Yes We Can!

As I watched television tonight-- just the puppy and I, but of course, we weren't really alone-- there was a tremendous sense of witnessing history. I grew up in the midst of the civil rights era, and to reach this moment, to be watching seconds after 8:00 pm and to hear CNN say, "We project Barack Obama as the next President of the United States," well, I cried. I wept. And I laughed, and danced around the room, and then I opened the window and screamed O-BA-MA! at full voice, out into the cul-de-sac. That this election could happen, that this presidency could become possible, fills me with joy, and wonder, and a sense of yearning I've not known for decades. Life feels renewed. Anything feels possible. Today, and it's been a long time since I've said this, I am proud to be an American. I am filled with hope.

They're Engaged!

Jan. 21, 2008 ... Martin Luther King Day ... Cousin Beth's Birthday ... a Full Wolf Moon ... Hearts wildly open!

Starting 2008

One of my 2008 Pezolutions is to do a little better maintaining this blog, especially since I lately tend to be busy for days at a time and don't keep up the family chatter too well.

So, here I am. **applause**

I thought I'd share my winter altar space, set up to look like a snowy tableau (right).

I'm teaching five days a week this term-- three classes:

1. At PSU, I'm teaching a freshman composition class. Lots of teachers don't like this class, but I really enjoy it. The students are like blank slates, and you really have a good chance to influence them as writers, and to help writing become effective and enjoyable for them. Which is cool, if you're a teacher sort. They're hard workers, too, and really work at their assignments. At 20 students, this is my smallest class.

2. At PSU, I also have an upper div composition class-- "writing as critical inquiry." This is a really fun class because the students are juniors, seniors, and grad or postbac students. They're bright and experienced and not afraid to jump into class discussions, and their writing is lots of fun to read. Which is good, as I have 28 in the class and they're each writing 5 essays, each of which will be revised at least twice.

3. At CCC is a mid-level class on argument and rhetoric. It's an interesting class and probably the most challenging one to teach, as it goes beyond writing and into the realm of formal structured arguments. We're focusing on the classic Aristolian model, the Toulmin argument, and the Rogerian method-- each of which is hard enough to understand, let alone to teach. I have 30 students in this class.

So, that's two jobs (i.e., teaching jobs at two colleges). My third job is working in the CCC writing Center for 3+ hours week, as a one-on-one writing tutor. It's fun, and I have a couple of "regulars" that I've been working with since fall term-- it's nice to be able to see them progress.

My fourth job is working for the Grey School, which pays me a modest-- but increasingly important-- monthly stipend.

And the fifth job consists of selling bits of writing here and there. I haven't sold anything for awhile now, but have a manuscript under consideration. Stay tuned!

It's been a wet, cold winter, and it's gone too fast for me, someone who enjoys winter. I expect I'll look up one morning and find that spring has come. Indeed, I have bulbs beginning to erupt around the yard. Kind of scary when you consider it was 25 here this morning.

That's the news for now....

Hail, 2007: The Year in Review

January Snowfall-- twice!





Publishing my first book....



Invited to attend Celilo anniversary-- 50 years since the flooding of the ancient site. Bittersweet.


Seeing the restoration of the tunnel at Oneonta Falls....



Ernie's last picture. R.I.P., sweet boy.



Defending my M.A. Thesis....


Finishing my Masters degree in nonfiction writing!


Visiting Mom and Joe....


May: Knee surgery.... again. Bleh.


Graduation-- and my M.A degree!





Farmer's Market.... a summer Sunday routine.

Ill-fater, disastrous, aborted trip to New York Summer Writer's Institute. This is me at about 3:00 am, in a hotel in San Francisco. Yeah, I know.

Nacho!


Harry Potter-- the release of book #7!


Prof. Moonwriter, handing out flyers....


The book arrives on Saturday morning!


I was one of 10 reviewers chosen to review the book for the Oregonian!




With Scott, Rebecca, and Moose at Smith Rock.




Early August: Grey School Conclave in Washington, near Mt. St. Helens.



August: Grey School California Conclave: Redwoods National Park



Headmaster Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Prof. Moonwriter!




Moving Mom into Cougar Springs:


Mom and Maria....


August 27: full lunar eclipse.







September trip to Mt. Rainier....




Hunting trip....

Scott turns 29....


A mama squirrel dumped her barely-weaned babies in our yard. So of course we fed them.


Erin turns 26....


Katie visits....

Thanksgiving-- and everyone together!




Hoska.... Erin's rookie year....


Dear friend Valerie....


Baking with Amanda....


Katie turned 31....

Christmas, Everett-style....



