officially "empty nesters"!
We...
September 03, 2006 by Meg in Lytton
Well, we're officially "empty nesters"!
We took Mikayla to Oberlin last Monday. There were a few surprises as we traveled Westward, including passing a card with a Confederate flag sticker saying "May it ever fly". When we opened our motel curtains the next AM, on the car window right outside was a sticker with a kneeling girl and the phrase "Do 'em Southern style". I realized I've been out of touch with America and wondered if there is why the Christian movement is gaining strength!
Oberlin was started based on the concept of being open to enrollment by all races and both genders. It was a stop on the underground railroad and is still quite liberal.The most prominently represented student group at orientation was the Socialist Party, though they seemed to have a lot of trouble trying to decide where to put their table, kept hauling it around.
Kayla's roommate is an old friend from the Maine Coast Semester who wants to do environmental policy.
Kayla seems undecided about how committed she is to environmental studies, though that's one of Oerlin's strong suits. She emailed us that she was bummed that her Theater Production lab didn't give any credit so she was in search of another class. So far, she is signed up for a history course on fascism, a physics course "Einstein and Relativity". She's considerting an Econ course. I hope she's happy with the academics--I'm sure she'll be fine socially.
Kayla's roommate is an old friend from the Maine Coast Semester who wants to do environmental policy. She is chronically infected with MERSA, which makes me a little nervous because she has already had pneumonia and a kidney infection in the last 2 yrs and is allergic to the penicillins and Zithromax. Ah well, hopefully she'll wash well and not pick scabs or her nose!!
Julie finished her intensive organic chem 1 & 2 summer courses at Bryn Mawr College and has moved into an apartment with 2 good friends on Pine Street in Phila, several blocks from where Callie and Will live on Pine Street. She sometimes visits them when she jogs. She has been working in my office for the last 2 weeks as we await the arrival of a new employee. Julie just got a very good job as a reseach coorinator for a neurologist and a cardiologist at Einstein Medical Center.
She has a wonderful new boyfriend, whom she met at Penn. He is now working for an international consulting firm in NYC, travels lots but they've been able to get together a fair amount. He's from Toledo, sends her letters addressed to "The Beautiful Miss Julie", etc., sends flowers, and sent us a thank you note for dropping her in NYC on our way to & from vacation ! I hope things stay this good!!
Will finished working in office when he got a full time job helping Phila boys from poor families prepare for college opportunities. Interestingly, though not necessarily suprisingly, the kids who stay in the program and do better are immigrant kids.
Callie is starting another course at Wharton in nonprofit business stuff. She and Will are both prepping slowly for GREs and thinking of grad school in California.
Dick is busy, has patients booked for new appointments in January, is depressingly far behind writing reports and is urging hiring someone else to help.He's still head of Peace and Service committee at Haverford Friends Meeting and on the Board of the school there.
Miracle of miracles, I have a new associate! When fewer docs are going into primary care and even fewer are staying in PA, I was fortunate to find a wonderful young woman who joined me 3 weeks ago and is going gangbusters!! Keep your fingers crossed! I only managed 1 week off these last 2 years and I would love to have more!
As per my usual routine, it's 11:30, I'm tired and I'm sure you're bored and have more important things to do!! | |