Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Lukie Or Is It Now LUC!
You know it is my fault my son is in France. I started taking French in the 7th grade and it was my minor in college. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to do study abroad because I was in love and planning a wedding instead. Avignon was my destination but....sigh...I decided to give it up for the love of my life. I never lost the dream, however. My husband had an opportunity to do a sabbatical as a benefit of being a professor at UW. So for three years we planned our trip. I insisted that somehow we spend time in France to fulfill my desires of so many years before even though my husband speaks not a word of French.
In 1995, when Kaley was 7 and Lucas was 10, we packed up our belongings, rented out our Mukilteo house and settled in Lyon, France. We rented a house in St. Didier, a small village outside of Lyon which essentially had become a suburb in the same way Mukilteo, originally a small ferry town, has become a suburb of Seattle. Hubby took the bus to his work with the Cancer Research Branch of the World Health Organization in downtown Lyon while I home schooled the children. Every weekend, we traveled. My only regret was that we did not stay longer than 4 months; this was not enough time for me to become fluent nor was it enough time for the children to become integrated. Ever since, both of our kids have been determined to finish what we started.
But, the amazing thing that happened was the influence on my children's language abilities. I had both of them enrolled in private French classes through the PTA at our public elementary school before we left. Nobody spoke English in Lyon so we limped by on my terrible French but the kids heard French being spoken constantly--even on the TV we had. Furthermore, there were two children in our St. Didier cul de sac who impressed upon Lucas and Kaley the importance of multi-lingualism. The boy, 12, and the girl, 5, each spoke perfect English, Spanish, and French. One day in our house, I had six kids playing together--my two who only spoke English, two French girls, and the other two.
This was one of the most amazing days in my life listening to the tiny multi-linguists seamlessly flipping between French and English and translating so they could all play together. Lucas and Kaley have both followed up with taking French to this day and Lucas is motivated to learn Spanish as well. So when Lucas receives compliments on his accent, I feel proud and I know why!
And there he is--pursuing his dreams!
Lucas also has Live Journal now where he is telling about his experiences. (Just a warning--my son doesn't censor his language.)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/grizluke85/
You know it is my fault my son is in France. I started taking French in the 7th grade and it was my minor in college. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to do study abroad because I was in love and planning a wedding instead. Avignon was my destination but....sigh...I decided to give it up for the love of my life. I never lost the dream, however. My husband had an opportunity to do a sabbatical as a benefit of being a professor at UW. So for three years we planned our trip. I insisted that somehow we spend time in France to fulfill my desires of so many years before even though my husband speaks not a word of French.
In 1995, when Kaley was 7 and Lucas was 10, we packed up our belongings, rented out our Mukilteo house and settled in Lyon, France. We rented a house in St. Didier, a small village outside of Lyon which essentially had become a suburb in the same way Mukilteo, originally a small ferry town, has become a suburb of Seattle. Hubby took the bus to his work with the Cancer Research Branch of the World Health Organization in downtown Lyon while I home schooled the children. Every weekend, we traveled. My only regret was that we did not stay longer than 4 months; this was not enough time for me to become fluent nor was it enough time for the children to become integrated. Ever since, both of our kids have been determined to finish what we started.
But, the amazing thing that happened was the influence on my children's language abilities. I had both of them enrolled in private French classes through the PTA at our public elementary school before we left. Nobody spoke English in Lyon so we limped by on my terrible French but the kids heard French being spoken constantly--even on the TV we had. Furthermore, there were two children in our St. Didier cul de sac who impressed upon Lucas and Kaley the importance of multi-lingualism. The boy, 12, and the girl, 5, each spoke perfect English, Spanish, and French. One day in our house, I had six kids playing together--my two who only spoke English, two French girls, and the other two.
This was one of the most amazing days in my life listening to the tiny multi-linguists seamlessly flipping between French and English and translating so they could all play together. Lucas and Kaley have both followed up with taking French to this day and Lucas is motivated to learn Spanish as well. So when Lucas receives compliments on his accent, I feel proud and I know why!
And there he is--pursuing his dreams!
Lucas also has Live Journal now where he is telling about his experiences. (Just a warning--my son doesn't censor his language.)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/grizluke85/
// posted by Janet @ 7:31 AM
0 comments
Monday, September 26, 2005
From Menopause to Homecoming
My head is spinning a little this morning. It could be the events of the weekend or maybe because Dave and his wine group just bottled this year's merlot. We sampled last night--of course, very young but potentially very very good. This is going to be all out of order but what a roller coaster the last few days mostly surrounding my daughter. The boy she told her friends to tell to ask her to Homecoming asked someone else. We had tears again last night and what a helpless feeling. "Hey Dave, let's sample a little more of that merlot!!" Seriously, I went to bed last night so upset about my daughter with a little prayer to calm her heart, my heart and to give her peace. It was all I could do. It's hard being a Mom.
The alarm went off at 5:55 startling me awake and I pull on my sweats and stumble down the front steps in the dark to get my three newspapers. Vandals had been in our yard. I knew we should put Lucas's Jeep with the provocative bumper stickers about our president in the garage. A sign was pushed into my newly planted planter box and it was pointing toward the Jeep. Since Lucas's Jeep had been broken into at our old house up the hill a couple of years ago, I was certain to see it egged or worse. Wait a minute!!! The Jeep is fine so I look at the sign again. What in the world?? "HC ??" OH! Oh my! Oh my! I run downstairs to wake up Kaley.
Down in the right hand corner was R.S.V.P.A.P. Oh my goodness, Kaley could not believe it. The arrow was actually pointing not at the Jeep but to a boy's house a few houses up the hill from us and those were his initials. This boy has graduated but somehow through the computer, through instant messaging, via live journals and through an entirely different world than we had, he knew what he should do when Kaley's original choice fell through. (It doesn't hurt that the original choice asked A.P.'s ex-girlfriend.) Of all of the boys on the planet, Kaley would have chosen this one to begin with but since he had graduated, she didn't think he'd be interested. Believe me there were no tears this morning. I reflected back to my little prayer last night. A lot of lessons here. Needless to say, we are going dress shopping today after school.
So while my daughter is facing a new and exciting world, I am facing the eventual winding down of my life. "Menopause!" My mother couldn't even say the word out loud and what does our generation do about it? We turn it into a musical and celebrate it. On Saturday night, most of the women of Mukilteo and Edmonds, including me, crowded into a Navigator limo, and headed to downtown Seattle. After champagne in the limo, and dinner at downtown restaurant where we got to see one of our U.S. Senators, Patty Murray who we love, we went to this screamingly funny musical. Most of these women were from my church but that did not stop us from going on the stage afterwards and kicking up our legs in celebration of our new freedom.
I'm the tall one with the curly hair and the pink scarf, holding a jacket.
Ah yes, life is a continuing adventure whether you are young or old.
My head is spinning a little this morning. It could be the events of the weekend or maybe because Dave and his wine group just bottled this year's merlot. We sampled last night--of course, very young but potentially very very good. This is going to be all out of order but what a roller coaster the last few days mostly surrounding my daughter. The boy she told her friends to tell to ask her to Homecoming asked someone else. We had tears again last night and what a helpless feeling. "Hey Dave, let's sample a little more of that merlot!!" Seriously, I went to bed last night so upset about my daughter with a little prayer to calm her heart, my heart and to give her peace. It was all I could do. It's hard being a Mom.
The alarm went off at 5:55 startling me awake and I pull on my sweats and stumble down the front steps in the dark to get my three newspapers. Vandals had been in our yard. I knew we should put Lucas's Jeep with the provocative bumper stickers about our president in the garage. A sign was pushed into my newly planted planter box and it was pointing toward the Jeep. Since Lucas's Jeep had been broken into at our old house up the hill a couple of years ago, I was certain to see it egged or worse. Wait a minute!!! The Jeep is fine so I look at the sign again. What in the world?? "HC ??" OH! Oh my! Oh my! I run downstairs to wake up Kaley.
