Costco and Me

What I remember most about my first visit to Costco way back when was the canoe for sale hanging from the ceiling of the warehouse. This, I realized, is not your typical grocery store. I also remember thinking I would not want to be inside if an earthquake hit. Interestingly enough, years later, I WAS shopping at our local Costco when a wee earthquake happened and am happy to report that all pallets stayed nicely in place.

Over the years I have filled many many carts - both the normal and pallet sizes - with Costco products and have been happy. In fact, I have grown to love Costco. Not quite like my older sister and my cousin who are passionate about it but quietly delighted that it is in my neighborhood. It is easy, on the most part inexpensive, and the Econ teacher in me is delighted with their corporate culture. You know they treat employees well by the fact that you get to know many of them by name - they don't leave.

I was pleased to discover that the local Costco here in Portland was even closer than the one in Pacific Grove - only about 3 miles away. I shop there probably once a month - the usual toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, cleaning products, whole chickens, cheese, frozen stuff, etc. I also found things for my duplex - my favorite being a storage unit for my upstairs attic room.

 Here it is in my new unit

I cantilevered that really heavy package from the cart into my car (first removing Wesley's child seat, then wedging the package so that the last little bit hung out the open window), dragged it from the car onto the front porch then into my living room, took the package apart and lugged the individual pieces up to the attic where I assembled it - along with 2 glasses of wine to get me through the process - and loved it.  Thank you, Costco.

I had lots of space in the basement so storage was no problem - I simply opened the basement door and tossed the large non-breakable stuff down where it all landed in a pile at the foot of the steep steps. On laundry day I would move it all to the basement's Costco corner.  Easy peasy.

But everything changed when I moved into my new 421-square foot studio. That wonderful Costco storage unit came with me but it soon became apparent that I no longer had space for all the other Costco stuff. Where do you put 30 rolls of toilet paper, 12 rolls of paper towels, 36 eggs, gallon-size jugs of detergent, 6 tubes of toothpaste, 4 frozen chickens???? Not in my small unit.

It was with shock that I recognized my Costco days are numbered. There just isn't room. But I also now know exactly how long Costco-sized products last. I know this because I know my arrival date (3 months and 10 day ago) and know that I opened many new packages the day I moved in. So, here goes - one large tube of toothpaste, when used by one person, lasts 3 months. I am 3/4 of the way through the original paper towel roll I unwrapped the day I moved in (shows how little cooking I am doing), just started a new deoderant (and yes, I do use it everyday, thank you very much!), and, based on my new projected use of dryer sheets, my large double package will last 5 years!

I also realize how much more space I will have when I finally use up all my Costco multiples - I think I still have 8 sticks of deoderant, 4 large tubes of toothpaste, many quart size containers of laundry detergent (the original size packages would not fit into my shelves so I poured them into empty plastic containers), lots of dental floss, 10 bars of soap, 6 boxes of kleenex, and so on.

But no Costco?  It is almost unthinkable and yet I just can't store the stuff. But oh my goodness. No Costco?  Really? I called last week and found out that my membership cycle stops at the end of this month. I told them to not renew. I now have 21 days left. 21 days. I may go hang out and walk the aisles, remembering. Ah yes, that wonderful cheese (in a 3 pound package that would now fill my small refrigerator), the 36-can package of Diet Coke (where would I store all those cans?), the large box of crackers that Wesley loves (really? In my small cabinets?). Ah, the reality of my new living space. This is going to be a bit traumatic.

Oh wait . . .  I just remembered. Stephanie has a Costco card! I know she will let me come along and add things to her cart. Of course she will. I won't have to go cold turkey after all. When so much is changing it is good that at least one thing can change a bit more slowly. Phew!

Breathing Space

It is over and I can't believe it. What, you may ask? May, of course. What a month. Stephanie returned to work and I stepped in to care for wee Finn - and adored every single second. I also had visitors (enjoyed each one), figured out Medicare choices (what a lot of information to slog through but the clock is ticking on my quickly approaching 65th birthday), continued to adjust to my new life at the retirement community and found time to celebrate spring in Portland. So many distractions and all were enticing.

First and foremost - the grandsons, the perfect grandsons:

Wesley appears to adore his baby brother. I watch Stephanie and Dan adjust to a second child and am amazed at the grace and patience they exhibit as they respond to the circus whirling around them. Oh I remember but do not think I did as well as they do.

Today was a BIG day, a milestone - Finn's first day at childcare. He will go with Wesley two days a week; the other three he remains with me. Wesley led Stephanie (with Finn in arms) into the infant room at childcare and then he stayed for circle time with Finn. I do not know what infants do in circle time but Wesley enjoyed himself regardless. When I picked Wesley up this afternoon he told me that he went over to check on Finn before he himself took his nap. He wanted to make sure everything was going well. It was.

Yesterday Stephanie and Dan invited me along for a picnic at a park prior to Wesley's 30-minute soccer class. I drove Wesley over while Finn rode with Steph and Dan. As Wesley climbed into my car he turned back and called out, "See you at the park, Finn!" I am enjoying my role as witness to family evolution.

Wesley and I still manage to have time together. It is no longer 2 hours a day (after preschool), 5 days a week. It is, instead, the two afternoons I am not babysitting Finn. I bring him back to my apartment and we find lots to do. Today we went to the art studio to make presents for some family members - but, ssshhhh, I can't tell more. Then back to my apartment for a snack and some book reading. Lovely lovely lovely. We manage to have a weekly sleepover as well. Sleeping with an almost 4-year old is an experience, however. He wants to sleep in my bed and it would be fine except - well just look:

I push his sleepy body away a bit, slide in beside him and then, in minutes, he is back hogging the space. It is AMAZING how a little body can control so much of a double bed! I never sleep well but it is worth every sleepless second to have him with me.

I have really missed writing these entries so get ready - they are going to start pouring out. Lots to share.

Love you all.

