Stupid Death

In some supremely shit news, Patrick Hill died this week, apparently of a heart attack.

Heart-breaking doesn't even come close. To say Patrick changed my life is so trite, and yet, anything else is so wholly inadequate. Evergreen is such a subjective experience - at its worst, it *is* the joke of basket weaving and smoking pot, of professors who cancel class because the sun is out. But at its best, it is amazing, education with passion and purpose and pleasure. Patrick made it that for me. Nobody before or since has demanded as much of me intellectually, yet in doing so, he made it clear he was only asking that which he knew you were truly capable of doing.

He wasn't simply a professor, or a faculty sponsor, or a de facto advisor. He was what made Evergreen Evergreen to me. In a place that can be so overwhelming, where it is so easy to get lost, or slip between the cracks, he understood me. He was the professor who called me at home, after especially shitty or difficult or simply obnoxious days, to ask if I was okay. Who understood the difference between intellectual disagreement, and genuine hurt. The one who convinced me that tea was worth drinking, if only because it gave me an excuse for hiding in the sanctuary of his office. The one who pushed me out of my comfort zone, who challenged me to be more than "good enough for who it’s for" - who reminded me that in the end, it was for me.

The professor who stood up for me, but who never let me hide behind him. Who welcomed me into his home, and shared his family, his friends, and his traditions with me. Who shared poetry, music, books. And when I needed to hear, in no uncertain terms, that it was time to move on with my life, he was the one who told me, in the kindest way, that there was nothing more Evergreen could offer. He wrote the recommendation that not only got me into law school, but that helped me get the scholarship to actually go. In 35 years, those are the kindest words I have ever read about myself. More than anything, he believed in me, and in doing so, made me believe as well.

I will miss him immensely.

Sam at Seven Months

As hard as it seems to believe, Sam turned 7 months old on Thursday. The time is going so much faster than I remember with Josh! He's definitely bigger than Josh; we did his 6 month check up a few weeks late, since his 4 month shots were late, and he was still in the 25% at 16 lbs 10. His height has dropped a bit, down to the 25-50% at 26.5 inches, but I think he's still somewhat taller than Josh was at 6 months. His hair has really started growing in, and I think it may actually be curly - it definitely has some curl, and it's much more obvious & "tighter" than Josh's.

In other news, he has his first tooth (showed up this past Tuesday - finally!) and he is crawling like crazy. He was doing a tiny bit when we were in Chelan, but it really picked up about a week and a half ago. This weekend he started pulling himself up on things, and he stands pretty well when someone holds his hands. Scary to think that walking really isn't that far off...

Unfortunately, he has developed a god awful screech when he is indignant... as everyone in the library learned this week. I think we could all live quite happily without *that* but overall, he is still incredibly good-natured & smiley & beautiful & amazing. "He's a good ham sandwich & we love him very much."

Y is for Yakima

Going to Chelan reminded me that I still hadn't posted any photos from our trip to Yakima last month...



I love this photo. Anna & Josh look so much older than they are...

C is for Criminals in Chelan

Since I am still camera-less, I have no real photos from our trip this past weekend, but I'll try to grovel a few from Carlos when he has some down time.... We spent Thursday - Sunday in Chelan, at a conference for criminal defense attorneys. It was pretty fun - the weather was great - three days of actual sunshine, and warm enough to go swimming, although Josh spent most of his time digging in the sand.

I think he had a good time; today we were at the park & he asked me if one of the girls on the swing was "his friend from Chelan." He also had a few noteworthy firsts - he went bowling for the first time, which was great until he crossed the foul line, slipped on the greased floor, dropped the bowling bowl and smacked his head. Ouch. The collective gasp from everyone around us, and the "I told you so" look from the bowling alley operator who had been hovering were enough to make us call it a night. A bit disappointing since he was actually doing really well! Although he definitely lacked the proper bowling stance.

The next night we went to a scavenger hunt, and actually came in first. (Amazingly enough, since it was just the four of us doing it while also trying to eat enough dinner to justify the ice cream sundaes afterwards... yeah for wikipedia!) Josh got to choose prizes for himself & Sam, so now he has a pink sparkling My Little Pony wand that chimes obnoxiously. Just what he needed. :) It would go well with Lauren's tiara.

