So, we're officially homeless now. Or, as Paul says, underhoused. :-) We've left our San Francisco home behind, but we're not yet moved into our new home. We're staying with Paul's parents in their 2 bedroom apartment....which is nice and cozy. Good thing we like each other.
I'm trying to think of a new name for my blog, since San Francisco Family will no longer cut it. Portland Family I suppose would do, but I didn't pick the original name for it's creativity--I'm not usually very good at picking titles. If you have any ideas, let me know in the comments section.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Merry, uh, Christmas
Paul just read in the paper this morning that Jerry Falwell is forming an organization to boycott stores that won't say "Merry Christmas" and instead use "Happy Holidays" or, in the case of Target, "Gather Round." (Surely they have better things to do with their time?) The words "merry Christmas" are in the Bible, right? Uh, no. The word Christmas is not in the Bible and in fact, was not celebrated as a feast day in the church until the 3rd century. "Gather Round" actually seems to me to be a whole lot more Christmas-y. But the dumb thing is that they won't shop at Target, so where will they shop for Christmas? Walmart, of course. A store with an abysmal human rights record. I guess exploiting people isn't against their religion.
A guy from the ACLU said something about "it's not like they're protesting consumerism..." It's just words. And there is so much to actually be *done.*
*****************************************************************************
I've got plenty to do with my time! Community Link yesterday--we made pumpkin bread (vegan, even!) and took it out to shut-ins. I got to visit a 38 year old woman from Damascus who broke her foot. Church this morning--last time at Annunciation and there will be a little going-away thing for us. Then this evening we're having a small gathering at our house to say goodbye to our friends here. Tomorrow we'll need to pack everything that we want to have with us, as opposed to having the movers take. Tuesday the movers pack us up and move us out, and Wednesday, I hope relatively early after Paul finishes work (ha ha about the early...) we'll drive toward Tucson. Probably not get there on Wednesday, as it's like a 15 hour drive and Paul will have lots to finish up. We'll spend Thanksgiving with Paul's family and then drive up to Portland from there.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! See you in Portland. :-)
A guy from the ACLU said something about "it's not like they're protesting consumerism..." It's just words. And there is so much to actually be *done.*
*****************************************************************************
I've got plenty to do with my time! Community Link yesterday--we made pumpkin bread (vegan, even!) and took it out to shut-ins. I got to visit a 38 year old woman from Damascus who broke her foot. Church this morning--last time at Annunciation and there will be a little going-away thing for us. Then this evening we're having a small gathering at our house to say goodbye to our friends here. Tomorrow we'll need to pack everything that we want to have with us, as opposed to having the movers take. Tuesday the movers pack us up and move us out, and Wednesday, I hope relatively early after Paul finishes work (ha ha about the early...) we'll drive toward Tucson. Probably not get there on Wednesday, as it's like a 15 hour drive and Paul will have lots to finish up. We'll spend Thanksgiving with Paul's family and then drive up to Portland from there.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! See you in Portland. :-)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Hibi
Last night, Hibi was planning on making herself a cup of tea and then going to bed. What she did instead was to spill boiling water on her belly. Ow! Instead of going to bed shortly after 10, as planned, she was up until past 2 am with an awful burn. She tried all kinds of things---aloe vera, lavender essential oil, etc. I told her to put ice or ice water on it. She protested that it doesn't work. Well, nothing is going to just make it all go away, but cold will keep the pain lessened. I felt the same as when she insists that putting on a jacket won't make her warmer.
In the process of putting cold water everywhere--uh, I mean on the burn--she covered the bathroom floor with it. I managed not to slip while cleaning it up, but then my feet were wet and while walking back to the living room via the tiled hallway, I slipped and came down hard on the other foot, right on the big toe. I now have a very sore toe. :-( Her burn is finally better this morning, though. It's a deep red color--looks pretty bad, but at least it's not blistered.
In the process of putting cold water everywhere--uh, I mean on the burn--she covered the bathroom floor with it. I managed not to slip while cleaning it up, but then my feet were wet and while walking back to the living room via the tiled hallway, I slipped and came down hard on the other foot, right on the big toe. I now have a very sore toe. :-( Her burn is finally better this morning, though. It's a deep red color--looks pretty bad, but at least it's not blistered.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Wedding Bells are Ringing....
For my 100-year-old Grandmother! I can't believe it!
My grandmother, Helen, has been married three times already. Her third marriage was when she was 82 and her beloved was 84. I can remember how it happened: my grandmother had been widowed for 5 years, and I was 17. I came home late one night from babysitting, and went to get a drink of water from the kitchen before going to bed. When I put my cup in the dishwasher, there were dishes in there that my mother only used when we had company. The next morning, I asked her, "Who came over last night?" She replied: "Grandma brought her fiancee over last night." WHAT?!? I had not heard anything about her, uh, dating! He just out of the blue popped the question, and she was astonished. He was amazed that she never suspected that he had feelings for her. But she said yes! It was an amazing thing that they had 14 wonderful years together after getting married that late in life, and that my children knew Barney as "Great Grandpa."
A week and a half ago my parents came to visit and told us that Grandma was "seeing someone"....a younger man, no less! (He's 93.) I did not think they'd go so far as to get married! Do you know how weird it is to suddenly become cousins to kids you grew up with? That happened already when Grandma got married to Barney, and now it'll happen again.
I wish Grandma and John all the happiness in the world, for the rest of their lives.
My grandmother, Helen, has been married three times already. Her third marriage was when she was 82 and her beloved was 84. I can remember how it happened: my grandmother had been widowed for 5 years, and I was 17. I came home late one night from babysitting, and went to get a drink of water from the kitchen before going to bed. When I put my cup in the dishwasher, there were dishes in there that my mother only used when we had company. The next morning, I asked her, "Who came over last night?" She replied: "Grandma brought her fiancee over last night." WHAT?!? I had not heard anything about her, uh, dating! He just out of the blue popped the question, and she was astonished. He was amazed that she never suspected that he had feelings for her. But she said yes! It was an amazing thing that they had 14 wonderful years together after getting married that late in life, and that my children knew Barney as "Great Grandpa."
A week and a half ago my parents came to visit and told us that Grandma was "seeing someone"....a younger man, no less! (He's 93.) I did not think they'd go so far as to get married! Do you know how weird it is to suddenly become cousins to kids you grew up with? That happened already when Grandma got married to Barney, and now it'll happen again.
I wish Grandma and John all the happiness in the world, for the rest of their lives.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Dining room
Doncha just love that sunlight coming into the room! Yeah, I know, it won't be doing that a whole lot, in Portland. But we can enjoy it when it does.
Back home....but not for long!
We are back--got back at around 6 last night (after stopping for a few groceries and to pick up Paul at work). We did find a house--though I'm not 100% happy with it--but it's only for a year or so until we can get it together to buy. It is a cute place. I'll update some more later, but right now I'm totally overwhelmed with the amount of laundry, address-changing, and car repair (blinky light on in the dash) I have to get done!
We move out of this house two weeks from yesterday.
We move out of this house two weeks from yesterday.
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Headed out!
The kids and I are headed out to Portland today! We're going earlier than Paul because we want to attend a homeschool function so the kids can start to meet other kids. There's a homeschool kids book group that's having it's first meeting tomorrow--discussing _The Penultimate Peril_, Lemony Snicket's latest! Then Paul will join us on Friday and we'll look for a house to live in and we'll be introduced formally to the parish on Sunday!
Wish us luck!
Wish us luck!
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