421 Square Feet

Yes, I know - I said I would write more frequently but, oh my goodness, I have been busy, delightfully busy. The best 2 hours of each day are spent rocking Finn while chatting with Stephanie or giving her time to take a nap or catch up on tasks. Thankfully Finn is sleepy between 1 - 3 p.m. and I am RIGHT THERE to take him, warm and soft, into my arms. Yes, we occasionally discuss world events (he has not yet, however, expressed opinions) but most of the time I sing softly while I rock - and am in heaven. Absolute heaven.

And, yes, I am adjusting to life at my new place. It has been an easier adjustment than I thought. The biggest blessing is my wee unit that I simply love. So here it is - life in 421 square feet. I know, impossible you might say, but look at how very efficient and complete it is.

Oh - background - I bought it furnished. 2 residents here designed the room (it was just an empty square), a team of workers on staff built it, then the 2 residents furnished it. I brought 4 pieces of furniture (and one rug) to replace things they had provided, otherwise it is as I first saw it. It still took 4 carloads of stuff to bring all my clothes, kitchen stuff, books, art, etc. but I certainly had an easier move-in than most residents.

This is the view into the bedroom portion of the unit. The bed is a Murphy bed surrounded by bookshelves.

The bookshelf to the right has a pull-out shelf for my laptop. The cabinets above and below hold my office stuff and files. The bookcase to the left has all the books I haven't yet read. The only good thing I can say is that it contains less than half the books I hadn't read that I brought with me to Portland 18 months ago. Note Wesley's heart (Valentine's Day) and rocket (Christmas) that moved from my old kitchen window to my new unit's window.

Here is a close-up of the desk area.  Wesley and I greet the first day of each new month by selecting a set of my lights to hang around my bookcase - can you see them?  This month Wesley thought the yellow chili pepper lights were appropriate. Easter? Spring? Who knows.  They work for him.

At first I wasn't sure how the tiny desk would function given that I need space to lay out materials, etc.  Then I noted the bed right next to me - a perfect surface.

This is why I love the Murphy bed (which is very comfortable. I sleep well).  When I put it up I have LOTS of room to play with Wesley. We roll up the rug and can make a very large railroad display with room for his little airport, gas station, repair facility (and all the other places we create out of blocks, boxes etc). He can run the train long distances over this open space.  My favorite comment of his when he first walked in and saw the bed up, "Gramma, you have a big refrigerator!"

This is the view from the bedroom area - I brought the storage unit to the left (from Costco - who knew, when I bought it a year ago, it would fit so perfectly into this space and hold all my sewing stuff, art supplies and Wesley's toys), the rug and the coffee table (an English cobbler's bench from my grandmother).  My TV is in the dark space in the bookshelf.  The little table under the window is very clever - it has 2 leaves that pull out to the front and back. It worked really well for a sewing project I undertook soon after arriving. It looks out to the Willamette River and it is where I eat breakfast every morning.

The little sofa is also clever - the 2 residents who designed the unit chose well. It is a futon. I drop one side when I want to stretch out to watch TV. If I drop both sides it is a single bed for sleepovers with Wesley (and Finn in the future).

Here is my tiny kitchen. At first I was concerned about the small size of the refrigerator (think college dorm) but I rarely eat any meal here other than breakfast and it is more than adequate to hold milk for my cereal! The cupboards provide enough storage for the kitchen things I brought but I now wonder how often I will actually use them. Oops! I just realized one of the cupboards for storing canned food is slightly open in the photo. At first I was dismayed with this style of shelf - I am used to broad open spaces for cupboards and these slide out with narrow shelves on which you place canned goods, etc. However I now really like them - I can see and reach everything easily.

You can see the back of my grandmother's high chair which I also brought with me.

Here is the shelf opposite the kitchen where I store dishes, etc.  It functions well.

And, finally, this is the last portion of the unit - the closet (very deep - it shares space with  the bathroom and drawers/shelves in the bedroom. I could not photograph the bathroom with any success - but the usual tub, toilet, sink and storage cabinets). I brought the cabinet next to the closet with me - I bought it in China and dearly love it.  So glad it fit in.

So that's it - 421 well-designed square feet. What I like about the living room area is that I can easily move the shelf with kitchen stuff and the futon if I want more space.  All very functional. Amazingly I have some empty shelves and drawers still available for the growth of stuff - and we know how that happens. But, for the moment, I am more than content.

Perfect Grandson #2 Finn!!!

I know, I know, I know . . . it is almost 2 months since I have written but all I can offer for an excuse is that I have fallen into bed, completely exhausted, almost every night since that last entry.  Yep, lousy excuse but a few things have been happening in my life.

Let's see:

1. A precious new grandson entered the world on January 28.
2. Sorting and packing all my belongings
3. Moving myself into the nearby retirement community
4. Holding an estate sale to get rid of all excess stuff
5. Sorting and unpacking everything away into my new tiny place

And, guess what, although it has all been exhausting it has also been exhilarating.  So let's start with the most thrilling of all - my new grandson.

Finn 

Look at him - is he not perfect? Look how his sweet little head fits right on my shoulder. I don't know of anything more wonderful than the soft head of a newborn snuggled into that space between your cheek and shoulder. It makes me weak at the knees just to think about it. Finn is 100% cuddly. I love holding him, smelling him, watching him breathe in and out. He is, as are all newborns, quite simply a miracle dropped into our lives.

He was due February 1 but came 4 days early, on Jan 28. His arrival matched the information in a fortune cookie I received at a Chinese restaurant in California on November 28th - the day I flew back to Oregon. It said, "Remember this date. Two months from today something wonderful will happen."  And what can be more wonderful than a new baby? I had no idea, however, of the power of writers in fortune-cookie factories!

I spent the days while Stephanie, Dan and Finn were in the hospital going back and forth between visiting Finn and taking care of Wesley - and loved every second. Thus far, Wesley has seemed enchanted with Finn. We all hold our breath a bit to see when reality hits that someone has usurped his position as the only child. My favorite Wesley behavior? When Wesley sits next to Finn who is rocking in his infant swing and "reads" a book to his baby brother.