Down in the right hand corner was R.S.V.P.A.P. Oh my goodness, Kaley could not believe it. The arrow was actually pointing not at the Jeep but to a boy's house a few houses up the hill from us and those were his initials. This boy has graduated but somehow through the computer, through instant messaging, via live journals and through an entirely different world than we had, he knew what he should do when Kaley's original choice fell through. (It doesn't hurt that the original choice asked A.P.'s ex-girlfriend.) Of all of the boys on the planet, Kaley would have chosen this one to begin with but since he had graduated, she didn't think he'd be interested. Believe me there were no tears this morning. I reflected back to my little prayer last night. A lot of lessons here. Needless to say, we are going dress shopping today after school.
So while my daughter is facing a new and exciting world, I am facing the eventual winding down of my life. "Menopause!" My mother couldn't even say the word out loud and what does our generation do about it? We turn it into a musical and celebrate it. On Saturday night, most of the women of Mukilteo and Edmonds, including me, crowded into a Navigator limo, and headed to downtown Seattle. After champagne in the limo, and dinner at downtown restaurant where we got to see one of our U.S. Senators, Patty Murray who we love, we went to this screamingly funny musical. Most of these women were from my church but that did not stop us from going on the stage afterwards and kicking up our legs in celebration of our new freedom.
I'm the tall one with the curly hair and the pink scarf, holding a jacket.
Ah yes, life is a continuing adventure whether you are young or old.
// posted by Janet @ 8:27 AM
0 comments
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Sunset Over the Olympics
October is almost here. For some reason, October is the month we have the most beautiful sunsets--perhaps because of the positioning of the sun with respect to the Olympic Mountains. Because we are so far north, as the year goes by, I see the sun set and move from the southern sky over Edmonds to my northern sky toward Everett. I remember when we first moved to Seattle, I worked in the Central building downtown on Third. My office had a view between buildings to the water and that first October, the sunsets would mezmerize me. Everything must have been perfectly positioned between our cement monoliths. Oh my gosh, I just solved the mystery of Stonehenge!!
Last night, I tried to capture the sunset which is really hard to do without a wide angle lens because the view expands from my left all the way to the right. But here is a little snippet:
October is almost here. For some reason, October is the month we have the most beautiful sunsets--perhaps because of the positioning of the sun with respect to the Olympic Mountains. Because we are so far north, as the year goes by, I see the sun set and move from the southern sky over Edmonds to my northern sky toward Everett. I remember when we first moved to Seattle, I worked in the Central building downtown on Third. My office had a view between buildings to the water and that first October, the sunsets would mezmerize me. Everything must have been perfectly positioned between our cement monoliths. Oh my gosh, I just solved the mystery of Stonehenge!!
Last night, I tried to capture the sunset which is really hard to do without a wide angle lens because the view expands from my left all the way to the right. But here is a little snippet:
// posted by Janet @ 10:15 AM
0 comments
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Has My Son Become a Celebrity? Already?
An update: Lucas is settled into his dorm at the University of Rennes. Evidently, he is the only male international student from the United States. Oops! I am supposed to say he is from Mukilteo, a small town not terribly far from Vancouver, B.C. Anyway, he has met several girls from the East Coast. He was a little surprised that the dorm bathrooms are co-ed. But actually, so are our bathrooms in our house so he is used to sharing with girls. Besides, he tells me, there are plenty of doors and uncomfortably no toilet seats to leave up--just the bowl part.
But the e-mail from him today made me laugh. Ok, I think my son is quite cute and I guess he was interviewed by a reporter for French TV at an international student fair. The reporter complimented him on his French. Lucas's understated response to this thrilling event was simply, "It was neat." I hope to get more information from him about this. My son speaks French! He has no TV access so he won't get to see himself.
In the meantime some pictures from home since he has a computer, figured out the adapter, will soon get wireless, AND he is a block from an internet cafe:
Sunset a couple of nights ago--mountains peaking out!
Olympic Mountains yesterday--no snow yet!
An update: Lucas is settled into his dorm at the University of Rennes. Evidently, he is the only male international student from the United States. Oops! I am supposed to say he is from Mukilteo, a small town not terribly far from Vancouver, B.C. Anyway, he has met several girls from the East Coast. He was a little surprised that the dorm bathrooms are co-ed. But actually, so are our bathrooms in our house so he is used to sharing with girls. Besides, he tells me, there are plenty of doors and uncomfortably no toilet seats to leave up--just the bowl part.
But the e-mail from him today made me laugh. Ok, I think my son is quite cute and I guess he was interviewed by a reporter for French TV at an international student fair. The reporter complimented him on his French. Lucas's understated response to this thrilling event was simply, "It was neat." I hope to get more information from him about this. My son speaks French! He has no TV access so he won't get to see himself.
In the meantime some pictures from home since he has a computer, figured out the adapter, will soon get wireless, AND he is a block from an internet cafe:
Sunset a couple of nights ago--mountains peaking out!
Olympic Mountains yesterday--no snow yet!
// posted by Janet @ 7:40 AM
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Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Grey's Anatomy
Well, well! The newish TV medical show, "Grey's Anatomy" is set in a fictional Seattle hospital though it seems to kind of obviously be UW Hospital and Medical Center. They had done no filming here until now. It just so happens the director, Peter Horton, is from Bellevue and he is anxious to show us off. This type of thing always worries me because we do not need anymore people to move here.
Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of movies and television shows being filmed here. It is good for our economy. Unfortunately, Vancouver gives the industry a better deal than we do so a lot more of this type of thing is happening up there. It bugs us, though, when something filmed in Vancouver is supposed to be Seattle like that movie, "Double Jeopardy" with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. The best is when we have filming here but the setting is elsewhere. This happened right here in Mukilteo a few years ago with the TV show, "The Fugitive".
Four of five years ago, they tried to revive "The Fugitive" by having Tim Daly be the star. The thought was that each episode would be set in a different place in the country but all of it was filmed right here in the Mukilteo/Edmonds/Everett area. The headquarters was only a few blocks from my house. Actually, it was kind of exciting for a while.
They asked for a lot of extras and I think I sent in an application. They never called me but they did call a good friend of mine. The clincher was she is about a size 4. If I recall, she had to do a lot of waiting and standing around in clothing that was not terribly warm in and near a seedy old hotel in Everett; she did not like the other extras or the food; and when it was all said and done, you could barely see her in a split second in the background in one episode. The most exciting part for her was she was having make-up applied in the same room and at the same time as Tim Daly. However, he refused to look around or acknowledge anyone in the room.
The most exciting part for me was that the headquarters was on my walking route with my then Golden Retriever, Jeb. At times, filming was going on in the lots and fields surrounding the headquarters. You know, the fugitive was always running away and being chased and frequently, blood hounds were needed to sniff the fugitive out of his hiding places. As Jeb and I were walking along innocently, a truck with several blood hounds in the back slowly drove by us on the way to the set a block away. They let loose with barking, proclaiming to my Jeb that they were famous TV and movie stars and he was just a nobody. Jeb responded with enough growling and barking for all of them obviously telling them "to get their sorry pampered behinds" out of his Mukilteo. A few weeks later, we saw those mean dogs on TV. I do believe the show was canceled before the first season even finished.
So anyway, they are filming some scenes of Grey's Anatomy in and around the Puget Sound area. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/241344_tv20.html (some good photos there of the star Patrick Dempsey who plays Dr. Shepherd--Mmmm!) And a quote:
"The difference with "Grey's" is that Horton hails from Bellevue and saw an opportunity to show off the region he loves. This season we'll see characters engaged in heavy conversation on a pier, strolling downtown and chatting on a balcony at Fisher Plaza, the stand-in for Seattle Grace. Mount Si, North Bend and Queen Anne, all places that Horton says feel specific to Seattle, will guest star at some point. (Friday's ferry scenes should show up around Thanksgiving.)
...That's one of the great things about being up here. It's not just the Space Needle. There are a lot of markers that are specific to the city."
That showed during Friday's ferry trip, as Horton rushed around the deck with a smile on his face. First he placed shots that captured the skyline in the background, then filmed aerial takes from a helicopter circling the vessel as Dempsey sternly walked past extras and smiling passengers hidden behind smoky glass again, and again, and again. A lot of television, he explained, is about the "hurry up and wait."
From his point of view, there are worse places he could be doing that than a ferry on Puget Sound.