Happy holidays!








Katie celebrated at the North Pole....



Snow at Cascade Locks....


And at home....


Belated Christmas and Happy Birthday #78 to Mom in Redmond....




I'm putting the boat photo in twice, because Blogger is doing something weird where it is inserting a blank video block on top of it, which blocks the image. Weird.

A White Christmas!

It hardly ever happens here in Ory-gun. In fact, the last time was 17 years ago. But yesterday, on Dec. 25, we had about four hours of a white Christmas! Big fluffy flakes began falling around noon and did so for a couple of hours. It wasn't much, but it was glorious, and Erin and I bundled up and joined the neighbors and kids and dogs that spilled out into the cul-de-sac. What a wonderful gift it was!

Oh! The snow, the beautiful snow,
Filling the sky and the earth below,
Over the housetops, over the street,
Over the heads of people you meet.
Dancing,
Flirting,
Skimming along,
Beautiful snow! It can do no wrong;

Flying to kiss a fair lady's cheek,
Clinging to lips in frolicksome freak;
Beautiful snow from heaven above,
Pure as an angel, gentle as love!

Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow,
How the flakes gather and laugh as they go
Whirling about in maddening fun:
Chasing,
Laughing,
Hurrying by.

It lights on the face and it sparkles the eye;

And the dogs with a bark and a bound
Snap at the crystals as they eddy around;
The town is alive, and its heart is aglow,
To welcome the coming of beautiful snow.

--Joseph Warren Watson

"Cause it's Christmas, All Over, Again....

This year, we decided to celebrate our family's version of ChristmaYuleStice on Sunday, Dec. 23. This ended up being the optimal time in terms of work, travel, etc. Our celebrants included Bill, Erin, Scott, Rebecca, and Yours Truly. Katie and John flew to Barrow, AK, to spend the holiday at the North Pole with John's parents. (We planned to travel over to see Gammie and Joe on the 26th; this plan was foiled when Gammie's residence complex fell into the grips of a Norovirus epidemic. Stay tuned....)

Yulestice morning....



Opening a myriad of present-- Santa was generous this year.




Scott sniffs my new wooden ladle (carved by Bill). Most likely Scott is trying to see if there is any food sticking to it.


More presents....




Bill brandishes gun-shaped hand warmers. He's packing heat!


Rebecca indulged Scott's aspirations to Rocky-dom:



Some music in the aftermath....


On the 25th, we called Katie in Barrow. Here is Erin, talking to Katie while pretending they're sitting on the couch together.


Scott and Rebecca headed home on Dec. 25. Here's Scott stretching Rebecca, while the Pookie Moose waits patiently by the door.




Happy Yule to all!

Preparing for Yule!

Erin came to visit on the weekend of Dec. 14, and helped me decorate the house for Yule.

Here's the "before" shot-- all boxes ready for unloading. I think the living room looks scared.


Erin hooked this rug a few years ago, while recovering from knee surgery.


On the 15th, Erin joined Valerie and I for Hoska Day. Hoska, for my newer readers, is a traditional Czech holiday bread. It has a rich eggy dough-- much like Challah-- but is flavored with almonds, mace, and lemon peel, studded with almonds and raisins, and decorate with candied fruits and poppy seed. The women on my mom's side of the family have made Hoska for generations, and it was time for me to teach the ropes to one of my kids. Valerie and I used to make Hoska with Mom, and for the last few years have gotten together here to make it. It was great to have Erin join us. (Katie and Scott? Next year, maybe?)

It begins with the miracle of the yeast....


Stirring it all together....


Valerie gives approval to Erin's first batch of dough....


Forming the loaves....




Decorating....

The pride of accomplishment-- and a new Hoska maker is born!


Fuel for the bakers: eggnog! (Pizza would follow....)


The gorgeous end result. We made sixteen loaves!)


Happy bakers!


The next day, we headed to our favorite nearby tree lot to pick out a tree. Erin is wearing dark glasses because she thinks she might have had too much wine last night.



We ended up with a lovely little Noble fir, which we stuffed into Xena (Warrior Car). And yes, those are Christmas lights inside my car-- that's one of my most fun traditions. This year I used multi-colored LED lights.




One the way home, how could it be Yule without a stop to see the Milwaukie Pig?


The finished tree-- with our Raven tree-topper!


On Tuesday, Dec. 18, my friend Amanda came over for more baking. She made Anadama bread and cinnamon rolls-- I did just cinnamon rolls. YUM!



Fred

On the 21st, a few Grey School friends came by to help celebrate the Winter Solstice. We shared food, did a candle project, and had a firelighting ceremony. It was a good time.