Stephanie is now home for three months on maternity leave. I adjusted the date of my move to the retirement community to two weeks after Finn's birth to make it easier on the family but still regret time lost from holding Finn for something as prosaic as moving boxes. Next week I will be back to my usual schedule and plan to have serious Finn-holding time every day, if at all possible. Luckily, Stephanie, Dan and Wesley are good about sharing Finn with me.

So I am a most delighted grandmother and feel quite blessed.

Thank you everyone who has written asking if everything is okay because I have been incommunicado for the past 2 months. I was too tired to even write back! However, I promise the dry spell is over and I look forward to filling you in on all the other changes in my life. Entries will start flowing once again.

Impetuous Decision #4

I suspect that friends and family believe that I have a tendency to make impetuous decisions - so quickly, they suggest, that I may not have given myself sufficient time to clearly and rationally think through each. Let's review:

#1 In 2002, after Gary died, I assured family and friends that I would be a responsible widow who would not make major decisions for a year. Six weeks later I bought the house Gary and I had wanted to buy in 1987.

#2  In May of 2004 I felt I needed a change. Two weeks later I submitted my retirement notice and left teaching, 10 years early, at age 55. I began my 10-year exploration to use time differently - and what a ride it has been.

#3  In July of 2011 I realized that I was missing out on my only grandchild's early years, something that could never be retrieved. Four weeks later the moving van arrived at my house in Pacific Grove to move my belongings to Portland.

#4  Well,  a little background first:
Last month I recognized that, once again, I need to move. The neighbors can be noisy (although little kid noise is far better than loud music or TV) and the heating system stinks. 3 rooms have electric heaters in inconvenient places. You only get warm if you stand directly in front of each. The gas insert in the living room fireplace works beautifully but only heats that one room. I am not willing to live through another winter in this house - I am just too cold in most of the rooms and am paying way too much for what little heat actually reaches me.

Okay, so I must move but what a depressing thought. My last move was just 16 months ago and the related challenges are way too clear in my memory. That got me thinking about all my future moves. It seems like I will have 3: #1 in early 2013 to another place here in Portland, #2 in 2018 or 2019 back to Pacific Grove and #3 in 2024 or so to a long-term retirement community. I have always known I would eventually move to such a place so that my children would not bear any responsibility for me. I watched my grandmother, mother and mother-in-law make similar choices and be quite happy in their chosen environments in Portola Valley, Pacific Grove and Los Gatos. I feel quite content with that ultimate plan.

Here is where the impetuous decision comes in. I recognize that Portland is quickly becoming home. I know, I know, I know - everyone told me this would happen as I kept insisting I would move back to Pacific Grove - but now I know I won't. I can't leave the grandchildren (#2 is due in a few weeks) or my daughter and son-in-law. I am having too much fun interacting with all of them. My two-hour play time with Wesley each school day is heaven, I love that I can babysit whenever needed, I enjoy the serendipity of getting together for unexpected events - I truly love my life here. So there goes move #2, I am staying in Portland.

Now, what about move #3? I researched all 6 long-term retirement communities here in Portland (while also updating myself on 5 in California - giving myself options). I thought I would still follow the same plan and move into one in 10 years. Instead I fell in love with one and am moving in at the end of February. There it is - Impetuous Decision #4 - at the age of 64 I am moving into a long-term retirement community. But that is not enough of an impetuous move - get ready, it gets even better/worse/crazier/insane/are-you-out-of-your-mind. I fell in love with a tiny unit. It's only 421 square feet. And it is mostly furnished with lots of built-in storage. It is, actually, brilliantly furnished. I looked around the unit (easy to do - you just turn in a circle and see the living room/kitchen and into the bedroom area) and realized that this is what I want. Simplicity and ease. I will bring my favorite art, books, decorations, basic kitchen gear, clothing - and nothing else. Well, that's not completely true. My grandmother's antique cobbler's bench will replace the coffee table already in place and there is room for the cabinet I bought in China - oh and the family high chair. But that's it.

Okay, now THAT is impetuous, yes? I think it beats the other 3. I think it beats the other 3 combined. And here is the amazing thing - I can't wait. I simply can't wait. I am already sorting stuff to decide what goes and what stays; talking with family members on how to distribute family heirlooms that they may want, and figuring out what will actually fit in the new unit. I have a lot to do in the next 6 weeks.

You know what I keep thinking about? What is in the small attic in my house in Pacific Grove? It is stuffed full with things that didn't make the cut to come to Portland. I know there are 35 boxes of books but don't know what else is in there beyond a desk, Stephanie's doll house and a broken chair that belongs to a set - I have the other 3 up here. It will be interesting to eventually go through all that stuff.

And speaking of the attic, what about my absolutely darling Pacific Grove house? I don't have to sell it. My unit at the retirement community is so small (and, therefore, inexpensive) that I can easily afford it without selling my house. Their monthly fee is only a few hundred dollars more than what I currently spend on rent, utilities and food. So if I have made a horrible decision my wonderful house on Bentley Street awaits me.

Looking backward and forward - the first 3 impetuous decisions ended up being really good for me and I suspect the 4th will be just as wonderful.

So all of you who have gotten this far in the entry and whose insides tightened when you realized what I have decided to do, go ahead, relax. It's going to be okay. I am not out of my mind but instead following a path I didn't expect to follow quite so soon. I will have lots more to tell when I move in.

Yep, bet you didn't expect this?!?!


A week later . . .  Since making the decision I have had to answer a lot of questions from people with whom I shared it. To save time, let me tell you what I told them:

#1 How can you choose to live with people who are almost all older than you, and older by quite a bit?

Doesn't bother me at all. I have always liked old people (notice how I don't see myself at age 64 as old!). I loved spending time with my grandmother at The Sequoias in Portola Valley when I was in high school. I liked her friends. Same with my mother's friends at Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove. I realize, now that I stop to think about it, that much of the volunteer work I have done over my lifetime has been with older folks. Age is immaterial. Every phase of life has blessings and challenges. No, I do not intend to engage in chit chat about latest surgeries but most older folks I chat with don't talk about that anyway. I have had 3 meals at the community where I plan to live and have enjoyed each of them - my dining partners were delightful. What I realized is that I share more in common with them (education, travel, interesting careers) than I do with the average person in the general population here in Portland (or Pacific Grove or wherever).