"We need to spend more time here," Dempsey said. "If the show is about personal relationships, we need to expand that and show what their relationship is to the city. I'm certainly lobbying for that. I'm falling in love with the city, and I want to spend more time up here. ... There's nothing that makes you feel like Seattle in Burbank." "
All I can say is--I know Seattle puts smiles on peoples' faces. You can't help yourself--especially on a ferry on our water. But please don't look too happy!!
Well, well! The newish TV medical show, "Grey's Anatomy" is set in a fictional Seattle hospital though it seems to kind of obviously be UW Hospital and Medical Center. They had done no filming here until now. It just so happens the director, Peter Horton, is from Bellevue and he is anxious to show us off. This type of thing always worries me because we do not need anymore people to move here.
Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of movies and television shows being filmed here. It is good for our economy. Unfortunately, Vancouver gives the industry a better deal than we do so a lot more of this type of thing is happening up there. It bugs us, though, when something filmed in Vancouver is supposed to be Seattle like that movie, "Double Jeopardy" with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. The best is when we have filming here but the setting is elsewhere. This happened right here in Mukilteo a few years ago with the TV show, "The Fugitive".
Four of five years ago, they tried to revive "The Fugitive" by having Tim Daly be the star. The thought was that each episode would be set in a different place in the country but all of it was filmed right here in the Mukilteo/Edmonds/Everett area. The headquarters was only a few blocks from my house. Actually, it was kind of exciting for a while.
They asked for a lot of extras and I think I sent in an application. They never called me but they did call a good friend of mine. The clincher was she is about a size 4. If I recall, she had to do a lot of waiting and standing around in clothing that was not terribly warm in and near a seedy old hotel in Everett; she did not like the other extras or the food; and when it was all said and done, you could barely see her in a split second in the background in one episode. The most exciting part for her was she was having make-up applied in the same room and at the same time as Tim Daly. However, he refused to look around or acknowledge anyone in the room.
The most exciting part for me was that the headquarters was on my walking route with my then Golden Retriever, Jeb. At times, filming was going on in the lots and fields surrounding the headquarters. You know, the fugitive was always running away and being chased and frequently, blood hounds were needed to sniff the fugitive out of his hiding places. As Jeb and I were walking along innocently, a truck with several blood hounds in the back slowly drove by us on the way to the set a block away. They let loose with barking, proclaiming to my Jeb that they were famous TV and movie stars and he was just a nobody. Jeb responded with enough growling and barking for all of them obviously telling them "to get their sorry pampered behinds" out of his Mukilteo. A few weeks later, we saw those mean dogs on TV. I do believe the show was canceled before the first season even finished.
So anyway, they are filming some scenes of Grey's Anatomy in and around the Puget Sound area. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/241344_tv20.html (some good photos there of the star Patrick Dempsey who plays Dr. Shepherd--Mmmm!) And a quote:
"The difference with "Grey's" is that Horton hails from Bellevue and saw an opportunity to show off the region he loves. This season we'll see characters engaged in heavy conversation on a pier, strolling downtown and chatting on a balcony at Fisher Plaza, the stand-in for Seattle Grace. Mount Si, North Bend and Queen Anne, all places that Horton says feel specific to Seattle, will guest star at some point. (Friday's ferry scenes should show up around Thanksgiving.)
...That's one of the great things about being up here. It's not just the Space Needle. There are a lot of markers that are specific to the city."
That showed during Friday's ferry trip, as Horton rushed around the deck with a smile on his face. First he placed shots that captured the skyline in the background, then filmed aerial takes from a helicopter circling the vessel as Dempsey sternly walked past extras and smiling passengers hidden behind smoky glass again, and again, and again. A lot of television, he explained, is about the "hurry up and wait."
From his point of view, there are worse places he could be doing that than a ferry on Puget Sound.
"We need to spend more time here," Dempsey said. "If the show is about personal relationships, we need to expand that and show what their relationship is to the city. I'm certainly lobbying for that. I'm falling in love with the city, and I want to spend more time up here. ... There's nothing that makes you feel like Seattle in Burbank." "
All I can say is--I know Seattle puts smiles on peoples' faces. You can't help yourself--especially on a ferry on our water. But please don't look too happy!!
// posted by Janet @ 10:08 AM
0 comments
Monday, September 19, 2005
He is Not Mine Anymore
When Lucas went off to college, it wasn't so bad. He even put on his internet profile some remark I had made that his Mother did not miss him. What I actually meant was that I wasn't as devastated as I thought I'd be. But today is different.
Yesterday morning, the front door was open. The air was cool and we could see lights across the dark water. At 5:30 AM in the middle of September, the sun had not yet come up. Dave was sitting on the front steps waiting for Lucas and me. The backpacks and suitcase were in the car with new red and white Canadian maple leaf flag patches sewn on the flaps. I love my country but the world does not so it was recommended that all American T-shirts be left at home. Lucas and his friend Denny who is off to Italy had their Moms do a little sewing to help deflect American identity.
As I walked out of my bedroom into the fresh coolness of the entry way, the tears tumbled down my cheeks when I saw the shadows. Lucas was on the floor in the dark family room whispering to his puppy. Apolo's head was in his lap; he was too sleepy to understand what was happening. How can a boy tell his dog good bye? How can a boy explain that he will not be here to throw him sticks or to take him hiking for another year? "I'm glad he is stupid! He'll forget me tomorrow."
Lucas's humor always has a way of diffusing negative situations. Like the night before at dinner---Kaley has been so sad for the fourth year in a row that no boy has asked her to the Homecoming Dance. I never know how to comfort her because she is so beautiful and talented, I do not understand why myself. Lucas very matter of factly told her boys are probably terrified of her and there are only two reasons boys ask girls to a prom anyway:
1) Because they are good friends and they get roped into it just because the girls just want to get "all pretty and everything and get a fancy dress" or
2) they want "you know!" and they think they'll get "you know"
And then Lucas declared that the dances mean nothing and you forget about them in college anyway. Period. Don't worry about stupid things. He has such a way with his little sister and he can say things to her that I could never say. But, when he figuratively slaps her and tells her to "snap out of it" like in that movie "Moonstruck", it works.
Our family will miss this terrific young man as he studies at the University of Rennes in France. Lucas was the easiest child a Mom could ever have. I want to keep him but I can't because he is grown now. When he went off to Missoula, I felt like I had thrown him like a frisbee out into the world but only a little ways. He wasn't far from his Grandma. And I'd get him back every few weeks. But today is different. He is gone. And I am just devastated.
Lucas 10, "Jed" 8, and Kaley 7
Jed's last trip to the beach before he died of cancer in 1995.
When Lucas went off to college, it wasn't so bad. He even put on his internet profile some remark I had made that his Mother did not miss him. What I actually meant was that I wasn't as devastated as I thought I'd be. But today is different.
Yesterday morning, the front door was open. The air was cool and we could see lights across the dark water. At 5:30 AM in the middle of September, the sun had not yet come up. Dave was sitting on the front steps waiting for Lucas and me. The backpacks and suitcase were in the car with new red and white Canadian maple leaf flag patches sewn on the flaps. I love my country but the world does not so it was recommended that all American T-shirts be left at home. Lucas and his friend Denny who is off to Italy had their Moms do a little sewing to help deflect American identity.
As I walked out of my bedroom into the fresh coolness of the entry way, the tears tumbled down my cheeks when I saw the shadows. Lucas was on the floor in the dark family room whispering to his puppy. Apolo's head was in his lap; he was too sleepy to understand what was happening. How can a boy tell his dog good bye? How can a boy explain that he will not be here to throw him sticks or to take him hiking for another year? "I'm glad he is stupid! He'll forget me tomorrow."
Lucas's humor always has a way of diffusing negative situations. Like the night before at dinner---Kaley has been so sad for the fourth year in a row that no boy has asked her to the Homecoming Dance. I never know how to comfort her because she is so beautiful and talented, I do not understand why myself. Lucas very matter of factly told her boys are probably terrified of her and there are only two reasons boys ask girls to a prom anyway:
1) Because they are good friends and they get roped into it just because the girls just want to get "all pretty and everything and get a fancy dress" or
2) they want "you know!" and they think they'll get "you know"
And then Lucas declared that the dances mean nothing and you forget about them in college anyway. Period. Don't worry about stupid things. He has such a way with his little sister and he can say things to her that I could never say. But, when he figuratively slaps her and tells her to "snap out of it" like in that movie "Moonstruck", it works.