And then there was the Solstice itself....at 10:08 pm (Pacific) on Dec. 21. Rejoice in the return on the unconquered Sun-- sol invictus-- and the symbolic return of light and life to the earth!


-----

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each year, you really get into the spirit of Christmas. Which is much more important to you than nifty presents.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Turkey Day 2007

In years past, we've always gone to Mom and Joe's for Thanksgiving, where Mom has been chief cook and bottle washer. Obviously that's no a no-go, given the conditions imposed by her stroke. It had been many years since all of us-- including the kids-- were together at Thanksgiving, especially with Katie living in Alaska. But bless the kid's hearts.... They all rearranged their schedules so that we could convene for an all-family Turkey Day.

Katie arrived in town a few days early, after visiting her sibs in Seattle. She, Bill, and I spent a really nice day in the Gorge. It was sort of cold, damp, and foggy-fuzzy, but for anyone who loves the gorge like we do, you know that there is no such thing as a bad day there. If anything, winter is an excellent time to see the gorge-- the waterfalls are huge, and with the deciduous trees bare, the view is terrific. Here's the postcard view from Women's Forum State Park:

Here's Katie, at Shepherd's Dell....

Katie and I at Wah-Kee-Nah: "Most Beautiful."


Turkey Day.... Katie and I drove over on Wednesday, after I got home from work. Scott and Erin were going to arrive early on Thursday. Bill had other obligations on Thursday morning, and then would drive over around noon. (Rebecca was ill and stayed in Everett with her kitty and a pizza.)

Joe and I had decided that Mom might enjoy a real breakfast for a change. So be picked her up from The Home and I made a brunch-type breakfast. I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep her out of the kitchen, and after Joe brought her to the house, one of the first things she did was wheel right up to the stove to check on what I was doing. Apparently it looked okay, because she stayed out of the kitchen after that, thank Goddess.


For those surprised to see Gammie standing, she stands fairly easily now, and walks with assistance. She also walks with help.

Gammie also spent time hanging out with Gussie....


Joe Comito, Kitchen Wench.


Erin and Scott arrived right on time. Scotty came ready with a cooler for leftovers! (His life priority hasn't changed.)



I put the kids to work as scullery crew, although in this photo, Erin is more interested in sampling the vino.


Scott mashed the potatoes. Nice to have a strong arm around for that....


(Note that at this time, Bill was stuck on Mt.Hood with a damaged tire rim, and was unable to make the trip over.)

Here are the three kids and their Gammie (Erin is 26, Scott 29, and Kate almost 31):



And here I am with my kidlets. Katie was knitting-- she keeps the family in toasty hats and scarves. Note that Scott has just finished eating something.


More cooking....



As the feast hit the table, Mom looked impatient!


Preparing to dig in....


We had a great meal, and I think Gammie enjoyed having her kids together. Scott and Erin left in the later afternoon, as they had to be at work the next day. Katie and I stayed overnight and drove back the next day. I was exhausted! So was Gam-- when Joe took her back to The Home, he said he kind of tossed her into bed and she conked out even before her shoes were off.

What better to end this post with than the requisite cute cat picture?

Birthdays, Baby Squirrels, and Pop Culture Irritation

I have finally emerged from fall term teaching and a host of other deadlines and company and being sick for 2.5 weeks to decide it's time to catch up on this blog.

Happy Birthday, Katie!

And that BEGINS with a 3-days late shout-out to my first-born child. Katie Marie Pesznecker celebrated #31 on Friday, Dec. 14. Kate was born at 8:37 am, the same 'minute' I was born on twenty-two years earlier. (Given that there are 1440 minutes in a day, this is pretty cool!) Above is a photo of Katie, Erin, and I taken last Christmas-- we're all sporting scarves knit by Katie.

Katie lives in Alaska with her sweetheart, John. Travel to and from is pricey, and so we don't see much of her-- but she was home at Thanksgiving and we had a really nice visit.

Anyway, Kate.... Happy Birthday! And here's to many, many more....

-----

Okay-- let's play catch-up.

First, back on Oct. 5, Scott celebrated B-day #29! Here he is, home for the weekend and enjoying a plateful of cupcakes and mini-birthday cakes. And Rebecca's right-- somehow he manages to keep looking younger, even as he gets older.




A couple of weeks later, Erin was home to celebrate birthday #26. Wow! Once again, tiny cakes and squiggly candles. (Am I in a rut? No-- just having fun with a set of mini cake pans that I'd purchased.)