#2  Won't you miss the multi-generational neighborhood where you now live?

Not really. I am surrounded by wee ones at Wesley's preschool. They call me Gramma Donna (I am no longer Mustard or Hot Dog or Milk Shake, as mentioned in an earlier entry). I am getting to know Stephanie and Dan's neighbors as well, most of whom are young families. My current volunteer work (and time on the bus) brings me in contact with all generations.

#3 What if Stephanie and Dan decide to move?

This was a major concern. I hope I have been very clear with Stephanie and Dan that my decision affects them not at all. It is my choice to stay in Portland. They are free to move whenever or wherever they want. This is my life; they have theirs. If they move I will do what I did before - fly frequently to visit. I like Portland enough that I am satisfied to stay here. Remember, I also have  beloved family - a sister and sister-in-law (and their spouses) nearby as well.

#4 You won't be needed as much in the future as the grandchildren become more involved in their own lives.

I am sure this will be true but I hope I can always be there after school before Stephanie and Dan are home from work. I like spending a few hours with wee ones each afternoon. It's the perfect amount of time - not too short, not too long.

#5  How can you leave Pacific Grove - one of the most beautiful places on earth?

Yes, that makes my heart ache a bit. Thankfully the people I love in PG have been generous with their guest rooms which I intend to keep using. I plan to be in California several times a year and travel will become even easier as the wee ones age. Right now I plan to spend much of the newest grandbaby's first year with him but, after that, I intend to be back on a travel schedule. However, I must admit, I want future travel to be visits with friends. Exotic travel may be over. I have traveled a LOT in the past 8 years - the fact that I had to send my passport back to get more pages added illustrates just how much of the world I have seen. The thought of meeting up with friends, wine in hand, sounds much more attractive. So, East Coast friends, Jerie and John somewhere in Latin America, Sabine in France, Japanese exchange students, Barbara in Kazakhstan, Annette in Slovakia and, always, friends in California - here I come. And now all I will have to do is close my door, tell them to hold my mail, and I am off.

#6  Your life will change in so many ways that you don't foresee - how will you cope?

I find this one of the oddest questions. Okay, I can think of 2 negative changes. My car will now be about 100 feet from my door rather than 5 and I will be about 6 stops further south on my bus line - it will now take 20 minutes to get into downtown Portland rather than the current 12. All the other changes seem positive: I will never again be on my knees cleaning a bathroom or kitchen floor. No more gardening (unless I choose to tackle a veggie or rose garden on site). No more cooking unless I feel like it in my small kitchen. No more going down dark steep steps to do laundry in the basement. No more stopping at the Post Office to get stamps or mail packages - it's all handled at the front desk. No more driving several miles in the early morning to get to a 6 a.m. water aerobics class - I have a great pool and gym on the premises and the class starts at 8. So much better.

I suspect the only significant change is that I will wake up in a different room. I will still volunteer at the emergency services place and at the library, will still pick Wesley up every afternoon from preschool and bring him home to play (or spend the night), will still swim, will still read in front of the fire (but now it will be in their charming library), will still explore Portland, and will still participate in family events. What I will not do is eat my meals alone, sitting at my kitchen table looking out at squirrels cavorting along a fence. As much as I enjoyed that, I look forward to chatting with new friends while I eat at tables that offer a sweeping view of the Willamette River.

#7 What will it feel like to be with people using walkers and wheelchairs?

This one makes me laugh! The development of Gary's MS meant that he used a walker at 38 and was in a wheelchair in his early 40s. No one knows better than I that disabilities do not define people. Bring 'em on; they are wonderful technologies that help folks maintain independence. Kind of the same way I think about elevators - nice to have when I don't feel like walking up 6 flights.

#8  Why not wait 10 years and move to a retirement community then?

Yes, I could do that but that would mean I would have to go find a small house to rent (no more duplexes or apartments with the potential of loud neighbors) and then deal with utilities, garden, garbage, cooking, cleaning, basement laundry appliances, potentially icy walkways in winter, dark early morning drives to the swimming pool, etc. Now that I recognize the freedoms associated with living in this retirement community, the thought of being responsible for it all over again sounds fatiguing. I want liberation.

#9  What if you hate it?

That is the best thing about the cost of this decision. I don't have to sell my house in California to buy into the place so, if I hate it, I can find a place to rent here in Portland or move back to Pacific Grove. If I change my mind within the first 5 years I get a percent back of the entry fee (80% the first year, 60% the second year and so on) and the monthly fee that covers rent, utilities and food is insignificant - just a bit more than what I currently pay.  So, economically, it is not a terribly significant decision.

So, again, if your insides tightened when you read this, it IS okay - and I really appreciate that people's questions are based on concern. And given that it takes a village to dress me  (I always seem to have something hanging out that should be tucked somewhere else), I also appreciate that the questions have given me the opportunity to stop and reexamine my own beliefs.

Again, much more in future entries as I enter this next phase of my life.

Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas! I am looking out my attic window onto the street below - no rain or snow. Yes, here in Portland it is clear  - and cold, very cold. Last week's snow was perfection - beautiful to watch floating down, didn't stick to the road (to the car, yes, but not the driveway) and was soon gone. My kind of snow. I am thoroughly enjoying Christmas with a 3-year old. Wesley is enchanted with everything and adds his own spin to things.

Window decorations
Right before Thanksgiving Wesley and I traced our hands and turned them into colored-paper turkeys which we taped to the kitchen windows. He had done them at home (Stephanie was much more creative - she added legs and beaks in different colors - the Martha Stewart of turkey production!) and wanted to do them at my house as well. Last week I suggested we replace the turkeys with snow flakes. He was delighted. He is quite good with scissors (well, for a 3-year old) and we cut and snipped away. He taped all our creations to the window adjacent to the turkeys which he insisted must stay as well. We have, therefore, quite a seasonal display.