Our family will miss this terrific young man as he studies at the University of Rennes in France. Lucas was the easiest child a Mom could ever have. I want to keep him but I can't because he is grown now. When he went off to Missoula, I felt like I had thrown him like a frisbee out into the world but only a little ways. He wasn't far from his Grandma. And I'd get him back every few weeks. But today is different. He is gone. And I am just devastated.
Lucas 10, "Jed" 8, and Kaley 7
Jed's last trip to the beach before he died of cancer in 1995.
// posted by Janet @ 1:34 PM
0 comments
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Of Husbands and Halibut
Of late, a controversy has been resurrected that I thought had been taken care of in, say, 1925. Questions about "evolution" are being asked out loud again after all of these years. I think it is a political attempt to create division among us where none needs to be. My Dad was a science teacher and my husband is a scientist. Folks, there ain't no doubt about evolution in the same way there is no doubt about gravity. All of the scientific research that goes on today that is saving your lives is based upon the fact of it. However, we do not exactly know all of the "hows" and that is where God comes in, I guess. My family has read Genesis including the different versions of the creation story and we see no conflict; the Bible explains it pretty well considering what they had to work with in those days. Evolution happened and it is still happening and I have proof.
Have you ever seen a halibut? I am not talking about the beautiful white meat highlighted with a luscious sauce served to you in a restaurant. I am referring to a halibut up close before he hits the dinner plate. Think about a proud macho King salmon with his hooked nose swimming upstream in a gorgeous clear Canadian river, dorsal fin straight up. This is how fish started and then evolution took over. Somehow, one day, Harry, the fish must have been tipsy or lazy or something and he began to swim on his side. I sort of like to think of salmon as akin to Lance Armstrong with endurance beyond reality. But halibut--they are kind of like husbands who enjoy watching Lance while comfortable in their recliners.
Without enough energy, slowly Harry found himself reclining on the bottom of the sea in the mud. But then Harry realized he liked it this way. He could hide in the mud, not move much and get food a little easier. Bigger predators like the kind that swallowed Jonah did not notice Harry blended on the bottom if he kept still. All of the little Harry's decided to copy Dad maybe because it was fun to wallow amongst the rocks. A few years later, Harry realized he'd be better off if that eye on the one side of his head moved to the top because he could not see out of it while it was down in the mud all day. And then another thing happened. Half of his mouth was down in the mud, too, so it kind of moved over making it easier to eat without so much grit in his food. Finally, Harry the halibut lost the coloring on one side because it was flopped in the sediment with no exposure to sunlight. His "top" side turned a lovely shade of muck. (When humans catch halibut, in order to not scare people, they like to show off only the pretty white "bottoms" or "side down".) Interestingly, today, Harry's great great great grandchildren are born with a normal mouth and eyes on either side of their head just like fish who swim upright. As they develop, facial features move around so the babies look like Mommy and Daddy.
Unlike Harry's cousin, beautiful Samuel King Salmon, Harry is homely---really really homely. When you rest in the mud all day and kind of look like the bottom of the sea, I guess that is enough to attract Hilda Halibut. Come to think of it, though our husbands seemingly hide from us in their recliners and seem to be taking on the characteristics of their perch, we still really like them. There just are not enough Lance Armstrongs to go around anyway. Wives, have you noticed as the years go by our husbands sprout hair in very ape-like patterns? Also, I have observed as the years have taken a toll on my husband's back, for the past week he has been walking completely hunched over. My scientist husband even remarked, the discs in our lower backs were made for gorillas. There ya go!!
I tell my children, anytime they get into a needless "discussion" of creationism, intelligent design, or evolution, just ask.....
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A HALIBUT??
Of late, a controversy has been resurrected that I thought had been taken care of in, say, 1925. Questions about "evolution" are being asked out loud again after all of these years. I think it is a political attempt to create division among us where none needs to be. My Dad was a science teacher and my husband is a scientist. Folks, there ain't no doubt about evolution in the same way there is no doubt about gravity. All of the scientific research that goes on today that is saving your lives is based upon the fact of it. However, we do not exactly know all of the "hows" and that is where God comes in, I guess. My family has read Genesis including the different versions of the creation story and we see no conflict; the Bible explains it pretty well considering what they had to work with in those days. Evolution happened and it is still happening and I have proof.
Have you ever seen a halibut? I am not talking about the beautiful white meat highlighted with a luscious sauce served to you in a restaurant. I am referring to a halibut up close before he hits the dinner plate. Think about a proud macho King salmon with his hooked nose swimming upstream in a gorgeous clear Canadian river, dorsal fin straight up. This is how fish started and then evolution took over. Somehow, one day, Harry, the fish must have been tipsy or lazy or something and he began to swim on his side. I sort of like to think of salmon as akin to Lance Armstrong with endurance beyond reality. But halibut--they are kind of like husbands who enjoy watching Lance while comfortable in their recliners.
Without enough energy, slowly Harry found himself reclining on the bottom of the sea in the mud. But then Harry realized he liked it this way. He could hide in the mud, not move much and get food a little easier. Bigger predators like the kind that swallowed Jonah did not notice Harry blended on the bottom if he kept still. All of the little Harry's decided to copy Dad maybe because it was fun to wallow amongst the rocks. A few years later, Harry realized he'd be better off if that eye on the one side of his head moved to the top because he could not see out of it while it was down in the mud all day. And then another thing happened. Half of his mouth was down in the mud, too, so it kind of moved over making it easier to eat without so much grit in his food. Finally, Harry the halibut lost the coloring on one side because it was flopped in the sediment with no exposure to sunlight. His "top" side turned a lovely shade of muck. (When humans catch halibut, in order to not scare people, they like to show off only the pretty white "bottoms" or "side down".) Interestingly, today, Harry's great great great grandchildren are born with a normal mouth and eyes on either side of their head just like fish who swim upright. As they develop, facial features move around so the babies look like Mommy and Daddy.
Unlike Harry's cousin, beautiful Samuel King Salmon, Harry is homely---really really homely. When you rest in the mud all day and kind of look like the bottom of the sea, I guess that is enough to attract Hilda Halibut. Come to think of it, though our husbands seemingly hide from us in their recliners and seem to be taking on the characteristics of their perch, we still really like them. There just are not enough Lance Armstrongs to go around anyway. Wives, have you noticed as the years go by our husbands sprout hair in very ape-like patterns? Also, I have observed as the years have taken a toll on my husband's back, for the past week he has been walking completely hunched over. My scientist husband even remarked, the discs in our lower backs were made for gorillas. There ya go!!
I tell my children, anytime they get into a needless "discussion" of creationism, intelligent design, or evolution, just ask.....
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A HALIBUT??
// posted by Janet @ 7:15 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Yea, It Looks Like a Mosque
This building has been so much a part of my entire life from the time I can remember that I do not even think about it anymore. But visitors to Helena must be completely confused about why such a structure exists in this small old mining town.
Helena Civic Center
This is not a mosque but is in fact the Helena Civic Center. It houses the police station, the fire station, and its ballroom and stage are the venues for concerts and dances. This is what it was when I was a kid and this is what it is today. I had never really questioned this building until my kids wondered about it during visits to Gramma's house. Gold certainly had something to do with it but its orginal purpose was an Algerian Shrine Masonic temple. I have found conflicting information on the date it was built but the 1935 earthquake damaged it. The city then purchased it and restored it for use as a town hall.
Both my husband and his brother had visits to the police station for various rowdy teenager things. His brother, now a respected physician in Spokane, thought it would be fun to use fire extinguishers on drunks in the street outside of Helena's numerous bars. Dave, on the other hand, had to call his parents from the mosque in 1968 after being in a skirmish with an African American kid. The teen dances are held in the back so it is convenient for the police--they just haul the kids around to the front where the police station is. 1968--the police overreacted. Though I wasn't dating Dave at the time, I knew all of those involved. The police were afraid of a race riot. The truth of the matter was that it was over a girl. Both Dave and this other kid liked the same girl and Dave thought the other kid was being very rude to her during a rather public break up at the dance. Knowing my husband as I do, he would have punched anyone in these circumstances without regard to race, religion, or creed.