Somewhere in mid-October, a mother squirrel brought her three babies to our yard-- in fact, our back deck-- and left them there to fend for themselves. These were tiny squirrels-- the size of chipmunks, and probably only recently weaned. Squirrels don't normally have litters this late, something we can thank global warming for. Anyway, I knew that these bitty squirrels wouldn't make it through the soon-to-be-freezing winter without some help-- they barely knew how to climb a tree, let alone forage for food in the wet, cold months. So, we filled up a small feeder with corn and sunflower seeds and peanuts, in hopes of helping them fatten up.


Addendum: as of Dec. 19, all three babies are alive and well and are now the size of small squirrels and looking quite healthy. They also are all still hanging around the yard, but that's fine with me.

-----

I continue to be irritated and somewhat nauseous regarding Britney Spears' apparent hold on the American pop psyche. I just don't see it. Whatever she once had-- in terms of a youthful dewiness kind of thing-- has been replaced by a hardened, trailerish, heavy-faced unattractiveness. And she's a bad mother to boot, having committed unpardonable antics in terms of her children. And she pregnant again. AUGH! As if this isn't enough joy, her 16 year old sister has also just turned up pregnant, leaving her parent TV company, Nickelodeon, trying to to clean-up. (And wow-- did Brit and Jamey's mom do a great job of raising them or what?) This all led to the following newspaper headline, which at least made me smile:

Nickelodeon considers Spears pregnancy special

What they meant to say in this headline was that they're considering developing a special program to discuss the delicate issue. But.... Um, people over at Nick.... Who's on proofreading detail?

Just for fun.... (Halloween fun, that is!)

One-minute compressions of some famous horror flicks:

http://www.amctv.com/videos/monsterfest/
?bcpid=988092858&bclid=1231025209&bctid=1243554670

(long URL split in two: cut and paste into browser window.)

HPY PPY BTHUTHDTH, Erin!

My baby is 26 years old today! In her honor, a montage is offered. Please pause thoughtfully as you consider the moody stylings of Erin Pesznecker.




















Happy birthday, baby....

Happy Birthday, Scott!

Once upon a time, 29 years ago....




(Do I look scarily like Erin in that last picture?)

Happy birthday, Scott boy!

Happy Banned Books Week!

Yes, it's Banned Books Week once again, the annual American Library Association's tribute to literary censorship.

Check the link above for all sorts of ways in which you, too, can engage with the task at hand. The very best thing I think you can do? Read the books!

In fact, let's try something for fun. (You like fun, don't you?)

Below is a list of the 100 most "challenged" books between 1990-2000 (from the ALA site). Now, here's what I want you to do.

Make your own copy of the list and paste it into your own Blog. Bold all of the books you've read. Italicize those you started but never finished, either because you lost interest or just didn't like them. Change to bold green font those you fully intend to read at some point.

And by the way-- if you're interested in why Where's Waldo is on the list, look here for a possible answer.

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Hunting Week!

Bill's off hunting on his annual retreat to the southeastern Oregon high desert. There he is at left, at about 5:30 am last Friday, showing off his annual apple cake (which I made). I always have grand plans for enjoying the peace and quiet in his absence, but it's not to be this time. Erin visited last weekend and Scott and Rebecca are coming next weekend. I'm also up to my eyeballs (and then some) in school and worrying about dealing with Mom's car and furniture outside of that. Not exactly restful! However it's always nice to see the kids, and besides, "hunting week" traditionally turns out to be far from the restful oasis I so carefully plan. It's kind of like my own little compressed annual version of Murphy's law.

School is going along fine, and it's been nice to meet my students and to be back in the classroom once again. The research paper writing class is especially interesting so far.... I've also been offered a part time position in Clackamas Community College's Writing Center, which is terrific. That officially means that I have three jobs right now, plus my GSW positions. Woo hoo!

Fall is officially underway, and we're having a lovely, dark, cool siege of rain. This is my favorite season, and I'm happily settled into cozy clothes and turning on the little electric fireplace in my home office-- Ernie used to love curling up in front of it. Bill objects to eating lamb (as a boy working on the Z-X Ranch, he recalls baby lambs cavorting and can't bring himself to eat lamb now; if I order it in a restaurant, he baaaaaahs softly at me throughout the meal). So, I went to Costco Monday and bought a small boneless leg of lamb roast, and roasted it with garlic and rosemary and olive oil. And oh man, is it good. Just another reaffirmation that much as I love eating vegetarian, I am a devout carnivore.

No big plans this week-- student stuff, catching up on paperwork, and the like. Pretty exciting stuff, huh Jan?

School's in!