But then he asked to add something special. I wondered which Christmas addition - Santa? Stars? Trees? No, he wanted to add rocket ships. Of course. I drew a primitive one and then he told me who to put in the windows as passengers - Daddy, Mommy, Greg (visiting right now), Gramma, Grampa Tom (Dan's father), Wesley and in little windows above and below him, Matilda (his dog) and Divet and Newton (his cats). I was happy to oblige.

 So, if you are driving down SE 21st Avenue, look for the kitchen window with snowflakes, turkeys AND rocket ships.

Advent Calendar
I gave the Advent Calendar Christmas Tree I made when the children were young to Stephanie so Wesley happily adds a decoration to it each day. At my house I have a Noah's Ark Advent Calendar that Wesley played with last year. To him it was just a toy - I didn't try to use it to mark the march of days toward Christmas. This year, when I pulled it out, I wondered if he would remember it (nope, to him it was brand new) and if he would want to use it as a calendar. Again, nope - it was an interesting toy with lots of possibilities, none of which included a calendar.

Here it is as a possible calendar - one animal added for each day.

I told him the basic outline of Noah and the Ark. He liked the part about the animals marching on board two-by-two. He asked me to make a sign for the ark - can you read it?

It says Must have buddy to get on Ark

And so the play began. He would hide an animal (so that the buddy couldn't go on board), find it, put it in another "boat" (the basket that holds the TV remotes) and sail it over to the ark where the buddies were reunited.  They could then go on board together.

Can you see the "boat" on the floor to the right? The monkey, lion and dove are inside the basket waiting to be reunited with their buddies on the Ark's deck.

Later he decided that having a buddy wasn't enough. The animals must have tickets as well (this from a child who has already flown umpteen times so knows his boarding passes). We attached stickers to all the animals.

Yep, they are legitimate passengers - their stickers show they have the proper credentials. The elephant has a fairy, the lion a snake and the hippo a blue ribbon. Of course.

Then, love of scatology reared its head. What is happening in the photos below?  The animals are peeing off the side of the ark, of course. I blame Lee. Wesley is fascinated by the bathroom system on Lee and Michelle's sailboat - a bucket for those who wish it or, the more direct approach, peeing overboard. Wesley can't wait to be old enough to pee over the side but enjoys using the bucket in the meantime. Noah's animals have already advanced to the "over-the-edge" method.  Note that animals go all around the ark.

 Close up of one side, buddies hanging off the side.

This is an equal opportunity Ark - both sides can be used at once when peeing overboard.

Nativity Scene
The one I have is tiny - it was all we could afford when we were young parents and, of course, now I wouldn't think of changing it because of all the memories associated with it. I am a history teacher and I liked to place the nativity in an historic setting so I started Mary, Joseph and the donkey across the room and each day Stephanie and Lee would move them a bit forward until, on Dec 24th, they made it to the manger.  I started the kings several rooms away - after all, they came from much farther away.

I showed the set to Wesley and started to go over the basic story. Before I got much beyond "They were on their way to Bethleham" Wesley picked up Mary, Joseph and the donkey and deposited them inside the tea pot in the bookshelf. "They have to go to jail first," he said, "Then they can go back on the road." There they stayed for several days. In fact, when I went to move them back to the stable this morning I realized that Joseph has gone missing. I checked the neighboring "jail", the coffee pot, but it was empty as well.

When he is over next we will have to review other possible options for Joseph's location. For the time being the shepherd is sitting in for Joseph. I moved the kings into the photo - they are still in the kitchen, slowly working their way toward Bethleham, but wanted them to have their 5 minutes of fame in the photo.

Each figure is 1- 2 inches tall. 

Cookies
Wesley and I made a set of cookies and had the usual experience -  more frosting on his face and hands than made it onto the cookies. Much fun. I am missing Stephanie's girl friends from Carmel High. For years they came over today (Christmas Eve) to decorate cookies. As they grew older I loved listening to their chatter as they caught up with each other's lives while creating interesting frosting colors for cookies that became more sophisticated in their design. They had favorite cookie cutters and brought more to add to my collection. What good memories.

So Christmas 2012 is almost here and I am thinking of all of you - family and friends. I wish you all the happiest and most joyous of days tomorrow and right through the New Year into 2013.

December - What a Month!

So much to do, so little time - no, no longer true. My life in Oregon is so tiny compared to the life I led in Pacific Grove that I can no longer use that excuse. Not ever again. Not for anything. I now have plenty of time and love every non-busy second of it.

Right this minute my laptop is somewhat precariously balanced on my lap, my feet are propped on the coffee table, the gas fireplace is on, Christmas music is playing, the tree is lit and Wesley has added other decorations around the room in his own inimitable style. What more could I ask? 

I do love this time of year. The shortness of the days adds to their mystery. It's now almost dark by 4:30 and the air is quite crisp (and, often damp - who knew?)  Last night Stephanie, Dan and I took Wesley to watch the Christmas Express train in all its steaming glory set out on its once-per-hour trip around the surrounding neighborhoods, its decorated cars filled with excited children and parents. The 3 of them rode it this afternoon - much more to see in daylight, of course - but oh, it was magical to watch it depart, steam shooting up in the air in the darkness of last evening. Wesley was thrilled.

Thanksgiving was lovely - we gathered at Pattie's house in Novato. I, however, was the guest that no one wants at their table. What I thought was non-contagious food poisoning that I suffered through on the day before Thanksgiving ended up being quite contagious - I passed it on to many at the  celebration. Lovely. I hope that my role as Typhoid Mary will be forgotten when Thanksgiving rolls around next year.  

What was interesting was the very small article I spotted in The Oregonian the week after I returned. It stated that 3 schools in Oakland were closed because of a highly contagious intestinal sickness rapidly working its way through the schools. The description of the symptoms was exactly what I had experienced and - guess what? I had dinner with Lee in Oakland the evening I arrived in California. Ah, that is where I must have picked it up - or, dread thought, did I bring it down and end up infecting the whole school system? No, impossible . . . . yes?

I also spent a few days in Pacific Grove - it was lovely to visit with friends.  My house, rented to others, seems to be fine and, most importantly, survived a huge storm the evening I left (hmmm - is this a coincidence? Both disease and pestilence follow me.).