Ah, but most importantly, the Helena Civic Center is the site of my first date with my husband. I was 16 and he was 17. He invited me to a Grassroots concert in November of 1969 and well, that was it.
Helena's Third Landmark
State Capitol
St. Helena Cathedral, the Helena Civic Center, the Capitol building are the three visible structures that define Helena. I am not exactly sure what keeps Helena going economically. The downtown area is basically empty and destroyed thanks to the big box businesses that moved in. (Yes, and I mean Wal-Mart) To be honest, the trend away from downtown began with the completion of the first mall when I was in the sixth grade. Downtown at Christmas time was very special when I was a little girl. Main street, known as Last Chance Gulch, shared a couple of nice department stores, smaller clothing stores, shoe stores, a Woolworth's, a hardware store, and a really fancy nice super duper exceptional jewelry store known as Eaton-Turner. All is now gone with one exception. The Parrot Soda Shop, remarkably, is still going strong with the best chocolate sodas in the nation. The same family owns it; they have changed nothing including the teenager names carved in the booths. http://www.is.helena.k12.mt.us/Pbl/Tusler/helbldgs/bldgs.htm#Parrot
State and Federal government, small businesses, and Carroll College, a private Catholic school, keep things going along with a sprinkling of tourists.
This building has been so much a part of my entire life from the time I can remember that I do not even think about it anymore. But visitors to Helena must be completely confused about why such a structure exists in this small old mining town.
Helena Civic Center
This is not a mosque but is in fact the Helena Civic Center. It houses the police station, the fire station, and its ballroom and stage are the venues for concerts and dances. This is what it was when I was a kid and this is what it is today. I had never really questioned this building until my kids wondered about it during visits to Gramma's house. Gold certainly had something to do with it but its orginal purpose was an Algerian Shrine Masonic temple. I have found conflicting information on the date it was built but the 1935 earthquake damaged it. The city then purchased it and restored it for use as a town hall.
Both my husband and his brother had visits to the police station for various rowdy teenager things. His brother, now a respected physician in Spokane, thought it would be fun to use fire extinguishers on drunks in the street outside of Helena's numerous bars. Dave, on the other hand, had to call his parents from the mosque in 1968 after being in a skirmish with an African American kid. The teen dances are held in the back so it is convenient for the police--they just haul the kids around to the front where the police station is. 1968--the police overreacted. Though I wasn't dating Dave at the time, I knew all of those involved. The police were afraid of a race riot. The truth of the matter was that it was over a girl. Both Dave and this other kid liked the same girl and Dave thought the other kid was being very rude to her during a rather public break up at the dance. Knowing my husband as I do, he would have punched anyone in these circumstances without regard to race, religion, or creed.
Ah, but most importantly, the Helena Civic Center is the site of my first date with my husband. I was 16 and he was 17. He invited me to a Grassroots concert in November of 1969 and well, that was it.
Helena's Third Landmark
State Capitol
St. Helena Cathedral, the Helena Civic Center, the Capitol building are the three visible structures that define Helena. I am not exactly sure what keeps Helena going economically. The downtown area is basically empty and destroyed thanks to the big box businesses that moved in. (Yes, and I mean Wal-Mart) To be honest, the trend away from downtown began with the completion of the first mall when I was in the sixth grade. Downtown at Christmas time was very special when I was a little girl. Main street, known as Last Chance Gulch, shared a couple of nice department stores, smaller clothing stores, shoe stores, a Woolworth's, a hardware store, and a really fancy nice super duper exceptional jewelry store known as Eaton-Turner. All is now gone with one exception. The Parrot Soda Shop, remarkably, is still going strong with the best chocolate sodas in the nation. The same family owns it; they have changed nothing including the teenager names carved in the booths. http://www.is.helena.k12.mt.us/Pbl/Tusler/helbldgs/bldgs.htm#Parrot
State and Federal government, small businesses, and Carroll College, a private Catholic school, keep things going along with a sprinkling of tourists.
// posted by Janet @ 8:32 AM
0 comments
Monday, September 12, 2005
Katrina
Helena had a devastating earthquake in 1935 and all of the buildings and homes I have posted below obviously came through unscathed. It has been unclear to me but some of the historic areas of New Orleans will be ok but undoubtedly thousands of old lovely homes must have been destroyed. After writing my memories of the Victorian homes of Helena, this makes me sad. New Orleans is a lot older than Helena, too, by about 100-150 years.
I am still so upset by all of this. I saw on TV a man manage to get back to his home by boat to rescue his two dogs. I started sobbing. They were so happy to see their master. My brain cannot even comprehend the children who are missing their parents or the parents missing their kids. And all of the grammas and granpas who have perished! Our church has sent some supplies and tomorrow we are sending school supplies. It seems like so little. A good place to donate money is Episcopal Relief and Development.
http://er-d.org/
It is interesting but true. I tell people that you do not have to worry about Episcopalians pushing their beliefs as a condition to receiving aid.
Helena had a devastating earthquake in 1935 and all of the buildings and homes I have posted below obviously came through unscathed. It has been unclear to me but some of the historic areas of New Orleans will be ok but undoubtedly thousands of old lovely homes must have been destroyed. After writing my memories of the Victorian homes of Helena, this makes me sad. New Orleans is a lot older than Helena, too, by about 100-150 years.
I am still so upset by all of this. I saw on TV a man manage to get back to his home by boat to rescue his two dogs. I started sobbing. They were so happy to see their master. My brain cannot even comprehend the children who are missing their parents or the parents missing their kids. And all of the grammas and granpas who have perished! Our church has sent some supplies and tomorrow we are sending school supplies. It seems like so little. A good place to donate money is Episcopal Relief and Development.
http://er-d.org/
It is interesting but true. I tell people that you do not have to worry about Episcopalians pushing their beliefs as a condition to receiving aid.
// posted by Janet @ 2:37 PM
0 comments
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Helena's Homes Continued
Ringo's House
Ringo lived kitty corner across the street at this house and man oh man, was he mean! Ringo was the canine member of this family and he was a collie mix. He attacked our Golden Retriever, Laddie, when he was a puppy and from then on a hatred excisted between the two that would have resulted in a fight to the death if humans did not prevent it. Actually, the large Roman Catholic family that lived here was really nice.
I identify them as Roman Catholic for the simple reason that the kids who lived in these big houses with all of their brothers and sisters did not go to the same school as I did----so we were friends but not classmates. Slowly, many of the Catholic families started to send their kids to public school because frankly, Helena schools were and are excellent. Soon when I entered high school, there were more Catholic kids in our school than the Catholic high school. (At that time, Helena had one public high school and one Catholic high school.) So for financial reasons the Catholic Diocese closed their high school and all of those kids came to our school the year I was a junior. This caused our school to practically burst and we had to go to shifts to manage 2000 kids in a three year school. Since they were our cross town rivals, all of the parents expected riots but actually, it was great. Our basketball and football teams finally went to State! Moreover, I was in school with some of my neighborhood friends including the girl my age who lived in this house.
Yes, indeed! They had Halloween parties, too. They were just scarier in these houses, I guess. Just as in the houses below, I have a memory of running in and out the back door to the kitchen. We used to play "Mother May I" on the back stair case. Each of these homes would have the grand staircase in the front rooms near the front door constructed with incredible detail out of gorgeous woods and they also had the dreary back stair case off of the kitchen. As children, we were always supposed to use the back stairs to run up to the bedrooms or the third floor ball rooms to play. I think back in the day, when these places were first built, the servants used these stairs.
The Girl Next Door; The Boy Next Door
I probably remember this house more than any of the others. Three families lived here during the time we lived in our house which was directly across the alley. The first family had two kind of mean boys and I'm serious when I say I heard they ended up in prison. Nevertheless, my brother still played with them. Our dog Laddie was great friends with their chihuahua. What a sight! In those days nobody tied their dogs so our big Golden Retriever hung out with this teeny tiny thing. To be honest, I was glad when they moved.
When I was about 10, a--yes--large Roman Catholic family moved in and they had a girl named Carol exactly my age who became a really good friend. And this is why I remember the inside of this house so well. We played dress up because she had a big sister who had a lot of old prom dresses. I loved pretending to be a princess in the top floor ballroom. We also played with Barbie dolls when they first were introduced to the American economy. My thumb has a scar on it to this day from a time we made fudge and I burned myself. Carol at age 12 got to be a bridesmaid in her big sister's wedding and of course, the wedding was in St. Helena Cathedral, pictured below. It was such a fairy tale.