College classes started today in Oregon, and today I started my 'career' as a college teacher. Well, actually, I taught a summer class for PSU a couple of months ago, but I was technically still (according to PSU) a GA when I started, so I'm not counting that.

Today, I dressed up all teacherly and loaded my briefcase and drove to the Clackamas Community College campus and parked and found my way to my new office, which I share with a couple of other adjunct teachers. I taught one class (WR 121-- college composition) at 8 am and a second section of the same class at 11:30: 27 and 26 students, respectively.

After class I went by Fred Meyer and bought a couple of new sweaters and two new pairs of shoes. (Have to have real teacher clothes now.) Then I came home, checked my email, and fell asleep on the couch for two hours!

I'll be teaching at CCC M-W-F mornings, and teaching at PSU on T & Th afternoons. I also am teaching an online class at PSU. It'll be a reasonably sane schedule.

Stretching ahead is an evening of lesson plans and student diagnostic essays. It's a good feeling to be back at it.... and really cool to be teaching at CCC, which is where I started taking classes when I returned to college in the fall of 2007. The English faculty at CCC is wonderful and welcoming. I just know this is going to be great!

On the Cusp of the Equinox....

It’s been a busy few weeks!

First of all, most of you probably know that I’ve taken the plunge into digital broadband cable for my computer access. Can I afford it? We’ll find out—I was able to get one of those really cheap for six months deals. Along with that comes six months of cheep channel-zilla digital television for the same six-month period. I don’t really have a lot of time to watch TV, but it’ll be nice to have the channels over the holiday period. So far, I haven’t watched much, because by the time I scroll through the channels to see what’s on, I’m out of time! I will confess to some fondness for BBC-America. Fun to watch those potty-mouth Brits, it is.

I also broke down and bought a cell phone. I got a really cheap plan, so don’t send me photos or text messages, as I am unwilling to pay extra to read them. I am still trying to bond with my phone. I think it’s name is Arthur. Why did I get a phone? Now that I’m teaching for two colleges, as a “real” teacher (rather than as a grad student), I need to be able to get messages, call them if I’m stuck in traffic, etc. So, there you go. Will I ever use my phone while driving? Absolutely not. Too dangerous. Not unless it’s a drop dead emergency. Otherwise, we’ll be leaving the phone off when in the car.

Shocker of the week: Skippers (the seafood chain) has gone out of business. I have many fond memories of dinners there with the kids when they were little, including the one memorable night when a teen-aged Scotty ate 11 fish filets and all the trimmings.

I’ve been busy this week getting ready for the start of fall term on Sept. 24 (i.e., in 2 days!). I’m teaching four classes: two at Portland State and two at Clackamas Community College. At PSU, I’m teaching a section of research paper writing and a special critical reading prep class for students taking graduate exams, like the GRE and MCAT. At CCC I’m teaching two sections of freshman composition. Since the most classes I’ve ever taught at one time before is one, the jump to four is a little scary—especially since I’ve had to write all four classes from scratch. This past week I’ve gotten all of my syllabi copied and my lesson plans ready for week one. One of the classes—the test prep class—is online, so I’ve also had to not only create the materials but build the class. They give you an html format, but you have to arrange and edit everything, etc. Kind of scary but I think it’s all working now.

On the 17th, Bill and I drove over to Redmond for the day. Mom is settled into her apartment and doing well. She seems remarkably cheery about it, which makes me wonder if she at least feels a little more secure being in a place that’s easy to navigate and filled with people who can help her get around. Joe’s been hard at work decorating her digs, and it all looks nice.




Mom is still thin, but she looks better than last time I visited. She even posed for the picture below!

Joe's looking much better, too-- it's amazing what getting sleep will do for you! He's busy getting the house ready to be put on the market.

I will soon be busy selling some of the extra furniture, and her VW Touareg. If anyone is interested in a nearly-new 2005 Touareg for $26 K, let me know! *winks*

Oh—one other big piece of news. I paid off my mortgage! Now that I say that, I don’t even remember what day it was, but it was early this month. Or maybe late last month. For such a big moment, it was surprisingly anticlimactic. It’s great timing though, because I have to begin paying back my students loans, so this will be a big help. Especially since I’m a low paid, part-time, adjunct teacher who has to buy her own medical and dental insurance. But, I’m not complaining. The teaching thing is wonderful, and it’s working out even better than I’d hoped. All is good!

Tomorrow is the fall equinox. For us Pagan people, it’s a time of balance, a time to consider what one has harvested in the past year and what one may need to let go of. Important thoughts to ponder as we face the dark sleep and introspection of winter…. Many blessings, everyone! (And don't forget to balance a couple of eggs....)