But now I am home enjoying the end-of-autum-almost-winter season. The first unusual activity was the marathon reading of Homer's The Iliad at the Portland Art Museum. It was in conjunction with it's latest exhibit, The Body Beautiful, a joint-effort with the British Museum that focuses on the Greek ideal of beauty. Lots of Greek pots and sculpture including The Discus Thrower. Magnificent exhibit and this particular event was lots of fun. 300+ volunteer readers read non-stop for 10 hours. I was reader #64. I was given a great section to read  - meaning no hard names to pronounce and it was somewhat exciting - a description of 2 rivals putting on their armor and then facing each other, enraged, spears raised. We were urged to read our 2-minute segments in another language if we wished (I wondered if pig latin would work? "Ehthay aisedray eirthay earspay . . ."). Most read in English but during the 3 hours that I stayed to listen several spoke in Greek, Latin, Russian, French, and Spanish. My favorites were the children who read. We received our sections a week early so clearly the students had practiced and each read perfectly. The girl pictured below (standing on a box) was probably 9 years old. An interesting way to spend a Sunday morning. While listening, I thought a lot about my husband who loved teaching The Iliad.

While we read, our section was projected on the screen behind so that all in the 
audience could follow along.

Yesterday afternoon I attended the 22nd Annual Tuba Christmas in downtown Portland. 283 musicians with a wide variety of tubas performed Christmas carols for 90 minutes. These included all the traditional ones and some quite untraditional - who knew Doe a Deer belonged in a Christmas program? Or the fight songs for both the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) and Oregon State (Go Beavers!)?  

One section of the audience - it wound around half of the plaza. I sat near the front on cold brick steps.  Note to self - next time bring a padded seat cushion!

While waiting for the performance to start a group on a scavenger hunt needed people to play foosball on the plaza so they could take a video of it. About a dozen people volunteered and played for a few minutes while the crowd cheered them on.

The tuba player in the Santa outfit won best costume (and decorated tuba - although you can hardly see it. I know, I know -  horrid photographer!)

The only folks who were protected from the weather were the tuba players - and of course you can't see them in the tent.  Look at the very back - can you see the sousaphones?  Look closely, way back. They are behind the other 200+ tuba players.

It was amazing to hear only tubas play music - some of the songs were magical, some haunting, and some, I must admit, were almost unrecognizable (when the conductor asked us to sing along with Away in A Manger I thought, "THAT was what they were playing?") But the 2000 people gathered in Pioneer Square in the light misty rain (and not a single umbrella - I looked far and wide - lots of hoodies and caps, however, oh those Oregonians!) had a good time singing along. 

I am busy at my two volunteer jobs. It's not a good time for those who are unemployed so we are giving out lots of food boxes at the emergency service place where I answer the telephone. At the other end of the spectrum, the library gift store is hopping with lots of Christmas goodies added to the usual assortment of used books and related cards, notebooks, calendars etc. for sale. Much fun in that all visitors seem to be in a good mood, especially when they spot the perfect little something for someone on their Christmas list.

So all is well here and I hope you are all enjoying this lovely season. It only comes once a year, you know, so go grab a cup of eggnog and celebrate every second of this joyous time with friends and family.

Much love to you all and Merry Christmas!

Year One Review

I forgot to celebrate the end of my first year in Portland. I am now officially two months into Year Two of my 5-year projected stay. Of course, the upcoming birth of grandchild #2 may change that schedule a bit.  Ohhhh the delights of babies.

So, how am I doing?

Four Signs that I am becoming an Oregonian:

#1 I bought a pair of wellies. Yep, you just need 'em if you are going to spend time outdoors, especially if gardening or walking with a grandson who adores jumping in puddles.

Okay, this is the best I could do leaning over to snap the photo with my phone camera. 

 Anna, of the wonderful African photos, where are you????

The wellies, just inside my back door, ready for action in the great Northwest.

#2  I grab a jacket with hood whenever I go out.  Mary gave me a jacket that I love (don't even THINK of trying to get it back from me, sister dear). So much better than the wool jacket I previously used - see below.

Although it is deliciously warm, this wool jacket gets damp in the rain and you know that wet wool smell? Not great. The new jacket, well the loaned/borrowed/I'm-sure-it's-now-mine jacket is warm AND water resistant. Much better for Portland. I walk around like a true Oregonian, popping the hood up when it starts to mist, pushing it away when it stops. So handy and it means I don't need an umbrella. My hands stay free. Lovely.

Okay, what about my bright neon yellow jacket from my time in Africa? Yes, it has a hood and is water resistant but it also overwhelmingly hideous. I have to be desperate to grab it. However, if I need to be spotted in a large crowd, it is waiting in the wings.

#3 I am now a pro on the bus. I will take it downtown early tomorrow morning to transfer to MAX, the light rail system, that will take me out to the airport to catch my plane to California. Oh so very urban!

#4 I am a kinder, gentler driver. However, given that I will be back in California tomorrow, I also know old habits die hard.


Four Challenges in my Transition to Life in Oregon 

#1 I'm not quite there yet with Oregonians who welcome the weather. What is outside my window right now? Hmm, what a surprise - gray skies, mist, trees rapidly losing their leaves and water dripping from the roof. Yes, it does have a certain "let's-go-sit-in-front-of-the-fire-and-read"ambience but almost every day? However, on the positive side, when the sun breaks through it is really appreciated, much more so than when I lived in California.

#2 I have now voted twice so understand the mail-in process. No in-person voting here; all voting is done by mail. It is certainly easier and, perhaps, by giving voters more time, voting is more thoughtful but I do miss that tingle of citizen-pride that I experience whenever I enter a polling booth. Such a precious right. This was especially true at my last California election when I accompanied Francia who was voting for the first time as an American citizen. I made sure everyone in the room knew we had a new citizen among us and she became the recipient of many smiles and nods of approval. She beamed and wore her I Voted sticker with pride. I miss those stickers.