Unfortunately, this family moved away before I reached high school. The home was purchased by--horror of horrors--the most popular kid ever in the history of Helena. I went from having free and unfettered access to being afraid to even walk down my alley for fear "the kid" would see me. How awkward at age 13! The very last time I was in this house was at the end of the ninth grade. Our ninth grade was still a part of the Helena Junior High and my Dad was the principal which is an entirely separate blog issue.
"The kid" decided to throw a graduation party and since the principal conveniently lived just steps from his back kitchen door, he asked my parents to be the chaperones. Obviously, he could not ask my Dad to be at the party without inviting the chubby ugly girl with glasses and braces who happened to be his daughter. YUCK! At least he invited some of my friends so I wasn't totally humiliated. Well, I take that back because he invited the boy I had a crush on, too, and oh my God, my parents were there.
The last time I saw the cherry wood stair case, I was hanging on to it frozen with fear and afraid to make a move.
One Last House
I've never been in this one which is located in the central part of town and I do not know anything about it. When I was little, this was considered kind of an icky part of the city and this house was in disrepair. Nevertheless, I always thought it was interesting. Sure enough, in more recent years and after urban renewal, there is no more icky part of Helena and this home has been redone.
Ringo's House
Ringo lived kitty corner across the street at this house and man oh man, was he mean! Ringo was the canine member of this family and he was a collie mix. He attacked our Golden Retriever, Laddie, when he was a puppy and from then on a hatred excisted between the two that would have resulted in a fight to the death if humans did not prevent it. Actually, the large Roman Catholic family that lived here was really nice.
I identify them as Roman Catholic for the simple reason that the kids who lived in these big houses with all of their brothers and sisters did not go to the same school as I did----so we were friends but not classmates. Slowly, many of the Catholic families started to send their kids to public school because frankly, Helena schools were and are excellent. Soon when I entered high school, there were more Catholic kids in our school than the Catholic high school. (At that time, Helena had one public high school and one Catholic high school.) So for financial reasons the Catholic Diocese closed their high school and all of those kids came to our school the year I was a junior. This caused our school to practically burst and we had to go to shifts to manage 2000 kids in a three year school. Since they were our cross town rivals, all of the parents expected riots but actually, it was great. Our basketball and football teams finally went to State! Moreover, I was in school with some of my neighborhood friends including the girl my age who lived in this house.
Yes, indeed! They had Halloween parties, too. They were just scarier in these houses, I guess. Just as in the houses below, I have a memory of running in and out the back door to the kitchen. We used to play "Mother May I" on the back stair case. Each of these homes would have the grand staircase in the front rooms near the front door constructed with incredible detail out of gorgeous woods and they also had the dreary back stair case off of the kitchen. As children, we were always supposed to use the back stairs to run up to the bedrooms or the third floor ball rooms to play. I think back in the day, when these places were first built, the servants used these stairs.
The Girl Next Door; The Boy Next Door
I probably remember this house more than any of the others. Three families lived here during the time we lived in our house which was directly across the alley. The first family had two kind of mean boys and I'm serious when I say I heard they ended up in prison. Nevertheless, my brother still played with them. Our dog Laddie was great friends with their chihuahua. What a sight! In those days nobody tied their dogs so our big Golden Retriever hung out with this teeny tiny thing. To be honest, I was glad when they moved.
When I was about 10, a--yes--large Roman Catholic family moved in and they had a girl named Carol exactly my age who became a really good friend. And this is why I remember the inside of this house so well. We played dress up because she had a big sister who had a lot of old prom dresses. I loved pretending to be a princess in the top floor ballroom. We also played with Barbie dolls when they first were introduced to the American economy. My thumb has a scar on it to this day from a time we made fudge and I burned myself. Carol at age 12 got to be a bridesmaid in her big sister's wedding and of course, the wedding was in St. Helena Cathedral, pictured below. It was such a fairy tale.
Unfortunately, this family moved away before I reached high school. The home was purchased by--horror of horrors--the most popular kid ever in the history of Helena. I went from having free and unfettered access to being afraid to even walk down my alley for fear "the kid" would see me. How awkward at age 13! The very last time I was in this house was at the end of the ninth grade. Our ninth grade was still a part of the Helena Junior High and my Dad was the principal which is an entirely separate blog issue.
"The kid" decided to throw a graduation party and since the principal conveniently lived just steps from his back kitchen door, he asked my parents to be the chaperones. Obviously, he could not ask my Dad to be at the party without inviting the chubby ugly girl with glasses and braces who happened to be his daughter. YUCK! At least he invited some of my friends so I wasn't totally humiliated. Well, I take that back because he invited the boy I had a crush on, too, and oh my God, my parents were there.
The last time I saw the cherry wood stair case, I was hanging on to it frozen with fear and afraid to make a move.
One Last House
I've never been in this one which is located in the central part of town and I do not know anything about it. When I was little, this was considered kind of an icky part of the city and this house was in disrepair. Nevertheless, I always thought it was interesting. Sure enough, in more recent years and after urban renewal, there is no more icky part of Helena and this home has been redone.
// posted by Janet @ 1:55 PM
0 comments
Thursday, September 08, 2005
My Childhood Helena---The East Side Victorians
The following homes are in the neighborhood where I grew up and I am intimately familiar with them. To this day I am able to visualize the interiors with the ornate and extensive woodwork and fancy staircases. As a child, my dream was to be able to live in one of these houses. As my life marches on, this is probably not to be. All of these homes have been refurbished and preserved, thankfully.
1.Haunted House
Main House
Carriage house
This is the scary one a block away from our little house. I had to walk by it on dark cold winter nights on the way home from my piano lessons and my imagination went wild. The windows of the carriage house are still broken out and it still gives me the creeps even in broad daylight. My brother spent a lot of time inside playing with the boy who lived there with his Grandmother.
2. My Lie
A large family lived in this house for a short time when I was little. At the time, the place was falling apart but it was still fun to pretend in the large top floor rooms. Two of the children, Mary Catherine and Mary Elizabeth, thought I was spoiled because I had more dolls than they did. They talked to each other in pig Latin and for some reason they assumed I wouldn't understand "oiled--spay". They managed to convince me to lie to my Dad one summer evening when I was not supposed to leave our yard. I do not remember my lie but I remember my Dad's cold disappointment in me. I was so ashamed. Never again did I play with these girls.
3. The Halloween Party
This home was immediately behind my house across the narrow alley. Interestingly, we never went in and out of these places through the massive front doors. The back doors we would run in and out of were always from the kitchens into the alleys. The first family that we knew in this home was one of my favorites. The parents were a combination of Turkish and Greek and at least for one of them, I believe English was a second language. They had two boys--one older and one younger than me and two German Shepherds. Sometimes, they would go to our church because Episcopal was the closest thing Helena had to Orthodox without being Roman Catholic. What I remember was that the Mom was a doctor and it was unusual in those days for a Mom to work let alone be a physician. My Mom really liked her. I played with these boys a lot and what I specifically remember is that they were scary smart.
They had the best parties. I remember going to a terrific Halloween party and when I have talked about it, my husband says, "Hey, I was at that party, too!" Small world. Unfortunately, they moved away before high school. The older boy was named Tony Markellis and I have discovered he has become a rather successful and well-known music producer and bassist. Who knew? [Edit: This is completely unbelievable but Lucas tells me that Trey Anastasio headlined at Seattle's Bumbershoot over this past weekend and Lucas, of course, took them in. Shockingly according to google, Tony Markellis is the bassist in Trey Anastasio's band. Wow! What a small world. Lucas's Mom and Dad went to elementary school with him.]
The next family that moved in had two little boys. I was asked to babysit often. The Mom was an interior designer and she did wonders with the inside of this place. I loved spending time there but I have distinct memories of trying to stay awake at three in the morning staring at the test pattern. These houses, with their Halloween parties, dark corners, and strange noises scared me in the middle of the night. Test patterns kept the shadows at bay.
.....to be continued.