For Father's Day we spent the morning in Chelan, having brunch & lounging at the beach/pool, and then we went to a petting zoo nearby. Amazingly enough, Josh overcame his long-standing fear of all animals with horns, and actually fed a goat. He was even willing to pet the sheep. The woman showing us around was really easy going & patient, and I think Josh genuinely enjoyed himself.

In some not so great animal/Father's Day news, the pit bulls that belong to Dan & Marney's horrible neighbor killed their dog Cosmo yesterday. Dan says the Sheriff's Dept told him they couldn't do anything about it since he ran onto their property (lured by the food scraps they leave out everywhere, no doubt), but Dan's understandably worried about Gage playing out there now... messed up. I would think killing another dog would be enough to get you labeled a "potentially dangerous dog", but I'm not sure about the rules in Thurston County. Regardless, a lousy outcome for poor Cossy!

It's not New Orleans...

but seriously, when I thought about spending time in a flooded toxic mold place, that was more what I had in mind...

Poor Iowa

Our planned train adventure may have hit a snag...

or two...

At least my folks' house hasn't been flooded again, and hopefully won't be. From my mom:

We are safely above projected flood levels--although if it doesn't stop raining I may go down hill and throw myself in. After a beautiful day today, it just started raining (and hailing) again. We are far enough away from the river and up high enough that we aren't really affected by it as long as the power doesn't go (as it did in Cedar Rapids and elsewhere) and the water plant doesn't give up and the creek in the ravine behind us doesn't overflow and run uphill.. Right now most towns around us are having serious water problems--but so far not here. We have stockpiled some water and are keeping our fingers crossed. Your dad (being a depression child like me) always keeps the freezer full so we may be eating thawed food for weeks if the power goes. Most everything on our side of the river (east side) is up hills, esp. the northeast side. What is on this side right on the river bank before the hills is the library, student union, English-communications buildings etc.--they are all likely to take on water. Volunteers have been sandbagging them, moving stuff to upper stories, etc. for the past couple weeks. On the west bank, the art buildings and museum are endangered, along with the theatre and music complexes and maybe Hancher Auditorium (the U's pride and joy).

Hail just started again!

Our only likely problem is getting from the east side to the west. We have everything we might really need near us here--even a hospital in an emergency. But we do normally go to the U hospital which is on the west side of the river. I have two appointments there next week (to get rid of splint on hand and for Remicade infusion). If they close the last bridge over the river as they are indicating they may, we won't be able to get there without a very convoluted hours-long drive--but I figure I've stretched out my infusions for an extra week before and I can always just remove the splint myself and not put it back on, so we'll get along.

Cedar Rapids is unbelievable--1000 or more city blocks flooded, including the entire downtown area; the city government (cityhall, courthouse, jail, etc) all were on an island in the river that was virtually submerged. Downtown major furniture store had windows smashed and couches, refrigerators, etc. floated down river. The art museun, theatre, and so on all damaged, perhaps beyond repair. The historic Czech Village which had just been refurbished since we came here was flooded almost to the tops of the buildings or even over the top--unimagineable. They are on severe water restrictions with about one day's supply left; have lost power in downtown area and elsewhere. And this was the case in most of the towns we went through on the way back from St. Paul--it took us about 9 hours to get back, partly because of road closings and partly because we were foolish enough to try to get something to eat in little towns along the way. They had already been flooded and had no water, so nothing was open--just sandbags and people mopping up everywhere.

Oh, and for those of you who have been dragged by your father or Jenny to the bar at Sutliffe to see the Sutliffe Bridge, the 108-year-old bridge was swept away. People lined the banks and wept.

So all in all we are very lucky.

Random Shots

I'm still trying to fix my camera before I just give up & buy yet another new one, but the present lack of one reminds me that I should at least post some old photos that I love:

Josh & Anna

Josh as Oscar the Grouch, the photo I desparately managed to save when my cell phone split in half...

Josh reading to Terry on the Victoria Clipper