#3 I am still adjusting to different conditions in the garden. Gardening in PG had its plusses and minuses. Technically just about anything will grow given its mild weather but I had to contend with deer that ate everything in sight including the tags that identified new plants as deer resistant. In addition the summer fog and hint of salt in the sea air meant that some plants didn't grow as well as they did a bit inland. I didn't even think of growing tomatoes but plants in big pots on my fenced deck (fie on you, deer!) grew prolifically. I had bulbs in the spring, herbs and bright flowers all summer and something green the rest of the year.

Here in Portland I share a small garden with my duplex neighbors. Just as the house is divided right down the middle into two identical units, so is the garden. My half is mostly paved; they have the back lawn and raised beds so I have returned to gardening in pots. I added them slowly, started with one on the front porch to greet neighbors, added a few along the back driveway to hold bulbs I brought from California (yes, I left lots of stuff stored in the attic in PG but dug up the bulbs to bring with me). In spring I filled two pots with primroses and in summer I filled three pots with herbs and two with strawberries (a Wesley favorite). They all thrived in the warm summer weather.

But now I have a problem - winter. The local paper warns that herbs in pots need to be moved into the ground. If not, the roots may freeze. Problem - the raised beds are in the neighbor's half of the yard. Could I use them? Probably. However I also appreciate that we carefully respect each other's space. I'd rather not invade their's. But what to do? I don't want to give up the herbs. I love picking them as needed. It seems that I have 2 choices - set up a indoor garden under a grow light in my basement or put them in the natural light in my kitchen. I chose the kitchen. I know, perhaps quite dumb given how small my unit is.

The plant on the chair is another problem child. My landlady left it with me while she and her husband went to India for a year. She loves it and I promised to keep care of it but it can't winter outside. The pot with the rosemary is the tall plant to the right in the photo.

The remaining herbs are on the other side of the table - ach, you can't see them - here is a close-up:

Parsley and thyme are in one, oregano, chives and another type of thyme are in the other.  I wonder how much time will pass before I grow tired of tripping over them and move them down to the basement and install a grow light?

I didn't think the bulbs would be a problem - they like the cold - but, oh my goodness, look.

They are already growing! I know they won't bloom at this point but what is going to happen next March? Not much, I suspect. Drat. Those were precious bulbs. I know, I know, I can start over and find ground space for them somewhere along the driveway but it is not the same. I have nursed these bulbs through 5 seasons.

And, finally, the primroses - they will have to tough it out. I don't have any more room inside and I never seem to have luck with primroses anyway. You're on your own.

#4 Have not yet added Portland expressions to my vocabulary. They just don't trip off my tongue. The two big ones are "spendy" and "PDX". The first means expensive, as in "That restaurant is spendy." The second means Portland. I'm not sure how the airport designation got turned into a reference to the city as a whole but that's just the way it is.

I will be away for the next 10 days - home for Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year. Have a lovely Turkey Day, everyone, here in PDX or wherever you are.

See I CAN start using those words.

Hunkering Down

It's getting cold and it's getting dark. With the departure of Daylight Savings, dusk now starts before 5 and, yesterday, I woke up in an extremely cold bedroom. I reluctantly took those steps that indicate looming winter - I turned on the gas fireplace insert for the first time and pulled out my hat, gloves and scarf for their winter storage on my grandmother's high chair that stands next to my front door.

As I look out my window I can see smoke rising from chimneys across the street. Our long Indian Summer is now officially a memory of the past. And of course this means gray skies and rain have come back as have all the hoodies on everyone walking by. The wonder is the leaf-turning. It is not as spectacular as the Connecticut Autumns of my past but it is pretty darn good. On our ride home from preschool each day Wesley and I note the difference in today's amount of leaves versus yesterday's. There is one stretch on McLoughlin Boulevard that we call the "Tunnel of Trees," where huge trees span the road to meet overhead. They are our gauge of the seasons. It seemed to take forever for the green sprouts to turn into full grown leaves last Spring and now they are slowly disappearing before our eyes.

Wesley loves to help me rake the leaves that fill my driveway and back yard. We use the old plastic rake that was here when I moved in last year. We add my full-size broom and his small one and then, at his insistence, we add the whisk broom - we might need it for small spaces, he says. When we create a pile of leaves Wesley decides if we scoop them into the garden waste bin or exuberantly toss them up in the air to come raining back down on us. Often it is the latter which means the job can take quite a while to complete. I could care less - time is something I have. The next step is stomping the leaves in the bin to create more space for tomorrow's session. I push the tall bin over to my back stairs. Wesley climbs to the top and then, from that perch, steps over the rim to stand on today's pile. Then he starts stomping. He is most proud of himself.

Yes, I know it's out of focus but it is me behind the phone camera - so I will suggest 

it is an action photo!

Cypress, my cat, is also adjusting to the colder weather. Her favorite place, right now, is on the mantle, above the fireplace. I have moved the clock a bit to give her more room. She snuggles against it.

She spends quite a bit of time here or as a lump in my bed. She slips in between the duvet and sheets. Wesley has learned to check any such lumps before bouncing.

Some other Autumn memories - Halloween was lots of fun, especially as this block is chock full of young kids. Wesley surprised us with his choice for a costume (which Stephanie and Dan created out of boxes, paint and a funnel - such clever ones!). Get ready . . .  he wanted to be the Sugar Cane Train. Yes, the same train on which we had our interesting adventure in Maui. Here he is - my first visitor to trick or treat at my door.

Another wonderful October memory - I spent my last full day in California (the day after my 50th reunion with my 8th grade classmates) with my good friend, Sally. She arranged for me to meet a new acquaintance of hers, Rhonda Giangreco, who works with the MS community nation-wide. I always hold anyone with MS close to my heart from all my experiences as a spouse of someone with MS and my 6 years of volunteer work as Executive Director of the MS Quality of Life Project in Monterey. Rhonda had a most interesting response to her diagnosis of MS. Instead of collapsing into the debilitating fatigue which so often accompanies this disease she decided to take on the challenge of celebrating and holding family and friends close by cooking and hosting a dinner every Sunday for one full year. And she did it - she started in January and prepared 52 consecutive meals. Her book, The Gathering Table: Defying Multiple Sclerosis With A Year of Pasta, Wine and Friends, describes this remarkable year as she copes with the realities of MS.