The following homes are in the neighborhood where I grew up and I am intimately familiar with them. To this day I am able to visualize the interiors with the ornate and extensive woodwork and fancy staircases. As a child, my dream was to be able to live in one of these houses. As my life marches on, this is probably not to be. All of these homes have been refurbished and preserved, thankfully.
1.Haunted House
Main House
Carriage house
This is the scary one a block away from our little house. I had to walk by it on dark cold winter nights on the way home from my piano lessons and my imagination went wild. The windows of the carriage house are still broken out and it still gives me the creeps even in broad daylight. My brother spent a lot of time inside playing with the boy who lived there with his Grandmother.
2. My Lie
A large family lived in this house for a short time when I was little. At the time, the place was falling apart but it was still fun to pretend in the large top floor rooms. Two of the children, Mary Catherine and Mary Elizabeth, thought I was spoiled because I had more dolls than they did. They talked to each other in pig Latin and for some reason they assumed I wouldn't understand "oiled--spay". They managed to convince me to lie to my Dad one summer evening when I was not supposed to leave our yard. I do not remember my lie but I remember my Dad's cold disappointment in me. I was so ashamed. Never again did I play with these girls.
3. The Halloween Party
This home was immediately behind my house across the narrow alley. Interestingly, we never went in and out of these places through the massive front doors. The back doors we would run in and out of were always from the kitchens into the alleys. The first family that we knew in this home was one of my favorites. The parents were a combination of Turkish and Greek and at least for one of them, I believe English was a second language. They had two boys--one older and one younger than me and two German Shepherds. Sometimes, they would go to our church because Episcopal was the closest thing Helena had to Orthodox without being Roman Catholic. What I remember was that the Mom was a doctor and it was unusual in those days for a Mom to work let alone be a physician. My Mom really liked her. I played with these boys a lot and what I specifically remember is that they were scary smart.
They had the best parties. I remember going to a terrific Halloween party and when I have talked about it, my husband says, "Hey, I was at that party, too!" Small world. Unfortunately, they moved away before high school. The older boy was named Tony Markellis and I have discovered he has become a rather successful and well-known music producer and bassist. Who knew? [Edit: This is completely unbelievable but Lucas tells me that Trey Anastasio headlined at Seattle's Bumbershoot over this past weekend and Lucas, of course, took them in. Shockingly according to google, Tony Markellis is the bassist in Trey Anastasio's band. Wow! What a small world. Lucas's Mom and Dad went to elementary school with him.]
The next family that moved in had two little boys. I was asked to babysit often. The Mom was an interior designer and she did wonders with the inside of this place. I loved spending time there but I have distinct memories of trying to stay awake at three in the morning staring at the test pattern. These houses, with their Halloween parties, dark corners, and strange noises scared me in the middle of the night. Test patterns kept the shadows at bay.
.....to be continued.
// posted by Janet @ 8:33 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Helena, Montana Continued
Helena is quite undiscovered. It is a gorgeous little city nestled in the Rocky Mountains. When we visited Aspen, Colorado a few years ago, it reminded me a lot of Helena except for the skiing. The best skiing is about 100 miles away near Bozeman though a small ski hill exists near Helena in the ghost town of Marysville. The winters are nasty, however. Everytime I go in the summer I wonder why more people haven't discovered this gem of a town and then I remember winter. In fact, the last day I was there over a week ago, the temperature hit 99 degrees. The next morning, the temperature had dropped into the forties and it was pouring rain. As I headed out of town and up over McDonald Pass, 13 miles away, snow covered the tops of the hills and mountains--just like that and it was still August.
I have mentioned before that Helena is chock full of Victorian houses and mansions--block after block of them and remarkably unique for a town of 30,000. All of them were built by money from gold mining. When I was a child most of them were in disrepair and to me haunted. But not anymore! Here is a small sampling of the West side homes. And they are bargains if they come on the market. The fanciest can be bought for less than $500,000. (One of the following sold for this while I was there.) Of course, it costs about that much to heat them in the winter.
All of these homes are within two minutes of my Mom's little house. Very few of the Helena mansions are B&B's; some have been divided into apartments; but most are private homes.
Helena is quite undiscovered. It is a gorgeous little city nestled in the Rocky Mountains. When we visited Aspen, Colorado a few years ago, it reminded me a lot of Helena except for the skiing. The best skiing is about 100 miles away near Bozeman though a small ski hill exists near Helena in the ghost town of Marysville. The winters are nasty, however. Everytime I go in the summer I wonder why more people haven't discovered this gem of a town and then I remember winter. In fact, the last day I was there over a week ago, the temperature hit 99 degrees. The next morning, the temperature had dropped into the forties and it was pouring rain. As I headed out of town and up over McDonald Pass, 13 miles away, snow covered the tops of the hills and mountains--just like that and it was still August.
I have mentioned before that Helena is chock full of Victorian houses and mansions--block after block of them and remarkably unique for a town of 30,000. All of them were built by money from gold mining. When I was a child most of them were in disrepair and to me haunted. But not anymore! Here is a small sampling of the West side homes. And they are bargains if they come on the market. The fanciest can be bought for less than $500,000. (One of the following sold for this while I was there.) Of course, it costs about that much to heat them in the winter.
All of these homes are within two minutes of my Mom's little house. Very few of the Helena mansions are B&B's; some have been divided into apartments; but most are private homes.
// posted by Janet @ 9:17 AM
0 comments
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Katrina Blew Off Our Cover
Before Katrina hit, one half of the children in the city of New Orleans were in families below the poverty level. HALF!! We like to think of ourselves as the greatest nation in the world. We like to think of ourselves as the richest nation in the world. We like to think of ourselves as the nation the rest of the world envies. We like to think of ourselves as the land of the American dream. We like to think of ourselves as the great land of human and civil rights. We like to think of ourselves as civilized. We like to think if disaster strikes that Americans when treated like animals will not behave like animals. We like to think we are the best. Katrina blew our cover.
As I watch the TV and as the world watches us, the reality of what we are has been unmasked. Our cities---all of them large and small---have vast numbers of human beings living lives of desperation. We overlook our people; we forget about our people; we do not care about our people; we wish them to be bulldozed into oblivion so we do not have to deal with their angst; we pretend drug addiction and violence do not exist; we hide from the truth. We believe we are amazing and that our technology is unmatched; we believe our leaders are truthful and competent. Katrina blew our cover.
And now the entire world knows.
Through e-mail at UW, Dave finds out what happens from the small world of scientists and doctors. His friend was caught in the tsunami last Christmas and relayed his story. Here is the story of a doctor caught in New Orleans. This is from last TUESDAY!! Shocking how this "great" country of ours didn't do anything until yesterday:
authored by Sean Hart, physician in New Orleans>>>> Letter from New Orleans 8/30/05>>>>> "Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern and your>> prayers. I am writing this note on Tuesday at 2 p.m.. I wanted to>> update all of you as to the situation here. I don't know how much>> information you are getting but I am certain it is more than we are>> getting. Be advised that almost everything I am telling you is from>> direct observation or rumor from reasonable sources. They are allowing>> limited internet access, so I hope to send this dispatch today.>>>> Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe in Jackson,>> Miss., and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in>> New Orleans. I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go in a>> place with a good wine list. In addition, this hotel is in a very old>> building on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage.>> Many of the other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we>> expect that many of the guests may be evacuated here.>>>> Things were obviously bad yesterday, but they are much worse today.>> Overnight the water arrived. Now Canal Street (true to its origins) is>> indeed a canal. The first floor of all downtown buildings is>> underwater. I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited>> in their ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the>> only hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with>> them today and they too are on generator and losing food and water>> fast.>>>> The city now has no clean water, no sewerage system, no electricity,>> and no real communications. Bodies are still being recovered floating>> in the floods. We are worried about a cholera epidemic. Even the>> police are without effective communications. We have a group of armed>> police here with us at the hotel that is admirably trying to exert>> some local law enforcement. This is tough because looting is now>> rampant. Most of it is not malicious looting. These are poor and>> desperate people with no housing and no medical care and no food or>> water trying to take care of themselves and their families.>>>> Unfortunately, the people are armed and dangerous. We hear gunshots>> frequently. Most of Canal street is occupied by armed looters who have>> a low threshold for discharging their weapons. We hear gunshots>> frequently. The looters are using makeshift boats made of pieces of>> styrofoam to access. We are still waiting for a significant national>> guard presence.>>>> The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight.>> Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other>> guests have unusual diseases. ... There are (Infectious Disease)>> physicians in at this hotel attending an HIV confection. We have>> commandered the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an>> makeshift clinic. There is a team of about seven doctors and PAs and>> pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical>> facility in the central business district and French Quarter.>>>> Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under>> police escort. The pharmacy was dark and full of water. We basically>> scooped the entire drug sets into garbage bags and removed them. All>> under police excort. The looters had to be held back at gunpoint.>> After a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.>>>> In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the the French>> Qarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many>> will be from the hotel, but many will not. We are anticipating dealing>> with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute injuries.>> Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems.>> Food and water shortages are imminent.>>>> The biggest question to all of us is where is the National Guard. We>> hear jet fignters and helicopters, but no real armed presence, and>> hence the rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no Salvation>> Army.>>>> In a sort of cliché way, this is an edifying experience. One is>> rapidly focused away from the transient and material to the bare>> necessities of life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be>> a primary care phyisican. We are under martial law so return to our>> homes is impossible. I don't know how long it will be and this is my>> greatest fear. Despite it all, this is a soul-edifying experience. The>> greatest pain is to think about the loss. And how long the rebuid will>> take. And the horror of so many dead people . PLEASE SEND THIS>> DISPATCH TO ALL YOU THING MAY BE INTERSTED IN A DISPATCH from the>> front. I will send more according to your interest. Hopefully their>> collective prayers will be answered. By the way, suture packs, sterile>> gloves and stethoscopes will be needed as the Ritz turns into a MASH."
Before Katrina hit, one half of the children in the city of New Orleans were in families below the poverty level. HALF!! We like to think of ourselves as the greatest nation in the world. We like to think of ourselves as the richest nation in the world. We like to think of ourselves as the nation the rest of the world envies. We like to think of ourselves as the land of the American dream. We like to think of ourselves as the great land of human and civil rights. We like to think of ourselves as civilized. We like to think if disaster strikes that Americans when treated like animals will not behave like animals. We like to think we are the best. Katrina blew our cover.
As I watch the TV and as the world watches us, the reality of what we are has been unmasked. Our cities---all of them large and small---have vast numbers of human beings living lives of desperation. We overlook our people; we forget about our people; we do not care about our people; we wish them to be bulldozed into oblivion so we do not have to deal with their angst; we pretend drug addiction and violence do not exist; we hide from the truth. We believe we are amazing and that our technology is unmatched; we believe our leaders are truthful and competent. Katrina blew our cover.
And now the entire world knows.
Through e-mail at UW, Dave finds out what happens from the small world of scientists and doctors. His friend was caught in the tsunami last Christmas and relayed his story. Here is the story of a doctor caught in New Orleans. This is from last TUESDAY!! Shocking how this "great" country of ours didn't do anything until yesterday:
authored by Sean Hart, physician in New Orleans>>>> Letter from New Orleans 8/30/05>>>>> "Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern and your>> prayers. I am writing this note on Tuesday at 2 p.m.. I wanted to>> update all of you as to the situation here. I don't know how much>> information you are getting but I am certain it is more than we are>> getting. Be advised that almost everything I am telling you is from>> direct observation or rumor from reasonable sources. They are allowing>> limited internet access, so I hope to send this dispatch today.>>>> Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe in Jackson,>> Miss., and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in>> New Orleans. I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go in a>> place with a good wine list. In addition, this hotel is in a very old>> building on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage.>> Many of the other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we>> expect that many of the guests may be evacuated here.>>>> Things were obviously bad yesterday, but they are much worse today.>> Overnight the water arrived. Now Canal Street (true to its origins) is>> indeed a canal. The first floor of all downtown buildings is>> underwater. I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited>> in their ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the>> only hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with>> them today and they too are on generator and losing food and water>> fast.>>>> The city now has no clean water, no sewerage system, no electricity,>> and no real communications. Bodies are still being recovered floating>> in the floods. We are worried about a cholera epidemic. Even the>> police are without effective communications. We have a group of armed>> police here with us at the hotel that is admirably trying to exert>> some local law enforcement. This is tough because looting is now>> rampant. Most of it is not malicious looting. These are poor and>> desperate people with no housing and no medical care and no food or>> water trying to take care of themselves and their families.>>>> Unfortunately, the people are armed and dangerous. We hear gunshots>> frequently. Most of Canal street is occupied by armed looters who have>> a low threshold for discharging their weapons. We hear gunshots>> frequently. The looters are using makeshift boats made of pieces of>> styrofoam to access. We are still waiting for a significant national>> guard presence.>>>> The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight.>> Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other>> guests have unusual diseases. ... There are (Infectious Disease)>> physicians in at this hotel attending an HIV confection. We have>> commandered the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an>> makeshift clinic. There is a team of about seven doctors and PAs and>> pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical>> facility in the central business district and French Quarter.>>>> Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under>> police escort. The pharmacy was dark and full of water. We basically>> scooped the entire drug sets into garbage bags and removed them. All>> under police excort. The looters had to be held back at gunpoint.>> After a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.>>>> In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the the French>> Qarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many>> will be from the hotel, but many will not. We are anticipating dealing>> with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute injuries.>> Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems.>> Food and water shortages are imminent.>>>> The biggest question to all of us is where is the National Guard. We>> hear jet fignters and helicopters, but no real armed presence, and>> hence the rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no Salvation>> Army.>>>> In a sort of cliché way, this is an edifying experience. One is>> rapidly focused away from the transient and material to the bare>> necessities of life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be>> a primary care phyisican. We are under martial law so return to our>> homes is impossible. I don't know how long it will be and this is my>> greatest fear. Despite it all, this is a soul-edifying experience. The>> greatest pain is to think about the loss. And how long the rebuid will>> take. And the horror of so many dead people . PLEASE SEND THIS>> DISPATCH TO ALL YOU THING MAY BE INTERSTED IN A DISPATCH from the>> front. I will send more according to your interest. Hopefully their>> collective prayers will be answered. By the way, suture packs, sterile>> gloves and stethoscopes will be needed as the Ritz turns into a MASH."
// posted by Janet @ 12:32 PM
0 comments
Friday, September 02, 2005
Mount Helena
Every summer when we visit Montana, Lucas and I hike up to the top of Mount Helena. Mount Helena is 5500 feet high and is actually designated as a city park so it is preserved. A lot of deer make their homes there and as a result every now and then mountain lions can be a problem. You know, it's funny. Here in the Puget Sound area, we call them cougars but you are considered an outsider in Montana if you say "cougar". This is kind of like how we never call orcas "killer whales".
A poll was taken in Helena about the best of everything and the Mount Helena hike won as both the "toughest area trail" and the "hike for wusses"?! Frankly, I always have a little trouble breathing at first because my body is accustomed to sea level. Apolo loves this hike because we see chipmunks and squirrels. This year we had to leave Apolo home with Dave and Kaley because we drove our smallest car due to gas prices and he doesn't fit. BUT, my Mom's dog, Oreo, had an equally good time. (My dog named after an Olympic speedskater---my Mom's dog named after a cookie!)
A woman on her morning hike volunteered to photograph us together!
My handsome boy.
Every summer when we visit Montana, Lucas and I hike up to the top of Mount Helena. Mount Helena is 5500 feet high and is actually designated as a city park so it is preserved. A lot of deer make their homes there and as a result every now and then mountain lions can be a problem. You know, it's funny. Here in the Puget Sound area, we call them cougars but you are considered an outsider in Montana if you say "cougar". This is kind of like how we never call orcas "killer whales".
A poll was taken in Helena about the best of everything and the Mount Helena hike won as both the "toughest area trail" and the "hike for wusses"?! Frankly, I always have a little trouble breathing at first because my body is accustomed to sea level. Apolo loves this hike because we see chipmunks and squirrels. This year we had to leave Apolo home with Dave and Kaley because we drove our smallest car due to gas prices and he doesn't fit. BUT, my Mom's dog, Oreo, had an equally good time. (My dog named after an Olympic speedskater---my Mom's dog named after a cookie!)
A woman on her morning hike volunteered to photograph us together!
My handsome boy.
// posted by Janet @ 3:45 PM
0 comments
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