Our plan was to meet in a restaurant in Sonoma but, instead, she invited us to have lunch at her house. Was she really up for it? Yes, she insisted. When we drove to her house we passed a small park with an outdoor table charmingly set with tablecloth, napkins, plates and glasses. I wondered who was going to spend a glorious afternoon at this table, never dreaming it would be me.

It turned out that the unexpected brilliant weather (it was 80 degrees) inspired lunch al fresco but Rhonda and Michael had already put their outdoor furniture in storage for the winter. But she is clever, that Rhonda. She decided to use a bit of the small park around the corner from her house as our lunch site. We happily helped carry over the food and wine.

What a spectacular meal. It had everything - new friends, wonderful food and a lovely ambience - sun sparkling down as we sat at a table that bordered a Sonoma vineyard (look in the background of the photo above). Let's start with the food that Rhonda prepared (hint of its quality - she took cooking classes in Italy):

Perfectly grilled herbed pork loin with figs grilled on rosemary spears.

Add wonderful herbed biscuits and salad

And a grand finale of apple pie.  

It was an amazing lunch accompanied by wonderful local wines.  DELICIOUS!

I enjoyed meeting Rhonda and her husband, Michael. They are warm, welcoming and charming. And she is indeed a spectacular chef. I felt as if I had a taste of one of the meal experiences she described in her book. The great thing about wonderful memories is that, as I sit in gray Portland, I can close my eyes and be right back at that sunny table in Sonoma. Thank you, Sally, Rhonda and Michael for such a lovely visit. I hope we meet again. And if Rhonda insists on cooking, fine with me! I love being sous chef and will happily help.

So bring on winter. Cypress and I look forward to its unique charms - as long as my heater works.

50 Years Later

Oh my goodness - I am still processing the experience of meeting my 8th grade colleagues 50 years later. I had not seen most of them since we were 14 and we all had changed a bit. We each did the usual reunion move: kiss the person on the cheek while surreptitiously glancing at their name tag with their 8th grade photo prominently displayed . . . it's him! . . . it's her!

We met in the school's large hall (auditorium) and, to me, Mount Carmel never looked more beautiful. The original school, built in 1885 (at another location) was replaced in the 1920s by the current school building. It has classic mission architecture with all the beautiful woodwork typical of that era. I could not believe that the hallways had the same linoleum we ran along. Now that is quality! How many thousands of student feet have walked/run/skipped along these floors? The classrooms were just as I remembered with the exception of the windows - those old ones that required the use of long poles to open and close had been replaced by more efficient ones - oh, and there was carpet on the floors and the blackboards were now white. Gone were the erasers that we begged to clean each afternoon. What fun we had pounding them together while watching chalk dust float overhead. I was delighted to see that the "cloak rooms"(what do they call them now?) - a long closet that ran along the back of each classroom with an opening at each end - were unchanged. There were the same hooks where we hung our coats and the shelves above where we stored our lunch boxes. Wonderful.

50 of us started first grade together in September of 1954. Over the next 8 years a few moved away while a few others moved into our class. After 8 years together, however, we knew each other well. We knew our talents, our weaknesses, our families, our stories. About 25 of us attended the reunion. We spent the first 30 seconds of each interaction mentally adjusting to the new reality of a classmate who looked so different 50 years ago. Then there was the quick exchange of basic information and, if we were lucky, we were able to chat a bit more.

Those who had, for 8 years in the far past, shared lessons, sports, games, choir practice, recess, folk dance lessons, gossip, projects, and adolescence were now lawyers, teachers, nuns, a film producer, medical professionals, designers, non-profit leaders, small business owners, spouses, widows, divorced, parents and grandparents. Some were retired or planning for it; others had decided to use this time to start second careers. It was fascinating. When we shared thoughts over dinner we realized we had something in common, something that the nuns had pounded into our skulls over the 8 years they had us - that we are on this planet to make the world a better place. Seeking social justice came up over and over in our conversations. I am downright proud of us as are, I am sure, those gracious, stern, funny, warm women who taught us.

Oh, and I forgot - not only were 25 of us there - so were two of our teachers - Sister Cecilia (first grade) and Sister Andrew (second grade). I suspect they were just out of college when they taught us which puts them in their early 80s. It was wonderful to chat with them and thank them for their care. They also had funny stories to share. What I personally remember most about Sister Andrew is that one of her lessons showed how I was still a bit behind my classmates when it came to spirituality. It happened on the day of our First Communion when we were 7. She told us that, on this special day, we should ask God for something when we first spotted the chalice inside the open tabernacle. Okay, I could do that. After Mass she asked us what we had each prayed for. The others got it - they asked for world peace, to get to heaven, etc. At that point in my life I hadn't yet learned how to avoid telling unpleasant truths. Instead I admitted that I had asked for a bicycle. I think, way back then, Sister Andrew was a bit disappointed. However, I should state that I got my bike a few months later so clearly God was listening.

Specific memories from this wonderful evening:
1. The whoops of laughter and welcome that met each of us as we walked into the hall and someone recognized us and called out our name to the assembled group.

2. After first being surprised by the current reality of a classmate  I could still see reminders of each of their 14-year old faces looking back at me.

3. The wonderful hugs I got from each classmate as if 50 years had never passed.

4. The comment blurted from one of my classmates, after understanding who I was, "Oh, you were one of the nice ones!" So funny.

5. New secrets shared by some classmates. Today, of course, topics of secrets are far different but sharing them still lifts weight and I deeply appreciated their trust.

6. Seeing classmates exhibit behaviors that I remembered from the past - Mary still blushes a bit when she laughs. Steve still has the sardonic attitude that drove some of the nuns crazy. Several of the "boys" still tease each other as they did in years past. Ah, the joys of consistency.

It was simply a wonderful evening  but DRAT, I just wish we had many more hours - it ended way too soon.